ST CHARLES, Mo. —
April 2 is General Municipal Election Day in Missouri. St. Charles County voters are considering candidates and ballot measures for their county, city or town.
Many cities are electing mayors, aldermen, school board members and more. Learn more about the candidates in their own words via survey results compiled by the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
5 On Your Side is highlighting some of the ballot measures and the larger races with more than one candidate below. Look up your ballot at Vote411.org.
Plan your vote with Vote411.org.
St. Charles County races
Cities, fire districts and school districts are holding elections on municipal offices and proposals for tax changes. This list is alphabetical by municipality and focuses on races with more than one candidate. If this list is missing a race you're interested in, look it up at Vote411.org.
Francis Howell School Board
Voters choose two candidates.
Age: 45
Occupation: Pastor
Public elected offices held: None
What are your top three priorities?
We must place education over politics and stop making the news for extremely political school board votes. I will prioritize student success for each student regardless of background or post- high school future. Francis Howell teachers are being underpaid, ignored and attacked. I am committed to supporting teachers, which is why I am endorsed by the teachers and staff.
Age: 43
Occupation: Business owner
Public elected offices held: None
What are your top three priorities?
I'm running to ensure education in our district remains high quality. My top three priorities while serving on the board will be overseeing fiscal responsibility, setting high academic standards and supporting parental rights. I'll work diligently to keep social agendas out of our schools so we at Francis Howell can focus on education.
Age: 71
Occupation: Teacher, retired
Public elected offices held: None
What are your top three priorities?
Provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students to work, learn and grow. Advocate for teacher retention by improving salaries and providing a respectful teaching environment guided by trust. Promote scholarship by providing a challenging curriculum, exceptional instructional materials and the best teachers to benefit all students.
Age: 47
Occupation: Engineering program manager
Public elected offices held: None
What are your top three priorities?
1) Restore fiscal responsibility; restore lost teacher step pay. 2) High academic excellence; give students a great knowledge base with content-rich curriculum and promote hard work and meritocracy. 3) Remove radical activism from classrooms. The newest ideas of society should not be tested on students; only time-proven values widely held in the community should be taught.
Fort Zumwalt School Board
Voters choose two candidates.
Arnie C. AC "Arn" Dienoff
Age: Not provided by the candidate
Occupation: Not provided by the candidate
Public elected offices held: Not provided by the candidate
What are your top three priorities?
Not provided by the candidate
Tommy George Jr.
Age: 56
Occupation: Electrician, IBEW
Public elected offices held: Fort Zumwalt School Board, 2017-present
What are your top three priorities?
1) Recruitment of staff to fill positions and retention. 2) All students have access to highest quality education. 3) Mental health support for students and staff.
Gabriel Helms
Age: 43
Occupation: Firefighter, critical care paramedic
Public elected offices held: Fort Zumwalt School Board, 2021-present
What are your top three priorities?
Mental health supports, special education services, bullying.
Age: 45
Occupation: Advertising
Public elected offices held: None
What are your top three priorities?
Responsible spending, safe environment and post-grad-focused learning.
St. Charles County Proposition K
Simple majority required.
Ballot wording: Shall the County of St. Charles reauthorize and re-impose the existing countywide capital improvement sales tax last authorized August 4, 2009 at the current rate of one quarter of one percent, the proposed tax to be effective January 1, 2027 and the authorization of the tax shall sunset on December 31, 2041, unless renewed by the voters.
Summary: County officials want to extend the existing quarter-cent sales tax for various capital improvement projects until 2041. The tax raises $12 million to $14 million annually. Among future projects: add more capacity to the county police crime lab to handle more gun and DNA cases, add cells to the county jail, expand circuit court facilities and build a second county pet adoption facility to serve the western part of the county.
St. Charles School Board
Voters choose two candidates.
Age: 40
Occupation: Director of finance and operations
Public elected offices held: None
What are your top three priorities?
1) Reverse the declining trend of academic performance and ensure students are receiving the preparation needed to move into the workforce or higher education. 2) Improve fiscal responsibility by focusing our resources on the most productive programs in our school. 3) Ensure transparency and accountability for the public and especially for the parents.
Heidi Sikma
Age: 44
Occupation: Volunteer and homemaker
Public elected offices held: St. Charles School Board, 2021-present
What are your top three priorities?
1) I desire for all students to be supported, challenged and engaged with a personalized education. 2) Another top priority is promoting mental health care among the education workforce. 3) It is important that our district's hiring practices attract and retain the best persons available and establish a supportive and positive work environment for all staff.
M. Ellen Zerr
Age: 68
Occupation: Retired teacher
Public elected offices held: St. Charles School Board, 2021-present
What are your top three priorities?
Ensuring that all students and staff feel safe, valued and respected. Meeting students' physical, academic and emotional needs. Financial responsibility.
Read more at KSDK.com/guide
