Legislative Column for March 29, 2019
Public service takes many forms. While some of us seek elected office, others step forward to contribute their knowledge, experience and leadership to the various boards and commissions that oversee industries, professions and educational institutions in Missouri.
In Missouri, most of the positions on state boards and commissions are filled by people appointed by the governor. The Missouri Senate has the responsibility of reviewing the governor’s selections. Before a nominee appears before the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee, the Senator who represents the citizen is asked to support the selection and sponsor the individual.
The 33rd Senatorial District is well-represented on several of the state’s boards and commissions, with a number of impressive citizens appointed to serve. This past week, I was honored to present two distinguished residents of the district to the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee. I expect both of these fine individuals to receive final confirmation from the full Senate in the coming days.
Mary Sheid of West Plains was nominated to the State Board of Education. The owner and executive operator of Physical Therapy Specialists, Sheid served on the Missouri State University Board of Governors from 2002-2011. She also is past president of the Southern Ozarks Alliance for Rural Development and has served on the board of the Missouri Physical Therapy Association and the State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts.
Pending final approval from the full Senate, Dr. Scott Ream will serve as a member of the Missouri State Board of Optometry. Ream will fill one of five seats reserved for licensed optometrists on the six-member board. In addition to treating patients in Thayer and West Plains, Ream has led 35 mission trips overseas to provide eye care and eyeglasses to needy patients in developing countries.
Earlier in the 2019 legislative session, I had the opportunity to sponsor Michael Frazier of Marshfield as he was named to the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council.
These three individuals are just the latest of our neighbors to lend their talents and expertise to the administration of public bodies. They are clearly not the only ones. During the past few years, a number of residents from the 33rd Senatorial District have been appointed to positions of state leadership and to serve on public boards and commissions.
Michael Pace of West Plains was recently named chairman of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. Originally appointed to the commission in 2015, Pace is a retired brigadier general in the Army National Guard and served 33 years in the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Missouri’s State Fire Marshall is J. Tim Bean. Previously the fire chief of West Plains, Bean was appointed to his current position in 2017.
Carol Silvey of West Plains is a member of the Missouri State University Board of Governors. Her association with the university began much earlier, as she earned a degree there, taught history at the West Plains campus from 1968 to 1991 and later served as director of development for the campus.
Residents of the 33rd District who were confirmed to appointments in 2018 include Stan Coday of Mansfield, who was named to Missouri’s Clean Water Commission; Mountain Grove resident Ron Darrah, who serves on the State Board of Accountancy; Gary Fraker, Marshfield, a member of the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors; and Kristen Tuohy of Rogersville, who serves on one of six Child Abuse and Neglect Review Boards in Missouri.
Other currently serving members of boards and commissions include West Plains-area resident Mark Garnett, who is a member of the Missouri Air Conservation Commission; and Michelle Miller, also of West Plains, a Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board member.
Officially, Dr. David Gourley’s appointment to the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board has expired, but the Mountain Grove-area veterinarian has graciously agreed to serve until a replacement is named. Although not currently appointed to state boards, two other district residents deserve mention for their prior service. Former state Rep. Maynard Wallace of Thornfield previously served on the State Board of Education and Houston-area resident Dean Aye held a seat on the Missouri State Foster Care and Adoption Board.
These outstanding residents of your senatorial district are proof that there is a role for citizens in the administration of state government. For a complete listing of boards and commissions, as well as information about applying for a position, log onto https://boards.mo.gov. Or, for more information, contact my office in Jefferson City for assistance.
As always, I appreciate it when groups from around Missouri and from our community back home come to visit me at the Capitol. If you would like to arrange a time to come and visit me in Jefferson City, or if you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact my Capitol office at (573) 751-1882.