BY MEGHAN FLYNN
Garden City Telegram
The Nov. 4 General Election is nearing, less than a month away.
One of the local races in this election cycle is for three positions on the Garden City Community College’s Board of Trustees.
The candidates are incumbents Merilyn Douglass, Bob Larson and Leonard Hitz and newcomers Nicholas Vrana, Alexander Olinger and Reynaldo Mesa.
Merilyn Douglass
Douglass is from Montana, graduating from Sidney High School in 1976. Following high school, she attended Miles Community College where she earned an associate degree in nursing and then a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Montana State University.
She completed a master’s degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner and in 2010 she completed a doctorate in Nursing Practice at the University of Kansas.
Douglass moved to Garden City in 1992. She began her career in Garden City as a nurse at St. Catherine Hospital and, for the past 28 years, as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Siena Clinic, Heartland Cancer Center and Grow Well Clinic.
Additionally, she’s served as part-time faculty for the University of Kansas School of Nursing, leading off-campus clinical instruction in Garden City.
Douglass is married to Steve Douglass. They recently celebrated their 29th anniversary. Together they have five children and 11 grandchildren.
She’s served as a Trustee at GCCC for 15 years.
“During this time, I have worked to ensure the college provides high-quality, accessible programs that meet the educational and workforce needs of our community,” she said. “Recently, I became more involved with the Kansas Association of Community Colleges, collaborating with other trustees to advocate for state funding and educate legislators about the value community colleges bring to Kansas.”
Douglass hopes to strengthen her connections with local school districts, support workforce and adult education programs and ensure the college’s maintenance of educational excellence and student success.
She hopes to be reelected to continue her commitment to keeping GCCC affordable, accessible and responsive to the needs of the community.
“My experience in healthcare, education, and governance allows me to advocate effectively for students, support workforce development, and help GCCC thrive for years to come,” she said.
Bob Larson
Larson was born in Casey, Iowa. He and his family moved around when he was young, living in Omaha and North Platte, Neb., before settling in Wichita, where he attended and graduated from Wichita West High School in 1970.
Following high school, Larson attended Pratt Junior College in Pratt, before heading to Colorado State University. He earned a master’s degree from Western Illinois University.
Larson moved to Garden City with his wife, Barbara Larson, and their children in 1994. Together they have three sons and 10 grandchildren.
He served as the GCCC football coach from 1994 to 2004 before becoming the Athletic Director in 2005, where he stayed until his retirement in 2013.
Larson has served four years on the Board of Trustees.
He decided to run again for office again because he’s enjoyed his time on the board.
“I look forward to continuing to help Garden City Community College be that bright light shining in Kansas,” he said.
Larson said his four years as a Trustee qualifies him for the position.
If reelected, he hopes to help the college accomplish “many different opportunities that will help the college continue to be that shining light in Kansas.”
His main goal is to continue to help GCCC be one of the best community colleges in Kansas.
Leonard Hitz
Hitz is from Ford, where he graduated from Ford High School in 1960.
He’s lived in the area for 50 years.
Hitz is currently retired, has worked in agriculture consulting, farming, and has spent 35 years in banking.
He is married to Nancy Larson and together they have four daughters.
Hitz said he decided to run for reelection because he’s always been a champion of the college.
“As I had more time I decided I wanted to give back to the college and serve on the board of trustees,” he said.
He believes his 35 years of experience of learning banking operations, lending and bank management qualifies him for a position on the Board of Trustees.
“Also, consulting with farmers and ranchers helping them discover ways of becoming more successful in their financing and farming techniques,” he said. “Learning and knowing people and the community.”
If reelected, Hitz hopes to continue to be a part of a “community college that is also a partner with the community and western Kansas,”.
His main goal in the first year is to help GCCC become a “shining light at the top of the hill in community colleges” with educational resources for the area such as supporting technical college classes for those that don’t want a four-year college degree, partnering with the city of Garden City and Finney County to promote growth, and helping enhance area high schools by helping them achieve their goals of educating their students.
Nicholas Vrana
Vrana is from Council Bluffs, Iowa. He’s lived in Finney County since 2002 but previously lived here from 2014 to 2017.
He is married to Tammy Vrana. Together they have two children.
He graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs in 2000. Following high school, Vrana attended Iowa Western Community College and Buena Vista University, receiving his bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista in 2006.
He later graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law in 2014.
Vrana currently serves as the Deputy Finney County Attorney. He also served in the Kansas National Guard, retiring as a warrant officer.
Vrana decided to run for office because he was concerned about the increase to the college’s property tax mill levy that was enacted in the 2024-25 budget cycle.
He said his experience from his military and civilian careers qualifies him for office, both dealt with the management of public resources.
“I have learned through my careers how to manage people and various interests competing for public resources,” he said. “As a beneficiary of a community college education, and a parent of a student at Garden City Community College, I value the local, high quality, and low cost college education provided by the Garden City Community College.”
His main goal, if elected, during his first year is to reduce the property tax mill levy in an “orderly and measured way” while ensuring the college provides a high quality, local education to students.
“Ultimately, I want to undo the 16% property tax mil levy increase that was enacted by the Board of Trustees for the 2024-25 budget,” he said.
Alexander Olinger
Olinger is from Liberal, where he graduated from Liberal High School in 2006.
Following high school, Olinger attended Seward Community College where he studied Business Administration.
After that, he attended Bringham Young University, graduating in 2015, attaining a teaching degree for French, Spanish and ESL.
In 2020, he earned his master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Emporia State University.
Olinger moved to Garden City in 2015. He currently works at Garden City High School, where he teaches French and ESL Biology.
He is currently engaged and has foster children.
Olinger said he decided to run for office because he wants to support education.
“I believe it’s essential that as local leaders, we work to secure funding, ensure employees at the college the academic freedom to explore ideas and give students the chance to grow by being challenged and learning to defend their ideas,” he said.
His experience as an educator and his language skills qualifies him for the position of Trustee, Olinger said.
“I can speak Spanish and French which are important languages to many individuals in our community,” he said. “I will listen to people of all economic situations, cultural backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, genders and sexualities in order to ensure that all people have access to an inclusive education where they feel seen and respected.”
In his first year in office, Olinger hopes to work with members of the community to see opportunities college has available for them.
“Too many inaccurately believe college is in an option. Also, I would like to see more students continue their education to a job or continued opportunities for growth,” he said. “Also, I look forward to learning on the board.”
His goal is to listen to all stakeholders and do his best to invest in the future of the community, Olinger said.
Reynaldo Mesa
Mesa is a Garden City native, living in Garden City his whole life, graduating from GCHS in 1977.
He has attended Wichita State University where he studied Political Science and Friends University, where he graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
Mesa currently works as the executive director of Real Men Real Leaders, a real estate agent for eXp Realty and is the owner of M1, LLC, Property Management Corporation.
He is married to Ellen Mesa, and together they have three children and two grandchildren.
Mesa decided to run for office to help support and maintain GCCC.
“We are blessed to have such an institution in our community that provides an affordable education not only to our local students but to in-state and out-of-state students as well as adults,” he said. “The college is critical to the business and ag industry, especially to those employees who are furthering their education or obtaining a certification. And it plays a key role in the economic well-being of our community. I want to help grow and build on the success that the college had initiated years ago.”
He said his experience holding multiple leadership roles qualifies him for the position. He served 11 years as a member of the Garden City Commission and has served two terms as the state representative for Kansas’ 123rd District.
He currently serves as the Treasurer for the Kansas High Plains Association of Realtors, is on the board of the Southwest Kansas Builders Association and Garden City’s Board of Zoning Appeals.
During his first year he hopes to learn all he can about GCCC.
“I only know what I know and to be an effective trustee, I am going to dig in to learn about the institution inside out,” he said. “It is the only way to be a trusted and an effective board member.”
Mesa said his main goal is three-fold, but first, he hopes to be an effective and trusted board member who can be accountable to the taxpayers.
“Two, it is equally important to work with the other trustees in setting the direction/goals for Doctor Ruda and his team and give them the necessary tools and resources to be successful,” he said. “Three, continue to provide an affordable option for students and their families should want to further their education.”
