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The following candidates are running for their respective political party bids for the post of McDonald County Presiding Commissioner in the Aug. 3 election.
John Bunch, Republican
Hometown: Neosho
Education: (High school and/or college/trade schools): Didn’t respond
Current Occupation: Bunch Bonding since 1974
Other background of interest (such as volunteer work/board members, etc.) and family: No responses.
What made you decide to run for public office? Hopefully I will do something for the county. The taxpayers need a break and I think there are several things that could be done to help the county out.
What are some of your goals if you are elected, not only right away but long term? I want to take care of the county roads and the county buildings without raising taxes and hopefully lesson the tax burden.”
Larry Jones, Republican
Hometown: Powell
Education (High school and/or college/trade schools): Goodman High School
Current Occupation: Presiding Commissioner. Retired from MODOT after 29 years; Pastor Valley View Community Church in Pineville for 31 years
Other background of interest (such as volunteer work/board members, etc.): Area Agency on Aging Board; Economic Security Corporation board; McDonald County School Board for 12 years.
Family: Wife, Carrie; four kids, 14 grandchildren
What are some of your goals if you are elected, not only right away but long term?
The last three years we’ve had big things happen, like the ice storm. We have 650 miles of roads in the county and 500 of them are dirt roads. We are continuously going back to repair them. Even with the sealed roads they didn’t build them right and we have problems with them because you have to have a good base. We would like to build bridges and upgrade the roads and the ones we sealed we need a better base.
Russell E. Ashworth, Republican
Hometown: Powell
High School: Bartlesville, Okla., attended Hartnell College
Occupation: Retired as equipment Supervisor for Pipeline Construction in Tulsa
Family: Wife, Dixie; three children, four grandchildren
What are some of your goals if you are elected, not only right away but long term?
I'd like to see McDonald County prosper. It's a beautiful county and a lot of people, I think, would like to live here but our facilities are all not that good. We need to upgrades the roads and bridges in the long-term planning. Some of it depends on the economic front. Not to long ago we had school bonds pass. If you get good schools, you get good teachers. If you get good teachers, the children will get a good education. If you get a good education you can go the college of their choice or the work force. I think that (school bond passing) was a step in the right direction.
The following candidates are running for their respective political party bids for the post of McDonald County Presiding Commissioner in the Aug. 3 election.
John Bunch, Republican
Hometown: Neosho
Education: (High school and/or college/trade schools): Didn’t respond
Current Occupation: Bunch Bonding since 1974
Other background of interest (such as volunteer work/board members, etc.) and family: No responses.
What made you decide to run for public office? Hopefully I will do something for the county. The taxpayers need a break and I think there are several things that could be done to help the county out.
What are some of your goals if you are elected, not only right away but long term? I want to take care of the county roads and the county buildings without raising taxes and hopefully lesson the tax burden.”
Larry Jones, Republican
Hometown: Powell
Education (High school and/or college/trade schools): Goodman High School
Current Occupation: Presiding Commissioner. Retired from MODOT after 29 years; Pastor Valley View Community Church in Pineville for 31 years
Other background of interest (such as volunteer work/board members, etc.): Area Agency on Aging Board; Economic Security Corporation board; McDonald County School Board for 12 years.
Family: Wife, Carrie; four kids, 14 grandchildren
What are some of your goals if you are elected, not only right away but long term?
The last three years we’ve had big things happen, like the ice storm. We have 650 miles of roads in the county and 500 of them are dirt roads. We are continuously going back to repair them. Even with the sealed roads they didn’t build them right and we have problems with them because you have to have a good base. We would like to build bridges and upgrade the roads and the ones we sealed we need a better base.
Russell E. Ashworth, Republican
Hometown: Powell
High School: Bartlesville, Okla., attended Hartnell College
Occupation: Retired as equipment Supervisor for Pipeline Construction in Tulsa
Family: Wife, Dixie; three children, four grandchildren
What are some of your goals if you are elected, not only right away but long term?
I'd like to see McDonald County prosper. It's a beautiful county and a lot of people, I think, would like to live here but our facilities are all not that good. We need to upgrades the roads and bridges in the long-term planning. Some of it depends on the economic front. Not to long ago we had school bonds pass. If you get good schools, you get good teachers. If you get good teachers, the children will get a good education. If you get a good education you can go the college of their choice or the work force. I think that (school bond passing) was a step in the right direction.
Keith Lindquist, Republican
Hometown: Southwest City
Education (High school and/or college/trade schools): McDonald County High School
Current Occupation: Poultry and cattle farmer and business owner building cabinets and counter tops. Both jobs for 37 years.
Other background of interest (such as volunteer work/board members, etc.): Served on the McDonald County School Board for 12 years, serving as president for seven years. Sunday School Superintendent at the First Baptist Church in Southwest City; assisting with the Fall Festival Car Show in Southwest City.
Family: Married to Norma (Lipe) for 37 years. Two children, Lacey Wolff and Kip Lindquist; four grandchildren, Conner, Dawson and Linden Wolff and Sydney Lindquist.
What are some of your goals if you are elected, not only right away but long term?
“My goal is to go into this job with an open mind. It is easy to sit on the outside and say what “They” should be doing, but totally different when you are on the hot seat. My ultimate goal would be to live within our means. That would include maintaining the roads and properties that we already have before adding more. I want the presiding commissioners’ office and the other elected officials to work together for a betterment of the whole county. I want to see McDonald County be all that it can be.”
Sam Gaskill, Republican
Hometown: Washburn
Education (High school and/or college/trade schools): Joplin High School; Crowder College; BA from University of Missouri-Columbia; MBA from Auburn
Current Occupation: Eastern Commissioner, rancher
Other background of interest (such as volunteer work/board members, etc.): Board member of economic security corporation and SWMO Waste Management; 22 years Air Force officer, 232 jet fighter combat missions in Vietnam; 8 years as State Representative; six years McDonald County commissioner;
Family: Two daughters, three grandchildren
What are some of your goals if you are elected, not only right away but long term?
“I want to establish a 5-year plan, revised annually, develop a priority system for the county’s roads, bridges and facilities.”
John Fitts, Constitution
Hometown: Noel
Education (High school and/or college/trade schools): Bachelor's Degree in Adminstration of Justice, University of California-San Diego
Current Occupation: Retired Military - U.S. Marines and Navy Seals
Other background of interest (such as volunteer work/board members, etc.): Member of John Birch Society and Gun Owners of America
Family: Wife, Delores. 7 children; 10 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren
What are some of your goals if you are elected, not only right away but long term?
To end the rampant nepotism/cronyism in county government; to represent all citizens of the county, not just special interests. To use our tax dollars wisely, and to get more for our tax dollars while still providing good but limited government.
