BELLE — Belle aldermen on Oct. 25 appointed Emily Williams to serve the remainder of a six-month Ward 1 alderman term which was vacated by Jeanette Struemph in July. 

After allowing the two candidates who signed up and August and September to share their backgrounds

Belle Mayor Daryl White, Jr., began the meeting, which included a full agenda of items, by discussing candidates Rebecca Withouse, who regularly attends city meetings, and Williams.

“First on the agenda is aldermen,” White said. “You guys expressed interest that you would probably be interested in it. We was tryin’ to slow down, we wasn’t not pickin’ you guys or anything. We wanted to research it and give us time to talk to ya and we didn’t have that scheduled at the last meeting.”

The alderman line item was included on the agendas for both the Sept. 12 and Oct. 11 meetings for the board to discuss in open session.

“Maybe you guys can tell us your background and a little bit about you, and maybe the vision you see, or somethin’,” White said.

Williams began by discussing her background.

“My background is I worked for Jay Nixon for both of his terms, for eight years, and did all of his Sunshine Law requests for him along with their attorney,” Williams began. “From there, I went to Missouri S&T to International Affairs and worked there for five years and did all of their contracts. Then I got the position I have now which is based out of New York. I do sell-side advising and we are the top finalists this year for top MNA advisors for Seven Deals. A sell-side advisor is, we sell to large to medium-sized companies.”

Williams has lived in Belle for three years now and in Vienna before that.

“If I still lived in Vienna, which is where I am from, I would be trying to go on their city council as well,” Williams said. “I had a passion for where I live, to try to make a better community, to try to get people more involved, to bring other people here from other communities to see that Belle isn’t bad, that it is good. Honestly, when I first moved here, my mom and dad were not that thrilled, ‘cause they were like, Belle’s not that great. I was like, well other people say Vienna’s not that great. But I enjoy living here, I like the people that I’ve met and I have met a lot of nice people. I just see so much potential here. So that is why I just feel like I wanted to run for this.”

Withouse was also given the opportunity to tell the board why she is interested in serving on the board. Like, Williams, she isn’t originally from the community but does attend the monthly meetings.

“I am Rebecca Withouse,” she began. “I feel like I have a lot to live up to, I don’t have that background or all of those expectations. I work for Curtman Insurance Agency in Owensville, I have been with the Red Cross now for going on two years and am their response area lead. I enjoy helping and see a need for young blood on the council, people that want to do what they can to make Belle better. That’s why I am here. Somebody needs to be on the council who’s not afraid to make sure that things are being said, that in my opinion, need to be said. Sometimes we get too much of ‘I don’t want to upset that person because we are related.’ I would like to see a little more not scared to say and do things. To make sure that we are following the law, not always ‘oh, we didn’t know.’ That’s not really an excuse anymore here. I just want things to get better. We’ve been back in Belle for nine or 10 years now, long enough that I don’t really count, and it feels like in the past few years there has been a lot going on and I would like to see us get a more positive reputation in the area. I don’t really have any big drive to be in politics, but I see a need that I can fill, that I would be willing to fill.”

Neither candidate had questions for the board.

“Well, I will tell the council that, you know, we are in a six-month window and we don’t have to appoint somebody, but it’s also positive to appoint somebody to fill the seat to get a fair and accurate vote on everything,” White said. “To make a quorum if we have somebody sick, upset or anything. But it is within your hands to leave it if you want to.”

He added that the board has big plans for the future and sign-ups for the election will be in December and January.

“There will be a lot of empty seats here coming up in April and who we chose tonight doesn’t mean not going to get elected in April, or whatever we choose tonight,” White said. “With that being said, I am prepared to make appointments tonight if everybody is interested in voting on it, discussing it, or leave it vacant until then. I will be happy to carry out your request.”

Aldermen Adam Padgett and James (Pudd) Mitchell weren’t initially vocal about a decision.

“What do you think, Barb?” White asked Alderman Barb Howarth.

“I’d like to see someone appointed tonight and make it a full board,” Howarth said.

Both Padgett and Mitchell agreed.

“We are going into the season where people are going to get sick and different things are going to happen,” Padgett said. “We can’t do anything short-handed.

Howarth said she had one question for the ladies.

“When I decided to do this, I kinda thought it was a figurehead, you just had a title, not realizing how much work is involved,” Howarth said. “Are you both willing to spend a lot of time being able to —?”

Withouse said she has been coming to the regular and special meetings for months.

“I think I have shown that I am willing to put the time in and I left an event tonight to be here,” she said. “I left my work because I did not get this call until yesterday afternoon about this meeting, to be here, that we were going to be discussed. Frankie can tell you, I was like, I will make it work because that is what you have to do. I think I am.”

Williams did not verbally answer the question.

“Anybody else have anything?” White asked. “You can’t go to Casey’s without hearing a complaint or concern.”

“Can’t go to church, go to the grocery store,” Howarth added.

“Life as you know if will be totally different after today,” White said.

“It doesn’t matter whatcha do, it’s never right,” Mitchell added.

“The right side of the highway will never agree with the right side, I guarantee that, with every decision,” White said to a round of laughter.

“You don’t believe that, just read the Belle Banner,” Mitchell said, then corrected, “The Advocate. I’m sorry.”

“But you don’t want to believe everything you read in The Advocate or the Belle Banner,” White said.

“Exactly,” Mitchell agreed.

White said both women were “fine candidates.”

“It is my job by ordinance to make an appointment which the council will have a choice to pass or move on to the next one,” White said.

Howarth interrupted that it makes no difference if one of the candidates is not be selected because they can run in December.

“I am prepared to make an appointment and I want to say why I am thinking about this right now,” White said. “I come in here tonight very open-minded. I’ve known Rebecca for a while and, ah, I didn’t know you (Williams), ah, very well, and I hope to get to know you better. But one of our main concerns we’ve had going on for the past few months is some of the Sunshine issues. It sounds to me by your background that you might be able to help us with that. I noticed in the meeting the other night when some of the issues we had going on, that you could nod with it so I could tell that you had somewhat of an opinion and I can tell that Rebecca has an opinion. I think that both of you would be an asset to this council so it is a very, very, very hard decision and I am thankful that there are already three people here so I don’t have to vote on anything. So I am just going to throw it out there and let you all decide. I am leaning towards caution on the Sunshine stuff so I will start with the appointment of Emily. Does anyone have a thought or motion?”

Padgett made the motion and Mitchell seconded to appoint Williams to the board, which passed with a 3-0 vote.

White said they could swear Williams in immediately. Withouse congratulated Williams on her appointment and excused herself to attend a prior commitment.

The board waited to swear in Williams before continuing on with the agenda.