Interviews Archive - Page 2 of 16 - Kansas Oral History Project

Interview of Kelly Harrison, September 17, 2024

Interviewed by Mike Lennen

This interview of Kelly Harrison, retired vice-president for transmission at Westar Energy, covers Harrison’s 37-year career in an evolving electric utility industry from the early 1980s through late twenty-teens and his contributions to transmission development in Kansas and the surrounding region. Harrison recalls his start in the industry working for Kansas Gas and Electric, headquartered in Wichita, KS, after his graduation from Wichita State University. He was involved in many changes in the transmission portion of the industry as federal regulations opened electricity markets to more participants and as regionalization of transmission placed states and individual utility companies in Show Morenew relationships with one another. Harrison saw his involvement with transmission expansion, regulatory affairs, and environmental issues as a way to use his education and his skills to help people. Harrison’s interview provides valuable insights into the development of the electric utility industry, the challenges of transmission expansion, incorporation of renewable energy sources, and the regulatory landscape. His experiences highlight the importance of collaboration, innovation, and strategic planning in ensuring a reliable and sustainable energy future.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Edward Rolfs, September 23, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Rolfs served during a productive period in Kansas politics and he was a key player in tax and fiscal policy, chairing the tax committee through reappraisal and classification. and major income tax reform. Rolfs tells great stories, about his grandfather, Frank Carlson, Governor Bob Bennett and why he wasn't reelected, and leadership races. His interview discusses the rationale for sales tax exemptions, the politics of the severance tax in the 1982 election, the "booster" tax affecting Johnson County, the working relationship on the House Taxation Committee, and the simplification of the Kansas Income tax in 1988. Rolfs Show Moredescribes the conundrum of property tax reappraisal and classification and its resulting impacts on the 1990 governor's race where Joan Finney beat both prior governors, Carlin and Hayden. And Rolfs had several Joan Finney stories and one about Kathleen Sebelius. There is also a great story about how Rolfs, the Young Turk who wanted to cut everything was put on the Ways and Means Subcommittee for SRS and Mental Health/Retardation. Bob Harder, Secretary encouraged Rolf to visit the state institutions and it changed his attitude. The interview closes with his reflections on the state of government 35 years after he served. Show Less

Interview of Bruce Snead, September 3, 2024

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

This interview of Bruce Snead, former Director of the Engineering Extension Program at Kansas State University, focuses on his career and contributions to energy policy in Kansas beginning when he moved to the state to take a position with the university. Snead reflects on the complexity of the history of unsuccessful attempts to establish an independent energy policy entity in Kansas. His perspectives on state action were colored by his years of service as a non-partisan elected member of the Manhattan, Kansas City Commission and Mayor, as well as his involvement in a number of statewide energy planning Show Moreefforts where he saw the importance of individuals to policy development and implementation.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Eunice Rolfs, August 29, 2024

Interviewed by Joan Wagnon

Eunice Carlson Rolfs is a remarkable Kansan who, at the age of 97, has lived a fascinating life. She is the daughter of Frank Carlson who was a Kansas Legislator, U.S. Congressman, Senator and Governor of the State of Kansas. Her interview is filled with descriptions of growing up on a Concordia farm, where her chores included plucking eggs from underneath laying hens and carrying water from a well to the kitchen. She was surrounded by her family, including her Swedish grandparents and lots of friends. The Swedish Baptist Church of Concordia was a central focus Show Morein their family's life. She describes in great detail her father's unwilling entry into politics, the move to Washington DC upon his election to Congress, her great desire to return to Kansas which was the impetus for Carlson's run for Governor. She met her husband, E.J. Rolfs at Kansas University and they continued their productive lives in Junction City as part of a well-established banking family. Her father, now Senator Carlson, returned to Washington for another 18 years, filled with important legislation that benefitted Kansans and all Americans - Medicare, the Voting Rights Act to name a few. Show Less

Interview of Steve Morris, August 22, 2024

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

Former President of the Kansas Senate, Steve Morris, focuses in this 2024 interview on the issues that impacted his far-southwestern Kansas Senate district during his time in the Senate, 1993-2013. Important issues included those relating to extraction of natural resources, agriculture, and the closely related issue of water. He also reflects on how tax policy has had a wide-ranging impact on the area, touching everything from school financing to the sense of disconnect experienced by some western Kansans. Morris's background as a farmer representing the area of the Hugoton natural gas field made him a logical choice for Show Moreappointment to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Morris looks back on the controversy around expansion of the Holcomb power plant -- a decision that Kansas may have gotten right "by accident." The interview touches on the economic and social impacts of the natural gas and agriculture industries in Hugoton and the 39th Senate District at-large, including the decline of the Hugoton Field and the introduction of irrigation, fracking, and renewable energy generation. Morris speculates on the future of agriculture and the changing demographics in southwestern Kansas.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Carl Holmes, August 22, 2024

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

This interview of former Representative Carl Holmes presents his perspective on the energy and environmental issues that were considered by the Kansas Legislature during his time in office -- 1985-2013. He traces at least some of his interest in the detailed workings of the energy industry to his youth when he spent time observing the oil and gas industry in far southwest Kansas. Holmes describes developing a point of view that encompasses the need for diversity in the types of energy available in Kansas and across the country and his growing concern for the security of energy infrastructure, Show Moreespecially after the attacks on the U.S. in September 2001. During this interview Holmes provides insights to his approach to chairing a legislative committee and his dedication to ensuring that his fellow committee members had at their disposal the information necessary to make sound policy decision. Some of those decisions included a 2006 multi-faceted energy bill that addressed many aspects of energy production including oil refining, pipelines, nitrogen fertilizer production, cellulosic ethanol production, integrated coal gasification, and power plants. Holmes discusses other complex issues including the controversy over plans to expand the Holcomb Power Station, addressing water pollution from a variety of industries, and underground storage safety issues, among others.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Wint Winter, August 9, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

This lengthy interview covers not only the decade of his legislative service, 1983-1992, but his continued involvement with politics up to the present time. The 80's and early 90's saw considerable change in taxes, education funding, abortion law, to name a few. The severance tax, the "booster" tax, classification and reappraisal and a new school finance law that lowered property taxes were all discussed. Senator Winter chaired the Judiciary committee and was Vice-chair of Appropriations during that period. He was able to shore up the KPERS fund for state employees and provide appropriate funding for educational Show Moreinstitutions, including colleges and universities. Senator Winter was a strong advocate for bipartisanship, saying, "No Party has a monopoly on good ideas." After leaving the Legislature, he was a founder of Traditional Republicans for Common Sense.

Highlights --short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Robert (Bob) Tomlinson, August 2, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Chris Courtwright's interview of Bob Tomlinson, former city councilman, legislator and Assistant Insurance Commissioner is one of the longest and most complete undertaken by KOHP. The entire interview (2 hours 23 minutes) is posted here. But in addition, several shorter clips, taken from the interview, are posted below and will also be used as part of Resources for Educators. Tomlinson's interview covers his wide political experience and lessons he learned. He tells lots of funny stories about other prominent politicians of the era and shares his political philosophy and technics for "vote-counting" for Speaker Glasscock and Show Moreothers. He also comments on the public policy issues of the day, including health insurance mandates, Medicaid expansion, school vouchers, the need for full funding for special education.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Eber Phelps, July 26, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Eber Phelps' interview covers the 18 years he served in the Kansas Legislature. Phelps paints a picture of the changes in the political culture and environment that occurred during his tenure. He blamed his loss in 2012 on the Brownback tax cuts, and his win in 2016 on the Brownback tax cuts. He lost because he voted against the tax experiment; he defeated Sue Boldra because of the problems the tax experiment caused in the Kansas economy and her insistence that nothing was wrong. The interview covers how Phelps became interested in politics, and the Show Morework he did on education and economic development. His work on the Insurance committee with chairman Bob Tomlinson stands in stark contrast to the current mode of work in the Legislature. The description of how the Mayor and city council found a way to solve a pressing water problem reveals his belief in community engagement. The interview closes with a discussion of how state government changed during his tenure. He noted there were 18 Democratic legislators elected from west of Salina when he was sworn in in 1996 and tax returns were filed on paper. Today, everything is online, and the makeup of the legislature is completely different.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Kenny Wilk, May 16, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Representative Kenny Wilk described himself as "curious" when he first arrived to the House--curious about how committees worked, who the people were. A Farm Bureau Citizenship Seminar had kindled his interest in politics. Rochelle Chronister, Assistant Majority Leader mentored him to meet everyone in both chambers. And he did! The interview is full of stories about the people with whom Wilk served, and what he learned from them. He moved from one area to another: budget policy, tax policy and economic development policy. He lost two leadership races, but that allowed him Show Moreto focus more intently on policy initiatives that came from committees he chaired: Kansas Bioscience Authority, the animal health corridor, NBAF, tax relief for military veterans, the Economic Growth Act, the tax exemption for machinery and equipment. Even after leaving the Kansas Legislature, he continued to serve. First, by chairing newly elected Governor Brownback's transition team, then by serving on the Kansas Board of Regents and the Kansas Bioscience Authority. His current job with the University of Kansas Health System keeps him involved with public policy issues, such as Medicaid Expansion. Show Less

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