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By Carol Arnett

Six candidates are officially on the ballot for the April election for Florissant mayor. One potential candidate, Virgil Wiles, turned in signatures, but did not have the 500 valid signatures required, said City Clerk Karen Goodwin.

All six candidates have some experience in elective office. Two, Tom Schneider and Andrew Podleski, are current councilmen. Two others, Bob Garrett and Susan Geerling, previously served on the council. Mark Behlmann is on the Hazelwood School Board, and Michael Spreng is a former state representative.

Interviews with four of the candidates have run in previous editions of this paper. This week, the focus is on Bob Garrett and Susan Geerling.

Bob Garrett Candidacy

Why is Garrett running? “Because I want to get back into politics and working for the city,” he said. “I was on the council for 18 years, then took a break and recharged, and now I want to get back and contribute to the city.”

Garrett contends one of the biggest challenges facing the city is the economy and the city’s financial situation. “When I was on the council, we had a large amount in our reserve account. A large portion of those funds have been depleted to balance the budget and fund other projects,” he said.  “I’d like to refine the budget process to prevent problems in the future.

Garrett said he would work to draw more businesses to the area. “The city did a good job with Cross Keys, which I backed,” he said. “It’s an ongoing problem we’re having where we are in competition with other cities to attract retailers.”

Another challenge is maintaining the city’s infrastructure, Garrett said. He said that when he was on the council, the city completed several street improvement projects, many with funds from the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD). He said he would like to look into partnering with MSD again. “Even if we only do a small amount of streets yearly, we should try to continue and make it an ongoing project.”

The city’s strengths include a stable population and many willing volunteers, Garrett believes. “The city has a strong tradition of working with residents,” he said. “There are people who have spent much of their lives making the city better.” In addition to the boards and commissions, Garrett cited groups such as the Friends of Old St. Ferdinand, the Florissant Valley Historical Society, Kiwanis, and Rotary. “There are a number of groups that put both money and time into the city,” he said.

“I have the best qualifications for helping the city look forward to the future,” he said.

Susan Geerling Candidacy

Susan Geerling, who has lived in Florissant since she was eleven years old, is a former councilwoman. When asked why she is running for office, she replied, “The people of Florissant are ready for a new kind of leadership.  They work hard and want city leadership that truly works for them. I am running because I believe that I can offer that leadership.”

Geerling said that she thinks the mayor sets the tone for the community. “As a former member of the Florissant City Council, and as a citizen active in my community, I’ve worked with almost all of Florissant’s city government department heads.  I respect their work and appreciate what they do for our city.”

Geerling said that the major problem facing Florissant is the economy. “In recent years, a tough economy has challenged all local governments to address budget realities, and Florissant is no exception. Now more than ever, city funds must be used wisely and hard budget decisions must be made in a proactive way.”

Geerling said the budget process must be transparent. She also said she would work with the city’s economic development director to ensure that we are identifying and pursuing opportunities to bring businesses to the city.

Geerling also said that attracting and engaging new residents is also important.

“Florissant’s best strength, and most important opportunity, is its people and their strong sense of community,” Geerling said.  “We have a powerful sense of place here, and a real identity. That sense of place positively differentiates Florissant from some newer communities with whom we might compete for residents, and we can leverage that.”

Geerling also cited the city’s plentiful shopping, a strong and large base of service businesses, many churches, and city-available activities as strength.  She said that showing potential residents the powerful aspects of the city is something she would do as mayor.

“I will work with city staff and other elected officials to create a process that is positive, proactive, and effective for Florissant residents and business owners,” she said.

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