Former Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Jay Purcell dies at 54

A former Cape Girardeau city councilman and Cape Girardeau County commissioner, Jay Purcell, died Nov. 2 at the age of 54.

Purcell was living with his family in Middlebrook, Missouri, at the Iron County/St. Francois County line, at the time of his death.

Electoral history

A former employee of Dana Corp., Purcell was elected without opposition as Ward 3 Cape Girardeau City councilman in April 2000.

Later, he won District 2 Cape Girardeau County associate commissioner race in 2004, defeating James L. Bowers by a 63% to 37% margin.

Purcell was reelected to the post without opposition in 2008.

Legacy

Purcell once noted what he viewed as his accomplishments in county government — most notably, money-saving measures such as taking over personal supervision of the county parks department and encouraging the elimination of some jobs in county offices.

"I've always fought for what was right," Purcell told the Southeast Missourian in 2012. "I think my record speaks for itself. I think as time goes on, people will realize what I've accomplished."

Former associate Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Jay Purcell, in this undated photo, holds up an audio device used to record a closed session of the commission. Purcell went on to allege the closed session violated the state's Sunshine Act and filed suit against the commission. The case eventually reached the Missouri Supreme Court, which ruled against Purcell on April 6, 2010. Purcell died Nov. 2.Southeast Missourian file

Sunshine Law suit

After then-Cape Girardeau County Auditor David Ludwig refused a commission request to resign in 2008, Purcell filed a lawsuit against the commission, alleging violation of the state's Open Meetings and Records Act, more commonly known as the Sunshine Law.

Purcell acknowledged surreptitiously recording a closed commission meeting, later charging the same meeting violated the dictates of the Sunshine Law.

Purcell's suit failed at circuit court, at the Missouri Court of Appeals and ultimately at the state Supreme Court level.

After a hearing in February 2010, the state's highest court ruled unanimously against Purcell in a judgment filed April 6, 2010.