Two weeks ago the Lyon County Commission held a public hearing regarding the possibility of the Lyon County Extension Agency becoming a part of an extension district that would join three county extension offices together.
The hearing drew an impressive crowd. Commission meetings are typically attended by the League of Women Voters and The Emporia Gazette, but on that day more than 20 people appeared to debate the ups and downs of the issue. What followed was a healthy discussion.
The fact that the public can openly debate the argument is one that we as Americans can be proud of.
The question is, with the city and county commissions meeting on a weekly basis and allowing time for people to comment on the issues at hand, where is the public?
It’s easy to criticize decisions after they have been made, but who is there to speak up when those decisions are being debated?
We know it is hard to make it to public meetings to voice opinions but you can attend and be heard.
If you can’t make the meetings, call your elected officials and let them know what you think.
It’s your right and it’s all part of the democratic process. Below is how you can contact your elected officials.
Here is the contact information for the elected officials of Emporia and Lyon County:
Lyon County
Commissioner Scott A. Briggs. Dist. 1
2594 Road X, Reading, KS 66868
(620) 699-3448
sbriggs@lyoncounty.org
Commissioner Teresa Walters, Dist. 2
2850 Rio Vista Dr.,
Emporia, KS 66801
(620) 481-1197
twalters@lyoncounty.org
Commissioner Rollie A. Martin, Dist. 3
1772 Rd. 30 Hartford 66860
(620) 437-2175
rmartin@lyoncounty.org
County Clerk
Tammy Vopat
(620) 341-3245
City of Emporia
Commissioner Bobbie Mlynar
2007 Schaeffer Way
(620) 342-3012
bmlynar@emporia-kansas.gov
Commissioner
Kevin Nelson
930 Huntington Rd.
(620) 343-8584
knelson@emporia-kansas.gov
Commissioner
Joel Phipps
2902 29th Terr.
(620) 342-4891
jphipps@emporia-kansas.gov
Commissioner
Jim Kessler
2910 Hidden Lakes Dr.
(620) 343-6488
jkessler@emporia-kansas.gov
Commissioner
Rob Gilligan
400 W. 15th Ave. Apt. 14
(620) 481-0616
rgilligan@emporia-kansas.gov
City Manager
Matt Zimmerman
(620) 343-4251
mzimmerman@emporia-kansas.gov
City Clerk Kerry Sull
(620) 343-4241
ksull@emporia-kansas.gov
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Russ , If only you could have been born a few hours later...
Party like it's 1999.
January 5, 2012 at 8:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Russ, people did voice their disapproval to the county commish, but they voted what they themselves wanted anyway. Teresa Walters said that the majority of her constituents were against joining the Frontier, yet she voted yes anyway. So what does contacting these people do?
I will say that whenever I do contact any commissioner, and I usually contact them on major issues, the only one I EVER hear back from is Bobbi Mlynar.
But thank you for all these addresses anyway. Good to have on file.
January 6, 2012 at 8:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )