Month: April 2015

Candidate questionnaire: Dani Gurley

Dani Gurley
Dani Gurley

1. Name and office sought
Dani Gurley, Bonner Springs City Council Ward 2

2. Age 43

3. Occupation — Administrative Assistant, Applebee’s Services, Inc.

4. Education –Associate in Arts from Kansas City Kansas Community College

5. Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong
Bonner Springs City Band
Wyandotte County Extension Council
Bonner Springs City Band Commission (Secretary)
Basehor United Methodist Church

6. Reasons for running
I have several community members and neighbors to thank for encouraging me to run for City Council. I have served on the City Band Commission for more than 10 years and am currently the Secretary. Being a City Council member offers me an additional opportunity to be involved as part of the positive, diverse leadership team as a liaison between the residents and the City government.

7. What is your top campaign issue?

I am not running with a focus on any specific issue. I come to the council with no agenda or special interest. My goal is to be the voice of the community and to help make decisions with the best interests of the City in mind.

There are several issues that consistently come up in conversation: keeping taxes low, repairs and improvements to infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, curbs, etc), and the K7/I-70 interchange project. The first two deal directly with fiscal responsibility and I believe the Council has its greatest responsibility to the City through conscientiously budgeting and managing expenses. The K7/I-70 interchange project will require patience and ongoing communication for quite some time. Luckily, KDOT has been receptive and responsive to the City and is working with the City for condensed timelines for as minimal impact to businesses as possible.

8. 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?
Every budget decision directly affects more than one person or area. I believe the City Council must consider the ramifications and ripple effect of every financial decision. If I am elected I promise to educate myself about the budget and the impact it has on everyone. I will work with my fellow Council members to make the most responsible decisions possible.

9. If you are an incumbent, list your top accomplishments in office. If you are not an incumbent, what would you change?

I am less concerned with change as with continuing growth and development. I would like more people to attend council meetings to gain a better understanding of how the system works. I would like the ongoing evaluation of infrastructure repairs to be made as public as possible so people know the issues are being addressed. I want the Council to work as a team for the good of the City, with unbiased and open-minded consideration of the issues that come before it.

10. What is the difference, on the issues, between you and the other candidates running for this office?

There are two somewhat divisive issues that have recently come before the Council:
1) The handling of animals impounded by Animal Control; and
2) The suggestion of collective bargaining for emergency services.

I will be the first to admit I have questions and need more information on both topics but I have realized that my initial opinion doesn’t agree with some of the current council members.

11. Have you run for elected office previously? When, results?
I have not previously run for elected office.

Candidate questionnaire: Chuck Adams

Questionnaire:
1. Name and office sought
Chuck Adams, Edwardsville City Council

2. Age 57

3. Occupation
My wife, son and I own a Durable Medical Equipment company, Advance Diabetic Shoes, serving the pedorthic needs of people diagnosed with diabetes. www.AdvanceDiabetic.com

4. Education
Bachelor of Arts from Kansas State University

5. Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong
• Kansas Co-Chair of the Mid America Regional Council’s (MARC) Total Transportation Policy Committee (TTPC)
• Past KS Co-Chair of MARC’s Transit Committee

6. Reasons for running
The original reason for running in 2006 was that there was tremendous turmoil throughout Edwardsville. It seemed that all the press that we were attracting was negative. The citizens of Edwardsville deserved better than that and I believed that I could make a positive contribution toward bringing stability in leadership, policies and public perception.
I am running for my third term because there is still much more work to be done. We have made great strides in stabilizing the budget and expenditures, providing a work environment that is strong and stable as well as laying the foundations for a strong future. I would like to be a part of the continuation of the momentum. I believe that having a strong city council that is focused on the future of the entire city will help us attract more businesses and families to this diamond in the rough called Edwardsville.

7. What is your top campaign issue?
There is no “top” campaign issue. Every citizen has unique perspectives and desires for services from their local government. That being said safety, roads and infrastructure, property values and taxes are among the top concerns from most constituents.

There are four over-riding values that direct my actions and policy decisions.
1. Unity – all employees, elected and appointed officials all pulling in the same direction with a passion for service to the citizens of Edwardsville.
2. Infrastructure – take care of what we have and plan for necessary new needs in the future.
3. Safety – strong police, EMS and fire departments
4. Growth = strategic, thoughtful and sustainable

8. 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?
Due to the disastrous financial condition of Edwardsville in 2007 and the subsequent financial downturn we have already made those tough choices to get our expenses in line with our revenues. Edwardsville is now poised for taking advantage of the opportunities that arise. Due to the responsible management of resources I do not see any need to talk about cuts. The more important conversation for Edwardsville is the wise management of resources for the future to provide the greatest value to our residents.
9. If you are an incumbent, list your top accomplishments in office.
If you are not an incumbent, what would you change?
• Taking the city from a $275,000 deficit to having adequate cash reserves while maintaining quality safety and services for our citizens
• Hiring a top notch City Manager who, with the direction of the council, has built a high quality management team for each department of the City.
• Treating all employees of the city with the respect that they are due. All departments working as one team pulling together for the betterment of our city
• Re-construction of a portion and re-pavement of the entire length of Edwardsville Drive
• Various repairs and maintenance road projects throughout the city
• Re-construction of Kansas Avenue from I-435 to 102nd Street
• Purchase of a new fire engine
• Initiation of our very own EMS service cutting the response time to our citizens by nearly 60% at a lower, predictable cost
• Installation of our new police station
• Addition of over 1,000,000 square feet of development in the industrial park
• Addition of over 1,000 jobs throughout the city
• Opening of Dollar General store
• Following is a list of some of the key businesses that we have attracted to our community:
o EARP Distribution
o Dollar General
o Plaza West
o Shanahan Crane
o Homestead Motors
o Zumiez
o Alphabroder
o Okonite
o Glazer’s
o Monosem
o Old Dominion
o … and more on the way.
10. What is the difference, on the issues, between you and the other candidates running for this office?
It appears that a couple of my opponents are concentrating a couple of single issues that are energized by outside organizations. My campaign is entirely self-funded and therefore not beholding to outside organizations and/or companies that seek to influence the actions of the city through the recipient of that funding.

11. Have you run for elected office previously? When, results?
See #6 above

Candidate questionnaire: Becky Billigmeier

1. Name and office sought
Becky Billigmeier
Turner USD 202 School Board

2. Age: 62

3. Occupation: Retired

4. Education: B.A. Biology; M.A. Education Administration; MLS (Library Science)

5. Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong: Turner Community Connection; WYCO Women’s Chamber of Commerce; Kansas City, Kansas NCPP (Neighborhood Crime Prevention Patrol), Turner Community Garden; Leadership 2000, Class 26; Kansas Leadership Center, Kansas City KONZA; and the Turner USD 202 PTSA

6. Reasons for running:
I am running for a position on the Turner USD 202 School Board because I am committed to the success of every student in Turner.

7. What is your top campaign issue?

I am committed to the continued success of every Turner USD 202 student.

8. 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?
Any cuts to the Turner USD 202 budget would be devastating. The new Kansas Grant funding for schools, may force the district to make cuts. If cuts are necessary, decisions regarding school finance will be made in collaboration with the administration and staff.

9. If you are an incumbent, list your top accomplishments in office.
If you are not an incumbent, what would you change?
I am an incumbent. The accomplishments of the district during my tenure are shared by members of the board, our administration and all district staff and students.

10. What is the difference, on the issues, between you and the other candidates running for this office?
I believe, all the Turner USD 202 board members running for the office care deeply about the success of every Turner student.

11. Have you run for elected office previously? When, results?

I ran for and was elected to the Turner School Board in 2011.