Dunklin County releases municipal election filings update

The race for election in April is heating up with six new filings in Dunklin County.

Kennett city council member Darrel Wheeler, currently Ward V Alderman, has filed to be re-elected to his current position. This accompanies fellow council members Larry McDowell, current Ward II Alderman, and Bill Branum, current Ward III Alderman, who have also filed for re-election. Along with these council members, Trena Leach and Tresa Churchwell have both filed to be re-elected to their respective positions of City Collector and City Treasurer.

The only competition in the Kennett elections, as of now, is for the Ward III Alderman seat, which has two filings, Bill Branum and his opposition, Jeff McCormick.

Senath has received two new filings for South Ward Alderman and North Ward Alderman. Patsy Davis has filed for the South Ward Alderman seat and will be running against the current incumbent John Holmes. The North Ward Alderman filing comes from Ricky Parker, who will be running against the previously filed Ray Ivy. The incumbent of the North Ward Alderman seat, Joe McLain has filed for the position of City Marshall. This position currently has two other filings to join McLain in the race, Omar Karnes, the acting Chief of Police, and police officer Michael George.

One new filing has been announced for the city of Cardwell position of North Ward Alderman. Wanda Lee has filed for the position and is currently running unopposed. John Prince is still running unopposed for his current position of Mayor of Cardwell, and Jack Sparks, the South Ward Alderman incumbent, remains unopposed in his filing as well. The position of City Collector for Cardwell is up for election with currently no filings for the job.

Brent Pierce, the South Ward Alderman incumbent of Arbyrd, is being opposed by Paul Phillips who recently filed for Pierce's current position. The North Ward Alderman seat in Arbyrd is still without any filings.

Jeff F. Harris joined the four other filings in Hornersville when he filed for North Ward Alderman to run against incumbent Bruce Miller. Phyllis Hamrick is running for re-election as South Ward Alderman and is currently unopposed. The mayoral race remains to hold two filings with incumbent Richard Mara facing the opposition of current Alderman Ronda Rauls.

Individuals have until Jan. 20, to file for positions to be voted upon in the April election.

In the upcoming April school board elections, 10 seats will be available in five of the area schools.

In the Kennett School District, Matthew Shetley and Matt Poole have filed for the two posistions available. Both Shetley and Poole are currently serving on the Kennett Board of Education.

In the Senath-Hornersville School District, two seats are currently open, with incumbant Byron Small filing for one. The other seat is currently filled by Carl Johnson, who has yet to re-file. Rick Hardy, of Senath, Mo., has also filed for the Senath-Hornersville School Board.

In the Holcomb School District, incumbants Tony Houart and Jim Breedon have filed for the two open seats.

Incumbants Noble Nelson and Joe Bryant have filed for the two open seats in the Delta C-7 School District.

The Southland School District, which also has two seats open, has yet to see anyone file, including the incumbants.

Filing for the 10 seats in the five schools will remain open until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009.

* DDD Staff writers George Anderson and Joshua Payne contributed to this article.