The Primary Election will be on Tuesday, Aug. 6. The Free Press reached out to the Marion County commission candidates to help voters get to know them a little better. All of the candidates were given the same questions. In addition, each candidate was asked to include some personal information about themselves. Their answers are included here exactly as given with no editing.
The following answers were submitted by Republican candidate for District 2 Mike Beneke. 
Q. Why did you file for commissioner and what do you hope to accomplish as an elected leader?
To bring common sense decisions for the good of the entire county.
Q. What do you think is the role of a county commissioner?
Q. What do you think are the most important issues facing Marion County and how do you propose to resolve those issues?
Farm to Market roads. Non efficiency within several departments. Lack of sound insight for future direction of our county. Will need help from several residents and business owners to step up with ideas and solutions for current issues as well as future issues. I will not be able to be effective without everyones input and help. Last but not least is be firm on good ideas that need implemented. FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!
Personal Information: I’m a life long resident. Have the desire to change the way our county is currently run and the outlook of the future of the county.
The following answers were submitted by Republican candidate for District 2 Dianne Novak. 
Q. Why did you file for commissioner and what do you hope to accomplish as an elected leader?
Any elected position these days is tough. Very few people are willing to get involved because you’re ofttimes walking into a mess! You must be a person with strong values and the willingness to put in the time necessary to do the job. A County Commissioners responsibility is Not just 2 hours on Mondays. It requires lots of training, meetings, research, study, understanding their legislative powers, communication with taxpayers and more. I hope to play a part in ending the status quo that exists and hinders the growth of Marion County.
Q. What do you think is the role of a county commissioner?
It is my belief that County Commissioners should communicate and work with their constituents on concerns and to ensure that those concerns are addressed. I believe all state and federal requirements must be met. Also, it is the county commissioner’s duty to hire qualified and experienced personnel to head each department to make certain all County operations are managed efficiently and effectively.
Q. What do you think are the most important issues facing Marion County and how do you propose to resolve those issues?
There are many important issues, I will address a few.
#1 High Taxes, Services Diminishing & Wasteful Spending! The practice of spending $100’s of thousands of tax dollars for buildings with no serious research or study for the suitability to the
needs of our county is just plain stupid. Ambulance service in southern Marion County is nonexistent and unacceptable.
#2 Total disregard for the will of the people. A few years ago, the people of Marion County voted for a five-member commission in Lieu of an Administrator! Sadly, this commission hired an administrator despite the vote of the people. I believe the five commissioners must substantially reduce their salaries to compensate for this blunder.
#3 The 30X30 Government Land Grab with all its tentacles is very concerning to me. Currently Marion County has nothing in place to protect the landowners of our county. What’s more concerning to me is the division and lackadaisical approach of our commissioners on this extremely important issue.
#4 Scandals and wrongdoings. Scandals and wrongdoings from inside out, top to bottom is a big black eye on this small county. Thorough vetting and background checks of every potential employee in every department is a must! Also hiring friends prevents you from doing your best job.
#5 No communication. Some of our current commissioners don’t answer their cell phones when constituents call, nor do they have voice mail set up, and do not give a call back, I have heard this repeatedly. Also, when a member of the public comes before the commission to ask a question, no answer is given instead you are told, “the answer will be in writing and will be in the mail” To me this is crazy, and NOT the way public service is conducted.
Personal Information: I was born and raised in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I came to Ft. Riley Kansas with my husband and two daughters and fell in love with the wide-open space and the laid-back living of Kansas. I purchased, owned and operated an auto parts store and repair shop in JC for 22 years. When I sold it, I bought a small home north of Abilene, and took a brief break from it all! I ultimately accepted a position at Ft. Riley as the business office administrator for BAE Systems. When the contract ended, I sold my home and moved south.
The following answers were submitted by Republican candidate for District 3 Randy Dallke. 
Q. Why did you file for commissioner and what do you hope to accomplish as an elected leader?
One of the reason’s for me is that your county has taken a new way of leadership by hiring a County Administrator this year. I think we was excited to have an applicant that has lived here worked here and knows how county government works and should perform. Her past work history as County clerk was a positive for us to offer her the first administrator position in Marion Co, to Tina Spencer. This position was pushed by some commissioner’s to save money and give leadership in working through some problems that arise in any of our departments. I think we all should be a team to help us serve the public the best way we can. My main reason to be an elected leader is to listen to our constituents and bring there thoughts and idea’s to the table to be discussed and heard.
Q. What do you think is the role of a county commissioner?
Some of the above statement and a look for new ways to save the tax dollar from being spent foolishly. We also need to make our employees aware that we want them to be the best they can be when working for Marion Co. and proud to be an employee. Promote our county and bring new idea’s to the table to see if they may work for us.
Q. What do you think are the most important issues facing Marion County and how do you propose to resolve those issues?
What do you think are the most important issues facing Marion County and how do you propose to resolve those issues? Roads has always been at the top of this list, long and short term fixes, funding source’s, making decisions on priority of repairs, bridges and ratings of condition they are in. Wages and health insurance for employees. These issues all have to fit the budget we set. These are the everyday problem’s that all make up one of the important issues facing the commission. One important issue that sometimes is over looked is the importance of long range planning and the fix is to always consider it in what we do.
Personal Information: I was born and raised in Marion Co. Graduated from Peabody High school and then went to work for railroad as a track welder for 9 years and switched to another railroad and went into the pipefitter’s world in shop extension for 6 years. After the railroad I worked for the city of Peabody for a year and a half in water and street departments. I then went to work for Greely Gas as a town Operator for the next 35 years. From the years of 1976 to 1999 I worked for the city of Peabody as a reserve officer working for many different Chief’s of Police. I was lucky enough to date and marry my high school sweet heart Cindy Brunner. We were blessed with 2 children in our 52 years of marriage, a daughter Roxanne and a son Todd who passed on at a young age of 32. Our next blessing was 4 grand children and so far 2 great grand children. I served a term on Peabody city council and a term as mayor of Peabody. I have now served 5 terms on the Marion county commission.
The following answers were submitted by Republican candidate for District 3 Clark Dirks. 
Q. Why did you file for commissioner and what do you hope to accomplish as an elected leader?
I invested a lot to build a dream home here, only to be disrupted by the lights of commercial wind turbines across the horizon, and ever increasing taxes. I became frustrated with the openness of the commissioners in trying to get answers regarding the construction of commercial wind projects within the county, and have come to realize that becoming a commissioner is the best way to provide open honest answers to the citizens of Marion County. I hope to provide increased opportunities for the public to provide input into county governance, increase transparency, and improved communication with county residents.
Q. What do you think is the role of a county commissioner?
A County commissioner’s job is to listen to the people of Marion County, and direct the county in providing necessary services that benefit everyone in the most cost efficient manner.
Q. What do you think are the most important issues facing Marion County and how do you propose to resolve those issues?
Taxes and Spending are out of control in Marion County. County revenue has increased approximately 2.55 million dollars since 2020. That is nearly a 25% increase in your tax dollars, far outpacing inflation. Efforts this year by the commission to develop a revenue neutral budget is too little too late, and will not actually reduce taxes. Depending on your latest valuation, some would see tax reductions, others would see continued tax increases. I would propose a detailed review of all programs to identify areas where efficiencies , elimination of unnecessary programs, and or changes in processes would provide cost savings or increased services to actually reduce overall tax expenditures, resulting in actual tax relief to the citizens of Marion County. That is just the County portion, with the increased valuations this year; city, state, school, fire, library, township, and extension office taxes will increase if citizens don’t get involved and demand justifications for tax increases. I hope to keep the citizens of Marion County informed of what their tax dollars are getting them, and how to get involved.
Personal Information: I was born in Emporia, KS, but my family has multi generational roots in the Durham area of Marion County. I have lived and worked across the country, and retired from the Federal Government. I choose to come back to Marion County 10 years ago for what I thought would be a quiet rural retirement. I worked at family owned Circle D trailers for five years before retiring again, only to continue working as a handyman in the local community. I have been married for 25 years, and have one son.
