SCOTT CITY: FORHAN WINS MAYOR'S POST

SCOTT CITY -- A one-time mayor of Ste. Genevieve will become the next mayor of Scott City. Voters Tuesday elected businessman Larry Forhan to the post over challenger Rodney Holloway.

Forhan received 440 votes to Holloway's 313.

In other city races, Kenny Holder defeated incumbent Edith Davidson for a one-year Ward 2 post on the city council. Also in Ward 2, John Rogers was re-elected for a two-year term over challenger George Moit.

In Ward 3, incumbent Ron Oller was elected over Joe Bles, in the second time the two have vied for the seat. Unopposed seats in Ward 1 went to Ladonna Phelps and in Ward 4 to Terry Johnson.

In a race for two seats on the Scott City school board, incumbents Tom Anderson and Kevin Hilleman, with 561 and 512 votes, respectively, will remain on the board. A third candidate, Ray Smith, received 360 votes.

For Forhan, 45, it marked the second time he had run for the mayor's post. In his first bid for the seat in 1990, he lost to Shirley Young.

Forhan said Tuesday night he is pleased to have been elected, and feels the fact that he had definite plans for the city going into the election helped sway voters to his side.

"From the very beginning, I had a plan, an agenda, and I think people saw that," Forhan said.

He said first and foremost, the town needs to pull together to solve its problems.

Forhan said he wants to adopt a city law that states all ordinances under consideration by the City Council must be considered during two meetings before they can be approved or rejected. This would allow for more study of the measures by city officials and more citizen input, he said.

"We just need to look before we leap on many of these issues," he said.

He also said he'd push for more openness during council meetings, and is against meetings that are closed to the public and press. Forhan also wants to form a citizens cable committee that will review and monitor cable television service.

Forhan, who will be sworn in at the next council meeting April 20, said he'd start his new post by familiarizing himself with city policies and "looking things over." He said changes will take place slowly and after much thought.

"There will be changes, I can tell you that," he said. "But myself and council members need to look things over first." Forhan said most changes will be procedural in nature, and he doesn't plan to replace any city employees.

The Arkansas native stressed the need for city officials to work together.

"There is a lot of healing that needs to go on in Scott City, and we've all got to work together," he said. "I hope to be able to provide positive leadership, and I'm looking forward to working with the council."

Forhan said his experience as mayor of Ste. Genevieve will be an asset to him when he takes office in Scott City.

"All the roads a new mayor usually follows, I will have already followed them," he said. "I think the experience will certainly help me."

Forhan is the owner of Abbey Consultants, a computer company, which he opened in 1982, the same year he moved to the city.

He was mayor of Ste. Genevieve from 1975 to 1977. His wife is Scott City native Mary Carolyn Arnold Forhan.

"I'd really like to thank the people of Scott City," he said. "I'd like to invite anyone who's interested to come to city hall with their comments or criticisms."

Holloway is the owner of K&R Mobile Home Park in Scott City. It was his first try at a city office.

In the city council races, Phelps received 176 votes; Holder, 88, Davidson, 70; Rogers, 113, Moit, 50; Oller, 132, Bles, 85; and Johnson, 126.

Davidson, 76, was appointed to the council by Mayor Young after former Councilman Jim Cauble resigned. She is a former teacher. Holder, 24, will become the youngest member of the council. He is a native of the town and works as an official with youth sports programs.

Vote totals for other Scott County school board races by district are as follows:

Kelly: John Felter, 260 votes and Rita Milan, 261 votes were elected. Other candidates and their vote totals were Carl Strickler, 256; Jim Arteme, 183; Mike Riley, 145; Teresa De Witt, 136; Joe Stuckey, 113; Ronnie Burton, 33.

Oran: Michael Wheeler received 373 votes, John Bertrand, 324 and Ray Cook, 293.

Scott County Central: Kay Griffin, 242, and Gary Keslor, 190.

Kelso: Warren Reinagel, 169, Dorothy Dirnberger, 152.