KVOE began its traditional Candidate Forum series with conversations including several Emporia City Commission candidates.
Incumbents Erren Harter and Becky Smith joined newcomer Will Spencer to discuss matters like underground utilities, housing, wages and economic development. On underground utilities, especially after a rash of water main breaks earlier this summer, Harter said the city has done better at prioritizing the underground infrastructure the past few years — but there is catching up to do.
Smith says American Rescue Plan funding has been discussed as a way to stretch city dollars, but that ship has largely sailed — and grant funding is a lot more competitive than a lot of people think.
Spencer says the city needs to increase its communication with residents and business owners.
Emporia has been in a housing crunch for years. Spencer says an increased effort towards stakeholder or corporation involvement could help ease the shortage.
Smith says Emporia hasn’t seen a lot of huge developments such as Mahtropolis near the Trusler Sports Complex or Kretsinger near the David Traylor Zoo, but there has been progress.
Harter says the big conversation currently now is where to build next.
Another conversation point was compensation for city staff after city commissioners approved a pair of significant pay raises last year.
Incumbent Jamie Sauder and challenger Travis Hitt will be on KVOE’s City Commission Candidate Forum at 10:06 am Thursday.
Our focus shifts to the USD 253 Emporia Board of Education for the next two Candidate Forums. Incumbents Jeremy Dorsey, Grant Riles and Leslie Seeley appear at 10:06 am Oct. 19, while newcomers Linda Forbes, Christy Grant and Sam Tovar join incumbent Art Gutierrez at 10:06 am Oct. 24.
All programs will be stored in the KVOE.com Audio Vault after their completion. You can access today’s here – https://kvoe.com/2023/10/10/audio-tuesday-10-10-23/
The Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters Emporia chapter have a candidate forum at 6 pm Tuesday at the Flint Hills Technical College main campus.
