Relationships

Bringing Our Community Together and Building a Stronger Future

One of my most important goals is helping unite Junction City and Geary County around a shared vision for growth, prosperity, and opportunity. While we may not always agree on every issue, we all want safe neighborhoods, strong schools, quality jobs, reliable infrastructure, and a thriving community for future generations. By working together and focusing on common goals, we can accomplish far more than we can individually.

Throughout my time in public service, I have worked to build relationships across local governments, community organizations, businesses, educational institutions, and civic leaders. Collaboration is essential to addressing challenges and creating opportunities that benefit all residents of Geary County. Whether it is economic development, housing, workforce development, public safety, transportation, or community services, lasting solutions require cooperation and a willingness to work toward common objectives.

A critical part of our community's success is maintaining a strong partnership with Fort Riley. Fort Riley is not only one of the largest employers in the region but also an integral part of our identity and economy. The soldiers and families who serve there contribute tremendously to our schools, businesses, churches, volunteer organizations, and local communities. Supporting our military community is not simply a responsibility—it is an investment in the future of our region.

I remain committed to ensuring that our soldiers, military families, and veterans receive the support they need both during and after their service. This includes advocating for quality housing, educational opportunities, workforce training, healthcare access, and programs that help service members successfully transition into civilian careers. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to those who serve, and we should do everything possible to help them succeed when their military service concludes.

In addition to strengthening local partnerships, I have focused on developing productive relationships with our state and federal delegations. Effective representation means ensuring that the needs of Junction City, Geary County, and the surrounding region are heard in Topeka and Washington, D.C. Building those relationships creates opportunities to secure funding, support infrastructure improvements, advance economic development projects, strengthen transportation networks, and advocate for policies that benefit our communities.

Many of the challenges facing our area cannot be solved by any one city, county, agency, or level of government alone. Success requires communication, cooperation, and a willingness to work together toward practical solutions. By fostering strong relationships with local leaders, military officials, state agencies, legislators, and members of Congress, we can position our region for continued growth and long-term success.

The opportunities before us are significant. We can continue to attract new businesses and investment, support existing employers, improve housing options, strengthen our schools, expand workforce opportunities, and enhance the quality of life for families throughout the region. Achieving these goals requires leadership that brings people together and focuses on results rather than division.

By building strong partnerships locally, statewide, and in Washington, we can bring people together, strengthen our military-community connection, and deliver results that move Geary County forward. Working together, we can create new opportunities, support those who serve our nation, and build a stronger future for Junction City, Geary County, and all the communities we proudly call home.