Important information every voter should know.

Ozark Technical College instructor Jeff Wisdom has announced his candidacy for District 1 Associate Commissioner of Greene County.

From Wisdom's press release:

Springfield, MO, Wednesday, March 14 - Jeff Wisdom, Republican candidate for Greene County Associate Commissioner, issued the following statement this afternoon:

Today, I have filed to run for Greene County Associate Commissioner in District 1, which encompasses the communities of Battlefield, Republic, Willard, and Ash Grove, in addition to western precincts of Springfield. I will challenge the incumbent associate commissioner for the Republican nomination in the August primary election...

I hold undergraduate degrees in political science and economics, along with graduate degrees in economics and education. I have served in various capacities within higher education for two decades, teaching economics at the college level for the past sixteen years. I am currently an instructor on the Springfield campus of Ozarks Technical Community College....In the next few months, I look forward to the opportunity of visiting with Greene County voters to outline my vision for a stronger and safer community.

OTC Employee Handbook Section 2.49, page 21:
3.43 POLITICAL ACTIVITY OF EMPLOYEES

As an individual, each employee retains all the rights and obligations of citizenship provided in the Constitution and laws of the state of Missouri and the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.

However, no employee shall:

A. Take any active part in managing a campaign, or campaign for political office or otherwise engage in political activity while on duty or within any period of time during which he/she is expected to perform services for which he receives compensation from the College;

B. Otherwise use the authority of his/her position or utilize College funds, supplies, or vehicles to secure support for or oppose any candidate, party, or issue in a partisan election involving candidates for office or party nominations, or affect the results thereof;

C. Use any promise or personal preferential treatment or threat of loss to encourage or coerce any employee to support or contribute to any political issue, candidate, or party;

D. Take part in the management of the campaign for the election or defeat of candidates for the Board of Trustees.

Will Wisdom give up his instructor's position at OTC to campaign for Associate Commissioner? One reading of OTC policy seems to indicate he can't run (remember Cliff Davis'1998 house campaign). The other reading seems to be that Wisdom is free to do what he wants outside of his class hours and posted office hours.

Hey! What about the other candidate for the other Associate Commissioner spot- Steve Helms. Will he give up the Circuit Clerk position to campaign for Associate Commissioner?

I am veteran, not only of the Army, but also of state and county political campaigns. I know first hand the amount of time, energy and money it takes to run for office.

The idea that a person can do justice to a full time job while campaigning successfully is laughable.