Two seats open for Bonne Terre Council

Lee Roy Calvert is seeking another term on the Bonne Terre City Council for Ward I.

When contacted for this story, the other Ward I candidate, Kevin Andres told the Daily Journal he has decided to withdraw from the race because he doesn’t believe he has enough time to devote to the position. He said he would put his support behind Calvert.

In Ward III, incumbent Cindy Driemeier is being challenged by Stan Janis.

Both terms are for two years.

Ward I

Lee Roy Calvert

Calvert and his wife, Joyce, have two sons, Doug and Jeff, and one grandchild. They have been married 40 years.

Calvert has lived in Bonne Terre all of his life except for the time he spent in the Navy. He served in the Navy from June 1961 to October 1964.

Calvert is semi-retired from Coca Cola. He has worked there for 25 years. He also volunteers as an auxiliary police officer.

Calvert was appointed to the council in December of 2006 and has been on the council ever since. He had already previously served six years on the council. He is also currently on the St. Francois County Ambulance District Board of Directors.

Over the years, Calvert coached baseball, co-chaired Heritage Days, and was a volunteer firefighter. One of his proudest accomplishments in volunteer work was working with others to get the flags for the cemetery.

Calvert said he decided to run again because the city has accomplished much in the last few years and there are many things going on. He would like to continue to work to make Bonne Terre a better place to live.

He said infrastructure needs improvement and it is definitely a priority to get infrastructure in shape. He said they’re beginning to make progress on streets.

As far as changes, Calvert said he would like to keep working to get industry and businesses in Bonne Terre.

Ward III

Cindy Driemeier

Driemeier is running for a third term. A native of Bonne Terre, she graduated from North County High School. She is married to David and the couple has two children, Justin and Ann.

She is a member of the Bonne Terre Chamber of Commerce and is an auxiliary member of the VFW.

Driemeier worked at Flat River Glass for 13 years, and was foreman for most of that time. She worked for three years as manager of Bonne Terre’s pool before taking a job as manager at the Park Hills’ pool. She is now retired.

“I’m really excited about the new government,” Driemeier said. “We’re getting a lot more things done. I like being involved.”

She would like to see that more streets are repaved and wants to continue to make Bonne Terre a better place to live.

Stan Janis

Janis is making his second bid at public office after an unsuccessful attempt for a council seat in 2007.

A resident of the city for 20 years, Janis graduated from Bismarck High School. He attended Missouri Vocational Business College, where he studied business management and earned a certificate in computer operations.

He is a single dad with three children: Logan, Trenton and Carissa. He is branch manager of NYK Logistics, a freight brokerage company.

Janis is a member of the Bonne Terre Chamber of Commerce and several trade industry organizations. He is a volunteer coach for the city’s baseball league.

He has established a hotline, 573-206-4607 for residents to register their concerns and share their ideas for improvement.

“Bonne Terre is a great place to live and raise a family,” Janis said. “The foundation for the city is in place and now we must build on that.”

Janis wants to improve the baseball fields and keep the soccer program within city limits. He wants to foster volunteer efforts and help Bonne Terre receive grants for city projects, including sidewalk and street repairs. He also wants to see empty buildings filled with businesses, including those that will create jobs for youth.

Janis is concerned about accountability of city departments and outsourced contractors. He believes some council members represent their own interests or those of a few instead of their entire ward.

“We should feel if we don’t go to a council meeting, someone is there who shares our hopes, our dreams, and knows what we want from our city government,” he said. “I am the candidate for change and the candidate for the people. I will work hard for all the citizens of Bonne Terre and not just the city government.”