Interview with Cheri Toalson Reisch, candidate for Boone County Northern District commissioner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Cheri Toalson Reisch is a Republican seeking election to be Boone County's Northern District commissioner, a seat currently held by multi-term incumbent Democrat Janet Thompson.
The Northern District, also known as District II, represents the northern and a portion of the eastern part of Boone County. Reisch's experience includes four terms in the Missouri House and work in the Hallsville city government.
Meghan Drakas: So to start off, easier question, who is Cheri Toalson Reisch?
Toalson Reisch: Well, I am a 42-year public servant here in Boone County, seventh generation. My Toalson family came here in 1815. We helped found MU in 1839. Brown School Road is named after my fourth great-grandpa. And so my roots go very deep here. I'm totally vested in MU and the Boone County community.
Drakas: And what is the importance of having a county commission?
Toalson Reisch: So the county commission's roles, we're not a charter form of government. We are authorized to do what we are allowed to do under state statutes. And I'm just finishing up a term as eight-year state representative from here in Boone County. I was four years mayor of Hallsville prior to that, and I worked as a city clerk court administrator for 30 years before that. So really the main function of the county commission needs to be, No. 1, public safety, such as the sheriff's department, public health. No. 2 is infrastructure, such as roads.
Drakas: And speaking of some of those bigger issues for Boone County voters right now, what are you hearing from voters that they really would like you to pay attention to if elected?
Toalson Reisch: So, No. 1, in my eight years as state representative, I would get a lot of calls, emails and face-to-face from the public on county issues, complaints and concerns. And I would have to tell them I'm sorry, that's outside my purview. You have to go to your county commission for help. And a lot of it had to do with roads, gravel roads, snow removal during winter, etc. We are all concerned. And just remember, Columbia proper is in Boone County. So what happens in Columbia happens within Boone County, whether it's crime, the shootings, the homeless problem. And so the county commission and the city government, non-municipal governments within the county have to work together.
Drakas: And I know public safety is a huge topic for voters. You just brought that up. Something also that you discussed would announcing your run for commissioner. What would you like to accomplish specifically with public safety if elected?
Toalson Reisch: So, you know, with the crime and it as it currently is, I think our sheriff, Dwayne Carey, is doing a wonderful job. He's been sheriff 20 years, and I've known him before he was sheriff for probably close to 30 years. And I just think we need more resources, more deputies on the road, more road deputies, more cars. You know, keep looking on what we can do to work together with City of Columbia police or, you know, to help solve a lot. But I think they're doing a wonderful job. We just want to give them anything they need and the tools to do the best job they can.
Drakas: And you previously served, like you mentioned, as the mayor of Hallsville and state representative for District 44, since 2016. If elected as commissioner, how do you think this prior experience will help you in that position?
Toalson Reisch: Well, I think it's tremendous. I mean, I've been dealing with constituents' questions, concerns. A lot of my legislation has come from citizens seeing a need for something and proposing it. You know, we don't know or see everything and that's why we have to listen to the people that we represent. I think being mayor, you know, I've been a taxpayer watchdog and one of the things with the recent whistleblower complaint to the Missouri state auditor, the whistleblower came to myself, Dustin Stanton and Sam Turner.
And, you know, we've taken in about $100 million to pay for a $23 million 911 center. And that's concerning. When I was mayor in Hallsville, we had the lowest sales tax. And Boone County, unfortunately, they've had three sales tax increases since I left. But my four years as mayor, we rolled back and lowered property taxes. And I have been doing the petition to freeze seniors' property taxes fully because this county commission, I'll just say, lied, misled. And in the dark of night, passed a partial freeze and it was very misleading. And so I'm going to put it back on the April ballot. The people will pass it. And I could talk all day about that, but I won't.
Drakas: And why do you think you are the better choice for Boone County voters compared to your opponent who has held that position since 2013?
Toalson Reisch: Well, I get a lot of complaints from county residents. We have a big homeless camp between Hallsville and Columbia now. I hear of people that they're not being listened to. Their concerns are not being addressed. You know, they don't reply back to them, their phone calls, their emails. And I've had a part-time legislative assistant in the last eight years. I like to return my own phone calls and my own emails whenever possible. And, you know, I can't solve the world's problems, but there are things that I can do and again, it comes from the people and what they would like to see. And that's less crime, better roads primarily.
Drakas: And you brought up the homeless population for Boone County that has actually doubled. It's around 450 currently from a year prior. What do you think, what kind of ideas do you think the community needs to solve that issue?
Toalson Reisch: Well, of course, a lot of it is either mental issues or drug and alcohol issues. I always wonder, where is their family? And so I run a law firm in Downtown Columbia and a lot of the homeless, you know, kind of camp out down there, walk by, and I interact with them. I talk to them. I always ask them, "Where are you from?" They're not from Boone County. They're not from Columbia. Most are not even from Missouri. I get answers like Arizona, Chicago, Nebraska. They're flocking here due to our liberal policies and the trash and all our city parks and all these homeless camps.
We passed a law that homeless camps could not be on state property now because it was in an omnibus bill, the Missouri Supreme Court threw that out. But during that time, I did help clean up homeless camps. And I have a habit of picking up litter along our highways. I've a landfill that all of the area trash goes to in north Columbia in my district. So I'm very conscientious of many things that we need to do to help these people.
Drakas: Do you have any specific options in mind for specifically solving or improving that homeless situation?
Toalson Reisch: So I've even talked with John Trapp, works with the homeless population, and I have his number. We've spoken and again, a lot of it with the mental issues. These people need guardianships. They need to maybe be put into facilities for help and the drug and alcohol issues, you know, they're going to have to choose. You know, you can't force someone to get off drugs, but maybe if they need to be in a drug treatment program, we have a great, at the court level drug treatment programs. And but they choose not to you know, they they sometimes choose to live the way they're living. And other times, where's their family? Where's their friends? I've had five homeless families in my own home. These particular people needed a hand-up, not a lifelong handout. And I gave them that. I gave them the support of what they needed to get back on their feet.
Drakas: And I would say, is there anything else that you would like to share with voters?
Toalson Reisch: "Well, Janet Thompson herself has said that there's more she wants to get done. And here's my answer. You've had 12 years to get it done, and we don't have term limits at the commission level. But I tell you what, if you haven't got it done in 12 years, you need to go home and let me get it done, because you go into the House or the Senate, eight-year term limit and, you know, if you want somebody to get something accomplished, you need to get it done and you need to get it done now.
