Shawnee resident and past councilmember Kevin Straub has entered the race for the two-year unexpired Ward 3 seat on the city council, triggering an August primary.
Straub faces incumbent Lisa Larson-Bunnell and fellow challenger Greg Sitzmann, who filed for their candidacies a few months ago.
Because of Ward 3 Councilman Justin Adrian’s resignation in September, there are two separate races in Ward 3: A four-year term and the two-year unexpired term. As such, Shawnee voters will be able to vote in both Ward 3 races.
A past councilman from 2006 to 2010, Straub lived in Shawnee for about eight years. He moved out of the city in 2011 after losing his re-election. He moved back to the area about a year ago and is now seeking the same seat he previously held on the council.
“I am most proud of always voting for what I thought was the best thing for the residents of Shawnee,” he said. “I was always looking for ways to keep taxes low in Shawnee.”
If elected, Straub said he wants to help improve the city of Shawnee and push for more transparency, simplicity and responsibility to residents.
“I’d love to see more retail and restaurants in Shawnee; I’d love to see a western swimming pool,” he said. “I’d like to see the community continue to grow and thrive out in western Shawnee.”
Straub said he’d also like to grow more infrastructure, including curbs, gutters and sidewalks, throughout the city.
“I’ve got a proven track record of voting for the people,” Straub said, citing his past support of the city offering multiple trash haulers and building more recycling opportunities.
Straub has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. A realtor of residential real estate for nearly three decades, Straub moved back to the Kansas City area in June 1999. He is currently employed with Keller Williams Key Partners LLC.
He has participated in Shawnee Tomorrow and is involved in Catholic Charities. He added that he also volunteers for PSI Seminars in Kansas City.
