So far only incumbents have filed for seats opening up on area school boards and city councils.

As of Monday afternoon one person has filed for two open seats on the Fayette school district’s Board of Education. Two-time board president Roy D. “Skip” Vandelicht has filed for a second term. Incumbent Amber Overfelt stated to this newspaper that she does not intend to seek a second term.

In New Franklin, incumbent and school board treasurer Travis Hundley has filed for re-election. One other seat is up for election to the board. As of Monday afternoon, incumbent Kara Schnell had not filed.

Both incumbents to the Glasgow school board, Bob Draffen and Nikki Gouge, have filed for re-election. Two seats are open.

No persons have filed for two open seats on the Harrisburg school board. Incumbents are Davin Stidham and Hal Fisher.

In Higbee seats held by BOE vice-president Robert Whisenand and BJ Westfall are up for election. No one has filed for either seat.

In Fayette for the April 5, 2022, municipal elections, City Marshal David Ford has filed. Chief Ford was appointed to the position after the former Marshall, Jeff Oswald, took over as Howard County Sheriff on Dec. 31, 2020. He was successfully elected by the people to finish out the term when he ran unopposed in the April 2021 election.

Alderwoman Michelle Ishmael has filed to serve out the term in the Northwest Ward. She was appointed and sworn in on October 12 to fill the term of Marc Wells who had passed away on August 6. If elected, she will finish out the term.

A seat on the East Ward will be on the ballot in April as well. Alderwoman Kylie Tillman no longer holds the seat since moving out of the ward. A new alderperson was expected to be appointed at the board’s regular meeting Tuesday evening after this newspaper went to press. That person will need to file to be elected by the people of that ward in April to finish out the term.

As of Monday afternoon, no person has filed to run for Mayor of Fayette. Kevin Oeth announced on December 1 he would not seek a second term.

Several positions for the City of New Franklin will appear on the April ballot. As of Monday afternoon no fillings have occurred. New Franklin residents will have the opportunity to vote for Mayor. Newt Arbogast was elected in 2019 to a four-year term. He resigned effective July 30. Ward 2 Alderman and Mayor Pro Tem Robbie Harvey took over the duties of Mayor in August. The office of Mayor will be up for election to fill out the remainder of the original term. Harvey can run either for Mayor or for his former Ward 2 seat. In October Lesley Lyons was appointed to Harvey’s former Ward 2 seat. She may now run to fill out the remainder of the term.

In Ward 1, Seth Hallowell may run to fill out the remainder of the term to which he was appointed last year. Alderman Tyler Eaton’s seat will be on the ballot for a two-year term. The final seat to be on the ballot will be that currently held by Ward 3 Alderman Todd Baslee.

One incumbent has filed for the city council in Glasgow. Central Ward Alderman Larry Neville will seek another two-year term. Other seats up for re-election are currently held by Eric Monnig in the North Ward, and Joe Gibbs in the South Ward.

Incumbents for all open positions on the Howard County 911 board have filed for re-election as of Monday afternoon. One At-Large and one Eastern District position, and two Western Districts positions are open. Each is for a four-year term. 

Brenda Diehls on the Eastern District, along with Debra Carmack and Donald W. Arni on the board’s Western District, and At-Large member Connie Kunze have all field.

Candidate filing for all Missouri municipal and school board elections opened at 8 a.m. on December 7 and closes at 5 p.m. on December 28, 2021.