Cape council chooses 3 finalists for Ward 3 seat

The Cape Girardeau City Council narrowed the list of applicants for the vacant Ward 3 council seat to three Monday.

The finalists are Tom Roy, a medical practice manager for SoutheastHEALTH; Christina Mershon, who directs continuing education at Southeast Missouri State University; and Nathaniel Thomas, a physical therapist for Saint Francis Medical Center.

Mayor Bob Fox announced the finalists after the council heard from all nine applicants and each council member privately made his or her selection, and the results were tallied.

Council members did not publicly state why the three were chosen.

But Fox thanked all the applicants for expressing interest in filling the unexpired term.

“I thank you for being here,” he told them.

Those not chosen included pastor Renita Green, Southeast Missouri State University professor Missy Phegley, bartender Lacy Burnette, real estate agent Ashley Roney, realty business owner and former teacher Elizabeth Lockhart and accountant Bradley Tuschhoff.

Roy, who served 15 years in public health in Stoddard County, told the council he wanted “to help a good city become a great city.”

He said major issues for the city include the condition of streets and landlords who don’t keep up their rental properties. Roy added he also favors expanding city parks and improving Fort D park.

Mershon said while she may be better known for directing continuing education services, she also serves as the university’s interim director of economic and business engagement.

She told the council she is interested in the Purpose Built Communities redevelopment effort in the south part of the city. Like Roy, she has concerns about substandard rental housing.

Mershon also said she has concerns about violence in the community.

“That is heavy on my brain and my heart,” she said.

Thomas, who owns multiple properties in Ward 3, said he has past experience working in government relations in Washington, D.C.

He voiced concern about tight city finances and expressed the desire to “find more revenue.”

Thomas said the lack of an adequate workforce hurts the city’s efforts to attract new employers.

Roy, Mershon and Thomas said they would consider running in April for a full, four-term term.

Several of the applicants said they chose to apply because they didn’t believe anyone else in their ward would do so.

Council members emphasized serving on the council involves a huge time commitment.

All of the applicants said they were willing to devote the time needed to serve on the board.

The vacancy was created when Victor Gunn resigned last month because he and his wife moved to a different ward in the city.

Ward 3 encompasses the central part of the city, from Pacific Street west to Kingshighway and Cape Rock Drive south to Brink Street.

The council expects to fill the vacancy at its Aug. 19 meeting.

The appointed person will serve on the council for the remainder of the unexpired term, which ends in April, Fox said.

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