Long-time Platte City mayor Frank Offutt has easily fended off a challenge from city park board member Bobby Vann.
Frank Offutt
Offutt, who was first elected mayor in 1998, was unseated by Dave Brooks in 2002, but took back the mayor’s post in 2008 and has served since. Earning more than 65 percent of the vote on April 3, Offutt is poised to continue his service. Final unofficial numbers as of press time are 286 votes cast for Offutt and 138 for Vann.
“I am very humbled by the outcome of today’s election and wish to thank Platte City’s voters for their confidence in this administration,” Offutt said on election night. “While the wide margin of victory was a surprise to me, the trust placed in the citizens to weigh the rhetoric generated in this campaign was never in doubt.”
During his campaign, Offutt, 61, pointed at development on the east side of the Interstate 29 corridor to continue Platte City’s growth. He cited cooperation and development of partnerships as key to the city’s successes and said many opportunities lie ahead.
“The citizens have indicated in surveys that they enjoy the quality of life offered in Platte City,” Offutt said. “They enjoy a safe hometown atmosphere with low crime, to raise their families and appreciate the goods and services that are available by our business community. Expectations for goods and services will grow with new families arriving in the coming months as the announced construction at KCI Airport will be similar to when the original airport was built in the 1960s.”
He said with municipal buildings approaching the end of their life expectancies, the city will seek to consolidate its resources to move forward. He pointed to the city’s matching grant program that has helped businesses and homeowners to repair and renovate older structures. The city of Weston is working on creation of a similar program modeled on the Platte City program.
Offutt said he envisions the future of the city as bright, with well maintained infrastructure that including safe drinking water, affordable wastewater services, effective storm water systems, well maintained streets and more.
WARD RACES
Brad Wallace beat out former mayor Dave Brooks in the Ward 1 race, earning 63 votes to Brooks’ 45.
In Ward 2, appointed incumbent Steve Hoeger won election to his seat over former alderman Ron Porter. Hoeger received 94 votes to Porter’s 68.
Hoeger, 48, is married with two grown children. He has worked as a paramedic and currently works in the University of Kansas Health System. He has served on the Northland Regional Ambulance District board and the city planning and zoning commission. His work and community service experiences have prepared him for service with the city, he said, including his involvement in emergency planning and homeland security.
“Mayor Offutt and he current board have the city moving in a positive direction, with city surveys showing a high satisfaction rate,” Hoeger said, noting he wishes to help continue the city to grow in a responsible fashion.