Missouri State Archives
Finding Aid 552.16
Office of Secretary of State
Legislator Papers, JAMES V. FROELKER, 1989-2003
Abstract: Papers (1992-2002) of Missouri State Representative James V. Froelker
(1949- ) of Gerald include correspondence and press files.
Extent: 2.4 cubic ft. (6 Hollinger boxes)
Physical Description: Paper
Location: MSA Stacks 43B/2/3
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Access Restrictions: No special restrictions.
Publication Restrictions: Copyright is in the public domain for state publications and for correspondence to and from Froelker in his official capacity. Researchers bear sole responsibility for following applicable copyright laws.
Acquisition Information: Accession 2002-0296.
Processing Information: Processing completed by Sharon E. Brock on March 28, 2008.
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Born August 9, 1949, in Gerald, Missouri, James V. Froelker graduated from Gasconade County R-II High School and from the United Electronic Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1969. From 1970 to 1972, he served in the United States Army with the 200th Ordnance Detachment.
In 1988, Froelker was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives from the 110th District, serving Gasconade and parts of Franklin County. He was reelected in 1990. After redistricting, Representative Froelker was elected from the 111th District in 1992 and subsequently reelected in 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000.
During his tenure in the Missouri House, Froelker served as Minority Caucus Secretary. He was also appointed to the following committees: Accounts, Operations, and Finance; Administration and Accounts; Agri-Business; Banks and Financial Institutions; Consumer Protection and Housing; Critical Issues; Education—Elementary and Secondary; Elections; Local Government and Related Matters; Miscellaneous Bills and Resolutions; Motor Vehicle and Traffic Regulations; State Parks, Natural Resources, and Mining; Tourism, Recreational, and Cultural Affairs; and Ways and Means.
Froelker served two terms on the Gasconade County Board of Education and also served as Republican committeeman in Boone Township, Franklin County. Upon leaving the General Assembly, he returned to Gerald where he is a quality control inspector.
SERIES
The records of James V. Froelker are broken down into the following series:
Correspondence, 1992-2002
Press Releases, 1994-2001
CORRESPONDENCE, 1992-2002
Extent: 2 cubic ft. (5 Hollinger boxes)
Arrangement: Alphabetical by type of correspondence and thereunder chronological by date of reply
Scope and Content
Incoming and outgoing constituent correspondence comprise the bulk of the collection. The majority of correspondence arrived during the legislative session between January and April and followed the traditional handwritten or typed format. Beginning with the late 1990s, electronic mail became more visible. Also included are constituent contact sheets; interoffice memoranda; agency background material and reports; and legislative correspondence. Limited correspondence between Froelker and his colleagues not related to legislation are scattered throughout constituent correspondence. Political surveys composed by Froelker in 1994 were completed by constituents and mailed back, many with comments written in the margins; a sample of these have been retained within constituent correspondence.
Although topics of regional and national interest may be found in the papers, the overwhelming focus of constituent correspondence was on local matters. Subjects include but are not limited to abortion rights and family planning; methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in gasoline; homosexual marriage and in the military; the Army Corps of Engineers and their handling of Missouri rivers; casino gambling; competition in the telecommunications market; establishment of a child abuse task force and inequities in the child support system; construction of waste management systems for large agricultural organizations; possible creation of a Missouri Department of Aging; education reform, collective bargaining for teachers, and academic performance standards; English as the official language of Missouri; Equal Rights Amendment; Hancock Amendment and taxation; health care reform and uninsured Missouri citizens; naming the Missouri Fox Trotter as the state horse; open enrollment in public schools; poor road signs, highway routes, speed limits on Missouri highways, unsafe intersections, road conditions, removing hard core drunk drivers from Missouri highways, and the proliferation of billboards; locations of trash dumps and rural landfills; proposed women's prison in Sullivan; public transportation for the elderly; taxes for a variety of causes; religious freedom, prayer, and the separation of church and state; requests for personal assistance; rising energy costs; special license plates for veterans; use of headlights with the use of windshield wipers; user fees for access to state records; vaccination of children against childhood diseases; and wage increases for state workers.
Proponents and opponents of specific legislation or specific issues created identical (robo) letters for bulk mailing campaigns. Representative Froelker's staff created robo letters and mailing lists in response. In each instance, only a sample letter and response were retained. Road construction on Highway 100 in Hermann forced GenCorp Automotive employees to take an alternate route they considered unsafe. In November 1994, 123 employees sent an identical robo letter to Froelker; one letter has been retained. Legislation pertaining to information technology, the Internet, and the possible creation of jobs in Missouri generated the next greatest letter response in April of 1994 as 35 Missourians mailed favorable computer generated Western Union mailgrams.
In September 1994, 330 Missourians signed a petition requesting a four-way stop sign be placed at the dangerous intersection of State Highways 185 and YY, located just south of Lyon, Missouri. Consequently, Froelker personally requested Missouri Department of Transportation assistance. Petitions demanding that Senate Bill (SB) 380 be rescinded were circulated statewide from September 1993 through November 1994. Froelker received 317 petitions containing approximately 6500 signatures; a sample has been retained within constituent correspondence.
Although abortion and conceal-and-carry legislation did not generate the bulk mailing campaigns of other issues, correspondence pertaining to these subjects consistently cropped up throughout Froelker’s tenure in the Missouri House of Representatives. In August of 1999, he mailed a robo letter requesting the assistance of Missourians to override Governor Mel Carnahan's veto of legislation banning the “partial birth” abortion procedure. Froelker received 65 responses to this appeal in August and September, a sample of which has been retained.
Using political surveys and direct mail, Froelker actively consulted his constituents for their input and Missourians invariably responded. On February 15, 2000, real estate appraiser Eric J. Britton replied to one such request with a detailed property appraisal and tax reform plan. Of additional special interest is a dissenting report pertaining to the academic performance standards for Missouri schools proposed in August 1994 by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Typed copies of Froelker’s replies to constituents were often not retained by office staff although undated, handwritten replies to some correspondents were kept. In these instances, the letter is filed by date written by constituent.
Legislative correspondence contains letters and memoranda written between Froelker and his colleagues from 1994 to 2002 pertaining solely to legislation co-sponsored by him. Folders may also include handwritten notes, lists, and supporting research.
Container List
Location |
Box |
Folder |
Date |
Contents |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
1 |
1992-March 1993 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
2 |
April 1993 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
3 |
May-July 1993 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
4 |
August 1993 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
5 |
September 1993 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
6 |
October-December 1993 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
7 |
January 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
8 |
February 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
9 |
March 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
10 |
April 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
11 |
May 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
12 |
June 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
13 |
July 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
14 |
August 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
15 |
September 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
16 |
October 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
17 |
November 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
18 |
December 1994 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
19 |
1994 |
Constituent Correspondence-surveys |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
20 |
January 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
21 |
February 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
22 |
March 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
23 |
April 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
24 |
May 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
1 |
25 |
June 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
1 |
July 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
2 |
August 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
3 |
September 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
4 |
October 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
5 |
November 1995 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
6 |
January 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
7 |
February 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
8 |
March 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
9 |
April 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
10 |
May 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
11 |
June 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
12 |
July 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
13 |
August 1-6, 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
14 |
August 7-31, 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
15 |
September 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
16 |
October 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
17 |
November 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
18 |
December 1996 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
19 |
January 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
20 |
February 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
2 |
21 |
March 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
1 |
April 1-16, 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
2 |
April 17-30, 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
3 |
May 1-15, 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
4 |
May 16-31, 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
5 |
June 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
6 |
July 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
7 |
August 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
8 |
September 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
9 |
October-December 1997 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
10 |
January 1-15, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
11 |
January 16-28, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
12 |
January 29-31, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
13 |
February 1-5, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
14 |
February 6-11, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
15 |
February 12-18, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
16 |
February 19-28, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
17 |
March 1-9, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
18 |
March 10-31, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
19 |
April 1-7, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
20 |
April 8-30, 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
21 |
May 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
22 |
June-July 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
23 |
August-September 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
24 |
October 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
3 |
25 |
November-December 1998 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
1 |
January 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
2 |
February 1-10, 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
3 |
February 11-28, 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
4 |
March 1-15, 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
5 |
March 16-31,1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
6 |
April 1-15, 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
7 |
April 16-30, 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
8 |
May 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
9 |
June1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
10 |
July 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
11 |
August 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
12 |
September 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
13 |
October 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
14 |
November 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
15 |
December 1999 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
16 |
January 1-15, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
17 |
January 16-31, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
18 |
February 1-14, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
19 |
February 15, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
20 |
February 16-28, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
21 |
March 1-2, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
22 |
March 3-9, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
23 |
March 10-15, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
4 |
24 |
March 16-31, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
1 |
April 1-13, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
2 |
April 14-30, 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
3 |
May 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
4 |
June 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
5 |
July 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
6 |
August 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
7 |
September 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
8 |
October-December 2000 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
9 |
January 1-14, 2001 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
10 |
January 15-31, 2001 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
11 |
February-March 2001 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
12 |
April 2001 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
13 |
May 2001 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
14 |
June-August 2001 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
15 |
September-December 2001 |
Constituent Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
16 |
1993-1994 |
Legislative Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
17 |
1995-1997 |
Legislative Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
18 |
1998 |
Legislative Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
19 |
1999 |
Legislative Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
20 |
2000 |
Legislative Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
21 |
January-March 2001 |
Legislative Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
22 |
November 2001 |
Legislative Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
23 |
December 2001 |
Legislative Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
24 |
January 2002 |
Legislative Correspondence |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
25 |
February-March 2002 |
Legislative Correspondence |
PRESS RELEASES, 1994-2001
Extent: 0.4 cubic ft. (1 Hollinger box)
Arrangement: Chronological
Scope and Content
During General Assembly sessions, Representative Froelker distributed legislative news to local media in the 111th District. The press releases announced meetings and committee hearings; discussed each respective Governor's State of the State address and political agenda; examined the weekly schedule and calendar of events; remarked on any legislative developments pertinent to Crawford, Franklin, and Gasconade counties; detailed specific legislation; and noted which bills were introduced, heard before respective committee hearings, or voted upon. Folders may also include electronic newsletters and media lists.
In instances where Froelker focused on one subject, topics may include abortion and reproductive rights; appropriations, the state of the economy, and the budget process; desegregation of the public schools; drunk and irresponsible drivers; equal pay for equal work; health care, insurance, and reform; highway and transportation reform; petitions and the Missouri Constitution; property and other taxes; raising and lowering taxes; right to carry and other gun control issues; riverboat gambling and slot machines; unionization of and pay increases for state employees; welfare reform; and workman's compensation.
Please note that there are months where no news releases were produced. Press releases for 1999 not dated by month are arranged in alphabetical order by title; untitled material falls at the back of Folder 21, Box 6.
Container List
Location |
Box |
Folder |
Date |
Contents |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
26 |
January-February 1994 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
27 |
March 1994 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
28 |
April 1994 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
29 |
May 1994 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
30 |
January 1995 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
31 |
February 1995 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
32 |
March 1995 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
33 |
April 1995 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
5 |
34 |
May-September 1995 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
1 |
January 1996 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
2 |
February 1996 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
3 |
March 1996 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
4 |
April 1996 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
5 |
May 1996 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
6 |
July-December 1996 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
7 |
January 1997 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
8 |
February 1997 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
9 |
March 1997 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
10 |
April 1997 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
11 |
May 1997 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
12 |
Undated 1997 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
13 |
January 1998 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
14 |
February 1998 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
15 |
March 1998 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
16 |
April 1998 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
17 |
May 1998 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
18 |
June-December 1998 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
19 |
1999 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
20 |
1999, Undated, A-P |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
21 |
1999, Undated, R-V |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
22 |
January 2000 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
23 |
February 2000 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
24 |
March 2000 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
25 |
April 2000 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
26 |
May-June 2000 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
27 |
July-August 2000 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
28 |
September-October 2000 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
29 |
November-December 2000 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
30 |
January 2001 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
31 |
February 2001 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
32 |
March-April 2001 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
33 |
June 2001 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
34 |
July 2001 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
35 |
August-September 2001 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
36 |
October 2001 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
37 |
November 2001 |
Press Releases |
43B/2/3 |
6 |
38 |
December 2001 |
Press Releases |