Wood new commissioner

Newly appointed Stone County Presiding Commissioner Dennis Wood addresses a crowd of more than 130 people after being sworn in Thursday in Galena.

By Mindy Honey
& Joshua Clark

State Rep. Dennis Wood was sworn in as the new Stone County presiding commissioner on Thursday afternoon in Galena, filling a spot vacant since George Cutbirth stepped down in July.

“I’m glad to be back home, and I am very much looking forward to this, with much fear and trembling,” said Wood, of Kimberling City. “I could write a book about state government, but I don’t think I could do a theme paper on what I know about local government.”

Wood has served as a state representative for the past seven years and had one year remaining before he would have reached the term limit.

Wood was appointed to the presiding commissioner position by Gov. Jay Nixon.

Since Cutbirth stepped down, the Southern Stone County commissioner, Jerry Dodd, has been filling in. Dodd said it is a relief to not only have someone in the position, but for the position to be filled by Wood.

“Dennis has been a friend of mine for many years,” Dodd said. “I’m looking forward to working with him. He has a lot of ties that are going to help us, I believe.”

But, not everyone is happy to have Wood, a Republican, in office.

Longtime Democrat and former Kimberling City Mayor Betty Kowalewich said she has nothing against Wood, in fact she really likes him, but she believes Nixon made a mistake.

“I think the governor should have appointed a Democrat,” she said. “He has made a laughing stock out of the whole Democratic party in Stone County. A Republican governor would never put a Democrat in office. Nothing against Dennis, but he is a Republican.”

She said both parties need to be represented at the Stone County Courthouse.

“This was the only chance a Democrat had to break the monopoly in the Stone County Courthouse,” Kowalewich said.

She said she has already sent a letter to the governor voicing her opposition. She said she was “pretty disgusted” with the situation.

Former colleague State Rep. Maynard Wallace was happy for Wood.

“He is going to do great because he cares about the community,” Wallace said. “He is intelligent, he works hard and most importantly, he cares.”

Wood said he has always intended to enter Stone County politics eventually.

“I always wanted to get into county government after my term was up,” he said. “When this position came available, it just happened a year sooner than I thought it would.”

Wood is planning on running for re-election in November.