Welcome to the offical website of the campaign to Elect Jim Stoufer
I was born at home on the farm in rural Clay County Missouri. Dad was a coal miner and a Korean War Veteran, my mom was a housewife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. My dad died when I was 13. I moved to Lawson before my freshman year of high school and graduated from Lawson High School Class, of 1977. I attended classes for 2 years at the Area Vocational School in Excelsior Springs where I graduated from their Auto Mechanics program . I worked many jobs beginning when I was 12 years old: delivering newspapers, as a janitor, as a cook at restaurants in Excelsior Springs. After graduation I went to work at the old Nike missile base near Lawson for Nike Plastics company. I went to work at the Ford Assembly Plant in Aug 1977. I was laid off from Ford in 1980. During this time I worked at McDonalds in Liberty, a box factory in NKC, managed rental houses and joined the US Army where I served with the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. After my honorable discharge from the US Army, I returned to work at the Ford Plant in late 1983. I have 8 children and 10 grandchildren, one with special needs. During my 32 years working at the Ford Plant I worked many different jobs. I was elected by my co-workers to serve as their Union Leader. First elected in 1989 as an alternate Union Rep (part time) then as a full time Union Rep in 1995 where I won 6 elections in a row and where I served until I entered a 4 year apprenticeship program to become a Journeyman Pipefitter. I was elected UAW 249 Local Union President in May 2005. I moved to my current home in Claycomo in 1987. Shortly after moving here I became active serving the residents of Claycomo. First on the Park Board, then the Zoning Board and the Festival Committee. I ran for the elected office of Trustee in Claycomo in 1991 and won. I was re-elected 5 terms in a row. During this time I completed the work to get US State Highway 69 through Claycomo totally redone. I also led the group effort to build the new Claycomo Fire Station, totally renovate our City Hall, purchase a new fire truck and ambulance and worked out an agreement with Mid-Continent Public Library to build a permanent new library building in Claycomo. This was done with a $1.9 million bond issue approved by the voters of Claycomo. We completed all the work and came in under budget and spent $1.7 Million of the approved money. I did not seek re-election in 2001 while I was working full time and attending night classes for my apprenticeship training during a very turbulent time between Claycomo and the Ford Plant in 2001-2003. In late 2002 I was asked to run for Trustee in Claycomo again. I decided to run and try to resolve the problems between Claycomo and the Ford Motor Co. I ran in April 2003 and was elected. I helped find solutions which allowed Ford and Claycomo to settle their dispute and once again be on good terms.
Currently I am working in the Ford plant as a pipefitter and serving the residents of the Northland area in several positions. Current Memberships / Community Involvement
Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Village of Claycomo (17 years elected) Uaw Local 249 Albert Pike Masonic Lodge Claycomo Baptist Church Northland Board of Directors for United Way of Greater Kansas City Northland Coalition to prevent teen alcohol/drug use Clay County Mayors group Metro Mayors Caucus Ford 20/20 task force AARP American Legion Claycomo Stream Team Northland Democrats NRA Hobbies Avid outdoorsman- Hunting, fishing, Camping and Hiking Spending time with my Children and Grandchildren Helping my neighbors and other people in need Restoring my 65 Mustang
