No signs? Most City Commission candidates to begin campaigning next week

After remaining relatively quiet since the filing deadline, Fort Scott City Commission candidates will soon begin their campaigns.

With the general election less than one month away, there have not yet been signs in local yards or any visible evidence of campaigning for the three city commission spots.

"It's been, in my opinion, quiet so far which has been most different from the last couple of elections," Fort Scott City Commission candidate Kathy Dancer said.

The silence is about to end as some candidates plan to begin posting signs around town in the upcoming week. Dancer and fellow candidate Jean Parker have purchased signs and have plans to distribute them next week. Dancer added she was concerned with the past week's weather that if she put her signs out, they would have been blown away by the wind. Likewise, commission candidate Mike Lancaster plans to put out signs as soon as they arrive. He said the signs have been ordered and are on the way.

With campaign signs costing candidates approximately $350 for 50 signs, candidates Samuel Mason and Thom Prue believe that the investment is too large for the position.

"It's very expensive to buy signs and things like that," Mason said. "I don't feel like I want to spend that kind of money on the position."

Prue added, "This is an unpaid job that all six of us candidates are running for. It's somewhat unreasonable to expect us to invest very much money in campaigning for that."

Parker believes that an investment must be made to earn a seat.

"If you're not serious, then you aren't going to invest in signs because signs are expensive," Parker said.

Despite significant campaigning in his last election, incumbent Jim Adams does not plan to put much into a campaign. He said he has some signs to put out however he is planning to let his two years on the commission earn votes.

"People can form their opinions by what I've done in two years and decide if they want to vote for me," Adams said.

Mason also shares a similar point of view relying on his reputation rather than yard signs.

"I just feel people know me ... if people think I'm the right person they will vote for me. If they don't then they won't vote for me."

To fight costs of signs, candidates have also resorted to the old-fashioned methods by campaigning door-to-door.

"I'm out knocking on doors and talking with people," Lancaster said.