photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The candidates for Douglas County commission spoke at a forum hosted by Lawrence Douglas County Public Health on Thursday, October 10, 2024.

Candidates for Douglas County Commission shared their views on public health issues, including such topics as the opioid crisis and food insecurity, on Thursday at a forum organized by Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health.

Eight candidates vying for the four open seats on the County Commission attended Thursday’s forum. Not in attendance were Republican candidate Timothy Bruce from District 4 and incumbent Democrat Shannon Reid, who is running in District 2.

The candidates in each district, including the newly established 4th and 5th districts, are as follows: In the 2nd District, Reid will compete against independent Brad Chun. In the 3rd District, incumbent Democrat Karen Willey faces Republican Pam McDermott. The 4th District features Democrat Gene Dorsey, Libertarian Steve Jacob, and Bruce. Finally, in the 5th District, the candidates are Republican Rich Lorenzo, Libertarian Kirsten Kuhn and Democrat Erica Anderson.

At the forum, numerous questions centered on public health and how the candidates, if elected, would prioritize it in Douglas County.

Willey said she values a public health department that is guided by science, medical best practices, data and logic. Willey added that she is committed to the wellness needs of all citizens and that it is a key part of Douglas County’s mission for public safety.

Kuhn said that as someone who works on the governing board at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, behavioral health access is very important to her. She said that mental health, in addition to physical health, underlies the well-being of many other things in the community, in a similar way to how substance abuse relates to the homelessness issue in the county.

Dorsey said there is a health desert east of Massachusetts Street and in Eudora. While Eudora has a population of over 6,000 people, Dorsey said there is limited access to health care in the community. He said he would like to see that changed and added that if you don’t have your health, nothing else matters.

Chun said the mental and physical health of an individual plays a part in the holistic health of the county. He added that proposals presented to the commissioners should be weighed out and researched with health in mind to outline the risks that may harm the constituents.

Candidates discussed a couple of more specific health-related topics:

• Their views on what could be done at the county level to improve the opioid crisis.

Anderson said her background is in behavioral health and the opioid crisis is a nationwide issue. She said that before the county considers developing new policies, there need to be conversations with stakeholders and community partners. Additionally, the county needs to hear from individuals currently struggling and have conversations about their lived experience.

Jacob said it’s also important for the county to look into why people are taking opioids. He said these are bad drugs and difficult to get off of and that the community needs to focus on giving people hope.

• Their stance on how the county could alleviate food insecurity.

McDermott said that in Douglas County, people should have physical and economic access to sufficient food. She said it’s important to take advantage of local eggs, meat and produce and prioritize high-quality food.

Lorenzo said that food security also relates to economic security. In regard to food security, he said the county could support and assist churches and other social service agencies that gather and distribute food. In addition, he said it is the county’s job to create an environment that gives these organizations the best chance to succeed.

The deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration for the 2024 general election is Oct. 15. In-person advance voting begins on Oct. 16, and the last day to request an advance voting mail ballot is Oct. 29. All mail-in advance ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by Nov. 8. In-person advance voting will conclude on Nov. 4 at noon. The general election will be held on Nov. 5, with polling places open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.