Greene County voters approve mix of returning, new faces

Just over 13% of registered Greene County voters made their voices heard yesterday by sending a mix of returning and new faces to Springfield City Council and the school board.

McClure and council
For the city's mayor, the highest-ranking post on the ballot, voters reelected Ken McClure by a wide margin. McClure, who first was elected mayor in 2017, defeated challenger Marcus Aton with 10,250 votes, or 65.7% of the tally, according to the unofficial election results posted to GreeneCountyMo.gov.

McClure retired in 2015 as Missouri State University’s vice president for administrative services. Aton is a freelance marketer, according to past reporting.

Council's Zone 1 seat went to Halo Massage and Wellness owner Angela Romine, who gathered 1,209 votes, or 54% of the total. Her challenger was Isabelle Jimenez Walker, a real estate broker and owner of Eagle Management & Realty 1 LLC. Romine is slated to succeed Phyllis Ferguson, who chose not to run again.

Matthew Simpson, director of research, strategic planning and grant development at Ozarks Technical Community College, was reelected to council's Zone 4 seat. He secured 3,166 votes, or 51.7%, to defeat challengers Jean Kalapathy and Craig Kauffman.

Heather Hardinger, director of workforce and economic development consulting projects at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, is another new face to council after winning her bid for General Seat A on the city's governing body with 41% of the vote. She beat Randy Allen, Alexander Aton and Justin Burnett. Hardinger takes on the seat currently held by Jan Fisk, who did not seek reelection.

For General Seat B, attorney Craig Hosmer picked up 8,805 votes, or 58%, to maintain his seat. Real estate developer Brent Brown and private contractor J. Michael Hasty trailed with 25.5% and 16.6%, respectively.

Education shakeup
Greene County voters elected all new candidates to the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. Voters were asked to choose three candidates to serve three-year terms on the board.

Dr. Maryam Mohammadkhani received the most votes, at 9,374, or 17.6%. Scott Crise picked up 8,470 votes, or 15.9%, and Danielle Kincaid gathered 8,109 votes, or 15.2%.

Mohammadkhani is a pathologist at CoxHealth, Crise is manager of technical services for Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. and Kincaid is the co-founder of The Elder Law Group LLC.

Incumbent Jill Patterson lost her reelection bid. Kelly Byrne, Daniel Ogunyemi and Brandi VanAntwerp also were on the ballot.

On the school board, Mohammadkhani, Crise and Kincaid join Alina Lehnert, Denise Fredrick, Charles Taylor and Shurita Thomas-Tate.

Gerry Lee and Bruce Renner chose not to run again.

Beyond Greene
Voters in nearby counties yesterday approved mayoral candidates and tax issues.

Mayoral winners included Bradley Alan Jackson, of Ozark; Ashley French, of Strafford; Larry Milton, of Branson; Matt Russell, of Republic; and Samuel Snider, of Willard.

Branson voters also approved the renewal of a tourism tax that generates millions of dollars annually, and a $12.5 million bond issuance for fire station renovations and equipment was passed in Ozark.