The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the BPU administrative offices, 540 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
On the agenda for the work session at 4:30 p.m. are a board update, general manager update, revenue forecast and electric policies discussion.
On the agenda for the regular meeting at 6 p.m. are a visitors’ time, water operations update, third quarter financial report, resolution to ratify Southwest Power Pool membership agreement, board comments and general manager comments.
The BPU Finance Committee will meet from 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, in the board room at 540 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
Scattered sprinkles are possible today with a high near 53, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
The 20 percent chance of showers will take place before 10 a.m., and then again, after 5 p.m., the weather service said.
On Tuesday, Election Day, the forecast is sunny with a high near 55, according to the weather service.
There is a chance for rain late Wednesday changing to light snow by early Thursday, mainly south of I-70, with little or no accumulation predicted at this time, the weather service said.
Cooler than average temperatures should continue through the middle of the month, according to the weather service. The low temperature will be below freezing on Wednesday night.
Today, there is a 20 percent chance of scattered sprinkles with a slight chance of showers before 10 a.m., then scattered sprinkles with a slight chance of showers after 5 p.m., the weather service said. It will be cloudy with a high near 53 and a north wind of 6 to 9 mph.
Tonight, there is a 20 percent chance of scattered sprinkles with a slight chance of showers before 7 p.m., according to the weather service. It will be mostly cloudy, gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low of 32. There will be a north wind of 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Tuesday, it will be sunny with a high near 55 and a calm wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the morning, the weather service said.
Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low around 42 and a south southeast wind of 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening, according to the weather service.
Wednesday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 60 and a light and variable wind, the weather service said.
Wednesday night, there is a 40 percent chance of rain before 3 a.m., then a chance of rain and snow between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., then a chance of snow after 4 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 31. Less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation is predicted.
Thursday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 39, the weather service said.
Thursday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 23, according to the weather service.
Friday, it will be sunny, with a high near 42, the weather service said.
Friday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of around 32, according to the weather service.
Saturday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 56, the weather service said.
Saturday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 38, according to the weather service.
Sunday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 51, the weather service said.
Attending a candidate forum in October at KCKCC were front row, left to right, Commissioner Melissa Bynum, 1st District at large; Commissioner Angela Markley, 6th District, Jorge Flores, candidate for 4th District; top row, left to right, Christian Ramirez, candidate for 3rd District; Commissioner Ann Murguia, 3rd District; and Commissioner Harold Johnson, 4th District. This candidate forum can be seen on YouTube and also on the KCKCC cable TV channel. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
by Mary Rupert
Five Unified Government Commission seats will be on the general election ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Of the five UG seats, only one contest, the 1st District at large, will be county-wide, as incumbent Commissioner Melissa Brune Bynum is challenged by Mark Gilstrap, a former state senator.
The other commission seats on the ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 5, include 3rd District, incumbent Commissioner Ann Brandau Murguia and Christian A. Ramirez; 4th District, incumbent Commissioner Harold Johnson and Jorge Luis Flores; and 6th District, Incumbent Commissioner Angela Markley and Diana Aguirre. Also, 2nd District Commissioner Brian McKiernan is running for re-election and is unopposed.
In the August primary election, the incumbents who were on the ballot led in all UG Commission contests.
UG Commission, 1st District at large
Melissa Bynum (File photo by Mary Rupert)
Incumbent Commissioner Melissa Bynum faces a challenge from Mark Gilstrap, a former state senator from the 5th District.
In the Aug. 6 primary, Bynum received 2,788 votes to Gilstrap’s 1,402.
Bynum is executive director of the Shepherd’s Center, Kansas City, Kansas. She graduated summa cum laude from Sumner Academy and has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Kansas State University. She is also a past publisher and past editor of the Wyandotte West.
She has been involved in the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Livable Neighborhoods, the Kansas City, Kansas, West Kiwanis Club and other community organizations.
She ran for the UG Commission, 1st District at large, previously in 2003. She also applied for the 1st District vacancy in 2013, but the position was not filled until the 2015 election.
At the Oct. 15 candidate forum at KCKCC, Bynum said the UG continues to look at ways to lower the mill levy rate. For three consecutive years, the commission lowered the city mill levy rate a total of 6 mills for Kansas City, Kansas, she said. The commission continues to conduct community surveys every other year and uses the results for budgeting and strategic planning, she said.
“We’re listening to what the community is asking us to do, such as increase spending on street maintenance and infrastructure,” she said at the forum, which was sponsored by Business West and neighborhood organizations.
Bynum said she is really glad to have been involved in the Northeast Area master planning process, which engaged hundreds of residents of the area to help determine a future for the area’s redevelopment and reinvestment.
Mark Gilstrap (File photo)
Mark Gilstrap did not attend a candidate forum held in October at KCKCC, a candidate forum held July 17 at KCKCC-TEC, nor a candidate event held in June at the First Baptist Church, 500 Nebraska.
Gilstrap also ran for the commission seat in the spring elections of 2015, and took second place in the primary by one vote over Nathan Barnes. Bynum won the general election over Gilstrap in 2015 by a margin of more than 1,200 votes.
Gilstrap is a former state senator for the 5th District, who is retired from the UG Finance Department, treasury division, where he worked 33 years. He is a former city treasurer, former deputy county treasurer and was deputy revenue director. Gilstrap ran as a Republican in 2012 for the state Senate, and lost in the primary to Steve Fitzgerald.
He was a state senator from 1996 through 2008. For several years in the state Senate, Gilstrap ran as a Democrat, then changed his affiliation to Republican. A lifelong Wyandotte County resident, Gilstrap is a graduate of Rockhurst University and Bishop Ward High School.
UG Commission, 3rd District
Ann Brandau Murguia (File photo)
Candidates for the UG Commission, 3rd District, are incumbent Commissioner Ann Brandau Murguia and Christian A. Ramirez.
In the August primary, Murguia received 395 votes to Ramirez’ 250 votes.
“Our focus has been on economic development, public safety and constituent neighborhood services,” Murguia said at the October candidate forum at KCKCC.
Murguia, who grew up in Iowa, has an undergraduate degree in human services from Ottawa University and a master’s in business from Baker University, and also serves on the Kansas Board of Regents. She has worked in community and neighborhood nonprofit organizations.
“I accredit that education to the success we’ve been able to have in an urban core district in Wyandotte County,” she said. “Those projects that we worked on have been sustainable because of my business background, and sustainable because they’ve been able to connect very closely and dearly with the people of greatest need.”
Murguia outlined the new economic development projects during her term in the 3rd District, including two new grocery stores in an area that was formerly a food desert, a new library, a new police station, a $60 million development on Rainbow Boulevard, a $40 million development on County Line, a $30 million development with hotel near the KU Medical Center, plus a new medical education building in Rosedale.
She said the economic development projects provided more than 200 entry-level jobs for youth, which is what youth indicated in interviews that they most wanted.
She also said the private fitness program operating in the Argentine community center now is serving 1,500 people at an affordable rate, as compared to serving only 50 people previously with older equipment.
Christian Ramirez (File photo by Mary Rupert)
Christian A. Ramirez said he is a native of the 3rd District, and his family originally lived in Rosedale before moving to the Argentine area. His grandfather came over from Mexico and helped give back to his community, he said
“That’s why I’m running, is to give back to my community,” Ramirez said, “to ensure everyone is getting the services.”
He said he wants to work on rebuilding a sense of community and creating more youth programs. He works at the Johnson County Recreation Department, as an assistant director of an after-school youth program.
He said he sees how the community programs enhance children’s abilities to be effective adults when they grow up, and that is what he hopes to bring.
He also said a for-profit program operating in a community center is not right, and that youth need a safe place to go. He was referring to the Argentine center, where a for-profit fitness program operates in part of the center.
Ramirez said it was not right for the for-profit operation to not pay property taxes, rent or utilities. He also added that Rosedale does not have a community center. He said he would like to create a mobile recreation center program once a month outdoors at parks.
In 2018, Ramirez served as the volunteer coordinator and finance assistant for Brent Welder’s Congressional campaign. He also served as chairman of the Wyandotte County Young Democrats and treasurer of the Kansas Young Democrats.
UG Commission, 4th District
Harold Johnson (File photo)
Incumbent Commissioner Harold Johnson faces Jorge Luis Flores in the 4th District.
Johnson led the district with 321 votes to Flores’ 236 votes in the August primary.
A graduate of Sumner Academy, Johnson also has a degree from Kansas City Kansas Community College, a bachelor’s in management and finance from Park University, and a Master of Business Administration from Avila University in finance. He is pursuing a theology degree. He said he has lived in the 4th District about 50 years.
Johnson worked 22 years in the banking industry, as a bank vice president, mostly working with nonprofit organizations. He ran for office because he wanted to see development in a district where there had not been much development in decades, he said.
Since being in office, a strategy for development has been developed for the Northeast area. It’s the first master plan for the Northeast area ever approved, he added.
A new $12 million development, Boulevard Lofts, is the first affordable housing mixed development in decades in that area, he said. The new master plan now is being used as a template for other areas, he said.
Also in the 4th District, Donnelly College is constructing a new academic building, and the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools are building the new Carl B. Bruce Middle School.
“There’s over $70 million of economic development that’s going on in the 4th District,” he said. ”We’re not done yet, there’s still a need for economic development.” Jobs that pay livable wages and more housing also are needed, he added.
He said he has proven results, the experience and the focus to get the job done.
Johnson also is pastor of the Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center in Kansas City, Kansas.
Jorge Flores (File photo)
Jorge Flores, a native of Wyandotte County, and a graduate of Wyandotte High School, KCKCC and the University of Missouri at Kansas City, is a former police officer who served with the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department for nine years. He is an entrepreneur who has his own real estate and financial business.
“My overall goal is to empower and enhance the quality of life of the residents in our community,” Flores said at the October candidate forum. “I want to break the barrier that we currently don’t have representation in my community.
“I believe that everyone deserves a voice, and it’s one of the main reasons I’m running,” he said.
Flores currently serves on the board of El Centro and Black Excellence KC.
“My goal is to continue to serve the community, whether elected or not,” he said.
“While I am the new face, I bring a lot of passion and energy for service,” Flores said. “I am 27 years old, and I would hope that anyone that’s out there that is seeing this will be passionate about running for something one day. I would like to see more younger individuals getting involved and working in their community.”
UG Commission, 6th District
Angela Markley (File photo)
Running for UG Commission, 6th District are Incumbent Commissioner Angela Markley and Diana Aguirre. There was no primary in this district.
At the October candidate forum at KCKCC, Commissioner Markley said during her term in office she focused heavily on neighborhood-level issues including blight reduction and code-enforcement related items, leading to the formation of the SOAR program, an initiative to improve the look, feel, safety and marketability of neighborhoods.
“We’ve done a lot, but there is a lot left to do, and I look forward to shepherding that program through the coming years,” Markley said.
She also has been focused on transparency through data-driven decision-making. This effort includes the community survey every two years, strategic planning as a commission, which happens twice a year, and the extension of the budget schedule to allow for additional comment and discussion by the public and commission, she said.
“We have lowered the mill levy, but I recognize that many of our community members haven’t felt that impact in their wallet, due to the corresponding increase in property values, so I look forward to continuing efforts to lower the mill levy until we see real tax relief for our residents,” Markley said.
As a lawyer, Markley said she likes to deal with the policies, the details and the long-term projects, and she has served on a lot of UG committees.
Markley graduated from Turner High School, where she was valedictorian, and went on to Pittsburg State University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in communication, and then to Washburn University School of Law, where she graduated cum laude in 2006.
She has worked on the Turner Days Committee, Share the Bear nonprofit program for Turner, and SAFE Neighborhood Group. She is a past board member of the Turner Recreation Commission.
Diana Aguirre at a candidate forum in June. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
Diana Aguirre said transparency in the local government is a top concern, along with keeping community programs public in the recreation centers.
She did not attend the October candidate forum at KCKCC, but she spoke at another candidate forum in June.
She has volunteered more than 20 years in the community, including holding youth programs and trick-or-treat villages in the Argentine community center to keep the kids safe in the community, she said.
She was previously a candidate for the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education. Aguirre is a past member of the UG Ethics Commission.
At the candidate forum in June, Aguirre said she really had wanted to run for 3rd District commissioner, but district boundaries have been changed so that her home is now in the 6th District. The 6th District now includes part of Argentine as well as the Turner area.
“I actually live in Argentine, and my concerns are Argentine,” Aguirre told the audience at the June forum. She did not know the district’s boundaries had changed.
“There’s no transparency in our government,” Aguirre said at the candidate forum.
She said the private for-profit fitness center now operating at the Argentine Community Center gets free rent, free utilities and is tax-exempt at the community center building.
“They kicked out the kids from our community center,” she said.
People who use the fitness center pay $19.99 per person per month, with more than 1,000 people enrolled, she said. That business makes more than $200,000 off the community, she said.
Aguirre said she objected when the same concept of a fitness center was being discussed for another community center.
“I went before the commission and let them know that that was unfair,” she said at the June candidate forum.
“I want our community centers back,” she said. “We should make sure our parks are safe.”
UG Commission, 2nd District
Commissioner Brian McKiernan is running unopposed for re-election to the UG Commission, 2nd District. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
Incumbent Commissioner Brian McKiernan is running unopposed for a third term for the UG Commission, 2nd District.
McKiernan is a graduate of Bishop Ward High School, attended Donnelly College and received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. He also has a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and a doctorate in physiology from the University of Kansas Medical Center. He has taught physical therapy classes, and also serves as an announcer at events.
He spoke at a candidate forum in June.
“I am proud of the hard work we’ve done in District 2,” McKiernan said at the forum.
He said there has been a lot of housing and commercial development along Minnesota, Central and Kansas avenues.
He said he was proud that the UG reinstated the citizen survey, and the UG will continue to work on blight reduction; infrastructure improvements to roads, curbs and alleys; and communication.
“I think we’ve done a lot of great things and we’re going to continue to do a lot of great things,” he said.
He said he would continue to try to work with those in the community who are actively trying to improve the social determinants, which would then improve the overall health of the community.
Election details
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, and the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters should go to their assigned polling places and bring identification such as a driver’s license.
