Lyon County Attorney Marc Goodman has chosen his campaign leaders and is preparing to formally file his candidacy for re-election in the office of County Clerk Karen Hartenbower by the June 10 deadline.
Goodman notified Hartenbower Friday that his campaign treasurer is Charisse Symmonds; Dr. Steve Haught will be chairman. He expects to file by fee, rather than by petition.
Job satisfaction, and encouragement from his family and local Republicans, simplified Goodman’s decision to run for a third term.
“I enjoy what I’m doing, and I’d like to continue doing it,” he said.
He talked on Friday about changes and accomplishments during his first two terms, in addition to a successful record of prosecuting major cases.
“We’ve been able to open up and maintain really good relationships with the sheriff’s office and police department,” he said.
He and his employees also have encouraged and cultivated cooperation with numerous other entities, including the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas, the school district, the ministerial alliance, Emporia State University, SOS, CASA and others.
The turnover rate for assistant county attorneys and other employees, once “a revolving door,” has plunged, and the combined years of employee experience, as well as his own, is an asset for the county.
“I have the knowledge of county budget and county government,” Goodman said. “With the closing of Tyson, I think it’s important to have someone with experience. Obviously, the county attorney position isn’t just prosecuting in the courtroom; it is administration and budgeting.”
Goodman said he approaches finances conservatively and sets a modest budget.
“When we hit zero, we go to our own funds,” he said .
Taxpayers benefit from use of the diversion fund and limited allowed uses of the drug forfeiture fund.
“We’ve been able to provide equipment to all law enforcement agencies that they otherwise would not have had,” he said.
Purchases include a scope for the hospital for sexual assault examinations, two sheriff’s vehicles, monitors for the court, body armor for ESU police, a $35,000 computer system for his offices, and contributions to CASA, Corner House, the Child Advocacy Center, the school district, the Family Solutions program, SOS, and much more.
“It’s probably $50,000 to $100,000 a year we’ve provided in non-tax revenue,” Goodman said. “We pay for ourselves with non-tax revenue. That’s quite a chunk each year for us to absorb.”
The diversion funds are a “no-loss proposition,” he said. Offenders in minor cases pay diversion fees and other costs; if they re-offend, the convictions become active and they pay additional court and related costs.
“The accountability falls solely on the party, on the offender,” he said. “We’re giving people a chance. We’re being fair to them.”
Goodman long has supported helping abused and neglected children and victims of domestic abuse. He wants to develop local expert witnesses to testify on their behalf, which will help those victims as well as save the county $10,000 to $20,000 per trial in witness fees.
His office also bought the Finding Words of Kansas program to train interviewers who deal with children who have been physically or sexually abused.
He wants to focus on consistency among local agencies in domestic violence laws and protocols and bring them up to national levels.