MUNICIPAL, SCHOOL FILING PERIODS OPEN

JACKSON -- Three incumbent Jackson aldermen filed for re-election this week.

They are: Ward 1, David Ludwig; Ward 2, David Reiminger; and Ward 3, Glenn Oldham.

Ward 4 Alderman LeRoy Brown announced he will retire from the board when his term ends in April.

Also filing this week for the Jackson school board was Ken Callis.

In Chaffee, the incumbent school board president, Larry Myer filed for another term on the board. No candidates have filed at this time for the four seats on the Chaffee Board of Aldermen.

The filing period for municipal and school board candidates opened Jan. 4, and will close on Feb. 1.

Ludwig, 47, who is completing his seventh term as alderman, is also the senior member on the Jackson Board of Aldermen. He was first elected in 1980.

Ludwig wants to continue on the board because of his interest in the development and progress of Jackson.

"It's a very exciting, yet challenging time for Jackson," he said. "We are a progressive and attractive community in which to work and live. We are a growing city that is experiencing the challenge and opportunity that comes with growth. We are trying to expand our existing industry and attract new business.

"With growth we must plan for the immediate and long-term future of the city as far as police, fire and public works are concerned," said Ludwig.

His short term goals include: working with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department to improve the West Jackson Boulevard-South Independence Street intersection that leads to the Seabaugh Industrial Tract; constructing a second, neighborhood fire station somewhere on the north side of town; building a new water tower and water main to serve the Seabaugh Industrial tract and the industrial area along Lee Avenue; improving the Jackson Rotary Lake in the city park; and moving toward curbside recycling.

Some long-term goals mentioned by Ludwig include the East Main Street Extension/I-55 interchange project; improvement of the center junction intersection, (I-55 and Highways 61-34-72) between Cape Girardeau and Jackson; and designation of a I-55 business loop through Jackson.

In addition to serving as mayor pro tem, Ludwig is now chairman of the power and light committee.

He is employed as an account representative with Moore Business Forms of Cape Girardeau. He is a graduate of Jackson High School, and a 1968 graduate from Southeast Missouri State University with a bachelor of science degree in marketing management.

Ludwig lives at 420 Donna with his wife, Janet, who is an accounting teacher at Jackson High School. They have two children; Tracy, a student at Southeast Missouri State University, and Jason, a student at Jackson High School.

Reiminger was elected in 1993 to complete the one-year, unexpired term of former alderman, Phil Johnston. At the time, Reiminger said he wanted to serve a one-year term to find out if he wanted to become fully involved in city government.

This week, Reiminger said the one-year term on the board has surpassed his expectations. "I have too many irons in the fire now," he said. "I've really got myself kindled up with a lot of projects I want to continue working on."

These project include improvements at the Rotary Lake in the city park; the creation of a public works department with its new director, Mark Brown; the East Main Street Extension project, and the on-going reorganization of city administration and services.

Reiminger, 40, of 1413 Greenway, is also a life-long resident of Jackson. He graduated from Jackson High School in 1972 and attended Southeast Missouri State University for two years.

Reiminger is president of Overhead Door Company of Southeast Missouri.

Oldham, 55, is now completing three and a half terms as city alderman. He was first elected in 1986 to fill out the unexpired term of former Alderman Paul Sander.

Oldham and his wife, Mary Sue, live at 865 Strawberry Lane. They have three grown children.

Oldham is also a life-long resident of Jackson. He graduated from Jackson High School in 1957.

He is a sales representative for the Coca Cola Co. in Jackson, and could not be reached for comment after filing.

School Board candidate Ken Callis is a psychologist in private practice in Cape Girardeau, specializing in the problems of families and children. He also works with adult problems related to stress, depression, and other emotional disorders.

Callis is a former one-term member of the Jackson School Board. During that time, he served as board president. He has been an English teacher, football coach and school counselor.

In addition to his school experience, Callis worked nine years with the St. Francis Mental Health Center and served as director of the Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center for Emotionally Disturbed Children. He holds memberships in many professional organizations, and is active in the First Baptist Church of Jackson and local youth sports teams.

"I have been involved with the Jackson Public Schools from many perspectives and am proud of our district," said Callis. "I have a son in college who came through the Jackson school system and another son currently in our junior high school.

"I appreciate what this school system has done for my children and view this as an opportunity to contribute something in return."

Since being elected to the school board in Chaffee, incumbent Larry Myer has seen the district build a new high school and expand the grade school. The next phase of improvements is scheduled to begin soon. He is completing his second term on the board, and serves as board president.

Myer owns and operates a cattle and row crop farm near Chaffee. He holds both a bachelor's and master's degrees from Southeast Missouri State University in the area of industrial and technical education. Myer and his wife, Judith, have three children.