Hear from the candidates running for mayor of Ozark

Thirteen community organizations have joined hands to educate voters and engage candidates ahead of the April 8 municipal election. For this election, the Informed Voter Coalition is hosting a series of candidate interviews with those in races for Springfield City Council Zone 4, Springfield City Council General Seat A, Springfield Mayor, Springfield Public Schools Board of Education and Ozark Mayor. The organizations that make up the Informed Voter Coalition include Be Civil, Be Heard; Drury University's Meador Center for Politics and Citizenship; KSMU Ozarks Public Radio; Leadership Springfield; League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri; Missouri State University's Office of Public Affairs; NAACP Springfield; Ozarks Technical Community College's Social Sciences Department; Rosie; Show-Me Christian County; Springfield Business Journal; Springfield-Greene County Library District; and Springfield News-Leader. Questions for the interviews were submitted by Informed Voter Coalition partner organizations and were not provided to the candidates in advance. The order of the candidate interviews was determined by a random drawing.

I'm Rachel Campbell with Show-Me Christian County, one of the nonpartisan organizations that make up the Informed Voter Coalition. Today, we are interviewing candidates for mayor of Ozark. They are David Snider, Don Currence and Eddie Campbell. Eddie Campbell was invited to participate but was unable to join us today. Each candidate will be interviewed individually and asked the same questions. They will have one minute to introduce themselves and two minutes to respond to each question.

Our first candidate is David Snider. Thank you very much for joining us today.

Snider: Thank you very much. I am glad to be here.

Let's begin by having you introduce yourself and tell us why you decided to run for this office.

Snider: Well, again, my name is David Snider. I'm a retired police officer. I served 28 years as a police officer, and I also served four years with Uncle Sam in the United States Army. I became Involved, you know, in the local city council. Part of this, back in 2022 as a police officer, I could not do that because of the conflict of interest. But I wanted to become more involved with city government in Ozark, and that's where I started as an alderman. I currently serve as an alderman, and I just want to bring things more. I want to make things better for Ozark. We're on a good path, but I think I can make them better. But in that intro, I will tell you the most important people are not here today. That's my wife. I've been married, it'll be 36 years, you know, in July. And I have a son who graduated College of the Ozarks, even out of Ozark High School, and he's married to a nurse. Now, he's a firefighter. I have to forgive him, but he's — I'm very proud of him. He's a hero. But without those folks, I am nothing. And that's, that's what I mean.

What is your vision for Ozark's future, and what specific steps would you take to move the city in that direction?

Snider: Ozark is growing, but I believe Ozark is growing too fast in some ways. What I would like to see is to get our economy thriving, but I want to see some of the construction aspects, the infrastructure, I think that needs to be addressed here. We need to get control of what we have before we start to build on the future. We do currently have, in my opinion, an overwhelming use of apartment complexes. I think we need to go back to family values with simple single residential rooftops. I think we need to get that under control first. Apartment complexes are great. Okay? But I do think that we're being overrun with them — with storage buildings and apartment complexes. I think we need to get that under control. In order for us to do that, we're going to have to get folks to live in Ozark, not just to stay, but to live. And I think home ownership is going to be a key to that. I do believe that it's going to be a necessity to help us thrive. So the — where I would like to see us go. I would like to see us promote our family values with our community. We have done that already. We are on the right path. We've started to integrate a trail system, you know, the Chadwick Flyer, which is fantastic. That's going to interlock, you know, different aspects of our community here from different areas here. I want to see us grow, but I want to see us grow responsibly. I want people to come to Ozark to live and not just to stay.

Ozark has experienced significant growth over the past decade. What do you see as the biggest priority in managing that continued growth effectively?

Snider: Like I said, the biggest hurdle that we have is maintaining what we have. We cannot go out and build something we don't have if we can't take care of what we already have. We've got to keep our city streets. We've got to take care of the people that made Ozark what it is. I do believe we're running into issues right now. We have some deteriorating infrastructure. We need to go in, and we need to rebuild that infrastructure, build onto it before we, you know, reach outside and try to build something that we can't even take care of right now. I see a lot of issues right now with developers that want to come in here and build nothing, you know, like I said, but apartment complexes, and I think that's the wrong way to go. We do need to get businesses in here. The Show-Me Christian County has done a real good job. The (Ozark) chamber has done a real good job promoting what we have. And in order for us to grow, we have to first concentrate on the efforts that we have here at home. I want small businesses to stay here in Ozark. They are what make Ozark what it is. The people are the most important aspect of our community, and I don't want them to move. I don't want them to say, hey, I don't want to get too big right now. I want them to feel comfortable within the city limits of Ozark and the Ozark community as a whole. Right now, I think there is a problem we need to address, and that's the fact that people believe Ozark is getting too big. We have to concentrate on what we have to make it better.

The April election for Ozark mayor features the same three candidates as the previous race. What new factors or issues do you think will shape this mayoral election compared to the last one?

Snider: In my opinion, I think people have seen, you know, what they have, what they elected for. And I am not going to speak ill of Mr. Don Currence by no manner. I do believe we can do things differently. I do believe leadership, you know, has been questioned a time or two. But in reference to my mayor, he's a good man. I am not going to belittle him. I do not want to see a finger pointing game here. And I will tell you now, the third candidate that's not here today (Eddie Campbell) does a lot of finger pointing, and I don't like that. We need to work together. We need to make it the best that we can. What I can bring to the table here is true leadership, where people can look at me and say, I want to follow this guy. This is what I can do for the city of Ozark. I want people to know that they can come to me, and I want people to know that they can trust what I do and what I say, because I don't just hear a problem, I listen to the problem that they have. And it's been pointed out that I have taken special interests of certain groups, you know, and played favoritism to them. I have not, because a special interest that these folks have are special to me, and I'm going to fight for them regardless of what it is. That's what we do. And that's what I will continue to do, is fight for what we have.

In city council meetings, feedback often comes from the most vocal and frustrated residents. How do you plan to engage with a broad range of community members and ensure that all perspectives are considered?

Snider: Again, we listen to what they have to say. I don't just want to hear it. I can hear it all day long. I can hear a train down the tracks. I can hear an airplane in the sky. But if I truly listen to what's going on with that train, I'll find out what direction it's coming from. If I listen to what's going on in the air with that airplane, I can look up and tell you where it's going and where it's coming from. I need to be able to engage with these folks, our residents. They're the most important thing that we have in Ozark because they make it. They are the knitting that keeps it together. Community engagement, listening to what they have to say. One thing I would like to do is, when I am elected mayor, and I believe that I will be every quarter, we're going to have a welcome, welcome to Ozark, where we have our elected officials, where we have our businesses. We come down to the county seat, which is Ozark. We come to the square. We welcome our new residents in, introduce them to what we have here, what they have to say here, what questions they have, and to answer those questions. And if other folks have, you know, some issues at hand, I want to hear those as well. Come to city council meetings, get involved. Let me hear what you have to say. Let me listen to what you have to say so I can give you a response. I can't react appropriately if I don't know what the problem is. I understand the frustration that some people have. I honestly do understand that if they have a question that I can answer, I will. If I can't get that answer right then and there, I will get one for them and I will call that person back. I've already done that and I'm very proud of that.

Ozark's growth brings both opportunities and challenges, particularly in housing availability and workforce development. How do you plan to address the city's housing needs to ensure that workers, families and businesses can thrive again there?

Snider: There are some folks out there that do not agree with my philosophy on multifamily housing. I see the issues that come with multifamily housing. Do we have it in Ozark? Yes, we do. Is there a need for it? Yes, there is. What I am going to propose is a temporary moratorium on multifamily housing until we can address the needs that we already have. I think we have too many. I want to see the rooftops go back in now. Ozark is unique in the fact that we are literally divided into three sections: North, central and south. We have a unique feature in Ozark that hardly any other city in Missouri has. We have a natural resource. We have a river that runs right through it. So I want to be able to attract things there. I want families to be able to come down to that river. I want to see families come down to the park and thrive. I want this. I want to see a mom and dad see their kids grow up so when they become a grandfather and a grandmother, they can say, those are my kids, those are my grandkids. I want to see things happen here, and there are different ways of doing it, but we have the challenges of the housing. I want people to live here in Ozark with us. I want people to shop in Ozark. I don't want them just to stay here and go to work in Springfield or go to work in Strafford or Republic, I want them to be able to depend on what we have in Ozark. That way we can promote our growth from within.

Well, David Snider, that concludes our interview. Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us.

Snider: No, thank you very much for allowing me to be here in your house again.

Joining me now is Don Currence. Thank you very much for joining us.

Currence: Glad to be here.

Would you please introduce yourself and tell us why you decided to run for this position?

Currence: Okay. Thank you. Well, my name is Don Currence, and I'm the current mayor of Ozark. So April the 6th, will be finishing my first term. And this is something where I never dreamed one day I would be mayor. I am the church business administrator for 32 years at my church at First Baptist in Ozark and did not realize when I was encouraged to run, when our former mayor was being appointed to the position, that all my skills I've done for my whole life are the same skills that carries over to be mayor. And therefore, a lot of things happened this past two years and the things I want to continue to get done, and therefore I want to run another term to help finish what we've done. I mean, one thing that happened was we lost five directors, city administrator and two aldermen who got reappointed in my first year, and we got great people there. Our city is so blessed with the people who have hired, and I want to continue what we are planning to do in the next years to come.
 
What is your vision for Ozark's future and what specific steps would you take to move the city in that direction?

Currence: The vision for Ozark. As you know, we've been a growing community. I mean, we are in a wonderful location as 10 miles south of Springfield, 24 miles north of Branson. Now, we are a bedroom community. I mean, everyday 75% of our working population goes north to work in Springfield so that presents special challenges and all. And, but with that, people love being in Ozark because of, well, our schools are outstanding, our trail, family farms, the Finley River, the historic river district, the square and all. Of course, the most important thing about the city of Ozark, I've learned, are the people. I mean that's what makes Ozark so great. And what the key is we have, as we're growing to be ready for that, I mean, as for, you know, residential development as for economic development and preparing for that so we are able to handle the growth as it comes. Because, like I said, like Show Me Christian County, who we work with closely, they told me that of the 16 projects that they're working on currently, 10 of these projects are in Ozark, which is outstanding because people want to come to this city because they've heard about it. I mean, our location on 65, I mean, that's another benefit that we have that we take for granted. Again, I've always — I've been here, 32 years. I've always loved the city, but I've come to appreciate so much more now as the mayor and seeing what great things our city has. Now, are we perfect? No, but the team that we have now, as for the directors, the city administrator and all are ready to lead us to where we need to be going and looking ahead because especially our new city administrator, 20 years in Blue Springs, he has the vision to know where we need to be going as for our style of government and what we need to change and just to do what's best for the citizens of Ozark.

Ozark has experienced significant growth over the past decade. What do you see as the biggest priority in managing that continued growth effectively?

Currence: Well, with growth you have challenges. And that's one thing happening right now with MoDOT, Highway 65. As I said already, 75% of our working population each day travels north in the morning, and they come back home again. So therefore, that's why they've been widening the roads, helped with that. Also with the growth has happened, like intersection at CC and 22nd Street, that is something that's going to be worked on this year because with the addition of Olde World Estate, the apartments and all, lots of traffic there and all. So you have to look at where is the growth is taking place. I mean, they thought the growth was going to happen south of Ozark, but no, it's we — our growth has been north, as you can tell by the apartments, the housing subdivision. We do have a new subdivision about 150 homes south of Walmart that's being worked on right now. But you have to plan. And that's one thing about the sewage. I mean, our public works director, Jeremy Parson, is an outstanding person, and he gets so excited about sewage. But the thing is, it's important. That's why we're putting in right now a lift station south by the old Fasco building in order to help with the control of the sewage. Because as you bring in a new division, I mean, as new development in homes, you've gotta be able to handle that. And so therefore, we are routing things that have been going to the main sewage treatment plant is coming south with what's being developed right now with this lift station. It's about a $9 million project, and they're putting in like 23,000 feet of pipes and all to deal with this. So you got to be — you can't be looking at, well, what's the problem today? Oh no, you got to look at what the problem is in five years and things like that. And of course that's why it's important partnership with the school and all because what affects us affects them. And especially like, well, when you add new housing development because what affects them is not so much apartments. It's single residential homes that cause growth in the school system.

The April election for Ozark mayor features the same three candidates as the previous race. What new factors or issues do you think will shape this mayoral election compared to the last one?

Currence: Well, what's going to be different this time is last time we were all newbies. Now granted, Eddie (Campbell) and Dave (Snider) both have been aldermen, and Eddie also has been on planning and zoning, so they had city experience. I mean, I was the newbie. I mean, yes, have I been involved in church life my whole life? Yes. And I've been involved in politics with the Southern Baptist Convention, which at meetings where I'm helped as one of the officers. We had like 20,000 people there. But as for the city itself, I mean, I was involved in the city as part of the chamber, with my church. I've been involved with committees for the school board and things. And, plus, I'm a Kiwanian, which is a service organization. I mean, I'm always begging for donations to that so a lot of business people knew me. But yeah, I had to learn again how the city works. But again, I didn't realize how well my mindset as what I've done as a church business administrator carries over to be the mayor of that. And that has just been a great benefit because, I mean, I have background when it comes to budgeting, to HR, insurance, facilities, utilities and all that that is part of the city life, now on a smaller scale, but it's still the same concept. Of course, the most important thing as mayor is your people skill. I mean, whether you're in a church or whether you're at the city, you have to work with people and how to work with people and how to listen to them. And also to, like I said, I don't have an agenda. That's one thing when people ask me to run for mayor, I said, look, I'm not political. I don't have an agenda. And they said, we know, but we know you love this city. We know your integrity, and you'll do what's best. And that is right. I mean, when a concern comes up, you've got to listen to both sides. You can't preform. You got to say, okay, what's going on? Because someone talks to me, I got to talk to the directors and try to get the backstory because there's always a backstory, what's going on. And then make what is the best decision for the citizens of Ozark.

In city council meetings, feedback often comes from the most vocal and frustrated residents. How do you plan to engage with a broad range of community members and ensure all perspectives are considered?

Currence: Well, as you said, normally when people come, I always go to planning and zoning meetings because everything at planning and zoning, they meet once a month, comes to us a month later, and that way I can kind of see what are the concerns, what's going on, because usually that's where it begins. And I just like, you know, hear what's taking place and talk to them and say, okay, what is the concerns? We also have neighborhood meetings now on new developments to help them meet with the developer and try to get their questions answered, because a lot of times they don't know or unfortunately, they're hearing the wrong message. And therefore, to get the truth, this is what's taking place. No, we're not doing this. We are doing this — to understand. But again, that's why I mean, we have again, on first reading of bills, you have the public session where people who are for the bill or speak against the bill, and they had the opportunity to speak. I mean, we do not limit it, saying, okay, only five people can speak. Now we do limit time. But as for, if there's 20 people there from a neighborhood that wants to speak, they can have that opportunity to do that because that's the right thing to do to allow them to hear that. And plus, also, I get hit at my mayor meeting. I have that the second Saturday of each month. I get concerns, I call them concerns. Some people say they're complaints, but I call them concerns. I'll listen to them and see what's going on and I'll do the backstory. I'll see what's going on. I'll research it. Then I call them back. I remember I've had several people surprised when I'll call them back and hey, this is what I found out. They went, you call me back? I said, yes, I said I would. What's what's going on? We're not taking recap from my mayor meetings. When I find out answers and things and putting that in the newsletter. Now, two of the city say, hey, this is what questions people are asking and these are the answers, because maybe other people may have the same question. The thing is, you got to be open and listen to them and see what the concerns are, because it's important to them.
 
Ozark's growth brings both opportunities and challenges, particularly in housing availability and workforce development. How do you plan to address the city's housing needs to ensure that workers, families and businesses can thrive?

Currence: Well, it takes a balance. I mean, again, we have lots — we are like 60/40 or 66/30% as for residential housing versus apartments. But the thing is, you need both because some people, when they're starting out, they can't afford the down payment and things like that. So that's why I mean, I'm excited. We have Finley Crossing, which is down, it's midtown. That's going to be about 113 homes that are more starter homes. Unfortunately, in Ozark, a starter home is like $240,000. That's a starter home, but that's we're higher than the state average. But I'm thankful for that. There's some new development coming in, which I can't talk about, which hopefully will address this in a very large way as for apartments, starter homes, senior, 55 and other type homes like that. But again, you know, people say, well, make it happen. Well, you have to have developers who wish to come in and we are very blessed, which we have lots of land still. I mean, we're not as Ozark outgrown our city limits and things like that. And so you have to make available for — hope they'll come and want to develop and listen to them. So it's basically, you know, what we try to do. Again, that's always ongoing challenge is to have the balance between, you know, what people want to keep us as a, you know, small town, which we're not. We're 23,000 people. But also we want to keep that feeling, though. That's why the historic square that we have, the things that go on down there at Christmas time, the Oktoberfest, and then the things at the park, the duck race and all are so important because it helps gives that feeling of the small town who we are as Ozark, the Christmas parade. So we still have the amenities of that feeling, but we are not. Like I said, we're not Ozark of 10 years ago.

Well, Don Currence, that concludes our interview. Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us.

Currence: Well, thank you for the opportunity to do this. Appreciate it.

The election is Tuesday, April 8. We hope you continue to research the candidates to see how their values and positions align with yours. On April 8, you're encouraged to exercise your right to vote. If you have questions about where or how to vote or the status of your voter registration, please contact your county clerk's office.

No part of the these interviews, including print, audio and video, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright holder, League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri.