Candidate emerges for open city council seat

Mark Lanzotti plans to run for the Cape Girardeau City Council seat being vacated by Matt Hopkins.

Lanzotti has lived in the city since 1999 and said many of his relatives, including his mother, are Cape Gir-ardeau natives.

He said he grew up in Springfield, Ill. Lanzotti, 37, and his wife, Amy, have three children: Victor, 8; Marisa, 5; and Anthony, 3.

Running for office hadn't occurred to him, he said, until he read Hopkins had served two terms, the maximum allowed, on city council.

He is a lawyer with Osburn, Hine, Kuntze, Yates & Murphy. A 1999 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, Lanzotti earned a master's degree in marine science in 1995 from the University of Texas and received two degrees from the University of Illinois in 1993. His law work is devoted primarily to workers' compensation, real estate and medical malpractice cases.

Mayor Jay Knudtson said Lanzotti is just one of several residents who asked to meet with him to learn more about running for council.

"I applaud anybody that is willing to step up and sacrifice their time away from family and business," he said.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127