Questionnaire responses from candidates for Unified Government Commission, 1st District

Unified Government Commissioner, 1st District:

James Connelly

Victor A. Harris Sr.

Winfred Manning

Gayle E. Townsend

We will be adding to these questionnaires as we receive them. If you are a candidate who doesn't see your questionnaire responses here, please contact us at news@wyandottepublishing.com.

Following are questionnaire responses we have received from the candidates, in alphabetical order.

James Connelly

1.    Name and office sought

James Connelly, Unified Government  Board of Commissioner (First District)

3.    Age

47 years old

4.    Occupation

Housing Manager; KCK Housing Authority

5.    Education

Attended DeVry University; Information Technology; MBA, Phoenix University

6.    Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong

a.    Wyandotte County NAACP

b.    Optimist Club

c.    Board Member, Wyandotte County Human Relations Commission

7.    Reasons for running

I am a person of service.  I love my community.  I am willing to partner with and work with incumbent commissioners to ensure that the Citizens of the First District receive their fair share of county revenues to improve, streets, sidewalks and community policing.  I want to ensure that senior citizen funding is maintained and to improve upon youth services.

8.    What is your top campaign issue?  

Create economic and job opportunities in the first district.

9.    There may be budget constraints facing local governments and schools. If you had to make cuts, what would be at the top of the list to cut?

If there is need to make budget cuts, I would have to review each line item of the budget.  I would then meet with department heads to determine where to make the cut without affecting the level and quality of service.  

10.    If you are an incumbent, list your top accomplishments in office.

If you are not an incumbent, what would you change?  

N/A

11.    What is the difference, on the issues, between you and the other candidates running for this office?  

I don’t know what the other candidate issues are.

12.    Have you run for elected office previously? When, results?  

Yes. Democrat Precinct Committee Person, 2008, I won.

Victor A. Harris Sr.

1.    Name and office sought

Victor Harris, 1st District Commissioner, Wyandotte County

3.    Age

55

4.    Occupation

Security

5.    Education

High school diploma

6.    Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong

See attached

7.    Reasons for running

I saw a need in the community and felt that there was a need for change.

8.    What is your top campaign issue?

Giving the voice back to the community.

9.    There may be budget constraints facing local governments and schools. If you had to make cuts, what would be at the top of the list to cut?

Local government. I would evaluate the situation and make the best decision based upon the community needs.

10.    If you are an incumbent, list your top accomplishments. If you are not an incumbent, what would you change?

N/A

11.    What is the difference, on the issues, between you and the other candidates running for this office?

My desire is to give the voice back to the community, embrace diversity and community awareness so that 1st District can thrive as it has in the past. Educate the people and encourage growth.

12.    Have you run for elected office previously? When, results?

2nd Term Precinct Committeeman, August 2012, (8 years)

Wyandotte County Central Democratic Committee, sergeant at arms, (Elected)

Winfred Manning, (questionnaire not received)

Some information from the Armourdale political forum:

Winfred Manning is retired from 25 years service as a firefighter. He is a native of Wyandotte County.

He said the 1st District used to have homes next to each other, but now there are a lot of vacant lots. “My goal is to build and maintain what we have in District 1,” he said.

He would like to rebuild neighborhoods, restore the tax base and improve safety.  

“We need to work with businesses to maintain those we have, and help create jobs,” he said.

Gayle E. Townsend, (questionnaire not received)

Some information from a candidate news release:

Gayle Townsend is currently an enforcement attorney in the Office of the Regional Counsel for a federal transportation agency.

A native of Kansas City, Kan., she has a law degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, a bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and is a Sumner High School graduate. She worked as property accounting manager for a major international freight transportation company for several years before seeking her law degree. She has served on several area boards, including the United Way, the YWCA and the Trinity Williams Educational Foundation.

“The opportunity has now presented itself and the time is now right for me to offer in service whatever educational, business and legal skills and talents I possess, which were first developed and nurtured in the northeast end of Wyandotte County, to my fellow residents of that community, to seek its improvement and the continued betterment of the county as a whole,” she stated. “I am running to serve.”