04/03/2025
Hello once again! For those of you who I have not yet had the chance to meet, I am Anna Meadows and I am one of the current Alderman for Ward 2. I have served on the Board of Alderman for about two years now and am running for another term.
For those who do not know me, I have lived in Pacific for about 4 years now and love the neighborly feel of the City. So much so, I built what I hope is my forever home here and will be welcoming my first child here this July with Ethan, who some of you have already met. I also have quite a few furry friends that live on the farm with me off HWY N, including 2 spoiled horses, 2 lazy dogs, and 3 needy cats, with probably more to come. Beyond the chaos caused by my critters and my upcoming child, I am also a Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit Nurse at “Big Mercy” in St. Louis, where I help recover post-op heart patients and run various devices to help keep people get through their life-threatening heart and lung problems. I have been doing this work for about 3 years now and have absolutely loved every minute of it. I have seen some of the saddest stories while working there but have also seen some of the most heartwarming/inspiring stories that truly make it the best job in the world.
As for my time as Alderman in Pacific, I would like to think that I have been a positive force for change and wanted to point out a few of the things that I have done and am proud of.
Throughout my term, I have made it a priority to promote the various unions that are represented in Pacific, including the Rockwood Labor Club and the Franklin County Labor Club. Indeed, I appreciate very much their support when I first ran for Alderman as well as their continuing support now and am proud to have voted with Labor in connection with the various raise proposals and collective bargaining agreements that have come before the Board of Aldermen.
In addition, while it is sometimes controversial, I have supported the development of Pacific in a way that allows the City to grow while also trying to ensure the City is able to maintain the country neighborhood feel that makes it so special. For example, I supported a new housing development that will be coming in the future on Old Grey Summit Road that will have nice large lots that fit with the existing look and peaceful vibe of the area.
Indeed, when it comes to new development in Pacific, I listen to the citizens of Pacific who live in that area given that they are who are most affected. Since being elected two years ago, I have come to truly appreciate the residents who come to our meetings and voice their opinions, whether about new development or about the many other issues that the Aldermen have to figure out. I try to get a good understanding of the issues before walking into our meetings, but very often, hearing what residents have to say during public participation really can shift my opinion on things. For example, in a recent meeting, I was unsure of how I was going to vote on a rezoning issue that would change residential property to commercial property, but after hearing from the various public speakers and the applicant, I ultimately voted in favor of the rezoning because of the value I thought it could bring the area. However, I tried to be clear that I hoped the property would continue to maintain the peaceful vibe of the residential area. In short, the citizens of Pacific matter, and I try to use my voice on the board to express the concerns of those citizens, whether they live in my ward or not. Simply put, when it comes to the development of Pacific, I am in favor of it but new developments should be well thought out and constructed with the best interests of the City in mind while not losing sight of the wishes of the surrounding area/residents.
I have also been privileged to serve as the liaison for the Planning and Zoning Commission during my time as an Alderman. And that has been an honor to work with such an amazing and intelligent group of people. Over those two years, I have enjoyed seeing so many positive and caring personalities come together and collaborate while doing their best to try to make the city of Pacific as good as it can be. One of my goals in serving as liaison to that Commission was to make sure that the Board of Alderman listened to what the volunteers on the Commission had to say, and I think that has helped improve both the quality and the transparency of the City’s decision-making process.
Finally, while it may not be as big an issue as others mentioned above, another thing that has been very important to me while serving on the Board has been supporting Pacific TNR (trap, neuter, and release). We have all have seen the many feral cats around Pacific that roam the streets, alleys, and neighborhoods. These little critters have taken over various areas, causing all sorts of public health and safety issues. When this came to my attention, I thought this was important to deal with – if only to avoid the public health problems that can result for uncontrolled feral cats – and was very happy to make sure that the wonderful volunteers who dedicate their time to this cause received some financial support from the City to promote their ongoing efforts to keep our streets safe.
In conclusion, I have really enjoyed my time on the Board of Alderman and hope to continue serving on the Board for another term. I also want to thank everybody for being such a big help with campaigning. Without a doubt, running a campaign is no easy thing. But doing it while pregnant is a whole other story. You all have been so amazing with knocking on doors, helping with signs, and getting the word out, so again, THANK YOU!!! As for everyone else, with your continued support, we can hopefully continue to bring positive change to Pacific and bring a voice to the residents of the area. So please make sure to get out and vote this upcoming election on Tuesday April 8th! Ward 2 will be voting at the Pacific Eagles. Can’t wait to see you all there!!
