Voters will decide on several issues affecting communities throughout Cole County in the April 3 municipal election.
Cole County Fire Protection District board
The Cole County Fire Protection District is asking its patrons to expand the district board from three members to five members. If the change is approved, there will be an election in April 2019 to select the two additional board members.
Donnie Braun announced his resignation as fire chief after 42 years and board member and Assistant Chief Mike Rackers submitted his resignation from the board and district at the same time. Braun then was appointed to finish Rackers' term on the board, and Wayne Hammann was named fire chief.
After the new board members were in place, they decided to ask district patrons if they should increase their representation to five members.
The main function of the board is to ensure the district's money is managed properly. Each member serves a six-year term.
St. Martins aldermen
In St. Martins, two Board of Aldermen seats are up for election.
Matthew Kearns is running for re-election in the North Ward, and Daryl Raithel is running for re-election in the South Ward. Neither faces an opponent. Both offices have two-year terms.
Taos mayor, aldermen
Incumbent Anthony (Tony) Forck has filed for re-election as mayor of Taos. The office carries a two-year term. He does not face an opponent.
Seats for Ward 1 and Ward 2 aldermen also are up for a vote - but no one officially filed for those two-year terms, so write-in candidates will fill those positions.
Wardsville trustees, use tax
Three seats are up for election on the Village of Wardsville Board of Trustees. Incumbents John Luebbering, Paul Stonner and Brian Schrimpf all have filed for re-election to two year-terms.
Also in Wardsville, residents will be asked to approve a use tax town officials said is essentially attempting to tax internet sales. This tax would be at the same rate as the total local sales tax rate which is one percent. Officials added a number of communities around Missouri have this measure on their ballots after the state told them they needed to pass the use tax by the end of 2018 or they wouldn't be able to have such a tax.
Centertown trustees
The only issue to be decided in Centertown is two spots on the village's Board of Trustees.
The winners among four candidates would be new board members. They include Susan Gilliam, Paula Hinshaw, Darron Jones and Sherry K. Kempf. The winners will serve two-year terms.
Lohman candidates, sales tax
The race for mayor in Lohman has current Mayor Thomas Kirchner facing challenger Jason Wood. The winner will serve a two-year term.
No one filed to run in the Ward 1 alderman race, so the winner will be a write-in candidate who will serve a two-year term. Frank Pascoe was the only candidate to file for the Ward 2 alderman seat, which also has a two-year term.
Lohman voters also will decide if the city should impose a 1 percent sales tax on receipts from sales and services at retail establishments. Kirchner said the city has no municipal taxes currently, and this would help fund things like street improvements instead of depending totally on funding from Cole County. If approved, the tax would go into effect July 1.
Russellville mayor, aldermen
The Russellville Board of Aldermen will have two new members in April, as West Ward Alderman Jonathan Freeman and East Ward Alderman Sharon Williams step down.
The only two registered candidates, Dana Frisbee in the West Ward and Matt Grayson in the East Ward, will appear unopposed on April 3 election ballots.
Mayor Sharon Morgan is running for re-election unopposed.
St. Thomas sales tax
St. Thomas residents are being asked to approve the city to continue collecting sales tax on titling of motor vehicles. Town officials noted this was not a new tax, as it has been around since 1989. It lets them continue to collect it on out-of-state motor vehicles purchased and titled in Cole County. The approval of this measure would not result in a reduction of local revenue to provide for local services for St. Thomas, and it will not place Missouri dealers of motor vehicles at a competitive disadvantage.