Mouser ending 19 year political career

After serving 19 years on the O’Fallon City Council, O’Fallon Ward 3 Alderman Jerry Mouser has tendered his resignation.

The 68-year-old Mouser is moving out of his Ward 3 home and into a new residence in Ward 2.

On Monday night, Mouser informed the City Council that his last meeting is set for April 18.

“I’m going to miss doing this,” he said.

Mouser said he does not have any regrets, serving on the City Council.

“I didn’t hardly ever lose my temper, which is good,” he said.

“I can say it has been a great, wonderful learning experience.”

When Mouser ran initially in 1995, he wanted to see what the city does, and where it was heading.

But Mouser didn’t want to see the city remain status quo.

“If you remain the same, you always goes backward,” he said.

Mouser, who is also the sales manager of Jack Schmitt Cadillac Oldsmobile of O'Fallon, will leave the City Council with one year left on his term.

He said he will miss campaigning.

“I loved campaigning,” he said.

“I loved going door-to-door, talking with people.”

Mouser said his decision to step down from the City Council, however, has started to sink in.

“I have been thinking about it for about the last month,” he said. “I know that I am done as an alderman. But I will probably run for something else.”

Mouser doesn’t want to make his future political aspirations public, yet.

He hints he might run for city treasurer position.

“I am interested in that part of the city,” he said.

Mouser, who moved to O’Fallon 20 years ago, said the City Council has always had a good working relationship with “good healthy discussion.”

“I think every alderman is concerned about their ward and city,” he said.

He cited the city’s recent controversy involving Rasp Farm and its inclusion in a tax increment financing district as an example.

“But one thing we did do with (Rasp Farm), is we got this area (along the 1400 block of Lincoln Avenue) cleaned up,” he said.

Mouser believes Rasp Farm will be developed in the future.

In the meantime, Mouser is happy to have Rasp Farm annexed into O’Fallon’s city limits, and out of Shiloh.

“I feel good about that (decision),” he said.

This story was originally published April 11, 2016 at 12:27 PM with the headline "Mouser ending 19 year political career."