1) What changes, if any, would you favor to make county commission meetings more open and accessible to the public?

The meetings are open to the public. The public may ask questions, speak, and take part in the meetings. The meetings are covered by the Mercury, Free Press, and K-MAN Radio.

2)  Do you believe Riley County should hire a County Administrator? Please explain your position.

No, I find that the professional will not take a risk to bring about change. The professional wants a secure job and to draw a good salary.

I find some of the elected people are the ones that will take risks to bring about change. I also recognize a wide variance in the risks the elected official will take, and the skill of the individuals varies greatly.

3)  Which do you think should take priority, preserving prime agricultural land (both crop and grasslands) within the county or economic development on that same land? What factors would you consider when evaluating zoning requests?

I believe the free enterprise system should be the top priority. The individual should have the right to sell his land to the highest bidder. When zoning comes into play, the owner wants to sell his land to an economic developer because it will command a higher price than agricultural producers are willing to pay. Of course, economic developers only command a small percent of land use.

4)  Would you vote in favor of zoning that would allow commercial development or housing in low-lying areas that occasionally experience flooding?

Yes. The Eureka Valley has the airport, Tec Park, businesses, housing, and others within its boundaries. The total valley is subject to flooding.