Mayoral candidates share views, visions
Editor's Note: A questionnaire was mailed to mayoral candidates in Florence, Lincolnville, and Ramona. Following are the responses to the questionnaires that were returned.
Susan Klassen, mayoral candidate, City of Florence.
Question 1. Why do you want to be elected mayor?
Answer: "I would like to be mayor because I strongly believe that we are on the verge of either going forward and becoming a great city again or going by the wayside like so many other small towns in America.
"I would like to be a part of our revitalization. We have so much to offer but we need to get the word out and network.
"I think the idea of agri-tourism is a wonderful way for us to bring outsiders to town and show them what we have to offer."
Question 2. What are the three most important issues to you and your community?
Answer: "First is the lack of new housing and the people to fill them.
"Second is the assessed value of our homes. It keeps going up with no end in sight. We have the highest mill levy in the county and I think we need to find out why.
"Everyone is afraid to improve their property for fear of higher taxes. Something doesn't add up.
"And lastly we need to come together as a single-minded small town with everyone on the same page working toward improving Florence."
Question 3. What goals would you like to accomplish while in office?
Answer: "I think my goals are to help promote positive thinking and acknowledge volunteers on a regular basis. We have one of the strongest volunteer bases for a town our size and we need to make them feel appreciated and needed."
Question 4. What is your background?
Answer: "I have been postmaster of Florence for two years and during that time I have been active on the Labor Day committee, PRIDE committee, chamber of commerce, economic development and planning board, historical society, and this year I am a member of Leadership Marion County.
"Someone asked me how I could be mayor and still be involved in those things. My answer was really quite simple.
"To me all of the organizations I belong to should intertwine with the mayor anyway. They are all working toward a common goal of improving Florence and looking ahead.
"I'm not going in this with rose-colored glasses. I know there are some tough situations that need to be dealt with but I would be honored to be the next mayor of Florence."
Victor Burns, mayoral candidate, City of Lincolnville.
Question 1. Why do you want to be elected mayor?
Answer: "I like Lincolnville and I feel as mayor I can contribute to the city by helping to maintain city business in the best possible way."
Question 2. What are the three most important issues to you and your community?
Answer: "1. Keeping our streets in good shape. 2. Upgrading our aging sewer system. 3. Keeping Lincolnville a nice place to live."
Question 3. What goals would you like to accomplish while in office?
Answer: "To complete our community building project, and have better communication between city officials and the general public."
Question 4. What is your background?
Answer: "I have been married 23 years to my wife Gail. We have a son Travis, 19, and daughter Bridgette, 14.
"I'm currently the mayor of Lincolnville, work for Shawmar Oil & Gas Company, and own my own roofing company. We have lived in Lincolnville for 14 years."
Edith "Connie" Smith, mayoral candidate, City of Ramona.
Question 1. Why do you want to be elected mayor?
Answer: "I have a great love for this community. I've raised my three children here and have always had great hopes to see our town thrive and remain the quiet little town that attracted us here in 1981.
"The lifestyle here is nurturing and a great place to live. I want to enhance what we have and bring back community pride."
Question 2. What are the three most important issues to you and your community?
Answer: "1. Safer and better access roads to Ramona. 2. Bring service businesses to Ramona. 3. Make sure personal agendas are not allowed in city government and protect the public's right to know."
Question 3. What goals would you like to accomplish while in office?
Answer: "My goals are the same as the issues listed above."
Question 4. What is your background?
Answer: "I have run a trucking company with my husband for the past 11 years out of our home. I retired as a veterinarian technician in 1981 in Abilene before moving here.
"I became a part of city government in 1993 and was elected as a council member in 1995. I served a full term and won as a write-in candidate in 1997.
"In 1999, I was again elected to the city council and served 16 months as mayor.
"In 2001, I ran for mayor and was elected. In 2003, I won again as a write-in candidate for mayor. I resigned in November 2003, due to personal and health issues.
"Following my resignation, I spent my time getting well and taking care of my personal life and family.
"Many citizens have asked me to run again, and I feel there are things that need to be addressed.
"I'm always available to listen and encourage citizen input at meetings. I feel the more they know the better job we on the council can do for the majority of citizens.
"With government revenue cutbacks in recent years, monitoring of spending is a must and it places a lot of responsibility on council members.
"There is hope for our small town to shine again and I hope I'm a part of the process. I feel my record speaks for itself."
Pat Wick, mayoral candidate, City of Ramona.
Question 1. Why do you want to be elected mayor?
Answer: "I probably would have never run for mayor if I hadn't been handed the job when the previous mayor, Connie Smith, resigned about six months into her term of office.
"I was vice mayor and took the job of mayor which gave me the chance to experiment and see the kind of working environment we could create in Ramona.
"Now that I've finished the term, I decided that we've only just begun and I must give a little more time to this endeavor."
Question 2. What are the three most important issues to you and your community?
Answer: "1. Keep Ramona in the news. When my sister and I first came back to Kansas in 2000, we decided the one thing we could do was to keep Ramona in the local newspapers so folks in the area would know this little town was alive.
"We report the local news. We plan events and invite people to come to town. We write stories about the nostalgia of living in the country.
"2. Help people get along. One of the problems of small town life is that in this small puddle, folks have to learn how to get along or life is miserable.
"The town gets a reputation of being petty, so now (the question is) how to improve. The skill of 'getting along' begins with the mayor and city council. The mayor is sort of like the town mother. I believe she is responsible for the home environment.
"The council is like siblings that model how to solve differences, behave in a crisis, and be supportive of each other.
"From there it trickles out to the community — eventually making a difference."
Question 3. What goals would you like to accomplish while in office?
Answer: "My first goal is to take care of city business in a kind, compassionate, orderly way with no one in the audience or at the council table blowing off or being rude.
"I've made a concerted effort to encourage residents to come to meetings, give their wisdom, vote, set a good example of cleaning up their own property, and be a good neighbor before they complain about someone else.
"We want to see Ramona grow but we don't have a lot of resources. We keep looking for appropriate businesses that might want to enjoy small town life. We support the businesses that are here and work to keep our town lovely and accessible which means constantly lobbying Marion County road and bridge department."
Question 4: What is your background information?
Answer: "Probably the background that is most pertinent to being mayor is I have a master's degree in clinical psychology.
"The skills I learned as a therapist are the guiding principles of my life and help me keep my equilibrium as mayor.
"My parents were born and raised here in Ramona and graduated from Ramona High School. This means I have roots here in Kansas, even though I haven't lived here all my life.
"While I have a lot to learn about surviving in the country, I am a country girl at heart. I love knowing all the people who live in my town, not just my neighbors. Connection is important to me.
"I love teaching art at Centre Elementary School and at Butler Community College of Marion. The people in my classes have become my extended family."
Sassy senior moments
Center is lively place
By JANET BRYANT
Senior center reporter
We had a wonderful week at the senior center. It has been such a lively place with quilters, pool players, and people walking or using the exercise bicycle.
Monday was National Dance Day so we had some dance trivia. No one offered to demonstrate I regret to say.
Our easel has been used for a quilted wall hanging brought by Shirley Bowers, the most recent painting by Albert Steele, and a painting done by Evelyn Jewett. It was fun to see people emerging with evidence of talent once unknown.
Wednesday was Hat Day and the crowd spotted everything from Red Hat Society hats to railroad engineer hats. Madonna Schafers brought extra hats for those who forgot. Madonna and Sue Clough sang Easter songs after lunch and we all marched in the Easter parade. We're looking forward to our next special attire day.
Keith and Toady Nelson came to eat lunch with us on Hat Day. We haven't seen them since they moved into Marion Assisted Living.
Thursday, Henrietta Waner brought her accordion and played for our coffee break and then later for our walking segment.
Come join us for lunch April 6 and stay for the program.
