Ayres gets Republican bid

Nita Jane Ayres

By Mindy Honey
Society Editor
Originally published Sept. 23, 2009

KIMBERLING CITY — Nita Jane Ayres was selected Saturday as the Republican nominee to run for the 62nd District state representative seat in the Feb. 2, 2010, special election.

Earlier this month, State Rep. Dennis Wood stepped down from the position and was appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon to fill the Stone County presiding commissioner seat.

On Saturday, the local Republican committee gathered at the Kimberling City Community Center and selected Ayres.

“She will make an excellent state representative,” said Layne Morrill, chairman of the Republican committee.

He said Ayres has been active in the Table Rock Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and throughout the community. He said he was “very pleased” with the selection.

She was selected from a pool of seven interested candidates, which included Kimberling City Mayor Jason Hulliung, former Taney County Commissioner Ron Herschend, business owner Jeff Justus, Stone County Planning & Zoning Board Member Jeff Sims, Stone County Emergency Management Director Tom Martin and Nixa E-911 Dispatch Supervisor Mike Bashford.

“I have a passion to serve my community and make this a better place to live,” Ayres said.

Ayres in currently a Realtor with Tri-Lakes Realtors. She serves as the treasurer, secretary and director for Yocum Silver Mines, Inc. She is also a board member and the audit committee chairwoman for Metropolitan National Bank.

Her current community service involvement includes the Table Rock Lake Community Foundation, Stone County Tax Increment Financing Commission, Branson West Business Association, Skaggs Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees and Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors.

In the past, Ayres has served on the Table Rock Lake Area Chamber of Commerce board, the Stone County Economic Development Board, Branson West Board of Aldermen, Branson West Planning & Zoning Commission, as well many other area boards and committees.

The Democratic 62nd Legislative Committee is also preparing to nominate a candidate for the February election.

The committee will hold a meeting Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. at Branson West City Hall. The committee will consist of members from both the Stone and Taney counties democratic central committees. During the meeting, they will be voting for a candidate.

A release from the committees states that all local Democrats are urged to attend. Democrats in the 62nd District who are interested in becoming the Democrats’ candidate should plan to attend the meeting. For more information or for candidate qualifications, contact Sherie Snider at 417-739-2078 or e-mail stonecountydems@gmail.com.

Patty Tweedle has been appointed chairman of the nominating committee to select a Libertarian candidate to run in the special election. Tweedle said she is working toward organizing a meeting to select a nominee.