Scott County commissioner candidates address relevant issues at public forum

Scott County residents had the opportunity Thursday to hear from four men running for the top office in the county.

Jim Glueck, Danny Tetley, Larry McClain and Monty Keesee answered questions as part of the meet-and-greet for county candidates hosted by the Scott City Area Chamber of Commerce at the Front Porch Rental Hall.

The candidates were asked three questions and each had 90 seconds to respond.

Tell the people about yourself.

All four candidates described themselves as lifelong residents of the area who understand it deeply.

Glueck has been the commissioner for four years. He said his goal has been and will continue to be to do the right thing for the county.

Jim Glueck, current Scott County commissioner, talks about his experience in the office at Thursday's forum in Scott City.Nathan English ~ nenglish@semissourian

"That's why I took this job, I want to make sure things get done right," Glueck said.

Tetley is co-owner of Pizza Inn located in Sikeston, Missouri. He said he knows what it's like to work long hours and work hard for others.

McClain is a resident and current mayor of Kelso, Missouri, and has served in that position since 2004.

Keesee is a Navy veteran who is from Scott City. He has business experience and said he has extensive knowledge of roadwork, which he said was his primary reason for running and what he has been hearing people discuss on the campaign trail.

What skills and strengths do you bring to the position you are running for?

Monty Keesee, candidate for Scott County commissioner, talks about his business and contracting experience and how it makes him qualified to be commissioner at Thursday's forum in Scott City.Nathan English ~ nenglish@semissourian

Glueck said his strengths lie in his experience as a commissioner, specifically working alongside contractors on county projects makes him more than qualified for the post. He has extensive experience with heavy machinery, he said.

Glueck said under his leadership the roads have never been better than they are now.

When asked about his strengths, Tetley pointed to his leadership in the context of fundraisers at his restaurant and the fact he surrounds himself with good people, he said.

"Nobody can do these jobs alone, you've gotta have help, and I'm good at submitting that help and getting that help," Tetley said.

McClain said his strength is his municipal government experience and his experience working with state agencies, contractors and attorneys. He also pointed to the fact he is retired and will have more time to put into the job.

Larry McClain, candidate for Scott County commissioner, speaks about his municpal government experience at Thursday';s forum in Scott City. McClain has served as the mayor of Kelso, Missouri, since 2004.Nathan English ~ nenglish@semissourian

Keesee said experience as a team player and his experience working on roads and ditches in the area make him a qualified candidate. He said he has the business experience for finances and the labor experience for improvement projects.

"I'm a numbers guy but I'm also the guy that works out there until dark-thirty or whatever it takes to get the job done," Keesee said.

The Scott County Courthouse is seen Monday, July 29, 2019, in Benton.Ben Matthews

What is the single economic problem in Scott County? How do you plan to address it using your position?

The majority of the candidates said they would focus on attracting businesses to the area if elected. McClain said he would use networking with other municipalities to see what they are doing and how that can be adapted to Scott County.

Keesee focused on recruitment and said he'd be willing to get on a plane to anywhere to recruit business. Keesee said he's seen growth in Cape Girardeau and Jackson and that Scott County hasn't kept pace.

Glueck said he has heard from businesses that having sites shovel-ready -- hooked up for utilities making for easier transitions -- is important to attracting them and that would be his focus.

Danny Tetley, candidate for Scott County commissioner, talks about his business and contracting experience and how it makes him qualified to be commissioner at Thursday's forum in Scott City.Nathan English ~ nenglish@semissourian

Tetley focused on what he called "giving kids hope." The restaurant owner said children in the county need discipline, love and education and not to be constantly medicated. Tetley said he's been seeing that issue with teenagers working in his restaurant for 20 years.

"We got too much crap being prescribed to these kids," Tetley said.

After the forum officially came to an end, Glueck asked for an opportunity to speak where he urged people to shop local and said major retailers were the reason small businesses in Scott County had closed up shop.

In contrast with his opponents statements on bringing in tax revenue, Glueck said sometimes the revenue wasn't worth it, that the "throw away society" created by corporations created many problems locally. Keesee took exception and the two argued as spectators got up to talk to other candidates and one another. There was an eventual calm separation after a couple of minutes.