Ward 2 residents will vote for one of three candidates Tuesday for a seat on the Jefferson City Council.
As current Ward 2 Councilman Rick Mihalevich terms out, there are three candidates vying for his seat - Aaron Mealy, Mike Lester and Gregory Butler.
Also on the ballot will be one candidate for Ward 1. Hank Vogt, a local Realtor, joined the council in April following the resignation of Rick Prather from his seat. Prather was set to term out in April, and he chose to resign after the election was postponed, allowing Vogt to take the seat after approval from the council.
Vogt will still be listed on the ballot to be officially elected for his first full term.
Ahead of the election, the News Tribune asked the candidates two questions posed by readers. Candidates are listed below in the order they will appear on the ballot.
Aaron Mealy: Ward 2
Aaron Mealy is a Jefferson City native who graduated from Helias Catholic High School and attended Lincoln University and the University of Missouri-Columbia. He works for the Missouri Department of Social Services and has lived in Ward 2 for about seven years.
If elected, Mealy hopes for a "holistic" approach to solutions for Jefferson City. Issues he has previously prioritized include creating more communication among people of different backgrounds, city infrastructure and the council's financial responsibility.
What specific experiences uniquely qualify you to be the next Ward 2 councilmember?
"My dedication to the victims of the 2019 tornado, specifically in Ward 2, provided me with tremendous experience. On the morning after the tornado, I went directly to the area of destruction with a wheelbarrow, asking residents how I could help them. I immediately found a lady who was carrying her belongings, trying to get as much out of her destroyed home as possible. As I approached this young lady, I asked her if I could help lift her load. She immediately began to cry. She had walked for miles, trying to get everything from her home. This lady's emotion reminded me of my deep commitment to our community.
"For several weeks, I woke up each morning and went right to work volunteering each and every day, for as long as there was volunteer work available. I learned so much from so many wonderful Ward 2 residents. The aftermath of the 2019 tornado demonstrated to me that Ward 2 needs a strong and committed representative. I have shown strength and leadership throughout Jefferson City with connecting community organizations, volunteering with the Food Bank, participating in litter clean-up programs, and being an advocate for each and every member of our community.
"My professional career with the state of Missouri has provided me with the opportunity to work with many divisions, bring people of various backgrounds and talents together, and to form solid, informed decisions that produce positive, fiscally sensible results for Missouri.
"As a native of Jefferson City, I have invested in our community my entire life. My life-long passion and commitment puts me in a unique position to represent Jefferson City. I look forward to representing Ward 2 with strength and enthusiasm."
What is your opinion of the City Comprehensive Plan and how can it make Jefferson City more sustainable?
"The City's Comprehensive Plan serves as the chief means of regulating the changes in land use. The Comprehensive Plan contains considerable information about Jefferson City with regard to socioeconomic characteristics. Community analysis, goals and objectives, and a final development plans are all contained within the city's Comprehensive Plan. As your representative, I promise to use this plan and other existing plans to make informed decisions that are sustainable, both environmentally and fiscally.
"During conversations with Ward 2 residents, I understand the importance of safe streets and a good sewer system. I am absolutely committed to our infrastructure. I look forward to using existing resources and locating other funding sources to promote and enhance Jefferson City."
Mike Lester: Ward 2
Mike Lester has lived in Ward 2 since he and his wife moved to Jefferson City in 2002. Until he retired in 2013, Lester worked remotely for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
He has served on the Jefferson City Planning and Zoning Commission since 2009 and has helped develop several city plans including the Capital Area Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, the Historic Southside/Old Munichburg District and Neighborhood Plan, and the Jefferson City Historic Preservation Plan.
Lester has previously highlighted issues including blight and abandoned buildings in the city's older areas, infrastructure and historic preservation.
What specific experiences uniquely qualify you to be the next Ward 2 councilmember?
"I am the only candidate to have served on City Commissions - Environmental Quality, and Planning and Zoning. I am the only candidate that has testified on behalf of citizen concerns before the City Council (in favor of a nuisance ordinance revision), before Parks and Recreation (on environmental quality), before the Transportation & Traffic Commission (to improve traffic safety) and before the Council's Public Works and Planning Committee (to advocate for traffic safety measures and for an improved rental property inspection system). I may be the only candidate that has participated in development of the Capital Area Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, the Historic Southside/Old Munichburg District & Neighborhood Plan and the Historic Preservation Plan. I am retired and have the experience and time to dedicate to be an effective advocate for solutions to problems facing our city."
What is your opinion of the City Comprehensive Plan and how can it make Jefferson City more sustainable?
"The Comprehensive Plan establishes a land use planning blueprint for Jefferson City's growth and development over the next 20-plus years. Our current plan, adopted in 1996, is out of date and is currently being reviewed and updated. The plan in development includes subcomponent plans that have been developed and adopted more recently (Pedestrian and Bicycle, Southside/Old Munichburg, Parks & Recreation Master, MSP Redevelopment Master, Historic Preservation and Greening America's Capitals Plan). These plans include many beneficial recommendations that would enhance Jefferson City as a clean, green, sustainable community.
"This past year, Jefferson City has experienced flood and tornado disasters. These severe weather events are anticipated to increase. Other city plans have incorporated recommendations to better prepare for and mitigate against extreme weather events. Columbia has adopted a Climate Action & Adaptation Plan. Jefferson City needs to review such plans and incorporate common sense recommendations into its Comprehensive Plan to further improve the livability and sustainability of this great city."
Gregory Butler: Ward 2
Gregory Butler is a small-business owner in Jefferson City who runs a digital marketing agency.
This would be Butler's first elected office, but he has experience helping others run for elected positions by helping manage their campaigns.
Originally from Chicago, he moved to Jefferson City in 2009 and has lived in Ward 2 for about seven years.
Previously, Butler has spoken to the News Tribune about his concerns with safety in Ward 2, residents' education about city issues and public transportation.
The News Tribune did not receive responses from Butler to the reader questions.
Hank Vogt: Ward 1
Vogt previously served on the City Council in Versailles, where he grew up. He has lived in Jefferson City for more than 20 years and has been involved in various ways in the community. He has been a Realtor at RE/MAX Jefferson City since 2001 and also served as president of the Jefferson City Area Board of Realtors.
Vogt has also served on the city's Planning and Zoning Commission and is a member of the Jefferson City East Side Business Association and Chamber of Commerce.
Vogt joined the council in April following Prather's resignation.
What specific experiences uniquely qualify you to be the next Ward 1 councilmember?
"My experience as a leader, community volunteer, Realtor, and human resources manager gives me the experience and ability to listen to people, commit to a task, solve problems with common sense, and plan for the future. I have had experience on the City Council of my hometown, Versailles. I have led and served on many committees, tasks forces, commissions, professional boards, advisory groups, long range planning groups, and more. All of my past experiences have prepared me for the role as 1st Ward City Councilman and look forward to the opportunity."
What is your opinion of the City Comprehensive Plan and how can it make Jefferson City more sustainable?
"My opinion of the comprehensive plan is a general one, as it is a huge, detailed document that has been amended and updated many times since its adoption in 1996. It is meant to be a guide for short term, intermediate, and long term goals. It addresses nearly all aspects of city government and is an important guide to preserving the natural environment, maintaining a high standard of public facilities, and improving and updating infrastructure.
"I understand there is a new plan currently under development by city staff that should address development and growth, while preserving and protecting natural resources. Hopefully this new plan will include technology upgrades and advancements that will make our city progressive and forward thinking, while preserving our historical significance. It is exciting to read through the plan and see suggestions in the original document that have come to fruition.
"Things like, The Linc, the Special Olympics Training Center, the West Edgewood, Wildwood and 179 extensions, park upgrades, Green Way Trail, Community Garden, sidewalk improvements and additions, urban development, residential developments, East McCarty street improvements, the bike bridge, and so much more. As the plan says, this is a very important guide to move us forward in promoting, preserving, and enhancing Jefferson City."