Mehlville Fire Protection District union employees supporting write-in candidate Dennis Skelton in Tuesday’s election spent more than $11,600 on Skelton’s behalf.
Skelton was challenging Ed Ryan in Tuesday’s election — after the Call went to press — for a seat on the fire district’s Board of Directors being vacated by Dan Ottoline Sr., who did not file for re-election.
Local 1889 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, who endorsed Skelton, spent $11,663.52 on Skelton’s behalf through its political action committee, the Firefighters Action Committee to Elect, or FACE, according to campaign-finance re-ports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission. Local 1889 President Bob Strinni serves as treasurer of FACE.
A political action committee supporting Ryan, the South County Citizens for Public Reform, spent more than $8,100 on Ryan’s behalf, according to campaign-finance re-ports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission. MFPD Board of Directors Chair-man Aaron Hilmer serves as treasurer of the South County Citizens for Public Reform. Besides Hilmer, Ryan’s candidacy was endorsed by Board of Directors Treasurer Bonnie Stegman.
Ryan previously had served as treasurer of the South County Citizens for Public Re-form, which supported Hilmer and Stegman when they were elected in April 2005.
Meanwhile, the Committee to Elect Dennis Skelton reported expenditures of more than $1,300, according to a campaign-finance report filed with the county Board of Election Commissioners. Robert Chandler serves as treasurer of the Committee to Elect Dennis Skelton, which was formed March 20, according to filed reports.
FACE reported receiving contributions totaling $6,000 — $500, $500, $2,000 and $3,000 — from Local 1889 from Jan. 1 through March 26 with expenditures totaling $4,535. The committee, which reported having $6,953.84 on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, had $8,318.84 on hand March 22.
Expenditures included $3,500 to Todd Obermoeller for video production, $540 to Trio Graphics for handout literature and $495 to Weck Events and Weddings for handout material.
In a supplemental report filed March 28, FACE reported no additional contributions, but expenditures totaling $7,128.52 — $410.40 to Glen Livingstone for handout material, $3,900 for stamps and $2,818.12 for printing/mailer.
The South County Citizens for Public Reform reported receiving contributions totaling $10,325 from Feb. 28 through March 24 and spending $8,142.43.
The committee, which reported having $1,379.13 on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, had $3,561.70 on hand March 26.
Contributions received include $5,000 from the Friends of the Fire District, $650 from the Home Building Industry Political Action Committee, $500 from the Republican Central Committee of St. Louis County and $500 from Michael Becker.
Contributions of $300 were received from Allan Knopf, Cindy Knopf, the Concord Partnership, Devault Operations and Charles Vatterott Construction.
Contributions of $100 were received from Hilmer, Stegman, Tom Judd, the Pinehurst Apartments and Suntide Homes.
The Committee to Elect John Campisi contributed $75.
Expenditures included $4,028.11 to Creative Mailers for mailers, $2,557 to Call Newspapers for advertising, $783.08 to the Suburban Journals for advertising, $414.24 to Hilmer for reimbursement for supplies and $360 to City Graphics for fliers.
From March 20 to March 22, the Committee to Elect Dennis Skelton reported receiving contributions totaling $550 from people giving $100 or less.
In a March 27 supplemental report, the committee reported receiving a $300 contribution from the Laborers Local 110 Political Fund.
In a March 28 supplemental report, the committee reported expenditures totaling $1,311.75 — $602.65 to the Mueller Sign Shop for 32-inch-by-48-inch signs, $484.27 to the Mueller Sign Shop for yard signs and $224.83 to Chandler for reimbursement for supplies.
