Showing the bi-partisan love, St. Louis Democrat Senator Jeff Smith today announced the Senate approval of Gov. Matt Blunt’s appointment of Republican and former St. Louis School Board member James Buford to the state Human Rights Commission.

Jefferson City — Sen. Jeff Smith, D-St. Louis, today announced that the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee and the full Senate have approved the nomination of James H. Buford of St. Louis to the Missouri Commission on Human Rights.

Buford, the president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis since 1985, joins the seven-member commission, which develops, recommends and implements ways to prevent and eliminate discrimination in employment, public accommodations and housing.

“I cannot think of a better candidate than James Buford for the Missouri Commission on Human Rights,” Sen. Smith said. “He is a longtime advocate for social and economic parity and has demonstrated remarkable skill as a force for racial unity in the St. Louis metropolitan region.”

Buford currently chairs the St. Louis Connectcare Board and serves on the executive board of the St. Louis Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the board of Downtown St. Louis Partnership, Fair St. Louis, and the St. Louis Science Center.

On the state level, Buford was appointed to the St. Louis Public School Board in 2005. He also was previously appointed as secretary of the St. Louis County Board of Elections by the late Governor Mel Carnahan. His numerous awards and honors include the 2005 Mentor St. Louis Award, the Whitney M. Young Award from the Boy Scouts, the St. Louis Community College Distinguished Alumni Award and the Brotherhood-Sisterhood Award presented by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

A graduate of Elizabeth College in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, with a degree in human services administration, Buford also holds honorary doctorate of humane letters degrees from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Webster University and Harris-Stowe State University, both in St. Louis.

“James Buford works tirelessly to promote the St. Louis community, to provide hope and opportunities for young people and is a wonderful public servant whom I greatly admire,” Sen. Smith said. “I look forward to his service on the commission and know the citizens of Missouri will benefit from his knowledge and experience.”

Gov. Matt Blunt today issued the following statement on Senate Confirmation of Larry Schepker:

“I commend the Missouri Senate for working quickly and in a bipartisan fashion to confirm my appointment of Larry Schepker as Commissioner of the Office of Administration. The Commissioner has many important duties in the operation of state government, and I appreciate that Larry Schepker has the confidence of the legislature to ensure there is no interruption of important state business and service following the sad loss of Mike Keathley.

“Larry Schepker has been one of the keys over the past three years in answering my call to ensure that our state is in a strong financial position. I know his leadership at the Office of Administration will help ensure that our state will continue to thrive and that we have a state government that continues to operate efficiently and within its means.”

State Senator Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis City) today voted against the reappointment of Peter Herschend of Branson to the State Board of Education. Coleman spoke against the nomination for more than 40 minutes in committee Wednesday and for nearly an hour on the Senate floor today before he was eventually confirmed by the Republican-controlled senate.She released this statement afterwards:

“In the committee hearing yesterday, Mr. Herschend told me I should be embarrassed of my school district,” Sen. Coleman said. “I think Mr. Herschend should be embarrassed that he has decided to play politics with the children of my district. He should be embarrassed that he callously disenfranchised the citizens of my district by turning control of the St. Louis School District over to the state.”In March 2007, the St. Louis Public Schools lost their accreditation when the State Board of Education voted 5-1 to rescind the accreditation after concluding that the district had met only four of the state’s 14 academic performance measures. Peter Herschend was serving as President of the State Board of Education when the decision to strip the school district of local control was made.At the time the state board voted to classify the St. Louis Public Schools as unaccredited, several other school districts possessed 2006 Annual Performance Review ratings that were equal to or below the scores assigned to the St. Louis City School District.“It makes me wonder why Mr. Herschend has taken no action to reclassify other low-performing school districts,” Sen. Coleman said. “There seems to be no apprehension by Mr. Herschend or the Board that they are disenfranchising the voters of a predominantly black city. We are still forced to pay taxes, so we have taxation without representation.”Additionally, Sen. Coleman expressed reservations about any person serving such a lengthy term on a state board or commission. Peter Herschend has served on the State Board of Education for 16 years, and with his confirmation by the Senate today, will serve another eight years on the board.“Is it a good idea to allow anyone to sit on what is arguably the most important board in state government for 24 years?” Sen. Coleman asked her colleagues on the Senate floor today.“If someone were to serve the maximum amount of time in the General Assembly, they could only serve 16 years. If the citizens of Missouri think it’s a good idea to limit the terms of their elected representatives, surely the length of service of an unelected official should be limited as well, especially one who wields so much influence over our children’s education.”   

Members of the Missouri Senate affirmed the reappointment of Herschend to the State Board of Education today on a voice vote.

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In the middle of all this Super Tuesday excitement, the Missouri Senate confirmed the appointment of St. Louis Public Schools czar Rick Sullivan.

Governor Matt Blunt, who appointed the real estate developer to lead the largest school district in the state, had this to say:

“Education is my highest priority as Missouri’s governor and I appreciate the bipartisan support Rick Sullivan received today by the Senate.

“Rick is an honorable public servant whose strong leadership is making a difference for our students attending St. Louis Public Schools at a time when our children and parents need strong leaders who care deeply about the future of these students.

“Rick is already succeeding in this role and I am confident he will continue rising to the challenges facing the St. Louis Transitional School Board to ensure that students in the St. Louis Public Schools receive the world class education they deserve.”

Gov. Matt Blunt has appointed Todd H. Epsten to the St. Louis City Board of Police Commissioners.

“Todd Epsten has made tremendous contributions to the St. Louis area and to the State of Missouri, and I am pleased he has agreed to serve the city and our state in this important position,” Gov. Blunt said.

Mr. Epsten, 47 of St. Louis, is the Chief Executive Officer of Major Brands, Inc., Missouri’s largest wine and spirits distributor. Epsten holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from American University in Washington, DC. He lives in St. Louis with his wife, Susan McCollum, and his sons, Michael and Brian. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending January 31, 2012. He replaces Jo Ann Freeman, whose term expired.

The St. Louis City Board of Police Commissioners is responsible for operation of the St. Louis Police Department. The commissioners set policy, determine promotions and work with the chief of police in providing public safety services to the citizens of St. Louis.

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For the second time, State Senator Jeff Smith has decided not to support Gov. Matt Blunt’s appointment to the state board of education.

“As I noted when his appointment was first announced, Derio Gambaro has been a dedicated public servant for a decade, from his tenure in the state House to his work on the Election Board. He continued this work as a diligent and thorough member of the State Board of Education.

“However, given the specificity with which I outlined my opposition to the governor’s earlier appointee from the 4th District, I was disappointed that the administration chose the same path. These appointees have vocally supported school vouchers and the consideration of religious theories of human origin in public school settings. While I continue to support public school choice, I fear that the aforementioned positions may breach the separation of church and state, and I cannot sponsor nominees who advocate them.

“I thank Mr. Gambaro for his service in the interim, and hope to have the opportunity to work with the governor’s office to help find a suitable replacement.”

Gambaro, a former state representative, was one of Smith’s opponents when he was elected in 2005 in a five-person race. Smith also opposed Blunt’s previous appointment to the Board of Education, Donayle Whitmore-Smith

Because Gambaro lives in Smith’s district, according to senate custom, Smith’s support is needed for Gambaro’s appointment to be confirmed by the senate.

Gambaro has served on the Board of Education since June 2007. His nomination was briefly withdrawn in August to avoid a senate vote.

State Senator Harry Kennedy (D-St. Louis) has been named to the Joint Committee on MO HealthNet.

From the press release:

Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons (R-Kirkwood) recently appointed Sen. Kennedy to this bipartisan, bicameral committee to oversee the new state healthcare program adopted by the General Assembly last year.

The Joint Committee on MO HealthNet will study the resources needed to continue improvements to the MO HealthNet program, which replaces the state Medicaid system. The committee was established in Senate Bill 577, approved by the General Assembly in 2007, as part of a wide-ranging effort to improve the delivery of healthcare services to the citizens of Missouri.

“There are a lot of good things included in SB 577 to meet the healthcare needs of Missourians who struggle to maintain healthy lives,” Sen. Kennedy said. “I want to make sure the state continues to provide the resources necessary to improve and expand MO HealthNet so that all citizens can receive quality healthcare. There are still too many Missourians who must choose between putting food on the table or getting the healthcare they need.”

“MO HealthNet is a start in addressing some of the problems in our healthcare system, but we can’t rest on our laurels and say we’ve fixed those problems by passing SB 577,” said Kennedy.

“We’ll have to continue to make changes to the system to ensure that all Missourians have access to quality healthcare services. I’m glad I’ll be in a position to recommend some of those needed improvements as a member of the Joint Committee on MO HealthNet.”

The Appellate Judicial Commission has submitted to Gov. Matt Blunt its panel of nominees to fill a vacancy on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District. The vacancy exists due to the Sept. 11, 2007, retirement of Judge Phillip R. Garrison, who had served on the Southern District since 1992.

There were 20 applicants for the vacancy. Of these, there was 1 women and 19 men; they were all non-minorities; and there were 9 who work in the private sector and 11 who work in the public sector. The applicants’ median age was 51.

In alphabetical order, the panel consists of M. Susan Appelquist; the Honorable Don
Burrell, Jr.; and W. Edward Reeves.

Appelquist is a sole practitioner with the Appelquist Law Offices in Mt. Vernon, Mo., and Springfield, Mo. She was born July 28, 1954, in Springfield. She received a bachelor of science degree in education, magna cum laude, with a major in English, in 1976, and her law degree in 1979, both from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Burrell is the presiding judge on the 31st Judicial Circuit. He was born Dec. 4, 1960, in Springfield, Mo. He received his bachelor of science in finance, magna cum laude, in 1982, from Missouri State University, formerly known as Southwest Missouri State University. He received his law degree in 1991, from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Burrell lives in Strafford.

Reeves is a partner in the Caruthersville, Mo., law firm of Ward & Reeves. He was born August 1, 1960, in St. Louis. He received a bachelor of arts degree, summa cum laude, in 1983, and his law degree, cum laude, in 1986, both from the University of Missouri-Columbia. During law school he was inducted into the Order of the Coif. He lives in Caruthersville.

Blunt has 60 days to select one member of the panel to fill the vacancy. If the governor should fail to do so, the Missouri Constitution directs the commission to make the appointment.

After the resignation of Ed Martin, Governor Matt Blunt today announced that he has selected Patricia “Trish” Vincent to serve as his new Chief of Staff.

The press release:

“Trish is a competent administrator and a dedicated public servant,” Blunt said. “She has tremendous experience and she knows how to lead and manage people. In her new role as Chief of Staff, Trish will be charged with managing my office, staff and cabinet and helping me move Missouri forward. Specifically, I am directing Trish to continue moving us forward on my priorities for education, job creation, implementing my plan to cover Missouri’s uninsured, fighting illegal immigration to make up for Washington’s failure to act and making state government even more efficient and accountable to taxpayers.”

Vincent, 53 of Jefferson City, currently serves in Gov. Blunt’s Cabinet as the Director of the Department of Revenue where she has served since the beginning of the governor’s administration. As director, Vincent answered the governor’s call to make state government do more with less, to produce savings for taxpayers, all while improving customer service for Missourians.

As director, Vincent managed and oversaw the department’s budget and employees. Vincent also worked closely with the General Assembly in representation of the department’s budget and to advocate for legislative changes.

Under her leadership the Department of Revenue collected over $30 million in unpaid taxes to the state with the department’s new tax compliance data warehouse. Vincent helped improve customer service by extending regular business hours at the agency for Missouri customers. The new Internet site she worked to implement, www.whoisnotpaying.mo.gov, is holding accountable businesses that are behind in sales and withholding taxes. And Missourians are saving over $1 million annually in postage and printing for driver’s license renewals and motor vehicle registrations.

Prior to her service in the governor’s Cabinet, Vincent served as Deputy Secretary of State for business services when the governor served as Secretary of State. As deputy secretary of state Vincent managed the Business Services Department, which includes three Divisions: Corporations, Uniform Commercial Code and Commissions, and
Branch Offices for Corporations located in St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield.

In the Secretary of State’s office, she implemented several new technological improvements, including allowing Missouri’s entrepreneurs and employers to conduct business with the office online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Vincent also served as the In-State Director and District Office Director for former United States Senator John Ashcroft.

“It has been an honor serving in Governor Blunt’s Cabinet and I am excited about taking on this new challenge as his Chief of Staff,” Vincent said. “Governor Blunt has turned the state’s economy around with pro-growth, pro-jobs initiatives that have helped turn the $1.1 billion deficit he inherited into two surpluses in a row. He has kept his promise to increase funding for education every year he has served as governor. He rescued the state’s health care system for the poor. And he cut taxes for Missourians. Governor Blunt has the right vision for our state and I am looking forward to this opportunity to serve and help him make Missouri an even better place to live, work and
raise a family.”

Vincent commended the work of outgoing Chief of Staff Ed Martin who helped the governor achieve his priorities for education, health care and tax cuts during the last legislative session, helped enact an important job-creation bill and transportation infrastructure legislation during the special session and helped implement the governor’s directives to fight illegal immigration in Missouri. Martin will assist Vincent during the transition.

Vincent will begin her new duties immediately. Trish and her husband Larry live in Jefferson City and have two daughters.

Governor Matt Blunt today re-appointed Republican Peter Herschend to the Missouri Board of Education. The Branson native is co-founder of Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation, owner of Silver Dollar City theme park, and already serves previously served as president of the Board of Education.