Politics & Government

2012 Ellisville Mayoral Candidate Profiles

Get one last look at the City of Ellisville's mayoral candidates before Tuesday's election.

Elections are just one day away, so be sure to take a look at Ballwin-Ellisville Patch's coverage of the City of Ellisvile's before heading to the polls Tuesday. The following questionnaires were issued to candidates March 21. Responses are listed alphabetically, and do not reflect ballot order or endorsement.

Dawn Anglin
No questionnaire answers received.

 

Find out what's happening in Ballwin-Ellisvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Michelle Murray
No questionnaire answers received.

 

Find out what's happening in Ballwin-Ellisvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Adam Paul

Please briefly describe your occupation and the name of your employer/s.

I am a National Accounts Relationship Manager at Apex Systems, Inc. I have eleven years of pure business and administration experience. For the last seven I have been working for the sixth largest IT consulting firm in the country. I currently manage 40+ contractors and full-time employees at various Fortune 500 clients nationwide. I oversee large budgets, contracts, vendors, negotiations, and day-to-day operations. I am a graduate of Illinois State University and possess two degrees in Computer Science and Telecommunication Management.

How long have you been a resident of Ellisville?

I have lived in Ellisville for several years now and have no plans or desire to locate anywhere else. I was given the option to locate to any of our 49 offices Nationwide and ultimately selected St. Louis as our home. We visited several cities and the synergy wasn’t right. Our roots and Midwestern values were most important to us and the other locations simply lacked this. The quality of life and excellent schools for our children is what solidified our decision to move to Ellisville.

What do you think is the greatest asset Ellisville has as a city?

Our parks and green space are definitely our greatest asset. Twenty years ago under Mayor O’Reilly’s leadership, we put in place ordinances requiring 10% of new development to be set aside for parks and trails. We are know as ‘The Tree City’ because we put in place an ordinance requiring developers, at their expense, to plant two trees for new homes and development. I truly enjoy the white blooming Bradford pears when I am driving down Manchester Rd. in the springtime. We are still reaping the benefits of these excellent decisions and it is one of the biggest factors of who we are at today.

What do you believe is the single most important issue the Ellisville City Council currently faces? Please be as specific as possible.

The biggest issue our City Council faces is figuring out how to exit an arena we had no business entering in the first place. An arena that local government was not intended nor created for. This arena is the ‘Free Market’. We have spread ourselves too thin by focusing time, money, and resources on areas we are simply affective in. We can’t afford to make anymore hasty decisions and need to have a methodical approach moving forward. Focus on what has worked, what a local government is intended for and the rest will fall into place. A Councilmember is listed as a part time job but requires full time responsibility and the decisions they make will dictate the direction we go moving forward.

If (re)elected, what efforts will you make to ensure you stay connected with the constituents you represent?

Residents and businesses of Ellisville can call, email, come to my home, even Facebook me; day or night. This I can promise. It would be dishonest if I told you Ellisville has the current budget and headcount to immediately deliver new technologies we truly need to stay efficiently connected. This would include updates to our website and rolling out new applications to streamline response time for comments, questions, and issues. However, I will be relentless in pursuing such enhancements as soon as we are financially capable and at the lowest possible price. I have been overseeing technology projects like this for the past seven years and can provide expertise on various avenues.

What traits or characteristics will you bring to the Ellisville City Council that are unique? (personal, professional, academic, etc.)

I would bring the ‘have fun working hard’ mentality back into our City Council. Regarding Council Meetings, if a resident or business has a comment or concern I will press for quick decisions so it doesn’t linger week after week. Also, I will be sure to make them feel welcome and not make them feel like they are on trial. They are the entities who are funding local government to exist in the first place. Wouldn’t it be nice to go to City Hall or a DMV and get a smile or treated with respect? Smiles are free and I give them out all the time.

What is your favorite book and why?

Outliers by Gladwell  Get it. Read it. Thank me later. Easy read, very interesting and inspiring. 

Robert Srote

Please briefly describe your occupation and the name of your employer/s.

I am an architect by trade which primarily consists of designing buildings in accordance with state and local codes to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the building’s occupants.  Those designs are then presented to clients and community architectural review boards or city councils for their review to ensure compliance with community ordinances.

How long have you been a resident of Ellisville?

My wife and I have been Ellisville residents since 2007.  Prior to that I lived in Wildwood for 12 years.

What do you think is the greatest asset Ellisville has as a city?

The greatest asset Ellisville has is its human capital.

What do you believe is the single most important issue the Ellisville City Council currently faces? Please be as specific as possible.

The most important issue facing our current city council is the TIF district proposed by the Sansone Corporation, to be decided on April 4 (after the April 3 election but before the new city council member and mayor takes office). For what it is worth, I do not support the proposal in its current form.

If (re)elected, what efforts will you make to ensure you stay connected with the constituents you represent?

If elected I intend to hold Town Hall meetings and modernize the city’s web site to promote communication among the city and its constituents as well as encourage residents to  attend city council meetings.

What traits or characteristics will you bring to the Ellisville City Council that are unique? (personal, professional, academic, etc.)

As an architect, I thoroughly understand the importance of a city plan and zoning ordinances that are conducive to responsible community growth and, as a result, economic prosperity.  In addition, I have the temperament and disposition to work with the City Council in an effective manner to promote an atmosphere of positive problem solving.  I have also earned my Master of Business Administration degree, an essential qualification which demonstrates my commitment to personal and professional development.

What is your favorite book and why?

Without question The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Of the 7 habits mentioned in the book I believe habit 5, Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood, is the most essential.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Ballwin-Ellisville