Former councilman, current councilman and political newcomer running for Hannibal mayor in April 8 election

HANNIBAL, Mo. — One former councilman, one current councilman and a political newcomer have filed the paperwork to run for mayor in the non-partisan general election on April 8 — former 1^st Ward councilman Darrell McCoy, current 4^th Ward councilman Charles Phillips and Jeremy Fogle.

The winner of the election will replace Barry Louderman, who opted not to run for re-election. Louderman received 1,484 votes in Ralls and Marion County in a Nov. 7, 2023, special election, outpacing Kristy Trevathan (1,246 votes) and Steve Colyar (25 votes).

McCoy was appointed in 2020 by the Hannibal City Council as the 1^st Ward councilman to fill the vacancy of James Godert, who resigned mid-term. He was then elected in April 2021 to a full three-year term in the 1^stWard. He chose not to run for re-election in May 2024 but eventually was appointed to the Hannibal Board of Works in July 2024. He has resigned from the Board of Public Works to pursue his candidacy as the mayor of Hannibal.

His professional career began as an EMT with the Marion County Ambulance District for 12 years. He also was a member of the Hannibal Fire Department for 10 years. He was the coroner for Marion County from 2010 to 2014 before becoming a conductor/engineer for the BNSF Railway. He is now a division trainmaster for BNSF, supervising approximately 100 employees and providing logistics/transportation oversight for a territory spanning from Burlington, Iowa to St. Louis.

He is a member of the Hannibal Elks Lodge No. 1198 and previously was a member of the VFW Young Men’s Association and the Hannibal Jaycees.

“My knowledge, life experiences and previous roles in the Hannibal community during the past two decades have shaped me into an ideal candidate for this challenging role,” he wrote in a statement sent to Muddy River News. “This city and local community face a myriad of very difficult issues moving forward.”

Among the issues he deemed important were:

• Re-opening of Fire Station No. 2
• Assuring the city has enough trained and compensated police and fire personnel
• Bringing more industry to the city
• Address an inadequate stormwater system
• Focus on code enforcement to help clean up the city

“We have to do better communicating with the citizens of Hannibal and focusing on the needs of those citizens, giving them ample opportunity to speak up and be heard,” he wrote.

Read more about McCoy on his Facebook campaign page. 

Fogle announced his candidacy on Dec. 17 on Facebook. He said he grew up in Hannibal and eventually listed in the U.S. Army as a helicopter mechanic. During eight years of service, he was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq and completed rotations in Kuwait and South Korea, earning the rank of sergeant and performing as a team leader by the end of his career. 

After completing his service with the Army, he attended the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, then lived briefly in Florida and Arizona before returning to Hannibal. He worked at General Mills as a mechanic and later with the Hannibal Housing Authority.

“I want to serve as mayor of Hannibal because I believe in the potential of our community,” he said in his Facebook post. “I’m not running for personal gain. I’m running because I love this town. And I’ll be honest, I’m not a seasoned politician. But I ask you to judge me not on my experience in government but on my vision for Hannibal. Together, we can ensure that Hannibal thrives while staying true to its heritage as ‘America’s Hometown.’”

He listed three goals he plans to achieve if he is elected as mayor:

• Introduction of public transportation, such as a bus route, for people who don’t have vehicles and/or can’t drive.
• Digitize city documents using workflow automation software to streamline processes, reduce wait times and enhance overall organization.
• Condense official the City of Hannibal social media platforms to enhance transparency and ensure the quick dissemination of important information in one place.

Read more about Fogle on his Facebook campaign page. 

Phillips was first elected to a three-year term as the 4^th Ward councilman in April 2022 when he defeated Euhlan (Robbie) Leeders Jr. with 78 percent of the vote. He and his wife, Laurel, moved into the region in 2015, and in March 2022, they opened the Quarry House, a 1920 home they transformed into an Airbnb on the city’s Southside.

Phillips likely gained his most notoriety as a councilman when he and former 3^rd Ward councilman Stephan Franke proposed in 2023 to require City Manager Lisa Peck to do a monthly report to be discussed at each meeting. The City Council voted down their proposal eight times.

Leeders will run unopposed in the 4^th Ward as the only person to file as a candidate to replace Phillips.

In a post on his Facebook page, he said he has attended Hannibal-LaGrange University online and has applied to several law schools, including the University of Missouri in Columbia. He also said he was a member of the Hannibal Pops Club.

He wrote that his comprehensive plan includes improving infrastructure, promoting economic growth, enhancing public safety and revitalizing neighborhoods. Among the things he wrote that he would focus on was support for veterans and senior citizens, special needs support, the establishment of storm/bomb shelters, reducing taxes and spending, enhancing community engagement, collaborating with schools and churches, cemetery beautification, flood safety and opportunities for kids.

“I am committed to working tirelessly to make Hannibal a better place for all of us,” Leeders wrote. “Together, we can build a brighter future for our town. I have saved lives, and I am willing to commit to spending my time as a councilman saving countless more and making our community great again because that’s who I am, and that’s what I care about.”

Three candidates have filed to run for election in the 2^nd Ward — Tammy Riley, Earl Hughes and April Azotea.

A replacement also must be found for 5^th Ward councilman, but voters won’t make that decision. City Clerk Melissa Cogdal said the city’s charter says the City Council will appoint a representative for the 5^th Ward, and that person will complete the three-year term that expires in 2026. They will replace Colin Welch, who resigned Jan. 7 to take more time for his family and business.

People interested in replacing Welch must submit letters of interest to Cogdal. They must be at least 25 years old and a U.S. citizen, a registered voter, a resident of the city for at least one year and a resident of the ward for at least six months, and their city taxes must be paid.

“Out of those candidates who qualify, they will come back for the first meeting in March, and they will interview in front of the council,” Cogdal said. “We’ll bring one candidate in at a time, and each candidate will be asked some questions by the council and have an opportunity to speak. Then the council will vote, and the vote will go by motion. A council member can make a motion for a candidate, and the majority vote will win the seat.”

Donald Bastian is the only candidate who filed for municipal judge. He was first elected in April 2018 after he completed the term of Frederich Cruse, who retired in September 2017.