by Stacy Wiedmaier
Landmark reporter
It’s a crowded race for the Platte County Presiding Commissioner seat.
Voters will choose between Gena Ross and Jason Maki in the Aug. 4 Republican primary election, ultimately deciding who will face off in the general election this November against Democrat Mary McKenna and Dale Brouk, independent.
Current Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker withdrew his candidacy earlier this year after initially filing for reelection.
Both candidates are seeking county office for the first time. Ross has previously run for the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and the Platte County R-3 School Board.
Before launching his campaign, Maki said he served the public as a private citizen and government-transparency advocate, using open-records law to hold officials accountable for how they spend the public’s money. He said that he’s running to do that same watchdog work “from the inside.”
GENA ROSS
Ross said she entered this race because she believes Platte County deserves leadership that listens, plans responsibly and puts people ahead of politics.
“As our county continues to grow, we need thoughtful leadership that protects taxpayers, strengthens infrastructure, supports public safety and ensures residents have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect their communities,” she said.
If elected, Ross named her top three priorities:
·Responsible growth supported by infrastructure and thoughtful long-term planning.
·Fiscal responsibility through transparent budgeting and careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
·Open, accessible government that encourages public participation and strengthens trust between county leadership and residents.
On the campaign trail, Ross said voters have shared a multitude of concerns, including responsible growth, rising property taxes, infrastructure, traffic and ensuring that development does not outpace the county’s ability to provide essential services.
Ross said she thinks there are issues that have been overlooked altogether.
“Long-term planning has not received enough attention,” she said. “Every major decision — from infrastructure investments to economic development — should be evaluated based on how it will impact future generations. We must think beyond today’s needs and prepare Platte County for the next 20 to 25 years.”
Ross explained that her experience managing budgets, implementing strategic initiatives and working with government regulations has equipped her to serve as presiding commissioner.
“I lead by listening first,” Ross said. “My focus is not on political rhetoric but on practical solutions, respectful dialogue and bringing people together to address the challenges facing Platte County.”
Ross holds a Ph.D. in public policy and administration with a specialization in local government management for sustainable communities, a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration.
She currently serves as director of student support for program success and Title III project director at Kansas City Kansas Community College. In this role, she oversees federally funded initiatives, manages a $1.7 million budget, supervises staff, ensures compliance with federal regulations and leads programs designed to improve student success and institutional effectiveness. She also teaches political science as an adjunct professor.
If elected, Ross said she would first meet with county department leaders, fellow elected officials and community stakeholders to assess ongoing priorities, identify immediate needs and establish a collaborative plan for moving Platte County forward.
“I believe effective leadership begins with understanding the facts and building strong working relationships,” she said. “I promise to lead with integrity and accessibility. I will listen to residents, communicate openly and make decisions based on facts, fiscal responsibility and what is in the best interest of Platte County — not politics.”
When asked what she would do differently than the current presiding commissioner, Ross said she would place greater emphasis on communication, transparency and proactive community engagement.
“Residents deserve timely information, opportunities for meaningful input before major decisions are made and leadership that is visible, accessible and accountable,” she said. “I believe government works best when citizens are informed, included and treated with respect.”
JASON MAKI
Maki said he decided to run for the county’s top role because in the last seven years, voters have been asked to raise taxes 44 times, more than five times each year. He’s frustrated that the cost of living keeps climbing and believes those pushing the tax hikes are never going to stop on their own.
“I’m running because county government owes taxpayers two things and only two things: public safety and public infrastructure, plus the services that support them,” Maki said. “When the county loses sight of that mission and starts diverting tax dollars to private interests and pet social projects, it’s the families who pay the bills who lose.”
Maki described his top priorities he plans to address if elected:
·Hold the line on taxes and cost of living. He opposes new taxes and rate increases that do not support the county’s mission. He also opposes the use of tax incentives to subsidize private interests.
·Fund the mission, in order. Public safety first: attract and retain the best deputies and officers with competitive pay, equip and train them and fund the prosecutor’s office as their partner so an arrest leads to accountability, not a revolving door. Then public infrastructure, the roads and bridges everyone depends on.
·Transparency and accountability. Transparency isn’t a side issue; it’s how every other problem either gets fixed or gets hidden.
As a member of the Missouri Sunshine Coalition, he said his overarching goal is to increase public oversight and ensure taxpayers know how their money is being allocated.
“Open the books from the inside, all of them,” Maki said. “I’d move to put county spending in plain, public view so residents can see where every dollar goes without filing an open-records request. I’ve spent years prying that information loose from the outside. The first thing I’d do is stop making people fight for it.”
Maki has degrees in chemical engineering and information technology security. He has spent his career as a senior business executive in the consulting industry, managing global teams of engineers and salespeople. He has also managed budgets for more than $250 million in top-line revenue.
He currently serves as director of strategy for a Missouri-based company. His family also owns a public-safety technology integration company which his wife runs. He acts as her business consultant, helping guide the company as it grows.
Maki said he would lead the commission the same way he has always led — build a team committed to the outcome.
“Consensus isn’t always obtainable, but commitment to getting the job done is,” he said. “The job isn’t complicated to describe, fund the mission, execute it and stay focused on it and my whole background is built around exactly that discipline.
