July 19, 2008 06:57 pm
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By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Jasper County voters will have plenty of candidates to choose from when they go to the polls on Aug. 5.
There are 10 candidates running in three contested races on the Republican primary ballot.
Incumbent Jim Honey will face challengers Craig J. Putnam and Blane Mitchell in the race for Eastern District county commissioner, while Rita Hunter, also an incumbent, will face challengers Angie Casavecchia Ashens and J.L. “Monty” Morgan in the contest for public administrator.
Four people have filed for county coroner, now held by Jerry Neil, who is not seeking an additional term.
If voters want to decide the county races, they’ll have to vote in August, because all but one of those choices will be final on the Republican ballot in the primary. The only office to be contested in the November general election is coroner, where J.D. Love, running on the Democrat ticket, will face the winner of the Republican primary.
Among the posts to be filled in the election, most officeholders receive salaries of $59,000 per year. The exceptions are associate commissioners, who receive $57,000; the county sheriff, $64,000, and the county coroner, $25,000. Except for county coroner, which is set by the county, other salaries are determined by state law and based on the county’s assessed valuation.
Commissioner
The winner in the associate county commission race will represent a large area of the county geographically. Districts are divided according to population, with the Western District including Joplin, Duquesne, areas to the west and a small amount of south Carl Junction. The remainder of the county is in the Eastern District.
Among the three candidates running for Eastern District commissioner, Honey, Putnam and Mitchell all cite experience they say should qualify them for the job.
Honey, who has held the post for the past eight years, notes his work in formation of the Courthouse Beautification and Preservation Advisory Committee and grants obtained to help preserve the courthouse. He said he also administered the county road budget, was involved in consolidation of two special road districts into the county system, and was instrumental in passage of a 10-year extension of the road and bridge sales tax.
Honey said he has the “knowledge, skills and desire to serve a third term” and that he wanted to work with other officials to seek new county revenues including grants to boost income in the county budget and the road and bridge budget.
Putnam said he has experience that will be useful in county government by working as a controller for Carthage Radiologists, serving on the Carthage R-9 School Board, and working on campaign committees that helped elect Sheriff Archie Dunn and Presiding Commissioner John Bartosh, and helped pass a law-enforcement sales tax. In the medical field, he said he had gained experience in dealing with people, doctors, insurance companies, and state and federal agencies.
He said he is running for office because he likes working with and helping people, and wants to ensure the county “is the best that it can be.”
Mitchell, now retired, said work in road construction, and experience in founding and running two businesses have prepared him for work on the commission. That background, he said, includes job bidding, budget, payroll and personnel management.
Mitchell said he believes his experience as a business owner would serve county residents in making responsible decisions about how tax dollars are spent. If elected, he said his goals would be to listen to residents’ concerns and respond in an honest, timely manner, and work with the other commissioners in making responsible decisions.
Honey, 63, rural Carthage, previously was a vocational agriculture teacher and director of the Carthage Technical Center. He has lived in Jasper County all but three years of his life. He is a graduate of Carl Junction High School and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agriculture education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Putnam, 54, controller for Carthage Radiologists, lives at 2842 W. Morgan Heights Road, Carthage. He has lived in Jasper County for 24 years and holds an associate’s degree in business education and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Truman State University, Kirksville.
A county resident for 46 years, Mitchell, 59, is now retired, but started, owned and operated Mitchell Construction Co. and JBM Manufacturing Inc., both of Carthage. He lives at 1870 E. Bailey Drive, Carthage.
Public administrator
In the race for public administrator, one-term incumbent Rita Hunter is being challenged by Angie Casavecchia Ashens and J.L. “Monty” Morgan.
Hunter cites as her qualifications for office her four years in the post in which she said she has gained “hands-on experience in caring for the wards,” and training through the Missouri Public Administrator’s Association and other groups.
Ashens said she completed an internship with the public administrator’s office under Janice Tusinger, the former administrator. She said she has worked at Ozark Center as a case manager for people with mental illness, then for the past 13 years has worked for the Missouri Department of Mental Health as a case manager and quality assurance specialist for people with mental retardation or developmental disabilities. She said she has served as the guardianship coordinator for many years with the Department of Mental Health.
Hunter said she wants to continue serving “to provide the best services” and round-the-clock availability of her office. If re-elected, she said she would continue lobbying for the state to restore Medicaid services, and obtain dental and optical care, and push for more residential care homes and emergency psychiatric beds in the area.
Ashens said she is seeking the office “because it is vitally important in the lives of Jasper County’s most vulnerable citizens. I have a desire to serve these citizens, and I know I am well-qualified.” If elected, she said she will strive to ensure the health and safety of all wards of the office, and will preserve and protect their assets. She said she also will ensure wards are living in the least-restrictive environment possible, and that they are able to participate as fully as possible in decision making for their lives.
Morgan said he is running “to help wards of the office, and to be a fair and honest advocate.”
He said his priority, if elected, would be to make sure the rights of the wards are not diminished because of disability, and to help people not able to help themselves.
Hunter, 55, lives near Joplin. She is a longtime county resident who attended Joplin High School, received a GED certificate and has computer training from Franklin Technical School.
Ashens is a graduate of Diamond High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology form Missouri Southern State University, with graduate work at Pittsburg State University.
Morgan is general manager of Morgan Pallets Inc. and vice president of Woodpecker Products Inc., and cited as qualifications for the post his 20 years of experience dealing with businesses and companies.
Coroner
Experience in the medical field and funeral home industry are among the experiences being cited by the four candidates for county coroner. The office is being vacated by Jerry Neil, who has decided not to seek re-election.
Candidates are Scott Keatts, Rob Chappel, Don LeMasters Jr. and Shane R. Moore.
Keatts currently is a flight paramedic with St. John’s Medflight. He said his medical background and training would allow him to operate the coroner’s office “in the professional manner the citizens deserve.” He said he also has experience working with local doctors and hospitals, public safety agencies and other emergency services. If elected, he said he would improve response times, ensure competent and thorough investigations, and cooperate with local agencies and funeral homes in the area.
Chappel, who has worked for three years under Neil as chief deputy coroner, is owner of Chappel Casket and Crematory and co-owner of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary. He said he would use his knowledge and experience to help residents and “would maintain the professionalism” of the office.
LeMasters is a paramedic supervisor at McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital. He said he has worked at the hospital for 15 years and in the field for 20 years, and would bring that experience and a medical background in the office. If elected, he said he would reduce the office’s response time to fatalities, and would be professional and compassionate in helping families.
Moore is a funeral director and owner of Ulmer Funeral Home. He said he has worked in the field for 19 years, and that background has given him experience and insight in situations involving fatalities. If elected, he said his goal would be to maintain the integrity of the office and treat everyone with fairness.
Keatts, 32, 1998 Webbwood Drive, Webb City, has lived in Jasper County for 14 years. He is a graduate of Greenfield High School and received his paramedic training at Missouri Southern State University. He also has completed death-investigator training at St. Louis University and mass-casualty leadership training, and is a member of the Missouri Coroners and Medical Examiners.
Chappel, 36, 2276 W. Fountain Road, has lived in Jasper County for 30 years and is a graduate of Webb City High School. He also has completed 75 hours of training as a death investigator.
LeMasters, 48, 7476 S. Highway 96, Carthage, is a lifelong Jasper County resident. He is a high-school graduate and completed paramedic training at Missouri Southern State University.
Moore, 45, 1208 S. Garrison Ave., Carthage, has been a Jasper County resident for 22 years. He is a graduate of Mount Vernon High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from MSSU.
Unopposed incumbents
Sheriff Archie Dunn; Treasurer Wilma “Jeannie” Wells and Commissioner Darieus Adams, all Republican incumbents, are running without opposition.
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