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New officials anticipating homework

By Caroline Trowbridge - | Apr 9, 2003

During the next few weeks, the learning curve for three new city officials will be a little steep.

Next Monday night, a new mayor and two new city council members will take office.

And David Taylor, who replaces Mayor John Franiuk who did not seek re-election, said he anticipates he has a lot to learn. Still, two issues are of paramount importance in Taylor’s book.

“The water is Number One priority, and the sewer,” Taylor said. “As far as the rest of it, it will be wait-and-see.”

Taylor, who defeated former Mayor Herb Robbins 214-181 in last week’s general election, said he thinks the city staff is a strong one, and he will depend on them to help learn more about issues facing Tonganoxie.

Top vote-getter Ron Cranor said he, too, will take his entry into political life slowly.

“I think it’s best right now to get my feet wet and see what’s going on,” Cranor said. “As an individual, you can’t make decisions anyway. Before promoting anything, you have to wait to see what’s going on.”

Cranor said he’s hopeful he can be a strong voice for residents of Tonganoxie.

The other new council member, Velda Roberts, is an old hand at city council meetings. Starting next Monday, she’ll be sitting with other council members, rather than in the audience.

“Even though I’ve been at a lot of the meetings, I need to get myself in the other chair and get into a little bit more of the detail so that I’m better informed,” she said.

She said she and Taylor met Monday with Shane Krull, city administrator, to talk about their initiation into city government.

“I think we acknowledged there are some big issues that are paramount that need to continue to be worked on — water and the sewage treatment plant,” Roberts said.

The city is hoping to strike a deal with nearby water districts that will mean more water is flowing to Tonganoxie. And the city has run into a stumbling block with its plans to construct a new sewage treatment plant recently because the bids for building the plant came in far above estimates.

Roberts said she plans to listen and learn and added she’s eager to work with other city council members.

“And I think we are extremely fortunate that we have an excellent city administrator who will be of great assistance to the new people coming in,” she said.

Cranor and Roberts will replace Pat Albert and Cami Zimmerman, who decided not to return to the council.