Callaway County Presiding Commissioner candidate interview: Clay Chism
Euphenie Andre
Three Republicans are competing in the August primary for Callaway County Presiding Commissioner. In contention is Rob Barnes, Larry Robinson and former Sheriff Clay Chism. ABC 17 News sat down one-on-one with each candidate to discuss their priorities for the county, the proposed data center in northern Callaway County, planning and zoning, government transparency, and why they believe they are the best choice for voters. Mike Conner is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Welcome, everybody, to ABC 17 News’ Your Voice, Your Vote segment for the Voters’ Guide of August 2026. I’m Euphenie Andre, and I’m here with Clay Chism. Thank you so much for being here tonight.
CLAY CHISM: My honor.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Can you please introduce yourself and tell me what role you are running for?
CLAY CHISM: Yes, my name is Clay Chism, and I’m a Republican candidate for the August primary in the race for Callaway County Presiding Commissioner.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Clay, it’s been a couple of years since you’ve been in the public eye. You were the former Callaway County sheriff for eight years. What does it mean to be back, and why have you decided to come back for another leadership role?
CLAY CHISM: My life has been spent in public service. I jokingly, but seriously, tell people that’s all I know. That’s where my heart is. I’ve always believed in giving back to the community. Anyway, decades ago, when I came out of college, I decided instead of going to the private sector, where there’s good money to be made, that I’d rather come back, serve the public, be a part of the community, and try to help the community any way I can.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: You were suspended in 2023 for drinking on duty and pleaded guilty to a DWI charge. Later, your peace officer license was revoked. What do you have to say about your actions during those years?
CLAY CHISM: I made mistakes. I don’t hide from it. I’ll speak kindly to anybody who asks. I have had several face-to-face conversations with people from all walks of life, all over the community. I tried to use my mistakes to better my life, and I’ve also used my mistakes to try to educate and help others in the community. Of course, I don’t publicize that, but I’m actually helping people in the community that struggle with some of the struggles I had.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Going back to those years, specifically October 6, 2022, can you tell me about your mental state and what you were going through during that time?
CLAY CHISM: I just hit a bad point in my life, and again, mistakes were made. There’s nothing I could say that takes away from what happened. There’s other facts out there that weren’t publicized, but, you know what, I don’t tell those facts because I don’t want anyone to think I’m trying to make an excuse, so I just let it be and say I’m sorry. Mistakes were made, but I believe when you’re down, you get back up. It makes a better person, and I’m back.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Do you think you have a drinking problem?
CLAY CHISM: I do not have a drinking problem, at all. I have not had a sip in over three years.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Was it because of what happened back then is why you decided to go sober?
CLAY CHISM: Correct, and what a lot of people do not know, but I also publicly sought treatment. I actually was out of state for a while at a specialized facility, and I made things right.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: What do you say to those that may believe you cannot handle another leadership role?
CLAY CHISM: I understand concerns, but again, I feel like it’s made me a better person. I’ve learned from my mistakes. Fortunately, the City of Auxvasse gave me an opportunity here a couple years ago, and that has blossomed. I have excelled in that. I’ve enjoyed working with the community. I believe I’ve proven myself to many. I know there’s always going to be doubters, and I respect that.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Turning it over, data centers are another large thing that is happening in Callaway County right now. There is a proposal of a data center going to be built in northern Callaway. What are your thoughts about that?
CLAY CHISM: Like a lot of concerned citizens, I’m trying to differentiate truth from propaganda and maybe false information. To this day, I am trying to figure out what is the truth. What are the facts? I worked in law enforcement for 23 years, where every scene you rolled up into, your mission was to gather the facts, and sometimes that took longer than others, and I’m still trying to gather facts. I’m trying to determine the truth from fiction, but it’s really hard also not having my eyes on whatever this plan is, for lack of better words, and I don’t mean it in a derogatory way towards any current officials. I don’t mean it that way, but this pie has been in the courthouse oven for a while, and they know what the intimate, minor, new details are, but the public doesn’t, and until that plan is actually introduced to where you can see those fine details, it’s really, really hard to gauge your thoughts.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Would you say that you are in support of data centers?
CLAY CHISM: I understand the concerns, but what I can tell you, and I have been very, very vocal about this for months now, is I do not approve of the major-tax abatements, and there’s no secret. There’s absolutely no secret at all. That’s one of the key elements for the data centers are looking to end up, is where they can get major-tax abatements. I’m not totally against tax incentives for certain programs. There’s been long-standing tax incentives for different types of businesses or industry, but to hear of these data centers pushing 70, 80, 90% tax abatement, that’s a real kick in the gut to a lot of Callaway County citizens, especially small business owners. Callaway County has a lot of small businesses, and a lot are established businesses. They’ve grown their business through blood, sweat, and tears. They weather the bad times, and they try to make the best out of the good times, but never once they got a dime off their tax bill. They never got a penny off, and they never asked either. They just expected to pay their fair share of their tax assessment, so it’s really a kick in the gut to a lot of citizens to hear of a corporation coming in and getting a major, huge tax break. It is not sitting well with a lot of Callaway County residents.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: What are your thoughts of Callaway County’s planning and zoning rules? Because some say, due to the lack thereof, is why they decided to build a data center in the county.
CLAY CHISM: Yes, and I’ve been very clear about this too. Overall, I am not a proponent of planning and zoning, and Callaway County citizens, overall, from corner to corner of the county, continue to this day, I hear every week out on the campaign trail, that they do not want planning and zoning. A lot of people in Callaway County will willingly say we don’t want to turn Callaway County into Boone County, and what a lot of citizens have to understand is living in an area. Let’s just say the area the data center, where all of a sudden there may be, maybe we should have planning and zoning. Well, legally, you cannot pass planning and zoning for one neighborhood, one business, one area. It’s the whole county, and Callaway County is 842 square miles. It’s the fifth-largest land county in the state of Missouri, so to plan and zone one issue that may be occurring in a 2 square mile area, that now affects everyone else in the other 840 square miles, and we have approximately 30,000 citizens who live in rural, unincorporated Callaway County. They don’t want planning and zoning. I hear it every week. They are not in favor. They do not want a Boone County in Callaway County. No disrespect, but I just cannot support planning and zoning, and again, I think it has to be, people just have to realize it’s all or none. You can’t plan and zone one business, one area, one farm, one landowner. It just doesn’t work that way. Planning and zoning one area punishes everybody, literally everybody, in rural Callaway County, and I just can’t support that.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: What solution do you think there is, though, for maybe down the future, people want to create another data center in north Callaway? What would you do?
CLAY CHISM: In what regard?
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Because you’re against planning and zoning, so what if another corporation wants to build another data center because the rules of planning and zoning are still loose? What solution do you think, even though there’s a data center right now, what rules can be set to say, hey, you just can’t come here and build this?
CLAY CHISM: I would revert back to my first statement and my first stance that has not deviated at all. If you can try to cut the snake off at the tail, or you can cut the snake off at the head, and I just do not agree with the 75, 80, 85% tax abatement. So I guess if you say I’m against data centers, that could be observed, but it’s not necessarily that I’m against the infrastructure because I’m still trying to learn what does that infrastructure really consist of, but I just cannot agree with a 75, 80, 90% tax break. But with that said, I am very, very well aware that January 1, when whoever the presiding commissioner may be, that this is already going to be a done deal. So, in all honesty, whoever the new presiding commissioner is, it’s just going to have to embrace whatever decisions have been made. So my thought in life is, if I’m fortunate enough to be the presiding commissioner of Callaway County, whatever decisions have been made, I’m going to have to embrace those decisions and then try to make the best of it and help the county any way I can.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: The county did have an open house yesterday on the data center and informed people of what’s going on, so let’s fast forward. If you were to be elected, how are you going to handle that when it is going to be built?
CLAY CHISM: Handle which?
EUPHENIE ANDRE: The data center is being built. How are you going to reassure citizens of what’s going on and keep it transparent with them?
CLAY CHISM: OK, sorry. I wasn’t sure where you were tracking with that. I think that the issue needs to be made public as soon as it can be. Of course, there are legal standards, and I understand those, but I do think as soon as it can be made public, this could possibly be in the works. Citizens need to be aware and educated, and again, I appreciate the open house last night. I was there. I felt like it went very well. I heard a lot of citizens who were very complimentary, who said whether we agree or disagree, we appreciate the opportunity, the opportunity to learn. So I think we just have to repeat that.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: What opportunities do you believe the county will benefit from having a data center?
CLAY CHISM: Again, I’m trying to figure that out myself. I’ve heard from credible sources that potentially, if Caruso does come to an agreement with the county, they’re going to support some needs of the county, but again, I can’t confirm that because I don’t have my eyes on the plan, and I don’t have my ears in those meetings, so I look forward to learning and being able to make a more educated decision.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: If you are elected, what will be your top three priorities?
CLAY CHISM: The role of the commission is actually very specific, and there’s a lot of misconceptions out there as to what the county commission has control over or is part of. At the end of the day, the No. 1 responsibility of the county commission is the fiscal responsibility of the county. That is the No. 1 every day job. The commission does have direct oversight of some county departments, such as County Road, Bridge, County Health and Joint Communications Center, the Emergency Management. So obviously, being that the commission does have direct control over those offices on a daily basis, I would certainly immediately be working with those administrators to keep a good grasp on what’s working, what’s not, obviously looking for operational efficiencies. I’ve been around government long enough that I know how this works. There’s a trickle down when you have federal cuts, then you have state budget cuts, and then the next thing you know you have local budget cuts, and there is state money coming into local departments. So I can see there being some cuts coming. Being a seasoned veteran government official who dealt with the largest part of the county budget for eight years, I understand that there could be some harder times ahead and that we definitely need to be looking at efficiencies while making sure the citizens are receiving the best service they can.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: What cuts are you seeing?
CLAY CHISM: I don’t see any specific cuts. There is transportation money that comes through grants. There’s health department money, health department grant money, that comes through grants. Anytime you have a trickle down or anytime you have cuts starting up there’s always a trickle down, so again, just being fiscally responsible, which is the everyday number one responsibility of the commission. I just want to get a really good grasp on the budget and the efficiencies and making sure the county stays in a stable position so if there ever is a downfall in money coming from other agencies, or there’s a downfall in tax revenue, or there’s some type of downfall, that the county can get through the struggles.
EUPHENIE ANDRE: Why should voters choose you over your opponents?
CLAY CHISM: Why should voters choose you over your opponents? I revert back to a question. I usually get asked about, you know, why are you the best candidate, and I always say I’m not the best candidate. I think it’s egotistical to say I’m the best. I think every candidate has their pros and cons. I had nothing but respect for Mr. Robinson and Mr. Barnes. We each bring things to the table. I’m not going to say I’m the best. That’s egotistical. I would say that I bring 25 years of government experience, mostly with the county, most recently with the city. I’ve worked in the private sector as well. I actually work two jobs right now, so I work full-time in the private sector, but I’ve had part-time jobs in the private sector throughout the years as well. I understand life from the private sector as well. I believe I bring a lot of experience as far as public and private sector experience to the government or the courthouse, and I just understand the needs of the county. I’ve worked in the trenches of Callaway County for 23 years. I mean, we have 820 miles of county-maintained road. That’s not including state-maintained roads. The county has 120 miles of road in the inventory, and working from corner to corner of the county, I think I have a good understanding of the needs and, more importantly, the wishes of the citizens. I think a lot of elected officials forget is once I get elected, it’s not necessarily what they think. They have to represent the citizens, and I respect the citizens. I mean, again, that goes back to my planning and zoning answer. The citizens continuously make it clear to me, to this day, they do not want planning and zoning, so I respect that.