Election had a few surprises for candidates

By Don Bradley

Big ticket issues, such as a $250 million jail and hefty bond packages, seemed to dominate pre-election talk, but there were plenty of candidate races on Tuesday’s ballot, too.

The Grandview mayor won reelection. Now, he gets to oversee the largest infrastructure project in his city’s history.

Voters in the Hickman Mills School District ousted one board member and elected a candidate who came up short in four previous attempts.

Patrons in the Kansas City School District gave its board president another term.

Here’s a roundup.

Grandview

Leonard Jones Jr., then an alderman, became Grandview mayor 10 years ago when his predecessor went to prison for stealing $35,000.

Jones found out he liked the top job and he sure wasn’t going to give it up with everything that’s going on in his city right now, including a total makeover of Blue Ridge Boulevard from Prospect Avenue to I-49 in what he described as “the largest infrastructure project” ever in Grandview. Work is to begin this year.

Jones won big Tuesday, getting more than 80 percent of the vote in defeating David Robinson who was seeking his first elective position.

“That’s a very good thing because we have lots of work to do,” Jones said late Tuesday.

According to unofficial results, Jones won easily with 1,098 votes to Robinson’s 255.

While some politicians have to rely on data to convince voters they deserve another term, Jones’ accomplishments were in plain view all over town.

The City Hall building and police headquarters, right on Main Street, recently underwent a total makeover as part of a $21 million bond package which voters approved overwhelmingly in 2022.

Next door to City Hall is the new Department of Motor Vehicles. The office had been inside city hall, contributing to tight quarters.

Jones gets credit for the “Building Up Grandview” bond package which also paid for street and fire department improvements.

He also takes pride in changing traffic directions for the I-49 outer roads from one-way to two-way.

“Now, we’re going to finish the farmer’s market,” Jones said Tuesday.

“All these things we’re doing, that people are seeing, yes, they are happening now, but the work began a long time ago and we have to keep that going.”

Hickman Mills School Board

Clifford Ragan III was driving to a restaurant Tuesday night when he was told he’d not only won a seat on the board, but that he’d topped all candidates in a crowded field.

“What! I won!?” he exclaimed. “I didn’t know that. I’m just driving to get something to eat. This is so great.”

Minutes later he entered Gates Bar-B-Q and let loose with “Hey! I won!” and people cheered.

Jubilation understood. Ragan came up short in four previous tries.

“This is my destiny,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

According to unofficial results, Ragan led a five-candidate field with 1,239 votes. The other seat went to Vanessa Claborn with 1,217.

Incumbent Beth Boerger and community activist finished third with 969.

Tramise Carter and Teresa Murphy finished back in the field.

The southeast Kansas City school district has long been plagued by performance and perception. Neighborhood

leaders often talk how the area is ignored by city officials, which they say plays a role in school outcomes.

Hickman Mills lost its full state accreditation years ago, but has shown signs of improvement, and boosters say they are close to meeting those state standards.

“That’s the big thing, accreditation,” Ragan said Tuesday. “And, we’re going to get it. With the community’s help, we’re going to get there.”

Unlike Ragan, Claborn expected to win.

“I have to be honest,” she said. “Yes, I thought I’d win. I feel like the community has supported me and has faith in me.”

“I know it’s a hard job, but we’re going to get that accreditation. We’re going to put the children and the teachers first, watch the money, and we’re going to get it done.”

Kansas City School Board

When voters overwhelmingly approve a $474 million bond package for a school district, you have to think they believe the district is in good hands.

That showed Tuesday when board President Rita Cortes easily won another term to the sub-district 1 seat.

Unofficial results show Cortes getting 5,080 votes to challenger Kelly Thompson’s 1,959.

In sub-district 5, Brittany D. Foley won with 2,469.