FATHER, SON SEEK JACKSON SEATS

GRPAHIC -- A LIST OF RACES IN CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY

A father and son are in separate contested races for seats on the Jackson Board of Aldermen in Tuesday's election, while voters in the Village of Allenville and the City of Delta are facing a lack of candidates.

In Jackson, Gene Penzel is running for the seat held by Ward 2 incumbent Kerry Hoffman. Penzel's son, Philip, is a candidate in Ward 1, where Alderman David Hitt has decided not to run again after four terms. Philip Penzel is opposed in the race by Timothy Allen Wright. Neither has held elective office before.

Gene Penzel retired last year as president of the Penzel Construction Co. He says the city has been slow to keep its promises for water and sewer projects, citing the 60-acre Meier tract in the southern part of the city as an example. The Jackson Industrial Development Corp. has been trying to sell industry on the land but nobody is interested in a site without utilities, Penzel said.

"Usually when a company needs to expand they put it off to the last minute, then they need something immediately. The sooner we can proceed on that project the quicker we can attract new industry."

Gene Penzel served two terms on the Board of Aldermen in the 1960s but gave up his seat because of the travel demands of a construction project in Kennett, Mo. He thinks his experience as a business owner "can help make this thing go smoother," he said. "I had to make a budget to survive. It teaches you common sense."

Hoffman, who supervises the fire suppression department at Procter & Gamble, has served three terms on the board. He says the most important issues in the election are managing Jackson's growth and traffic flow. He cites recent updates of the city's Comprehensive Plan, subdivision regulations and the major street plan as positive steps taken to handle growth and traffic.

His short-term goals include finishing the city's water and sewer infrastructure projects, now 25 percent complete, and developing stormwater control plans for the city. Long-term goals include pushing MoDOT for the East Main Street interchange at I-55, promoting Jackson to new industry, developing stormwater retention areas north of the city to slow water in creeks, and to begin studying the need for a satellite fire station.

"I am dedicated to continue to work for the projects that will make our town a good place to live and raise a family," he said in a prepared statement.

Philip Penzel, now the construction company's president and chief operating officer, also owns Arrowhead Steel, a Scott City, Mo., steel fabricating concern. He supports the city's push for an Interstate 55 interchange at East Main Street and its overall street program but wants to see the city take more immediate steps to ease congestion. "We need to address some of our serious traffic problems," he said, citing Hope and Main streets, Hope and Washington streets and West Jackson Boulevard.

"If I get in, I want to support getting some changes made there. I feel I could work with the Missouri Department of Transportation. I know a lot of those guys. I feel my relationship with them would be beneficial in trying to come up with an agreement everybody can live with."

He wants to study MoDOT's parkway plan for widening Highway 72/34 before deciding whether or not to support it.

Wright, a food service route driver and an on-call firefighter for the City of Jackson, has been walking door-to-door "listening to the people."

Jacksonians seem to have no particular concerns at this time, he said. "But it's nice they feel they have someone to talk to right now."

Valerie Tuschhoff in Ward 3 and Larry Hall in Ward 4 are unopposed.

Always a write-in'

In the Village of Allenville, no one filed for three seats open on the Board of Trustees. In the City of Delta, Roy Douglas Hess filed for election in Ward 2, but no one filed in the Ward 1 election.

Cape Girardeau County Clark Rodney Miller said the write-in candidate with the most votes wins if that person wants the job. He did not know what procedures the various boards in the county might follow if the write-in candidate refuses the job or if there are no write-ins.

In that case, says Delta City Attorney Joe Rice, state statutes for fourth-class cities such as Delta call for the Board of Aldermen to appoint someone to serve until the next municipal election one year later. But that statute is rarely invoked.

"There's always a write-in," Rice said. "And the write-in person, if otherwise qualified, would receive the elected office."

A LIST OF RACES IN CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY

Town of Oak Ridge

For Board of Trustees:

No candidate filed

City of Jackson

For Mayor: Paul W. Sander

For Alderman, Ward 1:

Timothy Allen Wright

Philip C. Penzel

For Alderman,Ward 2:

Kerry L. Hoffman

Carl Gene Penzel

For Alderman, Ward 3:

Valeria E. Tuschhoff

For Alderman, Ward 4:

Larry J. Hall

Village of Allenville

For Board of Trustees: (3 seats)

No candidates filed

Village of Gordonville

Special Bond Election Proposition in the amount of $1.8 million to extend its sewage system.

Town of Whitewater

For Board of Trustees: (Vote for 2)

Jerome Foster

Sharon Hale

Public Water Supply Dist. #4

For Board of Directors:

No candidate filed

City of Delta

For Mayor: Daniel G. Baggett

City of Delta, Ward 1:

No candidate filed

City of Delta, Ward 2:

Roy Douglas Hess

Town of Dutchtown

For Board of Trustees:

(Vote for 3)

Wesley Amelunke

John Green

Deborah J. Scheffer

Doyle Parmer