Board of trustees
Jonathan Mitchell
City Manager, City of Hoisington
President
Jonathan Mitchell has served as City Manager in Hoisington, Kansas since early 2009. Prior to that time, he was the City Administrator in Ellsworth, Kansas and served the City of Junction City as an administrative intern as well as grants administrator while he was attending Kansas State University to earn his bachelor’s degree in public relations and master of public administration degree.
Jonathan is an active member of several statewide boards including the Kansas Association of City/County Management, Kansas Municipal Utilities and the Kansas Municipal Energy Association. Jonathan is a graduate of Kansas State University and is very active in the Hoisington community.
When Jonathan is not working on projects in Hoisington, he is probably working as an EMT in Topeka. Jonathan has two incredible sons, Chance and Wesley.
Jonathan was first elected to the Board in 2018.
Kelly McElroy
City Manager, City of Newton
Vice President
Kelly McElroy is the City Manager for the City of Newton. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, a Master of Public Administration with emphasis on economic development, and is a Certified Public Manager (CPM) through the university of Kansas. Prior to serving the City of Newton, Kelly served as the Development Director and Zoning Administration for the City of Goddard, the Executive Director of the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP), the Council of Governments for a nine county region in south central Kansas; as the Director of Administrative Services for the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, and as the Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Edmond, Oklahoma.
Kelly is a member of ICMA, KACM, ELGL, APA, and KEDA, and serves the KU Public Management Center as a member of the Certified Public Manager Advisory Board. Kelly’s husband Don is also a public servant, working in law enforcement and emergency medicine. Kelly and Don have three children, Cheryl, Brian, and Jameson, and enjoy spending time with their horses at their ranch.
Kelly was first elected to the Board in 2018.
Jeff Morris
VP for Operations and Finance, Coffeyville Community College
Treasurer
Jeff Morris has served in local government administration since 19997. He is currently Vice President for Operations and Finance at Coffeyville Community College (since 2012). Prior to that, he served as Finance Director (1997-2003) and City Manager (2003-2012) for the City of Coffeyville.
Jeff has a Bachelor’s degree in accounting and Marketing from Kansas State University, a Mini Master’s of Public Administration certificate from Wichita State University and is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Kansas. He has served on a number of boards including the Coffeyville Area Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Municipal Utilities and Kansas Municipal Energy Agency. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Coffeyville Regional Medical Center and is the Secretary/Treasurer for the Kansas Association of Community College Business Officers.
Jeff and his wife Dora have two children; Aaron and Rebekah.
Jeff was first elected to the Board as an ex-officio (non-voting) member in 2018.
Hardy Howard
City Administrator, City of WaKeeney
Past President
A western Kansas native, I was a bank loan officer prior to being hired as the City Administrator for the City of WaKeeney in 1996 (22+ years) I hold BBA degrees in Management and Finance from Fort Hays State University. Served on numerous local boards and organizations. Currently the Vice President of the Heartland Community Foundation serving Trego, Rooks, and Ellis counties. Past governing body member of the League of Kansas Municipalities. Current President of the Big Creek Gold Course Men’s Association. Married to Dawn, a special education transition advisor with three daughters, Larissa, Aleah, and Jenna.
Hardy was first elected to the Board in 2018.
Anthony Swartzendruber
County Administrator, Harvey County
Anthony Swartzendruber has served as the Harvey County Administrator since March 2017. He started working for Harvey County in June 2010, as the Assistant Administrator/Director of Finance. Prior to beginning work for Harvey County, he served as a Management Analyst in the Sedgwick County Budget Office.
Anthony is a 2005 graduate from Washburn University with a Bachelor of Public Administration. He also graduated with a MPA degree and Graduate Certificates in City/County Management and Public Finance from the Hugo Wall School at WSU in 2007.
Anthony is a member of ICMA, GFOA, KACM, and KSGFOA. He has served on several boards including the Governor’s Council on Tax Reform, the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains, and the Schowalter Foundation. Anthony and his wife Kara have two sons who are in middle school. Anthony enjoys gardening and tending to his Texas longhorn cattle.
Anthony was first appointed to the Board in December 2021.
Kristi Carrithers
City Clerk, City of Valley Center
Kristi Carrithers has been the City Clerk for the City of Valley Center since July 2015. Prior to working as City Clerk, she was the Admin. Assistant at the Dodge City Public Library handling all the Human Resource, accounts payable and open Board Meeting functions. She has a Bachelor of Science in Management and Organization from Tabor College and has earned the title of Certified Municipal Clerk. She is a member of IIMC, CCMFOA and IMPA-HR. Kristi and Lance have 2 daughters, Sydney and Taylor, and enjoys spending time wither their families including 2 very active grandsons.
Kristi was first elected to the Board in 2020.
Ed Trulove
City Manager, City of Neodesha
Ed Truelove has served as the Neodesha City Administrator since April 2015. Prior to beginning work for the City of Neodesha, he served as the City Administrator for Greensburg, KS (Feb. 2012 – Apr. 2015), and as the Chief of Police in Sterling, KS (Aug. 2007 – Feb. 2012).
Ed is a 2002 graduate from Southwestern College with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, and in 2007, he received his MPA degree and Graduate Certificate in Public Finance from the Hugo Wall School at WSU.
Ed is a member of ICMA and KACM, and has served on the Supervisory Committee for the Catholic Family Federal Credit Union since 2007.
Ed was first appointed to the Board in 2022.
Ron Marsh
City Manager, City of Abeline
Ron Marsh is the City Manager of Abilene, Kansas since June 2021. Previously he spent 3+ years as the City Administrator of Clearwater, Kansas and 18 years as an administrator in the Sedgwick County Public Works Department. Ron has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Management from the United States Military Academy, and is a former Army officer. He has been active on numerous boards and committees throughout his career, including 8-year school board member, 2-year city council member, and treasurer of the Wichita Chapter of the West Point Alumni Organization. Ron is a member of both ICMA and KACM. He and his wife Amy have 2 grown children, Chuck (Danae) and Bonnie, and one grandson, Calvary Kinder.
Ron was first appointed to the Board in February 2022.
Michael Ort
City Administrator, City of Jetmore
Michael is the City Administrator of Jetmore. He has served in that role since Aug. 2015. Additionally, Michael serves as an EMT with Hodgeman County EMS beginning Jan. 2019. In 2011 Michael returned to school finishing a BA in History from Columbia College before pursuing a MPA from American Public University. Prior to city management Michael drove commercial vehicles, mostly local delivery of chemicals and solvents in the Kansas City region.
Michael is married to Jennifer, and they are the parents of four children—1 son and 3 daughters. Empty nesters as of last summer, they look forward to doing some traveling, both domestic and international. Jennifer teaches Spanish at Hodgeman County High School in Jetmore and coaches Forensics.
Michael also serves on the KACM Board of Directors, serving as that association’s Ethics Committee Chair, and is a member of the ICMA, Kansas Association of Public Information Officers (KAPIO), and KSGFOA.
Michael was first elected to the Board in 2021.
Stacie Eichem
City Manager, City of Wamego
Stacie Eichem has been with the City of Wamego since 2010. Prior to taking the position of City Manager in 2019, she also served as City Treasurer and Assistant City Manager. Stacie is active on the KMU Board of Directors, KMEA Executive Committee and Wamego Area Chamber Board of Directors.
Stacie graduated from Emporia State University with a Bachelor of Science in Management and Master of Business Administration. Both Stacie and her husband, Paul are Wamego High School graduates. They have three grown children: Jake, Josh and Cambrey and a granddaughter, Sutton.
Stacie was first elected to the Board in 2021.