By Greg Grisolano

ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com

GIRARD, Kan. — While they don’t necessarily agree on a solution, the four candidates vying for the 2nd District commission seat in Crawford County all agree that the No. 1 problem facing the county is controlling spending.

Chuck Ales, a 74-year-old retired schoolteacher; Linda Grilz, a 57-year-old instructor at Pittsburg State University; John Kovacic, a 57-year-old former county treasurer; and Vincent Saia, a 44-year-old title abstractor, are all vying for the Democratic party nomination, after incumbent Democrat Tom Moody decided not to seek re-election.

The County Commission race is the only race in Crawford County with a contested primary. The primary election is Aug. 5.

Ales, who is a lifelong resident of Franklin and owns Mustang Church of America and Museum, said if elected, his goal is to require county departments to monitor their budgets more closely.

“I just want to get in there and make them watch their spending,” said Ales, who has served as township treasurer of Washington Township in northern Crawford County for the past seven years. “They spend money like it grows on trees.”

Grilz, a lifelong resident of Frontenac, pointed to her background running the printing office at the university as good experience to bring to the commission.

“The county needs to be run more like a business,” said Grilz, who lost a primary challenge election against then-incumbent Moody by 37 votes in 2004. “The cost of doing business is going up, and we’re getting to a place where we can’t tax the citizens any more than they are now.”

Kovacic, 57, retired in 2005 after serving as county treasurer for 30 years. He pointed to his years of experience at the courthouse as being a plus for his campaign.

“I definitely feel like my experience is an advantage for me,” said Kovacic, a lifelong resident of rural Girard. “In 30 years, I gained a lot of knowledge on finance. It’s time to put it back to use for the people of Crawford County.”

Saia, 44, a lifelong resident of the Pittsburg and Frontenac area, said he was motivated to run by his grandfather, famed local politician “Papa” Joe Saia. He said if elected, he plans to focus on the high cost of property valuations and their effects on elderly residents on fixed incomes.

“No doubt the biggest issue is property evaluations and taxes on people with fixed incomes,” said Saia, who works as an abstractor and rancher. “They can’t keep taking the brunt of this.”

The salary for a Crawford County commissioner is $25,000, according to the Crawford County clerk’s office, and the position is considered full-time, with a benefits package.

Because the Republicans are not fielding a candidate for the seat this year, the winner of the Democratic nomination would be the presumptive winner of the general election in November.