Dexter voters elect three new aldermen; Puxico and Richland see school bond issues pass

Multiple races were decided Tuesday evening during the municipal election. Dexter may have made the biggest splash with three new aldermen and a new face on its school board. The Richland and Puxico School districts also secured big wins with each seeing a bond issue passed.

In Dexter Ward I Randel Tennison defeated incumbent Frank Killian by a count of 85 votes to 41. In Ward II Bryce Matthews received 210 votes to defeat incumbent Larry Rogers, who received 62 votes. Dexter’s Ward III saw the tighest race as just seven votes separated the two candidates. Incumbent Glen Robinson received 29 votes falling short of challenger Larry Helm who received 36. In the Dexter School Board race incumbent Nancy Tuley Mayer held on to her seat receiving 480 votes holding off challenger Brandy Wirz, who received 445. Bonnie S. Howard secured a spot on the board receiving 511 votes.

The Puxico voters passed a $1,000,000 bond that will allow key repairs to be made in the district by a count of 310 yes to 129 no.

Puxico Superintendent Cindy Crabb said the increased building cost following the COVID-19 pandemic did not make it feasible to place the bond issue for a purposed new elementary school back on the ballot at this time. Puxico saw a bond issue narrowly defeated last April that would have allowed a new elementary school to be built.

This bond issue is a no tax increase that will allow essential water repairs to the elementary school along with the sealing of bricks at the high school, repairs to parking lots and lighting issues, replacement of HVAC units as well.

She said after the repairs are made, this will also allow the district to put additional funds in the budget should the community decide to support a bond for a new building down the road.

“Our community supports us, we just barely missed that vote last time,” said Crabb. “But then I really think it was a blessing in disguise because we could have easily ended up like what they did at Cape in Houck Stadium where they bid out the project and tore down the student section to replace it and due to building cost had to put the project on hold.”

In the Puxico School Board race incumbent Michael Clubb retained his seat with 290 votes, Brad Watkins secured the a seat with 379 votes and Matthew Phillips received 123 votes. The Puxico numbers do not include the votes from Wayne County. Part of Puxico’s School District extends into Wayne County.

The Richland School District saw a $1,325,000 bond pass by a count of 118 yes to 19 no. This bond will allow the district to construct a gym/multipurpose facility along with other remodeling and repairs.

“Richland School Board, administration, staff and students want to thank our parents and whole school community for their unwavering support of Richland School,” said Richland Superintendent Frank Killian. “Richland Voters unanimously passed the bond issue. This will be a tremendous help for students now and in the future with the space issue Richland has dealt with for years. Thank you!”

In the Bernie School Board race Kristopher Powell received 141 votes to win a seat on the board, Jason Shelton also won a seat with 112 votes, Jonathon Powell received 45 votes and Aaron Asher received 94 votes. The city of Essex also voted to allow the city to forego an election if the number of candidates matches the number of available seats in the race by a count of 27 yes to 13 no.

In the Advance School Board race Andrew Jenkins and David Mayberry won seats on the board with 224 and 208 votes respectively. Candidate Darren Roper received 140 votes. Advance voters passed a $10,000,000 bond that will allow the acquiring, constructing, furnishing, equipping, extending and improving the city’s combined waterworks and seweage system. The count was 127 yes to 102 no.

The city of Dudley passed the same measure by a count of 5 yes to 1 no.

The voters passed a tax levy in the Bluff Special Road District by a count of 14 yes to 2 no. Samuel W. Huey Jr. received 296 votes to defeat Tim Fowler who received 197 votes for a seat on the Stoddard County Ambulance District 6 Board.

The county saw a voter turnout of 11.22% and all results are unofficial until certified by the Stoddard County clerk.