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By Pauline Masson – The voters have spoken. In the April 5, 2022 municipal election, two challengers of the status quo were catapulted into office with decisive victories. We can cross our fingers that the election process works – and that the new leadership can and will change the face of city government and rebuild citizen trust.
On a promise of change at city hall, former alderman Heather Filley was swept into the office of mayor with 68.76 percent of the votes to 30.9 percent received by incumbent Herb Adams’. She captured 676 votes more than twice Adams 306 votes.
In the ward two race, first time candidate James Cleeve who called for planned growth that preserves the small town ambience of the city, garnered 73.92 percent of the votes – capturing 326 votes to 115 for Stephen Flannery’s III, who was an avowed supporter of growth.
In the other contested race, Police Chief Scott Melies held onto his seat with 42.62 percent of the votes. He captured 404 votes to 286 for Andrew “Drew” Whitman and 256 for Greg Hurst. This race proved what the challengers and their supporters had projected The two opponents split 542 votes, which guaranteed the victory to Melies.
In two uncontested races, Rick Presley who will take the ward one seat, received 141 votes. Scott Lesh who will take the ward three seat got 305 votes. Incumbent collector Debbie Kelley received 859 votes, making her the highest vote getter in the 2022 election.
Even though the victories in the contested races were large – huge by any standard – this is not a time for gloating. These victories are not so much a signal of how much these new leaders are loved. It is rather a signal that the voters want change. We have to wait and see if the new administration can deliver the changes that the electorate thought they were voting for.
Can Filley lead the new board of aldermen to bring all the city’s planning and proposed new laws out of the back room and into the public meeting where voters know what the city is doing and have an opportunity to weigh in before crucial votes are taken?
When the next subdivision plan is brought to the city, can she convince aldermen to oversee the approval in a hands-on process that requires the new development plan to fit the surrounding neighborhood?
When citizens come to city hall to voice a complaint or make a request, can she set the example for aldermen by actually listening to what the citizens are saying and take their concerns seriously enough to evaluate it and consider the cost or impact what of the citizens’ wishes.
Clearly, I am not suggesting that the city give in to every request from every citizen. But I do believe that they mayor as controller of the meeting and the agenda should have an evaluation procedure for every request or complaint from every citizen. Listen. Determine what the citizens are asking for? What would their request cost? Who, if anyone, would benefit from it? Does it fit the city’s comprehensive plan?
Just take the time to take the citizens seriously.
Don’t fight with them or ignore them. Just give them a chance to talk through their position.
This new government that the voters have so overwhelming given a seat at the table merits all our congratulations. They have been given not only the keys to city hall, but also an opportunity to correct the wrongs of the recent administration. They can rebuild trust and boost the citizen’s confidence in our city.
Let’s cross our fingers.
Can I Get an AMEN !
Word of caution. Several years back , when Jeff P. ran as the “right the wrongs” candidate they made his term extremely miserable for him, even to the point of delaying his swearing in as long as possible. We still have a “dictator” administrator and an arrogant Economic Development Director to deal with.
This will only work if the citizens return to taking an active part in all things in the city.
This is OUR CITY, hope the administration acknowledges this, and we work with them.
THANKS FOR VOTING !
The basis of the change in government is the perceived lack of communication between the mayor, aldermen and the citizens.
This is a two way street. First, the office holders should create a transparent system of communications. We have a variety of ways to address those 7 people: but how often do we get answers? Not often. This needs to change. They ask us for input on projects. Where is the response? Not just responses in the open meeting. A text. A phone call. A couple paragraph email. Lacking a newspaper, we need a better communication medium.
How about an online, biweekly “Aldermanic Report?” for government action highlights to be made public? Hometown Matters reported on the City Newsletter, bringing some questionable info there to light before the election. To this day, we never received the flyer. We need better ways for citizens to volunteer meaningfully, to save the city money and become vested members of the community.
The county only had 12.7% turnout of voters yesterday. How do you reach the other 87.3 percent who did not vot3 ?
An old 1965 Southwestern Bell poster had the verbiage: “Communication is the beginning of understanding.” Why not start at this knickpoint in time and implement a new way of communications on city and citizen business?
Challenge accepted! Thanks for the comment Jo! This is exactly the type of process I have as my main priority. Trying to get residents involved and keeping them informed. I will try to make this happen, I’m not sure of the form of communication at this point. More research will be needed, but hopefully with involvement from our residents we can figure out the best way to make this happen and be a meaningful form of communication.
I hear the term; “city’s comprehensive plan”; what exactly is the “city’s comprehensive plan”? Maybe we should start there and define or redefine what that really is and go from there.
The City’s Comprehensive Plan is on the city website… it is from 2017. Here is the link: http://www.pacificmissouri.com/DocumentCenter/Index/39
From walking around, knocking on doors and talking to residents during my campaign, it became very obvious that people had no idea the amount of information/content on the city website. People that want to be involved really need to take the time to click on every link on the website. The information you can find is quite helpful and very enlightening. One of the many things I would like to bring a lot of light to.
From my aging memory, the Comprehensive plan is an over all guide line for planning and managing growth and development with in the City. This plan was required to be put in place by various state statutes and governing laws. , mainly for the City to be eligible, and to control the use of, tax payer funded grants and the like.
As written, is is a guide, but when it’s provisions are adopted into zoning laws, which they have been, they then have to be followed by the force of law. Willfully violating such zoning laws is what has earned the City a July Circuit Court date.