Sedgwick County campaigns tell who's donating, how much they spent
Sedgwick County Commissioner Dave Unruh is leading fundraising among all candidates seeking a seat on the board.
Unruh had the most money available — $51,033 — for the campaign finance period that ended July 22. Reports were due Monday.
Other candidates with double-digit amounts: former Wichita City Council member Sharon Fearey had $36,441 and former Commissioner Lucy Burtnett had $12,752 in District 4; Wichita City Council member Jim Skelton had $19,517, Derby City Council member Chuck Warren had $17,633 and incumbent Commissioner Gwen Welshimer had $17,374 in District 5.
The primary election is Aug. 3.
District 1
Unruh, who has no opponent in the Republican primary, raised $9,785 from Jan. 1 through July 22 and had $41,248 on hand at the beginning of the period.
He spent $14,649 and had $36,384 left in his campaign coffers as of Monday, records show.
Unruh received three contri
butions at the maximum $500. Those were from retirees Dwayne and Dottie Shannon, retiree Janice Hanna, and accountant Joseph Bunk. He received $100 from Wichita City Council member Sue Schlapp.
Democratic candidate Betty Arnold had $3,610 available, $2,585 of which she raised this period. She spent $1,831.
She received $500 each from the Service Employees International Union's Missouri political action committee and from the Wichita Labor Federation. District 5 commissioner Gwen Welshimer gave her $50.
District 4 commission candidate Sharon Fearey gave Arnold $100.
The campaign report for Democratic candidate Juanita Blackmon was not available Monday evening.
District 4
Fearey, a Democrat, had $13,644 on hand at the beginning of the period and raised $22,797, records show. She spent $18,765.
Fearey received 10 $500 contributions from companies associated with Warren Theatres.
She received $500 contributions from Belford Electric and Frederick Plumbing and Heating as well as business owners Ron Cornejo and David and Robyn Wells, Spirit CEO Jeff Turner, businessman Don Slawson, state Rep. Nile Dillmore, Westar president Bill Moore and others.
Her primary opponent, Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, had $4,429 available, all of which she raised this period. She spent $2,758.
Faust-Goudeau received $500 from the Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation. Current District 4 Commissioner Kelly Parks, who is not seeking re-election, gave her $99. State Rep. Raj Goyle gave her $250; state Rep. Geraldine Flaharty gave $200; state Sen. Anthony Hensley gave $200.
In the Republican primary, Burtnett raised $7,870 during the filing period and spent $6,273.
Burtnett received $500 donations from businessman John Dugan, developer Chris Dugan, plant manager William Short, accountant Robert Mease, pharmacist Richard Roberts and the political action committee of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. Former District 3 commissioner Tom Winters gave her $250 and his Winters Truck Line gave $250.
Her opponent, Richard Ranzau, had $6,453 available, all of which he raised this period. A physician assistant, Ranzau spent $5,476.
Ranzau received eight $500 donations, including one from Sandlian Realty, retirees Juanita and Clarence Lieber ($500 each), physician Bernard Hearon, machinist Gary Coffey, business owner Kenney Thomas, programmer Stephen Schoonover and accountant Bill Mast.
Parks gave Ranzau $418.
District 5
In the Republican primary, Skelton raised $19,517 this filing period and spent $19,339.
Skelton received $500 each from developers Mary Laham, Jim Korrach, Jay Russell and Jay and Penny Maxwell. He received $250 from developer Jack DeBoer. He received $500 each from these people in the construction industry: John and Mandy Walker, Lisa Byrne, Nick Dondlinger and Bill Mast.
He also received a contribution from theater owner Bill Warren and two of Warren's companies. Heather Gray and William Menke, both listed as managers in the entertainment industry, gave $500 each.
Chuck Warren had $17,633 available, all but $180 of which he raised this period. He loaned himself $11,000 of that. Warren spent $15,509.
He received $500 each from developers Russell and W.E. Lusk Jr. and others. He got $250 each from Realtor Steve Martens and the Wichita Realtors political action committee.
Derby Mayor Dion Avello, also running in the Republican primary, had $7,951 available, $6,800 of which he raised this period. Avello spent $3,948.
Avello received $500 each from Cornejo, Russell, Westar president Moore, Slawson and others.
Welshimer, the Democratic incumbent, raised $17,260 and spent $16,384.
Welshimer received $500 each from these companies and individuals involved in real estate: Office This, CO-CO Properties, Max L. Cole trust, KTW, KTW II, Sixty Four Hundred, IKM, Two Times, LW, Caro Investments, Johnny Stevens and Marc/Cathy Sumner. She also drew $500 contributions from Silvers Electric Co., Wichita Heating and Cooling, the Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation and others.
Former Wichita Mayor Bob Knight and his wife, Jane, donated $100.
Kansas Department of Revenue Secretary Joan Wagnon and her husband gave $250.
This story was originally published July 27, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Sedgwick County campaigns tell who's donating, how much they spent."