Home: City Manager's Updates

Posted 2/10/08
Civic Dialogue

Our community is about to embark on a review of the growth management issues that have occurred over the past few years. The process will be led by Kansas State University’s Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy. Dr. Joe Aistrup, head of the Political Science Department at Kansas State, and Marie Steichen of the Institute will be facilitating a group of citizens to review and suggest ideas on balancing growth and taxes while insuring accountability to the public.

Former Commissioner Richard Pinaire used to argue that civil dialogue was good. He is absolutely right. The more input and communication from the citizens, the more effective the policy makers can be on developing our community the way the majority of citizens want. Former Commissioner Eric Stahl suggested we meet in the City parks on occasion. Communicating with the public is a high priority for the current City Commission. That is why the City is creating numerous ways to allow citizens to communicate with the elected officials and City staff. We have our website that provides tremendous information, along with the opportunity to contact all city staff. Mayor Rhodes and Vice Mayor Wunder are doing a television show to get information to the public. I’m writing this update to get information out. We are holding City Commission neighborhood meetings during the year. There will be neighborhood meetings in April to review the City budget.

All of this communication needs to be done in a respectful manner. I have been a public servant for nearly 30 years. I started as the Accounts Payable Clerk/Purchasing Agent for the City of Leavenworth, Kansas in 1978. I have been with the City of Junction City for 20 years. I don’t believe I have ever been threatened or bullied quite the way I have recently. The City staff has received death threats, threatening emails and has been yelled at on numerous occasions. My Dad says that is what I get paid for and to simply turn the other cheek. I’m trying to do that daily.
One thing I know for certain is that the City of Junction City is an open book. We will provide open records and information to anyone that requests it. In addition, we will listen to anyone’s thoughts if presented in a respectful manner. Many of the suggestions by the Junction City Taxpayer Association are good ideas that need to be looked at and reviewed. The City staff is working diligently to digest the information in order that the elected officials can respond in the appropriate manner. Continuing to threaten and intimidate the staff will not work.

I look forward to involvement from the citizens as we begin preparation of our 2009 budget. There will be great opportunity to provide input on what priorities you want the City to focus on in the coming years. One thing is certain, reducing property tax will be at the top of the priority list for the City of Junction City as it has for the past nine years. I hope that the other three taxing entities, Geary County, U.S.D. #475 and the State of Kansas hear the same message loud and clear.

Email Rod!