Posted on Fri, Jan. 23, 2009

e-mail	print	RSS	reprint
AIM	Digg it	del.icio.us	Facebook

District 3 candidate's focus on integrity

BY JOE RODRIGUEZ

The Wichita Eagle

Lifelong Wichita resident Charley "Chuck" Dahlem is upset about the way the Wichita City Council handles many matters.

So he is running for the council in District 3, which covers much of south-central and southeast Wichita. He will face incumbent Jim Skelton, who has filed to seek a second term.

Dahlem, 73, also ran for the seat in 2005. He received 3 percent of the vote in the primary and did not advance to the general election.

"The only issue I have is to bring some kind of integrity back to local government," said Dahlem, a retiree who works part time at a credit card processing company.

Dahlem criticized the council's handling of some recent issues, such as the Boathouse. The building on the east bank of the Arkansas River downtown has been vacant and allowed to fall into disrepair. The city plans to request ideas for what to do with the building.

"And WaterWalk development has been a joke from day one," he said.

If elected, Dahlem said he would want to look into more ways to combat code violations.

"I have a real problem with people parking on their yards," he said. "They don't do it out east, they don't do it out northwest. Why do they let our area turn into, so many people refer to it as the 'hood?' "

Dahlem was the longtime owner of an auto repair and tire business; he sold it in 1992.

"I've got a good reputation as a lifelong businessman in Wichita," he said. "My word's always been good. Whatever I say, I do."

Reach Joe Rodriguez at 316-268-6644.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.CommentBody@

@Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@