Assessor candidates make case to public at GOP forum

Answering questions that ranged from managing employees to their opinions on property values, the three candidates who want to become Cape Girardeau County's next assessor took their case to the public Thursday night at a forum sponsored by a local Republican organization.

Ultimately, voters will decide whether it will be Bob Adams, Ron Andrews or Amy Jones -- or perhaps someone else -- who takes over for Jerry Reynolds, who announced in January he will retire when his term expires in August 2013.

These three Republicans have been the only ones to file for the job so far, but the deadline is still 11 days away, meaning the election picture may not have crystallized. If no one else files, the winner of the Aug. 7 primary will automatically become Reynolds' successor. Should a Democrat file, they would face off in the Nov. 6 general election.

All three fielded several questions at Thursday's meeting of the Southeast Missouri Pachyderm Club, which was also attended by several other candidates for county and state legislature offices.

Adams, a Jackson resident and Vietnam veteran, owns an appraisal service, said the weak economy has made his business a "one-man shop," but at its peak had about eight employees.

"But I've always had a team atmosphere in my business," Adams said. "I'm a team player and I expect people who work for me to be a team player."

Jones owns a home-building company with her husband and noted that she used to own a real estate company that had 16 to 18 employees, which is roughly the same number the assessor's office employs. She said her experience managing people makes her a good choice and she would implement weekly staff meetings and meetings with individual departments to improve communication.

However, Andrews, a geographic information systems product manager for the county, said he believes that his more than 20 years in county government makes him the best fit.

"I've been back in the trenches," he said, noting that he previously worked in the assessor's office for two decades before changing jobs four years ago. "I think I can segue into this job pretty seamlessly."

It's a claim that Adams also makes, pointing out he's done more than 30,000 independent appraisals offing him perspective and a "unique skill set."

All three said they would quit their current jobs and focus their full attention on the duties of the assessor, which includes tracking property ownership and the location of land parcels. They also handle determination of property values for taxation purposes. The county's taxable property value sits at more than $1 billion. Taxing entities such as school districts, municipalities or fire districts rely on such assessments for funding.

When questioned about their opinions on the current value of county property, the candidates gave varied opinions. Andrews said with the current economic trends, adjustments might be a possibility. Adams said a reduction in values could be considered, but across-the-board cuts could "bankrupt school districts. You've got to do this responsibly." Jones, however, disagreed that real estate values locally have dropped and have instead remained stable.

The Pachyderms will host its next forum April 19, when the group will hear from public administrator candidates.

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

236 S. Broadview St., Cape Girardeau, MO