League of Women Voters - Candidate's Forum

League of Women Voters to host Barton County Commission Candidates' Forum
Barton County Primary Election County Candidates for August 2, 2022

County Commissioner 1st District:

• Jeffery Donecker
  • I am excited for the opportunity to run for Commissioner of Barton County’s 1 st District.
  • My wife, Megan, and I are lifelong residents of Barton County. We have raised our two children, Philip and JoAnna, in rural Claflin. For over 20 years, I have been part owner of Little Giant Fittings Co., Inc. in Great Bend. My wife has worked in the medical field for over 20 years. We are proud that our son Philip has returned home after college and has started his career in Barton County.
  • My public service includes: Serving as a volunteer firefighter on the Claflin Fire Department since 2005; a past member of the Claflin City Council; and I have coached many different sports over the years. I was a co-founder of the Little Oilers Youth Football program in 2011 and continue to serve as vice president of the Little Oilers Youth Football Committee. I served as the assistant coach of the Central Plains Junior High Football team from 2014-2018. From 2019 to the present, I am the head coach.  
  • Being alumni of Claflin High School, I believe that our youth returning to Barton County is vital for our future. It has brought me so much joy to see kids returning home and starting their own families. I would love to see our communities continue to grow. 
  • I have been considering this position for several years now. People in the First District need to know that I am energetic and understand the issues we face. I am passionate about future opportunities. I am excited to advocate for the district and county to help facilitate growth. 
  • I would be honored to have your vote on August 2nd at the primary election.
• Matthew Gerritzen
  • Lifetime resident of northern Barton County with a strong, hardworking, family heritage in the area. 
  • Graduated Hoisington High School in 2000, attended Barton County Community College with an Associate Degree in Agribusiness Management and also received a bachelor's degree from Fort Hays State University in Animal Science with secondary Agronomy studies.
  • Work experience in the fields of Agriculture, Oilfield, and Manufacturing with additional experience as a former educator at Barton County Community College.  
  • At first glance, you will see my demographic doesn’t read the same as the other candidates.  There is no pedigree of former board or committee seats held or companies ran.  In my life, I have worked sunup to sundown, fought the cold, mud, snow, and even lack of sleep to cover the bills, try to get ahead, or because the job required it.  With this traditional work ethic, it has taught me how dollars are earned and how they should be used efficiently.  At the county level; mill levies, evaluations, and taxes can be increased to raise funds, but with proper management, the dollars available could already be enough.  With increases, people struggle to survive paycheck to paycheck or move to where they can find relief or reward for their hard work.  In my opinion, the taxpayer shouldn’t bear all the brunt of the burden, but rather should be distributed all along the links of that chain til brought into balance.  This is where I could provide the difference to the commission and bring a “Voice to the voiceless”, by representing those who work those 12-14 hrs. days, maintain multiple jobs to survive, and just have enough money to get to the end of the month.  Let your voice be heard and vote Gerritzen for District #1 on August 2nd.
• Linda M. Moeder
  • I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Calif. and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Kansas. I previously worked for DeKalb Swine Breeders in southwest Kansas; Safeway Stores Supply division at an egg processing plant as a ranch manager in Riverside, CA; Best Foods in Santa Fe Springs, CA as a warehouse supervisor, production supervisor, and department manager.
  • My husband Leonard and I moved to Beaver 23 years ago. We owned and operated “Mo's Place Grill & BrewPub” for 15 years. I am retired, so I'm able to focus on Barton County. I'm active in St. John the Evangelist Catholic church in Hoisington. I have worked the election polling places in the county for several years and have served as a Republican committee-person for Beaver township.
  • I believe in representing the citizens, ensuring the county is a good steward of taxpayer dollars, being wise and prudent for the benefit of the entire county. I have experience running a small business in Barton County. I would work hard to learn and listen to problems and issues.
  • I have been attending the county commissioner meetings since March and I'm excited about the possibility of working with Commissioners Barb Esfeld and Shawn Hutchinson. They have good ideas regarding taxation and economic development.
  • I would be honored to serve and represent the citizens of northern Barton County. I would appreciate your vote on Aug. 2.
• Duane Reif
  • Duane A Reif, 68, Hoisington, (R) is a lifetime resident of District 1, Northern Barton County and has worked in Agriculture and Oil until his retirement in 2020. He has always been active in the community serving as president of the Hoisington Chamber of Commerce, 23 years on the Hoisington Fire Dept., Hoisington City Council, Zoning Board, Co-founder of Kans for Kids Fighting Cancer Foundation, and Hoisington Citizen of the Year. He has been married to Deborah Reif for 45 years, has two adult children and 2 grandchildren.
  • If elected, I will serve the residents of Northern Barton County with an open mind and always with a listening ear. My priorities are infrastructure, emergency services and small businesses that are the lifeblood of the county. Being centrally located I will be easily accessible not only to Northern Barton County but all of Barton County. I would appreciate your votes on Aug. 2.

• Jon L. Prescott
  • Currently Serving as County Commissioner District #4
  • Jon Prescott was born and raised in Great Bend living in Barton County his entire life other than the years he attended Fort Hays State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degrees in Marketing & Finance.  For 40 years, Jon held executive leadership positions in health care, software development, retirement plan services and retail operations.
  • For the last six years he served as City Council Member for Ellinwood Ks which provided him great experience serving Ellinwood residents. He understands budgets, how to increase revenue without increasing taxes and how to cut costs without causing a hardship to his constituents.
  • Jon's career included the opportunity to serve as CEO for Sunflower Diversified Services. He learned more in those five years supporting individuals with disabilities then he learned in the previous 35 years working for corporate America.  Serving a humanitarian organization was humbling, sacrificing and yet more rewarding than money could ever provide.  He enhanced Sunflower's service model for those with Intellectual disabilities which included new jobs and new opportunities. He expanded Community Recycling services so that Barton County could extend the life of its County Landfill.  Last two goals were to grow Public Transportation and create new housing for Sunflower's clients.  The housing dream became a collaborative opportunity with both Sunflower and Housing Opportunities, Inc.
  • Jon retired March of this year and was blessed to be appointed as the new County Commissioner for District #4. His recent retirement allows him to devote many hours serving District #4 as well as the entire county.
  • Recent Boards:
    • Great Bend Chamber of Commerce
    • Healing Hearts Ranch
    • Star of Hope (International Humanitarian Agency)
    • Interhab (State association advocating for individuals with disabilities)
• Tricia Schlessiger
  • Tricia Schlessiger and her husband Joe live South of Ellinwood and together have raised 6 kids on their family farm. With my farm background, my 20 plus years in the banking industry, and the numerous boards on which I volunteer, I provide a different demographic than my competitor. Her community banking experience taught her the compassion to work with Consumer, Commercial and Agricultural customers in good times and in hard economic times. She knows how to complete cash flows and complex budget projections. She also worked with SBA and FSA for the benefit of her customers for lower interest rate and better loan terms.
  • Schlessiger has experience in many areas, having served as a former township treasurer, Barton County 4-H leader, volleyball coach, member of the St. John's Lutheran Church, Ellinwood Rotarian, board member of St. John's Child
    Development Center, member of the Facility Planning Committee for USD #355 and as a volunteer for many Ellinwood events. As a township treasurer she learned the budgeting process, road maintenance and upkeep issues and FEMA Disaster funding.
  • She combines this dedicated volunteerism with a vast education as Schlessiger holds a bachelor's degree from Kansas State University in accounting and a graduate degree in banking from the University of Wisconsin. We need brave new leaders who are willing to think out of the box and find or create opportunities for Barton County to prosper without increasing taxes, she said. It would be my honor to serve District 4.

• Rick Davis
  • Rick Davis is a proud family man with a loving wife, Stephanie and children – Lauryn and Zachary. Rick oversees the day-to-day operations of MPIRE Companies, including MPIRE Properties and MPIRE Improvements as the Chief Operations Officer. He has started and ran several successful companies throughout the years and taken MPIRE Improvements from its inception to a successful construction company in just a few years. 
  • Rick Davis has been a leading expert in the local housing market for nearly two decades. He’s seen our community grow and shrink with recessions and economic changes. He knows Barton County needs additional, affordable housing to continue to grow, but he also understands there is a limit of growth to be sustainable. Housing is a major issue facing our community.
  • Rick Davis is running for Barton County Commission to help instill these values of business and growth into our community. 
• Donna Zimmerman
  • Donna Zimmerman served as the Barton County clerk/Election Officer since 1995. Zimmerman has been involved annually in the development of the county operational budget and understands the need to monitor spending. As County Clerk, Zimmerman remained consistently under her operating budget maintaining fiscal responsibility. She has worked closely with the Commission and other county departments.
  • Zimmerman attended Wichita State University graduating with the designation of Master Certified County Clerk. Zimmerman has been a member of the following organizations:
    • President of the Kansas County Clerks’ & Election Officials’ Association
    • President of the South-Central Kansas County Clerks’ &; Election Officials Association
    • Executive Board of KAC (Kansas Association of Counties)
    • Executive Board of the KCOA (Kansas County Officials Association)
    • Board of Directors of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce
    • Board of Directors of the Great Bend Rotary Club
    • Graduate of Leadership Great Bend.
  • Zimmerman is married to her husband, Ray of 41 years. They have two children, a daughter, Sara Winegarner, and husband, Larry and family, and a son, Cory Zimmerman and wife, Katie and family.
  • Zimmerman is proud of her relationships with other municipalities in Barton County and throughout the State of Kansas. Zimmerman said her experience in county government along with her interest in the community through having served on the Chamber and other local organizations position her well to contribute to the continued success of Barton County. Zimmerman said she will call upon the relationships she cultivated with community leaders and governmental agencies to be better informed when looking at issues facing the Commission. Zimmerman said she will have the time to listen and ask the important questions in order to make informed decisions. During these troubling and uncertain times, experienced leadership matters.