Sedgwick County Commission District 2 Republican primary

Three candidates are running in the Republican primary for Sedgwick County Commission District 2, which represents Haysville, Clearwater and parts of southwest Wichita. Kathleen Garrison of Haysville and Cindy Miles of Wichita are trying to unseat incumbent Michael O’Donnell of Wichita who was elected to the commission in 2016. The winner will take on Democrat Sarah Lopez in November.

The five full-time county commissioners set policy and the $457 million budget for the county. They also serve as the Board of Canvassers for the election and the Board of Health.

Sedgwick County commissioners are elected to four-year terms and are paid $95,623 a year. Only voters who live in District 2 may vote in the Aug. 4 primary.

Kathleen Garrison

Age: 52

Education: BA from Newman Univ. - Interdisciplinary Studies (Focus on Political Science and Criminal Justice) 2019; MS from Seton Hall Univ. in Diplomacy and International Affairs (Fellowship). AA from Texas Court Reporting College (CSR - Certified Shorthand Reporter) Arlington Heights H.S. 1985, Ft. Worth, TX

Occupation: Data Analyst Contractor with the US Attorney’s Office, Dept. of Justice; Business Owner - The Cottage Venue

Political and civic experience: Volunteer with St. Cecilia Catholic School Advisory Board, Kansans For Life, Pregnancy Crisis Center

Endorsements: Dr. Ronald Ferris, M.D.; U.S. Ambassador Hasan Sevilir Asan

Contact: 316-304-7194; kathleen4commissioner@gmail.com; www.kathleen4commissioner.com

1. What will be your top priorities as a county commissioner?

1. Protecting the rights of citizens and business owners. 2. Ensuring first responders are adequately funded and supported. 3. Looking for ways to improve access to mental health, drug treatment, and reducing homelessness in Wichita

2. On a scale of 1 to 5, rate the Sedgwick County Commission’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic with 5 being highly effective and 1 being highly ineffective. Explain how you came to that conclusion and what, if anything, you would do differently.

I would give them a 3. I do not think shutting down our businesses helps anyone. It just compounds the problem because now you have economic hardship on top of the fear of infection. Their top priority should be to ensure that there is adequate medical services and that beds are available for those who need them. Other medical services are just as important and people should not be prevented from receiving them even while we are managing the pandemic. When people are denied freedom of movement, they cannot take care of the necessary duties of their lives.

3. Sedgwick County is expected to face serious budget shortfalls for the near future. Specify what taxes you would support raising and/or what cuts you would support to address this problem.

I cannot answer this question until I see the actual budget and how the money is allocated. I would set priorities and ensure that our emergency services are fully funded first. It would be ideal if we could find ways to cut the budget and not have to raise any taxes, but I am not sure if that is possible before I see the numbers.

4. Do you believe that any changes need to be made in Sedgwick County to better protect the rights of minority citizens? If so, what?

There is always room for improvement. I would like to visit with the community leaders and get their recommendations before I try to assume what they need or want. I do not want anyone to feel marginalized or unfairly treated in any segment of our community. I think Sedgwick County is a wonderful place to live and raise a family and I want everyone to have equal opportunity to make the most of their abilities.

5. Each year, Wichita State University gets a share of Sedgwick County residents’ property tax mill levy equal to 1.5 mills. Is the university spending those funds effectively or should there be more oversight by the county government?

WSU needs to give an accounting of what is done with their funds to justify any subsidies. I was not pleased when I saw that they canceled the invocation by Ivanka Trump. This was an embarrassment to WSU and Wichita and grossly inappropriate for a university to disrespect a family member of our sitting president.

Cindy Miles

Age: 57

Education: BA in Integrated Marketing Communications from Wichita State University; MBA in International Business from Newman University

Occupation: CEO, Nonprofit Chamber of Service

Political and civic experience: Republican Precinct Committeewoman, Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, Wichita/Sedgwick County Comprehensive Planning Committee, City of Wichita City Council District 3 Advisory Board, Wichita Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention, Mental Health & Substance Abuse Coalition, Newman University National Alumni Board, Kansas Hispanic Education and Development Foundation Education Committee, Evergreen Community Center Revitalization Committee, Sunlight Children’s Advocacy and Rights Foundation Board, Crime Stoppers Advisory Board, Wichita Crime Commission board, Downtown Rotary Club of Wichita, Junior League of Wichita, Leadership Wichita Class of 2017, Kansas Leadership Center alum.

Endorsements: none listed

Contact: electcindymiles@gmail.com; 316-259-6977; www.electcindymiles.com; https://www.facebook.com/electcindymiles

1. What will be your top priorities as a county commissioner?

1. Stimulating development and economic growth in Sedgwick County — especially crucial because of Covid-19. Working together, we can do that through higher ed and technical education opportunities, public-private partnerships and better access to public transit and childcare.

2. Safety and security. We must ensure adequate funding for law enforcement but also focus on how we can better provide affordable, accessible mental health and substance abuse services. With child abuse and neglect increasing at a rate of about 25 percent a year, we need to address the foster care crisis that puts our most vulnerable children at even a higher risk.

3. Collaboration with city leaders, businesses, nonprofits and developers. Collaboration is what will this county stronger, and I am committed to working together to make Sedgwick County a place where everyone has a seat at the table.

2. On a scale of 1 to 5, rate the Sedgwick County Commission’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic with 5 being highly effective and 1 being highly ineffective. Explain how you came to that conclusion and what, if anything, you would do differently.

My rating is 3. No one on the board has dealt with a pandemic before. However, I believe some commissioners have allowed their judgment to be clouded by politics and not by what is best for the county as a whole. I would have carried out the state’s phases and continued to implement restrictions on mass gatherings. I also would explore the best way for the commission to work together to provide a consistent message to the residents and businesses about what actions they need to take and what safety precautions should be implemented. The division in the commission, based on politics, shows. As our cases increase, fewer people visit our businesses and they continue to suffer as well.

3. Sedgwick County is expected to face serious budget shortfalls for the near future. Specify what taxes you would support raising and/or what cuts you would support to address this problem.

I’ve heard repeatedly that the county is in good shape financially even though there are expected budget shortfalls. I’m not in favor of raising taxes, but I would explore opportunities to implement additional efficiencies in operations.

Redirecting funding from the jail into mental health and substance abuse services could provide some relief not only for the overpopulated jail but for the Sheriff’s Department spending. Developing public-private partnerships to address the issues of mental health and substance abuse also would result in additional savings. I would focus on collecting past due property taxes to increase revenue to the county. If other cuts had to be made, I would support some deferred maintenance of roads as well as decreasing the frequency of cutting grass, trimming trees or other grounds maintenance.

4. Do you believe that any changes need to be made in Sedgwick County to better protect the rights of minority citizens? If so, what?

Yes. We must identify policies or processes within the county that may allow for infringement of rights and address those to protect the rights of minority citizens. We also should provide adequate training to county employees, including law enforcement, on racism and unintentional bias. The county also should work to facilitate discussions with, and among, county residents to talk through issues relate to the rights of minority citizens.

5. Each year, Wichita State University gets a share of Sedgwick County residents’ property tax mill levy equal to 1.5 mills. Is the university spending those funds effectively or should there be more oversight by the county government?

Funding of WSU comes from property tax paid by Sedgwick County residents, so I believe the county is obligated to provide more oversight of how that funding is spent.

Michael O’Donnell

Age: 35

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Friends University

Occupation: Sedgwick County Commissioner

Political and civic experience: former Wichita City Council member; former State Senator; current Sedgwick County Commissioner

Endorsements: Kansans for Life; Wichita Chamber of Commerce PAC

Contact: michaelforsedgwick.com; michael@michaelforsedgwick.com

1. What will be your top priorities as a county commissioner?

Continue to bring more economic development to southwest Sedgwick County. Continue to work on infrastructure projects and flood control for our area.

2. On a scale of 1 to 5, rate the Sedgwick County Commission’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic with 5 being highly effective and 1 being highly ineffective. Explain how you came to that conclusion and what, if anything, you would do differently.

I would give us a 4 out of 5. We continue to work with the health department and our medical partners to find answers. We must continue to balance physical health, mental health and economic health to come up with a good solution.

3. Sedgwick County is expected to face serious budget shortfalls for the near future. Specify what taxes you would support raising and/or what cuts you would support to address this problem.

I don’t support raising taxes and I’ve made that commitment for my entire time in office. We must make strategic cuts in areas that don’t touch public safety. We need to look at areas to consolidate services with our cities.

4. Do you believe that any changes need to be made in Sedgwick County to better protect the rights of minority citizens? If so, what?

I’m always looking for ways to protect all citizens in Sedgwick County.

5. Each year, Wichita State University gets a share of Sedgwick County residents’ property tax mill levy equal to 1.5 mills. Is the university spending those funds effectively or should there be more oversight by the county government?

I’m happy the majority of those dollars go toward student scholarships. The university each year meets with the commission to discuss the funds and is very transparent. I appreciate the partnership the university has with the county.

This story was originally published July 20, 2020 at 1:00 PM.