Mayor & Council

Zern Vess

District 1
Council Member

Zern Vess has represented District 1 since first winning election to council in April of 2023.

Born in Frankfurt, Germany while his father was on assignment there with the US Army, Zern then grew up in Laquey, Missouri, a small town near Fort Leonard Wood. After high school, Zern graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Missouri State University (SMS at the time).

The Vess family moved to Nixa in the fall of 2014 after having left the Springfield area for some years following Zern’s career with Enterprise Rent-a-car. They wanted to move back to Missouri to be closer to family and they chose Nixa because of interactions they experienced in the community and because they were drawn to our award-winning schools. “Nixa felt like a great place to live and raise a family and the community has held up its part of the bargain,” says Vess. “My oldest daughter graduated from Nixa in 2020 and my youngest currently attends Nixa High school.”

“I enjoy the pride and ownership Nixa citizens have for our town,” Vess says, adding, “I have met and worked with some of the most driven people from Nixa.”

Vess hopes to help Nixa attract retail and manufacturing businesses to Nixa as well as outdoor recreational opportunities including parks improvements, walking paths and biking trails.

“I look forward to working with Nixa citizens about their concerns and ideas for how we can improve the community,” says Vess. “Feel free to reach out and I’ll do my best to find answers to your questions or have a productive conversation. I’m eager to help!”

Zern Vess’ current term will expire in April of 2027.

Jay Ortiz

District 1
Council Member

Jay Ortiz is the newly appointed Council Member for District 1.

Jay Ortiz’ current term will expire in April 2025.

Aron Peterson

Mayor Pro Tem, District 2
Council Member

Aron Peterson has represented District 2 since 2010. Aron works as a third-party contractor specializing in logistics for the Cheese and Dairy Procurement Group at Kraft Heinz. Born in Germany and raised in South Dakota and Iowa, Aron completed his Business Administration degree at Evangel University. His family moved to Nixa in 1997 for the exceptional schools and to be close to their church, Nixa First Assembly of God, where he, his lovely wife Shawn, and their two beautiful daughters Ashely and Emiley attend. Aron says he likes Nixa because, “it still has a small town feel even though the population has doubled since we moved here.”

Aron decided to run for council after a friend recommended he fill the seat she was vacating. He says being involved with council enables him to be a facilitator of change, not simply a spectator of it. When he first joined council, Aron says he was, “not aware of the number of ordinances and resolutions the council has to decide whether or not to enact.” He was also, “amazed to find out the city’s budget is primarily funded by the 1 cent sales tax.”

While Aron says Nixa is great place to live and play, he wants to make it a better place to work. That’s why his goal is to find innovative ways to spur substantial economic growth, such as a business incubator. He also wants to improve the infrastructure around the Missouri Street corridor, see the establishment of a skate park, and continue to see more sidewalks connect across the city. Aron says the best part of serving on council is, “the interaction I have with the constituents of my district. Having the ability to work as a liaison between the citizens of Nixa and the city is very rewarding.”

Aron Peterson’s current term will expire in April 2028.

Shawn Lucas

District 2
Council Member

Shawn Lucas has served on city council since April, 2021. He works as a territory manager in the food distribution industry.

Shawn was born in Illinois and raised in Kansas, earning his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Ottawa University in 1999. Shawn, his wife Tina, and their daughters Teagan and Eliza moved to Nixa in 2013 when he accepted a promotion which required a move to 417-land. He says, “We chose Nixa primarily on what we had read and heard about the schools,” noting that the move also brought them closer to family in the Branson area. He says he loves that Nixa retains a small-town feel despite its rapid growth.

Shawn decided to run for city council because he enjoys being involved in things that can make a difference in the community and because a friend told him he might be good at public service due to his long history of volunteerism and involvement in community activities. He says, “I simply want to do my part to help Nixa continue to grow and be better tomorrow than it already is today.”

Shawn says he has been impressed by the kindness and helpfulness of everyone at City Hall. He hopes to help the city accomplish the priorities outlined in the strategic plan which is based on community feedback. However, he was surprised by low turnout in local municipal elections. “Every vote can truly make a difference,” says Shawn, “I believe that voting for local government has a bigger impact on our personal day-to-day lives than any state or national election could ever have.”

Shawn Lucas’ current term will expire in April 2027.

Darlene Graham

District 3
Council Member

Darlene Graham represents District 3. She is a retired high school teacher of 25 years and mother of four children. She graduated from SMSU with a double major in English and Theater. Darlene was born and raised in eastern Missouri and moved to Nixa in 1976. She says she loves the close-knit, friendly atmosphere in Nixa.

Darlene says she decided to run for council because she has a passion to serve the community, “Representing the citizens of Nixa is worth my time because their concerns are my concerns, and helping decide what is best for our city based on their input is very important to me.”

Since joining the council, Darlene says the biggest thing she has learned is why the wheels of government move slowly. “Decisions that affect Nixa are not made without thoroughly investigating the need for a project and then finding the funds to complete them,” she says. For Darlene, one of the best parts of serving on council is setting the record straight when residents ask her about rumors they hear, “When I am able to put a rumor to rest for them makes me feel good.”

Parks are a priority for Darlene. She would like to see the city acquire more parkland and facilities, particularly on the west side of Highway 160. She says, “I want to be a part of helping Nixa grow to be the best city that we, as citizens, can make it.”

Darlene wants Nixa residents to know she cares about their concerns and welcomes their input. She enjoys explaining the city’s progress on issues to the residents of her district and tries to listen and vote based on their values.

Darlene Graham’s current term will expire in April 2026.

Kelly Morris

District 3
Council Member

Kelly Morris has represented District 3 since April 2023, when she was first elected to complete the last 2 years of a previous official’s term. Morris currently works for the Christian County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy.

Born in Palm Springs, California, Morris was raised in Nixa from the age of 3. A 2012 graduate of Nixa High School, she attended OTC where she graduated with an Associate of Arts degree in 2016 before heading to Missouri State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminology in 2018. She then attended Drury University’s Police Academy, graduating in 2019 with her Peace Officer License.

Morris says her family chose to move to Nixa because of how safe it was. Her grandparents located in Nixa first and her parents then moved Kelly and her sister to Nixa to be close to them. “When my grandpa asked the sheriff at the time which town was safer, Nixa or Ozark, he said Nixa,” says Morris. “We’re still here and now I take great pride in contributing to preservation of our community safety.”

“I love that Nixa maintains a small town feel and also offers opportunities for growth and improvement,” Morris says. “I love that I can drive down Rt. 14, wave at people I recognize and they will wave back. I love seeing neighbors helping neighbors throughout town.”

Morris says she ran for council because she wanted to help make Nixa even greater than it already is. I have a young son now, and I want to be part of the positive impact city council has and will continue to have for him and our future generations.

“A dream of mine would be to help bring more local businesses and a larger variety of restaurants to Nixa,” she says. “I really enjoy the helpfulness of other council members and the city staff. Everyone is very helpful and has so much knowledge on the issues which come before the council, which helps council make informed decisions.”

Kelly Morris’ current term will expire in April 2028.