The Bourbon County Democrats will host a booth at Sidewalk Sales Saturday on July 13th.
The sale will be located near 24 N. Main St. from 10 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and will have four drawings, plus free items and information.
Visit the booth and text 620 215 1505 for more information!
Rick James is a Republican candidate for the 4th district House of Representative, a position currently held by Trevor Jacobs. Trevor announced that he is not seeking another term.
Rick is passionate about protecting the conservative values of fellow Kansans. He understands that freedom is not merely a privilege but a birthright. He was raised in La Cygne, Kansas where he attended La Cygne elementary school and graduated from Prairie View High School in 1981. He entered the Marine Corps a few short days later serving a 30-year career. This career included serving in Desert Storm, Haiti, Iraqi Freedom, serving on embassy duty and as a Marine Drill instructor. He achieved the rank of Sergeant Major and was awarded the Bronze Star and Legion of Merit. He also obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s Degree from the American Military University.
There was never a doubt, that he would return to Eastern Kansas. He moved his family to a small farm near highway 69 in 2008 and completed his Marine Corps career at Richard Gebauer Base in Belton. He retired a decorated Marine in 2011.
Since retiring from the Marine Corps he opened two local businesses, Semper Fi Auction Services and Bravo Realty. The Marine Corps instilled a dedication to serving his community. In 2014 he ran for the district 1 Linn County Commissioner. He served 2 full terms from 2014-2022. He did not seek reelection for a third term because, he believes there should be term limits in government at all levels.
He has a personal interest in Kansas, he was a military leader and a small Business owner. He has conservative views!! He believes in the right to bear arms, he is pro-life, he believes in a smaller government and reduced taxes.
Politicians represent the people they serve, and he takes that very seriously! He would appreciate your vote on August 6. Click here to follow him on Facebook. Semper Fi and God Bless!
Paid for by Rick James for KS State Representative.
This is part of a series featuring the candidates who will appear on the August Primary Ballot in Bourbon County.
There are two candidates for sheriff.
Nelson Blythe, 29, has approximately seven years of “very proactive law enforcement,” he said.
“The primary role of the Sheriff is to protect life, property rights and Amendment rights of the residents of Bourbon County,” he said. “This includes protecting rights that are threatened by State or Federal authorities.”
“The most pressing issues should be to reign in the budget that has steadily been rising, work to bring in revenue by utilizing the jail, improve cooperation with the rest of the County officials and actively communicate with the public on progress in these areas all throughout the elected term, not just during election season.”
Bill Martin, 58, is the current elected Bourbon County Sheriff.
Martin sees the most pressing issue facing his office as:
“Maintaining staff and working with a limited budget to provide a professional service to the community,” he said.
The sheriff’s primary role is enforcing Federal and State laws; that do not interfere with both Kansas and U.S. Constitutions, he said.
His education:
His experience (34 years)
He has been involved in the community in the following ways:
This is a series featuring those who are candidates for the upcoming August Primary Election.
This is part of the series featuring the seven candidates running for Bourbon County Commission.
Jim Harris, 69, Fort Scott, is the incumbent District 2 Commissioner.
He attended Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community College.
Harris has 34 years of experience in government. Duties with the city: planning and zoning administrator, codes director, and special public projects. With the county: sanitary inspector, emergency preparedness director, and public works director.
He has been married 52 years. “I have two wonderful sons and a daughter-in-law, and two grandsons one at Fort Scott Community College and one grandson is a Fort Scott Tiger.”
“Having served both the City of Fort Scott and the County for most of my professional life, I’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact of commissioners’ decisions on every aspect of our county’s functioning,” he said. “From my tenure in various managerial capacities within the city to my time with the county’s Public Works department, I have cultivated a deep understanding of our community’s needs and challenges.”
The most pressing issue of the commission? In these challenging times, with significant projects and economic intricacies at play, it’s vital to prioritize sound fiscal stewardship and resolute leadership. I assure the constituents of District 2 that I’ll continue to serve them with the same dedication and determination that has marked my time in office thus far.”
This is part of a series featuring candidates on the August Primary Election Ballot.
The following people have no opposition on the ballot:
Susan Walker,49, is seeking the position of Bourbon County Clerk, and there are no other candidates on the ballot for this position.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from MSSU, is a Certified Municipal Clerk through Wichita State University, and is a Certified Public Manager through Kansas University.
“I have 20 years of combined experience in governmental accounting and human resources while serving as Finance Director and Assistant City Manager with the City of Fort Scott, Business Manager for U234, and most recently Chief Financial Officer for Bourbon County. I also worked for NPC as their Human Resources Manager overseeing payroll, risk management and benefits for 40,000 employees across half of the United States at Pizza Hut and Wendy’s restaurants.”
“After losing my husband in a car accident in 2019, I needed to work closer to home for my daughter and was blessed to have the opportunity to return to the City of Fort Scott for a short time as Finance Director. I have worked for Bourbon County as CFO since January of 2022.”
“While serving as CFO I have identified a lack of financial controls which leads to errors. When hired, the County had experienced five years of audit violations and unreconciled cash. I worked with County Departments to address deficiencies and am pleased to say that the 2022 and 2023 audits had no violations.”
“The county form of government relies on statutory authority given to the County Clerk, Treasurer and Commission with very specific requirements for checks and balances. Following these statutory checks and balances are important to protect the county from errors and fraud. There are still many procedures to implement to protect the County in the future and I feel I can be more effective in making these changes as County Clerk. Jennifer Hawkins (current County Clerk), Patty Love (current County Treasurer, and I have worked well together over the past two years. Patty has decided not to run for re-election as County Treasurer. Jennifer worked in the Treasurer’s office for five years and felt she would better serve the community in this role since she has experience in the Motor Vehicle office. Jennifer is a wealth of knowledge for many departments in the County and this would also make the transition smooth if she were to be elected as Treasurer.”
“The Bourbon County Clerk serves as the clerk to the Board of County Commissioners and maintains all records for the board. The Clerk is also responsible for ensuring budget and cash laws are being followed by each department and taxing entity. The clerk is statutorily charged with calculating the July and November abstracts of valuation and taxation, preparation of the tax role, special assessments, and motor vehicle abstracts. The County Clerk is also the Election Officer, sells licenses for KDWP, conducts permitting for fireworks and cereal malt beverages, maintains fixed asset inventory, assists taxpayers with Homestead and Food Sales Tax refunds, serves as Freedom of Information Officer, Administers Oaths of Office. In addition, the Clerk administers accounts payable, payroll and human resources duties.
“Most of my working adult life I have held a position that serves our community. I want to continue to serve the community in which I live in the most transparent, efficient, and professional manner possible. There is a lack of trust in our community, and I plan to improve our website with current information to keep the community better informed.”
“As stated before, there are still many procedures to implement in financial controls. I plan to work with all departments to reduce liability.”
“The most important issue to me for Bourbon County to be successful is electing individuals to positions with experience, the willingness to collaborate and work together, civility, and transparency.”
James Crux, 32, is the only candidate for the Bourbon County Attorney position and currently is the Assistant County Attorney in the Bourbon County Attorney’s Office.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Fort Hays State University and J.D. Washburn University School of Law and has worked as a prosecutor since 2017.
“Bourbon County is a great place that is dealing with issues that a lot of what smaller communities are dealing with. Keeping the residents of Bourbon County safe, alongside our law enforcement partners, is my biggest concern. ”
“I see the Bourbon County Attorney’s primary role as doing justice,” Crux said.
Sam Owen, 29, Fort Scott, graduated from Hamilton, MO. High School in 2014 and attended Fort Scott Community College from 2014-16 earning an associates degree in construction.
The following is part of a series on candidates for the August 2024 Primary Election.
This is the first in the series profiling Bourbon County Commission candidates.
Leroy Kruger,51, Fort Scott. and is a graduate of Fort Scott High School GED. He is running for the District 3 position.
“I have a background in finance and law enforcement and currently work for the city of Fort Scott in the code and zoning enforcement,” Kruger said.
In his spare time, “I coach my grandsons in baseball basketball, and football,” he said.
“The primary role of a commissioner is to be the voice of those whom I represent,” he said.
He sees as pressing issues: a five-man commission, shared services, and cutting the cost to recoup the carryover from year to year.
“They (the current commissioners) lowered the mil without cutting the budget,” he said. “So less money coming in with the same going out. To make up for this mistake they paid the overage with a carryover slush fund and have depleted it to the point that next year there won’t be any money to cover the cost without raising taxes or cutting a lot of jobs.”
David Beerbower, 60, Fort Scott has a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He is running for the District 2 position.
He has 16 experience years with the Fort Scott Police Department, 32 years military service with the United States Marine Corps and Kansas Army National Guard, serving one tour in Iraq. He has also worked 22 years for Evergy.
He is a husband and father of seven daughters and 19 grandchildren.
He is a top contributor to the Facebook site; Concerned Citizens of Bourbon Co. Citizens for Property Rights.
Beerbower says the primary roles of county commissioners are leadership, teamwork, and stewardship.
“A county commissioner is one of the top decision-makers for the county,” he said. “You need to be a motivator and provide the support that gives your people the best opportunity for success…, look for alternative ideas and solutions to continuously improve operations. Because you are one of three or five, being a team player is vital to the overall success of county operations. Finding common ground and looking at the big picture is essential for the success of projects and development. The most important role of a county commissioner is being a good steward of our citizen’s tax dollars… managing this money and finding efficient ways to reduce costs is one means of reducing this burden.”
Reestablishing trust between commissioners and citizens is the most pressing issue, he said.
“Elected representatives need to be straightforward in their decisions, humble in their dealings with their citizens and they need to take ownership of action. Service to others should always be the mindset. My campaign slogan is Can Do!…a positive attitude having the mindset that you can achieve anything. Being proactive, taking on all challenges, and facing difficulties with the attitude that it can be solved. All the issues this county faces; taxes, economic development, and infrastructure takes involvement from everyone. If you don’t have the trust that you are working for them, then your answer will always be ‘There’s nothing we can do, or our hands are tied'”.
The Bourbon County Primary Election Day will be on August 6.
“Early voting will begin on July 29, to give everybody a week to come in early to vote,” Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins said.
Five Bourbon County Government officials are seeking re-election this year.
And there is a shift in elected personnel.
Patty Love, the current Bourbon County Treasurer, has decided to retire and will not seek re-election this year, according to Hawkins.
“After much consideration, I have decided to run for Bourbon County Treasurer,” she said. “I spent five years working in the Treasurer’s Office and feel my knowledge and experience are needed in that office.”
Love, Hawkins, and Bourbon County Chief Financial Officer Susan Walker have worked closely on county issues over the past few years, Hawkins said.
“We are making great progress within the organization, as evident by the good audits, however; I feel there is still more to accomplish, and I can help accomplish this by being Treasurer,” she said.
“Susan Walker, CFO, has played an integral part in my success as County Clerk and I feel she would be an excellent Clerk as she has 20 years of experience in human resources and municipal finance and government,” Hawkins said.
“Many do not know that Susan is a Certified Municipal Clerk through Wichita State University,” Hawkins said. “Given how well our offices have worked in the past I feel this will make for a smooth transition. Our plans are to create policies and procedures to ensure financial controls are in place for future elected officials.”
“By working together and developing policies and procedures there will be checks and balances in place and the need for a Chief Financial Officer can be eliminated potentially saving the wages of the CFO or reallocating the wages to other needs,” Hawkins said.
The following are the other incumbents and their challengers, with a short explanation of the duties of the office.
Commissioners
All three of the commissioner seats are up for re-election.
The current three County Commissioners, Clifton Beth (District 3), Jim Harris ( District 2), and Brandon Whisenhunt (District 1) have thrown their hat in the ring to serve again.
Those running against them are Clinton Walker, David Beerbower, Steven Houston, and Leroy Kruger.
The county commissioners are the chief elected officials of the county, according to the county’s website. They set policies and procedures for running the courthouse and set the budgets for all Bourbon County departments.
County Attorney
Tiara McElroy is not running again for Bourbon County Attorney and James Crux has filed for that position.
The county attorney is the prosecuting attorney for the county.
Register of Deeds
Register of Deeds Lora Holdridge has filed for the position again and no one filed to run against her.
The register of deeds keeps and records all deeds to property located in the county, according to the county’s website. He/She maintains military discharge records and school records as well.
County Treasurer
Jennifer Hawkins and Michael Hoyt are running for county treasurer. Hawkins is the current Bourbon County Clerk.
According to the county’s website, the county treasurer collects and distributes all real and personal property taxes and is an agent for the Kansas Division of Vehicles for vehicle and title registrations.
County Clerk
Susan Walker, the current Bourbon County Finance Director, has filed for the Bourbon County Clerk position.
The county clerk is the county’s chief election officer who maintains voter registration and conducts all elections in the county, according to the county’s website. He/she sets the tax roll and keeps records for the county as Freedom of Information Officer.
Sheriff
Sheriff Bill Martin filed to run again and is being challenged by Nelson Blythe.
The county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the county, according to the county’s website.
To view all the state and other county filings provided the county clerk:
2024 Primary Election Candidates – Copy
