UPDATE 3:15 p.m. Friday:
After seeing a lack of candidates for School Board, former board member Kenny Massey decided Friday to file for candidacy after serving four terms previously.
Massey said the position is too important to come down to write-in votes.
Massey said with his current position working with school districts as a crisis consultant for Greenbush, he has been able to keep up what is going on in education. He helps districts plans for crisis planning across the spectrum and has seen the complexities involved with working in education recently.
Public schools serve as a major component in shaping the students who come out of them and for their future, he said. He said he knows the importance of delving into staff and teacher retention, teacher salaries and keeping people interested in education amid a teacher shortage.
Massey is also the president of the Library Board, and said although there should be no crossover to cause any issue, he is familiar with serving on two elected boards. He used to serve on the City Commission in addition to the Library Board and rarely had to recuse himself, but does not see any issues arising between the Library Board and School Board.
Massey said although he has been off the School Board for several years, he is still familiar with the fundamental concepts within a school district as many remain the same.
Original story:
Eric Votaw has decided not to run for a School Board seat again after serving since 2009, leaving a vacancy with just days left for candidates to file.
Only two individuals have refiled for the three open seats on School Board – current board members Joe Hurla and Heather Whalen.
The filing deadline is noon Monday. Without a third candidate, whoever receives the most write-ins on Election Day would receive the spot, County Clerk Jamie Shew confirmed Friday.
Votaw said Friday that it feels like his time to go since his youngest child is graduating next year, the district’s new strategic plan is in place and bond projects are completed. He is pleased with what he has accomplished and where the district is headed.
His goal was to serve while his kids were students, so he’s thankful to the community for the opportunity. He is looking forward to a fresh face on the board with new perspectives and experiences, he said.
While the School Board is currently lacking enough candidates, the City Commission will have competitive races with four people filing thus far for two seats. Incumbent Jolene Cullen decided not to seek re-election.
Below is a breakdown of the School Board and City Commission candidates who have filed and why they are running.
Heather Whalen – School Board
Heather Whalen is running again after spending four years on the board because she’s enjoyed serving the teachers and staff, as well as lending a voice as a teacher by trade herself, she said.
She likes bringing an educator perspective to the board and thinks it brings a good balance to the different business owner and leader viewpoints, she said.
She’s had students go through the district and continues to have students in the district and appreciates having the chance to support the schools in that way, as well.
Retaining teachers while being transparent about finances has been a difficult balance, but it’s something she is passionate about, she said. Being able to support and advocate for them to stay in the district, while also spreading the word about the district is also an important part of Whalen wanting to stay on the board, she said.
Having conversations with the city about housing and bringing more students to the district is also an important part of the job, Whalen said.
Helping bring more college classes to the high school and work on the bond process has been rewarding throughout her time on the board, she said.
She’s loved her time on the board so far, and said she would be honored to continue to serve with the other members.
Joe Hurla – School Board
Joe Hurla has spent about 14 years on the School Board, and he hopes to continue his work with the initiatives underway in the district and also challenges that need to be worked through at the same time.
Collaborating with the community to address challenges while developing a vision for the future is something he wants to continue to do, as well, he said.
What keeps him coming back for another run is the excitement surrounding carrying out the vision and mission to develop students and serve students, Hurla said.
Hurla knows what the role entails and enjoys the work alongside teachers, staff, administrators, custodians, bus drivers and more.
Eudora feels unique in the way it embraces the school district, and it is something he wants to continue to be part of, he said.
Hurla said he prides himself on not trying to have a pet project or initiative he wants to drive forward and instead just wants to work on the best interests of the community. He tries to understand and be inclusive of all community needs so everyone can be part of the effort, he said.
Hurla said he’s enjoyed working with the other board members as well as district leadership and is looking forward to continuing the work.
Jason Musick – City Commission
Jason Musick has filed to run for City Commission to advocate for local businesses and transparency among elected officials.
Musick said he originally had planned to continue to focus his advocacy through working with the Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. However, following the City Commission’s meeting at a steakhouse in Lawrence, he changed his mind.
He said he wants to see more transparency, especially when discussing economic development that has a major impact on small business owners in town.
Involving civic organizations with the city’s conversations around these topics and growth planning is important to Musick, he said.
As someone born and raised in Eudora, he wants to see it thrive, and working together with other organizations will make it stronger, he said.
He also thinks it’s important to get more input from other residents. He’s focused on investing, inspiring and involving Eudora, he said.
Grant High – City Commission
Grant High said Eudora has a lot of untapped potential and people have failed to see it for the unique community that it is.
Instead of trying to be like any other community, Eudora needs to harness its own identity and expand on that, he said.
A city government that is open and engaging with the public is something he hopes to bring to the commission. He wants to make residents feel as if they are a part of the process, rather than feeling like you’re imposing, he said.
Rather than just saying it’s an open environment, it needs to feel like one where people are welcome, he said.
High has lived in Eudora nearly his entire life and attended Eudora schools K-12. He has witnessed a lot of changes and strategies to handle changes over the years.
High thinks he can bring open-mindedness to the commission, and help tap into utilizing the unique Eudora atmosphere.
The Times previously ran a story when Cullen Jr. and Reazin filed but includes summaries below to illustrate the full slate of local candidates as of Friday.
John Cullen Jr. – City Commission
John Cullen Jr. feels he has the leadership and guidance to bring teams together to accomplish goals within the commission, he said. He is retired from the Army and has lived in Eudora for about four years, but he grew up in a town of a similar size.
Cullen is hoping to help grow Eudora while still keeping the small-town feel, he said. It’s the town’s charm that brings people to town, he said.
The sports complex south of K-10, Nottingham Center and infrastructure expansion are all things Eudora has been discussing, but it’s important not to over-tax residents, he said. More sit-down restaurants and a broader tax base can help the city get the things they want, while planning for the future, he said.
“I may not be from Eudora, but I have, you know, chosen Eudora as my home, and I look forward to getting to know and hopefully to serving my fellow Eudora residents,” he said.
Tim Reazin – City Commission
Tim Reazin has been Eudora’s mayor for 10 years, and has been on the commission since 2009. Reazin is running again because there are projects in the community that he is still working on.
“We’ve been working through baby steps, but it feels like we’re on the verge of completing a lot of projects, and we have some things going on with our water treatment plant and just continuing to button up planning for the future. I’d like to still be involved in that,” Reazin said.
Helping the senior population has been important to him since he was on the commission with former mayor Ruth Hughs. Projects in town to help secure more housing options for that population have been ongoing.
He also wants to continue working on growth south of K-10 while being conscious of connector roads and what impacts those will have on others. He’s also committed to continuing to work with the Kansas Department of Commerce on a STAR bond district to help diversify the tax base, he said.
