Great Bend Candidate Forum

By the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce

GREAT BEND, Kan. — The League of Women Voters will be hosting two different Candidate Forums for the upcoming November election season. Forums are open to the public with refreshments being served. LWV Vice-President, Jan Stice, will moderate both Forums.

Contact Janice Walker if there are questions: 620-617-4568 or [email protected]

Oct. 5, 2023 – Great Bend Candidate Forum
Great Bend Senior Center
2005 Kansas Ave.
Great Bend, KS
6-8 PM
Refreshments will be served.
Candidates running for the following offices have been invited: Mayor, USD 428 Board of Education, Great Bend City Council (Wards 1 & 4), and Barton Community College Trustees.

Oct. 12, 2023 – Hoisington / Claflin Candidate Forum
Friendship House
419 E. 3rd St.
Hoisington, KS
6-8 PM
Refreshments will be served.
Candidates running for the following offices have been invited: Mayor, USD 431 Board of Education, Hoisington City Council (Ward 1 & 3), and Claflin City Council.

Get the election information you need at vote411.org. Brought to you by the League of Women Voters Education Fund.
Current election information including filings and voting locations here.

GREAT BEND CANDIDATE FORUM

MAYOR:

Davis A. Jimenez
Cody Lee Schmidt

GREAT BEND CITY COUNCIL 1st Ward (elect 1):

Brent A. Cox
Alan Moeder

GREAT BEND CITY COUNCIL 4th Ward (elect 1):

Rickee Maddox
Randolph S. Myers

I have been a resident of Great Bend for sixty nine years with short sojourns to Texas and other towns in Kansas.

I served on the Great Bend City Council several years ago and I believe I served for six years plus. I was a police officer, a corporal and a Sergeant for the Great Bend Police Department for several years also. I was a board member, a vice president and a president of Central Kansas Casa.

I did and will serve the voters of my ward who elect me and I won’t stand by and watch people be run over or marginalized. I vote for the people and my conscious on all issues and I look at all sides of an issue rather than voting with the majority which seems to be the pattern at the council meetings currently. I am currently retired and I have the time to devote to the fourth ward.

I want to see the Code enforcement done correctly and justly and not used as a punishment tool as has been the practice for several years. I want to see economic development used to actually develop economics for Great Bend as I think we all know has not been the case because keeping competition to a minimum has also been the guiding practice here. I will try to introduce a policy so that any city employee caught lying to the city council will be immediate grounds for dismissal and no city employee will be allowed to do advertising for one business over another. The city should represent all business owners in Great Bend.

Natalie Towns

USD 428 BOARD OF EDUCATION (elect 4):

Aaron Emerson
Randy Wetzel
Karen E. Linberg

Karen Lindberg is the proud mother of 15-year-old twins, Nash and MacKenzie, who attend Great Bend Public Schools. Her background as a parent, as well as her experience in the world of business and community service, gives her a valuable perspective as a USD 428 Board of Education member.

Karen earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Kansas State University in 2001, and she, along with her husband, Nels, are partners in Animal Medical Center and MPIRE Realty Group. Since 2003, Karen and her family have been proud to call Great Bend home. Beyond her career and family life, Karen is currently an active member of the Barton County Foundation and a dedicated participant at First Christian Church in Great Bend. Her commitment to Great Bend runs deep and she considers it a privilege to serve those around her.

Karen is passionate about providing all students with a quality education in a safe environment and believes that a solid education is important for the future of not only her children, but for all children. Karen would be honored to have the opportunity to serve the community as a member of the USD 428 Board of Education.

Marcus Herrera
Sara Williams

BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (elect 3):

Cole Schwarz
Dale E. Maneth
Gary G. Burke
Mike Johnson

HOISINGTON CANDIDATE FORUM

MAYOR

Micah Ehler
Chris Kinman

HOISINGTON CITY COUNCIL 1st Ward (elect 1)

Becky Steiner
Elizabeth D. Coles
- My background is that of a daughter of a strong WW2 vet and a traditional mother. I was born in Texas, the family eventually settled in Southern California, but not before we had the opportunity to live in various different states all over the country, which include Indiana, Nevada, Washington, Oklahoma, and Hawaii. This has provided me the opportunity to learn many different cultures and world views.I have been a widow for 11 years. I raised 5 children while working as a Registered Nurse specialist (Dialysis, Plasmapheresis, Cryo-pheresis) in the I.C.U… I have 5 grandchildren and am expecting my 7th great-grandchild in December. My faith as a Christian is instrumental in all my decisions. I graduated from Loara High School in Anaheim in 1974. I attended nursing school in El Paso Texas. A fine school run by some tuff no nonsense nuns called Hotel Dieu, in 1980.I am running for city council in Hoisington’s first ward because I want to make a difference in my newly beloved adopted home of Kansas. After living all across the United States, I know a good thing when I see it and Kansas is truly special.
  My focus and vision for the city is such:
  1)Bring clarity and transparency to city operations.
  2)Focus on obtaining best prices for electric power.
  3)Support youth programs and job training opportunities within Hoisington.
  4)Attract, support, and help to create an atmosphere of entrepreneurship in the city.
  5)Attract new businesses and industry into Hoisington.
  6)Advocate for local support of mental health issues and drug rehabilitation access locally.

HOISINGTON CITY COUNCIL 3rd Ward (elect 1)