Gov. Matt Blunt today appointed Theresa Counts Burke to the Office of Associate Circuit Judge of the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit. Continue Reading

After meeting for an hour and a half today in the Governor’s Office, Gov. Matt Blunt and Gov.-elect Jay Nixon issued the following statement:

“It is in the best interest of Missourians to have an effective transition and my office has been committed to ensuring that Gov.-elect Nixon has the information he needs together with the full resources of my administration as he prepares to take office,” Gov. Blunt said. “We discussed disaster relief, requested state audits of local governments, the Highway 40 rebuild, the New Mississippi River Bridge, Guard deployments, security and public safety issues, ongoing projects and initiatives that will be continuing through next year, and several other issues important to Missouri taxpayers. It has been an honor to serve Missourians as their governor and I want the next administration to be successful.”

“Today, I met with Gov. Blunt to discuss our shared belief that Missouri’s best days are ahead of us,” Gov.-elect Nixon said. “Missouri is home to the hardest-working, most-innovative people in America. However, our state is facing difficult economic times, and we will only overcome these challenges by working together, across the aisle, to put Missouri families first. By working together, we can make sure that the next generation of Missourians has every opportunity possible to achieve its dreams. I thank Gov. Blunt for his commitment to ensuring a smooth, efficient transition. His administration has been helpful to my transition team, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the weeks to come.”

Yesterday, First Lady Melanie Blunt hosted the next First Lady of Missouri, Mrs. Georganne Nixon, for lunch at the Governor’s Mansion. Mrs. Blunt gave Mrs. Nixon a tour of the Governor’s Mansion and they discussed ways that the Office of the First Lady can bring about positive change for the state.

Governor Matt Blunt today announced the following appointments:

Advisory Committee for 911 Service Oversight

Russell K. Mason, 51 of St. Peters, is the fire chief of Central County Fire and Rescue. Mr. Mason holds a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration from Western Illinois University. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on April 9, 2010.

Dam and Reservoir Safety Council

Eugene J. Hites (D), 55 of Leadington, is a mill superintendent for the Doe Run Company. Mr. Hites holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Rolla School of Mines, now known as the University of Missouri- Rolla. His reappointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on April 3, 2010.

Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging

Debra E. Catlett, 54 of Hannibal, has served as executive director of the Hannibal Area Council on Aging for the past 16 years. Ms. Catlett is a graduate of Northeast Missouri Real Estate School and A.D. Bankers. Her reappointment is for a term ending on September 17, 2012.

Martin Luther King, Jr. State Celebration Commission

Constance G. Gully, 44 of Normandy, is vice president for business and financial affairs at Harris-Stowe State University. Ms. Gully holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Illinois State University. Her appointment is for a term ending at the pleasure of the governor.

Missouri Assistive Technology Advisory Council

Gary E. Harbison, 49 of Jefferson City, is chief of the Bureau of Special Healthcare Needs at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Mr. Harbison holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s in counseling from Southeast Missouri State University. His appointment is for a term ending on August 28, 2010.

Missouri Board of Geographic Names

Christopher J. Barnett, 40 of Columbia, is co-director of the Center for Applied Research and Environmental Systems. Mr. Barnett holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s in geography from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His reappointment is for a term ending on June 30, 2010.

Missouri State Board of Nursing

Kelly J. Scott, 35 of Columbia, is a nurse practitioner at University of Missouri Health Care. Ms. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Webster University and master’s in nursing from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on June 1, 2012.

Missouri Small Business Regulatory Fairness Board

C. Bob Bess, 70 of St. Louis, was the owner of a chain link fence company until his retirement in 1997. Mr. Bess was mayor of Crestwood for 15 years. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on April 30, 2011.

Missouri Wine and Grape Board

Kenneth E. Meyer, 81 of Springfield, is the founder and CEO of Meyer Communications, Inc. Mr. Meyer holds a bachelor’s degree from Southwest Missouri State University. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on October 28, 2012.

Professional Services Payment Committee

Gregory H. Branham, 51 of Frontenac, is an associate professor at Washington University School of Medicine and director of the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Washington University. Dr. Branham holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and medical degree from the University of South Carolina. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending at the pleasure of the governor.

Richard T. Griffey, 41 of Richmond Heights, is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Washington University. Dr. Griffey holds a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University, medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School and master’s in public health from Harvard. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending at the pleasure of the governor.

Paul G. Perniciaro, 52 of Chesterfield, is the president and director of consultant services at Perniciaro Senior Care Consultants. Mr. Perniciaro holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from St. Louis College of Pharmacy. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending at the pleasure of the governor.

Marsha A. Taylor, 50 of Springfield, is a family physician. Dr. Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree and medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Her appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending at the pleasure of the governor.

State Board of Mediation

Jay L. Schultehenrich, 57 of St. Clair, is the Executive Director of SITE Improvement Association. Mr. Schultehenrich holds a bachelor’s degree from Rockhurst University. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on April 1, 2010.

State Lottery Commission

Patrick C. Dillon, 51 of St. Joseph, is director of retail services for Heartland Regional Medical Center. Mr. Dillon was owner and president of Dillon Co. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on September 7, 2011.

State Rehabilitation Advisory Council

Karen E. Allan, 57 of Jefferson City, is project coordinator for MO Parents ACT, STELLAR. Ms. Allan holds a master’s in educational administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia and bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Missouri Southern State College. Her appointment is for a term ending March 11, 2011.

Unmarked Human Burial Consultation Committee

Kristina R. Hill, 37 of Rolla, is zone archaeologist for the USDA Forest Service. Ms. Hill holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in anthropology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on June 3, 2010.

Well Installation Board

Martha E. Hildebrandt, 45 of Liberty, is senior geologist and project manager in the environmental division of Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co., Inc. Ms. Hildebrandt holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Her reappointment is for a term ending February 24, 2012.

For more information on Missouri’s boards and commissions visit http://www.gov.mo.gov/boards/boards.htm.

Roughly 60,000 pages of Blunt Administration emails have been released and as reporters continue to comb through them, a “smoking gun” has yet to be found Continue Reading