June 2 election candidate Q&A: Miner Alderman Ward 1

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Jimmy Thomas Jr. and Phillip Winters are both candidates for Ward 1 alderman in Miner in the June 2 election. The following is a Q&A with each candidate. Messages left for Ward 2 candidates Kay Johnson and Billy Williams were not returned.

Describe your background (family, career, social clubs):

Thomas: I have lived in Miner for 29 years. I graduated from Sikeston Senior High in 2006. Then, I attended Southeast Missouri State University and graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. I also became a member of Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity. I am the sales manager at Construction Trailer Specialists, where I have worked for seven years. My wife, Danice, and I were married in 2015. We bought our first home together in Miner in 2015. We have a two-year-old son and two dogs.

Winters: My wife and I have lived in Miner for 2 years. I am employed with Montgomery Bank and am a member of the Miner Baptist Church. I am a veteran of US Army for 3 years. I am a conservative Republican and Trump supporter. I have work experience in retail, banking and real estate.

What do you think the biggest issue the board is likely to face during your term if elected?

Thomas: Small towns continue to struggle with maintaining public services due to the increasing costs of labor and benefits for employees and cost of equipment and supplies. Miner will need to continue to expand revenue streams in order to provide quality services for families and citizens in our community. This challenge will require innovative thinking to attract businesses and events to our town.

Winters: The most serious issue facing the City at this point seems to be a shortage of funds. Hopefully with a new mayor and board members, we will be able to make budget changes and find new sources of revenue to solve the problem without increasing taxes and fees.

What issues do you think are the most important to Miner?

Thomas: The most important issue to Miner is having a group of elected officials who can put the needs and progress of the city first. For too long we have had elected officials who have been more concerned about scoring political points than doing what is best for the city. This has prevented issues like revenue growth, emergency services funding and community development from being properly addressed. If elected, my ego will never get in the way of communicating and compromising with the other officials elected to make the best decision for our community.

Winters: One of my biggest concerns for the City is that we provide a quiet, peaceful environment to live and raise our children. City law enforcement must have the full support of city government and be given the tools needed to keep drugs and crime out of our City. The City of Miner is extremely fortunate to have several great businesses. It is imperative that the city government support our businesses, encourage growth and work to attract new companies to locate here.

If elected, what are your goals?

Thomas: My goals as alderman would focus on making Miner a community people want to raise their families. This would include attracting businesses to our community to expand economic development. I would like to ensure emergency services are properly funded and managed. Effective and efficient emergency services will make families feel safe. Additionally, I would like to see the development of a city park. A park would benefit families in our community and provide an opportunity to host events and festivals. The events and festivals may provide further economic opportunities.

Winters: My goal if elected is to contribute to the smooth operation of the City and assist in solving the budget problems.

Why should the voters pick you (experience or other)?

Thomas: I am asking for people to vote for me because I am committed to improving our community. I am directly invested in the future of Miner, since this is where I plan to raise my family. I want it to be a safe, family friendly community. My education and experience in business make me an excellent candidate to make sound fiscal decisions. I have clear goals for our community and would be able to collaborate with others. I have learned from watching our elected officials, that communication is in the best interest of our city. We cannot continue to elect people who refuse to work together for the best interest of our community. I am running simply to make our town the best it can be. I hope to make our community safer and more attractive for businesses and families.

Winters: Miner is a great place to live. We enjoy a quiet and peaceful community with convenient services and a great tax rate. If elected, I will work to maintain our current level of services without increase in costs.

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