Shaw re-elected as New Bloomfield mayor

Terry Shaw
Terry Shaw

NEW BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - Tuesday's election brought a mix of familiar and new faces to New Bloomfield's city government.

Preliminary results from the Callaway County clerk's office show incumbent Terry Shaw won the mayoral race, as did Daniel Kliethermes for Ward 1 alderman and Michael Lowe Sr. for Ward 2 alderman.

"I appreciate the people of New Bloomfield giving me the opportunity to continue in this position for another year," Shaw said. "I look forward to doing the city's business."

Shaw previously served as the town's mayor for several years in the 2000s. Preliminary results show him winning with 72 votes (54.1 percent), followed by Jennifer Graves at 33.8 percent and Cheri Wilson, who withdrew from the race, at 10.5 percent.

Kliethermes and Lowe will be new additions to the Board of Aldermen, though Lowe has previously served as the town's mayor.

Both cited promoting town unity as a top priority.

"I'm going to do the best job I can do," Kliethermes said. "That's about all I can say right now. It's going to be a long road, but I hope with people's help, we'll be able to get this town back together."

Lowe agreed, noting he looked forward to working with Shaw and his fellow aldermen.

"I'm excited and happy," he said. "I'm glad to get back into it and help get the city back where it belongs."

Both also mentioned taking a closer look at the city's budget.

"My first order of business is to find out where our spending's going," Kliethermes said. "We need to start budgeting right instead of overspending the way we have."

The margin in the Ward 1 race was narrow. Preliminary results show Kliethermes beating out Bryan Manes by a mere 3 votes. Kliethermes received 35 votes; Manes got 32; and candidate Luther Riley received 3.

Lowe had a more decisive victory in Ward 2, receiving 45 votes (72.6 percent of the votes.) Opponent Talon Walther had 27.4 percent of the votes.

One city issue passes, one fails

New Bloomfield voters rejected a 1 percent increase in the general city sales tax. The question drew 135 "no" votes or 58.5 percent of the vote.

Voters approved issuing $680,000 in general obligation bonds for road and storm drain improvements and right-of-way acquisition. The bond issue passed with 134 votes or 67.2 percent of the vote.

Mayor Terry Shaw said the funds will be useful for the city.

"We're going to continue to work on our infrastructure and our stormwater, and to refurbish the streets that need it," he said late Tuesday. "We'll be able to resurface the streets that need it and do chip and seal and that sort of thing. It'll last us for another six or eight or 10 years, depending."