Four First Ward Candidates Make Their Case to Sedalia Council

Candidates vying for an open seat on the Sedalia City Council answered numerous questions Thursday night during a public forum at the Municipal Building, 200 South Osage Avenue.

City council members were joined by a handful of residents to hear four candidates – two men and two women – explain their reasons for wanting to serve on the Council to fill out the unexpired term of former First Ward Councilman Tom Oldham, who abruptly resigned his position April 24 after “serious allegations” were leveled against him.

The evening will begin with a Special Session of the Sedalia City Council from 5:30 to 6 p.m., concerning a car show being held in downtown Sedalia that still needed the proper permits to hold “Cav’s Sole Pursuit” on Saturday.

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City Council then held public interviews for First Ward candidates at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers.

The event was moderated by Sedalia Mayor Andrew Dawson.

Community Engagement Director Jessica Hoffman organized the appearance of the candidates, who were staged just outside the Council Chambers. Each candidate entered the chambers as their name was called by the Mayor.

The event was also livestreamed by the City.

The candidates included: Cheryl Ames, Virginia Kaye Brainard, Jason Michael Joy and Adam Porter in that order.

A total of 17 questions were submitted in advance to all four First Ward candidates, most of whom had their answers already typed up to deliver in response to questions from the committee, various department heads and the community.

The entire candidate forum lasted 84 minutes, and was sparely attended, with several empty seats available.

Council members were provided score sheets to keep track of their thoughts on each candidate. Mayor Dawson said a winner will be announced in the coming days.

In the top photo, Adam Porter, one of four candidates who came forward to fill the unexpired term of former First Ward Councilman Tom Oldham, answers questions posed to him by Sedalia Mayor Andrew Dawson Monday night at the Sedalia Municipal Building, 2nd and Osage, as other Council members listen.