Two seeking GOP nomination for Perry County District 1 Associate Commissioner

Incumbent Perry County District 1 Associate Commissioner Jay Wengert looks to hold his position against challenger Jeff Bohnert as the two prepare for the upcoming Tuesday, Aug. 6, Republican primary election.

Wengert, a business owner, has held the position for eight years and is seeking another term, while Bohnert, who serves Perry County as its rural fire department’s training division chief, looks to take over.

The Southeast Missourian sent questionnaires to each candidate running in a contested race in order to inform voters on each candidate’s plans for office ahead of the Aug. 6 primary election. Candidates were asked to answer each question in 100 or fewer words. Any answer significantly longer than 100 words has been edited for brevity. Candidate responses are presented as written by the candidate and have only been edited for spelling and grammatical errors.

What makes you qualified for this position?

Bohnert: My career and volunteer time in the fire service allowed me to hold many positions in leadership. The positions include lieutenant, captain, battalion chief, assistant chief and training division chief. In these positions I managed everyday operations and emergency scenes. I have worked with business owners while completing fire code compliance inspections to find the best and most cost-effective way to comply with the code. As a chief officer, I was responsible for managing the fire crews to bring the fire incident under control while keeping the safety and well-being of all the firefighters as the top priority.

Wengert: Experience. I've held this office for almost eight years now. That, along with 30-plus years of business ownership and construction knowledge, make me a highly qualified candidate for reelection. I have proven leadership skills that are necessary for all aspects of being a good county commissioner.

What would your top priority as commissioner be?

Bohnert: As I have been out talking with hundreds of Perry County citizens, I have found that many have lost confidence in our current commission. I want to work to restore the citizens' trust in the commission by being sure that full truth and transparency are always a top priority of the commission.

Wengert: In this first year, overseeing our new Perry County Joint Justice Center is a top priority. It will be opening late fall 2024, and we will need to pay close attention to the users' needs as they transition to the new facility.

What is the biggest issue the county faces, and what would you do to fix it?

Bohnert: Perry County is a great place to live, and we have much to be thankful for here. It seems over the past few years some decisions have been made that go against what was decided by the voters. An example of this is the outsourcing of 911 to St. Francois County. In 2021 the voters of Perry County passed a tax to fund the new justice center. The tax measure was promoted on Perryville city and Perry County dispatches to merge together as one dispatch center for the city and county. Before the building was even completed, our leaders signed a contract to outsource our 911.

Wengert: There are several issues that need to be addressed. We need more housing and day care facilities. We need better internet service in our rural areas. I want to update the county employee personnel policy. And I want to work with emergency management to install tornado sirens in several locations within the county.

What sets you apart from your opponent?

Bohnert: I have more than 35 years of volunteer service to the Perryville and Perry County Rural Fire Departments. I have also served in my church on the Board of Outreach, Care Portal program and our Back-to-School Fair. I volunteered my time and talents as project manager for remodeling Center for Life/Options for Women, our local pregnancy center, when it was purchased. I have spent my life serving my community in various ways, this is what sets me apart.

Wengert: Incumbency. I'm the only one in this race that has the knowledge and experience to do this job. Eight years of being a commissioner sets me apart from the other candidates. You can't buy knowledge and experience, but you can vote for it.

Road maintenance is an often-cited concern. How would you assess the county’s road budget and road department’s operation/plan for the future?

Bohnert: Road maintenance is always a concern in the minds of many citizens. We are fortunate in Perry County to have decent county roads. It would be nice if every county road were paved, but the fact is that it's not financially possible to do it all at one time. I will review the current practice for road improvements. Our road and bridge leaders are the people who know the most about our road systems. I would seek their input for future improvements.

Wengert: The Road and Bridge Department's budget doesn't go as far as it used to. Asphalt has almost doubled in the past three years, creating a need to look at the budget for additional funding. We have a good crew and we continue to update the equipment as needed. I want to continue the chip-and-seal program. We conducted a county road paving analysis with the Regional Planning Commission, which is a four-tier system that prioritizes the hard surfacing of county roads. This will allow us to plan for the resurfacing of our roads for several years.

How will you ensure transparency in county government operations so the public is aware of what its elected leaders are doing in their name?

Bohnert: Transparency is key to letting the citizens know what is being done by their leaders. I would like to see the public meetings be more open to public questions and comments. Currently public comments and questions are only allowed at the beginning of each meeting. Public airing of the meetings would be another great way for citizens to watch the meeting when it's convenient for them. Finally, restricting the executive sessions to only absolutely necessary items outlined by the Missouri Sunshine Law will help ensure transparency.

Wengert: Truth and transparency are very important to me, as well as to the people of Perry County. I am always available to take questions via phone call, text or email. In the twice-weekly commissioner meetings, we go into executive session often to address contractual matters and personnel issues. All of our meetings are held during business hours because we often have to contact different entities about all the issues that we manage. Minutes from the meetings are available online. I'm always available for truthful communication with the people of Perry County.