Tracy considering run at either House, administrator position

Debra Tracy may not be done yet. The outgoing Cape Girardeau City Council member said she is considering another run for public office after the monthlong filing period is scheduled to begin Tuesday.

The only question that remains is which one.

Tracy, who decided last year not to seek re-election to the council, is weighing a run at either Cape Girardeau County public administrator or another bid at the Missouri House seat being vacated by Rep. Wayne Wallingford.

If she opts to run for the 147th District, that would set up an Aug. 7 Republican primary against her fellow city council member, Kathy Swan, who signaled her intention to seek the seat last month.

If Tracy chooses to run for public administrator, she would become the seventh Republican and eighth overall to say they want to replace the retiring Phyllis Schwab. Registered nurse Janet Niedbalski also confirmed Wednesday her stake in the race to provide care for the 150 or so county residents who have been deemed by the courts unable to care for themselves.

Cape Girardeau County public administrator candidate Janet Niedbalski. (Laura Simon)

"I'm trying to discern what I'm going to do," Tracy said. "I'm trying to make up my mind what is the right thing to do. I'm truly torn."

A run at the House seat would be a second attempt by Tracy. In 2010, only 65 votes separated her and Wallingford, the victor of the Republican primary. Wallingford's decision to part for a Missouri Senate run got Tracy thinking she might like another shot.

But she doesn't think a race against her council mate would be awkward.

"I just feel like people need a choice," she said. "It was such a close race last time. If that would have been different, I would have maybe thought maybe it was a mistake on my part. But I never felt like it was a mistake on my part."

The public administrator job is also appealing, she said, because it is "very much public service, which is what I'm interested in."

Tracy hopes to make a decision over the weekend, she said. If she can't decide, it's not out of the question that she wouldn't file for either job.

"I'm not trying to hide anything," she said. "I'm not trying to be catty about it. It's just one of those things, you have to make the best decisions based on your own situation."

Swan, for her part, said she and Tracy are friends and have both served on the council together since Swan was elected in 2010. Swan said she was fine with whatever Tracy decided.

If Tracy files for public administrator, she will join an ever-expanding list that grew by one Wednesday. Janet Niedbalski said she definitely will file for the job as a Republican, joining Kim Kelly, Helen Jackson, Kenny Loos, Linda Nash and Scott Schnurbusch and Democrat Mary Cotner.

Niedbalski worked as a registered nurse for 20 years at Southeast Hospital and the last 13 years at Heartland Care as a charge nurse and supervisor. She holds a bachelor's in nursing from Webster University. A native of St. Louis, she has lived in Jackson for the past 30 years.

"I know the system -- it's not a 9-to-5 job but a 24-7 job," Niedbalski said. "I've been a resident advocate my entire career."

She also has an adult son who lives in a nursing home after an accident led to a traumatic brain injury, a fact that she says has only added to her experience and exemplifies the dedication she would bring to the job.

Even if Tracy does decide to join Niedbalski and the others on the ticket, there may be more. Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers said she's fielded calls of interest from about 15 people inquiring about the job.

"It is very unusual," Summers said. "I had no idea there would be this much interest in the position. I guess a lot of people have experience in that field and are interested. I'm sure they all have different reasons."

The position pays $72,000 annually.

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