This is part of a series of features on the candidates running for offices in Bourbon County.  The Bourbon County Primary Election will be held, Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

Monday, July 20, is the candidate forum at Ellis Fine Arts Center, on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.  Doors open at 5:30  p.m. for a meet and greet with candidates. The forum starts at 6 p.m. in the order of federal, state, then local  candidates.

Jim Harris, 65, is a candidate for Bourbon County Commissioner District 2.

He has eighteen years of public leadership experience, he said.

“For seven years, I served for the City of Fort Scott as the codes director, planning and zoning administrator and was in charge of special public works projects for the city,” Harris said.

More recently he has worked for Bourbon County.

“I have served for eleven years as the Bourbon County Public Works Director,” he said. ” Over my eleven years with the county, my responsibilities have included emergency preparedness director, sanitation inspector, road and bridge and landfill director, implementing a 10-year equipment replacement program, and a 10-year road improvement program. I have experience in grant writing and grant administration.”

“Also, I have thirteen years of experience as a territory manager working with cities and counties and their budgets in the areas of equipment planning, equipment purchases, budgeting and financing,” Harris said.

What is your priority on day one, if elected?

“The greatest challenges for Bourbon County are efficient and responsible spending, economic growth, and health care,” he said.  “Good decisions made today can propel Bourbon County into a path of success for years to come. If elected I would work with all departments to assure tax dollars are being spent in a responsible manner. Partnerships need to be formed between the cities, county, and local school districts to try and work together to save tax dollars. The cities and county need to come together and make sure the citizens of Bourbon County have access to good health care services such as a hospital.”

Harris attended Fort Scott Community College.

The following is information provided on the Bourbon County Kansas website.

Not sure if you’re registered to vote or where to vote?

You may register to vote online, through the Kansas Secretary of State’s website.

Check your voter registration status, the location of your polling place and view a sample ballot at VoterView by the Secretary of State.

Advance Voting is available prior to each election.  You may advance vote in one of two ways:  By mail, by filing an application for a ballot to be mailed to you   OR   in-person, beginning at least one week prior to any election.

This is part of a series of features on the candidates running for offices in Bourbon County.  The Bourbon County Primary Election will be held, Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

Monday, July 20, is the candidate forum at Ellis Fine Arts Center, on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.  Doors open at 5:30  p.m. for a meet and greet with candidates. The forum starts at 6 p.m. in the order of the federal, state, then local candidates.

Bobby “Bob” Reed, 45, is running for Bourbon County Clerk.

Reed graduated from Wichita North High,  and also from Fort Scott Community College with an Associates of Science Degree in 1995. He also served in the Kansas Army National Guard for nine years with the 891^st Engineer Battalion.

Reed’s experience:

“I have been a department head for Bourbon County for the past seven years,” he said.   “I have prepared and managed a budget for all of the seven years.  I have been recognized by past and current commissioners on open record as doing a very good job on budgets.”

“I am currently in charge of 18 employees, 74 inmates, and a 1.2 million dollar budget.” Reed is a major in the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office.

He believes he brings an open mind to the table, he said. Also,  “I’m willing to work hard, as most of my adult career I have had multiple jobs.  I feel that I am a good boss, as many of my current and past employees would say the same.  I am willing to help solve problems.  I am pro-employee and have them as a top priority.  I am a people person and have had 25 years of talking to the taxpayers of Bourbon County.”

Another priority for Reed is getting to know  the county clerk’s employees “and gather ideas from them on ways to make their jobs easier, making a visit to the clerk’s office easier for the taxpayers of Bourbon County and learning, as it will be a new job for me.”

The following is information provided on the Bourbon County Kansas website.

Not sure if you’re registered to vote or where to vote?

You may register to vote online, through the Kansas Secretary of State’s website.

Check your voter registration status, the location of your polling place and view a sample ballot at VoterView by the Secretary of State.

The County Clerk is elected in November of Presidential Election years to a term of four years.  There are no term limits to this elected office.

The Bourbon County Clerk/Election Officer is responsible for a wide range of things under Kansas Law.  Some of those are listed here.

Advance Voting is available prior to each election.  You may advance vote in one of two ways:  By mail, by filing an application for a ballot to be mailed to you   OR   in-person, beginning at least one week prior to any election.