The most publicized race in Platte County this election year is about to come to a full boil. On Nov. 5, Tammy J. Glick and Eric Zahnd will spar for the prosecutor’s seat.
Glick was appointed interim prosecutor for Platte County Oct. 4, 2001. She was appointed by Gov. Bob Holden to replace Todd Graves, who had been appointed U.S. Attorney for Western Missouri by President Bush.
Glick was born and raised in Platte County. She is a 1979 graduate of Platte County R-3 High School. She and her husband Paul have four children.
Glick is a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, served on the Platte County R-3 Board of Education from 1997-2002, member of the Platte County Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association, the Association of Women Lawyers, Missouri Juvenile Justice Association and Platte County Child Trust Fund Board of Directors.
After law school, Glick began sharing office space with fellow attorney Jim Farley in Platte City. Glick served in the Jackson County prosecutor’s office from 1993-1994. She also worked in the Platte County Circuit Clerk office. She has also served as an attorney for the Platte County Juvenile Court office.
Glick says she is the best candidate for the position of prosecutor because of her experience.
“I have the experience. The Platte County Prosecutor’s office is not large enough to have a political head,” Glick said. “The prosecutor needs to know how to try the cases and handle the docket.”
Glick said since she has been in office she has cut back on expenditures. Glick adds that when she came into office there were cell phone bills averaging $500-$1,100 a month. Now, according to Glick, cell phone bills have been cut extensively.
Glick said she also cut expenses with the county’s bad check software.
“The software before was limited by the increased number of checks received,” Glick said.
Glick also stated the software had an annual maintenance of $7,500.
“With this software there is a onetime expense and it was less than the old software,” Glick said.
“When I came into office there were only two people trying felony cases. Now, every attorney in the office has first-chaired or second- chaired a felony case,” Glick said.
Glick also said cases are being filed sooner now that she is in office.
“I enjoy my job. I think we are doing a very good job here. The citizens of Platte County are being well represented by this office,” Glick said. “I enjoy trying cases myself, and I would like to continue doing that.”
Running against Glick for the prosecutor’s seat is Eric Zahnd.
Zahnd practices law with the Kansas City office of Bryan Cave. He has served in the Missouri Attorney General’s office and served as a staff assistant to the Governor’s Commission on Crime. He has also served as an appointed special prosecutor in Cass County.
Zahnd and his wife Tracy have two sons and reside in Platte Woods.
He attended William Jewell College in Liberty and graduated with honors from Duke Law School.
He is a member of the Tri-County Domestic Violence Board, a member of the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Platte County Economic Development Council.
“The fact that I have worked both with local prosecutors and for the Missouri Attorney General’s office, I can bring those experiences to shape how the Platte County prosecutor’s office should work,”
“I have always believed in insuring that our community was safe by putting the bad guys where they belong,” Zahnd said.
Zahnd said if elected prosecutor for Platte County he has three priorities topping his list of accomplishments.
“We will make our first priority to see that people who prey on children will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Second we will take a hard line on all other violent crimes such as murder, rape and assault,” Zahnd said.
“And I want to use the prosecutor’s office to help coordinate other offices such as city, county and state law enforcement agencies. The prosecutor’s office is in a unique position that it can do that.”
Zahnd adds that the prosecutor’s office talks to all the agencies and would be a great liaison.
“The fact that I have worked both with local prosecutors and for the Missouri Attorney General’s office, I can bring those experiences to shape how the Platte County prosecutor’s office should work,” Zahnd said.