Better health and fitness infrastructure in Barton County, like crosswalks, trails and “complete streets,” is the goal for Brandon Steinert in his bid for Barton County’s District 2 Commissioner.  

“A healthy, fit, and well educated populace is a productive and prosperous one,” he said. “I want to make sure our environment is conducive to Barton County residents pursuing these goals, if they so choose.  

“We have the bike and pedestrian master plan already in place. It’s a tremendous resource that can be leveraged to secure grants and other funds like the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE) from K-DOT, which just announced a rolling source of funds for the types of improvements I would like to see in Barton County, and especially in District 2, which is all within the Great Bend city limits. We can make this happen with a little planning and creativity, and without raising taxes.”  

Steinert has been working on these goals for years as a founder and planning team member for the Flatlander Half Marathon, which raises awareness about living an active lifestyle and sends runners from all over the state on a 13-mile tour of Great Bend; the proceeds are used to enhance health and fitness infrastructure in Barton County. He is also a member of Be Well Barton County, Rotary Club of Great Bend, Barton County Young Professionals and is active in the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce.  

Steinert said he believes one of the problems with public service positions today is extreme partisanship and the lack of true moderates seeking to solve problems without preconceived notions or a party’s influence, which is why he is running as unaffiliated, and went the extra mile to make that happen. To run on a party’s ticket, one only has to pay a fee. To run unaffiliated, candidates have to secure signatures from constituents.  

“I knocked on doors in the evenings and on weekends for almost three weeks to secure enough signatures to get on the ballot,” he said. “I think our elected officials’ words and actions should match, and I intend to live that belief.”   

Steinert grew up in Claflin and currently lives in Great Bend. He attended Kansas State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism. He has since earned a master’s degree in communication with an emphasis on organizational leadership, and is currently in pursuit of his doctorate in higher education leadership.  

To learn more about Steinert’s platform, visit his Facebook page at FB.com/VoteSteinert.