South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Powers raises most money of candidates seeking election to Mehlville board

Robinson outpacing Schlink in contributions for campaign.

Candidates in Crestwood, the Mehlville School District and Sunset Hills revealed their campaign finances last week before voters headed to the polls on Tuesday.

State-required campaign finance reports were due by March 28, eight days before the election. The county Board of Election Commissioners reported that candidates running for the Lindbergh Board of Education; Green Park mayoral post and Board of Aldermen and the Grantwood Village Board of Trustees did not file reports, which are required only if candidates raise or spend more than $1,000.

In addition, three Mehlville school board candidates — John Roland Jr., Deb Langland and David Wessel — did not file reports.

The Call went to press before Tuesday’s election. Results will be featured in next week’s issue and are available online at

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Nine candidates squared off this week for three seats on the Mehlville Board of Education.

Of the six candidates who generated enough money to warrant a disclosure of their campaign finances, Elaine Powers so far has both raised and spent the most.

Powers reported raising $3,015 and spending $2,793.80, with $213.33 on-hand and $500 debt as of March 24.

Among the contributions listed in Powers’ report: $300 from Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562; $250 from state Rep. Scott Sifton, D-Affton; and $100 from Karen Torretta, Mehlville National Education Association president.

That organization endorsed Powers along with Roland and Michael Doyel.

Candidate Rich Franz raised the second-largest amount of money in his bid for the school board. Franz reported raising $2,830.58 and spending $2,339.05, with $391.53 cash on hand as of March 24.

Contributions to Franz included $1,000 from himself; $200 from Republican state Sen. Jim Lembke’s campaign committee; $200 from Woodstile Properties; $250 from persons giving $100 or less; and $50.58 from the Mehlville Community Taxpayers Association, a group Franz co-founded last fall to oppose the district’s unsuccessful 88-cent tax-rate increase.

Doyel reported $1,675 in contributions and $1,004.12 in expenditures, with $670.88 cash on hand and $1,000 in debt as of March 24.

Doyel’s contributions included two $500 self-loans, $535 from persons who gave $100 or less and $140 in anonymous contributions from donors giving $25 or less.

Franchesca Gindler reported $1,077 in contributions and $1,082.88 in expenditures, with $130.12 cash on hand and $378 in debt as of March 25.

She reported receiving $485 from a fundraiser, a $500 self-loan, $200 from persons giving $100 or less and $150 from school board Vice President Venki Palamand.

Mark Stoner reported raising $940 and spending $1,488.21, with $254.29 cash on hand and $750 in outstanding debt as of March 24.

Among the contributions to Stoner: $200 from Lembke for Senate, $200 from MRT Properties, $100 from Mehlville Citizens for Franz and $15 from former Mehlville school board member Rich Huddleston.

Marea Kluth-Hoppe reported raising $650 and spending $67.39, with $182.61 cash on hand and $200 in outstanding debt as of March 24.

Contributions to Kluth-Hoppe included a $400 in-kind contribution to herself, a $200 self-loan and $50 from unnamed donors.

In Crestwood, incumbent Mayor Roy Robinson boasted a substantial fundraising edge heading into the election over his opponent, Ward 2 Alderman Jeff Schlink.

Citizens for Roy Robinson for Mayor reported $6,275 in total contributions and $4,012.63 in total expenditures, with $3,412 cash on hand as of March 24.

Jeff Schlink for Mayor reported $1,184 in total contributions and $1,533.93 in total expenditures,with $40 on hand as of March 24.

Robinson’s biggest contributor so far is Crestwood Court management firm Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, which gave $1,500. He also previously reported giving a $2,000 loan to himself. Among other contributions to Robinson: $1,000 from All in One Fitness; an $800 in-kind contribution to himself; $650 from the Central St. Louis County Fire Fighters; and $500 from Perma Jack Co., of which Robinson’s wife, Joan, is a co-owner.

Also: $500 from Kevin and Kim Buckner of House Springs; $325 from the Professional Fire Fighters of Eastern Missouri Local 2665; $325 from the Communications Workers of America District 6; $225 from persons giving $100 or less; $200 from Crestwood Economic Development Commission Chairman Forrest Miller and his wife, Donna; and $200 from Paul Floken of Creve Coeur.

Robinson’s committee paid $3,264.62 to Mark’s Quick Printing in Olivette; $410.06 to Tom Woodson of O’Fallon and $300 to Media Magic in St. Charles.

Schlink’s contributions included $400 from himself, $100 from Crestwood Ward 3 Alderman Jerry Miguel and $100 from Don Binz of Crestwood.

Schlink’s committee paid $960 to Call Newspapers for printing and distribution.

In Sunset Hills, Jim Rode is challenging Ward 1 Alderman Dee Baebler’s bid for a full two-year term on the board.

Baebler reported $1,450 in contributions and $1,255.43 in expenditures, with $783.33 cash on-hand as of March 28.

Rode has raised $1,850 and spent $1,346, with $503.28 cash on hand and $1,850 in outstanding debt as of March 24. Of the $1,850 in total receipts, Rode loaned his campaign $1,500.

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