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Cunningham, McNary among candidates running for Monarch FPD Board
By: Jim Erickson
Cunningham, McNary
Off-year elections generally are known for a lack of excitement and low voter turnout. But the upcoming race for a seat on the Monarch Fire Protection District Board of Directors appears likely to be an exception after a flurry of activity on the last day candidates could file to be on the April 2 ballot.
Former state Sen. Jane Cunningham and former state Rep. Cole McNary, both Chesterfield Republicans, filed to seek the six-year term in the non-partisan election. In between the Cunningham and McNary filings, Rick Gans, a former Monarch director, withdrew his candidacy and said he would support Cunningham.
Gans, along with incumbent director Kim Evans and Russell Lake, a Chesterfield businessman, had announced their intentions to run on the first day for filing last month. (Editor’s note: Both Evans and Lake withdrew their candidacies on Jan. 22 after West Newsmagazine went to press.)
Cunningham served 12 years in the Missouri House and Senate before redistricting forced her from office last year.
Elected to the Missouri House in 2008 to represent a West County district that primarily included Chesterfield, McNary was defeated by incumbent Clint Zweifel in the race for state treasurer last November.
Evans is completing her first term on the three-member Board and now serves as its president. A former field emergency medical technician and 911 dispatcher, she has worked in the health care field for some 27 years and is a pediatric and transplant nurse case manager.
Lake’s candidacy is his first for elective office. He earlier served on a Monarch citizens’ advisory committee working with staff on the district’s 2013 budget.
In a news release announcing her candidacy, Cunningham cited a strong desire to continue serving the constituents she represented during her legislative career and pledged to bring her emphasis on being a property tax watchdog to the Monarch Board.
The Monarch district covers more than 62.7 square miles and includes all or part of Chesterfield, Clarkson Valley, Ballwin, Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights and Wildwood, and portions of unincorporated St. Louis County.
3 Comments
We are an independent group of Monarch taxpayers who have followed Monarch Fire District governance and politics for the past two years. We have appeared at numerous Monarch Fire Board meetings and our members have spoken many times during citizen comments. We are familiar with both of these candidates and are aware that there is a huge difference between them. Cunningham was not recruited and is not supported by the firefighters’ union. Cunningham stood up to the Monarch Board 18 months ago when its union controlled members voted in a $1M tax increase. The Board heeded her warning and rescinded the increase a week later. Cunningham has a lengthy record of protecting tax dollars and making sure tax rates don’t go up. On the other hand a review of McNary’s contributions in his failed Treasurer’s race reveals numerous donation by the firefighters’ union and McNary has admitted he has the support of the union. We do not believe the members of the Monarch union should be able to pick their own bosses. The past two years at Monarch with union controlled board members bears this out. We will be watching closely as the union tries to hide their involvement in McNary’s campaign. We hope our fellow voters will do the same. For more information on this race please visit our website at http://www.monarchconcernedtaxpayers.org.
I have received anti or negative cunningham cards and none till yesterday gave a clue of who is behind it. The last card has very small type indicating “paid for” by “Good Govt. Treasurer Jen Stuhlman”. Nothing found on the group, but I smell possible union financing help, following J. Cunningham action while representating us in Mo. senate. I hope Jane Cunningham wins the post and steers the district back to more local, non union influence. R. Lindberg
I’d certainly would appreciate it if in the future you would have the common courtesy of ASKING if you or your representatives can put a sign in our yard. Could you be more presumptuous and rude?