SCOTT CITY COUNCIL RACE: INCUMBENTS CHALLENGED

SCOTT CITY -- Two incumbent city council members face challenges and a third has chosen not to run for another term in one of the most contested elections in recent Scott City history.

Only one council member up for re-election, Gary Miller of Ward One, faces no opposition in next Tuesday's election.

In Ward Two, incumbent Teresa A. Crump is being opposed by two challengers, Donna M. Sheren and Glendella May.

Crump, who was originally appointed in July 1996 to fill a vacancy on the council, was elected to a one-year last year. In the nearly two years in which she has been on the council, she says that she has begun working with the Corps of Engineers to alleviate some of the flooding problems in the city.

"I want a better image for the city," she said. "That's what I'm working for."

One of her opponents, Donna Sheren, ran against Crump in last year's election. Sheren chose to run again this year because she believes that she can bring a new perspective to the council.

"Messages are not getting through. People want to be heard and to be kept informed about what's going on," she said.

The third candidate in the race, Glendella May, is seeking political office for the first time. May, a probate assistant for Limbaugh Law Firm in Cape Girardeau, decided to run for the city council in order to help improve the image of Scott City.

"There are a lot of good things in the city. It just needs to be promoted better," she said, adding that she wants to encourage development of the river and tourism.

In Ward Three, Jerome "J.T." Gulley faces challenges from two opponents, Kevin T. Gresham and Anita Joyce Mott.

Gulley, who works for Lee Rowan in Jackson, is completing his first term on the council. As chairman of the public works committee for the council, Gulley is proud of the new business at the Port Authority and of the new well being put in by the city.

"I'm proud of the whole town and the way the community is pulling together. I didn't come in for just my ward, but for the whole city," he said.

Kevin Gresham, an engineer with Diagnostic Imaging, said that he decided to run at the encouragement of those in the neighborhood who, like himself, didn't believe that Gulley was doing the job that needed to be done.

"If it didn't benefit him (Gulley), it didn't seem to get done," Gresham said, adding that he wanted to bring a different viewpoint to the council.

Anita Joyce Mott, a tax preparer for H & R Block, decided to challenge Gulley because she believed it was time for a change and for fairness to be brought back into the way things are done in the city.

"This is a town with a heart for God and it is time we came to a realization that God gave us this city. We should let God lead the town instead of having a power trip," she said.

The final race for city council, Ward Four, pits two declared newcomers and a write-in hopeful for a seat being vacated by the present councilman, Marsha Zimmermann. Charles E. Klughart Jr. and Philip Radica are on the ballot. Dale Littlepage is mounting a write-in campaign.

Klughart, the youngest of the candidates at age 21, has owned and operated his own plumbing, heating and electrical business for almost three years. He hopes to bring improvements to the city roads and to increase the drive for new businesses to the city, especially encouraging young businessmen to locate in the city.

"I decided to run because no one else wanted to step up and make changes," he said. "Most just go with the flow."

Philip Radica, who calls himself a mechanic and all-around helper with Twin City Auto, decided to run for the council because he believes that someone needs to bring knowledge and expertise to the council and because he thinks that there has been too much favoritism on the present council.

"With a lot of the older aldermen, it's been you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. I want equality for everyone, not just favoritism," he said.

Dale Littlepage, a sheet metal worker for Drury Company, decided to mount a write-in campaign after Zimmerman declined to run again for the seat. When he saw who else was running, he said he felt he was a better candidate.

"The city's going to grow and I want to help it along as best I can," he said.