Candidates for three state rep seats, Newton County presiding commissioner and Newton County circuit court clerk made stump speeches Monday night during a GOP candidate forum, sponsored by the Newton County Republican Central Committee.
Moderating the event was Nick Myers, committee chairman, while Newton County Division II Associate Circuit Court Judge Greg Stremel was the timekeeper. Each candidate got three minutes to make a presentation.
Newton County dairy and cattleman Bill Reiboldt is seeking the 130th district state rep seat being vacated by Kevin Wilson due to term limits. Rieboldt is a Neosho High School graduate and earned a degree from Harding University. He is a U.S. Army veteran and completed his military service contract with the Missouri Army National Guard in Anderson.
“I am a promoter of rural America, agriculture and the right to farm,” he said. “There are people in Washington, D.C. who want to take that right away. Well, we all enjoy a good steak now and then and we know where our food comes from and it’s not the grocery store.”
Rieboldt described himself as a proponent of the 10th Amendment, which ensures states’ rights, as well as pro-life.
“I’m for less government and more responsibility in government,” he said. “I hope to follow Kevin Wilson to Jefferson City, but I know I have big shoes to fill. It would be an honor for me to serve you.”
Also seeking Wilson’s seat is Lynn Otey, a retired educator and current member of the Neosho R-5 Board of Education. Otey said southwest Missouri lawmakers have a long tradition of community involvement. In addition to serving on the school board, she said she has been active in the Newton County Food Basket Brigade, the Neosho Exchange Club, and is currently serving her second term as president of the Republican Women of Newton County.
“I believe education is tied to maintaining a strong work force,” she said. “And agriculture is certainly a leading industry. I support education in the state.”
She described herself as being “100 percent” pro- life, stressing she was not only for protecting the rights of the unborn, but also those of senior citizens.
In the 131st district, Seneca business owner and former Seneca R-7 board member Bill Lant and former Diamond R-4 school board member and president Bill Buening are seeking election to the seat being vacated by Marilyn Ruestman, who cannot seek re-election due to term limits. Ruestman is seeking election as Newton County presiding commissioner.
Lant, the owner of Lant’s Feed located north of Seneca, cited his 30 years experience in sales and 14 years as a small business owner.
“I think I take life experience to Jefferson City,” he said. “I hold all of the Republican deep feelings close to my heart such as the Second Amendment and the rights of the unborn.”
Buening, the father of four girls, is a veteran of the United States Navy who served during the Cold War.
“I’m not a professional politician, I’m not a career politician, nor do I want to be,” he said. “I’m not tied to the party, but I support the party.”
In the 129th district, Joplin attorneys Bill White and Shelley Dreyer are seeking the position vacated by House Speaker Ron Richard, who is unopposed in the primary and the general election for Missouri state Senate. Richard could not seek re-election to the House seat due to term limits.
“With the Democratic debacle in D.C. and the budget crisis in Missouri, I could no longer just sit on the sidelines,” White said.
White said he viewed his law practice as a service profession, and would bring that viewpoint to Jefferson City, if elected.
Meanwhile, Dreyer, a former municipal judge and family law attorney, said she would bring her experience in making tough, but impartial, decisions to the state capitol. She saw jobs as the most important issue facing the state, adding that about 85 percent of Americans either own or work for a small business.
“We need someone with leadership experience. We need someone to make tough decisions.”
At the county level, three candidates for Newton County presiding commissioner spoke at the candidate fair.
Clarence Nowack, a census worker and small businessman, said he had traveled many of the county’s back roads in his work, finding them in “terrible” shape. He stressed that he had started many businesses on a shoestring, and that he would work to find ways to take care of county problems such as road maintenance and cleanup.
“We can get the county in the black, instead of in the red where you can’t even buy a shoestring,” he said.
Next up was Ruestman, who has served in the Missouri House of Representatives since 2002.
“My No. 1 priority is to continue the fine work of the commissioners and the county,” she said. “They have done a great job. My second priority is long range planning. I’ve served in House leadership the past six years. Newton County is going to grow, it’s going to prosper, and we need to be prepared.”
The third candidate is Donald “Buzz” Ball, a longtime Newton County resident and former journalist who served as editor of both the Daily News and the Carthage Press. Ball said he was running for office so his twin grandsons could benefit from the same values as he did while growing up.
“I am not a professional politician, I’m just an everyday citizen,” he said. “However, after more than 30 years covering city, county and state governments, I have been afforded the opportunity to learn first hand what goes into effective governments.
I have covered countless county governments in my career and have seen both the good and the bad, I plan to bring that knowledge with me when elected.”
Ball said the county is fortunate to have a strong and viable economy, but said that could change at a moment’s notice.
“As the federal government pushes more onto the states, and the states push more and more onto the counties, I understand that we are the last line of defense,” he said. “I am willing to make those tough decisions that will keep our government strong.”
Three candidates for Newton County Circuit Court also addressed the crowd.
Phillip VanWinkle has been with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department since 1985 and has served as the civil process server for the sheriff’s office for 20 years. He also works at Neosho’s Auto Zone as a manager.
“Peggy Spicer (the current circuit clerk who is retiring this year) has done a great job,” he said. “Her workload is phenomenal.”
VanWinkle said he didn’t have any great changes for the office, but would work to make it more efficient and provide educational opportunities and training for assistant clerks.
Patty White Krueger, a lifetime Newton County resident and assistant circuit clerk for 18 years, described the responsibilities of a circuit clerk.
“One common question is asked of me: ‘What is the circuit clerk?’ “ she said.
The clerk’s job, she said, was to maintain time and attendance records of 24 court employees, keep personnel records and stay up on employee benefits, process, maintain and schedule court cases, provide assistance and support to the presiding judge and the circuit clerk’s office, and maintain the budget for the circuit judge and court administration.
Finally, Tabitha Tichenor, an assistant circuit clerk for the past five years, told the crowd she will graduate in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Missouri Southern State University. She said the clerk acts as a liaison between people and the court system.
“I’m one of those people who enjoys going to work everyday,” she said. “I’m eager to work in the office and to work with the public.”
