Mayors endorse fire board slate

After

witnessing several years of turbulence in the Northeast fire

district, three community members have teamed up in a campaign for

the three open district board seats in the April 5

election.

Attorney

Ryan Smith, former business and civic leader Don Morice and

Normandy educator Bertha Myers are knocking on doors in North

County as a unit.

Ten of the

16 mayors whose areas are covered by the fire district have

endorsed the trio. The St. Louis County Association of Black Mayors

and the North County Citizens Group, which consists of several

elected officials in the district’s area, has also endorsed the

three-candidate team.

“We all

bring a different talent to the board,” Morice said. “I bring a

business background. Bertha brings a highly-regarded educational

background, and Ryan brings a legal background. I think that would

be a good mix.”

Patrick

Green, mayor of Normandy and a member of the mayors association and

citizens group, said he endorsed the candidates because of their

values and commitment to community.

“The one

thing that really stood out to me was when Bertha Myers came out

and said, ‘If we don’t do what we say we are going to do, we want

you to hold us accountable. We want you to have all access to ask

those questions,’” Green said.

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“font-family: Verdana;”>Ryan Smith

Smith, of

Bel-Nor, has a private law firm, where he practices family, traffic

and criminal law.

In 2003,

Smith’s son, who was 2 at the time, swallowed on a small battery

and was drooling heavily. He and his wife, Rachelle, called 911 and

Northeast responded. The paramedic said that their son seemed to be

fine and to give him water.

Smith

decided to go straight to the hospital, where doctors dislodged the

battery. A doctor told Smith that had he waited any longer, the

battery could have eaten a hole in the baby’s throat.

When his

wife learned that the fire district was having a board election,

she encouraged him to run.

“I want to

make sure that my family is protected, and vicariously making sure

the community is protected,” he said.

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Smith

strongly believes that the protocol for training needs to be

revisited and re-enforced, as well as fiscal responsibility. Smith

has never been in a board position or attended a Northeast board

meeting. However, as a former teacher, Smith said that he has

attended many school board meetings and understands a board

member’s responsibility.

“With my

legal background, I am an experienced negotiator,” he said. “Calm

heads can speak and come to a consensus.”

Aside from

practicing law, Smith is the musician at his church, Last Days

Power Ministries Church of God in Christ.

Smith is

running for the two-year unexpired term, which court-appointed

board chair Derek Mays currently holds. Smith will compete against

Mays, Bel-Nor resident Barry E. Buchek and Jewellette Donald of

Northwoods. 

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“font-family: Verdana;”>Bertha Myers

Bertha

Myers, of Bel-Nor, who works with at-risk students in the Normandy

School District, said she decided to run for the position to help

revitalize the community.

Her

children, who grew up in the community, have since moved to other

parts of the metropolitan area, citing North St. Louis County’s

stagnation as the reason.

“It’s all

about community and being a voice for community,” she said. “I want

to be a positive voice for the community that will help us move in

a positive direction.”

The last

time Myers went to a board meeting was in December 2010.

“I sat in

the back of the room,” she said. “When all the yelling and

screaming started, I left. Whenever anyone asked a question, they

weren’t given the opportunity to communicate their

thoughts.”

“font-family: Verdana;”>Campaigning, she heard several concerns

among community members who attended recent board meetings. They

said anytime anyone posed a question about the third ambulance not

being in service, they were verbally attacked by a core group of

attendees.

“The board

didn’t even attempt to calm down the room,” she said. “It tells me

that it’s out of control.”

Myers is running for a four-year unexpired term, currently held by

educator Rhea Willis who is not running for re-election. The other

candidates for this seat include Clarence E. Young of Pasadena

Hills and Lona J. Moore of Northwoods.

Recently,

the St. Louis County Circuit Court ruled that former board member

Robert Lee was removed from his board seat without proper process

and ordered the current board to reinstate him. However, the court

has not executed this order because of the district’s pending

lawsuit against Lee for accepting a position with county government

while holding a board position. Lee has argued that he is a federal

employee and not a county employee. If the judge rules in favor of

Lee, then the person who wins this board seat could lose it to

him. 

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“font-family: Verdana;”>Don Morice

For 19

years, Morice, of Bellerive, served as the president of Nor-Vel

Construction Company, a firm that averaged more than $3 million

annual revenue.

Like any

good business, Morice said he believes the district should adopt

firm policies and sensible budget decisions that serve the

community. He has lived in North County all his life and in the

Northeast district for the past 26 years.

“I feel

people have a negative impression of North County,” he said. “We

have great homes and neighborhoods. I want to do something to

rectify the area, and I think serving on the board will

help.”

He served

as on the board of trustees of Bellerive Acres for 18 years and on

the board of directors for the St. Louis County Transport Museum

Association for 21 years. Morice said he is an experienced

negotiator who was chosen by this peers in the construction

industry to represent them in contract talks.

Morice is

vying for the full six-year term seat, which is held by

court-appointed board member Bridget Quinlisk-Dailey. The other

candidates include LaTonya Henderson of Northwoods and Robert

Edwards of Pasadena Hills, who is a former board member.

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“font-family: Verdana;”>These board positions will be decided at