Commission candidate prompts policy change

The Fort Scott Tribune

Two incumbents and one challenger have filed for three spots on the Fort Scott City Commission. The hopeful has taken a different path that has prompted interesting results.

Cindy Bartelsmeyer is causing a change to city policy as a result of her interest in going for a spot on the panel. As of Monday morning, along with Bartelsmeyer, incumbents Gary Bukowski and Jean Parker had filed.

During their Jan. 18 meeting, commissioners approved a resolution that would allow Bartelsmeyer, who does not live in Fort Scott, to run for election. She and her husband live on property bordering city-owned Gunn Park.

Bartelsmeyer filed for voluntary annexation and also hoped to run for election to the commission, however, one thing got in her way. The original rules regarding the citizenship of candidates state that a resident must be living within the city limits to be elected, Fort Scott City Attorney Bob Farmer said. With the annexation process in the works, Bartelsmeyer was technically ineligible to run because the procedure would not be complete by today's filing deadline.

"I had no idea what the process was going to be, you know, I'm still learning in fact," she said.

The resolution passed by the commission states that an individual must be a resident at the time they take office, which would allow for those who wish to be annexed in to run for the commission, Farmer said. In fact, Bartelsmeyer said she was reluctant to tell anyone that she was attempting to run for the commission until the resolution was brought before the commission. She thought that if she was unable to run for commission this year, then she could try again in two years.

According to Farmer, the resolution was needed because there were no rules regarding the issue. He said that First Class Cities, such as Fort Scott, create their own regulations regarding eligibility.

"In doing some checking ... Joanne Long basically indicated, as election officer for the county, her rules don't necessarily cover that and that whatever rules we set up as a city would be what the county would follow," Farmer said.

Bartelsmeyer has been a resident of the area for nearly 20 years. She said she and her husband were both residents of the city in the past. Currently, they both work in Fort Scott -- Bartelsmeyer as associate dean of grants and institutional advancement at Fort Scott Community College, and her husband as owner of Bartelsmeyer Jewelry.

"We've always felt a part of the city," she said.

Bartelsmeyer knew from a young age that she wanted to be a city official. She was working on a college assignment that required her to attend a city commission meeting. Following that, she recalls telling herself that one day she too would be a city commissioner.

The Uniontown native said after nearly 20 years of living in and around Fort Scott, she was ready to make the leap. She added the city is moving in a positive direction and she's excited it's looking at long-term plans.

"I've always been interested in city government, the commission in particular," she said. "I just thought, instead of talking about doing it, just go do it."

"I see an opportunity for growth," she added. "It's just a good time to be involved ... I like to be a part of change and positive growth."

According to Bartelsmeyer, the city has been discussing annexing her property for several years. However, the discussion eventually died down and the annexation never happened. She said the house across the street was once a part of the city when a former fire chief lived there, but she discovered during her annexation process that it's no longer part of Fort Scott.

"The back of our property is right on Gunn Park," she said. "The only thing that separates it is a barbed wire fence."

Currently, the city working on a revision to the resolution which would state that the annexation process must be initiated prior to filing for election. Farmer said one of the commission's concerns was if an individual did not get elected they would stop the annexation process. He said he does not anticipate that being a problem, however, the city will address it "as best we can."

Bartelsmeyer said she agrees with the revision.

"I totally agree ... if someone wants to be annexed, they should remain annexed whether they achieve their goal or not," she said.

Farmer said he hopes to have the revision ready for a vote at the next commission meeting, set for 6 p.m., Feb. 1.

Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming election, Bartelsmeyer said she excited about the completion of the annexation process.

"I'm just excited to be able to vote ... I (have a) very strong feeling about what I would do if I could vote," she said. She later added, "I won't have city sewer and I won't have street lights, but that's okay. We moved out there, not to get out of the city, but because we really liked that piece of property."

Filing deadline for city officials, school boards, and Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees is noon today.