SPRADLING HOLDS COMMANDING LEAD IN MAYORAL FUNDRAISING

Al Spradling has raised nearly four times as much money as Mel Gateley in his campaign to be elected mayor of Cape Girardeau Tuesday, according to campaign finance disclosure reports on file with the county clerk's office.

The reports, that state law required to be filed seven days before the April 5 election, showed Spradling with receipts of $12,331, expenditures of just over $8,000, and a balance in his campaign account of $4,320.

Gateley, who like Spradling is in the middle of a four-year term on the city council, showed total receipts of $3,775, expenditures of $3,750, and an account balance of $24.

A large portion of Spradling's campaign money was generated by a fundraiser on Feb. 18, which the report showed drew over 300 people. His largest single contribution was $2,000 from D.L. Harrison, a Cape Girardeau businessman.

Gateley has loaned $600 in personal funds to his campaign, and his largest donation was $350 from Dr. Richard Martin.

Reports were also due for the six city council candidates running for three positions Tuesday, and for the six candidates for the Cape Girardeau board of education, running for two slots.

All six of the school board candidates have filed exemption statements with the clerk's office, indicating they do not plan to spend or raise more than $1,000 during the campaign or receive more than $250 from any single contributor.

Of the six city council candidates, two have not filed any campaign reports as required by state law.

In Ward 1, J.J. Williamson, Jr. has never filed a report, and in Ward 2, Tom Neumeyer has no campaign reports on file, according to the clerk's office.

Since Neumeyer had a primary race in February, he should have filed a report by Dec. 30, and several reports since that time. Williamson, who did not have a primary race, should have filed by Feb. 24.

Neumeyer said not filing a campaign report was "an oversight due to inexperience. We're all new at this and not politicians," he said. "I did not realize they had not been filed."

Neumeyer said his treasurer was out of town for the weekend, but promised to get his reports up to date on Monday. Reading from his campaign check ledger Friday afternoon, Neumeyer reported that $1,740 had been spent on his campaign, and the current balance is $179.

State campaign finance laws require contributions of more than $100 to be reported. The only contribution falling in that category, Neumeyer said, was $200 from C.P. McGinty.

"I will take responsibility for this, but apparently it is an oversight. I certainly have nothing to hide. It is just a situation where people being new at this just didn't realize what was required," Neumeyer said.

Williamson also felt that he had filed the necessary paperwork and stressed he would contact the clerk's office Monday morning.

"I thought I sent everything over there I needed to," Williamson said. "I intend to check on it first thing Monday."

Williamson estimated that he had spent around $1,000 on his campaign.

Not filing the forms will not affect the candidacies of Neumeyer or Williamson, however, but before they could take office the disclosure forms must be on file and current with the clerk's office.

Neumeyer's opponent in Ward 2, Brenda Dohogne, showed receipts of $1,610 for the campaign and expenditures of $1,595. Her account balance on March 24 stood at $15.

Williamson's Ward 1 opponent, Frank Stoffregen, has an exemption statement on file.

In Ward 6 where Jay Knudtson and Richard "Butch" Eggimann are running for a council seat, the two candidates are about even in fundraising.

Eggimann has raised $1,628 and spent $852. His account balance at the close of this report period was $775. Contributions include $200 from Vernon Rhodes and a $400 loan he made to the campaign.

Knudtson showed expenditures of $1,547 and a balance in his account of $257. His largest contribution was $200 from Tipton Linen Service and he also borrowed $1,000 from a bank at the start of his campaign.

Other larger contributors to Spradling's mayoral campaign include: Albert M. Spradling II, the candidate's father, $500; H.C. Schneider, Craig Billmeyer, Mary Westrich, and Mrs. Jack Sheets, $250 each; Barbara Baker $225; Jim Cochrane and the SEMO Apartment Association, 1353 Karen, $200 each; Al Lowes $150; and Mary Caldwell and Ken Voepel, $125 each.

Gateley also received a $200 contribution from Benny Wheeler of Scott City.

Expenditures by Gateley included just over $1,200 for radio advertising and $1,000 for newspaper ads.

Spradling has spent about $7,500 with Red Letter Communications in Cape, which is producing and placing his media advertising.