Salina League of Women Voters Primary Candidate Questions 71 st District Question #1 Given Kansas financial picture, waiting lists for Medicaid

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1 Salina League of Women Voters Primary Candidate Questions 71 st District Question #1 Given Kansas financial picture, waiting lists for Medicaid services and the absence of health insurance options for povertylevel citizens, do you favor accepting available federal funds by expanding Medicaid services? Candidate Diana Dierks: I support the expansion of Medicaid. There are so many individuals who are in need of services who cannot afford them. Senior Citizens, At Risk Children and Families. We need to take care of our neighbors for who knows when we may find ourselves in a similar situation. Before making a decision on a piece of legislation that I feel would have an impact on our community I contact an expert in that field and my constituents in Salina. The answer has been yes on Medicaid Expansion. Case in point the Smoky Hill Family Practice Clinic here in Salina. A "Safety Net Clinic who helps those with limited sources with their medical needs. Without Medicaid Expansion this critically needed service may not be able to continue. Salina Regional Health Center would also be adversely affected. Should we accept federal funds for Medicaid Expansion? My answer would be YES. Candidate Tom Bell: Yes, I favor Medicaid expansion to cover poor Kansans. They would gain health insurance and assistance with preventative care. Kansas community hospitals and health care providers also would gain because they spend millions each year caring for the poor and needy money that is not reimbursed by either the state or federal government. Question #2 Do you agree with the last-minute changes added to the Educational Funding Bill (HB 2506), including loss of due process for teachers, licensure without teacher training, and diverting tax dollars to companies to fund students in private schools? Why or why not?

2 Candidate Diana Dierks: I did not agree with the last-minute changes on the Educational Funding Bill (HB2506). The Kansas House of Representatives had presented a bill which would have met the requirements handed down by the Kansas Supreme Court. Meeting the "Equity" requirement of the Gannon law suit. It all changed when it reached the Senate. The corporate tax portion had been a bill that was defeated in 2013 by a large margin. Slipped back into the school funding bill of Public tax dollars should be used for public schools. The due process for teachers and licensure portion was the one that brought the most attention. As an Education Committee member I was very unhappy that the teachers had not had an opportunity to testify before the committee pro or against. It was decided by a conference committee. A life changing vote on a topic that had been in existence since In one fell swoop their right of due process was taken away. Teachers should be respected and treated with gratitude, not disparaged. Candidate Tom Bell: I do not agree with the way these changes were implemented. There should have been hearings and testimony earlier in the session, before they were offered for passage. On due process: Teachers can develop due process procedures with their local school boards, giving them the opportunity to tailor guidelines to local needs. Regarding licensure: Districts should be allowed to hire experienced professionals so we can fill teacher shortages in specific fields, including science, math and technology. This should not be used to replace qualified and licensed teachers. Private schools: As I understand it, the bill does not divert tax dollars to corporations. It allows them a tax break when they donate to private school programs that help low income students and those with special needs. I support policies that encourage contributions for both public and private school students.

3 District #1 County Commission Question #1: Were recent changes in Health Department positive or negative? Please explain. How would you ensure that the Health Department retains all services historically provided? Candidate Randy Duncan: My positions are well known. The county commission has worked hard to make the health department back to its original building with funding repairs and support. We are moving back this week. Will reopen all clinic services in a few days. Thank you. Candidate Duane Flaherty: The Saline County Health Department issue has become one of the biggest "black eyes" for the Saline County Commission. Refusing to work out an agreement with the city has left the county with a large expense added to the budget. Health Department fees are already being increased because of this. Some of the employee benefits were effected by the change. Decision making became personal. It is going to take some time to work through the changes that have been placed upon the department and hopefully turn some of these negatives into positives. Trying to ensure the services provided by the health department stay intact will always be dependent upon the budget. The advisory board for the department will have my support on any changes in policy or services provided they recommend. Together we will do our best to keep the facility running smoothly Candidate Monte Shadwick: Recent changes with the health department have been negative. Saline County had a health department that was a model for the state. That was two years ago. What we ended up with is a commission that runs the department and feels they alone are the health board. I still believe we will get back to where we were, providing the essential services for the citizens, but we have to make some critical changes. The process that got us here was, and is, broken. First, communication between the government agencies was horrible. For example, we had a commission

4 that stated they wanted to sue the City of Salina not understanding that they would be suing its own constituents as 85% of the county is made up of city taxpayers. That sort of rhetoric is naïve and harmful. Working together as a community seeking to find solutions together that benefit us all should have been the goal. Second, the micro-managing of personnel and policies showed the inefficiencies of county government. We need a more professionally managed commission that doesn t make the day-to-day decisions of every aspect of the government. In the case of the health department, the commission should set the broad goals of what is needed to provide essential health services for the county then let a health board made up of experts in the field working with a qualified director and staff to implement the strategy. Question #2: What skills do you bring to this job, and what is your highest priority as a newly-elected County Commissioner? Candidate Randy Duncan: Did not answer. Candidate Duane Flaherty: My strength as a county commissioner will begin with my day to day interaction out in the county. Living and working in the county has me seeing first hand the work of the road and bridge department, the rural fire departments, and the sheriff department. I have worked with these entities during the last 10 years through my involvement on the county planning and zoning commission and understand county policy. I helped write a simpler and more condensed version of the county development code that is awaiting the commissioners approval. My involvement in agricultural related programs has taken me to several foreign countries as a representative of Kansas. I will be a strong voice for the county on the commission. The highest priority I will have as a newly-elected commissioner will be to represent the voters of my district. I will bring credibility to the commission and will make decisions based on sound principals for the benefit of the people who have elected me. Common Sense Government-For A Change.

5 Candidate Monte Shadwick: I believe my unique background will help me make the changes needed to bring the county commission work better and smarter. I have been a businessman, educator, and local public servant. Currently, I am the owner of Blue Skye Brewery in downtown Salina and an Assistant Professor of Business at Kansas Wesleyan University. The skills needed to manage a business and educate students will be helpful but it is my 8 years of experience in city government and 4 years working as a staff member with Congressman Moran that will be most helpful. With the congressman s office, my role was to work with city and county governments throughout the 69 counties on his behalf. The knowledge gained by spending time with emergency management, health departments, law enforcement, community corrections, road and bridge departments and other essential county agencies on a daily basis will be most helpful in my new role as county commissioner. My highest priority as a county commissioner will be to restore the confidence level of the citizens in the commission s decision making process. We have 3 paid county commissioners as employees in addition to a full-time county administrator. This is a waste of taxpayer funds and is an inefficient way to manage. I am campaigning to make the commission a professional advisory board that directs to the county administrator goals and vision but let s the day-to-day management to fall with to the county staff. The proper decision making process is to ask the right questions, make sure the right people are being heard, put the right people in charge of the situation and hold them accountable. That will be my management style as a commissioner. This will be the best way to handle the next big issue facing the county.