Senator Hawley’s Staffer Listens To Concerns In Visit To Courthouse

County commissioners and others visiting their meeting last Thursday had plenty to tell Matt Bain when he sought input.

Bain is U.S. Senator Josh Hawley’s district director.

Bain said he was making the rounds through this part of the state, seeking to find out what was on constituents’ and officials’ minds. Hawley, a Republican, defeated incumbent Claire McCaskill in the November 2018 election.

Rick Drury, assistant Bloomsdale fire chief and the city’s representative on the regional Transportation Advisory Commission, had plenty to tell Bain. So did Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff Gary Stolzer.

Drury had just told the commissioners that the roadside park by the Bloomsdale exit on Interstate 55 had been closed for about three weeks, due to a water leak.  Presiding Commissioner Garry Nelson had just called Brian Okenfuss, area engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), who said he did not realize it was still closed.

Drury told Bain about the situation.

Nelson did not mince words with Bain. He said federal agencies “need to stop screwing around, trying to make each other look bad” and do the jobs they are paid to do.

“Get the job done you’re up there to do,” Nelson told Bain to pass on to Hawley.

See complete story in the March 27 edition of the Herald.