Lenexa Planning Commission Chairman Chris Poss has filed his candidacy for the Ward 1 seat on the council.
Poss currently runs unopposed and is seeking the seat occupied by longtime councilmember Steve Lemons, who announced his plans last month to retire at the end of his term.
A resident of Lenexa since 2010, Poss has served on the city’s planning commission since 2012 and became chairman in 2016. His run for council marks his first time seeking an elected office. Poss said Lemons plans to be the treasurer on his campaign for the Ward 1 seat.
“Running for public office is something I’ve always kind of really wanted to do,” he said. “Serving the city in the capacity I’ve been doing on the planning commission, it just seemed like this is the right opportunity to move to the next level into public service.”
If elected, Poss hopes to focus on sustainable growth for the community. His time serving on the planning commission has given him the opportunity to get to know the city as a whole, and from a different perspective.
“I’ve had the experience to see the challenges of the development and the ventures for growth in the community,” he said.
During his time on the planning commission, Poss has facilitated communications with residents on future developments to acquaint them with the city process, he added.
“Being a construction manager, I deal with a lot of interesting problems and interesting situations on a regular basis,” Poss said. “Solving problems is kinda what I do.”
In praising Lenexa’s police and fire departments, Poss said he would also like to focus on keeping the city’s neighborhoods safe. He would like to maintain the city’s quality schools as well.
Poss believes he is best prepared for the elected office because of his experience “knowing the ins and outs of the city” through his years on the planning commission. He hopes to build on his current relationships with other elected officials and city staff.
Poss is a construction manager for Aldi; he works in the grocery store company’s real estate office. He lives in Ward 1 with his wife, Stephanie Poss, and their two sons.