THURSDAY, SEPT. 6, 2001
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5A
Mayor reminisces about public life
Mike Rundle answers questions about serving as mayor of Lawrence
OLIVIA SARI/KANSAN
Lawrence Mayor Mike Rundle talks about the city commission during a forum in the Ecumenical Christian Ministries. The ECM, 1204 Oread Avenue, hold forums each Wednesday.
By Courtney Craigmile Kansan staff writer
Mayor Mike Rundle said he became involved in city government to make a difference.
"I was just wanting to see things done right; that's what made me get involved," he said.
Rundle spoke before a crowd of nearly 50 people yesterday,joking about his time as a city commissioner and mayor.
The mayor's speech at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries center, 1204 Oread Ave., was a mixture of random reflections, sentiments and future plans, concluding with a question-and-answer session.
He described his first city commission term as a period of "flying by the seat of my pants." Political history
The mayor served his first term as a commissioner from 1987-91. During this time, he was actively involved with the South Lawrence Trafficway and saving the building that houses Abe & Jake's Landing, 8 E. Sixth St., because of its historic value.
He also was stepping up waste reduction and recycling efforts and creating the Lawrence historic preservation ordinance and committee.
When his term expired, Rundle pursued a seat on the Douglas County Commission in 1991. After losing the race, he said he decided to take a break from politics.
But he returned in 1999
"The reason I was drawn back to the commission work was because I felt I could do just as good a job if not better than the current commissioners," Rundle said. "I just got tired of grumbling at the TV and newspaper."
Richard Cook, Olathe senior
attended the forum because he said he was interested in politics and wanted to hear Rundle's views on city government.
"He got involved because he felt he had to," Cook said. "Not because he's a career politician."
Cook said he was interested in community growth and sprawl, topics Rundle discussed at length.
"We have to try to stay in the driver's seat and control issues with sprawl." Rundle said. Work and community
But working in the community has benefits for the mayor.
During his time on the Commission, Rundle said he had been involved with the Lawrence Journal-World's series on growth. He also said that one of his future goals as mayor was to control the sprawl toward Johnson County.
Rundle said he spent 20 to 30 hours a week devoted to the commission. He also works at the Community Mercantile Co-op, 901 Iowa St. He said managing his busy schedule wasn't always easy.
"I want to dispel the notion that commissioners are overwhelmed by phone calls," Rundle said. "I'm more likely to be asked a question on the street or in a grocery store."
Bundle stressed the importance of community involvement in city government. Although he was still learning to use e-mail, and apologized for not responding to the thousands of e-mails he had accidentally deleted, he said he still wanted the community to write, call and talk to the commission.
The paperwork
The paperwork
"I find it difficult to work full time and then find the time to commit to the commission as well," he said.
One of his goals as mayor, he said, was ensuring the commission heard all points of view and did what was best for the city.
He said that commissioners received a large amount of paper
every week: publications, meeting agendas, neighborhood newsletters, reports from city staff and "junk mail not available to ordinary citizens."
Sorting through the paperwork could be a challenge, he said, but it was key to doing what was best for Lawrence.
The commissioners were getting to know one another. Rundle
But, even though being the mayor carries a heavy workload, the position is still enjoyable. Rundle said.
said, meeting together to discuss issues and work as a team.
"Being mayor is at times fun," he said. "But it is sometimes a nightmare."
Contact Craigmile at 864-4810
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