2018 Election: Health Board Hopefuls Have Eye On Moving Forward

As the lone incumbent among four candidates seeking the two four-year terms on the Ste. Genevieve County Health Department board, Jeanette Roth Wood had some insight into the recent board turmoil.

Wood was appointed to the five-member board late last year following two resignations. One of those who resigned alleged that some board members had committed Sunshine Law violations in trying to possibly oust long-time administrator Sandra Bell.

“I believe in looking forward, not backward to what has occurred,” Wood said during last week’s candidates forum at Ste. Genevieve City Hall, “to make sure the department is managed appropriately and everything. As I know it now, it has been managed appropriately, so I would think, ‘Look forward.’”

Wood is in a race with political newcomers Robert Kavaliauskas and Brad Korn, along with Jim Brumfield, who did not attend last week’s forum and did not return a candidates survey.

Kavaliauskas moved to Ste. Genevieve three years ago from Cape Girardeau, and he currently works for attorney Lance Drury, helping people with IRS issues.

“We have to kind of look past the personal differences,” Kavaliauskas said of the board’s 2018 turmoil, and you really have to be open-minded because on a lot of different issues, people are going to have different opinions, but hopefully you can form a consensus.”

Korn, who works for Bloomsdale Bank, said communication with the board and the administrator was important.

“I think just overall, communication is probably the biggest thing that’s going to help that situation,” Brad Korn said. “Feeling like you can communicate with each of the board members and be honest with one another.”

See complete story and candidate bios in the March 27 edition of the Herald.

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