Ed. Note: Below is the transcript of the interview with Councilwoman Stacy Goss. Goss is running for the council seat representing the Northwest District.
Marc Jacobs: This morning, we are talking with the northwest, the candidates for Northwest council seat for the City Commission, and Stacy Goss is with us now. Good morning. Hi, good morning. So tell us, tell everybody a little bit about Stacey Goss, who she is.
Stacy Goss: Absolutely so five years ago, my husband and I made a decision. We moved back home to Hutch because this is where our hearts are. I was born, excuse me, I was born and raised here, and I wanted my kids to grow up in the same kind of community that shaped me. I'm a homeowner, a minivan driver, the wife of a United States Air Force veteran and the proud mom of two little ones. When I first ran for city council, my youngest was just six months old, and there was probably terrible timing on paper, but I couldn't ignore what my heart was telling me. I knew that somebody had to step up because the future of Hutch matters too much to just sit on the sidelines. Our city deserves leaders who show up, who listen, and who care deeply about where we're headed, not just for today, but for the next generation. I hold a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's in healthcare leadership. So, through courses like risk management, decision making and Strategic Planning and Performance Analytics, I've built a strong foundation in budgeting, strategic thinking and effective leadership, and these translate directly into city governance. Over the past three years, while I've on, been on city council, I've learned that the real progress doesn't come from politics. It comes from the people and the people who love this town enough to do the hard work and roll up their sleeves. They make sure our neighborhoods are safe, our economy is strong, and our families are supported. And that's why I'm running for reelection, because I want my kids and everyone in Hutch to grow up and live in a hutch that's thriving and where opportunity lives on every corner. All
Marc Jacobs: So first question out of the chute is, how should Hutchinson balance acting attracting new industries like renewable energy or advanced manufacturing, while also supporting the small, locally owned businesses and downtown revitalization, revitalization?
Stacy Goss: Yeah, Hutch’s economic future depends on a balanced approach, where we're welcoming new industries while strengthening the businesses and entrepreneurs already investing in our community. So while we're out recruiting sectors like Renewable Energy and Advanced Manufacturing, our focus must be on long term stability with good jobs, career pathways for our students and opportunities that keep young families here, for example, the Evergy plant, which will provide first power in 2030 that will create 500 construction jobs in the short term, and then 20 to 40 skilled long term positions paying more than $90,000 annually. We already know that certain industries are attracted to this type of energy, and we're actively pursuing every lead to bring new employers here that can provide sustainable jobs and economic stability for decades to come, but at the same time, we must continue supporting our small mom and pop, locally owned businesses and our downtown district, because those are the heart of Hutch identity. So that means expanding access to small business grants, streamlining permitting processes, and investing in infrastructure like sidewalks, lighting, and police. During my time as mayor, we approved a facade improvement program which helps businesses enhance their storefronts without breaking the bank. So, growing together is not choosing one sector over the other, but making Hutch a place where entrepreneurs can thrive. Families feel connected, and skilled workers have good opportunities.
Marc Jacobs: Here's another hot but hot button topic. What specific steps would you take to address the housing shortage, particularly affordable and workforce housing, and how should a city partner with developers or nonprofits to help achieve that?
Stacy Goss: We have worked on this so much this year during my time as mayor, and the challenges that we face, especially affordable housing for seniors and then workforce housing for working families and young professionals require a proactive, collaborative and strategic approach. First, we need to continue using targeted incentives that make housing financially viable, such as the reinvestment housing incentive district or RHID. These programs are especially important for larger developments, but we can't forget the value added by those who are renovating existing properties. So, we're supporting the rehab and infill projects that convert unused and underutilized buildings into new housing options, because that can help it expand our supply more quickly, and then strong partnerships are essential. The city continues to work closely with nonprofit partners, housing authorities and private developers, we're aligning zoning, infrastructure, Planning and Development timelines so that we can reduce the barriers and support these projects that are ready to move forward. I also believe that employers should be part of the conversation, because stable, affordable housing is directly tied to attracting or retaining workforce talent, and we're not starting from scratch. During my time as mayor, we've seen that the Hutch High and Hutch Community College building trade students are constructing three homes a year for three years on infill lots through the frame grant in partnership with interfaith housing, the Hay Street project near 11th and Hrndricks, which will bring 30 new workforce homes. We just awarded that contract at our last Council meeting. 36th and Monroe, the RHID project will create 60 homes, Landmark Fifth and Main, 24 moderate income housing with 36 units. Total, Plum Creek is up to 80 homes across three phases, with 24 of those in the first phase are supported by MIH. Then you have the resurgence program and new beginnings with the Structural Insulated Panels, which were a pilot program, but we see that potentially scaling into standard size home production. So, the RHID and the MIH grants are not new programs. We've sat by as a community and watched these go to other communities for years, but that's changed. In the past three years, we've been awarded multiple types of RHID and MIH grants. We've also sought light tech grant funding, housing grant funded housing and more. So, it's a community wide all hands-on deck approach.
Marc Jacobs: All right, one last question before we go to break Hutchinson facing aging infrastructure such as Memorial Hall and limited budgets, how do you propose? How do you prioritize our spending on roads, water system budget, safety and other core services?
Stacy Goss: Yeah. So we are, just like other communities of our size, we face the challenge of aging infrastructure and limited budgets. So my approach has been to prioritize safety, efficiency, and long-term value for our residents. Public Safety, of course, always comes first. During my time as mayor, we've made strides to reduce our first response time, which is critical in emergency situations. But we're also taking a data driven approach, which is evidenced by the water study that we funded earlier this summer. We're using condition assessments, cost benefit analysis, and long-term planning so that we can identify which projects need immediate attention and which can be scheduled over time. But let's talk about the water, because I'm glad that my opponent has started doing our research on the real issues that we face as a council. At the chamber forum, we were asked what's the most important issue facing the city council, and she said, mental health. My response was water. And I've made it very clear over the past few months that we're in dire need of reinvestment in our water infrastructure, which we are currently prioritizing as a city. That's why we funded a water study this summer, and we just made significant investments in our water system at our last meeting. We've been using preventive maintenance for streets and water systems, but we knew that in the long run, we need to make costly repairs, or we need to make more investments to avoid costly repairs later down the road.
Marc Jacobs: Continuing where we were at what, what role should the city play in supporting parks, arts, community events, and how can Hutchinson make these amenities accessible to all residents?
Stacy Goss: So, I believe that the biggest issue facing the city right now in in this topic is Memorial Hall. This renovation will be huge, and it'll be such a draw for our community, the memorial hall project will receive about $2.5 million in Star bond, Star bond funding from the state, and when it's complete, we'll have a revitalized facility that's capable of hosting another 100 Years of entertainment, community events, gingerbread house decorating and more, and these are the exact type of quality of life amenities that young people, families and individuals, look for when they're deciding to move to or stay in a community. These programs strengthen pride, promote health and wellness, and make such a vibrant and welcoming place. But as you can see, the role of government in these types of events is really very little. We create the environment for them to thrive, but we don't actually plan these events. Those are all done by our nonprofit partners. My opponent at the Chamber forum had said that we need to sell off park land and turn it over to housing developers or to an HOA. I completely disagree. Our parks are a quality-of-life issue. We need to maintain them and keep them, because they do draw young families here.
Marc Jacobs: All right, fiscal responsibility. How do we? How do you? How does the city council ensure that taxpayers know that their money is being spent efficient, efficient,
Stacy Goss: Yes, my approach is threefold. Prioritize, plan, and communicate. We prioritize; we prioritize spending on safety, infrastructure needs, and long-term value for the city. So, these projects and programs are evaluated carefully to ensure they deliver measurable and measurable benefits and avoid unnecessary costs. Second, we print. We plan strategically by using data, condition assessments and cost benefit analysis, we can make informed decisions, schedule projects over time, and reduce emergency spending that strain the budget. This also ensures that our investments are sustainable in line with our long-term goals. And then finally, transparency is essential. Residents should understand how decisions are made, how funds are allocated, and what outcomes are expected. And that's why I support open meetings, clear reporting and communication through multiple channels, so that taxpayers are informed and can provide input. We've recently held meetings with residents after projects to gather feedback and set clear expectations now that a project has wrapped up, these meetings go a long way to build trust in the community between residents and our staff. So by combining all of these, we keep residents fully informed every step of the way.
Marc Jacobs: One last question that we got a couple minutes left here. In 10 years, where do you see the City of Hutch? What do you think the city of Hutch will look like? What initiatives and policy changes could the city put in place to make that vision a reality?
Stacy Goss: Yeah. So, in 10 years, I'll be 49 and still a young professional, and in 10 years, I hope that the city is a place where families and businesses see a future worth investing in. I know that's the vision that my husband and I and myself had when we moved here and I was also a small business owner. I envision Vibrant Neighborhoods, a thriving downtown with a with a hop in Memorial Hall, modern infrastructure housing that's affordable for working families and for seniors, and they also want parks and community programs to be accessible to everyone, because they build pride and connection across our city. So by expanding workforce and affordable housing through our hid nonprofits and other programs, training people in the building trades, investing strategically and investing in infrastructure, we can ensure that our community maintains the amenities needed and that we maintain our quality of life.
Marc Jacobs: All right, we got about a minute and a half left. Is there anything you want to add or say about?
Stacy Goss: Yeah, so I mean, the whole reason that I ran for city council just about three years ago was because we had two, two women were stepping down, and to me, it's very important that we have good representation on our city council. If I'm not elected, we will not have anybody under age 55 on our council. And that concerns me, because as we talk so much about how to bring young families here, how to bring people back to the community, we need people with this lived experience like myself, who can tell you what brings people to a community, what are the challenges with child care? What are the challenges that young professionals face? And I bring that to the council.
Marc Jacobs: All right; we have been talking with Mayor Stacey Goss. She is running for the Northwest District Commission seat here in Hutchinson. The election is on Monday, on Tuesday, excuse me. Polls open at seven o'clock. Advanced voting continues on till eight to five today and tomorrow, and then from eight till noon on Monday. So, Stacy, thank you for taking the time to stop.
Stacy Goss: Thank you for having me.