Qulin voters to decide 2 contested races

QULIN - Voters in the city of Qulin election Tuesday will elect a mayor and an alderman in wards 1 and 2. The contested races are for mayor and ward 1.

Incumbent Glen Sedrick’s opponent is Douglas Ledbetter. Cheryl Johnson and Donna Nagy are vying for the Ward 1 spot. Mary Martin’s name is the only one on the ballot for Ward 2.

Information on candidates is provided in ballot order. Information and photos are provided from candidates who responded to requests for information.

Glen Sedrick

Sedrick has served as mayor for four terms. He explained the needs in Qulin are many and he saw no reason why he shouldn’t run again.

Issues Sedrick believes are special to the race are drugs, the homeless and abandoned buildings.

Sedrick, 80, is retired and is married to Linda Sedrick.

Douglas Ledbetter

Ledbetter

Ledbetter, 50, is married to LeAnn (Johnson) Ledbetter. Their children are Kristen, 29, Tanner, 19, Wyatt, 16.

He is chief of security at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He is a retired Army veteran, and a high school graduate, who has taken college classes for a bachelor’s degree.

Ledbetter said, “I am running for mayor because I can see a lot of potential with the current city council we have. I’ve been to several council meetings over the past months and can offer a different perspective to the team based off of my experience, living around the country in a lot of different municipalities. Our small city is in dire need of leadership and accountability. I feel that if elected, I will bring that to the team.”

Ledbetter cited issues like “accountability of daily functions, building trust back in our community by drawing everyone closer and listening to citizen concerns,” adding he also would be “working for the citizens and not against them. We can’t have a system of citizen versus city mentality. We need to bring more grants to our community to help root out undesirable conditions.”

Ledbetter said, “I agree with most actions our incumbent mayor has made over his tenure. He has done a great job building up the city complex. I do disagree however with our lack of city involvement of the people. This is due to citizen complaints falling on deaf ears. If a citizen has a complaint, it is not to be taken lightly. It should be addressed immediately and treated fairly regardless of the nature of the complaint.”

Ledbetter stressed, “I have a wealth of knowledge and leadership experience in holding people and programs accountable. I feel this is the most overlooked quality in a person. My spouse, LeAnn, grew up in Qulin her entire life and I chose to live here because of her stories of the city. After getting out and around over the past weekend and shaking hands with the great friends and citizens of Qulin, I feel it is my duty to run for mayor and serve our community with the same honor and integrity that I served our country.”

Cheryl Johnson

Johnson

Johnson, 52, is the incumbent in Ward 1. She has served on the Qulin Board of Aldermen for five terms. Johnson is the secretary and computer aide for the Twin Rivers elementary and middle school at Fisk. A Twin Rivers graduate, Johnson earned her associate degree from Three Rivers College.

She said her goals are “to serve the community and to improve our city.”

Johnson said, “I’ve served for many years and the board always has tried to do what is the best for the city and the citizens as a whole.”

Johnson believes the city needs to try to attract new business and new housing. The housing, she said, will attract more families to the community.

“Our current mayor is very diligent about keeping track of the city’s finances,” Johnson said. “He tracks every dollar that comes into the city and that goes out. By doing this, it has allowed the city to build a new city hall, maintenance building and recently a new dog pound without going into debt.”

Donna Nagy

Nagy, 74, is widowed and is retired. Her son Marc is 42 and his wife is Tammy. Nagy graduated high school and attended one year of college.

“I think it’s time for a change,” Nagy said. “A new perspective on old problems. I would like to see a more proactive board.”

Other items on Nagy’s list are street improvement, corrosion on ditch banks, junk in yards and buildings and trailers that need to be condemned.

“I feel the mayor and present board have done a good job; they seem to be stagnated at this point,” Nagy said. “I don’t feel there is a ‘best candidate.’ We all do the best we can; the board, as a whole (four people, five to include the mayor), makes the decisions for the city. I do not see any issues special to this race.”