The field of candidates seeking to replace outgoing Prairie Village Mayor Laura Wassmer has grown to three.
Andrew Wang, who has represented Ward 3 on the city council since 2004, announced this week that he had filed by petition for the top elected position in the city.
Former Ward 3 councilmember Eric Mikkelson and current Ward 2 councilmember Serena Schermoly filed for the race following Wassmer’s announcement that she would leave office after one term.
Wang, who is the practice administrator at the Kansas City Eye Clinic in Overland Park professionally, said he was driven to enter the race after considering the issues facing PV. He said he’s committed to a focused approach to city government where the council and mayor make maintenance and preservation of city infrastructure and services a top priority.
“There have been times when we have taken paths as a government where we weren’t looking at maintaining or improving our parks, streets or infrastructure,” he said. “To me the job of mayor is a very nuts-and-bolts job. What are the services we’re supposed to be providing, and what’s the most efficient way to do that?”
Wang said that in speaking with residents as he collected petition signatures, he heard about the desire to preserve the character of the city. He said it’s important to continue to attract people to the city with great schools so they’ll become long-term residents and raise their families there.
“I think Prairie Village needs a mayor who understands what has always made our city unique and attractive across its history, but also will be focused on resolving the struggle between what we have to keep and what is our character, and what needs to be considered for change and updating,” he said.
Wang grew up in Prairie Village, attending Briarwood and Curé of Ars, before heading to college at Northwestern University. Outside of college and two years he and his wife spent living in northeast Kansas City, he’s lived in Prairie Village his whole life.
