Four vie for two city council seats

Poplar Bluff will see two contested races for city council positions in the election Tuesday.

Ward 1 incumbent Lisa Parson faces challenger David D. Williams. A third candidate who filed for the race, Robert Duckett, has since dropped out.

Ward 3 incumbent Barbara Horton also has an opponent, Billy DePew.

Candidates were provided with the same list of questions and their answers are included here as provided with minor edits for clarity or length. Williams did not respond to messages regarding an interview.

The winning candidates will serve three-year terms.

Candidates are listed in ballot order.

Ward 1

Name: Lisa Armes Parson

Age: 60

Family: Lance Parson (Wendy), Brittney McNiell (Jeff), four grandchildren, Trenton Hodge, Adyson Parson, Gracyn McNiell and Landrum McNiell

Occupation: Insurance agent, MHJ Insurance

Education: 1979 graduate Poplar Bluff High School, 1981 graduate Three Rivers College

Current affiliations: First Church of God; Bread Shed/Breaking Bread; Poplar Bluff Parks & Recreation Board; Butler County Extension Board

Terms on council: 1

Why are you running for the board? Ward 1 is where I grew up and where my family owned a business. I’ve lived here all my life. So, representing this part of our community is personal to me. Since I’ve been on the council, projects in Ward 1 I have advocated for are paving the gravel portions of Nickey Street and Delano Street; construction of a permanent levee at Saxon and Ashcroft roads; replacing a 6’ diameter culvert on Cravens Road; and the tearing down of five condemned houses.

Some other things I am proud of are upgrades to the airport runway from asphalt to concrete, which will enable more business travel to Poplar Bluff; helping secure funding to develop an industrial site where True Manufacturing has announced they will construct a new facility; supporting Empire Comfort System relocation to Poplar Bluff, which is estimated to bring $12 million in capital investment and over 200 jobs in the next five years; and replacing the bridge over Pike Creek on South 11th Street through the city securing a Community Block Development Grant to cover 90% of the project.

Additionally, I am proud to have helped negotiate the decision to keep City Hall downtown as well as supporting our local, downtown business owners with the progress they’ve made at revitalization

What characteristics would make you a good board member? We have worked hard to create a local economy conducive to job creation and expansion. And building relationships and being congenial is how we are going to keep getting things done, whether that’s with council members or building partnerships with non-governmental entities and leaders. Poplar Bluff is a community full of people who work together to achieve progress. That’s who we are. And I am proud of our rich history and hope to continue being part of efforts to improve our town.

What do you hope to accomplish? Going forward, there is still more work to do. We need to continue putting Poplar Bluff in a position to retain and attract high-quality employees, which we are so blessed to have. We also need to ensure we are taking advantage of opportunities for collaboration across all governmental, non-profit, and private entities to provide a community our citizens are proud of and opportunities for young people to want to stay here and build their families and careers. As a lifelong Ward 1 resident, I understand our part of town and I haven’t backed down from defending its interests - because those interests are personal to me. I ask the voters of Ward 1 to give me the opportunity to keep advocating for them on the City Council.

Ward 3

Name: Barbara Ann Horton

Daughter: Jennifer Brown

Occupation: Reporter, Daily American Republic

Education: Three Rivers Community College and Arkansas State University.

Current affiliations: Haven House; Women Aware; and South Central Missouri Community Action Agency

Terms on the board: 2

Why are you running for the board: I was taught to always give back. When originally asked to consider running for city council, after I said ‘no’ I realized I always was willing to complain about the things I didn’t like or that didn’t get done. I decided it was time to stop complaining and do something.

What characteristics would make you a good council member? The characteristics or traits I use in my job as a reporter are being a good listener, asking questions and checking facts and sources. I believe these same skills make me a good council person. I listen to the people I represent as well as folks from other wards and work toward finding solutions for them. The solution isn’t always what they or I would have liked, but they know I’ve tried. Other times we do find a solution to better the situation.

What do you hope to accomplish? I hope to see preparations begin on city hall downtown. I hope new industries and businesses find our community one in which they want to start a new branch so we can continue to grow.

Are there any needs you want to address? The city of Poplar Bluff is a good place to work, but many of our long-time employees are thinking about retiring. Because of financial issues, the city has not been offering new employees benefits which kept many of the senior employees happy. I spoke with a department manager recently who explained that if one of his new employees wanted to insure his family through the city, he would need to take a second job. I hope and pray the city will be able to return to being able to offer employees the best in benefits since I believe we have some of the best employees.

Are there any recent actions you agree or disagree with? I’m pleased that in spite of COVID and financial issues, the city continues to offer its citizens the Buff Up the Bluff each year. This project gives residents an opportunity to dispose of items and clean their property without having to pay fees.

I’m also pleased the city was able to reinstate the mosquitoes abatement project last year.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the district and how would you address them? We are constantly facing ever-changing challenges. Finances will always be an issue playing a role in each area of the city. If I could wave a magic wand, I’d love to have everyone understand we cannot shuffle the city money around to pay for a variety of things.

There are laws and regulations governing how the “people’s” money can be spent.

I often ask “why” can’t we borrow from this department or that department. Sometimes I’m told “we can,” but then the city manager and city attorney explain the hoops we would have to jump through to pay the money back are there to keep the money where it belongs.

Another challenge people don’t understand are that the city’s laws and codes are to protect everyone. When an agency wants to change regulations or may something a violation, the rules are there to protect everyone.

Name: Billy D. DePew

Age: 70

Spouse: Deborah Ann DePew

Children: Danielle Hillis (44) and Shea DePew (41)

Occupation: Retired, former Briggs & Stratton engineering technician

Current affiliations: Baptist

Why are you running for the board? I have lived in Ward 3 at the same address, 940 Park Ave., for 40 years. I would like to make some positive changes for our ward and city so others can raise their children and grandchildren in this area. I would like to bring more industries for better-paying jobs. Help the city keep its forward momentum.

What characteristics make you a good board member? I am retired and have time to devote to the position and do whatever it takes to make a well-informed decision, I have worked in the electrical, plumbing, air conditioning and large machine cutting/drilling systems and very much know the infrastructure needed for a city to operate. I have been in charge of many multi-million dollar projects. (I have) bought equipment from many companies all over. I have many classes through Three Rivers College and have attended many business classes through Briggs & Stratton. I served for several years on the insurance plan board for the corporation.

What do you hope to accomplish? I will listen to the people of my and other wards so I can do the will of the people, to be fair and honest with all. More industries, better upkeep of all the facilities that the city owns. Do more projects in the older parts of town to keep them current and hopefully get new homes to start building back.

Are there any recent actions you agree or disagree with? I agree with taking possession of the Air Evac hanger at the airport for no money and promise that another air ambulance will (not) obtain it. I would have liked for them to keep our police Station more downtown and on the land we already owned.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the city and how would you address them? We have many abandoned properties and derelict homes that need attention. We must all try our best to keep our own property up as an example and find ways and funds or buyers for the abandoned structures to be torn down effectively (which the city has taken care of several lately).

We need to keep the city budget balanced, which with all the inflation we are seeing is going to be a chore. Also, with all the grants coming from the government we need to fix all our infrastructure problems first but remember a grant is costing us some money and not getting more in debt than we can pay for. We need more revenue brought in by more business and getting the stores that will draw more shoppers to our area.