Wichita Archives - Kansas Oral History Project

Interview of Andy Tompkins, January 13, 2025

Interviewed by Mark Tallman

Andy Tompkins has had a leading role in education in Kansas that started in 1970 when he was hired to teach English in Hugoton. That job quickly became Principal and then Superintendent of three different districts until he was tapped in 1996 as Commissioner of Education. Tompkins recounted in this oral history interview the changes that took place in public education in Kansas during his career. Tompkins' interview toucheed on special education, "A Nation at Risk", the movement to improve education, standards and the 1992 School Finance Reform Act. He was able to explain why things Show Morechanged and with what result. Tompkins portrays skilled leadership and a trusted leader committed to improving education for all. Show Less

Interview of Janis Lee and Laura McClure, May 20, 2024

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

Janis Lee and Laura McClure, both Democrats elected from predominantly Republican districts that overlapped, often campaigned together and conducted constituent communication sessions in the areas they both represented. Because their time in the legislature (1989-2011) and their largely rural districts in northcentral Kansas intersected, Lee and McClure both worked on a wide range of policies pertinent to the Energy & Environment Collection of oral histories: confined feeding facilities, solid waste, waste tires, water quality standards, the Kansas v. Colorado lawsuit, and the Water Transfer Act that the city of Hays was exploring at the time of this interview, among Show Moreothers. In the energy arena, significant issues during their time of service in the Kansas Legislature included retail wheeling of electricity, gas pollution remediation, well plugging, and gas-gathering systems regulations. In this May 2024 interview, they explore those issues, the dynamics of the legislature, campaigning, and the work involved in serving in the legislature. Show Less

Photo of Les Donovan in Kansas Senate chamber April 10, 2024

Interview of Leslie (Les) Donovan, April 10, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Les Donovan served twenty-four years in the Kansas Legislature -- four years in the House of Representatives and twenty years in the Kansas Senate from 1993 to 2016. From his position on the tax committees of the House and Senate, he influenced major tax legislation including the tax cuts of the late 1990's. While chairing the Senate Assessment and Tax Committee from 2009 - 2016, he was involved with the efforts to correct the budget problems caused by the Brownback tax experiment of 2012. He often called attention to the high property tax rates on Show Moreautomobiles and finally succeeded in lowering them. He was an advocate for small business during his entire term. Donovan also advocated for using fuel tax to fund highway needs. This interview is a discussion of tax policy at a time of great change in Kansas. Show Less

Interview of Roger McCoy, January 24, 2024

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

Roger McCoy. founder of McCoy Petroleum Corporation with headquarters in Wichita, Ks. , recalls growing up in the oil industry from the late 1950s. Among his observations about the industry, are the dynamics of relationships between independent oil companies, like his and the "majors" like Mobile Oil and Gulf that were active in Kansas. McCoy also observes that environment-related regulation of the industry in Kansas is "justified" and that federal laws impact the industry more than state laws. In his observations, laws that impact pricing and leasing, such as the Kansas Natural Gas Price Protection Act, and Show Morethe Deep Horizons law have greater impact on the industry than most of the environmental requirements. Show Less

Interview of Jim Haines, November 2, 2023

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan and Mike Lennen

In this interview, Jim Haines describes his long career in the electric utility industry in Kansas during a tumultuous time. He talks about changes in the energy marketplace and in regulations regarding fuel types, safety, and the environment. He also identifies changes that enabled utilities to achieve economies of scale through mergers and acquisitions. Haines talks about the difficult years during which Wolf Creek, Kansas' only nuclear power plant, was under construction, including the public resistance to the plant and the push-back at many levels as construction costs escalated. In this discussion, Haines places the construction Show Moreand initial operation of Wolf Creek in the specific context of Kansas as well as the general context of the U.S. nuclear power industry of the 1980s. Show Less

Interview of Melody McCray-Miller, April 21, 2022

Interviewed by Frances Jackson

Melody McCray-Miller describes her job as speaking truth to issues that were relevant at that time, and representing a group of people who were marginalized. Rep. Miller was not the "status quo." She doesn't consider herself a "politician" but instead, a public servant. Her concept of public policy or public service was influenced by the fact that she is a Black woman who was raised in a Black family. She is the daughter of Billy Q. McCray, the first African American Commissioner in Sedgwick County who also served as a state Senator. Show More One of her mentors described her as "tough as leather." Miller was in business with her husband, and also taught school prior to running for office. She detailed how she handled conflicts or incidents of racial discrimination by "pushing forward." The latter part of the interview deals with a variety of legislative issues McCray-Miller initiated or followed. Those issues ranged from early childhood education, to payday lending, juvenile justice and health policy. Show Less

Interview of Eugene Anderson, April 21, 2022

Interviewed by Frances Jackson

Senator Eugene Anderson's oral history interview covers his 20-year career in Kansas politics, serving in both the Kansas House and Senate and later, in the administration of Governor Joan Finney. In addition, Anderson has been a Wichita business man and author. Anderson described growing up in Georgia and the values he learned in his segregated community - work hard, never quit, build relationships and make your community better. His priority issue when he went to the legislature was making the schools better. Anderson described his friendship with Governor Joan Finney, going back to when she was Show MoreState Treasurer and how he asked her not to invest in the apartheid government in South Africa. Later, she appointed him Director of Aviation and he was able to work with other state directors to support the Kansas aviation industry on product liability legislation. Throughout the interview Anderson revealed his philosophy of effective governance. Show Less

Interview of Darlene Cornfield, October 9, 2020

Interviewed by Patty Clark

Former State Representative Darlene Cornfield reflects on her six sessions in the Kansas House representing the 90th House District (Sedgwick Co.). She describes the issues that come back year after year and the challenges faced by a new legislator. She identifies the difficulties faced by conservatives at a time when the Republican party was undergoing an ideological change. Cornfield observes that the citizen legislature is most effective but did not favor term limits.

Interview of Mike Dealy, November 24, 2020

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

In this 2020 oral history interview, Mike Dealy discussed his observations of Kansas water policy implementation during his career as the Manager of a Groundwater Management District (GMD). He reflected on the degree to which water policy permeates all aspects of society and politics. He recalled how the GMD Board's interest in water quality added a dimension to water management that didn't exist in all GMDs. He also noted that changes in the composition of the GMD Board of Directors had an impact on policy development and reflected on the importance of broad representation in the elected Board of Directors. Show More He concluded that broad representation ideally can result in cooperation among all water users in a GMD, irrigators, municipalities, and industries, which is key to a successful management plan. Show Less

Interview of H. Edward (Ed) Flentje, June 14, 2019

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

During this 2019 oral history interview of Ed Flentje, he recalled the intricate work of developing a water planning process and applying good governance principles to a highly contentious issue that involved a variety of entities both inside and outside state government in the 1970s. The innovations in water regulation that grew out of the agenda of Governor Bennett, for whom Flentje served as Planing Director, were carried out and implemented by succeeding Governors, Carlin and Hayden. Flentje's description of water policy rising to prominence in the Bennett administration demonstrates how governors benefit from Show Morelistening to a variety of voices when developing policy agendas. Show Less

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