She said her goals, if elected, are to continue to expand on the county’s geographic information system and to encourage use of the site for taxpayer information, to lower the number of informal and formal appeals of property values, and to make sure all property is on tax books at true market value.

Hensley cited 23 years in dealing with people, first as a funeral home director, then in management at Target in Joplin.

If elected, he said he wants to provide fairness and consistency in property values. He said he will be available to residents for assessor questions and will continue to help advance county technology using online information.

Hammons cited as his qualifications 20 years of experience as a business owner, including 15 years in construction and development of residential subdivisions and homes, and 17 years in insurance, five as a business owner.

He said his goals, if elected, first will be to learn the job, and then to make himself and the office more accessible to the public. He said he also will teach basic consecution methods to staff and implement training for each position. He said he also will move forward with computer software to make information accessible on the Internet, open satellite offices and work with the state on a law to cap taxes on real estate for those over age 60.

Allison now works with the Carthage Parks Department and said he has worked seven years as a supervisor overseeing at least 60 people. He also cited computer, leadership and people skills.

He said he wants to restore public service to the assessor’s office, lobby in Jefferson City on property-assessment issues, and be available to the pubic to answer their questions.

If elected, he said he would be accessible to the public and make certain everyone receives a fair assessment based on the law.

Carsten said he is “the only candidate who knows all facets of the job.” He said he enjoys serving the pubic and, if elected, would “focus on actual appraisals within a mass appraisal application to assure each property is considered on an individual basis.” He said he also would give the office “a person that knows the work, and will get much in need of fixing, fixed.” He said his office would always be open and responsive to residents and that each property would be treated as unique.

Drake, 46, lives at 1429 W. Central St., Webb City and works as a certified real-estate appraiser. He is a lifelong county resident, a high-school graduate who has completed training and continuing education in property valuation.

Alumbaugh-Hoover, 54, lives at 1520 Grand Ave., Carthage, and is a real-estate investor and landlord. She is a lifelong county resident, and a graduate of Carthage High School with work experience in the assessor’s office and in the real-estate business.

Hensley, 41, lives in Joplin and is an executive team leader for Target Stores. He is a longtime county resident and a gradate of Carthage High School. He holds an associate’s degree from St. Louis Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Missouri Southern State University and a master’s degree in human resource development from Pittsburg State University.

Hammons, 43, 703 Rose Lane, Carl Junction, is owner of Hammons Insurance. He is a longtime area resident who attended Neosho High School and Central Missouri State university.

Carsten, 53, 2344 Vandalia St., is a deputy assessor and a longtime county resident. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Missouri Southern State University, and 160 hours of course work from the International Association of Assessing Officers.