By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
After more than two decades in public office, Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog said a record of bringing people together has prepared him to seek Kansas' highest office.
Skoog visited Hays last week.
Skoog, who has served 21 years as an elected official, including 16 years on the Overland Park City Council and five years as mayor, said Kansas needs leadership focused on solving problems rather than deepening political divisions.
"What I think Kansas is ready for is somebody to come in and help Kansans find a sense of community and consensus, so we can address the major problems that we have as a state," Skoog said. "Kansas is great, but we have lots of issues that we always have to work on."
Skoog pointed to Overland Park's growth during his time in office as evidence that collaboration produces results. He said the city has invested in redevelopment, parks and other community improvements while earning recognition as one of the nation's best places to live, work and raise a family.
Looking statewide, Skoog identified affordability, water conservation and public safety as some of the biggest challenges facing Kansans. Rising housing costs, grocery prices, fuel expenses and agricultural input costs have placed pressure on families and farmers alike, he said. Skoog also emphasized the importance of addressing declining water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer.
Skoog said those priorities are reflected in his campaign platform, known as THRIVE, which focuses on expanding access to health care, supporting agriculture and rural communities, encouraging innovation, protecting individual rights and voting access and creating welcoming communities across Kansas.
His running mate, Dr. Jen Bakalar McKinney of Fredonia, is a family physician and nationally recognized rural health care leader. Skoog said her experience complements the campaign's focus on improving health care access, particularly in rural Kansas.
"We need to welcome everybody into our communities," Skoog said. "We need more workers, we need more people in our communities, and to do that, we need to welcome everybody."
Skoog also discussed his own background, growing up in Topeka with four brothers and attending public schools before graduating from the University of Kansas with a business degree.
His first jobs included working at the Topeka Zoo and Dairy Queen before beginning a career with what was then KPL Gas Service, which eventually brought him to Overland Park. He and his wife, Amy, raised three children there and now have six grandchildren.
Education remains another priority for the campaign. Skoog said Kansas has a strong tradition of public education and called for fully funding public schools, including special education.
As lawmakers prepare to revisit the state's school funding formula, Skoog said Kansas should continue investing in quality education while finding innovative ways to deliver services across the state.
Skoog also said he believes executive leadership is strengthened by local government experience.
"The governor should come from the mayor's office," he said. "Mayors have a completely different perspective on how to address problems than legislators."
As the campaign moves forward, Skoog said his central message to voters is straightforward: bringing together people with different viewpoints is the best path toward solving Kansas' biggest challenges.
"I know how to build consensus from diverse opinions and diverse points of view," Skoog said. "That's the only way we're going to solve the major problems we have in Kansas, so Kansas can thrive."