Merriam City Council primary election: Meet the candidates

Some Johnson County voters can begin going to the polls for the Aug. 1 primary this Saturday.

That’s when advanced voting begins for a smattering of local city council races in the Shawnee Mission Post’s coverage area.

One of those races is a three-person contest for Merriam City Council Ward 2. The top two finishers in this race on Aug. 1 will advance to the general election Nov. 7.

Earlier this summer, we asked our readers to tell us what they wanted local candidates talking about in the run up to the August primary.

The questions the candidates responded to in this guide are based, in part, on that reader input.

Here’s a map of Merriam’s city council wards, so you can check to see if you live within Ward 2.

Here is a bit more about each candidate and their stances on some key issues:

Rose Gerringer

Campaign website

Occupation: Educator and medical researcher

Education: Bachelor’s in Communications (Emporia State)

Personal background: Born and raised in Johnson County; attended St. Thomas Aquinas and Johnson County Community College; has volunteered in youth sports, church programs and in her children’s classrooms

What is your stance on the plan to make a stretch of Merriam Drive downtown more walkable and bike-friendly?

I am in favor of improving downtown Merriam, but the plan to limit vehicle traffic in favor of even wider sidewalks and new bike lanes is misguided. Access to businesses and parking is already difficult in the narrow street space available. Businesses in downtown Merriam along Merriam Drive signed a petition against this plan. Furthermore, with hundreds of school buses using this section of Merriam Drive each school day, the increased congestion and emissions of idling vehicles will be tremendous and unsafe. Although the survey of residents indicated that we like the idea of a walkable, bikeable community, 80% of respondents said they would not give up the convenience of their personal cars.

What is your vision for the future of 5701 Merriam Dr., the site of the former Irene B. French Community Center?

A committee has been assembled to determine the best use of the site of the demolished community center at 5701 Merriam Dr. I applied for a position on the committee but was not chosen. The committee will need to consider the road diet planned for the area as well as promised infrastructure upgrades to Turkey Creek by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. The limitations of the current flood plain status will restrict the possible uses of this parcel. Any private development should fit with the current downtown community.

Whitney Yadrich (incumbent)

Current Ward 2 city councilmember (first elected 2019)

Campaign website

Occupation: Website developer and project manager

Education: B.S. in Journalism (University of Kansas)

Personal background: Has lived in Merriam since 2017 with her husband, Jake, and two dogs, Lefty and Lita; loves “playing video games, entertaining my 4-year-old nieces, binging TV and watching my favorite teams (KU, Chiefs, Man City) at a local dive bar”

What is your stance on the plan to make a stretch of Merriam Drive downtown more walkable and bike-friendly?

I believe that traveling Merriam Drive should be safe no matter the form of transportation, and the current street design doesn’t hit the mark.

I voted to approve the design not only because it fulfills the key objectives of the Planning Sustainable Places grant we received in partnership with the Mid-America Regional Council, but it also went through a more than two-year public review and modification process. The design also has an extensive list of benefits beyond being more walkable and bike-friendly. This project is special to me and important to the residents and business owners of Ward 2. This project needs to be done right. It needs to preserve and continue the success of our current business owners and invite new opportunities to downtown Merriam..

In-depth information about the Merriam Drive project is available at merriam.org/downtown.

What is your vision for the future of 5701 Merriam Dr., the site of the former Irene B. French Community Center?

The open space at 5701 Merriam Dr. is an exciting blank canvas. Currently, a public committee is developing a recommendation for the future of that open land. I have heard a long list of diverse ideas from residents, business owners and Merriam visitors. Ultimately, I hope we end up with a catalyst for additional economic growth in Downtown Merriam and I look forward to hearing the 5701 committee’s recommendation.