Carla Fields, Lance Pollard face off for Jackson County Legislature 1st District At-Large seat

The candidates running for 1st District At-Large live in eastern Jackson County. The “At-Large” legislative title means that they are elected by all county voters, not just those in their district. Lance Pollard, a business owner from Grain Valley, and Carla Fields, an attorney living in Independence, are competing for what was once County Legislator Jalen Anderson’s seat.

Lance Pollard (R)

Nine years ago, Lance Pollard started his plumbing business with $5000 and a van. It has since grown into a successful operation that handles plumbing projects throughout the region. Pollard, 42, who along with his wife, raise five children in a large house outside Grain Valley has learned a thing or two about handling money. And now, he would like to share that knowledge with the people of Jackson County.

“I want to help put Jackson County back on path and show our constituents how to save money,” said in a recent interview with the Telegraph. “I want to move Jackson County forward.”

As a fiscal-minded Republican, Pollard believes the county needs to “stop overtaxing residents” and “make the best with what it has.”

Pollard says he’s seen outlandish spending from the government. “I’ve seen $98,000 spent on a private restroom for a court administrator,” he says. “It’s just one of a hundred similar situations. We can do better.”

Pollard is a friendly, outgoing individual who comes across as a straight talker, confident in his ability to help. “I lead with my heart,” he says. In addition to plumbing, he is a country music recording artist. He currently serves on the Grain Valley Board of Education. Thanks to his job, he travels to all communities in Jackson County. A native of Grain Valley, he also lived in Grandview, Johnson County and Phoenix, AZ.

Pollard admits he’s made some mistakes along the way. “I’ve made a few bad decisions,” he says. In 2021, Pollard took a bus trip to the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, in support of President
Trump. That day Pollard gave FOX4 an eye-witness account of what he saw while leaving the rally prior to the attack. He says he was not involved in the attack nor near it, but the misapprehension has traveled with him.

“My position today is if you support any party  blindly, you can easily find yourself trying to defend the indefensible,” he told the Telegraph. “I don’t believe a party label should give anyone a free pass. I am running for Jackson County Legislature not to represent a national political movement, but to serve the people of this county.”

Pollard would like nothing better than to denationalize politics, bringing most decision making to the local level.

Pollard’s other priorities are reducing and fixing property tax assessments, lowering the burden on taxpayers and strengthening public safety.

Carla Fields (D)

Carla Fields, an attorney, lives in Independence but grew up in south Kansas City in the Hickman Mills and Grandview school districts. She is a partner at Fields Brown Law Offices, the oldest minority-owned law firm in Kansas City, founded by her father in 1987.

Fields says she was inspired by her father, who also served on the Grandview school board, to get into politics. “My parents always pushed us to use our degrees for public service,” she recalls. “I’ve done that.” Fields, 56, has served as the General Counsel for the Hickman Mills School District since 2017, including the time period currently under investigation by the state auditor for misspending.

“I’m happy with the direction the district is moving under Dr. Carpenter’s [new] leadership,” she says. She has also served as president of the Jackson County Bar Association and a Board member of the Mazuma Credit Union.

Fields, a soft spoken individual who chooses her words thoughtfully, says she’s ready to move on to the next level of public service, a legislator for Jackson County. Her top priority is addressing the flaws in the property tax appeals process which she as property owner has battled. “I’ve been practicing law for 30 years. To file an appeal on my taxes, get there with what I thought was all the information needed to advance the appeal and then told that I didn’t have what they expected was frustrating,” she says. She would like to see a clear and more understandable appeal process, as well as protections for seniors and people with disabilities who pay property taxes.

Fields’ other priorities include safer neighborhoods, better jobs programs and opportunities for minorities. Most important for Fields is restoring trust in county government. “That happens when legislators show up, work, and be transparent and accountable. That is absolutely what I will be doing from day one.”