photo by: Contributed

Patrick Kelly

An incumbent Douglas County commissioner will be running unopposed for the county’s District 1 seat in the upcoming general election.

County Commissioner Patrick Kelly, a Democrat, currently represents District 1, which includes parts of northern, northwestern and central Lawrence. He has lived in Douglas County since 1989 when he came to attend the University of Kansas.

He worked at Lawrence Public Schools for 31 years as a teacher and building and district administrator before retiring in 2024. Before serving on the Douglas County Commission, he served on the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission and the Lawrence Douglas County Planning Commission.

When it comes to balancing the needs of District 1 and the county as a whole, Kelly told the Journal-World that the decisions commissioners make impact the entire county.

“Our experiences and priorities may differ, but we are all part of Douglas County and share many hopes for our community,” Kelly said in response to a questionnaire from the Journal-World. “My job is to represent the people who elected me while understanding the challenges and values of people outside my district and finding common ground that moves our community forward.”

During the most recent budget cycle, county commissioners discussed the idea of reducing county support from organizations that may no longer need the same level of funding provided in the past. Commissioners are also scheduled to discuss the county’s service agreement with community partners this week.

“We have many outstanding nonprofits in Douglas County,” Kelly said. “However, our first question shouldn’t be whether a nonprofit deserves county funding. It should be: What do people of Douglas County need?”

“When a community partner is best positioned to meet an identified need, it must demonstrate, through our partner and service agreements, the capacity to provide the service, measure and report outcomes, and manage resources through a thoughtful fiscal plan that can adapt to changing circumstances,” Kelly said. “Partners should also leverage donors, grants, and state or federal funding so county dollars are part of a broader funding strategy.”

Kelly said he has deeply appreciated the trust people have placed in him over the past eight years to make decisions on their behalf.

“People won’t agree with every decision I make, and I don’t expect them to. But they should expect me to listen, explain my reasoning, and consider both the immediate and long-term impacts of our choices,” Kelly said.

“I enjoy this work, I believe it matters, and I would be honored to continue serving the people of Douglas County,” Kelly said.