By NATE KING
JC Post
Al Gordon, Junction City officially announced his candidacy for city commission at the commission's Tuesday meeting on April 18.
Gordon, a local small business owner, told JC Post that one of the first issues he hopes to address, if elected, is increasing community support for local businesses.
"The big thing for our campaign is economic development," Gordon said. "Our campaign focuses on getting small businesses to not only open, but stay here. Growing the community in that sense, I think, is a big challenge because I've talked to many different business owners who have left Junction City, both here and even in and surrounding cities, because they didn't feel the help. They didn't feel the support. We got to get back to supporting each other."
Gordon owns All Bout Grinding LLC., 1036 West Sixth Street, and is a U-Haul Neighborhood dealer. He also sits on multiple community boards.
"I am on the Juneteenth committee and I also put my nomination in to be on the Citizens Advisory Board," Gordon said. "I'm on the public housing board, so I'm looking to be part of the community in any way I can. Growing up in public housing, that was big for me, because now it's like, I'm on the other side of things and a lot of us, no matter where you come from, or whatever ethnicity, everybody needs help."
Gordon came to Junction City in 2018. Originally from Chicago, Gordon said he moved here in hopes of changing himself not only as a person, but as a man.
"I came here seeking opportunity and that is exactly what I have received. I fell in love with this place," Gordon said. "The reason I came to Junction City is because I come from a big city, I come from a fast pace, crunch on toes, step on fingers, if you will, type of place and when I got here, it was more relaxing. The people were friendly. You can take a step back, raise your family, you can set a foundation here."
Voters elect a five-member commission on an at-large basis. Three commissioners are elected every two years. The two candidates receiving the largest number of votes win four year terms. The third place candidate wins a two-year term.
City Commissioners Pat Landes, Matthew Bea, and Bob Story, who is fulfilling the remainder of Kansas Representative Nate Butler's city commission term, are all up for re-election this year.
Although the commissioners are elected at large, individual commissioners are assigned a section of the city as their primary focus.
The 2023 Primary Election will take place on Aug. 1 and the General Election will take place on Nov. 7. To look up your voter information click here.