THE FACTS ON SUSAN C. JAFARI
In response to her ad in the Taney County Times on July 23, 2008.
As a REALTOR® and State Representative candidate supported by the Missouri Association of REALTORS®, I have pledged to protect property rights and consumers from harmful legislation, oppose unfair burdens placed on property owners or prospective purchasers, and stand against undue government interference in all matters. I have also promised to protect our industry.
A REALTOR’S® job never begins or ends with a signed contract—we assist Buyers and Sellers before the sale; we are experts in our market so that we can help our clients make informed decisions; we petition our government on behalf of our clients to bring new development to our area; we work with lenders and builders; we advertise and show properties; we negotiate contracts, addendums, and notices; we meet with inspectors and appraisers; and we see every sale through to the end and beyond. An auctioneer also works on commission or charges a fee for their services and Missouri law stipulates that all commissions must be earned and defines the minimum level services an agent has to provide (R.S. Mo 339.780.7).
First and foremost, Susan C. Jafari does not divulge that she ALSO made an offer on the Taneycomo lakefront property and was not awarded the contract. In fact, Susan C. Jafari was given the opportunity to make a second offer--her highest and best-- after eight offers were received for the property. Susan C. Jafari submitted another offer and it was still NOT the highest and best offer. The property appraised for $265,000 and sold for $305,000 cash—that is $40,000 over appraisal.
Susan C. Jafari, as well as other parties interested in the deceased’s estate, placed their name on a list and received a courtesy call from the Public Administrator’s office to inform all parties that the property was going to be placed on the market the following day. Susan C. Jafari was also informed to contact a real estate agent of her choice if she was still interested in purchasing the property. The listing REALTOR® placed the sign on the property at one minute after midnight on August 7, 2007.
The property was advertised on the Multilist (MLS) of Tri-Lakes Board of REALTORS® and Greater Springfield Board of REALTORS® going out to over two thousand REALTORS® and countless clients. It was advertised on REALTOR.com and over twenty other web-based home search sites, one receiving over twenty five million hits per month. Interestingly, two of the offers were from out-of-state buyers finding the property on REALTOR.com, not the local newspaper.
We all should wonder what it would be like if Susan C. Jafari was the Public Administrator. Would she protect the public or protect her own self interest as a Public Administrator?
Please vote in the August 5 and November 4 elections.
Cathy Hilliard
Candidate, State Representative 143rd District
www.HilliardForMissouri.com
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Cathy Hilliard. Samantha Taylor, Treasurer.
Missouri Association of REALTORS® Support Cathy Hilliard
June 27, 2008
Powersite, MO – Cathy Hilliard, member of the Forsyth RIII School Board and Democrat candidate for State Representative in Missouri’s 143rd District, recently received the support of the Missouri Association of REALTORS'® Political Action Committee. “The support of the Missouri Association of REALTORS® was received because of my commitment to the working families, low taxes, and protecting property rights in the 143rd District and Missouri,” said Hilliard. “I have always been a strong advocate of bringing better jobs to our area, improving infrastructure, working to ensure our neighbors have access to health care, and to improve our children’s education.” The Missouri Association of REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® work to enact legislation intended to expand homeownership opportunities, protect consumers, and preserve and enhance property ownership rights.
Hilliard’s campaign has the full support of other prominent Missouri organizations and individuals including the Missouri Women's Leadership Coalition, Missouri Senator Jerry Howard, Alderman and business owner Sue Riggs of Rockaway Beach, and former State Representative Fred Kratky.
Hilliard has also garnered support from many Republicans, crossing the partisan divide, in her campaign to move Missouri forward. Long-time Republican leader, Richard Banks, CEO and President of the Police Benevolent Association of the Carolinas, said that Cathy “is a true leader and visionary ready to take a stand for rural Missouri. Her values are the core values that every hard-working American has, and she will continue to work to break through party barriers so that good solutions for Missouri’s ailments are developed and implemented.” Banks is also a twenty eight year military veteran and current Inspector General for the US Air Force Auxiliary.
The 143rd house district is composed of Ozark County and the southern border and the eastern half of Taney County, along with parts of Stone and Howell counties.
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Big Weekend for local Candidate; Hilliard to Celebrate America’s Independence in Willow Springs and Rockaway Beach
June 27, 2008
Powersite, MO – Cathy Hilliard, member of the Forsyth RIII School Board and Democrat candidate for State Representative in Missouri’s 143rd District, announced that she will be celebrating the Fourth of July with the residents of her district. She will begin her day in Willow Springs with the dedication of the Farmer’s Market pavilion at Booster Field and then march with campaign volunteers in the Willow Springs’ Independence Day Parade.
Deemed the largest parade in South Central Missouri, last year’s participants were fifteen hundred strong with thousands of spectators. The organizers are expecting the parade to be even larger this year as they honor United States Navy Veterans. The Grand Marshall of the parade will be World War II veteran, Jay Waggoner, Sr. Following the parade, Hilliard will attend the community-wide picnic and participate in an old-fashioned political stump event.
From Willow Springs, Hilliard will attend the annual Fourth of July celebration in Rockaway Beach and finish the day by enjoying the fireworks with her family at the Rockaway Beach City Park.
Saturday, July 5 will kick off Canvass for Cathy in the 143rd District. Cathy and her supporters will be knocking on doors in the district to reach out to voters and their families. “This race is not about me, it’s about the citizens of my district and the state of Missouri,” said Hilliard. “I am running for them and I want their input. So far the feedback has been consistent: the economy, healthcare, and education.”
The 143rd house district is composed of Ozark County and the southern border and the eastern half of Taney County, along with parts of Stone and Howell Counties.
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School Board Member Objects to Appointments; Board Policy not Followed
June 20, 2008
Forsyth, MO – Cathy Hilliard, member of the Forsyth RIII School Board, objected to the nomination and appointment of ousted school board members to fill the vacated position of Dean Harmon at the District’s meeting Thursday night. School Board President Jack Baker, recommended the appointment of Jack Johnston with Kevin Hampton as the alternate choice in case Johnston turned the appointment down. With only four members present at the Thursday night meeting, she voted against the appointments coming to a vote and voted against the nomination all the while questioning the validity of the process. “Why wasn’t I informed of this except for in my packet-why am I the only one to not know what was going on?” Asking Harmon, “How long have you known your house was going to sell?”
The only answer given was that Harmon’s home sold on June 12, however, during the discussion, Baker made a comment that both Johnston and Hampton called to volunteer for the vacated spot, and Baker hoped that they were still interested since he hadn’t talked to either one for at least ten days. Harmon will be relocating to the Branson School District.
“The way this was handled, from the procedures followed to the lack of affirmative votes, was wrong. What it boils down to is that school board policy was not followed,” said Hilliard. “We make our policy for a reason: we have a responsibility to the tax payers, our District’s employees, the community, and to ensure that our children have the best possible opportunity to learn every day, no matter what. Thwarting our own policy is unacceptable to me and the community should find it unacceptable also.”
Forsyth School Board Policy clearly states the procedures that should have been followed which include a letter of intent to resign submitted by the board member and approved by a majority of the Board, notification to the press and public, allowing a two week period for residents wishing to be appointed to the vacancy to send a letter of interest, a review and interview process for applicants, and a selection process that excludes the member who is resigning and needs a majority of the Board to approve the appointee.
“None of these procedures were followed, in fact Harmon voted to open the floor for the nominations of the pre-chosen replacements and approve his supposed successor. We had only four members present, I may not be a mathematician, but I know that a majority of a seven member board is four votes, and we only had three affirmative votes, two if you consider that Harmon’s vote should not have been included because of Board Policy.”
Others voting yes to both motions were Jack Baker and Scott Starrett of Kirbyville. Absent were Bill Stuart, Deidre McCormick, and Alissha Woody. Forsyth School Board Policy can be viewed at www.forsythr3.k12.mo.us.
Hilliard placed a call to Baker Friday morning reiterating that policy was not followed and the appointment was invalid. Baker replied to Hilliard, that after consulting Superintendent Brent Blevins, he would call an emergency meeting for Tuesday evening at the District’s office, June 24, at 7pm, with the intention of suspending policy and pushing through the nomination of Johnston to fill the post and Hampton as the alternate. "Our policy does allow this,” stated Hilliard. “We also have other qualified and willing individuals in the district that, I hope, will submit their names for consideration despite everything."
Cathy Hilliard was elected to Forsyth RIII School Board in 2007, defeating twelve year incumbent, Jack Johnston by a 12.6% margin. Hilliard is also the Democrat candidate seeking Missouri’s 143rd District House Seat in the November election.
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Cathy Hilliard Scheduled to Visit Farmer’s Market and Pig Roast
May 22, 2008
Forsyth, MO – Cathy Hilliard, State Representative candidate for Missouri’s 143rd District, will be teaming up with Joe Allen, the Democrat nominee for the 8th Congressional District, and Richard Monroe, Democrat hopeful to oppose Congressman Roy Blunt in November, to visit area businesses and festivals this Memorial Day weekend. Hilliard, whose brother Daniel Gangemi, is currently in the Army, serving in South Korea, and whose father served in WWII and Korea in the Marines, believes that “this is the time of year to remember those who have and continue to courageously serve and sacrifice. To honor them we should recommit ourselves to our own service for our neighbors, our community, and our country.”
At her first stop on Saturday morning, Monroe will accompany her as she visits vendors at the newly established Farmers Market in Rockaway Beach. From there they will stop at local businesses and visit with the owners and patrons. Both Hilliard and Monroe will be available to speak with the public at stops and between, “they are the reason we are here and why we do this everyday,” said Monroe.
From Rockaway, Monroe will tour downtown Hollister and Hilliard will head to Gainesville, in Ozark County, to meet Joe Allen for a rally and fundraiser at the Country Cafe. Allen and Hilliard will then culminate their day by attending the annual Protem Pig Roast and Barbeque sponsored by the volunteer fire department, “This is one of the great traditions of Taney County where everyone gathers to see old friends and make new friends and it will definitely be more relaxation than campaigning,” said Hilliard of the annual event.
Cathy Hilliard is currently serving on the Forsyth RIII School Board.
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Local Democrat Candidate Visits Cape Girardeau, Attends Obama Event
May 14, 2008
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO – Cathy Hilliard, State Representative candidate for Missouri’s 143rd District, accompanied Joe Allen, the Democrat nominee for the 8th Congressional District, to Cape Girardeau where both candidates toured the downtown business district, met with local business owners, and visited the flood-swollen Mississippi River. Cape Girardeau is located on the eastern edge of Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, along the Illinois border.
Before speaking to local business owners, Hilliard listened as many voiced their concerns about rising fuel prices and overhead costs and a shrinking labor force. “Although Cape is not in my district, once elected my votes will affect every Missouri citizen, and I promise you that I will never vote against the working families of Missouri,” she said before speaking about health care and insurance for small business owners and employees and downtown revitalization and economic development opportunities. Hilliard, a Branson area Realtor, also discussed rising foreclosures in the state, affordable housing shortages, and home ownership opportunities with ladies in a downtown salon called The Shop.
With campaign volunteers also on hand to register voters throughout the day, Hilliard joined with other Democrats across the state to blast Missouri’s Republican lawmakers for trying to thwart democracy and make it more difficult for Missouri residents to vote, citing the Indiana fiasco where twelve nuns in their 80s and 90s were prevented from voting because they lacked acceptable identification. “Missouri already has a common sense voter identification law that ensures eligible voters are who they say they are on Election Day. Not only will this legislation change Missouri’s Constitution, it will waste six million in tax payer dollars and prohibit over 240,000 currently registered voters from voting because they do not have state issued identification, many of whom are elderly and were never issued a birth certificate.”
Allen and Hilliard finished their day by attending a private town hall meeting, Tuesday evening, at the Cape Girardeau factory, Thorngate Ltd., where Presidential hopeful, Barack Obama addressed issues ranging from healthcare to the Iraq War to economic concerns. “I was pleased that Senator Obama directly addressed issues and concerns facing rural communities and working families,” said Hilliard after the event. “Every rural community in Missouri is struggling to build and maintain infrastructure, bring in higher paying jobs, address affordable housing, and keep the existing family farms and business from leaving or going under.”
Cathy Hilliard is currently serving on the Forsyth RIII School Board.
Hilliard speaks with community leader Deborah
McBride-Young about flood damage along the
Mississippi River .
Hilliard with The Corner Store owner,
Robert Gentry in downtown Cape Girardeau.
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Cathy Hilliard Announces Candidacy for State Representative
March 3, 2008
JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Cathy Hilliard, of Powersite, filed as a candidate for the Missouri House of Representatives this past Tuesday. Cathy Hilliard is currently a member of the Forsyth RIII School Board, winning her seat in April 2007.
“This marks the official beginning of my campaign to represent the families, future and values of the 143rd district,” said Hilliard. “This is going to be a strong grassroots campaign to bring better jobs to our area, to ensure our neighbors have access to health care, and to improve our children’s education.”
Hilliard’s campaign has the full support of Sue Riggs, Rockaway Beach Alderman and business owner, who called Cathy Hilliard an “outstanding candidate” and said, “Cathy possesses the values that make Missouri great. I look forward to working with her to protect those values and to ensure the people of the 143rd get strong, dynamic representation in the Missouri House.”
The 143rd house district is composed of Ozark County and the eastern half of Taney County, and parts of Stone and Howell counties.
Hilliard is a REALTOR®, and serves on the Tri-Lakes Board of REALTORS’ Community Outreach Committee and has also received the Board’s Rookie of the Year designation. She also serves on the Missouri Association of REALTORS’ Legislative and Regulatory Policy Committee. She has served as a committee chair for the Stone County Housing Development and Housing Coalition and continues to work with area communities to promote economic development.
Cathy and her husband Clint live with their daughter in Powersite.
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