Kelly Parks Archives - Voice For Liberty

Jan

Sedgwick County commissioners vote Democratic

This morning the Sedgwick County Commission voted to select member Tim Norton of Haysville as chairman for the upcoming year. Norton, a Democrat, received the votes of two of the board's four Republican members: Those of outgoing Chairman Dave Unruh and Jim Skelton. Commissioner Karl Peterjohn nominated Richard Ranzau for the position, but he received only two votes. It may be remarkable that a board with a four to one majority in one party elected a member of the minority party to serve as chair, or it may simply be a reflection of the actual ideological makeup of the board.…

Jan

By Bob Weeks

Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Monday January 3, 2011

This week at Wichita City Council. Roger Smith will be sworn in to take the place of Jim Skelton. Smith's term will end in April, when the voters will select a permanent member of the council from district 3. Of course, Smith could be that person. ... The council will hear from an independent fact-finder regarding the firefighters. See Wichita Eagle Wichita firefighters union stresses staffing in contract requests with city. ... Also improvement of two south Wichita intersections will be considered. See Wichita City Council to consider $4 million in street work on S. Broadway. Last meeting for two…

Jul

By Bob Weeks

Sedgwick County Commissioner disputes Wichita Eagle headline on audit

This week controversy arose surrounding a request by two Sedgwick County Commissioners for more information from the county's auditor, Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C., a public accounting firm. The financial issue concerns the way that EMS employee pay is budgeted and its impact on the county's budget. Commission chair Karl Peterjohn and Commissioner Kelly Parks asked questions of the county's auditor on this matter, exercising what Peterjohn describes as due diligence. But the issue has grown to become political. In a Wichita Eagle news story, the county's chief financial officer said he expected to receive a bill from the auditor…

Dec

By Bob Weeks

Peterjohn presses taxpayer protection platform through Sedgwick County Commission

At today's meeting of the Sedgwick County Commission, commissioners revised the county's 2010 legislative platform, adding important and groundbreaking taxpayer protection to the platform. The split vote lets voters know without a doubt where commissioners stand on taxpayer protection issues. The legislative platform is Sedgwick County's "wish list" for the legislature. The items in the platform are not laws, but instead indicate the desires of the county commission. Commissioner Karl Peterjohn proposed new language to add to the legislative platform: "All local sales tax increases must be approved by voters under Kansas law. All property tax increases that raise the…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Wichita Eagle reporting, headlining discussed by commissioners

In today's meeting of the Sedgwick County Commission, Wichita Eagle reporting and editorializing was the subject of an off-agenda item. Commissioner Gwen Welshimer used this opportunity to read into the record part of a press release she issued yesterday. The entire press release, as well as video, is at the end of this article. Commissioner and Chairman Kelly Parks mentioned that he has been disturbed with some headlines in the Wichita Eagle recently, and that the media has "not checked out some of the headlines they've put out." Commissioner Karl Peterjohn shared his concerns with misleading Wichita Eagle headlines, referring…

Jun

By Bob Weeks

Sedgwick County solid waste fee criticized

Today's Wichita Eagle column by Rhonda Holman is a two-fer. Two issues for the price of one column, and two issues she's wrong on. The first issue is explained in Wichita water economics. She criticizes Commissioner Karl Peterjohn and Board Chairman Kelly Parks for the opposition of a solid waste management fee that would add a relatively small amount to property tax bills. (When writing about Peterjohn, do I need to disclose that he and I are friends, and that I helped manage his campaign last year? I'd feel more compelled to do so if Holman would start writing editorials…

May

By Bob Weeks

Lack of information clouds Sedgwick County industrial park plans

At yesterday's meeting of the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners, questions about a proposed industrial park development reveal that there's still a long way to go before all issues are uncovered, much less understood. At the meeting, Chris Chronis, Chief Financial Officer for Sedgwick County, presented information and responded to questions. While Mr. Chronis was thorough in some areas, even some basic information and understanding is missing. For example, questioning by Board Chairman Kelly Parks revealed that it is unknown at this time who owns the mineral rights to the property. Commissioner Karl Peterjohn asked Chronis about the relationship between…

Jan

By Bob Weeks

Parks’ Selection as Sedgwick County Commission Chair Breaks Tradition

In a move that suggests that there may be some change in the way things are done in the Sedgwick County Courthouse, Kelly Parks was selected as chairman of the Board of County Commissioners for the next year. No other name was placed in nomination. Then, Gwen Welshimer was selected as chairmen pro tem, again with no other name placed in nomination. Why is this a change? As the Wichita Eagle's Deb Gruver wrote in todays news story Parks may chair commission: "For years, it's been the Sedgwick County Commission's tradition to 'promote' the board's vice chairman to chairman."

Dec

By Bob Weeks

Sedgwick County Commission fails citizens

At yesterday's meeting of the Sedgwick County Commission, Commissioners Tom Winters, Tim Norton, and Dave Unruh failed to take an opportunity to stand up for good government. By ratifying the City of Wichita's defective public hearing, notice is given that it's open season on citizens. Their concerns are shoved aside. Commissioners say they were constrained by a very narrow range of action permitted by law. The reasons they voted against this TIF district in August are still there, though present in smaller measure. The problem is that these politicians want something so badly that they're willing to overlook major problems…