Month: February 2015

by Mary Rupert
A bill that would require cities and counties to fill a vacancy on their elected boards today passed the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee, said Sen. David Haley, D-4th Dist.

Sen. Haley, the sponsor of the bill, said Senate Bill 10 was amended before it unanimously passed the committee. Next it will go to the Senate floor.

A compromise was approved, that instead of a 30-day period to fill a vacancy, a local government would have 60 days to fill it before it would go to a special election, he said.

Another idea that had been suggested, having the top law enforcement official in the county cast a tie-breaker vote, was not approved, he said.

The bill had some bipartisan support. Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, R-5th Dist., who represents part of western Wyandotte County, spoke in favor of the bill at the committee hearing.

Sen. Haley said he proposed the bill after the UG did not fill the open position of the 1st District, commissioner at large. The position has gone vacant for two years, with the UG Commission not appointing a replacement, and is currently up for election this spring.

The UG’s lobbyist opposed the bill, saying it was a matter of local control and that a special election would cost too much.

“A core part of our democracy is having elected representatives,” Sen. Haley said.

Candidate questionnaire: Scott Murray
Office sought: Commissioner, 4th District, Unified Government

Age: 52

Occupation: Self employed in the transportation industry

Education: Master’s of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning, University of Iowa, 2000

Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong: YMCA, Salsa dancing club, U of Iowa Alumni

Reasons for running: My reason for running is to foster change in the 4th District. This district deserves effective leadership that will bring about positive change and real economic development. I am an ambitious candidate who will work to bring a grocery store and family oriented chain stores or restaurants to downtown KCK.

What is your top campaign issue?
I will focus on bringing a grocery store to downtown KCK!!!

There may be budget constraints facing local governments and schools. If you had to make cuts, what would be at the top of the list to cut?
As a do-it-yourselfer I would focus on cutting the fat. Let’s get rid of duplicated services and other under-performing segments of the UG and BPU. I advocate running the UG more like a business and less like a bloated government.

If you are an incumbent, list your top accomplishments in office. If you are not an incumbent, what would you change?
I am not an incumbent. So, I would change the passive attitude our current commissioner has regarding economic development. Let’s stop sitting on our hands and get busy making something significant happen in downtown KCK. Are we tired of waiting and waiting and waiting?
What is the difference, on the issues, between you and the other candidates running for this office?
As a City Planner I have reviewed over $1 billion in projects. I know what works and what doesn’t! I am a man who leads by example and is not afraid to get my hands dirty, literally, to get the job done! The time for action is now!

Have you run for elected office previously? When, results?
N/A.

Editor’s note: We were unable to reach Tamika Pledger, a candidate for the Unified Government, 1st District at large, seat. In order for the readers to have some information about the candidate, we are presenting some material based on information received four years ago, when she was running for the UG Commission, 4th District. (Commissioner Tarence Maddox won that contest.)

Tamika Pledger is a candidate for the Unified Government Commission, 1st District at large, seat.

Pledger graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1994 and volunteered in the Alvin Brooks’ Ad Hoc Against Crime group, holding candlelight vigils for families that lost loved ones because of homicides. She has continued this effort for the past several years.

Pledger is a past administrative assistant and program coordinator for Habitat for Humanity. She has served as treasurer of the Quindaro Northeast Neighborhood Association and has volunteered her time mentoring to adults.

She started her own business in 2000 as a child care provider in a home that she helped build in Kansas City, Kan. She had created a number of activities for youth in the area.

Shortly after Pledger filed for office in 2015, she was involved in a traffic accident. She allegedly was the driver of a vehicle that ran into four youth Jan. 30. One of the youth died, and Pledger is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, as well as three counts of reckless aggravated battery, in connection with that accident. They are felony charges.