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Dale tapped to replace Doll on commission
Published 1/9/2013 in Local News
By SCOTT AUSTsaust@gctelegram.com
During a brief special meeting Tuesday morning, the Garden City Commission chose retired fire investigator Melvin Dale to fill the remainder of former commissioner John Doll's term.
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Dale
Dale, 71, applied for the position due to an interest in public service and politics. Dale worked for the Garden City police department in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and was a fire investigator for the state of Kansas for 21 years covering southwest Kansas.
In addition to Dale, six other people applied for the city commission.
Randy Grisell, city counselor, said one applicant, Matt Kirchoff, was not eligible to serve on the commission because he lives outside the city.
The remaining five applicants included Troy Unruh, a partner in a local insurance agency; Harold Starr, a retired teacher; Jonathan Galia, chaplain at Tyson Foods; Jesse Waugh, a commercial applicator with Crop Production Services; and Kevin Campbell, an international safety consultant.
Because of the number of quality applicants, Dale said he was surprised to get the appointment.
"I think that's really good, rather than have just one or two. That way commissioners can make the decision they need to pick the right person," Dale said. "I hope that enthusiasm rolls over into the April election to where we have at least five or six people running for the three positions that will be open. Right now, I'm just kind of shocked that I got it."
Dale acknowledged he will have big shoes to fill in replacing Doll, who resigned his seat Jan. 2 to begin his new job in the state Legislature.
"I think John Doll is special person. He's done a lot in the community, not only as a commissioner but also in his activities. He gets out and meets people and he's just a regular good guy and it's going to be hard to fill his shoes," Dale said.
Dale will be sworn in at the Jan. 15 commission meeting. Dale hasn't filed for election yet, but intends to sometime before the Jan. 22 deadline. He said he looks forward to serving the community and helping it grow, and he's looking forward to digging into the agenda for the next meeting when it is released Friday afternoon.
"I hope to contribute to the dialogue and discussion and be part of the team," he said.
Mayor David Crase thanked all the applicants for their interest in the position and encouraged those who weren't appointed to consider filing to run for city commission, reminding them and anyone else who may be interested that there will be three council seats on the ballot.
Before the vote, a couple of applicants addressed the council.
Unruh said he was excited about the opportunity and had already filed to run for city commission whether he was appointed to Doll's seat or not.
"It's exciting to see so many people interested in the community. I believe we have a lot of great things going on in our community. I want to be part of some of the great things that are coming up. I'm looking forward to serving in any way I can," he said.
Kevin Campbell, a Canadian citizen who relocated to Garden City four years ago with his wife and son after his wife was recruited by USD 457, said his family didn't intend to stay here long but now consider western Kansas their home.
"I fell in love with this area. We enjoy it. I own a business that allows me to travel, but I sure love calling this home," he said.
Campbell joked that he was probably the only applicant to carry a green card.
During a conversation late Tuesday, Randy Grisell, the city's legal counsel, said a person must live within the city limits to be eligible to be a city commissioner, but it is unclear if a person must also be a United States citizen. Grisell said he hasn't read anything that prohibits a non-citizen from being on the commission, but he cautioned that he also hasn't done enough research to know for sure.
The commission consists of five members, all of whom are elected at large. Three commission seats are up for election in odd numbered years. The candidates with the two highest vote totals are elected to four-year terms, while the third highest vote getter is elected to a two-year term.
The deadline for people interested in running for city commission this year is Jan. 22. At least three seats will be open, including the one filled by Tuesday's appointment, as well as the positions currently held by Crase and Commissioner Chris Law. Crase is not running for re-election, and Law has not decided if he will run again.
People interested in running for city commission have until noon Jan. 22 to fill out forms and pay a $45 filing fee with the city clerk's office to appear on the April 2 ballot.
Found 4 comment(s)!
Reply
Dave nothing is going to attract young educated people to southwest Kansas or anywhere else in Rural Kansas. Even Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, and Winfield, which all have 4 year colleges, can't keep younger educated families in the area for very long because they don't like the isolation.
SWK and SEK especially will have a hard time because most people see immigrants, cows, and meet packing (SWK), as well as Mining Waste, and poor ground water quality (SEK), as nice places to live.
I grew up in Dodge City and now live between Coffeyville and Pittsburg and have also lived in Hays and Lawrence so I've seen these things go down with my own eyes.
Retail development helped Salina take business from Hays and Hutchinson and has done allot for them so I don't see why people fight it here. Garden City doesn't need to be dead in the retail sector like Dodge and Hutch are. Dodge is bad at recruiting businesses because they have higher property taxes and a poorly laid out town. Garden City knows that if they don't jump on these opportunities that are presented they will go to Liberal and Dodge. My current town can hardly keep ALCO open and I have to drive an hour for walmart and would love to have the options Garden City has to offer.
Posted by: Judy on 1/12/2013
Disagree
Also Young, I have to disagree with you, Garden City has had 2 large grocery stores and its great we have 2 new hotels coming in, Menards is not going to attract young educated people to Garden City. Menards is no different the Home Depot. My main focus would be on getting the clean coal plant going, that would bring a lot of jobs and help small businesses in the community, but thats been on the table for almost a decade. The city wants to attract the young generation back but has done nothing to get them excited to be here. Take for example the Windsor, why not do what Hays did with there brewery, keep the old tradition alive and turn in into a restraunt brewery, people would come to eat and drink then perhaps shop downtown, also this would give somewhat of a night life for the younger crowd to want to be in Garden City. Housing districts are also great, but why not build more apartments that arent catered towards low income? Many young people cannot afford houses, they have to rent, but every new apartment complex being built is for low income, that doesnt work.
Posted by: Dave on 1/10/2013
Reply
Young Citizen if the city was being run as backwards as you seem to think it is we wouldn't have the only target in 200 miles in 3 directions, the only menards in that same distance, a new shopping center being built, 2 large grocery stores, 2 new hotels being built, and several housing subdivisions getting ready for construction.
Posted by: Also Young on 1/9/2013
Disagree
This city needs to grow and the only way it's going to grow is if we get young people apart of the city and county commisions. Well they had yet another chance last time is was Liz Sosa and Jason Drohman this time it was Matt Kirchoff. Well i guess the city doesn't see plans to expand and move forward with new ways.. Very confused information from the commisioners and its attorney..
Posted by: Young Citizen on 1/9/2013