Candidates File for Brentwood Board of Aldermen, School Board

Right after the clock hit 5 p.m. on Tuesday—and after city clerk Shelly Williams locked up for the day—Mayor Pat Kelly and Fourth Ward Alderman Tom Kramer shook hands in and congratulated each other.

The filing period closed on Tuesday for residents interested in running for election on the Brentwood Board of Aldermen or the Brentwood Board of Education. No one filed to run against Kelly or Kramer. Both incumbents are essentially guaranteed a win in April's election.

Of the five municipal positions open for election in April, only two will be contested.

Brandon Wegge will challenge incumbent Lee Wynn as second ward alderman. Wegge, a resident of Brentwood for nine years, stated in an e-mail to Maplewood-Brentwood Patch that he hopes to identify a solution for the , support efforts to increase the business presence on Manchester Road and add a city dog park. In a letter to , Wynn wrote he thinks the city should address traffic flow and parking issues and find ways to upgrade the Manchester Road corridor.

In the judicial election, Patrick Dignam will challenge incumbent Ron Hill, who's worked as the Brentwood municipal judge for 34 years. First Ward Alderman Anthony Harper and Third Ward Alderman Keith Robertson will run unopposed.

Previous candidates were elected to two-year terms, but the board approved extending aldermanic, mayoral and judicial terms from two to four years starting with the April 2011 election.

Four positions are up for election on the Brentwood Board of Education: three three-year terms and one one-year term. 

Five people filed to run for a three-year term on the board (in order of date of filing):

• Keith Rabenberg
• Joe Hembree
• Johanna Winfield Berken
• Daniel Williams
• Michelle Hassemer

Three people filed to run for the only one-year term (in order of filing):

• Katrina Harper
• Katrina Sommer
• Stephen Moelm

Rabenberg, Hembree, Berken and Harper are all current school board members. A one-year term is available because Katrina Harper was temporarily appointed to the position by the school board following the death of former board member Bill Lynch. This will mark the final year of that term which originally began two years ago.

The date of the election is set for April 5, 2011.

Editor's note: What issues do you think the aldermen and school board members should focus on? What's important to you? and we'll share your thoughts with the community.