Augusta City Council, Ward 2

Kenneth Bratton: I love and believe in our communities’ prosperity enough to give my time and abilities to the Office of City Councilman. Our community needs a City Council that is able to work for citizens in Augusta, a City Council who is willing to respect the needs of our community and act accordingly by putting the residents FIRST. I am not wishing to be a “Councilman” that tells our community what vision to have or what we must “live with”, but a “Councilman” that listens to the community and works for the residents, moving our local government in the direction that is best for our community now and in the future. My choice for running for City Council is a choice for the community; I have no special interest, nothing to gain and no hidden agenda. I am wishing to see the important needs of our city met as we move forward. As a member of our community, I sometimes have asked myself; why our local government did that, why is my city bill so high and so on. I wish to increase the transparency of our local government decisions and allow the people of our community to become engaged in what affects them or at the very least be give the chance and tools necessary to understand why. In closing, I am running for the office of Augusta City Council for the community I live in. I wish to give our community a neighbor that they can express their concerns to and feel that someone listened, a policy maker whom has no other interest except to make the right decision for our community, a neighbor whom is available for the right reasons.

Kenneth Bratton: The upcoming years ahead of us will be challenging times for all communities, I urge you to elect a leader that will put forth the effort to make wise decisions for our future, one that will put the residents needs of our wonderful community first and foremost, one that will not be above us as a part of government, but one that will stand with you as a neighbor of this wonderful place we all call home. I have the proven experience and commitment to the community to be the right choice. I have the proven track record to be the choice that will move the community forward for the citizens of our community.

Kenneth Bratton: I am not sure that it is fair to call one issue the biggest; each issue a community faces is the biggest in its own way by what it affects. Here are my views and some items that affect us every day. Utility Rates: I will continue to foster stabilization of our utility and service rates. We are faced with a very unstable economy that affects us all. In local government, we need to make good choices based on sound business practices. I will use my use my experience in evaluation of all aspects of our services provided to the residents that appear on our monthly bill, and look for ways to stabilize our utility and service rates at the lowest possible cost to our community. Taxes: I will be looking for ways to hold our taxes as low as possible. I will put forth the time and effort to make sure that the budget that is issued each years has the best interest of the community at heart, that all spending is accounted for and that there is more of a transparency to the residents of our community of how our tax dollars are spent. The current economic situation of our country will be placing new demands on local governments throughout the country and their needs to be more transparency for the residents of our community to understand how their tax dollars are being spent. We all have a right to know and have input in what affects us as neighbors in our community. Waste: Dollars that will be available to local governments in the upcoming years will be greatly reduced due to the current economic times and cut backs occurring at state and federal levels. I will look for ways to stabilize city spending, so that the impact on our local taxes we pay is kept to a minimum and out quality of life services do not unjustly suffer.

Kenneth Bratton: The other priorities that I have would be: Complete existing projects that are currently underway; Levee Project, Downtown Streetscape, Spillway project. The expansion of our city boundaries needs to be study and at some point in the near future a decision made to expand the city limits of our community to protect ourselves from impending expansion our direction from the west. The growth of our city needs to be by our choice, not one give to us by our neighboring communities. We will need to make wise informed and proactive decisions to protect our boundaries in a way that does not harm our community.

Kenneth Bratton: I believe that for years that government has somewhat kept the public at arms length of what is going on. I believe that we need a change to allow citizens access to information and answer questions so that they can understand the decision that are being made for them and in their interests. Citizens have a right to understand how and why the tax dollars are spent and they have the right to expect that budgets are easy to understand and that that items are not hidden. We are elected to represent the citizens and we should allow them access to information they need to make sure that we as public servants are doing what they wish as a community. Then government would have transparency.

Michael Huddleston: I want to provide citizens with the quality representation they deserve and need.

Michael Huddleston: With over 40 years accounting experience coupled with knowledge of council activities I am in a position to provide good representation.

Michael Huddleston: Unlike the federal government a city cannot spend more than the tax revenue provided.For the next few years the challenge will be to provide basic services of good roads,safe drinking water, decent sanitary sewer, adequate police and fire services and other qualities of life the citizens have come to expect.

Michael Huddleston: Since Augusta owns its own electric generating facility the city has a unique opportunity to transform itself into a green lower cost supplier of electricity. Development of wind power can give Augusta greater quantity at lower cost than other cities in Kansas. With grants and partnering programs now is the time to pursue the opportunity.

Michael Huddleston: I truly believe people are the government and that no government can operate effectively without informing and involving the people. Every effort should be made to include citizen's ideas and comments into each decision made.

Launa Volkman: Candidate response is not yet available.

Launa Volkman: Candidate response is not yet available.

Launa Volkman: Candidate response is not yet available.

Launa Volkman: Candidate response is not yet available.

Launa Volkman: Candidate response is not yet available.