Nevada City Council candidates answer questions ahead of Tuesday primary election

Editor's Note: The Nevada Daily Mail sent a questionnaire to all Nevada City Council candidates who were running for a contested or open seat in the upcoming Tuesday, Feb. 7, primary election. There are currently six candidates in the primary election.

Nevada Daily Mail reached out to candidates who were running for a contested or seat on the Nevada City Council.

The Nevada City Council seats that are open for election include one currently held by Councilman Kendall Vickers and one being vacated by Councilwoman Carol Gallagher.

Due to there being six candidates, the City of Nevada will hold a primary election on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at which voters will narrow the candidacy pool down to four candidates. Then, a general election will be held on April 4, to fill the two seats.

Candidates who have filed for the seats include Jack Somers, Wayne Blunt, Janie Conroy, Kendall Vickers (incumbent), Kevin Doug Jones, and Carol Branham.

Polling locations open at 6 a.m., Tuesday, and are open until 7 p.m.

All candidates running for a contested seat were asked to fill out a questionnaire and return to the Nevada Daily Mail to help voters better know each candidate ahead of the election.

The following listed below are the questions along with their responses:

Carol Branham

• Brief background:

I was born and raised in Neosho, Mo. I graduated high school there and attended a business school at Franklin Technical School following graduation. I worked five years in the County Collector's Office until 1973 when I married Ron Branham and we moved to Chicago. We lived in Chicago from 1973-1977, Ron working as an architect and I worked in Personnel at International Multifoods in a picture frame industry of 500 employees.

We moved to Nevada in 1977 for Ron's work and in 1979 I started my 27 years of employment with the City of Nevada Parks & Recreation Department. I retired from the City in 2006 and began working at the Nevada Housing Authority where I was employed as the Executive Director in 2006. I retired from the agency in 2022.

We have raised our three children in Nevada, Matthew, Nathan and Sarah. We are blessed with eight grandchildren which we love very much.

• Why do you want to be a city council member?

My passion for public service has never diminished over the years. My love for learning about government came as I worked with my Dad in elections as a child. I have worked in different capacities in government which has prevented me from running for City Council until I retired. I regularly attend city council and other community meetings to stay abreast of what is happening in our community and see what part I can play in working on solutions. I believe the time is now for my voice to be on the city council for all citizens of our community. I love our community and have had no desire to move elsewhere. We have so many good things in our community that those outside our community see and we need to value those assets and expand. We also must address what is not working well and work as a team for solutions.

• What expertise or experience do you have that would be beneficial to the council/city government?

I have 27 years experience with city government. I have worked with boards in our community and understand the City Charter and Code.

Additionally, I worked the past 16 years I have worked at Nevada Housing and served in advocacy with local, state and national officials.

I have worked with initiatives in our community that were successful to benefit our community and community projects.

I have worked with numerous civic organizations and not-for-profits in our community and remain active in our community.

I consider myself a servant at heart. I care about people. I am a voice you know. My actions will match my words when I tell you something. I will agree to disagree but I won't shy away from expressing an opinion different from others. My promise to the citizens of Nevada is to serve and be a voice.

• What do you think are some of the major issues facing the city and what are some solutions, as a potential council member, you would like to see implemented?

I believe the City is facing some critical issues in the future regarding funding levels and infrastructure needs. There are concerns of loss of jobs, maintaining our small businesses, concerns of our local hospital and long term care for our aging population. I am concerned with employee morale and feel that employees should be valued as an investment. We must look at the opportunities to work with schools at all levels and agencies to train our own and retain a local trained workforce. I cannot give you immediate solutions but the solutions need to be developed through transparency and open communication with all the players and the citizens of Nevada. It must be a collaborative effort not a small group. It takes leadership and work to address the concerns and follow a process to find resolution. As a new Council Member, I am committed to asking questions and working toward solutions that best serve our citizens. This community is resilient and proven in the past how we collectively can make great things happen in challenging times.. The time is now for Nevada. Let's bring Pride back to our community.

Jack Somers

• Brief background:

My name is Jack Somers, and I’m a family man. I was born and raised here, and my entire life revolves around our community's success. I am a small business owner, and a bus driver for the Nevada R-5 school district. Also, I volunteer my time for a local charity, and enjoy helping others.

• Why do you want to be a city council member?

I would like to be a council member because I am the person that will voice the concerns of, and represent, every one of our citizens. I worked for the city for nearly six years, and still I help the city when they need assistance. My devotion is to the betterment of this community, and being elected will allow me more opportunity to directly affect our community.

• What expertise or experience do you have that would be beneficial to the council/city government?

The expertise and experience that I will bring to the council, is that I have worked for the city of Nevada and understand the issues it faces. I am familiar with equipment the city uses to complete tasks, and I would make sure the council is critical of the costs to operate or replace that equipment.

• What do you think are some of the major issues facing the city and what are some solutions, as a potential council member, you would like to see implemented?

One of the issues facing the city is employee turnover. One of my solutions would be to work with employees that get a CDL through the city, and develop a program to keep them employed with us, instead of leaving for another job. This would give the city an employee that we trained, and we can keep for an extended time.

Kendall Vickers

• Brief background:

I was born at the Nevada City Hospital in 1947. I grew up in the eastern Vernon County community of Dederick. I graduated from El Dorado Springs High School in 1965, and from the University of Missouri at Columbia with a B.S. Degree in Agriculture (1969), and a Juris Doctorate (1974). I am a graduate of the University of Missouri at Kansas City, having earned an L.L.M. in taxation (1986). I served on active duty as an officer in the United States Navy Reserve from June 1969 to June 1972, serving one year in the Republic of Viet Nam as an advisor to the Vietnamese Navy. My wife Susan and I have been residents of the Nevada community since 1975.

• Why do you want to be a city council member?

I have been active in the community for 48 years. I chose to build a new house in an established neighborhood of Nevada, because we have deep roots in Nevada. I have invested my time and treasure in this community and I want it to thrive. For that to happen we have to have qualified leaders who are invested in the community and who are not afraid to make hard decisions even if they are unpopular. I believe that I have the experience and education to provide that leadership.

• What expertise or experience do you have that would be beneficial to the council/city government?

I graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia with a B.S. Degree in Agriculture (1969), and a Juris Doctorate (1974). I am also a graduate of the University of Missouri at Kansas City, having earned an L.L.M. in taxation. I have been involved in many community activities throughout my life, serving as corporate secretary of Quality Products Inc.; incorporator, director, Secretary, President, and Treasurer of the Osage Prairie Young Men's Christian Association; a member of the Nevada R-5 School Board; president of the Vernon County Senior Center advisory board; vice president of the Nevada Area Economic Development Inc., and member of the City of Nevada Planning and Zoning commission.

• What do you think are some of the major issues facing the city and what are some solutions, as a potential council member, you would like to see implemented?

We have an aging population, aging infrastructure, and a general fund that is not increasing as fast as the cost of providing the city services that must be paid for from those funds. We have insufficient stock of decent, affordable housing to support economic growth. We have insufficient funds to pay for code enforcement or to fund the cost of demolition of derelict houses and commercial buildings. Our health care facilities are in precarious financial condition. It is essential that we continue the economic development that we have seen in the past three years and that the citizens increase tax revenue by approving the additional sales tax on recreational marijuana and, eventually a use tax on internet sales to Nevada residents.

Wayne Blunt

• Brief background:

I am a Navy veteran and retired construction worker, truck driver, and jack-of-all-trades. My schooling was at Nevada R-5.

• Why do you want to be a city council member?

I do not like how the council votes on an item. They vote before they open for public discussion.

• What expertise or experience do you have that would be beneficial to the council/city government?

I have experience going to council meetings and trying to state my opinion.

• What do you think are some of the major issues facing the city and what are some solutions, as a potential council member, you would like to see implemented?

One thing I want to work on is all the run-down houses being cleaned off and the junk buildings on private property.

Kevin Doug Jones

• Brief background:

I was born in Fort Scott, Kan., and moved over here when I was a child. I lived in Milo, Mo., all of my life. I work for Town & Country Auctions. My dad was a Milo councilman.

• Why do you want to be a city council member?

The reason I'm running is to try to help Nevada out and make it a better place to live. I watched my dad do it.

• What do you think are some of the major issues facing the city and what are some solutions, as a potential council member, you would like to see implemented?

I really don't know until I get in there. I don't know what they've got going on, but it seems like to me they need a little help.

Janie Conroy

• Brief background:

I, Janie Conroy, and my late husband Brian Conroy planted our roots here in Nevada, Missouri nearly two decades ago. We both felt that we wanted to become actively involved in our community and not just part of the population. Brian worked for the Nevada Medical Clinic for 15 years and I have owned/operated a small business for 12 years. Our children were born here and this is where I plan to live the remainder of my life.

• Why do you want to be a city council member?

Over the past decade I have felt that Nevada's growth has plateaued. I also believe that it's potential for growth can be even greater with the help and direction of new leadership. It's time for change.

• What expertise or experience do you have that would be beneficial to the council/city government?

As a successful business owner I have insight on maintaining/operating a business. I feel that the operations of running a city, state, or country requires business leadership skills. I hope to help bring that change to our community.

The business I have built has allowed me to contribute and support other numerous businesses in our community. As well as donate to several school athletic departments. Such as our High school and Middle School football, wrestling, Cheerleading, baseball, JROTC, and our All Sports High School program. I am committed to our community.

• What do you think are some of the major issues facing the city and what are some solutions, as a potential council member, you would like to see implemented?

I would like to see new industry growth in, Nevada. We have a great industrial park that allows for growth. New industry would bring more revenue to our community and provide higher wages than minimum wage. Thus, increasing the population and supporting existing businesses. Which would also increase more revenue without raising taxes.