Mayoral Candidates
GREG PARKER
My name is Greg Parker. I was born in Rolla, Mo. Graduated from Rolla in 1995. I have worked for GFL/WCA as the residential trashman for Salem for the past 23 years. I am married to Jennifer Parker (Pollard) who works as a nurse at Mercy Family Med. She graduated from Salem and was born and raised here. We have five children Briana, Austin, Logan, Taylor, and Journey. Four of our five children are Salem Highschool graduates. The last one is currently in 5th grade. I have 2 grandsons who are 4 and 2 years old.
I have met many people on my trash route who have become like family to me. I care a great deal about Salem, and will continue to do what I can to help people.
The City of Salem is emerging from a budget crisis. Over the next two years, if elected, what would you do to ensure that the city does not face a similar crisis again?
I would continue to regularly monitor the city’s financial health and adjust strategies as needed to stay on track. This includes conducting periodic reviews of budget perfomance, reassessing priorities, and making necessary adjustments to maintain fiscal stability. The city has come a long way over the last few years. There is still more work needed and will continue to be done. From the outside looking in, it seems you can just change a few things, and everything will be resolved. However, that is far from the truth. The problems we have faced will continue to take time and effort from everyone in Salem. It is unfortunate that we have had to face the issues we have had. There is no going back and changing anything, we can only continue to move forward and build Salem up. This town means alot to me, my family, and everyone living in it. I hope to bring Salem to financial stability and continue building up. Monitoring closely and adjusting accordingly is the much-needed start to this. As we have done and continue to do.
The City of Salem shifts utility revenue into the general fund to pay bills. Auditors have routinely warned that this is not good practice. Do you agree with auditors? If so, what revenue streams can be created or cost-cutting can be done to prevent this? If not, explain why you think there is a need to use utility revenue in the general budget.
I would agree with the auditors, routinely shifting utility revenue into the general fund to pay bills is not a sustainable practice. This should be considered a temporary solution, and we should develop long-term plans to restore financial stability. Salem has come a long way in the last 2 years with our reserves. We could not have done it without residents. Nobody likes taxes being increased. We are trying to get the reserves and budgeting where hopefully in the future we can decrease taxes instead of increasing. Not having to shift funds from one account to another.
A few ideas:
• Conducting efficiency audits to identify wasteful spending
• Seeking Grants that may help cut spending from the annual budget
• Increase revenue by bringing more businesses to Salem
What other single issue of city government do you believe needs to be addressed, and how would you address it?
Economic Development. I would like to partner with the County and other organizations to help pay for an Economic Development Director. This will help the city overall. An Economic Developer can not only help the city of Salem, but also the county and surrounding areas.
Despite the issues facing the city, what are some of the positives that the community can build on to promote economic development and be attractive to newcomers and citizens alike?
Salem has become an attraction to people due to the low crime rate, the schools and the available healthcare system. We have beautiful scenery and rivers that help promote our town, we also have small business owners who make our town special. We could not survive as a town if it were not for the whole community coming together and making our town what it is. We need to lean on that to help promote more businesses and residents to move here. When you get down into Salem and talk to its current residents you will understand why Salem is as great as it is. Most are courteous, polite, and will help a stranger. That is just another thing that makes Salem attractive.
LISA ELLIOTT
No response received.
GROVER "MIKE" WHITLEY
My professional career includes service to our country in the United States Navy (1952-1973) and United Telephone (1974-1998); my public service includes two terms as West Ward Alderman in the City of Salem (2001-2004). I am an active member of Salem Pentecostal Church of God. My hobbies include fishing, bowling, attending car shows, HAMM radio operator and traveling to visit family members.
I am a strong believer in accountability, responsibility and visibility. As mayor, I will be open and available to the people of Salem. Your concerns are my concerns, and I want to hear from residents about ways we can work together to improve our community. I will work diligently to ensure we have a balanced budget and spending is within our means. Attracting new business to the area is essential for a thriving community, and I will work tirelessly to create an environment that is business-friendly.
The City of Salem is emerging from a budget crisis. Over the next two years, if elected, what would you do to ensure that the city does not face a similar crisis again?
I would use the city budget like mine at home!
Example: If we have a car or truck with maybe 75,000 miles on it and if it runs or not, we can have it repaired for maybe two hundred or so!
Cars and trucks are still very serviceable until two hundred miles now if you keep the maintenance up just like you do at home. So this can be a big savings on the budget!
The City of Salem shifts utility revenue into the general fund to pay bills. Auditors have routinely warned that this is not a good practice. Do you agree with auditors? If so, what revenue streams can be created or cost-cutting can be done to prevent this? If not, explain why you think there is a need to use utility revenue in the general budget.
I do agree with the auditors!
But at this time, I don’t know what revenue streams can be created or can be used to prevent this.
What other single issue of city government do you believe needs to be addressed, and how would you address it?
Have not been close to the city government for some time now, so I can not address it at this time.
Despite the issues facing the city, what are some of the positives that the community can build on to promote economic development and be attractive to newcomers and citizens alike?
For Starters “Clean Up” behind Tax Masters building and next to Vandivort Drug and across the street from the City Aldermen and women meeting place. Looks like a refugee staging area. Trash and just about anything. Also they burn stuff back there. If I was looking to move somewhere, it wouldn’t be here!
EDDIE FLEETWOOD
I attended R-2 and went on to graduate from Salem High School in 2011. During my lower/middle school years, I was involved in 4-H as well as shooting sports, archery, woodworking and showing a market steer. While in high school, I participated in football, FFA and continued 4-H activities. I served as FFA Treasurer for 3 out of the 4 years. I further participated on many FFA teams, one of which placed 4th in the state.
After graduating, I went to a Community College in Moberly for a year. Desiring a break from college, I enlisted in the Missouri Air Guard. After spending about a year and a half in training for the Air Force, I enrolled at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) where I was involved in an academic fraternity called Lambda Alpha Epsilon. I graduated in 2016 with my B.S. in Criminal Justice.
I worked full-time for a year and a half at the Dent County Prosecutor’s Office. I then went to Lansing, Michigan to attend Thomas M. Cooley School of Law from 2018 to 2022. During that time, I was still serving in the military. While going to law school, I was a member of the American Bar Association and Phi Delta Phi, an honors fraternity for law school.
My military career consists of enlisting in March of 2012 and doing a 6-year contract. During that contact, I was an aircraft mechanic on the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber. I performed these duties until I was accepted into law school, at which time I decided to switch to be a paralegal and have served in that capacity for roughly the last 6 years. I am currently a Staff Sergeant, awaiting a school date to put on Technical Sergeant, meaning that I am a noncommissioned officer and am responsible for those below me.
I am a patriot, hunter, fisherman, Ozarkian, and a fighter.
This is not the opinion or to be construed as the opinion of the Department of Defense, United States Air Force, or the Missouri Air National Guard. (This is required under federal law)
The City of Salem is emerging from a budget crisis. Over the next two years, if elected, what would you do to ensure that the city does not face a similar crisis again?
I would like to see the budget balanced every year which means living within the revenue generated, not overspending. One of my greatest concerns in this area is the continual draw on utility accounts. At the March 13th Utility Committee Meeting, an item that caught my attention was the recently purchased Hydrovac truck. During this meeting, it was reported that the truck was being paid for out of several utility accounts. It is my opinion that vehicles should not be paid for with funds generated by utilities, especially when the utility reserve accounts are woefully lacking or non-existent. The utility funds are meant to take care of providing/administering the utilities and necessary materials while also building up some reserves for times when extra funds are, and will be, needed.
Another way to balance the budget is to make sure that rental fees for City property are set at appropriate/competitive rates. If the city is not renting property at a rate commensurate with the market, I am of the opinion that the City is not charging a fair rate, further financially burdening the citizens. Finally, in an interview with an organization within the city limits, it was revealed that they are not paying utilities for the very large building they occupy. While I agree this agency avails the City, and some residents, of some great services, I also believe they need to at least be paying half of the utility bill for the City-owned building they occupy. Nothing is free in this world and to burden the citizens with the utility costs is outlandish.
Additionally, those individuals who are trying to run and maintain private businesses that offer similar activities/services are in no way able to compete with such an imbalance when they have to pay the full cost of both rental space and utilities. This gives the said entity an unfair advantage over those in the private sector, thereby taking business away from them which could help Salem grow and thrive.
The City of Salem shifts utility revenue into the general fund to pay bills. Auditors have routinely warned that this is not a good practice. Do you agree with auditors? If so, what revenue streams can be created or cost-cutting can be done to prevent this? If not, explain why you think there is a need to use utility revenue in the general budget.
I do agree with the auditor’s report on this matter. As previously stated, the utility fund is not meant to fund the City; it is meant to take care of utilities. As of March 4th, 2024, the city was purchasing electricity for $0.0738 per kWh. They then turned around and charged the citizens $0.1360 per kWh, almost double what the city pays. Why are they charging so much for electricity? The answer is that it is being used to cover the shortfalls in the City’s budget; thus, we do not have a balanced budget and are not living within our means or revenue generated.
In the 2010 Audit done by Susan Montee, who is a State Auditor, certified public accountant and holds a law degree, it was stated that “the city has transferred substantial amounts from the Electric Fund to the General Fund without adequate justification.” (Yellow Sheet of packet). Ms. Montee goes on further to inform the citizens that “the city may have established higher utility rates than necessary in lieu of increasing general revenues or reducing services provided by the city.” (Id.) Further, on page five of the packet, the Auditor tells us “Utility revenues should be used only to fund the operations of the respective utility services. . . . Utility services should not generate profits to fund other services provided by the City.”
One way to generate additional revenue to prevent such shortfalls would be to both attract and help maintain more private businesses in Salem. From viable businesses, the city collects more taxes, thus increasing spendable/available revenue. As more businesses close down or move to other towns, the city loses money. A top priority should be to start attracting long term business to the City of Salem which, in turn, will likely attract more residents and tourists. This City can’t keep kicking businesses out of town to build in different locations. We need these businesses to exist within city limits. It is a tragedy that at least two businesses that had a great history within the city were forced outside of the city limits.
What other single issue of city government do you believe needs to be addressed, and how would you address it?
One of the biggest concerns, in my opinion, is the water infrastructure in the city. I have seen reports that state the the water lines are between 70-80 years old. Water has a direct link to your health. The human body can only survive without water for three to five days. Eventually you are going to have to drink water, whether it be the water out of the tap or bottled water. One of these days, in the relatively near future, these lines are going to fail and contaminate the water supply.
On March 13th, 2024, I was in an establishment in town that has a built-in water filtration system in order to help provide clean water. They told me that after a couple of weeks they have to change the filters in the system due to so many contaminants in the water. These filters should last much longer than a couple of weeks. They should last at least a month, if not longer. Further, they informed me that the filters “weigh almost nothing” when they get put in and when they are taken out, “they weigh close to five pounds.” This is a major concern of mine as I rely on city water to drink, cook, and bath. Without good, clean drinking water, we all suffer, physically. There will have to be sacrifices made to various programs and other cost-cutting measures to accomplish replacing the water lines, but this is a necessary evil. We have arrived at the problems we face currently by prior administrations passing the buck, but as Harry S. Truman once said, “the buck stops here.” We can’t allow these water lines to keep deteriorating without replacing them.
Despite the issues facing the city, what are some of the positives that the community can build on to promote economic development and be attractive to newcomers and citizens alike?
I think the best way to attract newcomers, both residents and businesses, is to stop scaring off current residents. A quick google search of “population of Salem MO” pulls up a line chart from the United States Census Bureau. This graph shows that there has been a population decline in Salem since the year 2000 and a drop from 4,902 in 2019 to 4,571 in 2021. People, looking to relocate, and businesses look at this information when they are thinking about moving here.
Now the question becomes: How do we keep citizens here so it does not look like there is a mass exodus out of the city? I think this can be accomplished in at least two very easy ways. One is by getting the City’s financials straight. The feeling within the community is we are robbing Peter (the citizen) to pay Paul (the City’s bills.) Once we stop taking money out of the utility fund to keep funding the City’s projects and pad the General Fund, we will start to stabilize. The next way to attract new businesses and residents to Salem is to start having more community resources available; by this, I mean parks, public transportation, movie theater, etc. While I am very thankful for what is within this city and respect what we have, I feel like we can have much more. What is there for children to do? Go to the bowling alley, go to the one park with equipment in town, enjoy the public library, or go to the game store in town and a few other things. If this town had more for people to do, it would attract more residents and that attracts more businesses. Businesses will not build in a place where there is a constant pattern of people leaving and never seeing an uptick in growth.
FOR EAST WARD ALDERMAN (TWO-YEAR TERM)
JAMES VANCE
I moved to Salem, Missouri with my wife of 37 years a little over two years ago and pastor Revival Tabernacle Church. Besides being a Navy Veteran, I am also a certified firefighter and hold several certificates and degrees. I served on the Mountain Water Supply Board for eight years and worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice System as a Correctional Officer where I graduated top in my class and moved to Regional Maintenance where I oversaw twenty-six prisons’ HV/AC departments. I have always enjoyed interacting/working with people from all walks of life and helping them when I am able.
The city of Salem is emerging from a budget crisis. Over the next two years, if elected, what would you do to ensure that the city does not face a similar crisis again?
From what I have observed, the city is not emerging from a budget crisis as they continue to strap a hard and untenable financial load to the citizens of Salem. When leaders continuously try to increase revenue without addressing the overspending on the budget, it is not an emergence, but a bad habit. To explain, we have been attempting to function with a revenue deficit while continuing to create budgets far and above the revenue generated by the tax base. The citizens are then continuously burdened in order to make up for shortfalls by having their taxes and utility rates increased instead of cutting spending and living within our means. Also, instead of cutting the budget, we increased spending which is leading to a continued budget crisis. If elected, I will work with the Board of Aldermen and the city administration to bring spending under control and stop the misuse of not only our financial resources, but also city-owned equipment. We have small-town revenues while trying to live like a big city and it simply is not working.
The City of Salem shifts utility revenue into the general fund to pay bills. Auditors have routinely warned that this is not a good practice. Do you agree with auditors? If so, what revenue streams can be created or cost cutting can be done to prevent this? If not, explain why you think there is a need to use utility revenue in the general budget.
Yes, I agree with the auditors. This is what I was referring to in the first question. We constantly try to subsidize and cover our inability to budget and live within our means by depending on our electric fund to bail us out. In turn, utility rates are raised to cover the shortfalls or over spending elsewhere. I agree that sometimes we have to borrow money from other accounts to meet our obligations, especially when unforeseen events arise, but borrowing means it should to be repaid. If what I have gathered from city financial documents is correct, over a million dollars has been transferred from the electric fund to the general fund, yet has never been repaid. If this conclusion is incorrect, I would ask that financial documentation be made publicly available with the correct dollar amounts which have been transferred from the electric fund to other accounts. This information is critical in helping us understand the continual overspending and what has become abuse of the electrical fund.
First, we need to stop spending money on things that we don’t need and can’t afford across the board and focus on things that we do need or require repair/replacement. Revenue will increase as the city grows, if it grows. We have almost exhausted all the ways that we can raise tax revenues, while over taxing others which is resulting in little or no population growth or the opening of new businesses. In fact, both people and business appear to be choosing to leave Salem. While looking for viable revenue streams, continually increasing taxation of the residents is not a wise option; living within our budget is. Grants also exist which require little or no matching funds. We can be more creative in finding sources of revenue without continually burdening the people of Salem with even more or higher taxes.
What other single issue in our government do you believe needs to be addressed, and how would you address it?
One word: transparency. It often appears our city leaders belong to a secret society which maintains a because we say so attitude. They have numerous closed meetings and seem to discuss things they don’t want the citizens to be privileged to. When “plans” are sprung on the citizens at large with little to no discussion, it does not foster confidence or trust in their elected representatives or the administration. When I say discussion, I mean members of the public have three minutes to tell the Board, Mayor and other city personnel their concerns or ask questions. It has been noted by those in attendance at the city meetings and others who have watched the videos of these meetings that while a resident is speaking, those who should be listening are often on their phones, doodling or simply ignoring the speaker while generally not answering most questions. This kind of disrespect for the people elected representatives are to represent needs to stop. I would have town hall meetings to discuss plans for the city, not only taking questions but giving or getting answers to questions before moving forward on issues such as building low rent apartments in neighborhoods where residents were given no chance to express their opinion for or against. Things like this have contributed to distrust, frustration, and sometimes even anger, in our community. Naturally, some decisions must be made immediately, but timely planning and transparency would be one of my first priorities.
Despite issues facing the city, what are some of the positives that the community can build on to promote economic development and attract newcomers and citizens alike?
We are a friendly community which should be growing. There are numerous areas where people can start new businesses and where there is room for the development and growth of both new and established businesses. If we can keep our tax rates steady, welcome new business and development, Salem should be able to attract new residents. We have quite a bit of land available in the city limits and looking into adding various housing options would be wise while considering the input of current residents. Salem is close to many interesting and beautiful places that could, and should, be promoted to help attract residents and tourists to our city.
KALA SISCO
Kala has deep roots in Salem, where she and her 3 other siblings was raised by their parents. Kala attended Salem High School where she was a part of the track, volleyball, and basketball team. She graduated in 2011 and immediately began her mission to serve in the community that she loves watching her nieces and nephews be raised in. Kala married her Jr. High sweetheart Dylan Sisco in October of 2019. Kala and Dylan recently welcomed Mattia their exchange student into their home, because Kala loves her community this much and believes Salem makes a difference in people’s lives. If you do not see Kala shooting hoops with her nephews or brushing Barbie doll hair with her nieces then you will see her at the river, spending time with her family/friends, or walking her dog, Waylon. Kala worked at the local US Bank where she spent 2 years as a loan officer. Kala currently works at Riverways Federal Credit Union where she has the opportunity to fulfill her mission to give back to the community. Kala also serves as the local coordinator for Green Heart foreign exchange student program, the vice-president on the board of chamber of commerce, chairwomen of the finance committee, lesion of the airport board, and lesion of the parks and recreation board. Kala LOVES her community and is proud to be apart of Salem.
Kala loves volunteering for the city’s youth leagues as a coach and referee. She enjoys the opportunity to teach core values and fundamentals to young minds. Kala believes children are the key to our future successes. Kala was appointed alderwomen in August of 2021 when Kim Steelman was appointed Mayor. Over the next two years I plan to continue educating myself with state statues and city ordinances, continue open communication with the community and committees, attend the elected official conference and the municipal league conference to be able to gain knowledge from speakers and other elected officials from all over Missouri. I have gained a lot of knowledge from being able to serve on the board since August of 2021 and looking forward to being able to continue to help with the growth of Salem.
The City of Salem is emerging from a budget crisis. Over the next two years, if elected, what would you do to ensure that the city does not face a similar crisis again?
With voter approval of the 1% sales tax will help the general fund not be as reliant on the electric fund. We are already making progress on the utility reserves and not having to transfer as much from the electric fund to the general fund. With our efforts to being good stewards to the taxpayers’ funds the city’s net cash has improved in the last couple of years. Addressing a city's budget crisis requires a multifaceted approach that combines short-term solutions with long-term strategies for financial stability. Prioritize essential services, community engagement, long-term planning, emergency reserves, and continued monitoring and adjustment.
The City of Salem shifts utility revenue into the general fund to pay bills. Auditors have routinely warned that this is not a good practice. Do you agree with auditors? If so, what revenue streams can be created or cost-cutting can be done to prevent this? If not, explain why you think there is a need to use utility revenue in the general budget.
I agree we should not be transferring from Utility fund to the General fund. However, it is common to transfer funds from the utility into the general fund in lieu of lease agreements that would be charged to a privately owned utility. With the approval of the additional 1% sales tax by the voters in 2023 this allows the city to not transfer as much to the general fund as we have in the years past. This would help the city build up the reserves in utility which are necessary to help the city to address other emergencies. With the city not transferring as much this gives the city flexibility to be comparable to nearby cities close to us.
What other single issue of city government do you believe needs to be addressed, and how would you address it?
There are several critical issues that city governments often face and addressing them requires a multifaceted approach tailored to the specific needs and challenges of each municipality. Affordable Housing is one of many issues cities struggle with. A lack of affordable housing, which can lead to homelessness, displacement, and economic inequality. Salem Housing Authority is working on being approved for a grant to welcome 24 new units for citizens in Salem. We are going to be focusing on the wastewater treatment project to stay on track for the grant and make sure the project is completed on time and within budget.
Despite the issues facing the city, what are some of the positives that the community can build on to promote economic development and be attractive to newcomers and citizens alike?
With the TAP Grant for the sidewalk and lighting project down town this is going to bring life back to the heart of our city and provide opportunities to hold events downtown, which will welcome current business owners, new business owners and new comers to the heart our city. The park and recreation department is continuously growing and providing many opportunities for our youth. This is vital to keep up and going as the children of our town are the future and key to success in our city. Also, having citizens engaged in community involvement will help with keeping our city actively engaged!
FOR WEST WARD ALDERMAN (TWO-YEAR TERM)
CATHERINE DENT
I am a native of Salem and Dent County, the daughter of Jim and Virginia Dent and the great, great granddaughter of the builder of the courthouse and the first representative to the state legislature for whom the county is named. I have a degree in English and creative writing and a masters in education. I am a retired educator, currently operate a private music studio with students in piano, clarinet and voice, and am employed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association as a judge for music festivals across the state. I am actively involved in community affairs serving on the city Utility Committee, have been a member of the city’s Civic Theater Committee and Planning and Zoning Committee, currently serve as President of the Cosmopolitan Club, and am a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Salem Area Community Betterment Association, the Order of the Eastern Star and Order of Amaranth. I’m also involved with the Missouri S&T Symphonic Band and Rolla Town band and conduct a community choir which has provided concerts during the summer months on the courthouse lawn, at the Dent County Museum and cantatas at Christmas and Easter at various churches in the area.
The City of Salem is emerging from a budget crisis. Over the next two years, if elected, what would you do to ensure that the city does not face a similar crisis again?
The city needs to strictly enforce a balanced budget. Tightening the city’s belts and watching expenditures is a must. Citizens need to be aware how money is being spent and often wasted on items and projects that are not readily needed. This must cease. Bids must be handled correctly. Examination of eliminating some positions and looking at salaries needs to be done. We must heed the advice of the auditors for the city. We must put good, informed citizens on city committees who possess knowledge applicable to/for that committee. Employees submitting requests for budget items should realize the difference between wants and needs while projecting for potential emergencies. We are facing hard times with regard to the water infrastructure that needs to be replaced and being frugal is important. The budget crisis is not going to be an easy fix and solutions may not be popular or pleasant.
The City of Salem shifts utility revenue into the general fund to pay bills. Auditors have routinely warned that this is not a good practice. Do you agree with the auditors? If so, what revenue streams can be created or cost-cutting can be done to prevent this? If not, explain why you think there is a need to use utility revenue in the general budget.
I believe the auditor’s warnings are correct but are not being heeded by those in charge. We have to start listening to those who have looked at our finances and made recommendations to benefit the city and implement those recommendations. I believe we should have a change in yearly auditors in order to get a fresh look at the city’s financial status and thus may see/provide additional solutions. We must stop robbing Peter to pay Paul and allow the utility revenue to stay in the account where it belongs. In order to accomplish what the state/yearly auditors have advised, we need to look at unused assets/properties and consider selling them. Legitimate lease agreements with others need to be established. What has been going on with regard to finances is obviously not working and needs to be remedied as quickly as possible.
What other single issue of city government do you believe needs to be addressed, and how would you address it?
There are many issues that need to be addressed in our city government, but I believe the single, most important issue is transparency. We are currently living in a city where people find out important things regarding our city after the fact and after a time period where they can do nothing to express their feelings regarding issues and/or concerns. There is a definite lack of communication between the city and those who live within its boundaries. While the city maintains a website and Facebook page, town hall meetings where questions from citizens are not censored and answers are given honestly and openly would go a long way in helping improve communications as would providing information to the public about upcoming resolutions or ordinances to be discussed and voted upon. Explanations as to why there is no money, why items to be fixed are taking longer due to limited staff, and why tax revenues are down are important to residents. Ignoring communications from those wanting answers must stop and we must stop violating the First Amendment Rights of those wishing to speak at meetings of our City Council. Ideas from others should definitely be considered and explored. Aldermen, who are elected by the citizens, should be accountable to those citizens and be readily accessible and available to listen and answer any and all questions, find out answers if required, and to report those answers back to their constituents.
Despite the issues facing the city, what are some of the positives that the community can build on to promote economic development and be attractive to newcomers and citizens alike?
We have many who visit our community especially during the summer months as they pass through to go to the river and other areas. Festivals, special events and local activities attract visitors and need to continue and increase. The Cultural Resource Center, with its awesome painted façade, promotes many good programs as does our Chamber of Commerce and Healthy Dent County. Our community must take action to fill the empty buildings in downtown Salem. A good, working relationship with owners/landlords of such buildings is necessary in order to enhance our community and attract businesses to fill those buildings. We must work closely with active businesses to ensure they remain an important part of our community instead of choosing to locate elsewhere. Property owners need to be encouraged to keep their properties clean to further improve the beauty of our community as people pass through. By doing so, a sense of pride and accomplishment will occur within our population that will spread to those visiting our community.
RICHARD LABRASH
Married to wife, Judith, for 55 years. Member of the First Baptist Church. Resident of the West Ward for 46 years, raised a family. Served in U.S. Army. Veterans’ advocate for 25 years in our community. Member of VFW, The American Legion, and The American Volunteers. Current President of Honoring Our Heroes Marathon.
My work in armor for the U.S. Army has shown a proven ability to work with others as a team to empower and inspire. I have worked alongside people from all walks of life, serving as Missouri State Chairman for the World War II Salute.org and work with the National Defense Industrial Association.
The City of Salem is emerging from a budget crisis. Over the next two years, if elected, what would you do to ensure that the city does not face a similar crisis again?
Ensure is a very strong word, I will not be able to ensure anything. However I will be able to educate myself regarding budget issues and will be delighted to watch for wasteful spending, and any unnecessary purchases or leases. I will further my education of the planned and or proposed projects that affect the financial security of Salem.
The City of Salem shifts utility revenue into the general fund to pay bills. Auditors have routinely warned that this is not a good practice. Do you agree with auditors? If so, what revenue streams can be created or cost-cutting can be done to prevent this? If not, explain why you think there is a need to use utility revenue in the general budget.
I agree with the auditors. We currently have no other options. There are hopes that increased sales tax of 1% will allow for some relief to the General fund. See: 2024 proposed budget. The city website provides a complete view of the proposed budget for 2024. I would encourage anyone interested to view in detail. I think the sales tax increase may be a shift in the right direction. The work done to the completion of the 2024 budget is commendable. I appreciate all the volunteers’ citizens that given untold hours setting on boards and serving as our representatives of common interest.
What other single issue of city government do you believe needs to be addressed, and how would you address it?
Because Salem, St. James and Licking are bedroom communities for Rolla we must concern ourselves with more suitable housing for our families who wish to stay and live in Salem.
Currently we are at an est. 200 houses in short fall. Housing and education are two critical building blocks for any community.
The city needs to be a driving force in the development of new housing. We must continue the project to tear down or rehabilitate dilapidated derelict housing. Currently 84 such properties have been completed of the original 263 with 171 remaining.
Current efforts of many local contractors and the work done by the Salem Housing Authority to improve and beautify our community are evident and essential for the growth of Salem.
Despite the issues facing the city, what are some of the positives that the community can build on to promote economic development and be attractive to newcomers and citizens alike?
We have a great community! In my years of experience I have seen the loving and generous support for our veterans and the willingness to help in times of trouble, ice storms, and other emergency. The future for our children’s children are our central concern. I trust that if we as a community will collectedly look for solutions to the problems we have.
We will find solutions and direction. We will have to be pro-active in promoting Salem. We are blessed with so many talented and creative citizens. We will be the ones to paint the picture of the future the portrait will be what we create. We have great schools, many churches, acclaimed banks, and great hotels.
We have many exciting events and activities like the 100 Acre Wood Rally in the spring in its 29th year; Dent County Museum; Bonebrake Center; Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center; Current Rivers Bluegrass Band; The Community Jam; Open Day of Trout Season; Farmer’s Market; Citywide Yard Sales; Annual Chamber Membership Meeting; Annual Chamber Rodeo; The Honoring Our Heroes Marathon in the fall in its 9th year; Christmas Parade of Lights. There are many other events not listed here that can be promoted.
Between us we can capitalize on growing tourism by publicizing events more widely!