Kelso for Douglas County

I have tried to dedicate my life into giving back.  My history of service shows this.  As a near life-ending health crisis for me unfolded in 2004, I saw the best in people in and around Eudora and Eastern Douglas County.  All of you kept me alive.  I have often wondered why I survived.  I have spent these last 20 years trying to figure out what it is that I am meant to do.  While I  figure out exactly what that is, my journey includes an attempt to give back to this area. I know I will never be able to give back everything I received, but I am sure going to try and do so.  It is my civic and moral duty to do what is best for the citizens and voters of District 4 and Douglas County as a whole.  Join with me as this journey unfolds.

My path to this point in life has been filled with leadership positions.  Here are a few of the important ones.  Each of them taught me lessons in life and got me to this point of being ready to be your next County Commissioner.

Every leadership position possible as a Boy Scout, from Patrol Leader to Jr Assistant Scoutmaster and obtained the rank of Eagle Scout

Section Leader and lead trombonist for 2 years in High School and 3 years in the Pride of Wildcatland, The Kansas State University Marching Band

Member Eta Kappa Nu - Electrical Engineering Honorary

St. Paul United Church of Christ Council Member - 20 Years, 15 years as President

Elected Eudora School Board Member - 3 terms (12 Years)

East Central Kansas Cooperative for Education (Special Ed Coop for Eudora, Baldwin and Wellsville) - Member 10 years, President or Vice-President 8 years

Eudora 4-H Club Community Leader - 12 years

Eudora Township Douglas County Fairboard Representative - 6 years

Current member of Lawrence-Douglas County Municipal Planning Commission - member since Feb. 2023

IT Systems Manager of various teams - 20+ years and ongoing

When the voters of Douglas County decided, overwhelmingly to expand from a three member commission to a five member commission, many people approached me and asked if I had considered running.  After a great amount of thought that decision was made and here I am. 

A lot of change is coming the new 4th district.  Much of it is unfortunately still unknown, or at best a bit hazy.  With the building of the new Panasonic Plant and the other companies that are coming to feed into the plant, what will the impact be to Eudora and the area of Eastern Lawrence.  We have all seen the estimates of 4,000 to 8,000 jobs coming to the area as a result.  Those new jobs are going to bring families needing places to live, places to shop, schools for their children and a lot more traffic and load on the infrastructure of the area.  

Decisions on new housing startups, whether single family homes, duplexes or apartments will have to be made.  DeSoto has jumped out in the lead on this, as one would expect with the new plant in their southern backyard.  Eastern Douglas County can't get left behind and miss out on this.  And we must do it right the first time.  We won't get multiple shots at this.