Aldermanic Races Set as Filing Period Closes in Brentwood

The filing period for residents interested in seats on the Brentwood boards of aldermen and education, and the Maplewood Richmond Heights Board of Education, closed on Tuesday evening.

That means the ballots for the April election have basically been set.

Brentwood Board of Aldermen

While four seats on the Brentwood Board of Aldermen are up for election, only two of those are contested. Each seat carries a four-year term.

In Ward 4, three candidates have filed for one seat.

Patrick Toohey, 35, lives on Oriole Lane and works as a financial advisor at Wells Fargo.

Toohey is a first-time filer who entered the contest because of his background in financial and operation audits.

"I am filing due to the lack of financial oversight in the City of Brentwood," Toohey stated in an email to Patch. "I have a professional experience in designing and implementing processes for financial oversight."

He'll run against Gary S. Bierman, another challenger, and incumbent Lorraine Krewson, who .

Bierman, 69, served as an alderman in the 1980s but hopes to return to add oversight to the city, he said. Bierman lives on West Swan Circle and is a retired homebuilder.  He serves as president of the board of managers in the Brentwood Forest Condominiums.

Krewson, 81, seeks her fourth term as a Ward 4 alderwoman. She said her job isn't done yet.

"There are so many issues that aren't quite solved," said Krewson, who lives on Peacock Lane. She previously worked for the city for 30 years and retired about 10 years ago.

Ward 1 is the other contested race in Brentwood.

James Bischoff filed on Tuesday afternoon. He works with his brother-in-law at a contracting supply company in Maryland Heights called Tramelli Industrial Products.

Bischoff said he filed because he wanted to help the city.

"I don't have an agenda," he said. "This is an opportunity to serve Brentwood."

Bischoff, 44, lives with his wife and three kids on White Avenue.

He'll face Maureen Saunders and Mike Daming, who both live on Parkridge Avenue.

Saunders, 50, has been a in recent months and led to get Brentwood's books audited by the state.

Saunders works as a bookkeeper for different companies and said she wants to use her accounting background to help the city.

Daming, 33, works as an attorney for the Wasinger Law Group, whose clients include different cities.

Daming said the board could use someone with his expertise. He serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission and is president of the .

After a collective 19 years as Ward 1 alderwoman, incumbent Barb Clements announced she wouldn't run again in 2012.

In Ward 2, newcomer Cindy Manestar was the only candidate to file. Manestar, 46, lives on Rosalie Avenue.

Incumbent Ward 2 Alderman Mike Marshall said he won't seek re-election in April.

Incumbent Andy Leahy remained the only candidate to file in Ward 3. Leahy, 57, has been an alderman since 2001.

Brentwood Board of Education

Katrina Harper and Katrina Sommer have both filed for seats on the Brentwood Board of Education.

Both candidates ran in last April's election too, when Harper was .

Two three-year terms are up for election, including the seat of incumbent Kathy Glowski, who said she won't seek re-election in April.

Maplewood Richmond Heights Board of Education

No challengers filed to run against the three incumbents on the Maplewood Richmond Heights Board of Education. Lamar Agard, Francis Chmelir and Ralph Posley were the only candidates to file for re-election.