City marshal one of three contested posts in Perryville

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- For the first time in two decades, Perryville voters will have a choice when they go to the polls Tuesday to select their next city marshal to serve as police chief.

The position is one of three up for grabs in contested races. Multiple candidates also filed for mayor and Ward 2 alderman.

Interim police chief Direk Hunt and city code enforcement officer Joe Martin are running for city marshal.

A third candidate, Brad Pitts, filed for the position but was disqualified because he had an outstanding tax bill when the filing period closed.

In their responses to a candidate questionnaire, both men emphasized the importance of communication in keeping Perryville safe.

"Our safety issues are no different than any other community, but by proactive policing, these issues can be addressed," Hunt said. "That is what we have been doing since February of 2013, and the results of the crime stats bear that out with the reduction of the crime rate to the lowest in three years. We have to become more community-based as well, speaking with the citizens and businesses, addressing their concerns."

Martin said the department needs to improve its public image.

"Public perception plays a key role in how effective any police department can be," Martin said. "I believe the public's perception of Perryville Police Department has become less positive in the last year. The new chief must communicate respectfully with his employees, city leaders and citizens to show the public how effective this department is."

Last spring, complaints about former chief Keith Tarrillion's conduct led to an investigation and his eventual resignation. He faces a misdemeanor charge after that investigation turned up an improperly filed police report involving damage to a hot tub and table at his home in 2010.

While the situation hurt morale in the department, Hunt said that has started to improve.

"We have had leadership meetings within the department, and that has gone very well," he said. "The morale has definitely improved, and we are moving in the right direction."

Martin said if he is elected, "letting go of the past" will be part of his approach.

"Letting go of the past, after learning from it, is a key to success, so everyone will start with a clean slate and a renewed purpose if I am elected," he said. "I respect officers for doing a tough job every day, so I will give them the resources and encouragement they need to succeed."

Martin said his long-term vision for the department includes employee success, a safe community and open lines of communication.

"I will lead by example by respecting officers and community members, by using financial resources to provide the best training/equipment possible, by being easy to contact ... and openly communicating our goals and achievements," he said.

Hunt's long-term goal is to upgrade technology so officers can spend more time on the streets.

"We have begun the process of installing computers in our patrol vehicles," he said. "These computers will help the officers do their reports in their vehicles instead of at the police department and ensure they are in our community. Just the presence of a patrol vehicle lowers crime rates and also changes driving behaviors."

Ward 2

Residents of Ward 2 will have their choice of three candidates Tuesday: incumbent Curt Buerck and challengers Randy J. Leible and Shannon Tarrillion.

Asked to identify the most important issue facing Perryville, the candidates gave widely varying answers.

Buerck said job creation is a key issue.

"We need to continue working with all the businesses in the city so we can keep the jobs we have and get more businesses to move to Perryville," he said. "Plenty of good jobs will ensure that our children and grandchildren will have an opportunity to go to college and move back here to raise their families."

Leible's primary concern is infrastructure, including the city's aging sewer plant.

"Our sewer plant is in need of immediate attention," he said. "I believe that we can correct current existing problems at a much more affordable cost than building a whole new plant that would maintain capacities for our industry to grow and still be adequate to handle our citizens' needs."

For Shannon Tarrillion, who is Keith Tarrillion's wife, consistency in the way the city deals with its employees is a top priority.

"I have talked to many current city employees that feel like they are not all treated equally. They feel as though there are different rules for different people," she said. "This is something that I strongly disagree with. The rules are the rules. This will be addressed if I am elected for this position."

Mayor

Incumbent Debbie Gahan will face challenger Ken Baer in the mayoral race.

In their questionnaires, the candidates addressed economic and infrastructure issues.

"It's hard to overcome challenges we don't create," Gahan said. "We've successfully faced the recession without losing valuable jobs, the potential curtailment of economic development due to ozone violations we neither created nor have control over and an endangered species, the grotto sculpin, which lives in our underground aquifers. By continuing to work collaboratively and positively with industry and all levels of government, we'll strive to apply common sense to rampant overregulation and keep moving forward."

Baer said housing and infrastructure are important to economic growth.

"The biggest economic challenge facing Perryville is availability of residential housing," he said. "We need more housing of all types so as to attract more people to live and work here. Our city government should extend infrastructure utilities into areas of potential residential development."

Gahan said in addition to upgrading the wastewater treatment system, plans are in the works for some infrastructure expansion.

"We have plans to extend our gas service to several neighborhood subdivisions," she said. "We're also extending a nearly 100 percent grant-funded industrial park street to enhance economic development. We are constantly assessing and prioritizing infrastructure and streets to make the best use of tax dollars without raising taxes."

Baer would like to see a more in-depth plan for maintaining and improving infrastructure.

"Our city needs an updated and more detailed capital improvement plan for all infrastructure," he said. "This plan is the list of future income and expenses necessary for sound management and should be updated annually. This is our 'things to do' list, our shopping list, our vision for future infrastructure improvements."

Uncontested races

Four Perryville municipal positions are uncontested in this election.

Incumbents Tom Guth and Prince Hudson are the only alderman candidates for Ward 1 and Ward 3, respectively, while municipal judge Robert Hershey and city collector Lori Carroll are running uncontested to keep their seats.