A responsibility to the community, not issues, is the primary reason for Kenny Hamman’s candidacy for Position 2 on the Southern Lyon County board of education.
“I think I owe it to the community and at least put my name out there and get a chance to serve,” Hamman said. “I think there’s always some issues, but maybe they’re not as front-and-center as in other places.”
In a small district like Southern Lyon County, Hamman said, budgets will always be a concern.
“That’s been an issue for a number of years, and it will be going forward,” he said.
The number of students graduating compared to the number of students coming in will cause a drop in the amount of state aid, which is based on student head-count.
Hamman said that careful attention to managing the money available will be a key to staying within budgetary constraints.
“By the same token, you’ve got a responsibility to both the students and the taxpayers,” Hamman said. “It’s important to remember that obligation to both of them.”
Technology is another concern for Hamman.
“Technology is increasing ever-so-fast,” he said. “I think it is going to be a challenge to keep up. That goes hand-in-hand with the budget problems because nothing ever gets less expensive.”
Teachers, too, will need to be trained in technological advancements in order to be able to present training to the students.
Hamman said that he wants the district to investigate the possibility of other sources of money to supplement or support technology and other programs.
“Any of them that you’re eligible for — money, grants and that sort of (thing) — it helps improve the district overall,” he said.
Hamman was born and reared in the Hartford community, graduated from Hartford High School in 1989 and from Kansas State University in Manhattan with a degree in agriculture in 1994. Hamman, his wife and daughter live on a farm southwest of Hartford. In addition to farming, Hamman also is a supervisor for the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Ottawa.