John Sellars.org

50 Years Experience..

John Sellars — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:41:24 +0000

Today I spoke to the Springfield Pachyderm Club about my candidacy for State Representative. I focused on my reasons for running and how I hope to be of service to the people of my district and the state of Missouri.
As a parent and grandparent I look to the future and want my children and grand-children to have the best possible opportunities.. To make that happen we must improve our pool of good paying jobs and strive to have the best possible education system. To accomplish these goals requires making the state the most attractive place possible for new businesses. Many factors come into play when we are trying to make things better and put more people back to work. First, we must improve our laws and regulations to make our environment attractive compared to the surrounding states. Second, we must be sure that our education system provides us with well-trained candidates for these new jobs both at the college and trade school level. Third, we must have a new vision of the types of businesses and industry that will be needed for the coming years.
One area of interest for me is the recycling industry. We in Missouri have some of the most beautiful areas on earth. To protect that beauty we must reduce our waste stream as much as possible. One of the things hampering that effort is that many of the industries that use and process recycled product are several states away from Missouri. For example, one young business owner living in the 134th has to truck his recyclables all the way to Texas or ships them to California. If we could attract some of these industries it would be of benefit to all of us in several ways. We would provide new jobs for our citizens, make it more attractive and economical to recycle, and reduce the huge volume of waste going into the ground around our state. As I closed my remarks I realized that 2012 marks the 50th year I have been working in some type of business. During that half century of gainful employment, I have seen good times and bad and have seen many different approaches to dealing with both. From those years of experience I see the common denominator of success is always hard work and a positive attitude. I promise to bring both to the job as your state representative.

Come join us

John Sellars — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:38:49 +0000

We have a big day planned for Saturday, May 19th and I need all the help I can get! As Jane and I have been traveling the 134th District, learning the boundaries, and making contact with voters in this newly formed district, we know that meeting and talking with all of you will be a daunting task. On that Saturday, we want to get as many of our supporters as possible onto the streets and into the neighborhoods of the 134th.
If you have some free time that day – either morning or afternoon – we would really appreciate your help! Send me an email or give me a call at 268-7760 for more information on our activities for the day. These next two months before the August primary will be a constant push for me to contact and talk to as many voters as possible. With your support and voice letting others know why I am the best candidate to represent the 134th is an important part of my campaign.

And so it begins….

John Sellars — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:20:26 +0000

And so it begins. Early on in the campaign to represent the people of this great city we are subjected to name calling and innuendo instead of issues and solutions. As a life-long citizen of this community, born and raised with the values of its hard working citizens, I had hoped for better. In my last campaign I spoke only of my commitment to good representation and a willingness to listen to everyone and represent their views in Jefferson City. I never spoke ill of my opponent: I only shared my vision of what our community and this great state have the potential to become.

Being a career politician is not now, nor has it ever been, on my list of career goals. But with my business background, my interests and life experiences, I am at the right stage in my life to serve you and come back home. This is the commitment I made before, and I continue to make today: to serve my constituents in a positive, intelligent way with no strings attached.

The voters rewarded my positive campaign by bringing me within one hundred votes of victory over a very popular three-term incumbent. I will continue to make that pledge to the voters of this city and especially the new 134th district. I will listen to everyone and respect each opinion or belief expressed so that I can represent everyone in a manner that will be fair and reflect the bright future we can have by working together.

A Birthday Commitment

John Sellars — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:50:48 +0000

My oldest grandson turns 11 this week and we had a party for him Monday night at his favorite restaurant. It was quite an event. Everyone in the family who could come was there. His aunts and uncles and cousins shared the exciting day and his sister was taking notes for her birthday in just a few weeks. It was a regular day for many middle class families in Missouri. As I looked around the restaurant I thought how lucky we were. There are many families in our state not nearly as lucky. We as a people need to consider them as we enjoy our own lives.
That is a big part of what I think about when someone asks me why I am running for the State House. I think about the missed opportunities for many Missourians because there are not enough jobs for everyone. Too much time is spent in Jefferson City on posturing and position-taking and not enough is spent on directing the future of our great state.
We must work together to fulfill the potential we all readily agree that we have. We must insure that all our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities that so many of us have enjoyed in the past. If you send me to Jefferson City as your representative, I commit to you that I will always have your best interests at heart and will work tirelessly to improve the opportunities for all the citizens of this great state.

A Successful Thursday

John Sellars — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 03:20:28 +0000

What an event Thursday night! We couldn’t be happier with the number of supporters and new friends who turned out for some fellowship and discussion about the campaign. Jane and I were so busy talking and listening to people that it was only when we were packing up that we realized we hadn’t take a single picture. We certainly missed David Eslick that evening!

It is so gratifying to see that many people wanting to get involved and committed to being a part of the process that keeps our country great.

We tried to make the evening as convenient as possible for everyone wanting to attend our event and the other events on Republic Road at the same time. Representative Eric Burlison and I contacted Fisk Limousines and had a shuttle bus running between his event on East Republic Road and ours on West Republic Road. Having events before the election in the 134th District is an important part of the campaign. Supporting the businesses and knowing the needs of the people who live and work in the district is essential to being able to represent you properly. Meeting with residents of the district on a regular basis will be a key framework of my plan to give each of you the best possible representation in Jefferson City. Once I am elected I will have a permanent schedule of meetings in the district to hear from you about your concerns and interests in the legislative process. Make sure and watch for announcements of coming events and attend whenever you can.

Campaign Events Begin

John Sellars — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:50:46 +0000

Tonight will be the first of many meetings and fundraisers we will be holding in the next few months before the August primary.
I always get nervous before these events. I want them to go off just right and be a pleasant experience for everyone who attends. Jane and I and our family work very hard to prepare for each one of them. Even the smallest ones can have great impact on the final outcome of the campaign.
Working at a job or in the state legislature is the same way. You must be diligent in making sure all the tasks are done the right way and on time. Even the smallest of tasks can be of great importance in the scheme of things. We must expect and demand that the people we send to Jefferson City have the desire to do the job and do it correctly. I understand what it takes to accomplish a task and do it well. I demand it of myself and I expect you to demand it of me when I am elected to be your representative. Come by and see us at Big Whiskeys on West Republic Road this evening from 5:30 till 7:30. I will post photos of the event and share some of the comments I received on the web site tomorrow.

Some Lessons Learned at Caucus

John Sellars — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 16:24:46 +0000

I have been reading the posts on all of the social media about everyone’s impressions of the caucus held yesterday. Each one of them has their own perspective based on the candidate they were supporting and his finish in the procedure. The news-media also reported the events as they saw them and seemed to emphasize the divisive nature of the process. I will admit that at times the process was contentious and emotions were on display for everyone to see. But, as I watched the day unfold I saw people giving each other respect for their opinions and not losing the basic decency and courtesy required in the process of coming to a consensus on any issue. I have to say that I was very impressed with the process and have nothing but praise for everyone that was involved. As news of disruptions at other caucuses across the state began to be heard I think that we should reflect on how well we did here in Greene County.

As we take pride in our accomplishment I also think we should also realize that our caucus has shown us some very important lessons:

IF YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING BELIEVE IN IT WHOLEHAERTEDLY AND HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION TO ACCOMPLISH IT. I am not a Ron Paul supporter but that did not stop me from being impressed with their showing yesterday. They had a plan of action and committed people willing to make it happen. They had designated leaders who they looked to for direction on every vote. The communicated using various methods to keep everyone informed of the process. In the end their hard work was reflected in the outcome of the event.

BE OPEN TO DIALOG WITH OTHERS WHO CAN HELP YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. As the day wore on the supporters of Mitt Romney realized that they could move forward as a group only by allying themselves with another group. They began to talk to the other groups and came to a consensus with the Paul supporters on a slate of representatives for the 7th District Convention next month. By forming this coalition it allowed both groups to move forward in the process and prevent the deadlock that would have occurred otherwise. Both groups gained traction by sublimating their desire for a single victory and moved both of them closer to their goal. Understanding the consequences of the situation and changing the outcome through negotiations is something we seem to have lost in our winner take all mentality.

It was good to see so many new faces at the caucus yesterday. Their energy and commitment was enjoyable to watch. I only have one concern. As the process continues I hope that everyone involved continues to work not just for their presidential candidate but also for other fine candidates at all levels of the ballot. Many hard workers will be needed to get us through this tough election.

Lincoln Day 2012

John Sellars — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 02:18:25 +0000

Lincoln Day for Greene County was held on Saturday and I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed seeing everyone and hearing the candidates for state wide office answer questions and discuss their positions on how they will work to make our future better here in Missouri. We also discussed our own campaigns and our plans for the next few months as we get to know our new districts and meet the citizens who will vote this fall. The speakers at lunch were very thought provoking and really emphasized the importance of the coming elections. Both Senator Roy Blunt and Congressman Billy Long gave informative and passionate speeches that were a great call to action.

The speech that moved me the most however was given by former Attorney General John Ashcroft. It was personal and gave me a feeling that I had really been called to action in a special way. His salient point was that our country was formed from a perspective that government would be a reflection of the opinions and ideas of the people and not the people reflecting the ideas and opinions of the government. To make this work we must have the ideas and opinions of the people represented at all levels of the government. We must make sure that we are making our opinions and interests known to our leaders and hold them accountable to govern in a way that reflects those opinions. His charge to us was to put the government back in the hands of the citizens.

We can do this by sending people to all levels of government that have experienced life, worked hard, made a living for themselves and their families and know the terrible impact of disinterested career politicians taking care of one another rather than their constituents. I will commit to you now that I will always represent the citizens of this great state from a perspective of their best interests and with an eye to our future.

Filing Day

John Sellars — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:36:59 +0000

When I left home this morning at 4:00 a.m., it was with a great feeling of anticipation. I was headed to Jefferson City to make my campaign official and begin what will be a very exciting eight months. It was still dark when I arrived at the Capitol. What a beautiful sight to see the building where the people’s business is conducted bathed in early morning light on the bluff above the Missouri River.

I met with other candidates and incumbents, saying hello to those I knew and introducing myself to several new faces in the crowd, all of us getting ready to file for candidacy in districts throughout the state. After our meeting we walked together to the Secretary of State’s office to begin the process. We were some of the first in line and everything went smoothly through the process of confirming who we were and that we were qualified to run for office. As we waited in line, I saw many people just like myself, confirming our commitment to serve the people of the State of Missouri.

Then I walked back to the Capitol and spent time watching the progress of a bill on the House floor. I spoke with Speaker Tilley and Speaker-elect Tim Jones as well as several of our local representatives before heading home to Springfield this afternoon.

Even though I returned home very tired after a long day, I couldn’t help but think about the real possibility of many more trips to Jefferson City representing the citizens of the 134th District.

The influence of men of character

John Sellars — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:15:50 +0000

In the last two weeks the community has lost three men that I have come to know well over the years. Each one of these men was a true leader in the community and in the way they led their personal life. I was honored to know each one of them and observe the way that they displayed their commitment to everything that makes this country great,

Don Wessel was a tireless worker for all types of causes and charities. He didn’t just send a check and dismiss the issue. He participated. His opinion was that if it was important enough to donate to it was important enough to be a part of. From the History Museum, local entertainment venues to his home church he worked with great energy to make sure that they were given every bit of support he could give them. He made sure that everyone knew how much he appreciated their efforts as well.

Bob Glazier worked his entire career making sure that everyone had the same opportunities he had. He worked in venues such as public television and educational television when they were in their infancy. He worked for his church on projects that benefitted people in all parts of the world. He was a tireless promoter of the place he called home, Springfield Missouri. When his working career was over he continued to be interested in making sure that everything he had worked so hard for to benefit the people of this area would be preserved for others to use.

I got to know the last of these men for the shortest time. He was a resident of the retirement community I manage and was the first resident to come and see me when I arrived. He was interested in making things the very best he could in our community from helping with the landscaping to participating in every activity. When someone was needed to help with a project Adrian Lasley was the first one I thought of. He had been a banker for most of his working career and had retired as president of the bank.

These three men were quite different in their careers but very similar in one thing. Each one of these men worked tirelessly to make things better in everything around them. I was proud to know each one of them and to learn from them as I observed how they led their lives.

As I begin to campaign for State Representative I will look to examples such as these men to guide me. I want to work tirelessly to make things better for all the citizens of our community. I hope you will give me that opportunity by sending me to Jefferson City as your representative.