NOW IS TIME TO CONSIDER RUNNING FOR MAYOR

Candidates can't file for Cape Girardeau's mayoral election for nearly four months, but the city already is buzzing about one potential candidate.

Jay Knudtson, a Bank of America senior vice president, park board chairman and youth sports activist, said last week he was leaning toward running. This week, people jokingly greeted him as "Mayor" and bent his ear on city issues.

The energetic Knudtson is taking it in stride. He greets people warmly, sticks out his hand for hearty shakes and acts very much like a candidate.

Other names have been whispered at coffee shops as well. Councilman Tom Neumeyer says he's not ruling out a run for the post.

The situation arises because Mayor Al Spradling III will be term-limited out of office next year after eight years at Cape Girardeau's helm. Under the city charter, council members and the mayor can serve no more than two consecutive full terms.

The filing period opens Oct. 23 and ends Nov. 20. Mayoral candidates must be registered voters, at least 21 years old and city residents for at least four consecutive years immediately prior to being elected. That qualifies a lot of people. But only a few will consider running.

Those people deserve our gratitude and serious consideration.

Even in a small town, where motorists routinely wave at each other on the street and where a trip to the grocery store takes twice as long because everybody stops to chat, running for office is a surprisingly frightening affair. Taxpayers can get nasty about who is going to control their money. And the guys at the morning coffee-drinking spots have their own agendas when it comes to city government.

You might be OK to share a coffeepot with, but you may not be what they're looking for in a mayor.

Still, good citizens ought to step forward for every election. They can print their signs, shake a lot of hands and take their lumps.

And when it's all over, we will have a new mayor. The system works most of the time.

So those of you who feel you have something to give to the city of Cape Girardeau, step forward and test the potential for becoming a candidate. It won't take long for feedback, both negative and positive, to see if you're good material to lead the city for the next four years.