Metsker aims to work for consensus; New legislator calls himself a bridge-builder
County GOP appointed him to fill vacant District 24 seat.
By SARA STITES
The Kansas City Star

Ronnie Metsker hates political labels.

District 24’s new delegate to the Kansas House of Representatives says he’d rather be seen as a bridge-builder, a thinker, a listener and a man who can build consensus.

“I’m not a myopic thinker,” the Overland Park Republican said. “I see myself serving with thoughtful common sense. I intend to listen carefully.”

Metsker has been reading, researching and meeting new people at a fever pitch his first few weeks as a legislator, he said.

He began the 2007 legislative session Jan. 8 after being appointed at the last minute to fill a vacancy left by Rep. Ed O’Malley of Roeland Park, who resigned to take a job in Wichita a month after winning re-election.

In late December, Metsker narrowly defeated Mission Mayor Laura McConwell in a vote by Republican precinct committeepersons to win the seat.

Metsker retired as chairman of YouthFront, a Westwood-based Christian organization, in July.

In recent years he was involved with Leadership Overland Park, and, especially after his retirement, sought a more formal way to serve the community, he said.

“Serving students, of course, in a youth ministry context, is serving others,” Metsker said. “But I wanted to get engaged in a more broad way.”

Metsker has been rooted to Overland Park since birth — almost. He points out that his parents moved from Kansas City to the 6900 block of Reeds Road when he was 10 months old. After a brief hiatus from the city during and shortly after college, Metsker and his wife, Susan, built a house on Foster Street, where they’ve lived the past 19 years.

He’s also spent most of his life engrained in YouthFront.

His parents, Vidy and the late Al Metsker, founded the non-profit Christian organization, then known as Kansas City Youth for Christ, shortly after they were married. Ronnie Metsker was involved most of his life and took the reins as chief executive in 1986.

That’s one particular area in which Metsker doesn’t want to be viewed as myopic.

“I understand that people see me coming from a ministry context in my lifetime of service,” he said. “I do realize that this might be a concern for those who don’t know me. They don’t need to be concerned about that.”

Metsker said his faith is personal and that it motivates him in all his behaviors. But, he said, his goal is to serve the will of the people he represents. He openly opposes abortion, but he said the issue isn’t a legislative priority for him. Public education tops Metsker’s list of legislative goals.

“I want to see our public schools be strong and fully and adequately funded,” he said, noting that he believes the increased funding so far is nice, but not enough. “We need local control.”

Johnson County Republican Chairman Scott Schwab said Metsker’s reputation as a friend of public schools made him an attractive candidate for District 24. His marriage to Susan, a longtime Shawnee Mission school board member and the current board president, has helped, Schwab said.

Beyond schools, Metsker named these goals:

• Keep taxes as low as possible and address rising property values.
• Prioritize public safety.
• Protect small business.
• Help the elderly, looking at healthcare costs and other ways to ease the financial burden on those with fixed incomes.

Storm said she looked forward to working more with Metsker — and influencing him.

“Ronnie and I haven’t talked about the social issues at all, but I believe he is a strong supporter of public schools,” Storm said. “I believe you can’t just put him in a little cubby hole.”

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Meet Ronnie Metsker
District 24, Kansas House of Representatives

Party: Republican
Age: 56
Occupation: Retired chairman of YouthFront
Home: Lifetime north Overland Park resident
Education: Bachelor’s degree in church ministries with an emphasis in youth, Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
Experience: Republican precinct committeeman; Leadership Overland Park class of 2005 and 2006-07 steering committee; Overland Park Chamber of Commerce diplomat; 2001 Shawnee Mission North High School distinguished alumus.
Legislative committees this session: Commerce and Labor, Health and Human Services, Elections and Governmental Organization.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To contact reporter Sara Stites, call (816) 234-7741 or send e-mail to sstites@kcstar.com.