The Rolla Daily News will host a municipal, school and hospital board of trustees candidate forum at the Multipurpose Room of the Phelps County Courthouse at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 1.
In all, the forum will include 21 candidates, some of whom are running unopposed. Those incumbents who are not challenged include Mayor William S. Jenks III, Ward 2 Councilman Stan Spadoni and City Prosecutor Robert “Jeff” Stoltz.
Opposed candidates include Ward 1 incumbent Monty Jordan, challenged by Michael Dowdy; Ward 4 Councilman Don Morris faces challenges by Michail Samaras and James Steiner; Ward 5 Councilman Jimmy Dale Williams will square off against Brian DeFriese, and in Ward 6, incumbent Councilwoman Donna Hawley will be challenged by Anthony M. Bahr.
Ward 3 incumbent Sue Eudaly has chosen not to seek re-election.
Seven-term incumbent Rolla Municipal Judge William Hickle will be challenged by attorney David Duncan.
In the Rolla School District 31 race, incumbent Jamie Myers is challenged by James Packard and Rodney Southard. In that race, the top vote-getters will fill the two vacancies on the board. Board member Robyn Sooter chose not to seek re-election.
In the Phelps County Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees race, incumbent Trustee JoAnn Brand-Hoertel will square off against challenger Clara M. Roark. Hoertel’s seat on the board is the only position expiring.
On March 30, the Rolla Daily News will publish a special “Election Edition.” This tabloid-format special presentation will include candidate biographies, their photos and brief comments from each hopeful on the issues facing their respective governing bodies.
Missouri S&T history and political science professor Dr. Jeff Schramm will be the moderator.
Dr. Schramm is a Granite City, Ill., native, who later moved to the suburbs of Chicago. He attended the then University of Missouri – Rolla where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1992. He continued his studies at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., where he received an master’s (1995) and Ph.D (2002).
After teaching at several universities in the Delaware valley, he returned to teach at Missouri S&T in the autumn of 2002.
His specialties are the history of science and technology and the complex historical interactions between business, government, and universities in the development and regulation of technologies. He lives just outside of Rolla in Phelps County with his wife, Mara, and their several cats since 2003.
The format for the evening will allow for candidates pursuing the same office two minutes to tell of themselves and then candidates — by ward or office — will be allowed to field questions from the audience.
The format will first include the PCRMC board, followed by School District 31 hopefuls and culminate with the city candidates for municipal judge and then City Council candidates.
The forum should conclude by 8:30 p.m.
