10/23/2021
This week, we were honored to host candidate forums for the Dodge City Commission and the USD 443 School Board!
We have a few big thank yous to make. Thank you, first of all, to all of the candidates for their participation and engagement. Thank you to the City of Dodge City for lending live stream equipment, to the Boot Hill Casino & Resort Conference Center for hosting, and to the great audience of community members we had join us both nights––more than 60 at the City Commission forum, and more than 40 at the School Board forum.
While DC3 Board of Trustees candidates were not able to attend the in-person forum, you can view written responses received by candidates at the end of this post. No written responses were received by school board candidates not in attendance at the live forum. Lead For Dodge City will also be sending all School Board candidates the list of audience questions that were not asked live at the forum.
Remember, early voting is available at the Ford County Government Center from 9AM - 4:30PM Monday through Friday until November 1st and Election Day is November 2nd. Thank you again!
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DODGE CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CANDIDATE RESPONSES
2021 Candidates for the Dodge City Community College Board of Trustees include:
Kathy Ramsour
Jammie Phillips
Mia Schreader Korbelik
Gary Harshberger
Due to no Board of Trustees candidates being able to attend this candidate forum in person, each candidate was given the opportunity to respond to the following three questions:
1. If you are elected what is the most important issue related to Dodge City Community College that you would like to see improvement on during your term?
2. As a Board of Trustee member, how would you try to mobilize efforts to address the issues mentioned above?
3. In your opinion, how can Dodge City Community College better serve the Community of Dodge City and Ford County?
Each candidate’s responses are listed below.
Kathy Ramsour
1. If you are elected what is the most important issue related to Dodge City Community College that you would like to see improvement on during your term?
Challenges I see are maintaining a strong financial base while working through many political constraints. Our emerging technologies: infrastructure as well as online education, building our workforce programs, continuing to grow our student population at DC3 and keeping them in Ford County.
2. As a Board of Trustee member, how would you try to mobilize efforts to address the issues mentioned above?
As a Trustee it is my fiduciary responsibility to Ford County citizens and DC3 to be involved in meetings, monitoring reports, seek ways to enhance and grow resources in order to keep our mills and taxes stable. Our students come to college needing the more technical skills than we’ve ever had. We need to meet their needs to be competitive. Workforce programs are the largest growing program as well as our businesses need these skilled leaders for their economic growth. We have the #1 nursing program in the state, starting HVAC, etc. We need to keep our students in our communities and want to raise their families here. What can our college do to work with Ford County, the school district, and businesses do to keep our students here?
3. In your opinion how can Dodge City Community College better serve the Community of Dodge City and Ford County?
Students wanting to go to college or a workforce program can, but we need to make sure they have the grants, scholarships, work studies and help filling our the information to receive these. Students in high school can take dual credit now and save money. We need to help provide ways to get them to campus. One of my big concerns for our county is helping parents with child care. Presently our daycare on campus has 200+ on waiting lists. How can we help these parents? What are the needs of the business community and what as a college can we do to support this community. I am excited about our college and the future for our students. I am a DC3 grad and believe in Ford County. We are the diamond in Western Kansas and now people are sitting up taking notice.
Jammie Phillips
1. If you are elected what is the most important issue related to Dodge City Community College that you would like to see improvement on during your term?
I will assist in continuing to turn the focus of the college to fit the needs of the community. I would like to assist in helping to Improve and grow our technical programs to help fill the local needs of the community.
2. As a Board of Trustee member, how would you try to mobilize efforts to address the issues mentioned above?
I will assist in finding where the needs are in the community and work with local leaders (government and industry) to help fill these needs and address the demand.
3. In your opinion how can Dodge City Community College better serve the Community of Dodge City and Ford County?
I believe Dodge City Community College can better serve the community by offering programs to help fill local needs. The college is here to provide higher education and technical programs. We need to make sure our students are prepared for entering the work force or continuing towards even higher education. As a trustee I will work to improve the quality of our programs and expand to fill the needs of our community.
Mia Schreader Korbelik
No responses provided
Gary Harshberger
No responses provided
