Ex-mayor Paul Sander files for another aldermanic term in Jackson

This story is updated.

Former Jackson Mayor Paul Sander filed the necessary paperwork Friday to run for another two-year term representing the city's 1st Ward.

"There's a lot going on in Jackson. It's a nice place to live, it's one of the fastest-growing communities in Missouri and I've lived my whole life here," said Sander, who added he is the fourth generation of his family to serve as an officeholder in Cape Girardeau County.

"I've always had an interest in finances and I enjoy being accessible to citizens. If someone calls me, I'll call them back."

Sander's institutional knowledge of the Cape Girardeau County county-seat community extends to his cumulative 24 years to date holding office in the city.

Starting in 1986, Sander served on Jackson's aldermanic council until his election as mayor seven years later.

In 1993, Sander ended the 20-year term of the late Carlton "Cotton" G. Meyer, prevailing in the April mayoral primary that year 57.3% to 42.7%.

He would be elected as the city's top officeholder six more times and ran mostly opposed except for 1999 and 2005.

Sander left the mayoralty in 2007 after losing the August 2006 GOP primary for Cape Girardeau County Clerk to Kara Clark Summers.

He is the president of the Cultural Exchange Network (CENET) in Cape Girardeau and is the longtime head baseball coach at Saxony Lutheran High School.

Sander returned to Jackson's Board of Aldermen in August 2018, filling an unexpired term in Ward 1 -- the same one he had served before becoming mayor -- and was elected to the post again in both 2019 and 2020.

A former president of Cape Area MAGNET and the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce (JACOC), Sander also is a past winner of the JACOC's R.A. Fulenwider Meritorious Community Service Award.

Candidate filing for the April 2022 election remains open until Dec. 28.

Sander's entry into the race means all four Jackson incumbents whose terms are expiring will seek an additional two years on the Board of Aldermen -- Sander, Dave Reiminger, Larry Cunningham and Joe Bob Baker.

To date, all are unopposed except in Ward 3, where Cunningham will face a challenge from Michael Seabaugh, who is the current chairman of the city's Planning and Zoning Commission.