Paul Stratman

Longtime Osage County Public Administrator Paul Stratman of Freeburg is one of three Republican candidates running for State Representative (District 61).

Stratman was first elected to that position in 2000 and has served six consecutive terms. 

Public Administrators are duty-bound to serve as guardians or conservators for people the court has found to be disabled or incapacitated. Stratman feels that service would bring a unique perspective to the role of state representative and that working with legislative colleagues is the key to creating successful policies for the citizens of Missouri. 

ECONOMY

Stratman believes the economy is one of Missouri’s biggest issues. “It’s really putting a lot of struggle on people in our area,” he said. “I see people out there working two full-time jobs to support their family.”

He added the state could do more to help by reducing sales tax for a little while to help people save money.

“The price of foods is really high,” Stratman said. Our gas taxes went up on the people in the local area again this year. It’s not a lot of money, but it’s enough to make people think it’s out there.”

Stratman also indicated he thinks it’s important to avoid legislation that would hurt local businesses and send profit dollars out of state. 

MENTAL HEALTH

Another issue Stratman believes is critical to Missourians is mental health, which he’s fought in the trenches for the last 24 years. “I think a big issue in Missouri is mental health facilities, and people that are mentally ill or disabled through mental illness,” Stratman said. “There’s such a shortage of places for people to go and stay and to live because the state has added money to the budget, but most of that budget money goes to the higher-ups in the state agencies and (doesn’t) filter down to the people that actually need it.”

Due to that, Stratman thinks the Department of Mental Health needs a major overhaul. “I see sometimes where the money goes, (and) it’s not going to the people that need the care or the places for them to go,” he said. “There’s a shortage of facilities because of the regulations by the state, (and) we need regulations, but we need to encourage people to build new facilities for people to live in.

“I know at one time, there (were) several hospitals around the state of Missouri where people lived, and then the state got involved and said, ‘Those people need to be in the community,’ but they didn’t. It just became a big burden for the local communities,” Stratman continued. “They didn’t have enough places for people to go.

“We have people that are in these homes for like three or four people,” he added. “The budgets to take care of (them) are crazy. One guy, I think his budget is almost $400,000 a year for his care, you know, so the money is going to the home, but then it’s going back to the corporate people who provide the house, but still, they need to increase the wages of the workers, so that they can keep their staff on hand.”

Stratman believes public involvement is necessary to discuss the health crisis facing Missouri. “There (are) people I work with around the state; they’ve got people that are living in hospitals because they can’t find a place for them to go,” he said.

Stratman added that some people live in a hospital for up to a year because they’re violently mentally ill, and the residential homes don’t want to take them.

“That’s why the state needs to build more hospitals,” Stratman said. “Even the county jails are full. Several counties have people in jail that shouldn’t be there; they should be somewhere else. So, basically, (the jails) are a babysitter for the state, and they (have) their staff trying to provide medications to these people, which they’re not trained in doing.

“Sometimes I get calls from (sheriffs) saying ‘this guy needs a guardian,’ (and) I (think) ‘If I get guardianship, where is he going go, where is she going to go?’” Stratman said. “I just can’t say, ‘I’ll take her out of your jail.’ But where am I going to find a place for her to live?”

Stratman noted that to get into the state hospital at Fulton, a person has to be charged with a violent crime and found not guilty by reason of insanity. “So they need more hospitals, like they used to (have), where people can go for like maybe six months to a year, go through the treatment process, (and) come out a better person. We don’t have those anymore.

“I think the state needs to focus on that as a major issue,” Stratman continued. “Which it is, you know, with the drug use and stuff causing a lot of mental illness. It’s rough out there right now. Serving as Public Administrator, I see that every day and hear about it from friends around the state. Then, they go back and forth to prison for rehab, and they’re stuck in the system for six, eight months, then you parole them, and they’re good for two months, then they’re back in the system. Again, it’s not good.”

INFRASTRUCTURE

Stratman said state funding for rural infrastructure is also important. “I know they always expect the counties to fund their own roads and stuff,” he noted. “So, each county, as we know, has such a large amount of roads and back roads. That’s a lot of miles for the (road crew) staff that we have.” Stratman said the state spends a lot of money on things that are unnecessary or go unused, and that money could be better spent helping fund infrastructure improvements.”

Road crew employees aging out is also a concern. As with many blue-collar jobs, the workforce is getting older, and there is a shortage of personnel to fill those openings. “A lot of guys are quitting, and we don’t have the staff that we need,” Stratman said.

Another issue Stratman said needs to be addressed is the lack of funding and volunteers for volunteer fire departments. “I talked with several volunteer firefighters in our area, and they say they don’t have money to afford funding for the radios to talk between different towns,” he said.

Stratman also mentioned Linn Fire Protection District’s request for another station near State Tech, and cited a conversation with Hermann’s assistant fire chief, who said their personnel have full-time jobs and families in addition to volunteering with the fire department. They also have to hold fundraisers to afford the equipment they need. “It shouldn’t be that way,” Stratman said. “(Equipment) should be there for them when they need it. It’s not like they work full-time at the fire station. The state needs to realize these people are not getting paid to be firefighters. They’re the ones that (are) called out late at night for car accidents or (fires). There’s a lot of stuff that needs to be addressed in the local fire department area.”

ROCK ISLAND TRAIL

Stratman does not seem to support the Rock Island Trail project as his opponents do. “We have some people pushing for a multi-million-dollar bike trail through our county,” he said. “They want money for that, but why can’t the money be diverted for infrastructure for the county, like for the fire department or something? Why couldn’t that money (be) diverted back to the local communities so they can take care of themselves?” 

EDUCATION

Stratman does not support school choice. “I want to protect our local school districts,” he said, adding it’s scary when kids are allowed to choose where they want to go to school and the money goes with them. That, he said, could really hurt some of the smaller school districts, which are the pride of their communities. “I wouldn’t do anything to harm them,” Stratman said. “I would encourage the state to help fund them.”

Stratman concluded that he treats people the same no matter who they may be. “I want everybody to feel wanted and appreciated,” he said. I want people to know that if they have me as a state rep, they’ll have somebody who will actually see them as a person, not just a possible vote.

“I appreciate the support from the residents of Osage County, the Democrats and Republicans alike, that voted for me for six terms as Public Administrator for 24 years,” Stratman continued. “I’ve been lucky — six terms without any opposition (from) any party.”