photo by: Contributed

Left to right: Erica Anderson, Kirsten Kuhn, Rich Lorenzo.

The newly established Douglas County District 5 will have three people competing for its seat in the general election.

The three candidates for District 5 are Democrat Erica Anderson, Libertarian Kirsten Kuhn and Republican Rich Lorenzo. District 5 includes a small portion of south Lawrence, southern Wakarusa Township, Baldwin City and Palmyra Township.

Erica Anderson

Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a master’s degree in public affairs and a PhD in public health. Throughout her career, she has focused on policy development and bringing diverse perspectives together to foster consensus. Anderson works within the Medicare and Medicaid sectors to enhance community health linkages and support Community Health Assessments and improvement planning.

To effectively meet the needs of the community, Anderson said it’s important to approach and prioritize funding for various programs through data-driven and community-focused resources to allocate where they will have the greatest impact.

Anderson said that the safety and wellbeing of Douglas County residents should be paramount. The proposed Judicial and Law Enforcement and Public Safety building project represents a substantial investment in the county’s infrastructure and public safety, she said.

“This initiative is critical not only for prioritizing public safety but also for equipping our law enforcement and judicial systems with the resources necessary for effective service delivery,” Anderson told the Journal-World.

She said the county government is crucial in tackling affordable housing and homelessness in Douglas County by encouraging collaboration among various stakeholders, including local organizations, city and state agencies, and others. Anderson added that the county must engage with residents through actively listening to their needs and prioritizing services that matter most.

Anderson believes that the county must continue exploring options for renewable energy projects. She added that addressing our aging electric grid is crucial to meeting future demands, especially as energy consumption increases. Additionally, she said it’s important to review building codes to encourage renewable energy without passing costs on to people in the community.

“I also advocate for utilizing blighted and commercial properties to promote green building practices, which can alleviate financial burdens on residents while advancing sustainability goals,” Anderson told the Journal-World.

Kirsten Kuhn

Kuhn received her bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Kansas. She has been active in Justice Matters, where she served as the co-chair for the Jail Alternatives Committee, was a team leader for the Neighborhood Network for five years and assisted in the Mental Health Committee’s monitoring efforts. She is also on her second term as the consumer representative on Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center’s governing board.

Kuhn said that while the county government has a role in taxing citizens to fund services, this should be restricted to essential infrastructure like roads and bridges, health needs such as clean drinking water and public safety services like fire and medical response. As the president and founder of the Douglas County Community Bail Fund, she noted that there are many deserving nonprofits and organizations, but that funding should come directly from their supporters.

While public safety and the courts are core government functions, Kuhn said she has concerns with the JLEC expansion and public safety building project because of its high costs.

The rate of homelessness in Douglas County is regrettable, as is the lack of affordable housing, Kuhn said. However, she said these conditions are a result of the policies that are in place.

“This prices people out of the market,” Kuhn told the Journal-World. “We need to allow builders to offer housing at various levels so that they can quickly respond to market demands.”

Kuhn said that because of the controversial nature of the solar project that was recently passed, the current commission should have waited to vote on moving forward with the project until after the new commission was seated. For solar farms, Kuhn said she would like to have more details regarding re-vegetation and further ways to utilize native planting. And wind farms do not seem as environmentally friendly as initially proposed, she said.

Rich Lorenzo

Lorenzo has lived in Douglas County for almost 30 years. His professional experience includes work as a lawyer, business owner and community leader. He attended the University of Kansas where he received a law degree and a master’s of business administration. Ten years ago, Lorenzo left the corporate world to serve as president of a local nonprofit organization, Called to Greatness.

He said that the role of local government is to provide basic services to our community, such as supporting the fire department, emergency medical services, the sheriff’s department, the judicial system and infrastructure. In addition, the county should provide services to assist residents going through a mental health crisis or addiction, he said.

“Everything else in the budget needs to be reviewed,” Lorenzo told the Journal-World. “… We must remember that we are to serve the people of Douglas County.”

For decisions such as the expansion of the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center and construction of the public safety building, Lorenzo said it shouldn’t be up to him as a commissioner. He said the public should have a voice in determining how their money is spent and for these projects.

As it relates to affordable housing, Lorenzo said we need to increase the supply of new homes and while there should be compassion for those experiencing homelessness, it needs to be balanced with a level of accountability.

“The residents of District 5 want results for the resources that have been committed,” Lorenzo told the Journal-World. “As a commissioner, I plan on listening to the people I serve and finding solutions with them, not for them.”

Lorenzo said he would support a total ban on all industrial wind and solar projects in the county. After listening to voices of those potentially affected by these developments, he said it seemed clear that there was not enough support to move forward.