Pottawatomie County Commission Chair Travis Altenhofen will officially resign his office January 10.
Altenhofen, who was elected to the commission in 2016, was offered a promotion at his employer following the death of his boss earlier this year. That complicated his ability to dedicate the necessary time to public service. On KMAN’s In Focus Tuesday, the 30-year-old Altenhofen said his time on the commission has been an eye-opening experience he’s been blessed to have.
Altenhofen says he’s most proud of his most recent introduction to the commission this week, the beginning works of a draft document that prioritizes long-term spending on major county projects.
At their most recent meeting Dec. 23, a long discussion was had over how the county approaches a number of capital projects over the next five years. Outgoing Commission Chair Travis Altenhofen has been a proponent of having a living document that outlines millions of dollars in road and bridge projects by priority.
Altenhofen says it’s a bittersweet time for him professionally but says being on the commission has taught him a lot. Along with fellow commissioners Dee McKee and Pat Weixelman, the three commissioners have repeatedly clashed on different issues pertaining to county government spending and appropriations. Altenhofen says despite the butting of heads, he says it hasn’t made governing the county any more difficult.
Long-time former Pottawatomie County Sheriff Greg Riat is filling the rest of Altenhofen’s term and has filed as a candidate for a full term in 2020.
Kinsley, who was named interim County Administrator earlier this year will become the full-time administrator at the same time as Altenhofen’s departure. He replaces Robert Reece, who announced his retirement over the summer.
