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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports April 23
Ft. Scott City Commission Meeting, 4/15/2025
Public Comments
Michael Hoyt reminded the commission that from 6a.m. to 6p.m. on April 22-23 at Veterans Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas, assistance will be available to help veterans to file claims.
Appearances
The commissioners approved the parade permit for the Fort Scott High School All Class Reunion Parade to take place at 6 p.m. on June 27.
Unfinished Business
121 Margrave, tabled from 3/18/2025
Commissioner Matthew Wells, whose construction company owns and is remodeling the property, gave the commission an update. He said that once utilities are turned back on they will start foundation work in the next 90 days and work on the addition in 120 days. Codes officer Leroy Kruger asked that they fill in the old cistern on the property for safety’s sake, which Wells agreed to. The commission then voted to table the discussion for 120 days.
118 E. Wells proposals discussion
City Manager Brad Matkin said that the city of Fort Scott has asked the owner to sign a liability waiver, allow codes time to go in once a year to inspect the building, and get insurance in order to continue conduction business in the building. The owner cannot get insurance because of the red tag. Matkin asked that the commission approve a plan to allow the city attorney to write up a simple letter saying that they will remove the red tag for 30 days, during which time no business can be done at the location, but the insurance company can look at the building to see if they will insure it.
A $1 million in liability is what the city usually requires.
Kruger expects them to only be able to get liability. His understanding is that this 30 days is to get insurance in order to be able to sign the other contract, to be able to sign the release of liability then open for business.
The city’s lawyer says that the release of liability may not fully protect Fort Scott.
The owners asked Kruger if the city would like to purchase the building. Kruger said that whatever the commission decides to do will set a precedence and there are two or three other buildings that he’s already started the work on, so “this is going to come up again in the very near future.”
Wells said that a similar situation happened in Miami Dade and the liability waiver did not protect the city. He also said that if the building fails, at least one other one will go down with it because they share a wall.
Matkin suggested giving the owner the opportunity to get insurance and give them 6 months for them to give the codes officers their game plan whether to fix or sell. The building will continue to require repairs, but let the owners decide what they do with it.
Commissioner Kathryn Salsbury expressed concern that the city had told the owners what they needed to do in order to conduct business, so the city needs to stick to that agreement.
The city lawyer said, “I think this hole gets deeper every time we talk about it…I don’t think you’re legally bound to continue down that path.” Because so many other issues have come up with the building and it’s situation. “I think you are free to try to structure or craft a different path that makes sense.”
Kruger said it was important that the city spell out what they expect to happen over time with time frames on it. “It would be unfair for us to make them jump through hoops and them not know what to expect and then I go shut them down in 6 months.”
Mayor Timothy Van Hoeke summed up the commissions position that they don’s want to buy and fix the building, nor do they want to pull the red flag.
The current bids to do all needed repairs will cost a minimum of $412,000.
Van Hoeke asked for details about the owner’s desire to sell it.
The commission voted to move the decision of what to do to the May 20 meeting to see what develops. Wells opposed.
New Business
Purchase of a Fire Truck
Chief Dave Bruner spoke to the commission about the new trucks his department needs. After forming a committee and doing research, he came with his committee’s suggestions.
Ford F550 Rescue truck replacement
The department has had the current truck for 11 years and it has been involved in nearly 90% of total call volume. The truck’s expected lifespan of 10 years is passed and it’s becoming less reliable. When it had 50,000 they replaced the engine and the transmission at 30,000. The pump on it is 22 years old.
The price to replace it from Hay’s Fire Equipment is $255,686.
The capital improvement budget will pay for the chasis at $61,971, then they build the truck over the next 12-18 months, at which time the remaining price is paid.
The commission approved purchase.
Pumper
The capital improvement plan for 2026 has $850,000 budgeted to replace the 1997 E1 Truck. They currently have a 2019 pumper a 2020 tower, and 2009 pumper, the rescue truck and this 1997 truck. It is the last truck in the fleet they are looking to replace.
The committee talked about purchasing used, new, or re-configuring the current truck. The cost of trucks has risen 40% compared to previous years, and the cost continues to rise between 3-7% annually. Part of the cost increase is global supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and increase demand for updated safety features, as well as the new emissions requirements coming in 2027, which will increase the cost of fire trucks by between $64,000 and $120,000. In 2019, the city paid $465,000 for Engine One. That same truck costs $938,000 today. There was a good deal of discuss about the rising cost of equipment and the city’s best course of action. 1:04
Refurbishing the current truck would be $602,547 and take 12-15 months, and would require the department to rent a truck to replace during the refurbishment. Also, the insurance on it would only cover a 1997 truck value, making replacement in case of loss cost-prohibitive.
He said he would prefer to pay off the current truck before adding a new one, but is concerned about the increase in costs. With current recommendation of purchasing from Spartan Apparatus for $784,702, the 11 month build time would make payment for the truck due in February of 2026.
The commission asked for more details on some of the bids and confirmation that the price will be locked in. This gives city workers time to go out for bids on the lease to purchase the truck.
The commission also approved the purchase of a new mower for the park to replace the 2013 mower.
Revised Employee Handbook
Brad Matkin gave the commission a revised version in December and asked for their feedback. Salisbury moved to schedule a work session for 5 p.m. May 6 to discuss the employee handbook. Commission approved.
Reports and Comments
Jason Hickman gave the Horton Street update. Fog seal was started last week and will be finished this week.
Commission approved the motion to have Earl’s Engineering, the city’s engineer, do the design for the match project on East National.
Brad Matkin reported that the free Saturday night concert is moved to Memorial Hall this week at 7p.m.. The Teresa Deaton Band will be performing.
Commissioner comments
Wells: Friends of the Fort used Memorial Hall for their dance the other night. It was in great shape, kudos to Norman Nation.
He asked about the Wall Street city lot that the freight house sits on. He was told it was deeded to a group with a 2 year limitation on completing their project, which they failed to do. That group then deeded it to somebody else without the authority to do so. City has the right to enforce the original contract to claw the lot back.
Wells ended his comments by reminding those present of Romans 3:23. He said everybody makes mistakes, but it’s about how you respond to those mistakes and move forward. Please keep that in mind.
Commissioner Tracy Dancer said, “I would like to apologize to Brad.” 1:42
Van Hoeke: said that for a lot of people around the world right now, this is Holy Week, keep in mind the reason for the season. Hopefully you’ll be able to take in the true meaning of what this time means.
Ended with executive sessions to deal with non-elected personnel issues.
Opinion: Zoning requires trust. Do we have it?
In my first article about zoning, we examined Beerbower’s statement, “Those that hold on to the outdated ideology that zoning somehow robs their freedom and right to do whatever on their land are shortsighted.” (source) We looked at whether zoning actually does nothing as he claimed or if it does change what you are allowed to do with your land. In my second article, we examine why rational people might be both for and against zoning and how, even if everyone were to assume that the current commissioners were incredibly competent and would fully represent their interests, some people may still side with Jefferson’s core principles regarding government. Commissioner Beerbower may consider Jefferson to have “outdated ideology” and be “shortsighted,” but, just like there are rational reasons to want zoning, it isn’t unreasonable for someone to agree with Jefferson.
Given we’ve considered zoning with a premise of the commissioners acting in the very best interest of the county, it is worth considering whether or not that premise holds.
In November, the three commissioners-elect, David Beerbower, Leroy Kruger, and Brandon Whisenhunt joined local citizens Bob Casper, Katie Casper, Timothy Emerson, Samuel Tran, Karen Tran, and Michael Wunderly in suing the county commissioners and the solar companies to try to undo the actions of the then-current commission. The details of the case are interesting, though for the sake of this discussion, it shouldn’t matter too much what you think of the merits of the case. What we are going to look at is how you are being represented as a citizen of Bourbon County.
On 12/30/24, the lawyer representing the county made a motion asking the judge to dismiss the case because the lawsuit (filed by the three incoming commissioners and some local citizens) “fails to state any cause of action or set forth facts sufficient to support any claim under Kansas law.” The way that a motion to dismiss is handled is that the judge has to “pretend” that the plaintiffs can prove every single thing they have claimed in their lawsuit. If in this “pretend” scenario, the plaintiff still wouldn’t win, then the case is dismissed. If there is some possible scenario where one of the plaintiffs’ claims could win, then the case is not dismissed.
So when the commissioners Beerbower, Kruger, and Whisenhunt took office in January of 2025, the county found itself in the absolutely ridiculous position where every sitting commissioner was paying with their own money to fund a lawsuit against themselves and then using taxpayer money to defend against that lawsuit. I’ve heard people argue that they didn’t know they were going to be elected when they filed the lawsuit, but since the election was November 5th and the lawsuit was filed November 20th, fifteen days had elapsed when the commissioners-elect could have recognized the gross conflict of interest and asked to be removed from the lawsuit. Even if they were sympathetic to the cause of the other plaintiffs on the lawsuit, it is clear that they couldn’t play both sides at the same time without either behaving unethically to the other citizens who were plaintiffs or choosing to act against the best interest of the county as a whole.
Instead of defending the lawsuit with their recently hired county lawyer (who cost $110,000 per year), they retained outside counsel to defend the county. If they believed that outside counsel could reduce the costs of defending a lawsuit more quickly and at less expense than the recently hired county attorney, then it would have been their duty to the taxpayers to do so. However, their next action made it clear that wasn’t the plan.
Remember, there was an open motion asking the judge to dismiss the case if there was no way the plaintiffs could win, even if they proved every one of their claims. Every taxpayer in the county has a vested interest in making sure that the county doesn’t spend thousands of dollars of tax money on defending against a lawsuit that a judge knows the county will win ahead of time, no matter what the plaintiffs prove in court.
On March 3rd, 2025, the commissioner’s lawyer withdrew their motion to dismiss. This meant that they told the judge, “Never mind. Even if you know that we will win the lawsuit, we want the lawsuit to continue.” Why would commissioners do this? Why would they want to continue paying the outside lawyer to continue the case? Why would they ask the judge to NOT consider if there was any legal basis for the lawsuit? It clearly is not in the best interest of Bourbon County to drag out the lawsuit if it is clear what the end result will be. However, there are a few people who might want to drag out a lawsuit that the judge knows they can’t win. Those are the people paying for the lawsuit against the county in the first place, including the three commissioners-elect when it was filed.
The fact that the commissioners intentionally filed a lawsuit, knowing they would use their own money to sue themselves and then use your taxpayer money to defend against that suit, is unexplainable. The most gracious explanation is that they didn’t fully realize what type of situation that was going to create, but the fact is that they refused to drop off despite calls to do so on ethical grounds. The fact that they have hired an additional lawyer with your taxpayer money only to instruct him to ask the judge not to give an early ruling on the merits of the case appears to me to be completely unconscionable.
Given the clear preference for undermining the county’s defense of the lawsuit by withdrawing the request for the judge to rule on the merits of the plaintiffs’ case, it is hard to imagine any way that the commissioners on the lawsuit could be said to be operating in the best interest of the county.
Bringing this back around to the original point. In my previous piece, we assumed that you have no doubt that the current commissioners are acting completely and 100% in your best interest as a citizen and taxpayer of the county. That allowed us to look at zoning in a best-case scenario. But now you should consider the facts of the decision to file a lawsuit, knowing they would soon be in office and have to use your taxpayer money to defend against it. Consider that they hired an outside lawyer, not to expedite the end of the lawsuit, but to prolong it. Consider that the commissioners on the lawsuit have refused to drop off to avoid the clear conflict of interest.
Next, consider whether or not that track record gives you confidence in their ability to fairly represent your interests and the longterm interests of the county in implementing zoning. If it does and you support the idea of zoning, then by all means, give them your full support. However, if it raises concerns, then even if you support the idea of zoning, you should consider the track record of the two (originally three) commissioners who chose to file a lawsuit against themselves with their money and pay to defend it with yours.
Mark Shead
Note: FortScott.biz publishes opinion pieces with a variety of perspectives. If you would like to share your opinion, please send a letter to [email protected].
BB-2024-CV-000075 – Motion to Dismiss
BB-2024-CV-000075 – Original Petition
BB-2024-CV-000075 – Withdrawal of Board of County Commissioners Motion to Dismiss
Obituary of Otis Thomas
Otis B. “Otie” Thomas passed away Saturday, April 19, 2025, at the Presbyterian Village in Fort Scott, KS. He was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin in 1933, the son of Francis C.O. Thomas and Gjerdis J. Thomas. Growing up together with older sisters Marie and Carolyn, he graduated in 1951 from the Griffith Institute in Springville, New York. He next matriculated at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, graduating in 1955 with a B.A. degree in Business Administration. Following university study and ROTC training, Otie married Helen Gillette of Briar Hill, New York and became an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving for four years and ultimately rising to the rank of Captain.
Upon leaving military service, Otie began a long and distinguished career in the graphics profession, serving a series of prominent national and international companies, including Graphic Controls (Buffalo), Fasson/Avery Dennison (Cleveland), Contact Products (Dallas), and Ward-Kraft (Fort Scott). Later in his career, he burnished his reputation for excellent customer service with his company Forms & Labels by Thomas and Graphic Resources/Liberty Labels. Following Helen’s passing in 2012, Otie married Thelma Wurtz of Fort Scott, Kansas in 2015.
While his older sisters have passed on, Otie is survived by close friends and family, including Michael McWilliams (Stanford, California) and Jennifer Froats-Washington (Dallas, Texas) together with nephews and nieces Christine Telfer (Bend, Oregon), Geoff Horn (Navasota, Texas), James Horn (Holly Lake Ranch, Texas), John Horn (Portland, Oregon) and Susan Craven (Denton, North Carolina).
Wherever he lived and worked, Otie was a tireless supporter of church and community, a sensitive and caring friend, and a devoted fan of his favorite local and national sports teams, forever optimistic that next season might be better.
We will all miss Otie’s irrepressible smile, his boundless spirit and his steady friendship. It has been a privilege for us all to have been a part of his very rich life.
Rev. Sarah Gengler will conduct funeral services at 10:00 AM Monday, April 28th, at the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Scott.
Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 9:30 AM Monday until service time at the Church.
Memorials are suggested to Presbyterian Village Fort Scott and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.
Obituary of Frederick Campbell, Jr.
Frederick F. “Fred” Campbell, Jr., 94, of Fort Scott, passed away Friday evening April 11, 2025, at Guest Home Estates. He was born December 6, 1930, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the son of Frederick F. Campbell, Sr., and Ola Mae (Morris) Campbell. He married Viola M. “Vi” Johnson September 2, 1951, and she preceded him in death on March 14, 2025.
Fred graduated from Fort Scott High School, and also from Fort Scott Community College. He served in the United States Navy from January 1949 to January 1950. He later graduated from WSU.
Fred was a life-long resident of Fort Scott, and a member of the St. John’s Global Methodist Church. He was an educator, teaching for many years for USD234 before becoming Superintendent for the district.
Fred is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Bush; four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife Vi, he was also preceded in death by his son, Joseph Frederick Campbell; his daughter, Nancy Marie House; his brother, Phillip M. Campbell, and two sisters, Donna Campbell, and Mary Ellen Dickerson.
Pastor Jim Brackett will officiate funeral services for Fred at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 25, 2025, at the Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. followed by burial at the Maple Grove Cemetery, under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John’s Global Methodist Church and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, KS, 66701. Friends and family may sign the online guest book and share memories at www.konantzcheney.com.
Death Notice of Raymond Robinson
Raymond L. Robinson, age 44, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Saturday, April 19, 2025. Rev. Marty Dewitt will conduct funeral services at 10:30 A.M. Friday, April 25th at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Private burial will take place in the Robinson Family Cemetery near Redfield, Kansas. Arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Lowell Milken presents $25,000 cash prize to Meredith Reid 2024 at red carpet ceremony
Santa Monica, Calif., (Apr. 22, 2025) — Hailing from across the country, the 2024 class of Milken Educator Award recipients traveled to Los Angeles to attend the national Milken Educator Awards Forum held at UCLA April 1-3. Meeting one another for the first time, the 2024 class gathered with their loved ones to walk the red carpet – a celebration fitting for their continued excellence and leadership inside and outside of the classroom.
Milken Educator Awards Founder Lowell Milken hosted the 2024 Awardees, officially recognizing Kansas Milken Educator Award recipient Meredith Reid with her unrestricted $25,000 cash prize following her surprise notification in January.
The all-expenses-paid trip to L.A. and $25,000 cash prize were part of each educator’s Award, which also provides lifetime membership to the national Milken Educator Network, powerful mentorship and professional development opportunities, and access to a brain trust of over 3,000 Milken Educators working to shape the future of K-12 education.
“We honor the achievements of 2024’s Milken Educators, who dedicate their lives to providing students with the high-quality education they need and deserve,” said Lowell Milken. “We shine a spotlight on these extraordinary change agents so that when they return to their communities, they will know that their impact is not only noticed but also treasured. We hope they will continue to inspire other talented young people to join the adventure of teaching and serve as a beacon of excellence for future generations.”
At this year’s forum, appropriately themed “3,000 Strong and Making an Impact,” veteran and new Milken Educators gathered at UCLA to share ideas for amplifying their voice in their professional careers. With the Awards’ mission to “Celebrate, Elevate, and Activate” the teaching profession, recipients learned about the powerful opportunities the Milken Educator Network affords to expand their leadership in practice and policy.
Additionally, the forum celebrated a significant milestone for the Milken Family Foundation: reaching the 3,000th Milken Educator Award recipient since the Awards’ inception nearly four decades ago. The 2024-25 season concluded with the induction of 42 new Milken Educators, with more than $75 million in individual financial prizes and more than $145 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall.
See highlights from the Milken Educator Awards Forum and Tour at #MilkenAward or on our channels: Facebook (MilkenEducatorAwards)| X (Milken)| YouTube (MilkenAward)| Instagram (MilkenFamilyFdn)| LinkedIn (MilkenFamilyFdn)| TikTok (MilkenAward).
Visit MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 570-4772 for more information.
-MEA-
About the Milken Educator Awards: “The Future Belongs to the Educated”
The first Milken Educator Awards were presented by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987. Created by philanthropist and education visionary Lowell Milken, the Awards provide public recognition and individual financial rewards of $25,000 to K-12 teachers, principals, and specialists from around the country who are furthering excellence in education. Recipients are heralded in early- to mid-career for what they have achieved and for the promise of what they will accomplish. The Milken Family Foundation celebrates more than 40 years of elevating education in America and around the world. Learn more at MFF.org.
PHOTOS:
Download photos from galleries on the right column of each educator’s bio page here by clicking the blue button under each desired photo.
Credit: Milken Family Foundation
Meredith Reid (KS ’24)
Teacher
Girard High School
Girard, KS
Subject(s) taught: Music
Grade(s): 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
At the time of the Award, Meredith Reid was:
Teacher
Girard High School
Girard, KS
Subject(s) taught: Music
Grade(s): 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Biographical Information
When Meredith Reid attended Girard High School as a student, the choral music program had no longer existed. When she returned to her alma mater as a teacher several years later, Reid reestablished the program which now produces an award-winning choir. They regularly perform throughout the community and compete at regional and state music events, where the group earned the “superior” rating this past school year.
In addition, nearly all her high school soloists receive top ratings at the regional and state competitions. Reid had six students chosen for the Kansas All-State Choirs, one of only two choral programs in southeast Kansas to achieve this honor. One of her choral students was selected to join the prestigious Kansas State University Summer Choral Institute, a highly selective program that admits only 48 students across the country each year.
In her classroom, Reid uses a positive rewards system to motivate her students to utilize good singing techniques. The system was so well-received she was asked to present the model at the Kansas Music Educators Association In-Service Workshop. For students in this rural community with little to no access to private vocal lessons, Reid opens a world of musical opportunities for her choral students.
Outside of GHS, Reid is an engaged member of her hometown and beyond, serving as a local officer in P.E.O., a nonprofit organization that helps women pursue education; representing GHS at a national education conference; and serving as board secretary for the American Choral Directors Association. Reid has been involved with the Kansas Music Educators Association and served as Southeast Kansas choral chair. Her commitment to music education extends to her colleagues and young music teachers in the district and region who benefit from her friendship and mentorship. Her community choir, “Generations,” reflects her goals of having a sustained music program whose members serve as role models for young musicians and represent the importance of lifelong dedication to music appreciation.
A Kansas State University graduate, Reid earned a Bachelor of Music Education in 2010 and a Master of Music Education in 2017.
Visual Art Competition For Grades 6-12 Submission Deadline: April 27
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Ad: Revival at Mt. Orum Baptist Church – April 25-27
Revival at Mt. Orum Baptist Church
Address: 1056 115th Street, Redfield, KS
Information: 620-365-9831
Minutes from the USD234 Special Meeting on April 21
Unified School District 234
424 South Main
Fort Scott, KS 66701-2697
620-223-0800 Fax 620-223-2760
DESTRY BROWN
Superintendent
BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING
NEWS RELEASE
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at 7:30 A.M. on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, for a special meeting at 424 S Main.
President David Stewart opened the meeting.
The board approved the official agenda
The Board went into an executive session for personnel matters.
President David Stewart adjourned the meeting.
PERSONNEL REPORT – APPROVED
April 22, 2025
RESIGNATIONS/TERMINATIONS/RETIREMENTS:
Sage, Morgan – Resignation – Business Teacher
EMPLOYMENT:
Certified Recommendations 2025-26 school year:
Durossette, Jake – Business Teacher – High School
Whitt, Chloe – Personal Finance & Drivers’ Education Teacher – High School
Supplemental Recommendations for the 2025-26 school year:
Durossette, Jake – Head Wrestling Coach – High School
Hay, Marilyn – Assistant Volleyball Coach – High School
Hendrickson, Ella – Assistant Volleyball Coach – High School
Whitt, Chloe – Head Volleyball Coach – High School
Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson April 18, 2025
Kansas Land and Military Installation Protection Act, SB 9, prohibits foreign adversaries from purchasing property within 100 miles of a military installation and any foreign adversary ownership of non-residential real property purchased prior to July 1, 2025, will have to register with the Attorney General’s office. The bill would also require Kansas government agencies to purchase American-made or allied-made drones or drone technology. The bill didn’t go as far as some of us would like, but it is much better than not doing anything to block China and others from infiltrating Kansas even more. SB 9 passed the Senate 38 to 1. I voted Yes. The Governor signed it into law.
Conservation Districts funding caps will be doubled in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 and the States’s matching funding will also double, limited to $50,000 per district because SB 39 became law. Conservation districts were established in 1937 after the Dust Bowl. The districts are local units of government within a county for conservation of soil, water, and other natural resources. County commissioners may levy a property tax to provide additional funding for the operation of a conservation district. This did not change in SB 39. The bill passed the Senate unanimously.
Web-based Insurance Verification will be allowed as CCR 42 will be law. There were several provisions in CCR 42, but the main provision was establishing the Kansas Real Time Motor Vehicle Insurance Verification Act, putting insurance data in an online centralized system allowing for easy verification of insurance. I understand the convenience of a web-based centralized system and I also understand the vulnerabilities of this type of system. Do you remember what happened last year with the Kansas Judicial centralized system? It was hacked and down for several weeks, so I did not support CCR 42. However, it passed because convenience was the priority, not data security. It passed 39 to 1.
Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission name will be changed to the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission. We need to be strengthening the Commission’s role, not weakening it. HB 2206 passed the Senate 32 to 8, and the Governor signed it into law. I voted no.
Special Elections will only be held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March, or on the same day as a general, or primary election (November or August) as HB 2022 is now law. Currently, special elections and mail ballot elections (such as for school bonds or special sales taxes) can occur at any time, creating waste for the taxpayer and causing confusion for voters. HB 2022 makes it simple and will save counties hundreds of thousands of dollars in special elections. During testimony, we heard Sedgewick County spent over $136,000 on one special election. I supported this legislation. It passed the Senate 29 to 11 and was signed into law.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn