By Emily Randall
Northeast News
Jan. 13, 2010

Indian Mound Neighborhood President Scott Wagner has set his sights on a higher office.

Wagner has become the first person to announce he will run for the 1st District At-large City Council seat — the seat currently held by Councilwoman Deb Hermann — in 2011. Hermann will have reached the term limit in the council seat and will not be eligible to run for reelection.

“You can only do so much when you’re a neighborhood president or involved in your neighborhood,” Wagner said. “It was with that feeling in mind … I came to the conclusion, yeah, I think I can win; yeah, I think my experience is something I have to offer that can help the city get along a little bit better.”

Wagner counts Northeast Chamber vice president, Kansas City Museum Advisory Board member, Cliff Drive Corridor Management Committee member, Budd Park Committee member, Northeast Community Center Steering Committee member, Greater Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association Board member and Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce member among his leadership positions.

He said one thing that makes him a unique candidate for the 1st Council District, which includes 80 percent of the territory north of the river as well as much of Historic Northeast, is that he grew up and still has connections north of the river but lives and is heavily involved in Northeast.

“Many people can’t say they have connections north and south of the river that can help them in this capacity as council person,” he said. “That’s one thing I think is a strength of mine.”

Wagner said the most important city issues to him are turning around the perception that City Hall is a non-functional circus and bringing consensus, along with attracting more people to live and work in Kansas City by focusing on safety and basic services.

“It does take people who can see the important issues, understand the decisions we make affect whether or not people live and work here, create some trust and hopefully work with city staff and people at the neighborhood level and business level on what does it take to make Kansas City better,” Wagner said. “That’s what I hope to do.”

Although the official candidate filing period will not start until later this year, Wagner’s campaign committee, Wagner for Kansas City, registered recently with the Missouri Ethics Commission. The supporters count more than 100 so far, including other Northeast neighborhood leaders such as Pendleton Heights President Kent Dicus, Lykins Neighborhood President Ron Heldstab, Northeast Chamber President Bobbi Baker Hughes and Columbus Park Neighborhood President Mike Sturgeon; and local politicians such as District 40 State Rep. John Burnett, District 41 State Rep. Shalonn Curls, Platte County Commissioner Kathy Dusenbery, Parks Board President John Fierro, City Councilwoman Beth Gottstein, State Sen. Jolie Justus, Clay County Commissioner Ed Quick, District 37 State Rep. Mike Talboy and Kansas City School Board member Airick Leonard West.

Wagner has more than a year until the council primary election takes place. He said he would use this time to fundraise, hear concerns from people from across the city — as the position is an at-large position and requires citywide support — and share his ideas.

“The challenge is, I’ll be a first-time candidate running through the entire city,” he said. “Sometimes people look at you and wonder, can you do that? Part of it is to come out in the beginning to say, ‘I have this support in various quarters throughout the city … people at the neighborhood level, people at the political level, people at the business level.”

Wagner, a father of two, is currently director of public relations for Fasone & Partners Inc., Kansas City, Mo. He holds a bachelor’s degree from William Jewell College, Liberty.

To learn more about his candidacy, contact him at (816) 896-9305 or see wagner4kc.com.