TREASURER FACES TWO CHALLENGERS IN STODDARD PRIMARY

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Democratic incumbent Shirley Carney faces two opponents in the Aug. 1 primary election for treasurer & ex-officio collector of Stoddard County.

Kevin Pobst is running unopposed in the Republican primary.

Stoddard is one of only 21 counties in the state which combine the jobs of treasurer and collector, but the county's seven township collectors do the actual collecting, forwarding the money to the county official.

Carney has held the post for 15 years. As treasurer, she invests money for the county. Before taking the job, she worked in banking and had her real estate license. She also had several years of bookkeeping experience and was collector for Liberty Township for six years.

Carney said not much has changed in the way she has run the office over the past 15 years. "I've just taken care of the office in a business-like way."

She and her husband, Kenneth, live in Dexter and have two children.

Jim Long Sr. , a retiree who was an account executive and agent with Ameritech and farmed for 35 years, is running because "I thought it would be a good opportunity to get into politics for awhile."

For a retiree, the Dexter resident is busy. He maintains the airport and also works part-time for Bootheel Petroleum. "I do a little bit of everything," he says. "I can't retire. I have to keep going. My wife says I'm the only person she knows who gets sick when he can't work."

Long is running on a platform of providing "an efficient, effective and friendly office."

This is Long's first run for office. He and his wife, Joyce, have three children.

Also running is Carla Knowles Moore, who could not be reached for comment.