Kevin Stambaugh II is one of three candidates for mayor in Independence. The current Mayor, Chris Reinersman, is not running for reelection, but Stambaugh will face Carol Franzen and Greg Steffen, both of whom currently sit on the Independence City Council, in November.
Stambaugh has lived in Independence for the past 15 years, but this will be the first time he’s run for office.
“I am running for mayor because I believe Independence has a tremendous future ahead, and I want to help guide that growth in a thoughtful, responsible and sustainable way,” said Stambaugh. “Growth is important, but it must be balanced with the ability to maintain the quality services, infrastructure and community standards our residents expect and deserve.”
Stambaugh said he would spend the early days in office listening to residents and city staff members to learn what they need. Independence has undergone significant economic development in the past few years, and Stambaugh was sensitive to residents who felt the growth was happening too quickly and too haphazardly. As such, he prioritized infrastructure improvements.
“Our residents deserve schools that are not overcrowded, safe roads, reliable services and a city government that listens,” Stambaugh said. “I want to make sure we are addressing our current needs while planning responsibly for the future. Once we have strengthened our infrastructure and understand where improvements are needed, we can strategically evaluate future residential and business growth that benefits the entire community.”
Independence uses a strong-mayor form of government, meaning the mayor has broad discretion over city operations and personnel, even though the position can’t vote on legislation except to break a tie.