Category Archives: Elections
Shaunn Pytlowany: Candidate for Bourbon County Treasurer, Candidate Forum Is TODAY
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.
Today, 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.
Shaunn Pytlowany, 49, is a candidate for Bourbon County Treasurer.
He graduated from LaVista High School, Fullerton CA. He was a graduate and graduate assistant of Dale Carnegie training, a General Motors Mark of Excellence award winner, business management and financial training through Toyota, Ford, General Motors, Dodge.
” Professionally I have over 19 years experience in leadership and team building,” Pytlowany said. ” I’ve been a successful local business owner since 2006. Also, being that I’ve lived and have been active in the community for 26 years it’s given me the opportunity to develop strong working relationships with city and county officials.”
” If elected my past experience in the automotive industry along with operating a business would be a benefit,” he said. “From inventory control, building and developing teams, and expense management.”
What would be your day one priority if elected?
“Analyze the current structure in the office,” he said. “Are the correct people in the correct positions? Develop a plan to increase the amount of daily transactions that are currently processed during the pandemic. Keep the office on budget by reducing the amount of times an outside auditor is needed in turn saving the taxpayers money.”
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.
Julie Saker: Candidate for Bourbon County Sheriff
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.
Julie Saker, 54, is a candidate for Bourbon County Sheriff.
She has a high school/GED and took criminal justice classes at Fort Scott Community College.
“I have no experience in law enforcement,” Saker said. “But I have supervised/management experience. Twenty-five plus years in business.”
She has lived in Bourbon County for 30 years, she said.
What skills do you bring to the position if elected?
“Just be a good role model for my employees and the community.”
What is your priority on day one?
“To get acquainted with the staff and just keep learning as I go.”
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.
Kendell Mason: Candidate For Bourbon County Clerk
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.
Kendell Dawn Mason, 48, is the current Bourbon County Clerk and is running for re-election.
Mason is a graduate of Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community College.
She has worked for over 15 years in the Bourbon County Clerk’s Office, over seven of those years as the county clerk.
What skills do you bring to the position if re-elected?
“The knowledge and experience of working in the office for 15 ½ years.”
What is your priority on day one?
“To continue to work hard for the taxpayers of Bourbon County.”
The following is taken from the Bourbon County 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.
Patty Love: Bourbon County Treasurer Candidate
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.
Patty Love is the current Bourbon County Treasurer and is running for re-election.
Love received an associate’s degree from Fort Scott Community College, a certificate of completion from Fort Hays State University as Certified County Treasurer, a Certified Kansas County Finance Officer and will receive her third certification at the September state treasurer’s meeting.
“I have worked for Bourbon County for nine years,” Love said. ” I started as a temporary employee in the register of deeds office, this led to a full-time position as a floater between with deeds office and the county clerks office, then I transferred to the county treasurer’s office.”
” I was deputy treasurer for five years before being appointed treasurer when Rhonda Dunn resigned,” she said. “I was elected treasurer in 2018 to complete Rhonda Dunn’s term.”
What skills do you bring to the position if re-elected?
“I have worked in the other offices in the courthouse and understand how they work together. I have eight years of experience in the treasurer’s office and am familiar with all operations of the office.”
What is your priority on day one?
“My priority is the same as it has been in the last 2 1/2 years which is to make sure that tax collection and vehicle registrations are carried out in an accurate, courteous and efficient manner while keeping office expenses within budget and to cut expenses where possible.”
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.
Bill Martin: Candidate For Bourbon County Sheriff
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.
Bill Martin, 54, is the current Sheriff of Bourbon County and is running for re-election.
His education includes Uniontown High School, an associate’s degree from Fort Scott Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University, and he attended graduate school at Missouri Southern State University.
Martin’s experience includes National Sheriff’s Institute, Aurora, CO; Executive Level Management Education and Training Rural Executive Management Institute; a management education and training program designed to prepare rural law enforcement executives for the unique challenges, Session XLIV, St. Louis, MO; Kansas City Missouri Police Dept. Regional Training Center, over 3,000 hours of in-service training in the criminal justice and administration fields; Kansas Sheriff’s Academy 2020 Professional Development and Leadership Academy and FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.
Martin, in addition to being the current Bourbon County Sheriff, has served on the Kansas City, MO Police Department, the Pittsburg, KS Police Department, and the Fort Scott Police Department.
Martin served in the military in the following capacities: U.S. Army (Active Service), Kansas National Guard (Military Police), Primary Leadership Development Course, and Basic Non-Commissioned Leadership Course.
What skills do you bring to the position if re-elected:
“I have maintained the same skill set, demeanor and decorum for the past eight years as the current sheriff, and even prior to my current position as the undersheriff for six years.”
What is your priority on day one?
“To continue to oversee and direct county law enforcement to the citizens of this jurisdiction, in the same effective matter has I have exhibited during my tenure.”
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.
Nick Graham: Candidate For Bourbon County Clerk
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.
Nick Graham, 40, is a candidate for Bourbon County Clerk.
Graham has an associate’s degree in network administration from Labette Community College.
He has 20 years in information technology experience for local small businesses and education providers. He is a former Fort Scott City Commissioner.
What skills do you bring to the position if elected?
“I love helping and interacting with people, which is not particularly common among IT guys, and the clerk’s office provides a ton of opportunities to help improve and streamline county services and communication that we can implement quickly and at little or no cost.”
“I also think I’m a strong coalition builder – there is a lot of silo mentality going on inside (and outside) the county government right now, and when that happens, the biggest loser is the taxpayer, as they get fragmented service and fragmented communication. I’ve sat down with several elected and non-elected officials on the county level (and the city level) sharing my ideas and plans on ways we can make everyone’s job a little easier and provide a much smoother experience for our customers, the taxpayers.”
“I also think I’m a strong coalition builder – there is a lot of silo mentality going on inside (and outside) the county government right now, and when that happens, the biggest loser is the taxpayer, as they get fragmented service and fragmented communication. I’ve sat down with several elected and non-elected officials on the county level (and the city level) sharing my ideas and plans on ways we can make everyone’s job a little easier and provide a much smoother experience for our customers, the taxpayers.”
“Lastly, having worked in the technology side of public education and for small businesses with very limited budgets, I’ve learned how to improvise and innovate without spending a lot of money. In a rural county like ours, that’s going to be more and more critical as time goes on, especially in economic times like these.”
What is your priority on day one?
“I have two main priorities for when I am sworn in as clerk:
1) Build a useful online presence for the county – provide quality online broadcasts of the meetings, start building an easily accessible and easy to use system so people can pull up public records online, and making it as easy as possible for people to do their business with the county without having to take a trip to the courthouse if they don’t want to.
2) Education. The county clerk’s office is incredibly multifaceted, from taking minutes at commission meetings, to handling accounts payable, to overseeing all local elections, to being co-guardian of the budget with the treasurer. And that’s just four of the fourteen core responsibilities. It’s a critical position, and I intend to immerse myself in all the training and resources available to the clerk. I’ve also established good working relationships with both current and former county clerks in the southeast Kansas area, so I feel like I’ve got a great support team in place.”
The following is from the Bourbon County 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.
Mike Feagins: Candidate for Bourbon County Sheriff
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.
Mike Feagins, 46, is a candidate for Bourbon County Sheriff.
He attended Fort Scott Community College.
“I am running for Bourbon County Sheriff to bring many positive things to the table. As a citizen, I do not want my taxes to continue rising. I want citizens to see patrol vehicles in their areas. I want to establish programs that involve children. Children are our future. I feel strongly that they are educated regarding the proper process of law enforcement. I believe that I have the knowledge, education and experience to be your next sheriff. I want to lead this community in the right direction.”
“I bring with me 18 years of law enforcement experience and well over one thousand hours of continuing education, strictly towards law enforcement. Part of those educational hours are for extensive training in drug interdiction, taser instructor certification, field training officer certification, and many others. I have also obtained many hours for leadership and supervision management and have overseen a reserve deputy training program for many years.”
“My experience ranges from reported threats, domestic situations, battery reports, burglary/theft reports, helping those who have mental health issues, investigating minor to fatality accidents, sex crimes, child abuse cases, battery reports, suicides, attempted murders, murder investigations, just to name a few. I also have experience with upholding laws and developing safety plans within school systems.”
What skills do you bring to the position if elected?
“I will bring honesty, dedication, experience, positive moral, and good ethics to the sheriff’s office. I have been concerned regarding the on-going negative relationship between the sheriff’s department and the Fort Scott Police Department.”
What is your priority on day one?
” I have been concerned regarding the on-going negative relationship between the sheriff’s department and the Fort Scott Police Department,” he said. “My intention, if elected, is to sit down with the Fort Scott Police Chief, discuss the current issues at hand, and develop a remedy for establishing a positive relationship. I believe local agencies need to work together in order to better fight crime and educate citizens regarding any issues that may arise in different jurisdictions. It is also imperative to have a good working relationship with surrounding jurisdictions.”
“The next five years will definitely be a challenge due to restructuring the current budget. If elected, I will immediately need to go over the current budget as well as look into the full year of spending. Things arise unexpectedly, and one should be prepared for them. If elected, I want to be able to make cuts appropriately so I can budget in yearly raises for the deputies.”
“Public leadership experience is something that is demonstrated by every law enforcement officer daily. It is our duty to guide and teach the community based on the situation that we encounter.”
Feagins is a life long resident of Bourbon County.
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.
Jim Harris: Candidate For Bourbon County Commission
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.
Bobby Reed: Candidate for Bourbon County Clerk
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 891st 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.
Derick Burke: Candidate For Bourbon County Sheriff
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.
Derick Burke, 37, is running for the Sheriff of Bourbon County, Kansas position.
He is an Oak Grove, MO High School graduate and also graduated from the Carpenters Union Apprenticeship program and the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center.
His experience includes ten years in the Carpenters Union and six years in law enforcement.
What skills do you bring to the position if elected or re-elected?
“I have knowledge of law enforcement, records management, how property and evidence should be handled, and what it takes to have a successful department. In the past ,I have been successful with budgets by managing time and manpower, ordering materials, and setting the schedule. I was efficient, effective, on time, never over budget, and never had to ask for more money to finish the task I was given.”
What is your priority on day one?
“My very first priority is personnel retention. I believe it is imperative I sit down with each of the deputies to see what they think of the department, find out if there are any improvements they believe need to be made, and to see what they expect from me as their sheriff. I would also take this time to let them know what I expect from them. I think the department will improve exponentially if everyone has an open line of communication.”
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.
Craig Rice: Candidate For Bourbon County Sheriff
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.
Craig A Rice, 59, is running for Bourbon County Sheriff.
His education includes a high school diploma, Kansas Law Enforcement Training, Military Police Diploma, Emergency Medical Technician.
His experience includes 36 years Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical Training, leadership and training experience, rescue, hostage negotiator, crisis management team leader, field training officer, community event leader, and correctional officer.
His priority:
“To ensure that I establish a good working relationship with all city and county heads so we can create an environment of cooperation and respect,” he said.
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.