Green, Thomas square off for Ward 3 post

Located in the heart of the City of Cape Girardeau, about 5% of registered Ward 3 voters participated in the Feb. 4 primary election which set the stage for Tuesday's race between Nathan Thomas and Renita Green for a Ward 3 City Council seat.

Renita Green

Thomas was appointed to serve on the Cape Girardeau City Council in August after previous Ward 3 Councilman Victor Gunn moved to another ward.

The short-tenured incumbent Thomas garnered 101 votes in the February primary. Green finished in a close-second with 73 votes to secure her place on the ballot.

Previously, Green ran as a Democratic candidate against Rep. Kathy Swan in a November 2018 race to serve as state representative for District 147 -- a seat held by Swan since 2012.

Jacob Wiegand ~ jwiegand@semissourian.com Cape Girardeau County employees Corey Underwood, right, and Jeff Walter help set up a polling station Monday, April 1, 2019, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel in Cape Girardeau. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Jacob Wiegand ~ jwiegand@semissourian.com

Thomas, a physical therapist and local business owner, holds degrees from Emory University as a Doctor of Physical Therapy and has a master's degree in Business Administration with concentrations in finance and strategy. He also serves as the vice president of the Board of Directors at the Discovery Playhouse Children's Museum and the Southeast District chairperson for the Missouri Physical Therapy Association board of directors.

Green, pastor of St. James AME Church and local property manager, holds a business degree from Saint Louis University in Organization Studies with a focus on business laws, ethics and team leadership; and she holds a seminary degree with a liberation theology focus. Green also serves as the volunteer director and founder of The People's Shelter.

In an email to the Southeast Missourian, Green stated she hopes to increase citizen participation in local government, raise local quality of life through partnerships and grants to aid residents with basic home improvements, reduce crime by improving lighting in dark areas of the city and increase awareness of diversity and cultural differences in Ward 3.

Thomas stated his goals for office include supporting education and continuing to strengthen local mental health resources, improving constituent relations through effective-listening and open communications, providing opportunities for entrepreneurial expansion and "high-quality job creation" as a means of economic development, advocating for a remedy to internet sales tax and continuing to maintain a balanced budget despite projections of declining general revenue.

Noting the community has been "blessed not to be hit significantly" by the health-related impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thomas stated remaining mindful of health outcomes as social restrictions are lifted and providing community support through the pandemic's economic impacts are some of the biggest issues facing Ward 3.

"This is a time when we will need strong, practical, experienced leadership in our elected offices," Thomas stated.

Green stated major issues she plans to address if elected include the "multifaceted concern" of local violence, and the need to create a way to communicate citizen concerns to city planners while also explaining city decisions to those concerned about the city's recently-approved plans for an aquatic project.

"While talking to people door-to-door I learned more about why people are for and against the project," Green stated. "At this point, the major decisions have already been made. What seems to be needed now is creating a way to move forward that will be less hurtful to those impacted."