Tuesday's election will bring in 'new blood'

Perry County, Missouri, is about to see a significant changing of the guard as five longtime elected officials retire, taking with them 114 years of combined experience.

County Clerk Randy Taylor, Treasurer Veronica Hershey, Recorder of Deeds Susan Oster, Associate Circuit Judge Michael Bullerdieck and Circuit Judge William Syler all are stepping down after long careers.

Taylor said the flurry of departures has sparked interest in the election, with four candidates running for clerk, five for treasurer, four for recorder of deeds and three for circuit judge.

"We're all retiring, the ... incumbents are, so that's why the interest," he said.

Hershey, who is retiring after 24 years in office, said she is glad to see so many people running.

"It's good. It's good that there is an interest ... and there are a lot of good candidates that have put their hat out in the ring this time," she said. " ... New blood coming in, there's bound to be something that they have a new idea on, and that's wonderful."

Susan Oster is retiring after 12 years as Perry County's recorder of deeds. She said her deputy is running, but she hasn't had a chance to talk with the other candidates and isn't sure how familiar they are with the responsibilities of the office.

"They're going to have to learn a lot -- the ones that don't know or have the experience," Oster said. "I don't know what they've done."

Whoever wins will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions or come in for training, Taylor said.

"They'll have ample time to come in, and we'll show them a little bit what's going on," he said.

Because no Democrats are seeking county-level offices, whoever wins the Republican primary automatically will win the Nov. 4 general election, Taylor said.

That gives the incoming officeholders more time to prepare for their new jobs, Taylor and Hershey said.

"With this upcoming election, for this office, there's five candidates, and I think they all have a general idea of what's entailed in the office, and by the time they are actually elected in November, there'll be time for the person -- whoever it is -- to come in and discuss everything," Hershey said.

Oster said whoever wins the primary is welcome to come into the recorder's office for training.

"That would be their choice," she said.

Learning is a constant process as technology advances and new laws go into effect, Oster and Hershey said.

"When I first came into the office, the office was not on computers, had no access to the Internet, was all hand ledgers," Hershey said.

The county had about 15 funds when Hershey took office. Today, she said, it has 40.

Oster said in the past year, her office has started e-recording, and a new law changed the way some marriage license applications are processed.

Under the new law, individuals who are incarcerated, in the military or have disabilities do not have to be physically present in front of recorders to apply for marriage licenses, Oster said. Instead, they can submit a notarized form and verification of their status to be exempt from the requirement.

"Of course, technology is always changing," she said. "I don't know what'll be next."

Taylor, who is retiring after 28 years in office, said the county clerk's duties seem to expand every year.

The clerk's responsibilities involve the budget, payroll, elections, accounts payable and duties related to the county commission, such as keeping minutes and doing correspondence, he said.

Taylor said all the candidates for his position -- Jared W. Kutz, Mina Hoehn, Cathy Lohmann Stumpe and Steven C. King -- have talked to him about the job.

"I've talked to all the candidates," he said. "They've all discussed it with me, and I've tried to be as upfront with them as I can."

Dana Ballman Pritchard, Kimberly Wingerter, Samantha Schremp and Douglas K. Martin all are seeking office as recorder of deeds.

Lawyers Allen Moss, Michael Gardner and Trae Bertrand are running for circuit judge, while lawyer Jason Tilley is running unopposed for associate circuit judge.

Five candidates -- Kathy Schumer, Brian Charles Brickhaus, Lisa Lukefahr, Jackie C. Wengert and Diane B. Geile -- are looking to replace Hershey as treasurer.

Hershey advised voters to do background research on the candidates so they can make the best possible choices for the county.

"We want people that the voters and the taxpayers can trust and feel confident that those people are going to be able to do a good job for them," she said.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Perryville, Mo.