10 DEMOCRATS COMPETING FOR SCOTT COUNTY COMMISSION SEAT

The competition between 10 Scott County democrats for a 2nd District county commission seat will come to an end Aug. 6 with one of them advancing to November's general election.

Scott County voters will have the choice of a variety of backgrounds and motivations between these candidates as they make their selection.

-- Although Robert Niederkorn does not have any experience in public office, he feels he has a working background that would serve him well as a Scott County commissioner.

Niederkorn, 45, has worked as a brakeman for the railroad, heavy equipment operator, land surveyor, technical assistant for the soil conservation service, welder, land manager for the Mississippi line and affiliate, accountant and time keeper.

"You name it and I've done it," he said. "I've had a well-rounded education of common sense and practicality. My past job experience has given me hands-on experience for (the commission) job."

Currently, Niederkorn operates a farm and trucking business outside Chaffee. He runs both with the help of his wife, Sally; sons Rodney, Wiley, John and Sam; and daughter Amy. He also owns Haymaker Enterprises, a steel fabrication company with a seven-state distribution area.

Besides his experience, Niederkorn is depending on an ability to listen to aid him in his political endeavors.

"I've been told that I am a good listener. I have the ability to sit and listen to people and let them tell me what they want," he said.

He said he would combine that ability with his background to develop a cooperative relationship with the community and the other commissioners.

"Basically we would have to sit down and work with each other to change the county for the better," he said.

-- Charles Klueppel said he could be an asset in the business of running Scott County.

"Decisions about county business matters are the responsibility of the commission and my leadership and business experiences would add quality to decision-making, which affects the direction the county takes," Klueppel said.

A 30-year career in banking and life-long involvement in farming represents the kind of experience a commissioner needs, Klueppel said.

"My experiences are reasons why people have asked me to seek the position," he said.

Leadership is also a factor in his candidacy, Klueppel said, noting he has received a leadership award from the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce for his service to the Benton area.

Klueppel, 60, is a former Benton mayor and former president of the Benton Chamber of Commerce. He has coached junior girls softball for 12 years and serves as games and contests organizer for the annual Benton Neighbor Day festival.

He is a lector and Eucharist minister at St. Denis Parish in Benton. Other affiliations include the parish's finance committee, Men's Club, St. Vincent's Council 1111 Knights of Columbus and the Thomas Langden Assembly.

Klueppel served in the military for six years in active and reserve duty and attained the rank of sergeant. He is married to the former Angela Kluesner and they have four daughters: Sandi Hulshof, Linda Bunselmeyer, Cheryl and Diane Klueppel.

"I'm very enthusiastic about the opportunity to use my varied experiences for the county," Klueppel said.

-- Wayne Petitt has experience in county government, and not just his six months on the Scott County Commission.

Petitt, 28, of Scott City, was appointed by Gov. Mel Carnahan to fill the remaining months of Joe Spalding's term on the commission after Spalding's death in December.

Petitt, who was also elected to the Scott City School Board in 1994, said he made the most of those months on the commission.

"I have been through the budget process with the county this year and have learned a lot about how Scott County government operates," he said. "My service as a Scott City School Board member has provided me with valuable experience in budgeting, decision making and also in working with the public. I have taken the tools I've learned and used them in doing my job as commissioner."

Petitt has also learned about budgeting time after taking on the commission duties in January. Besides his efforts on the board, he works as a cell technician at Dana Corporation, is a member of the Scott City Kiwanis, a Scott City Booster, a member of Eisleben Lutheran Church and is busy raising his two young children Kierstern and Jacob, with wife Kim.

Petitt has seen enough of the business of county government to have a clear idea of what he would like to do if elected.

"One goal I have is to keep in touch with the constituents of the 2nd District," he said. "I also would like to see all of the wooden bridges in the county replaced. I want to see the county do a better job of maintaining our existing blacktop before we start new blacktop."

-- Ben Evans feels like he has the kind of well-rounded experience and personality it takes to make the right decisions for Scott County.

"I have the time, knowledge, good common sense and years of much needed experience that a commissioner needs to serve you," he said.

Evans, 55, is a former mayor and city councilman in Oran, where he has lived for nearly his entire life. Currently he runs the Best Buy Ben's Furniture and Supplies in Morley.

For 32 years, Evans was involved in local trucking and for 11 of those years he was in charge of the operation of school buses for the Oran R-3 School District.

He and his wife Diane have also found time to raise three children, Tracy and Ethan and Lori Evans Chapman.

"During the coming years there will be many important decisions to be made by the county commission and I am qualified to help make those decisions," Evans said. "I know the difference between right and wrong. I know when to vote yes and I know when to vote no. I will not be influenced by any other public official."

-- Education is a big factor in Joe Lee Michael's bid for a seat on the Scott County Commission

Michael, who was born and raised in Benton, graduated Kelly High School in 1960, attended Southeast Missouri State University from 1960-1962 and graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri with a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1964. He also earned a lifetime teaching certificate.

Michael, 53, taught vocational agriculture at Oran and Kelly high schools and has worked with the Missouri Department of Agriculture in Future Farmers of America and 4-H Club programs and projects.

"I'm very much interested in the education system in Scott County," he said. "But I'm against raising taxes. I'm for this bond they've got coming up, but I'm against raising taxes. We can do with what we've got."

A landowner and farmer since 1960, Michael has been closely following county and state politics during recent elections.

"Being a landowner and taxpayer, I want the county to be run as efficiently as possible. We should and can use our tax money better," he said.

Michael said his experience as a school teacher and school bus driver has given him special interest in county roads and bridges.

"I have a good understanding of road and bridge safety concerns," he said.

Michael is a member of Unity Baptist Church and he has two children, son Trevor and daughter Suzanne Fraley.

-- Bud Dock is emphasizing hard work and communication as the key to success in his bid to become the newest Scott County commissioner.

"The qualifications that I bring to this office are not those of countless certifications of past political offices," Dock said. "My qualifications speak for who I am, an honest, dependable, hard-working man."

Dock, 57, worked in masonry and construction for the first 20 years of his 45 years living in rural Sikeston and has been working for Reliable Freight trucking for the last 18 years.

He and his wife Margaret have raised three children, daughters Tina Dock Glover and Laura Dock Brown and son Rodney, in the Scott County R-4 School District. He has six grandchildren.

"My granddaughters did play a key factor in my decision to run for county commissioner," he said. "The too are residents of Scott County. I realize they are not old enough to be registered voters, but eventually when their generation becomes the leaders of Scott County they will appreciate the progress I hope to make if elected.

"Any opportunity I get to improve their education, or anyone's education in Scott County, it will certainly be worth the effort."

Dock is a member of Masonic Lodge No. 310 in Sikeston, Order of Easter Star No. 137, Scottish Rites, Shriners and attends North Acres General Baptist Church. He said plans to propose "permanent solutions rather than temporary fixes to ensure the satisfaction of Scott County residents."

"I will keep an open line of communication so that the public can voice their concerns," he said. "The voters deserve a commissioner who has the working man's interest at heart; one of their own."

-- David Dirnberger is banking on his more than 30 years of community involvement to carry him to the next step, the Scott County Commissioner.

Dirnberger, 54, is president of the board and a volunteer firefighter for the NBC Fire District, vice-president of the North Scott County Ambulance District, board member of the American Red Cross, Jackson Drug Free School/Community Advisory Council, Knights of Columbus Council 6420 in Scott City, Emergency Management Agency volunteer, National Babe Ruth umpire, St. Joseph Sodality member, St. Lawrence Catholic Church Parish Council member and U.S. Jaycees lifetime member.

He has also worked closely with the American Cancer Society, United Way, Otahki Girl Scout Council, Shawnee District Boy Scouts, Notre Dame High School board and was named an Outstanding Young Man of America by the U.S. Jaycess in 1971.

After serving four years in the U.S. Air Force, Dirnberger settled down in New Hamburg and began raising a family with his wife Dorothy. These days he is working in his 30th year in banking and is currently a property manager with Boatmen's Bank in Cape Girardeau. Around all the activities he is involved in he has found time for raising sons Darryl, Douglas and Dirk, and daughter Darla.

Dirnberger's also has been a member of the Chaffee Jaycees, New Hamburg Jaycees, Missouri Jaycees, an ASA umpire and has coached little league baseball, Babe Ruth baseball and Kelso C-7 basketball over the last 25 years.

"I feel with 30 years of banking experience and community involvement I have a good knowledge of the needs of the county -- not only the roads but the needs of the individual, emergency service, 911 and fire protection," he said.

-- Jim Smiley is running for Scott County commissioner because he believes it is "time for Christians to work together for the betterment of our communities."

"There are many areas of opportunity for growth in Scott County if we can come together in a team effort," Smiley, a lay pastor and youth leader at the Grace United Methodist Church in Rockview, said. "Although I have never held a political office, I will do everything in my power to be fair and impartial in all matters."

Smiley, 33, resides outside Chaffee and has lived in rural Scott County his entire life. He has worked for the QC Corporation, a powdered iron plant that produces a feed supplement, for 12 years and currently works as a kiln operator. He is a member of Promise Keepers and has served in volunteer organizations like Boy Scouts of America and coaches little league baseball.

"We have a number of old wooden bridges in the county that I'd like to see updated," Smiley said of one of his priorities if elected. He also said he'd like the county utilize every benefit it could from having Interstate 55, the port authority, growing municipalities like Sikeston and the railroad. "We have quite a few major things we could capitalize on if we just pull together to do it."

-- Dewaine Shaffer said his eight years as a Scott County commissioner, from 1981-88, have prepared him to assume the role again.

"I believe in a conservative type of county government," he said. "I would like to see all the communities in the county working together to improve the 2nd District."

Shaffer served on the commission until 1988 when he was unseated by Joe Spalding. Spalding served until his death on Dec. 13, 1995, and Wayne Petitt was appointed in January to fill out his term.

Shaffer, 49, has lived in Chaffee for 20 years and works as a farmer and independent contractor. He and his wife, Dixie, have two children, Darren and Karren, and a grandson, Colin.

He has been involved with the Chaffee Elks and was a volunteer firefighter in Chaffee for 15 years.

Shaffer said he sees unlimited potential for Scott County.

"Two major railroads, Interstate 55 and the Mississippi River; these assets can increase job employment and open up prospects for future businesses in the county," he said.

-- Jimmy Sanders said he believes that a solid business background is necessary for the commissioner's office.

"The commissioner will be making important decisions on the management of Scott County and the county's funds," Sanders said. "If elected, I intend to see that those funds are managed fairly and responsibly. There will be no partisanship or favoritism under my watch."

Sanders, of Sikeston, has lived in Scott County all his life and has spent the last 35 years farming. He is president of Sanders Farms Inc. and was a recipient of the State Farm Management Award. Sanders also served as president of the Scott County Extension Council and said his career in agribusiness will be of great benefit to Scott County, where agriculture is the key industry.

Sanders' business career has not been limited to agriculture. He currently serves asa director of the First National Bank in Sikeston, a board member of the Richland Drainage District, president of the Regional Chruch Farm Board and president of Public Water Supply District 1 of Scott County.

A long-standing member of the Kiwanis Club and First Christian Church, Sanders said he has been deeply committed to community activities and civic duty for the past three decades. But that is not all that Sanders has been doing over that time. He and his wife Laverne, who have two children and two grandchildren, recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary.

"I feel well qualified to successfully serve the citizens of Scott County," he said. "I'll be committed to keeping in touch with citizen concerns."

Jim Obert of the Scott County Signal contributed to this story.