BOLLINGER COMMISSION RACES FACE VOTERS

MARBLE HILL -- Jerry Woodfin and Adrian Shell hope to divide and conquer.

Woodfin and Shell will divide Republican votes since both filed as candidates for 1st District associate commissioner in Bollinger County. Since there is no Democratic candidate in the primary, the winner will be assured a seat on the commission.

Voters will elect candidates from the primary ballot Aug. 6. Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. Winners in that election will advance to the general election in November.

Woodfin holds the 1st district commission seat in Bollinger County. He ran unopposed in the last election. Woodfin is a member of the Bollinger County Co-op board and Clubb Creek General Baptist Church.

Adrian Shell could not be reached Thursday by the Southeast Missourian.

Three people filed as Republican candidates for 2nd District associate commissioner. Only one will advance to the general election in November. The candidates are Rod Jetton, John Dale Broshuis and Carl J. Brune.

Although he has never been elected, Rod Jetton knows how to manage and run a political campaign: He served as a field coordinator for the late U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson.

"I do not want to make a lot of promises in this campaign because I have never been a commissioner, and, if elected, I will only have one vote out of three," Jetton said in a letter to voters. "But I do have some ideas that I feel can save our county money and improve our roads and services."

Jetton would like to develop an organized plan for road maintenance, design and improvements, lower maintenance costs by providing better employee training, and apply for federal and state grants.

Jetton is a co-owner of the Jetton and James Real Estate Co., a member of the Marine Corps Reserves, Marble Hill Optimist Club, Bollinger County Farm Bureau and the Bollinger County Caring Council. He and his wife, Cassie, have three children.

John Dale Broshuis is a Bollinger County native and knows the history of the area and its strengths and weaknesses.

"I have lived here all my life," he said. "And I just thought that maybe we could improve our roads a little bit."

Broshuis has been employed by Ferrell Gas for eight years and operates a small farm near Leopold.

Since Broshuis spends much of his day driving on the county's gravel roads, he knows they need improvement. "I know how important it is to keep our roads and bridges in good shape," he said.

If elected, Broshuis also wants to keep the county out of debt and seek more grants for road improvements.

Carl Brune could not be reached Thursday by the Southeast Missourian.

Competition for the 2nd District commission seat is almost as fierce among Democrats as it is Republicans. Incumbent Junior Cook will face two-time opponent Joyce M. Long in the race.

Cook and Long also were opponents during the 1994 primary race for the same seat. Cook, who remains the incumbent this year, won that race by a 333-279 margin.

Cook has been a county commissioner for nine years. Some of his accomplishments during those years include improving conditions on the county roads and working to fund bridge improvements. He also has helped keep the county budget balanced.

"You have to make a budget and go by it or else you will wind up in trouble," he said, adding that county budgets are similar to family budgets.

Cook also serves on the Meadow Heights Board of Education.

Joyce M. Long could not be reached Thursday by the Southeast Missourian.

Other candidates who will not face opposition in the November race include Republican James M. Bollinger, assessor; Democrat Gene Ward, coroner; and Democrat John W. Reilley, surveyor.