A St. Louis County member of the Board of Freeholders has resigned as he considers another run for county executive.
Mark Mantovani sent a letter to County Executive Sam Page on Thursday, saying he believed he could be more useful to the community in other ways.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to be on the Board of Electors while I’m talking to labor groups and business groups and others about the county,” he said. “I think that would be kind of disingenuous.”
The Board of Electors is another name for the Board of Freeholders, which was created to look at changing the governance of the region. But it’s at a standstill because the city of St. Louis has not yet named its members.
Mantovani said the delay was a factor in his decision.
“The board hasn’t really begun to do any work, so I’m not working a hardship on the board so far as its own process,” he said.
Mantovani lost a close 2018 Democratic primary to then-incumbent Steve Stenger, who resigned less than a year later after being charged in a federal corruption case. Stenger is currently serving a two-year prison sentence.
“I feel like in my situation, it’s sort of unfinished business,” Mantovani said of his previous race.
Page announced in November that he would run in a special election to keep his post as county executive. County Assessor Jake Zimmerman was the first to enter the race. There are currently no Republican candidates.
Filing for the Aug. 4 election opens in February.
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