Warrenton will keep Gary Auch as its Ward 2 alderman while its other wards and its mayoral seat are being challenged on the April 4 ballot.Voters will choose between incumbent Mayor Eric Schleuter and Mike Shilharvey, who is currently an alderman in Ward 1.Three people are on the ballot for one spot in Ward 1. They are Ken Jaseckas, incumbent Karen Casserly and Wayne Smith. Casserly and Smith did not provide candidate profiles.Two people are running for alderman in Ward 3, Gary Miller and incumbent Bob Delaloye. Delaloye did not provide a candidate profile.Mayoral CandidatesEric W. SchleuterSchleuter, 42, Warrenton, who is seeking re-election is a sergeant with the Warren County Sheriff’s Department. He is a member of the Warrenton Marine Corps League Richard Scott Haymes Detachment No. 1393 and is involved with the Tribute to Veterans Memorial.He served as alderman for Ward 2 in Warrenton for one year before he was elected mayor.Schleuter said the board has accomplished a lot during the two years he has served as mayor.During the last two years, the city and citizens passed Propositions O and P, which made a new interchange possible; the city started work on a new park to offer amenities never offered before, including an indoor/outdoor pool; expanded sewer and water capabilities, hosted town hall meetings, and began growing the Fall Festival, he explained.“I can honestly say it’s been an effort of not only the citizens of Warrenton but also the board of aldermen, all of the employees of the city, and myself combined who have accomplished the numerous changes,” Schleuter said.“I will continue to seek consistency within our city policies and procedures for citizens and business owners alike,” he said. “I would like to see the board of aldermen continuing to work with other appointed boards to refine and possibly evolve current policies or regulations we have in place. I believe it is very important to continue to promote positive and responsible business and residential growth within our city.”Schleuter added that he will continue listening and being responsive to the needs of Warrenton citizens. He is married to Jill Schleuter, an accounting and benefits clerk for the Warren County R-III School District. They have three children. Michael ShilharveyShilharvey, who is retired, is a member of Holy Rosary Parish and serves on the parish finance committee. He is a third-degree member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 2341. He is a 10-year member of the Warren County Fine Arts Council and serves on the executive committee. He is a charter member of the Warrenton Elks Lodge 2662Shilharvey first served as an alderman in Ward 1 for eight years in the ’90s. He served as interim mayor from late 2014 until April 2015. He currently represents Ward 1 and is president of the board.Shilharvey has served on the city’s tourism commission, the city’s planning and zoning board and the advisory committee to develop the city’s comprehensive plan.“Warrenton has grown and will continue to grow, especially with the construction of the new interchange,” Shilharvey said. “In the next couple of years we will need a mayor who can devote more time to meeting with developers, MoDOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) and the engineers on that project. Being retired, I can and will devote more time to serving as a full-time mayor, not only on that project but on all facets of keeping Warrenton moving forward and working for a better Warrenton.”Shilharvey supports downtown revitalization as a priority as well as the widening of the north side of Highway 47, the safety of pedestrian traffic and attracting homebuilders.He is married to Nancy.Running for AldermenKenny JaseckasJaseckas, who is running for Alderman in Ward 1, was a police officer in Hazelwood. Before that, he was a police officer in Wright City for three years.He is a member of the Warrenton Masonic Lodge No. 609 and a member of the Sons of the American Legion. With his son, Kevin, he started a nonprofit organization called The Blue Kitchen, which collects food to help law enforcement. Recently, he was appointed to the TIF Commission for the redevelopment of the former outlet mall.Jaseckas said, like in his police work, he is committed to being responsive to the Warrenton community and the delivery of quality services.“As an alderman, it would be my responsibility to maintain order while affording dignity and respect to every individual,” he said. “My objective is to improve the quality of life through a community partnership to provide a safe and successful city.”He said listening to the needs of employees of the city of Warrenton is important and that he would like to be a bigger part of the future growth and development of the city of Warrenton.He is married to Christine Jaseckas, a mother and volunteer at Warrior Ridge Elementary School.Gary MillerMiller, 70, retired, is running for alderman in Ward 3. He is a member of Faith Christian Family Church, where he has served for 20 years on the church board.“Being retired, I want to dedicate my time to helping Warrenton grow by seeking tech and manufacturing companies and good-paying jobs,” Miller said.He added that the city should be encouraging additional growth with new home construction.Miller’s last elected post was with the Warren County Ambulance District Board of Directors. He served eight three-year terms.During that time, the district grew from one van ambulance in 1980 to six advanced life support ambulances.If elected, he will support issues that encourage growth and protect residents.“The city needs to be more aggressive in searching out business and tech companies that would provide good-paying jobs. That should be coordinated with the growth that will come with the new overpass,” he said.Miller would encourage opposition to a proposal to add a toll way on Interstate 70.Eric W. Schleuter, left, and Michael Shilharvey, right. Submitted photos.
Gary Miller, Ward 3 candidate, left, and Kenny Jaseckas, Ward 1 candidate, right. Submitted photos.
