Q&A with Braman Mayoral candidates

EDITOR'S NOTE: This Q&A is part of the Journal-Tribune's coverage of the municipal election that will take place in Braman on April 2. This article features Mike Barton and Marv Sandbek, who are running for the 1st Ward office on the Braman Board of Trustees. Barton, the town's current mayor, was appointed to the position of mayor eight years ago. The mayor holds a trustee's seat and is appointed by the board to double as mayor. Any trustee is eligible for appointment. Sandbek is running against Barton for the 1st Ward seat. Barton is listed first, and Sandbek follows in alphabetical order. The J-T will be featuring all candidates for municipal office in Braman.

BARTON

Braman's current mayor, Mike Barton, says he is ready to devote more time to improving the community of Braman now that he is retired. He sat down with the Journal-Tribune last week to talk about what he wants to accomplish if he is reelected.

Q: What would you like to tell voters about yourself?


A: I started working at the Blackwell CO-OP around 1981. At that time, I was living in Newkirk and working in Braman. About 1982, I moved to Braman. We were a mile south of the state line. About 1985, I bought a home in Braman and moved to town. Shortly after that, I joined the Braman Volunteer Fire Department. I served on there for 20 years. I was with the Blackwell CO-OP for 30 years, and I retired from there. I have spent the last seven years working at Blackwell NAPA. Now I’m retired from there.



Q: What will be your main objective if elected?


A: Our main objective ― and I say “ours” because it’s me and the other two members ― is to update and rejuvenate our electrical supply system in town. We also want to work on our water supply lines, and we need some repair work done on our water tower. During the winter, the main supply tube froze and broke. We need to have that fixed. We are looking at grants for a splash pad, and I believe we are going to have pretty good luck on that.



Q: For this election, improving Braman's infrastructure seems to be an important goal for the candidates. How do you plan to do that?


A: We need to tear down dilapidated houses. There are limited lots available to build a home in Braman. You need two 25’ lots to build a home in Braman. If you can find two good 25’ lots, you could have a good place to build a house. We are looking at grants to repair our water and electrical systems. We have also been trying to get “teeth” in our code enforcement department. We have codes, but we struggle to enforce them. I would also like to see our museum back up and running.



Q: Another popular topic for this election seems to be revitalizing Braman's economy. How will you work to bring businesses to Braman?


A: The topic of annexation our toward the Kanza Travel Plaza has been brought up before, and it has been brought up again. Right now, the curve going out of Braman is about the only thing [the Kaw Nation] doesn’t own. I’m not sure on the cost of annexation, but I know it’s fairly expensive. It has to be a community-oriented effort. Also, they’re going to close [the travel plaza] to make way for the new casino. If they do not put in a new gas station somewhere, that would tell me it might be a good idea to see if we can get a convenience store in there. I think we’re going to have to look at annexation again.  



Q: Small, rural communities depend heavily upon the work of first responders, but rural emergency response agencies often have to work with outdated and obsolete equipment. How will you work to improve Braman's public safety departments, including the city's volunteer fire department and emergency management division?


A: As far as their equipment, the fire department is in good shape. They’ve got new brush rigs, and they’ve got a good setup on their first responder vehicle. As far as vehicles, I think they’re in good shape. Maybe we could look down the road at a new pumper truck. The firefighters just got new bunker gear, new hats, new boots, and new SCBA equipment. As far as training, that’s the difficultly with being a volunteer. [The state] wants new recruits to go to Stillwater for two weeks for training. Keep in mind, these volunteers are trying to hold down a job. We can do some training in-house because we have one fireman who is an instructor for Stillwater. If we can get them together a little more frequently, they can do a lot more in-house training.  



Q: Do you have any previous management experience?


A: I was on the Braman School Board from 1986 - 1991. I served one term and did not seek re-election. I am currently in my 12th year on the Braman Board of Trustees, eight of which I have served as the mayor. I have good people skills, and I get along with just about anybody. You’ve got to have good public rapport. You try to keep everybody on the same page. 



Q: Why do you feel you are the best candidate for this office?  


A: I feel like I am the best candidate because of my years living in Braman. I know everybody there, and I feel like I get along with 90 percent of them. I feel like I bring my experience and my connections to the office, and I can devote more of my time to it now that I’m retired. 

SANDBEK

Former small-town mayor and U.S. Air Force Veteran Marv Sandbek says he is ready to go to work for the people of Braman as a member of the Braman Board of Trustees. Sandbek sat down with the Journal-Tribune to discuss what he hopes to do if elected.

Q: What would you like to tell voters about yourself?

A: I’m a farm boy. I grew up on a dairy and farmed small grains east of a little town called Shelly, Minnesota. That’s where I set my roots, so I became very familiar with traditional values, hard work, long days, and what it’s like to grow up poor on the family farm. After high school, I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, and I served for a little over 20 years. I moved to Braman in 2010 to be closer to my daughter, who lives in Kansas. Braman reminds me very, very much of my hometown. It’s a very proud people who hang onto their culture and their legacy.

Q: What will be your main objective if elected?

A: To do everything in my power to make Braman a better place to live. I want to make Braman a more viable community with stronger infrastructure, a place where people want to be, and a place where entrepreneurs want to establish a business. I am only one of three trustees, but I would hope that my work on the board would help to shape a pathway to better things.

Q: For this election, improving Braman's infrastructure seems to be an important goal for the candidates. How do you plan to do that?

A: Let’s first talk about the electrical system. Since October of 1990, Braman has been in an agreement with the Blackwell Public Power Authority. It has not been renegotiated since its inception. Power is delivered to Braman via the “nine-mile line.” However, there’s a lot of itemization that could be done with the way we receive our power, and we don’t see that. We need to look at our options when it comes to our electrical supply. Water is another issue. We have an adequate source of water, but what happens if we get into a drought? We need to look at other sources of water. Our city water tower also had a failure this winter when the standpipe froze. One of the first things I will do is determine the exact nature of the failure and pursue a remedy to get the tower back online again.

Q: Another popular topic for this election seems to be revitalizing Braman's economy. How will you work to bring businesses to Braman?

A: Let’s start with the grain elevator. The grain elevator at one time was going to put in several big round tops for grain storage. But here’s an interesting thing: the city's electrical supply line cannot supply enough power for the elevator. When you start loading it up with all the elevator equipment, we lose a phase of power in town. Let’s get the necessary electricity to town so the elevator can not only survive, but thrive. I would also like to get our old swimming pool up and running. Other economic development has to do with annexation. The community needs to annex up to the intersection by the interstate so that it may capture sales tax revenue from retail sales.

Q: Small, rural communities depend heavily upon the work of first responders, but rural emergency response agencies often have to work with outdated and obsolete equipment. How will you work to improve Braman's public safety departments, including the city's volunteer fire department and emergency management division?

A: In the emergency management department, I would like to enlist the volunteer services of a former fire chief to serve as the emergency manager. It would encompass the fire department, the weather alert system, and all things related to emergency response. I would also like to find out more about how the fire department is funded. I will give 100 percent of my focus to revitalizing and properly equipping and training the fire department.

Q: Do you have any previous management experience?

A: I was the mayor in Shelly for 12 years. I am a graduate of all three Air Force non-commissioned officer academies. I hold an associate’s degree in jet aircraft maintenance. I’ve been in charge of over 200 individual aircraft maintainers and 27 F-15 aircraft, as I was in a management position for the last 12 years of my military career.

Q: Why do you feel you are the best candidate for this office?

A: Once the current mayor stated that he would not run again, even though he later got back in the race, I started putting a plan together to run for office. I said, “Why not? I’m retired, I can do this. I can devote my time to this.” I love this community, I like doing this kind of work, I think I’m pretty good at it, and I think I have the support of the people. I look forward to going to work for them.