Voters To Decide About Councils, School Boards, Taxes On Pot

Voters will once again go to the polls to decide who they want to serve on boards for the cities of Doniphan and Naylor, and the county school districts.

In addition, the April 4 municipal election will also ask whether Ripley County approves taxing of recreational marijuana. Voters here did not favor passage of Proposition #3 in November.

Both county and city governments are asking for a sales tax of three percent “on all tangible personal property retail sales of adult use marijuana sold,” for a combined total of six percent should both measures pass.

Two candidates seek the alderman position for city of Doniphan ward I, a term of two years.

Incumbent Denver Jackson wants to continue on the council, and is being challenged by Doniphan Attorney Monte Phillips.

Ward II Alderman Steve Collins is unopposed for his bid, which is also a two-year term.

In Naylor, Linda Jo Lunsford is unopposed for her two-year term of Alderman-at-Large.

Several area school board races will appear on the ballot, with the victors in each contest to earn three-year terms.

The Doniphan R-I school board will re-organize following the election of three new members.

Six candidates: Steven Austin, Michael A. Pigg, Kamron Hunt, Levi Taylor, Kenneth Moreland and Taylor Schlief will face off for those seats, with no incumbents challenging in that race.

Four candidates will contend for three openings on the Naylor R-II board. Incumbents Will Spargo and Brian Cannon hope for a win against challengers Logan Davis and Kevin Shepherd.

There will be no change to the boards who serve the Gatewood R-III and Lone Star R-IV school districts; therefore, those schools do not appear on the ballot.

Neelyville R-IV voters will choose among seven candidates who want one of the three vacant seats on that board.

Robert W. Burgett, Berley Wayne Willcut, Amanda Christine Wolfram, Adam Couch, Chuck Reinbott, Marco Antonio Gavino, and Harley Paul Petty hope to be one of the three victors in that race.

The ballot will offer only one contest to be decided for county road commissioner.

Candidates Jim Kelly and Keith Harris both seek a three-year term for the Ponder-Gatewood Road District.

John Klepzig is unopposed in his bid to complete a one-year term in Ponder-Gatewood.