Council incumbent wants key issues completed
Velda Roberts hears from residents on a regular basis when it comes to city issues.
“My phone rings a lot,” Roberts said. “Sometimes I’m gone too much it seems like. But we have an answering machine, and I do respond back to people.”
Roberts is seeking a second term on the City Council. A retired banker, Roberts also worked in law offices as a legal secretary. While living in central Kansas, she and her husband, Herb, owned a liquor store.
Roberts, who is 70, is a native Kansan. She and her husband have lived in Tonganoxie since 1995. Before that, they lived in Seward, Neb., for 16 years.
She and her husband lived for many years in the Salina and Great Bend areas and have a son, Jeff, who is 29 and lives in Overland Park.
Roberts said being retired was an advantage for her because she is able to attend many outside meetings — ranging from U.S. Highway 24-40 corridor study meetings to county planning board meetings.
“Obviously when we have people who work full-time, they aren’t able to and shouldn’t be expected to attend those things,” Roberts said.
Roberts said her availability to residents with concerns has been key during her first term.
“I appreciate when people come to me when they have concerns,” Roberts said. “I always tell people I have no more authority to call the Police Department or City Hall than you do.
“My responsibility is that their side of the information gets to City Hall, and I follow up to make sure City Hall takes care of it or gets it to the proper people. We as a governing body need to be sure we act in the framework that I’m not telling someone one thing and someone else something different.”
Roberts said she filed for re-election because the city faces several issues, from proposed sidewalks on Pleasant Street to a connecting water line from the Kansas City, Kan., Board of Public Utilities.
Roberts said already having extensive knowledge of those issues was important.
“I think I can make a contribution in moving those things forward and in a positive way,” Roberts said.
She also addressed arguably the most controversial city issue — renovating County Road 1 south of Tonganoxie to connect to a proposed Kansas Turnpike interchange.
“I have people who speak with me, people I consider who are friends, very much against County Road 1 period, whether or not the city participates,” Roberts said.
“We are on different sides of this. I think it is extremely important that County Road 1 comes forward.”