Candidate profiles of area races on April 8 ballot

ASH GROVE ALDERMEN
TROY
Why should someone vote for you? I have 16 years of Ash Grove City Council experience, fifteen of which I was Council President, or Mayor Pro Tem.  At this time I have more experience on Council than all the current Council persons, including the Mayor, which makes me more experienced than anyone currently on Council.   I hope you also remember me as Store Manager at Pennington’s Super Market before I retired.
What’s something you would like to see improved?
With all the complaints I’m hearing from Ash Grove residents about not knowing what Council is doing, some changes need to be made.  Council changed the start time of their meetings from 7:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  This makes it much harder for most local residents, who work in Springfield to get home and be able to attend a Council meeting not counting public hearings that start before that.   It’s almost like Council has forgot who they work for.  Over the last fifteen months, Council’s average length of Council meeting has been only 31 minutes. There have been several months that it wasn’t even noted in the minutes how long the Council meeting lasted.  
So, when did Council talk and discuss new Bills so all of Council understood what they were voting on?  Yes the wording of a new Bill is in the minutes but, it’s still sometimes hard to understand what the Bill is about and why.  Just because the City Clerk or the Mayor says to vote yes on a bill, it’s the Council that is actually responsible for making sure the bill is necessary and for the good of the people of Ash Grove.

RONESSA WILLIAMS
Occupation: Real Estate Agent
Age: 41
Education: Some college
Why should someone vote for you? I’m very open-minded. I like to look at all sides of a situation. I’m not super biased. Also, I’ve lived in Ash Grove for 20 years, and my kids go to school here. I’ve always just really had a huge affection for this town, and I want to preserve its small-town feel but with a healthy growth.
What is something you would like to see improved? I would like to get all of the entities as the school system, the city, some of the churches, and the nonprofits, all be on board with the same things instead of everybody trying to pull at each other to get something done. I would like to see all those entities work together. I think we get a lot more done in a small town by doing that.

ASH GROVE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MICHAEL "MIKE" GRAY
Age: 50
Occupation: Land surveyor, business owner
Education: Bois D’ Arc Elementary, Ash Grove Jr., Sr High, Evangel College, MSU
Why should someone vote for you? I have had the honor of serving the district for nine years, including two years as board president. My focus has always been on children’s safety, security, well-being, and success. I am experienced in handling budget shortfalls and navigating changes in public school policy. I have endorsements from former board members: Ron Keith, Ron Reed, Bill Duncan, Wyndell Wycuff, Jeana Scroggins, Matthew Hancock, Mike Keck and Jerry Morton.
What’s something you would like to see improved? Student safety is a main concern. I advocate for safe rooms at both campuses and secure entrances with cameras and intercoms for visitor screening prior to stepping foot in the buildings.
We have excellent extracurricular activities, such as band, athletics, FFA, Beta Club, FCCLA, and Academic teams. I’d like to add drama classes, an all-school play, and Speech and Debate to that list. Additionally, I support implementing a packaged K-12 English, language arts (ELA) curriculum to benefit staff and students despite its cost. We cannot afford to fall behind in reading and the language arts.

DAVID L. HAZELRIGG
Age: 80
Occupation: Retired businessman and full-time farmer
Education: 100-plus college hours between Rockhurst University in Kansas City and Johnson County Community College, some school in Chicago, and 150 hours in automotive business management.
Why should someone vote for you? A lot of reasons, but number one, I’m hoping to create some transparency in the school board, (and) in the school district. I believe in common sense; we need to start truly spending our time, energy, and money on the kids in a positive manner. And the school itself is a pretty good little school. We have a new superintendent that I think has some fantastic ideas. My main purpose is to try to get the people in the school district involved in the school itself.
What is something you would like to see improved? The most important thing to me is the communication between the school board and the people in the district because the school truly belongs to the district.

RACHEL RENSHAW
Age: 36
Occupation: I am a stay at home mom to our 4 kids. I am also responsible for the day-to-day work on our farm, and I help my husband out at our family-owned store Willard True Value.
Education: I went to high school in Branson, then I attended College of the Ozarks for nursing. I left when I married my husband Trevor in my junior year. I followed him as he served in the Navy then we moved back to Ash Grove.   
Why should someone vote for you? People should vote for me because I want to serve my community with integrity and a listening ear! Every sign I have put out says just that. I am the type of person that likes to play by the rules and see the good that comes from it. It would be my goal as a board member to ensure that the community, teachers, staff, and administration can always talk to someone that is respectful and willing to listen.
What’s something you would like to see improved? I would love to see the community’s faith in our school board restored so that we can partner together to ensure that our school district continues to improve and excel in providing high quality education to all of our students. I think the key to this is serving my community with integrity and a listening ear.

CALEB SMITH
Age: 43
Occupation: Self-employed
Education: Ash Grove High School graduate, attended Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC)
Why should someone vote for you? Like many families in our community, my wife and I are raising our children—one in high school and one in middle school—right here in the Ash Grove School District. I want to see continued growth in our town, and that includes supporting and strengthening our school system. I believe a strong school district is the heart of a thriving community, and I’m committed to helping guide that growth while keeping our small-town values at the forefront.
What’s something you would like to see improved? Ash Grove is already an incredible place to raise a family, and our schools are a big part of that. I’d like to see us continue to invest in the future by supporting improvements to our facilities—more classroom space, updated amenities, and learning environments that inspire both students and teachers. The school district is often the first thing families look at when considering where to live. Let’s keep Ash Grove a place where families want to stay, grow, and be proud to call home. Supporting the vision for our district means supporting the future of our entire community.

JEREMY WILLMON
Age: 46
Occupation: Small Business owner
Education: 2 years of college
Why should someone vote for you? I am honored to have the opportunity to run for a seat on the Ash Grove School Board 2025. I have served for three terms and was voted by the current board to fill the vacant seat left by Mrs. Scroggins. My wife Kelsey was raised in Ash Grove and I have been a resident of Ash Grove since 2003 when we were married. It was then that we chose the Ash Grove community. I have three children who are and have been highly active in the school district. Tanner went to school here. Cheylynn graduated in 23’. And Millie is a freshman.
I have served in the US Army and spent most of my adult life in a firehouse as a firefighter and climbed the ranks to being a fire chief at a local department. I am a small business owner where I began in 2009. As a business owner, I understand the importance and challenges of managing finances and creating desirable incentives to attract qualified employees. I am proud to be a part of a school district where the board alongside the leadership has made it a priority to continue to decrease its overall debt, while also working to address future district needs and increase teacher salaries and recruitment.
I love this community and I am proud of our school district. I would not want to raise my three children anywhere else. As a member of this community for the last 22 years and as a parent to three beautiful children, I have worked to support our school district in several ways over the years. I have always stood on the promise that when each kid walks across that stage at graduation, I want to know that we, as a district, have done everything possible to set them up for success in the real world. I have been blessed to serve as your School Board member for the last three terms and I would be honored to have your vote on April 8th.
What is something you would like to see improved?
More opportunities for kids to get them in the door and keep them interested.

AG Board of Ed. candidate Matt Baker has withdrawn.

WILLARD BOARD OF EDUCATION
DAVID MENDITOO
Age: 48
Occupation: Owner, Springfield Mow, LLC
Registered Technologist — Radiology
Why should someone vote for you? I’m just finishing my first three-year term on Willard’s School Board and feel I have more to give this district. I am consistent in my views and how I vote and have a drive to see our students and staff get what they need to be successful. I don’t shy away from the hard decisions and feel that that quality is vital if you are going to make a difference.
What would you like to see improved? I would like to see an improvement in retention of quality teachers.

JOHN HARTLEY
Age: 68
Occupation: Retired Teacher/Coach (Willard and New Covenant Academy) - now Business Owner - 417 Youth Sports LLC, The Dugout, Heart of America Tournaments LLC (under 417 Youth Sports is 417 Baseball and 417/573 MO Juniors Volleyball)
Education: Graduate of Springfield Central HS (74), Oakland City (IN) University (80) - BS Education, William Woods University (2010) - MS Athletic Administration.
Why should someone vote for you? I bring a unique voice to the Board room - with experience in Public and Private Schools along with a knowledge of Homeschooling, I have a good perspective of the challenges facing the Willard School District and would like to lend that voice to the community, especially the southside of the District as I live in the WOHE side.
What is something you’d like to see improved? I would like to see a couple of things strengthened in the Willard District. I would like to see the atmosphere at all the schools, regardless of age, thrive in a safe and learning rich culture for all the students and educators. In other words, help strengthen the discipline and allow learning to be the focus. 
And find ways for this long and wide district to communicate with all families in a timely and effective manner.

AMANDA KASTLER
Age: 44
Occupation: Certified Public Accountant and Partner at Elliott, Robinson & Company, LLP
Education: Bachelor of Arts from Drury University.
Why should someone vote for you?  I am proud to be a part of the Willard School District, and I want to play an active in role in ensuring the Willard School District is the best District for our students, our staff, and our community.
My main areas of focus are:
1. Our People:
Students – providing a positive learning environment that strives for the very best educational opportunities, support systems, and access to resources regardless of where they are at in the Willard School system. I want all our students to be proud to attend Willard Schools and be prepared for their post-High School path.