Several face no foes in November

Several of the Moniteau County contested races on the Republican ballot in the Aug. 2 primary election are uncontested in the November general election.

District 1 associate county commissioner

The winner of this five-way contest was Noland Porter, Jamestown. He will take office on Jan. 1, 2017, as the District 1 associate county commissioner, since he will run unopposed in November.

"I look forward to working for the residents of District 1 of Moniteau County," Porter said. "I always give 100 percent to everything I do." His first task is to familiarize himself with the many varied duties of the county commissioners. At the same time he is getting acquainted with the full scope of the tasks he will face in the next four years, he plans to get acquainted with the employees at the shop and the personnel at the courthouse.

Some of the tasks he sees ahead include the county roads, the county equipment and the county structures and facilities. "Maintenance and upkeep on all of these require attention," Porter said. There are also numerous bridges and culverts to keep an eye on.

Then there is the matter of the annual budget, which Porter sees as a challenge, since the cost of the needs of the county must be fitted into the funds available.

"I've already had calls about issues on road problems," Porter said. Those calls are coming in spite of the fact that he does not take office for almost six months. "I plan to have an open door policy," he said. "I appreciate the support of the residents." Porter commented the District 1 commissioner's work will be No. 1 for him.

Sheriff

Challenger Anthony "Tony" Wheatley, California, won in a hard-fought campaign for sheriff. He will take office Jan. 1, 2017.

"I've been meeting with other local sheriffs already and getting some feedback from them," Wheatley said. "I also met with the local drug task force officers to get their input."

His plans are for the sheriff's department to be more proactive with law enforcement. He plans to do this by targeting known problem areas. This will include areas prone to "any type of illegal activity."

"Plans are to target local distributors of drugs, closely monitor known suspects in the area," Wheatley said. Along with this is a plan for more roadway drug interdiction, as it has been reported Highway 50 is a transportation drug corridor.

Asked about prosecution of violators of federal laws, whether drugs, firearms or others, Wheatley replied, "It's up to the U.S. attorney. We do our job, put the case together, then submit the case to the prosecutor. If there is any federal violation, the case is submitted to U.S. attorney for possible prosecution." If the case is taken, it is out of local hands. If not, it comes back and is prosecuted locally, he said.

He is still a special deputy U.S. marshal. "That may be helpful in doing the job," he said.

Assessor

Amanda Trimble was the winner from among three who were vying for the assessor's position. Running unopposed in November, she will take office Sept. 1, 2017.

"Though my official term does not begin until September of 2017, I have spoken with past and current officeholders in an effort to insure a seamless transition for the citizens of Moniteau County. Until then, I will spend my time researching new opportunities and new processes, while continually seeking input from the current staff and constituents."