Chaffee hires police chief and fills vacant city council position

CHAFFEE, Mo. — In a brief special meeting Thursday night, the Chaffee City Council hired two employees and filled a vacant council seat.

Jim Chambers was hired as police chief. Chambers currently works as a jailer for the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Chambers was not at the meeting nor available for comment Thursday night. He will be sworn into office "at his convenience," according to Mayor Loretta Mohorc. Councilman Tom Cunningham said Chambers is a Chaffee native.

Chambers replaces Jesse Chisum, who resigned in July to focus on studying for his nursing degree. Chisum left the job after a tumultuous 11 months on the job.

The council agreed to name Steve Loucks to fill a vacancy for the Ward 3 council seat. Loucks, reached by phone after the meeting, said he has not previously served on the council. He said he is retired but did not disclose his profession.

Loucks replaces Bill Dysinger, who won an unopposed election in April to retain his seat but abruptly resigned in August. The council reached a deadlock over his replacement when Mohorc proposed naming Samantha Simmons but Councilman Ron Moyers suggested appointed Ryan Pennington.

The council also agreed to hire a new public works employee, Mark Lueder. The public works department, which once had eight employees, had been reduced to three workers after the department's director quit in August.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127

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