While his name will still be on the ballot, Ben Alexander said he is no longer interested in serving on the Iola City Council.
Alexander told the Register Tuesday he had not and would not campaign for the seat. Also on the ballot for the Ward 4 seat is former Councilman Steve French. Ward 4 covers the southeast quadrant of Iola. Incumbent Aaron Franklin declined to run for re-election.
Alexander cited two reasons for abandoning the bid:
When Alexander filed in June, there were no other candidates on the ballot. Then, French tossed his hat in the ring.
Steves a good candidate, Alexander said.
That, in turn, led Alexander to re-up his commitment to serve on the Marmaton Market Cooperative Board of Directors, which meets the same nights as the Iola City Council.
French previously served on the Council from 2001 to 2015.
MEANWHILE, Mike McKinnis has announced his candidacy via write-in ballot to fill a Council seat in Ward 2.
There are no other announced candidates for the position, which represents the northeast quadrant of Iola. Incumbent Danny Mathew declined to run again.
McKinnis bears the distinction of being a Councilman previously without ever actually attending a meeting. He was elected by voters in the spring of 2013, but never took the oath because he and his wife, Susan, moved across town.
We were in the process of looking at a house, and then the seller became very motivated, he explained.
Fast forward to this summer, when McKinnis again got the itch to serve, but never filed for the seat because of concerns of a potential conflict with his job as an economics instructor at Pittsburg State University.
There was a new class, and I was concerned about being able to get to all the meetings, he said. It doesnt look like that will be a conflict now.
He agreed to pursue the write-in candidacy, after being asked if I was interested by people around town, people I respect, he said.
McKinnis cited two of his chief concerns with the city.
First, he said he has grown concerned about the city losing quality employees.
