The Boone County Muleskinners presented their three annual awards at the Boone County Democratic Party picnic on Sunday, June 6.
The 2020 Betty Saunders Elected Office Holders Award is presented to Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon, in recognition of her service in overseeing fair and accurate elections in Boone County and for her efforts to ensure that every eligible voter can participate in the democratic process. Each year, the Muleskinners present the Elected Officer Holders award, named for Betty Saunders. Betty Saunders was the Boone County Recorder of Deeds for six terms. Shortly after she died, Muleskinners established an award for outstanding officeholder and presented it to her, posthumously, in 1985.
The 2020 Outstanding Young Democrat Award is presented to Boone County District 1 Commissioner Justin Aldred. Aldred threw his hat into the political arena for the first time last year. Of all the races we in Boone County were engaged in this past November, this young man was the only one to flip a seat from Republican to Democrat. This award is made in honor of Norma Robb, who served as Presiding Commissioner for Boone County. On her death in 1985, the Columbia Missourian wrote this about her: “As the first woman to be elected to what was then the presiding judge of the County Court, Mrs. Robb opened new doors for other women and brought a new perspective to the commission.”
The 2020 Margaret Morgott Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to Columbia City Council Third Ward Representative Karl Skala. I’ve heard it said that “military intelligence” is an oxymoron. The recipient of this year’s Margaret Morgett Lifetime Achievement Award disproves this. If you have ever listened to him speak or followed him on Facebook, you know how intelligent he is. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1970, and STILL proudly wears a Marine Corps T-shirt. Skala has lived in the Columbia Third Ward for over 41 years, and has served on the Columbia City Council as the Third Ward representative two different times. He held the seat for a full term from 2007 until 2010, then was elected again in 2013 and has held the seat since that time, serving a total of four terms, and currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem. The Margaret Morgett Lifetime Achievement Award is named for Margaret Morgett. Ms. Morgett was the treasurer of our Muleskinners organization for many years until she passed away. She was active in promoting not only Muleskinners, but the Boone County Democratic Party. We began giving this award in 1992.
Boone County Muleskinners 