Name and office sought: Mary Gonzales, BPU At-Large District 1
Occupation and experience: Retired educator
Education: BA Education, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama. MA Curriculum and Instruction, Emporia University.
Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong: American Public Power American Water Works Rosedale Development Association, board member Civic Leadership Academy for Olathe schools board member
Reasons for running:
Increase communication and cooperation for joint projects involving the UG and BPU. To make sure the utility remains a municipal, one that is not governed by an entity outside of KCK, Wyandotte County
Important issues facing this position and how to handle them: Infrastructure: keeping our system repaired and upgraded is a concern. I would address this by making sound budgetary decisions. Communication: Finding more and better ways to communicate with our customers.
Incumbent accomplishments: Some time ago, at a national conference I heard about a plan utilities were using called “pre pay.” Some years later the BPU has a program similar called “Flex Pay.” It was not solely my idea, but I pushed for it. I respond to customers when they ask for assistance or help with issues in a timely manner.
Name and office sought: Claudine (Dinie) Sanders running for Unified Government, Commissioner at-large District 2.
Age: 51
Occupation and experience: I have worked in Armourdale at CSTK, Inc., a refrigerated trucking sales and service center, for 25 years. I have worked every office job there in my time, from HR director, A/P, A/R, parts management, service writing/management, corporate accountant and now serve as the administrative manager. I have also been the executive secretary for Wyandotte County Bar Association since January 2020.
Education: Associates degree in business administration/general accounting received from American Institute of Business in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1990.
Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong: Armourdale Renewal Association former secretary and current vice president since 2015; Stony Point – Hunters Glen Neighborhood Association former secretary and president, current member since 2015; District Attorney Community Liaison Board since its creation in 2017; 12 Step “Anonymous” Program since getting clean and sober 11/29/97, in which I’ve held nonprofit positions in from meeting leader to regional convention chair and multi-zonal service symposium registration chair.
Reasons for running: The empathy and compassion she has gained from her own journey through addiction – recovery and support for fellow addicts carries over to everyone she meets. She views no person and no situation unmanageable or without promise. Having lived everywhere from 5th Street to 83rd Street and in between, while working in Armourdale the past 25 years, she feels strongly that all residents of WyCo deserve an equitable amount of honor and respect, as well as access to the same services. She lives by her principles and believes that living in the problem and not the solution is unacceptable. Her honesty and openness in her personal life leads her to seek the truth and transparency in others, especially at the level of local government.
What are the three most important issues facing this position and how would you handle them? Community involvement We must hold town halls to have discussions with residents. Attending neighborhood meetings is sporadic. I will push to have a monthly town hall in different parts of the county so that all residents have an opportunity to be heard. They are currently allowed a very small amount of time to give voice to issues at Board Meetings.
Community transparency Create a commissioners page and email the access to residents weekly that plainly and simply states what is happening and what’s coming up. Residents should not have to search through pages of minutes to find out what is going on in WyCo.
Better eco devo We need to start attracting green energy and technology businesses to WyCo instead of low wage distribution warehouses. I will stop allowing the latter businesses to get in here tax free, when businesses that have been in Wyandotte for decades are experiencing giant property tax increases.
If you are not an incumbent, what would you change if elected? I would vote yes for Safe and Welcoming. I would push for help for existing and new small businesses instead of low paying warehouses. I would ask for a community board to look into the corruption issues that everyone in Wyandotte has talked about for decades and work with the KCKPD and Sheriff’s Department to regain the residents’ trust.
Have you run for elected office previously? When, results? No.
Name and office sought: Mike Kane, commissioner, 5th District
Age: 64
Occupation and experience:
Public affairs director for Laborers’ Local 1290 the last 10 years. Retired auto worker for 35 years holding several union positions including alt/committeeperson, committeeperson, alt/health and safety rep. Started the ergonomics program at GM. Health and safety rep. I worked in safety for 21 years. Leading the program prior to my retirement. Commissioner since spring of 2005 Senior commissioner
I am on the Human Rights Commission for the state of Kansas and have been for over 6 years.
Organization or groups that I belong to:
Laborers’ local 1290, Greater Kansas City Building Trades. current president of Eastern Ks AFL/CIO Eastern Ks president for the past 7 years.
Reason for running:
To make a difference in the “community.” To improve “quality” of life in KCK. To be responsive to the “constituent” needs and wants. To make this a better place to live, work and play.
What are the three most important issues facing this position? And how would you handle them.
“Taxes” – Continue to lower taxes. Try and get more grant funding to help offset some of our expenses. Work closer with the federal government to see what is available to help our needs.
“Jobs” – We continue to look outside our “community” to fill out local UG jobs. Restart a program on going to the high schools, middle schools. Let our youth know when they get done with high schools we have jobs available, good paying jobs at that.
“Infrastructure” – Our roads and bridges are in much need of repair. Come up with a long-range plan to improve them both.
Top accomplishments:
Helped pick Hollywood Casino. They are very community minded, providing several jobs. 78th and State Avenue, a new shopping mall and eliminated some of the blight. Worked so closely with the Piper School District they named a Community Center after my mom, The “Patricia Diane Kane Community Center.”
Have I ever run for office before?
In 2005 I ran for commissioner in the 5th District and have won re-election 4 times since.
