Callaway County government candidates gathered last week to answer questions submitted by the public about their goals, if elected.
The debate event, hosted by the Fulton Sun, filled Fulton City Hall on Thursday night as voters came to hear what presiding commissioner candidates Gary Jungermann (R) and Susie Ferguson (D) had to say, followed by county collector candidates Nancy Elkthunder (I) and Sarah Gladman (R).
The collector candidate comments were particularly interesting to spectators because former Collector Pamela Oestreich, 59, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to embezzling nearly $300,000 from Callaway County taxpayers.
"Unfortunately, all of us have paid for what one person did," said Gladman, who has worked in the collector's office for 19 years. "I didn't see it coming, and I was sitting there next to her all day long."
Gladman graduated from North Callaway High School, married and had three children, and went to work in the county collector's office in 1999, working her way up to deputy.
"It is what I know," Gladman said. "I know the job and I know the duties."
She said she's been knocking on doors for about two years.
"I started campaigning in 2016 because I knew the (position of collector) would be open," she said. "I won the August primary."
Elkthunder was born and raised in Callaway County and graduated from Fulton High School in 1980.
"I'm not a politician," she said. "My journey started on Easter Sunday."
Elkthunder said she was sitting around the dinner table with her family and the conversation turned to the unexpected resignation and investigation of the former collector. Someone suggested Elkthunder run for that office, and she said she thought, "Why not?"
"The deadline to file (with a political party) was over, but I could run as an independent if I collected signatures," she said. "There was a problem in the office. I could either sit back and let somebody else worry about it or become actively involved."
Both candidates listed their financial management backgrounds. Gladman's experience has been on the job and at special seminars for county collectors. Elkthunder said she's handled cash drawers since she was a teen on the job and managed business accounts and departmental budgets.
Each was asked what their top three priorities would be.
"To be a strong leader; success is a team effort," Elkthunder said. "Make sure policies are followed, and check and balances, as suggested by the state auditor."
Both women talked about building back community trust.
"We need to make a smooth transition from the old collector to the new collector," Gladman said. "We're getting a new software system next March that will help us with the books."
She also said having all collector's office employees trained in all aspectsof the job is necessary.
"We have to have more than one set of eyes on all accounts," Gladman added. "There was one account no one knew about."
She said each employee will have their own cash drawer and sign on to the new software system.
Elkthunder added: "Honesty. We've got to be honest. If you've got questions, call and ask. Open the doors, say come on in and let's talk. We can't be everything to everybody, but we can be the best that we are."
Presiding county commissioner's race
Each of the two candidates running for presiding commissioner offered opening and closing statements.
Ferguson said she is a fifth-generation Callaway County resident, and she went to school in Mokane.
"I've always worked in the livestock part of agriculture," she said, adding she's also worked in a feed store and butcher shop.
She operates a 140-acre farm, raising beef and dairy cows, sheep and hogs.
Jungermann also grew up on a family farm on the east side of the county. He has a wife, three children and five grandchildren. He previously worked as a service technician and then he and his brother ran a construction company for five years. His wife operates a day care.
"I work full time as a (county) commissioner," he added.
Both responded positively to a question about creating a countywide recycling program.
"It doesn't seem like we produce less waste (over time)," Ferguson said, adding the county could perhaps utilize community hours to defray some of the personnel costs. "I don't think (recycling) is something we can avoid."
Jungermann noted a lot of the county's trash that currently goes to a landfill could instead go to a recycling center.
"We're working on a potential grant, but it has to be self-sustainable," he said, adding recycling programs are expensive. "At what cost do you recycle? It would cost thousands and thousands of dollars to recycle every year, but I support recycling."
The big topic of this race were confined animal feeding operations. In March 2017, county Commissioner Roger Fischer proposed a health ordinance to regulate these types of farming operations, but on Sept. 17, two of three commissioners - Jungermann and Randy Kleindienst, said existing Missouri Department of Natural Resources rules already cover the same large farming operations the ordinance would regulate. Some activists hoped to see the issue brought to a vote on the November ballot, but will not appear.
Jungermann said yes, the county has the ability to create ordinances, but there are 114 counties in Missouri and if each county had their own ordinance, it might be impossible to have the same rules for each county. He said he's also hoping the state will step up with regulations.
Ferguson said she realizes CAFOs are a hot-button topic.
"I've read the health ordinances for Howard and Cooper counties; both are shorter than the proposed ordinance here. I talked to people at the DNR (Department of Natural Resources)," she said. "If we boil it all down to emotions in the CAFO discussion, a lot of people are concerned that we don't become a waste dump."
Jungermann also discussed the $4 million budget for the county's Sheriff's Office and Jail, and also the 911 communications center.
"They (deputies) make 21,000 calls a year and their officers are running all over the 840-square-mile county," he said.
School resource officers, however, are being placed in schools. The county soon will also have to consider new jail facilities as overcrowding becomes a problem.
Both agreed it's important to have a hospital in Callaway County, including from an economic standpoint.
"I do think a hospital is important but it boils down to the health care system is struggling," Ferguson said. "I think we could explore urgent care (which is cheaper than ER prices) and explore options to share doctors with other counties."
Accountability and ability to better oversee other departments in the county system was also discussed, as well as communication with constituents.
"I think we've done some really good work, and my heart is in this," Jungermann said in his closing statement. "There are things we're mandated to do but there's not enough funding. I'm ready to work and figure this out."
Ferguson said if elected, she would work to be accountable to constituents.
"I'm not a career politician but I think a new set of eyes would be good," she said.
City officials said they were filming the event and would put it on YouTube.
The final debate will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Coulter Science Lecture Hall, Westminster College. Debating will be candidates for Missouri House District 43, Jamie Blair and Kent Hayden; candidates for Missouri House District 49, Lisa Buhr and Travis Fitzwater; and candidates for State Senate District 10, Jeannie Riddle and Ayanna Shivers.