The Douglas County Courthouse.

Two of three seats on the Douglas County Commission are being contested this election cycle.

Vying for the 2nd District seat is political newcomer Jesse Brinson Jr., who is running as an independent. His opponent is incumbent Democrat Nancy Thellman, who is seeking her third four-year term on the County Commission. The 2nd District includes east Lawrence precincts and eastern Douglas County, including Baldwin City and Eudora.

The 3rd District seat is open with Jim Flory’s decision not to seek a third term on the County Commission. Contesting for the seat are Democrat Bassem Chahine and Republican Michelle Derusseau, It is the first campaign for public office for both candidates. The winner will represent the district of west Lawrence and the western portion of the county, including Clinton, Lecompton, Stull, Globe and Worden.

3rd District

Bassem Chahine

Democrat

Bassem Chahine

Bassem Chahine wants to share with Douglas County his lessons he learned in building successful businesses since moving 16 years ago.

Chahine came to America at the age of 16 with his family after his father retired from his career as a petroleum engineer in the United Arab Emirates. Lawrence wasn’t the family’s intended destination but that changed when they visited Chahine’s older brother, who just entered law school at the University of Kansas.

“We all ended up staying, because it was so beautiful,” Chahine said. “We all fell in love with what we thought was a hidden secret in Kansas.”

Chahine went on to graduate from Free State High School in 2003 and earn a degree in business administration from KU in 2008. He has since added a master’s and doctorate in business administration from the University of Phoenix.

The entrepreneur bug first bit Chahine when he was in college, In 2006, he opened his first hookah house with a loan from his father. He now owns Lawrence Hookah House and Euphoria Hookah Lounge in downtown Lawrence and Topeka Hookah House, Nirvana Hookah House in Topeka. He has found added success with medwakh.com Inc., a North Lawrence spin-off business that imports, packages and manufactures tobacco and tobacco products.

His budgeting background has given him experience in preparing and managing budgets and strategic planning as he grew his business, Chahine said..

“I wouldn’t be where I am now if I was afraid to take risks,” he said. “I know what I can afford now and what has to be put off. It’s not only my success, but the people who work for me, too. I have 30 employees who count on me.”

His local business experience also gives him an understanding of the issues facing the county. Topping his list of concerns is the need to attract “primary employers,” which can keep talented KU graduates or young Lawrence residents from leaving town for more lucrative opportunities, Chahine said.

“My plan for growth is to work with the various city commissions that represent Douglas County in order to put our best foot forward when it comes to attracting primary employers,” he wrote in response to a Journal-World questionnaire. “Primary employers in my definition are those who pay the majority of their employees a living wage, employ a sizable number of individuals and have openings for a diverse and wide variety of people.”

The quest to land such large employers would not mean giving out blank checks, Bassem said.

“The last thing we want is to bring in business that could lower property values, damage environmental resources, or otherwise adversely impact our wonderful community,” he wrote, “My goal since day one has been growth with balance, and that is a promise that I am well suited to fulfill.”

Chahine said he supports a jail expansion and mental health crisis intervention center. He was persuaded of the need to expand the jail after seeing inmates, particularly female inmates, “crammed into cells” during a visit to the facility, he said.

He supports the crisis intervention center and the establishment of a mental health court, which the Douglas County Commission funded for 2017.

Although he agrees for the need for the crisis intervention center and jail expansion, Chahine said county voters shouldn’t be asked to approve funding for the two needs on the same ballot initiative. Those who supports the crisis center and not the jail, should be allow to support the initiatives they back, he said.

“In my view, issues of such magnitude must be addressed separately,” he said. “It is the only fair resolution to address those citizens who may prefer one solution, but not the other.”