FIVE FILE FOR JACKSON'S CITY AND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS

JACKSON -- Five incumbents have filed for re-election to their municipal and school board offices in the city of Jackson. Wednesday was the first day for candidates to file.

Filing for re-election to the Jackson Board of Aldermen are Kevin Sawyer, Ward 2, Leonard Dambach, Ward 3, and Paul Sander, Ward 1.

Incumbent City Collector Deloris Uren also filed Wednesday, along with incumbent school board member Jack H. Knowlan Jr.

During his four years on the board, Sawyer said, he has seen a tremendous amount of growth. "In the past year, we've seen the completion of East Jackson Boulevard (Highway 61 East), completion of the eighth expansion at Lee-Rowan, reconstruction of Washington Street and many other projects, all of which add to Jackson's progress," Sawyer said.

"The city, while on solid financial ground, faces many budget challenges in the future. As a rule I am against any tax increases associated with governing bodies, so we must increase our tax base through other means such as controlled growth which results in an increased commercial tax base."

Sawyer said he has been proud to serve the residents of Ward 2, and hopes to continue to be their voice in the future.

Sawyer, 33, and his wife, Kay, live at 913 Kent Street.

Sawyer is currently serving his second term as president of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the Jackson Industrial Development Company board of directors, and the Jackson Planning and Zoning Commission.

He is the 1990 recipient of the Jackson Jaycees Distinguished Service award. Sawyer is an agent with Sawyer Insurance and Realty.

Dambach, who lives at 608 Randy Drive, is now completing his 14th year on the board of aldermen, where he serves as the city's street committee chairman. Dambach has lived in Jackson since 1954, when he moved from Fornfelt, now Scott City.

He could not be reached for comment late Thursday afternoon.

As of Thursday afternoon, the other incumbent alderman, Jack Piepenbrok, Ward 4, had not filed for re-election.

Uren will be completing her seventh term as city collector in Jackson. She defeated the incumbent collector, Ralph Kasten, in 1977, and has served as collector for 14 years.

Knowlan is completing his first term on the school board this year.

Knowlan said he wants to continue to serve on the board to help it meet a major challenge in the new year.

"We have accomplished a lot of what I had in mind when I decided to run for my first term," Knowlan said.

"Our building problem has been resolved with the completion of the new elementary school, and the new facilities on the high school campus.

"The biggest challenge facing the district now is our financial condition," Knowlan continued. "We have to focus on that. It has to be the number one priority of the school board to control expenses and find new sources of revenue, or increase revenues."

Knowlan said a lot of the progress that has been made the past three years in the Jackson school district will be jeopardized if the board cannot find a way to improve the financial condition of the district.

He specifically cited the declining balances in the district's Special (Teacher) Fund and the General Fund. Both are projected to show very small balances by the end of this fiscal year.

Knowlan emphasized that Jackson is not the only school district that must deal with the problem. "This is a statewide problem," he said. "Other districts are also facing serious financial problems because of declining state revenues."

Knowlan said a short-term approach to the financial crisis will be to control expenses "by making some very difficult choices in the upcoming fiscal year as far a budget decisions are concerned.

"On the long-term, we are going to have to generate more revenue for the district, either from the state, or at the local level," he added.

Because of the major financial decisions the board must contend with this coming year, Knowlan said it is important that the board continue to have the continuity of experienced members who can make the important decisions.

Knowlan is a 1970 graduate of Jackson High School. In 1974, he graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor's degree in economics. He received his law degree in 1977 from the School of Law at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Knowlan is currently the chief administrative law judge with the Division of Worker's Compensation in Cape Girardeau. He also owns and operates Knollcrest Orchard, near Burfordville. Knowlan is past president of the Jackson Area Optimist Soccer Association.

He lives on Route 1, Burfordville, with his wife, Bonnie, and their children: Erica, Garrett, Spencer and Stuart, who attend Jackson schools.

The other school board incumbent whose term expires this spring is the board president, Larry Koenig, who was recently appointed Jackson chief of police.

Koenig said last week he was still undecided whether he'll seek another term on the board.

No one has filed for the office of mayor, now held by longtime incumbent Carlton Meyer.

Mayoral, aldermanic, and city collector candidates may file with the Jackson city clerk at city hall, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

School board candidates may file at the school board office, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The filing period for municipal and school board offices will close at 5 p.m. Jan. 29.