Crowding onto the ballot

Melvin Gately knows a thing or two about local politics. He spent eight years on the Cape Girardeau City Council and ran twice for mayor.

He has voted in many municipal and school board elections where he didn't have much of a choice; an incumbent ran uncontested.

So as Gateley sat in the audience of Glenn Auditorium Tuesday night, he couldn't help but smile.

In front of him were eight District 2 county commission candidates taking their seats for a forum put on by the League of Women Voters. In all, 20 candidates have emerged to try to win the two associate commissioner spots -- 18 Republicans and two Democrats.

"The field has been wide open with a lot of interest, which is a really good thing for the city and the county," he said. "You always want people to be interested in running. It's too bad there's not the same interest at the local level for city council."

There is at least one very logical explanation for that. County commissioners are well paid, at least compared to most residents who live here.

Officially, the two current associate commissioners, Joe Gambill and Larry Bock, will make $54,968 in 2004. When the county moved to first class in 1997, the salaries were increased from $26,900 to $47,966, based on assessed valuation figures as written in the statutes. Every year since then, the salaries have been adjusted according to cost of living increases that all county employees have earned.

The median household income in the county is less than $33,000.

The hours commissioners work for their pay has been an ongoing issue even before candidates started their campaigns. More than one county government official or employee has privately complained that the commissioners don't work a full-time schedule, that they're only there for their regular meetings on Mondays and Thursdays. The commissioners say that their work outside the office -- checking roads, attending legislative sessions or other county-related evening meetings -- makes up for their time away from the office.

During forums last week, candidates continued to take up the issue. Bill Reynolds, country treasurer of 24 years, affirmed the assertion that commissioners are generally available to county employees only about four hours a week.

Candidates say money is not their motivation, but they are shelling out thousands of dollars in hopes of nailing down the post.

Thursday was the deadline for candidates to turn in campaign contribution forms. From a campaign contribution standpoint, more money is being thrown around in District 2, which contains the city of Cape Girardeau.

Some of the candidates are only spending their own money and have not formed committees. But of those District 2 candidates who have formed committees -- Clay Waller, Bill Stanfield, Jay Purcell, Reynolds, Dennis "Doc" Cain and Barry Hovis -- a total of $40,330 has been collected. And that total doesn't include Waller's and Stanfield's money since they have not yet turned in their reports.

Kathy Swan has raised the most money, $13,371 so far. Dennis "Doc" Cain comes in next at $8,224 with the most money on hand, $3,620, at the end of the reporting period.

Jay Purcell, a Cape Girardeau city councilman who has been advertising on television, has collected $7,200 and has $2,715 on hand.

Of the candidates who have filed in District 2, Reynolds has the least. But Reynolds has said all along that he is running on his name and isn't going to rush out to put a lot of signs in yards.

The District 1 race appears to be less expensive, but just as competitive, if not more so, than the Cape Girardeau district.

Six candidates have formed committees: Robert Cox, David Blumenberg, Charles Roberts, Larry Bock, J.W. Strack and Richard Rushin. With the exception of Strack, who had not turned in his report as of late Friday morning, all of the candidates had raised between $888 and $2,770.

Of those, Bock had raised the most with Rushin ($2,155), Roberts ($2,000), Blumenberg ($1,955) within about $800 distance. But Bock has well more on-hand, $1,330, than anyone else.

Much of the money is going toward signs, which have popped up like dandelions in lawns along streets.

Debbie McMulty of Sign Master Instant Signs said her business is making signs for three commission candidates and a coroner candidate.

"That's kind of normal during an election year. I kind of think the business is all spread out because it takes so long to do them."

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635