4 certified as council candidates

Dec. 26—Four residents so far have been certified to be candidates in the April election for seats on the Joplin City Council.

Four seats are to be filled April 2, two general seats and those in zones 2 and 3.

Incumbent Keenan Cortez is certified for an election bid for his general seat. Another general seat holder, Christina Williams, has not declared interest in reelection.

Those who have obtained petitions for candidacy for the four-year general seats are Joshua Bard, Natasha Klue-Michael and John Thomas Buck.

The incumbent in Zone 2, Charles "Chuck" Copple, also has completed gathering the required signatures of Joplin residents to run for reelection.

Veteran council member Phil Stinnett has not declared interest in running again for his Zone 3 seat by obtaining signature petitions.

William Ryan Jackson has been certified as a candidate for Zone 3, the seat currently held by Stinnett. Another resident, Steve Urie Ross, obtained petitions indicating interest in that seat as well.

Doris Carlin is certified as a candidate for the two-year term left open by the resignation of Kate Spencer from her general seat.

Others who have picked up petitions to potentially run for that unexpired two-year term are Jeffery Salem and Joe Johnson.