Six aldermen file petitions to run again, but Mast decides to spend more time with family

November 29, 2022 | By David Adam, MRN Editor

John Mast, shown listening during Monday's Quincy City Council meeting, has decided not to run for re-election as an alderman in Quincy's 5th Ward. Richie Reis, D-6, is at right. | David Adam

QUINCY — After nearly four years as an alderman, John Mast decided he had missed enough time with his kids.

Mast, a Republican in the city’s 5^th Ward, chose not to file paperwork to run for re-election. Monday was the final day to file petitions.

Mast said he started thinking in the past six months about whether to run again.

“The biggest reason was being able to spend some more time with my family,” he said after Monday night’s meeting of the Quincy City Council. “I’ve got three kids at home. My oldest is 14, my youngest is 8, and then we’ve got one in the middle who is 11.

“There were a lot of sporting events that I was starting to miss with a freshman in high school and different things like that. I know my wife’s going to appreciate some more support around the house.”

Then-Mayor Kyle Moore appointed Mast to replace Terry Traeder in the 5^th Ward in June 2019. Traeder won election in April but resigned shortly afterward, saying he could not take his seat because of a health issue.

Mast then ran unopposed in the April 2021 consolidated general election. Steve Homan initially filed to run as a Republican against Mast. However, Mast challenged the petition because Homan failed to include which office he was running for on his nomination paperwork. Homan then tried to file as an independent, but Mast objected again. The Quincy Electoral Board sustained Mast’s objection.

Mast is the owner and designated managing broker at Davis and Associates, a Quincy realtor. He called his time as an alderman “rewarding.”

“I originally wanted to do this because I saw things I wanted to be engaged with in city government,” he said. “That time has been well spent. I’m happy I got involved and helped the residents in the ward get projects done and identify problems for them.

“I’m also happy with a lot of the development that we’ve been able to engage with, such as encouraging Target to move to town, urging a lot of these different businesses to develop and build additional residence space and things like that. Those are the things I wanted to do with my time here.”

Three other seats on the City Council have seen change in the past 17 months.

Kelly Mays, a Republican, replaced Jason Finney in the other 3^rd Ward seat in July 2021. Patty Maples, a Democrat, replaced Katie Awerkamp in the 6^th Ward in May 2022. Finney and Awerkamp both said they were moving out of their wards.

Parker Freiburg, a Republican in the city’s 3^rd Ward, announced at the end of the Nov. 21 meeting that Monday night’s meeting would be his last. He said he will become an owner of Diamond Construction Company, which Freiburg’s parents, Mark and Kim, and his brother, Tanner, bought in April. Diamond is the only asphalt company in the city and has several contracts with the city, creating a conflict of interest.

The Adams County Republican Central Committee will more than likely put forth a recommendation for Freiburg’s seat, with Mayor Mike Troup considering that name before filling the seat. That person will have to run for election in the 3rd Ward in 2025.

Filings are now complete for the upcoming municipal elections. The consolidated primary election is Feb. 28, 2023. The consolidated general election is April 4, 2023.

Only two of the seven seats on the City Council will be contested as of now. Following the February primary, the County’s political parties can choose to fill any ballot vacancies for the general election.

While Maples is the lone Democrat running in the 6th Ward, there will be a Republican primary as Jake Reed and Natalie Thompson filed to run. Bruce Terstegge also had filed as a Republican, but withdrew his petitions before Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline.

Democrat Ben Uzelac is running for re-election in the 7th Ward. He will face Republican Timothy Siemer in the general election.

Glen Ebbing filed as a Republican in the 5th Ward seat being vacated by Mast. Ebbing has long been active in local conservative politics.

Mays filed to run for the 3rd Ward seat she was appointed to last year. Incumbents Eric Entrup (R-1st Ward), Jeff Bergman (R-2nd Ward) and Mike Farha (R-4th Ward) also filed for re-election.