3 mayor candidates in Scott City; former mayor Porch files for council seat

Scott City Mayor Norman Brant will face two challengers in the April election, including the man he replaced, and another former mayor of the Scott County town is running for a council seat.

The filing period ended Tuesday.

Brant is opposed by Robert Foulk and former mayor Ron Cummins, who was elected mayor in April 2016 and resigned last year amid allegations he abused his position.

Former mayor Tim Porch and James Payne are vying for the Ward 3 council seat, the city clerk�s office said.

In Ward 1, Mike Rhymer and Tim Johnston will square off for the council seat.

Norman Brant

Ward 2 Councilman Rodney Uhrhan faces a challenge from Heather Ingvalson.

With Brant running for mayor, voters will have to fill Brant�s former Ward 4 seat. Andrew Reinhart is unopposed for that council seat.

Brant was on the council when Cummins resigned in August. The council subsequently appointed Brant as mayor.

Mayor�s race

The mayor�s race in April will decide who will finish out the unexpired term, which ends in April 2020.

Ron Cummins

Brant has promised to bring �harmony� between the council and city residents.

�I grew up here, and I made a commitment to finish this term,� he said.

He also said he wanted to fulfill a promise to residents �to do everything in my power� to prevent a company�s proposal to open a creosote plant in the city.

Cummins said he wants to be mayor again to help boost economic development in Scott City.

�We have one of the best cities around. We just need to get out and promote it,� said Cummins, who is embroiled in two lawsuits.

In December, he filed a lawsuit in Scott County Circuit Court against state Rep. Holly Rehder, former mayor Porch and Scott City resident Cindi Davidson Brashear, accusing them of making �defamatory statements� against him. Those statements, according to the lawsuit, allege malfeasance of office, corruption and misuse of public funds.

In late December, former Scott City parks director Phyllis Spinks filed a lawsuit against Cummins and the city, alleging employment discrimination.

Foulk, who hopes to win the job of mayor, said in a Facebook post that �my interests are for the people and their concerns of this wonderful town.�

A machinist, Foulk said in a Facebook message to the Southeast Missourian that, if elected mayor, he would push to have some areas of the city �cleaned up.� He said he also wants to bring business back to the Illmo area and improve Main Street.

Cape/Jackson filings

Unlike Scott City, there are no contests in Jackson, where all of the incumbents for board of aldermen and school board are running unopposed.

Voters won�t have a race for Cape Girardeau School Board either. Board members Kyle McDonald and Lynn Ware are unopposed for re-election to three-year terms.

As for the Cape Girardeau municipal election, the only contested race is in Ward 2, where Councilwoman Shelly Moore is opposed by Scott Johnson.

Dan Presson and Stacy Kinder face no opposition for election to the Ward 1 and 6 council seats, respectively.

Ward 5 Councilman Bob Fox is unopposed for mayor.

In contrast to school board and other municipal filings in the area, the filing period for Cape Girardeau city positions ended in November under the city�s charter form of government.

Oran ballot

In Oran, Mayor Gary Senciboy is unopposed for re-election.

Collector Marci Roslen faces a challenge from Donna Dinges. Ward 2 Alderman Gil Roslen is challenged by Laura Sternberg. In Ward 3, Alderman Richard Randolph is opposed by Karen Diebold.

Ward 1 Alderman Ronnie Diebold Sr. is running unopposed.

In Ward 4, Kevin Williams is the sole council candidate. Incumbent Neal Seyer is not seeking re-election, said city clerk Tom Urhahn.

No information was available Wednesday regarding candidates for the Scott City School Board as the district�s campus remained closed in the aftermath of a snowstorm earlier this week.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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