I'm running for County Commissioner in District #2 because with opportunity of change I feel that it is the time to lead the county in a direction that is a better future for the citizens of Stoddard County.
I am a lifelong resident of Stoddard County living in District #2 and pledge to continue to live in the district for as long as I am your commissioner.
I have two sons and am dedicated to the future of Stoddard County during these challenging times that require and demand that we have competent, and effective leadership.
I have been an active member of the Dexter Fire Department for 30 years and a board member of the Stoddard County Health Department.
I'm also the Chairman of the Bootheel Local Emergency Planning Committee which consists of 8 counties in the Bootheel of Missouri.
I am a self-employed business owner specializing in Hazmat Response, disaster preparedness and recovery after a natural disaster. My business experience and professional training makes me uniquely qualified to deal with current issues facing our county.
A change is needed to ensure that the citizens of our county are protected by a Commission that is organized, prepared, and financially responsible for the particular needs of our community.
Thank you and God bless the United States of America.
Sincerely your candidate for Stoddard County Commission, District #2
Jeff Riddle
"I am announced that will be running for reelection in the August Republican Primary as Stoddard County Commissioner, District #2."
"I have been your Commissioner for 16 years and I desire to continue to serve you, the Citizens of District #2 for another four years. District #2 is Liberty Township and Elk Township."
"It is truly an honor to serve you and my main goal is to always serve the integrity of the office as well as be open and honest. I am very conservative and I have treated your dollars as such. I work for you and not you working for me."
"Stoddard County is a great county to live in and it is due to you the citizens of this county!"
"I would appreciate your vote and trust that you placed in me for the past 16 years. I currently work very well with Commissioner C.D. Stewart and Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis. We are working hard to keep Stoddard County in great shape."
"I ran to be the Voice For The People!"
"I have always tried to do that," commented Jarrell. "May God bless each and everyone"
God Bless Our County! Our State! Our Nation!
Thank you,
Carol Jarrell,
Stoddard County Commissioner District #2
For the first time since the 1990s a caucus will be held in Missouri. What does that mean? If you are Republican and want to choose your candidate for the November election you will need to attend this caucus and place your vote. There will be no Presidential primary in Missouri this year!
"The caucus will be held at the Bearcat Event Center on Saturday, March 2nd," commented Chairman of the Stoddard County Republican Central Committee Wayne Jean. "The doors will open as early as 7:30 a.m. Participating in this caucus could take a couple of hours."
Jean said on the day of the caucus people will enter the doors of the BEC and there will be registration tables set up just like an election. At each table there will be an individual with a computer. The caucus participant will check a box indicting they are a registered voter in Stoddard County and check a box indicating they are Republican.
A photo ID is required to register!
Your name will be matched against a list of registered voters in Stoddard County. The list is from the Stoddard County Clerk's Office. Jean also commented that if the voter has not participated in the past few elections their name will not appear on this list.
Once registered, the participant will be asked to go to the BEC gym, sit in the bleachers, and wait for the caucus to begin.
The caucus will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. The doors will be closed and no one else will be allowed in the BEC. Jean said that people should show up early as it will take a few minutes to register. The Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation will take place. A chairman will then be elected to run the caucus.
Participants in the gym will be separated into groups. If you are wishing to vote for Donal Trump," commented Jean. "You will be asked to move to a confined areas of the gym. If you support another candidate you will be separated for that candidate in a contained area and so forth." There could be more than one group.
Each group will then elect a chairman or spokesperson for their group. A count of the number of people in each group will take place. Each group that does not have more than 15% of the total number of participants in attendance will have to disband. Those individuals can then go home or join another group. Ultimately there will be one group left and this will be the candidate to receive Stoddard County's votes.
Delegates must also be elected at the caucus.
Delegates and alternates will then go to the congressional caucus on April 6th. It is possible the delegates would also be elected to attend the State Convention on May 4th at the Springfield Expo Center. The National republican Convention will be in July in Milwaukee. Delegates will travel at their own expense.
"This will be the only opportunity to vote for who the Republican nominee for President will be," stated Jean. "This does not affect a voters ability to vote in the general election in November. Though attendance is encouraged if a voter does wish to participate in the caucus."
My name is Aaron Mathis and I am seeking re-election to the Dexter R-XI Board of Education. I am married to Brittany, we both graduated from Dexter High School in 2004 and we have three children: Taylor who was a 2020 graduate of Dexter Senior High School, Harper who is currently a 5th grader, and Blake who is finishing his last year at Southwest Elementary. My wife is employed at Mercy Southeast-Dexter in the oncology department, and she also serves as the president of PTO at Southwest Elementary. I work at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter and Bernie. I have been the public address announcer for Bearcat Football for 18 years, and started announcing for the basketball Bearcats a few years ago. I am the president of the Regional Healthcare Foundation, I serve as a trustee at First Baptist church in Dexter where my family and I attend. I’m a member of the Dexter Lions Club, and enjoy supporting 18 Fore Life and Ducks Unlimited.
I have served on the board of education for the past three years. In those three years, I have missed only one meeting. I have also attended CTA meetings, and every student event possible. I support our schools by attending DHS graduations, kindergarten graduations, musicals, plays, STEM tours at the high school, as well as many athletic activities. I take every opportunity to ask questions of administrators, teachers, parents, and students. I try to be very mindful that the school is utilizing taxpayer funds, I consider student needs, and I am diligent about doing research prior to attending a board meeting.
There is no doubt that the number one thing impacting our schools now and in the immediate future is the retention of high quality teachers and administrators. This is an issue not only in Dexter, but across the state. Many high school seniors no longer look toward teaching as a desirable career like they once did. Graduating from a four year university with a starting annual salary of $38,000 is not very enticing and for many it is no longer a financially viable option. As a school board member, I have been a vocal advocate for increased salaries for our classified and certified staff. Additionally, I have sent emails, made phone calls, and talked to our local representatives in person about how the state of Missouri can raise the pay of school district employees.
Our childrens’ education is directly impacted by the interaction and instruction they have with the teachers and administrators they come in contact with every day. I will continue to fight for our staff and students so we can recruit and retain the very best, because it is what our kids and community deserve. I look forward to any questions you may have, feel free to shoot me an email or message, [email=aaron@mathisfuneralhomes.com
Judge Rob Mayer has announced his intentions to seek reelection as the Thirty-Fifth Circuit Judge in Dunklin and Stoddard Counties.
"Twelve years ago, I promised to apply the law fairly, consistently and impartially. We have created a record of doing that here in this circuit," Mayer said. "My experience as an attorney and serving in the legislature put me in a unique position to serve Dunklin and Stoddard counties in the judicial branch. As a judge, I have worked to interpret the law as written and apply the law fairly, consistently, and impartially."
Mayer grew up working on his family's farm and was a radio sportscaster covering high school sports – a hobby he still enjoys. He later worked as an industrial engineering clerk at Arvin Automotive in Stoddard County before returning to college and law school later in life. Rob is a graduate of Dexter High School. He received his undergraduate degree from Southeast Missouri State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
As a legislator, Rob Mayer gained a reputation as a leader on many important issues. Mayer has a strong legislative record on pro-life issues. He has also advocated for the expansion of private property rights throughout his service in the legislature.
In the State House of Representatives, Mayer served as Chairman of the House Crime Prevention Committee for two years, passing important bills to fight the methamphetamine drugs epidemic and create Missouri's Amber Alert System. In the Missouri Senate, Mayer served as Vice Chairman of the Senate's Judiciary Committee and passed legislation protecting children from sex offenders and implementing Megan's Law to protect our youth from cyberbullying.
For his work on crime legislation and for recognition of his expertise, Rob Mayer received the Missouri Sheriffs' Association Legislator of the Year and the Missouri Police Chiefs Legislator of the Year Award.
He has received numerous awards for his work on legal issues including the following:
Missouri Bar Legislative Award (2008), Missouri Association of Probate and Associate Circuit Judges Award, University of Missouri Graduate Professional Council Award, Missouri Community College Association's Distinguished Legislator Award, and University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law Alumnus Award.
In addition, Mayer has received the American Legion Legislator of the Year Award, the 2010 Spirit of Enterprise Award from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, the MPCA Champion of Community Health Award, the Voice of Missouri Business Award and the Farm Bureau Friend of Agriculture Award.
Mayer was elected unanimously by both Democrat and Republican members of the Missouri Senate to serve as the first President Pro Tem of the Missouri Senate from the bootheel.
"My experience farming, working in a factory, raising a family, and serving as an attorney assisting families and businesses has given me a well-rounded life experience," Mayer said. "I have always been a citizen's lawyer, and as a judge I have worked very hard for the people in our community."
Judge Mayer has presided over numerous jury trials and has willingly accepted assignments outside of the Thirty-Fifth Circuit. In 2013-14, he oversaw the implementation of electronic filing and electronic recordkeeping for Stoddard and Dunklin Counties and later administered the Municipal Court Operating Standards for the municipalities within the district. He has conducted thousands of review hearings with all probationers within his court to assist them in meeting their probation conditions of treatment, employment, and payment of restitution. For defendants suffering from alcohol or drug addiction, Judge Mayer has been a big proponent of referring them to Treatment Court or into faith-based rehabilitation programs with positive results.
Judge Mayer has been honored for his work as a judge by the Missouri Supreme Court by receiving, on multiple occasions, the Daniel O’Toole Award for efficient case management.
Rob and his wife, Nancy (Tuley) Mayer, live in Dexter. They have three sons: Jason, Dustin and Daniel; and also, six grandchildren.
Mayer is active in many community and regional activities. He is a member of the Dexter First Baptist Church, Missouri Farm Bureau, the Stoddard County Bar and Missouri Bar Associations, Dexter Kiwanis Club, Stoddard County Gospel Mission Board, Missouri Delta Center Advisory Member, and previously served on the Missouri Veterans Home Foundations Board.
"I am proud of my record," Mayer said, “but we still have more to do. I have a good working relationship with the bailiffs and court clerks, and we have worked hard to run our courts efficiently. I would be honored to continue serving as Circuit Judge and will continue to apply the law fairly, consistently, and impartially. I humbly ask for your continued support in the August primary election.”
