There are three seats up for grabs on the Lawrence City Commission this year, but the field of eight candidates will first have to be narrowed in the upcoming Aug. 1 primary election.

The terms of Lawrence city commissioners Courtney Shipley, Amber Sellers and Brad Finkeldei are expiring this year. The primary election was triggered by a Lawrence charter ordinance that calls for a primary if the number of candidates who file for the City Commission is more than two times the number of open seats.

All the seats are at-large positions, meaning the same eight names will be on ballots throughout the city. Voters will be able to vote for up to three candidates. The top six vote-winners will move on to the general election, which will conclude Nov. 7.

The deadline to register to vote in the August primary is Tuesday, July 11, and advance voting by mail or in person at the Douglas County Elections Office, 711 W. 23rd St. #1, begins the next day, July 12.

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Justine Burton is pictured in this 2018 file photo.

Justine Burton, a social services professional who grew up in Eudora and Lawrence, is running for both the Lawrence City Commission and the Lawrence school board in this year’s election. Burton previously told the Journal-World she’s prepared to serve on both governing bodies if she were to win both seats. She’s the founder and executive director of StopGap Inc., a nonprofit organization which supports youth aging out of the foster care system, and also works as a caregiver with Home Instead senior care. Burton said the need to come up with alternatives for folks experiencing homelessness and pushing for inclusivity as an important city issue are key issues for the upcoming term.

• What is one issue you believe the Lawrence City Commission hasn’t focused on enough?

Burton said infrastructure throughout Lawrence as a whole deserves more focus; especially if the city believes in inclusiveness, she said “the proof is in actions.”

“There are buildings that have stood empty for years and some are dilapidated and falling apart,” Burton said. “Our main thoroughfares into our city should be welcoming. All buildings should be maintained and up to city code. Focus on the overpass and the streets in North Lawrence.”

• What unique quality do you think you’d bring to the Lawrence City Commission that it needs?

Burton said she’d bring tenacity to the commission, but didn’t elaborate further.

• What’s been your evaluation of the job the Lawrence City Commission has done in providing services to the homeless? Are there aspects to the commission’s strategy you have particularly liked or disliked?

Burton said homelessness is a serious problem not just here in Lawrence but in many states and municipalities. The homeless population needs help, she said, and keeping them “out of sight and out of mind” does not work since they won’t willingly be confined to a designated area.

“Providing housing and services for those who want it is a step in the right direction,” Burton said. “However, responding to a crisis with a knee-jerk reaction and putting no thought into providing safety for businesses and communities is not a good practice.”

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Mike Dever

Former City Commissioner Mike Dever served on the commission from 2007 to 2015, including two terms as mayor. Today, Dever is an environmental consultant and owns his own business, GuideWire Consulting. He told the Journal-World earlier this year that homelessness and housing and the city’s tax and fee levels are key issues for the upcoming term.

• What is one issue you believe the Lawrence City Commission hasn’t focused on enough?

Dever said the City of Lawrence needs to focus on the existing housing crisis in the community and approach the issue with a “common sense of urgency.” He said that includes a lack of available and affordable housing and the lack of a comprehensive plan between the city and its unhoused and homeless service partners.

“Together, we must focus on the problem with a new vision and purpose and demand more accountability from our leaders in the city and county, as well as the public and private partners dedicated to the mission,” Dever said.

• What unique quality do you think you’d bring to the Lawrence City Commission that it needs?

Dever said his eight years of prior Lawrence City Commission service mean he’d bring experience and proven results to a commission that “needs more focus and leadership.” His 35 years of business management and leadership experience, including 23 years running his own business, are also qualities he thinks would be useful in the position.

“However, the most important quality I think I will bring to the commission is a willingness to listen and communicate with the community regularly and act on that input to make critical decisions for the future of Lawrence,” Dever said. “The City of Lawrence needs seasoned leaders.”

• What’s been your evaluation of the job the Lawrence City Commission has done in providing services to the homeless? Are there aspects to the commission’s strategy you have particularly liked or disliked?

Dever said historically, the Lawrence Community Shelter was constructed to take the place of the Salvation Army and other city drop-in centers, but the lack of a unified and comprehensive policy related to the exponential increase in urban camping and unhoused individuals in the city due to the pandemic created unsafe conditions.

“The lack of transparency related to the operation and costs of the temporary camp at the Kansas River, along with the process of creating a Pallet Shelter community, has eroded the public’s trust in local governments’ approach to the unhoused,” Dever said.

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Brad Finkeldei

Incumbent Brad Finkeldei, an attorney who has served on a number of local service, economic development and planning boards over the years, was elected to the commission for his first term in 2019. Finkeldei, who’s lived in Lawrence permanently since 2000, said he sees expanding the city’s housing stock and implementing a housing-first strategy as key issues for the upcoming term, along with the importance of city infrastructure and being prepared to capitalize on future job growth due to the Panasonic battery plant coming to nearby De Soto.

• What is one issue you believe the Lawrence City Commission hasn’t focused on enough?

Finkeldei said he thinks the commission has not focused enough on its relationship with the students, faculty and staff of Haskell Indian Nations University, nor on its potential impact as a federally funded institution in the community.

He cited Lawrence’s economic development plan in support of that point: “Lawrence’s historical connections to Native American tribes and growing Native American populations are unique assets upon which the City can build to create new economic opportunities.”

“We must do more to support Haskell as an institution and create an environment where Native Americans can flourish,” Finkeldei said.

• What unique quality do you think you’d bring to the Lawrence City Commission that it needs?

Finkeldei said serving on multiple boards and committees alongside residents from all across Lawrence over the course of more than 20 years taught him a great deal about “the challenges and strengths of our community.”

“I believe the lessons I learned and the experiences I had prior to joining the commission help me bring our whole community together to create a healthier, vibrant and more just Lawrence,” Finkeldei said.

• What’s been your evaluation of the job the Lawrence City Commission has done in providing services to the homeless? Are there aspects to the commission’s strategy you have particularly liked or disliked?

Finkeldei noted that the city hadn’t provided direct services to the homeless until 2023, when the commission dedicated resources and stepped into the emergency sheltering space. He said that was a response to the inability of non-governmental entities to handle issues surrounding homelessness.

“I like the city’s commitment to be part of the solution to this nationwide problem,” Finkeldei said. “That being said, tackling this problem was new to the city and its employees and thus there has been significant struggles and growing pains along the way, which I certainly hope, and trust, we will improve upon as we continue this difficult work.”

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photo by: contributed

Chris Flowers

Chris Flowers, a regular public commenter at city meetings, ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the commission in 2021 and previously told the Journal-World he decided to run again after another frequent public commenter was told he wasn’t allowed to comment at a particular part of the agenda during a recent commission meeting. Flowers, who works as a delivery driver, has lived in Lawrence since 1999, when he moved here from Plainville to attend the University of Kansas. Flowers said he wants to see the city be more accountable when it makes mistakes and said he would push to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms if elected.

• What is one issue you believe the Lawrence City Commission hasn’t focused on enough?

Flowers said the issue of the environment is overlooked, and he wants the city to promote changes the public can make to be more environmentally friendly. He wants the city to make changes to that end that don’t cost much — or even save money — over time.

“To be honest, I’m guilty of this myself,” Flowers said. “Yet in the grand scheme of things, humanity needs a healthy environment. I believe in the possibility of reincarnation, and from that standpoint, I don’t want to be born 150 years from now in some over-populated area where an average June day is over 100 degrees.”

• What unique quality do you think you’d bring to the Lawrence City Commission that it needs?

Flowers said as a renter making less than $40,000 per year, Lawrence being an affordable city to live in actually matters to him because if housing costs soar too high, he won’t be able to afford to live here any longer.

“While my situation isn’t unique, as there are thousands of people like me in Lawrence, city commissioners tend to be homeowners and make over $40,000 a year,” Flowers said.

• What’s been your evaluation of the job the Lawrence City Commission has done in providing services to the homeless? Are there aspects to the commission’s strategy you have particularly liked or disliked?

Flowers said he doesn’t think the city has thought things through and seems to be making decisions “on the fly” without a long-term strategy.

“While I support letting people sleep in tents as an option, I don’t think a tent city should have been the city’s solution to the homeless problem,” Flowers said. “The city needs to do better at including homeless voices in the decision-making process.”

Flowers added that part of the city’s strategy to combat homelessness should be by preventing it in the first place by focusing on affordable housing.

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photo by: Contributed

Joshua Olafson

Joshua Olafson is an audio-visual project engineer with AVI-SPL, an audio-visual integration company, and has worked there for eight years. He moved to Lawrence from Colorado Springs in 2013 and has stayed here since then. A first-time candidate for public office, Olafson previously told the Journal-World he was motivated to run for office after seeing how school closures, struggling businesses and failures to help the homeless population all tie into the larger, systemic issue of affordable housing. He also said he believes Lawrence should be a safe haven for everyone, especially in the wake of SB 180, Kansas’ new law barring transgender people from using restrooms and other public facilities that align with their gender identity.

• What is one issue you believe the Lawrence City Commission hasn’t focused on enough?

Olafson said housing is a key issue that needs significant attention, especially if Lawrence wants new businesses, a more profitable downtown and to take care of the homeless.

“Without more affordable and accessible housing these goals cannot be truly achieved,” Olafson said. “With the arrival of the Panasonic factory nearby, Lawrence has an opportunity to grow for the better. Currently, we are not preparing for it. Change is inevitable, and if we do not prepare for it, Lawrence will be left behind.”

• What unique quality do you think you’d bring to the Lawrence City Commission that it needs?

Olafson said he’s a moderate and believes there are three sides to every story — “side A, side B and the truth somewhere in the middle.”

“I want to work with others and bridge the gap to serve the people of Lawrence and have the hard conversations so we can move forward,” Olafson said. “I do not have all the answers and I am by no means perfect. I do believe that we can do better and that we owe it to each other to become better.”

• What’s been your evaluation of the job the Lawrence City Commission has done in providing services to the homeless? Are there aspects to the commission’s strategy you have particularly liked or disliked?

Olafson said creating a safe space for the unhoused — in this case, the city’s temporary support site in North Lawrence that recently was named Camp New Beginnings — was a step in the right direction, but fencing off the camp was “ill-advised.”

“I believe that homelessness is an issue with many facets that need to be address in tandem, such as mental and physical health, job training and assistance and also housing assistance,” Olafson said. “I believe (the) City Commission could improve their plans with a more well-rounded and comprehensive approach.”

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photo by: Contributed

Amber Sellers

Incumbent Amber Sellers was first elected to the commission in 2021. Sellers works in state policy with the Bureau of Family Health with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and she previously told the Journal-World her first year on the commission helped her develop a better understanding of the high-level aspects of city staff, departments and functions. In the upcoming term, Sellers said she sees housing as a multifaceted issue. Other key issues from her perspective include addressing city infrastructure projects and expanding economic development.

• What is one issue you believe the Lawrence City Commission hasn’t focused on enough?

Sellers said the city can’t accomplish true prosperity and economic security without “breathing innovation” into its economic development strategies for new small business growth.

“Understanding the nuances and roadblocks of the small business experience, especially those from systemically and structurally divested populations is critical,” Sellers said. “We cannot continue to operationalize programs and policies that do not support the need for direct funding that grows the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Lawrence.”

She said one strategy toward that goal could be “reimagining” current funding from the city’s Community Development Block Grant to expand opportunities for equitable small business growth citywide.

• What unique quality do you think you’d bring to the Lawrence City Commission that it needs?

Sellers said her professional legislative, research and public policy work is one unique quality she brings, in that she has experience tracking and interpreting the impacts of state legislation on local governing bodies. She also said she can utilize her knowledge of policy and programs from the spectrum of public health to drive meaningful change.

“These characteristics should be considered, especially when working with city staff to set priorities and address the needs within the community,” Sellers said. “Additionally, my ability to inform and engage people directly while teaching policy implementation speaks to my passion for civic engagement.”

• What’s been your evaluation of the job the Lawrence City Commission has done in providing services to the homeless? Are there aspects to the commission’s strategy you have particularly liked or disliked?

Sellers said addressing the unhoused in Lawrence has been a point of conflict politically, socially and culturally.

“The full landscape of the issue is at times challenging to comprehend fully,” Sellers said. “To create a meaningful impact, we must acknowledge that an increased behavioral health workforce, additional permanent housing and temporary sheltering and state-level financial support are tantamount to moving Lawrence toward functional zero.”

She said the City Commission has taken steps to direct staff to increase subject matter knowledge and experience internally, and to develop strategies the city can take to Topeka and Washington, D.C., to leverage additional support.

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photo by: contributed photo

Courtney Shipley

Incumbent Courtney Shipley was elected to her first term on the commission in 2019. Shipley, who currently works as a property manager, formerly served as chair of the Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods and as a member of the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Transient Guest Tax Grant Program Advisory Board. Shipley said she hopes to continue to move forward on initiatives like the city’s strategic plan and sees expanding the city in an efficient manner and continuing to support city infrastructure and services as key issues in the upcoming term.

• What is one issue you believe the Lawrence City Commission hasn’t focused on enough?

Shipley said she thinks the commission has failed to focus enough on sustainability.

“We set ambitious goals but have not done enough to reach them and on occasion, we have flinched when asked to make tangible financial commitments to advance them,” Shipley said.

• What unique quality do you think you’d bring to the Lawrence City Commission that it needs?

Shipley said representing the community well requires hearing from a wide range of people, and she spends much of her time seeking out new people and new ideas in addition to keeping in regular contact with different interest groups.

“I find it’s the best way to have all the information and viewpoints the commission needs to make balanced decisions,” Shipley said.

She added that she’s currently the only commissioner who grew up in Lawrence, which lends a unique perspective, along with historical and situational context.

• What’s been your evaluation of the job the Lawrence City Commission has done in providing services to the homeless? Are there aspects to the commission’s strategy you have particularly liked or disliked?

Shipley said providing services to unhoused people is an endeavor undertaken by a number of community partners, and Lawrence is fortunate to have such partners as Douglas County and Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center to help address the issue.

“While other municipalities are unable or unwilling to take a greater role in the most difficult issue our communities face, Lawrence did not turn away,” Shipley said. “I’ll always be proud to live in a community that cares enough to have committed the time and resources Lawrence has to facing this issue.”

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photo by: contributed

Dustin Stumblingbear

Dustin Stumblingbear, a former nonprofit board member and community volunteer, is running for office after most recently vying for a seat on the Douglas County Commission. He ran unsuccessfully for the City Commission in 2017. A member of the Kiowa tribe of Oklahoma, Stumblingbear lived in Lawrence for a bit in his youth, attended Haskell Indian Nations University as a young adult and has stayed in Lawrence permanently since leaving the army in 2009. Stumblingbear served for six years on the board of Independence Inc., on the city’s Human Relations Commission in 2018 and on the City Government Study Task Force in 2021. Earlier this year, he became a volunteer with the Community Emergency Response Team for Douglas County.

• What is one issue you believe the Lawrence City Commission hasn’t focused on enough?

Stumblingbear said the commission should focus more on affordable housing for all family sizes and income levels, spread evenly across Lawrence.

“Our local economy functions in part due to people who work as gas station attendants, grocery store workers, day care workers (and) retail workers,” Stumblingbear said. “If we can not house these people commensurate with their income, then our local economy will falter.”

• What unique quality do you think you’d bring to the Lawrence City Commission that it needs?

Stumblingbear said as a city commissioner, he would strive to avoid “tunnel vision.”

“I understand that as a city commissioner, I will be one of five commissioners serving the needs of the entirety of Lawrence, Kansas,” Stumblingbear said.

• What’s been your evaluation of the job the Lawrence City Commission has done in providing services to the homeless? Are there aspects to the commission’s strategy you have particularly liked or disliked?

Stumblingbear said he’s grateful that during the past four years, the commission has been striving to bring Lawrence’s unhoused population “out of the shadows and treelines,” but that hasn’t necessarily been enough.

“I do feel there was no long-term planning to work with our unhoused population once they were encouraged to more openly join our community,” Stumblingbear said.