Election season has begun with the announcement of candidates for city council seats.
Candidates for city council are: First Ward candidates John Brand and Richard Granger, Second Ward candidates Terry Craig and Chase Weber, Third Ward candidate John “B.J.” Tracy and Fourth Ward candidate Paula Mortimer.
Both Mortimer and Brand aren’t new to the political game.
Mortimer, after running and losing the Fourth Ward seat to Terry Nunemaker last year, decided to come back after hearing no one had filed for the seat.
“I received a phone call from somebody saying no one applied and that just broke my heart,” Mortimer said. “That was 18 minutes before the deadline.”
Mortimer said she didn’t want to see the craziness of a write-in campaign.
“I couldn’t believe nobody had [filed] after the fight last time,” said Mortimer who ran against Tom Kohmetscher, Terry Nunemaker and Andy Shimer in the last election.
Mortimer says she’s ready to step back into the political arena and start talking with constituents again.
“I can’t wait for the forums to start again. That was an amazing process for me. That was a lot of fun and people had a lot of great comments and questions, and to see people come out and be involved was great,” she said.
Brand, who is running against incumbent Richard Granger says putting himself up for city council is the “next step” in working with the community.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “I’ve been on the Board of Zoning Appeals and it seems like the next step.”
This isn’t the first time Brand has been involved in the political process. A committee once chose Brand as a finalist to fill a vacated commission seat, but Harley Freeman eventually filled that seat for two terms.
He says he doesn’t have a specific agenda for if he wins the seat, but does say Wellington needs to get its spirit back.
“I love Wellington. I’ve been here my whole life and I just want to see it grow and prosper,” Brand said. “We truly are a community. We aren't just a place where you sleep at night and then go work in Wichita in the morning and that’s something I want to see preserved because I think we are losing that to a degree...Wellington over the years, after political things that have come up, we’ve kind of splintered a little bit and become negative about ourselves, our own self image and I think that’s something we need to work on improving because it is such a great place and we need to focus on the good that’s going on.”
Brand says his skills working for the American Red Cross will come into play later if he is elected.
“I think the big thing I will bring is communication and people skills,” he said. “I love people, I love visiting with people, I love talking with people...I think communication and lending an ear would be the big things I would bring.”
For the latest on the run for city council, check back with the Wellington News at www.wellingtondailynews.com.
Wellington, Kan. —
