Gasconade County Republican

Voters in the city of Gerald were asked for a third time Tuesday to generate funding for street work by increasing the city’s sales tax rate by one cent. This proposal also included a roll back of property taxes for city residents.

Passing by margin of 318 yes votes to 190 no votes, residents should begin to see more street improvement projects in the future.

With 508 votes cast out of a possible 837, voter turnout in the city of Gerald was just over 60 percent.

Voters both inside and outside of the Gerald city limits also had several contested races within Franklin County to consider when the polls were open at the Gerald Lions Hall.

Currently finishing her third four-year term as Franklin County second-district commissioner, democrat Ann Schroeder threw her name into the hat for the newly created 109th district state representative seat.

Running against republican Paul Curtman, Schroeder was defeated garnering only 7,148 votes compared to Curtman’s 9,741 votes.

Battling to replace Schroeder as second-district commissioner were democrat Teresa Connelly and republican Michael Schatz.

Earning a seat on the Franklin County Commission, Schatz defeated Connelly by a margin of 12,596 votes to 7,924 votes.

Republican incumbent Franklin County Assessor Tom Copeland faced a challenge from democrat Angela Beckett and libertarian Robert Trokey.

With 27,264 votes, Copeland won another term in the assessor’s office ahead of Beckett (15,954) and Trokey (1,664).

There will be a new face in Franklin County Public Administrator’s office.

Current administrator Carol Eckelkamp chose not to seek re-election upon completion of her fifth four-year team later this year.

Running to take Eckelkamp’s place as public administrator were democrat Mary Jo Straatmann and republican Julie Bowen.

In a race decided by less than 400 votes, Straatmann (22,651) edged Bowen (22,288).

Franklin County Treasurer Debbie Willming Aholt and Franklin County Sheriff Gary Toelke both ran uncontested in Tuesday voting.

One question presented before county residents asked residents to increase the tax levy from 10 cents to 20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to improve, expand and develop residential services, employment programs and related services for those children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Voters rejected the question with 24,325 no votes to 20,666 yes votes.

Another newly created district saw republican Dave Schatz face off against democrat Michael Sage for the 61st district seat in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Schatz won Franklin County by a margin of 8,420 votes to Sage’s 3,203 votes. Throughout the entire district, Schatz gathered 12,452 votes to Sage’s 4,804 votes in numbers also including Gasconade and Osage counties.

All election results are unofficial until certified by Franklin County Clerk Debbie Door.