Meet the Commissioners
Presiding Commissioner Daniel Swem
Daniel Swem, a lifelong Republican, and resident of Newton County, began serving his four-year term as Presiding Commissioner of Newton County in January 2023.
Daniel graduated from the Neosho School District in 1986 and started his own construction company, Swem’s Construction, in 1989, building residential and commercial properties in Jasper and Newton County.
He and his wife were married in 2001 and together built the Stage Stop Campground in 2004. They operated the well-established business for over ten years before selling in 2015. Concurrently, Daniel and his wife invested in and managed rental properties in Southwest Missouri. Their extensive holdings provided housing for scores of families and individuals in Newton and Jasper County before they sold the business in 2020.
Daniel and his wife have two college aged children and are active members of Christ Community Church. They regularly volunteer with the youth activities at the church and Daniel annually works as head cook during the weeklong youth kayak trip.
Daniel graduated from the Neosho School District in 1986 and started his own construction company, Swem’s Construction, in 1989, building residential and commercial properties in Jasper and Newton County.
He and his wife were married in 2001 and together built the Stage Stop Campground in 2004. They operated the well-established business for over ten years before selling in 2015. Concurrently, Daniel and his wife invested in and managed rental properties in Southwest Missouri. Their extensive holdings provided housing for scores of families and individuals in Newton and Jasper County before they sold the business in 2020.
Daniel and his wife have two college aged children and are active members of Christ Community Church. They regularly volunteer with the youth activities at the church and Daniel annually works as head cook during the weeklong youth kayak trip.
District 1 Commissioner Mark Knight
District 2 Commissioner Mark Bridges
I began my career in the Public Safety field at 18 years of age with Neosho Fire Department and then at Newton County Ambulance when the district was created in 1975. In 1977, a position became available at the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, I became a Deputy Sheriff. From this point forward, the Newton County Courthouse has been my home away from home for the majority of my adult life.
Successfully winning the Newton County Sheriff’s election from a seasoned incumbent in 1985 was a huge blessing but my position as Newton County Coroner for 20 years has been the most fulfilling experience of my career. Until my early retirement in 2016, it was an honor to support and minister to the citizens of Newton County at the most devastating times of their lives as Coroner.
I have worked with many different County Commissioners over the years. In past years, I have considered running for the Commissioner position but the time was not right. From the information I have gathered from the public, I believe this is the time! In my career with the County, my effectiveness to carry out my duties depended on the Commissioners to appropriate the necessary funds to hire dedicated professionals and to purchase needed equipment in order to perform their sworn duties. I believe my past experience and knowledge prepares me for this assignment.
It is imperative the County Commission properly fund every office to carry out their duties. We need to take a close look at how to best improve our County roads. I would like to see the new law passed by the Legislature be implemented in our County to help our senior citizens with properly tax relief. We, as officeholders, must work in unison as servant leaders to put our citizens first. We must work closely together with every city and governmental organization in Newton County and the State of Missouri. We must never forget hard-working people pay us to work for them. It is time we make every citizen proud of our county government.
Successfully winning the Newton County Sheriff’s election from a seasoned incumbent in 1985 was a huge blessing but my position as Newton County Coroner for 20 years has been the most fulfilling experience of my career. Until my early retirement in 2016, it was an honor to support and minister to the citizens of Newton County at the most devastating times of their lives as Coroner.
I have worked with many different County Commissioners over the years. In past years, I have considered running for the Commissioner position but the time was not right. From the information I have gathered from the public, I believe this is the time! In my career with the County, my effectiveness to carry out my duties depended on the Commissioners to appropriate the necessary funds to hire dedicated professionals and to purchase needed equipment in order to perform their sworn duties. I believe my past experience and knowledge prepares me for this assignment.
It is imperative the County Commission properly fund every office to carry out their duties. We need to take a close look at how to best improve our County roads. I would like to see the new law passed by the Legislature be implemented in our County to help our senior citizens with properly tax relief. We, as officeholders, must work in unison as servant leaders to put our citizens first. We must work closely together with every city and governmental organization in Newton County and the State of Missouri. We must never forget hard-working people pay us to work for them. It is time we make every citizen proud of our county government.
