April 5 Voter's Guide to School, City and Fire Candidates

Tuesday is election day, and voters will once again be going to the polls to make democracy happen. Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. Find your polling place by entering your address here. Here's Patch's guide to the races with links to our coverage of the candidates.

COUNTY

For the first time, voters will choose . The assessor heads the St. Louis County Assessment Division, which discovers, identifies, classifies and assesses all real and personal property in St. Louis County. The two candidates are:

Click the names to read Patch's profiles on each candidate. Patch has also covered a this month.

MUNICIPALITIES

residents will elect one alderman from each ward. Incumbants Elmer Kauffmann from Ward 1 and Mike Travaglini from Ward 3 are both running uncontested. Ward 2 has three candidates, and the race is being fought mainly over plans to include a Walmart in the redevelopment of Kenrick Plaza.

• —An incumbant who was appointed last year by Mayor Felicity Buckley, he teaches fourth grade in St. Charles and is a lifetime resident of Shrewsbury. Lauter supports the redevelopment plan.
• —One of the most vocal opponents of the Walmart plan and a critic of the Board's transparency, she holds a doctorate and works as an educational consultant.
• —Graduated from college last year and is now working at Dierbergs supermarket, he comes from a family with a history of political involvement in Shrewsbury. He opposes the Walmart plan and said new, young blood can bring fresh ideas to the Board.

Click the names to read each in-depth profiles on each candidate and their positions.

The has a mayoral race. The two candidates for the two-year position are:

• Tony Konopka - incumbent
• Mark Friederich

One alderman in each ward is also up for re-election to a two-year term. Anthony Pousosa of Ward 1 and Joe Monteleone of Ward 3 are running uncontested. In Ward 2 the candidates are:

• Tim Thuston - incumbent
• Vicki Gamache

The Board of Trustees had four candidates running for three open seats. On March 27, however, current trustee Mike Jones resigned from his position and withdrew from the race. In his letter to the board, Jones said he was taking a new career position that would require significant travel. The three open seats will therefore be filled by incumbants Bob Bess and Richard Muraski and newcomer Mark Kienstra.

The Village of Board of Trustees has three candidates for three 2-year seats. The seats will be filled by the incumbants Roy "Skip" Bornmueller, Ruth Elliott, Joe Wendling.

SCHOOLS

In the , there are four candidates seeking three 3-year terms on the board of education. Candidates are:

• - incumbent
• - incumbent

Click the names to read each candidate's responses to our questionnaire.

In the Lindbergh School District there are six candidates seeking three 3-year terms on the school board. One candidate, incumbent Mark R. Rudoff, is unopposed in his bid to fill the remaining year of a seat vacated when a previous board member moved out of the district. Seeking the three-year school board positions are:

• of Affton - incumbent
• of Fenton - incumbent
• of Concord
• of Affton
• of Concord
• of Sunset Hills

Click the names to read each candidate's response to our questionnaire.

The had five candidates file for five open seats. Incumbent board president Jeffrey Preisack and newcomers Laura Hindert Van Zale and Tom Wood will each take a three-year term on the board. Michelle Padgett will take a two-year term, and incumbent Edward A. Tritschler will take a one-year term.

FIRE DISTRICTS

Four candidates filed current chairman Aaron Hilmer’s position on the fire board, including Hilmer. Keith Floyd withdrew from the race due to conflict of interest as he appeals being fired by the district. The three candidates on the ballot will be:

• - incumbant
• R.L. Praprotnik, .

Click the links for in-depth profiles of each candidate.

Mehlville Fire District residents will also vote on a ballot measure, which asks voters to approve combining the district's ambulance and general fund, with the intent to streamline the district's accounting procedures. This measure will not effect residents' tax rates. The ambulance tax rate would shift and be added to the general fund.

The fire board had one seat open, which will be filled by incumbent John Cognasso who filed uncontested.