Shelly Buhler Commemorated

                                          Shelly Buhler opening retirement gift

Capital Journal Editorial for Jan 10, 2019

The Shawnee County Commission commemorates the end of an era today, holding a reception for departing Commissioner Shelly Buhler.

Buhler has been a mainstay of the panel for a dozen years, first winning her seat in 2006. For reference, that was before the introduction of the iPhone. For six years before that, she served as mayor of Rossville. She will be heading in an exciting new direction, taking over as president of Hayden High School.

We wish her well, but she will most definitely be missed as a voice for the county.

Buhler’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2017, she was recognized by GO Topeka as a Woman of Influence. In an interview with The Topeka Capital-Journal at the time, she emphasized her work on projects that focused on long-term community needs.

Through her terms, Buhler told reporter Samantha Foster, she has enjoyed “working on (constituents’) behalf for things that are important to us, not just today, but in the future.”

That’s just the kind of mindset needed in the county and city as we all look ahead. What can we do to make this place better? What can we give of ourselves to enrich quality of life, efficiency of services and government responsiveness? How can we help?

Buhler served by example. She worked full-time as a county commissioner, which then allowed her to make community connections through volunteering. A short list of those groups include the Topeka Community Foundation, Safe Streets Coalition’s Recognition Council, Heartland Healthy Neighborhoods, the Rossville Community Foundation, Rossville PRIDE and the Momentum 2022 effort.

Few people are able to match that kind of devotion and dedication. For some, it would be ill-advised for health reasons to even attempt. But we can all take inspiration from Buhler’s work to make connections throughout the region.

It might sound obvious, but it’s worth stating that county and city interests don’t always align. That’s part of the basic task juggled by Shawnee County commissioners. But when friction occurs, it’s crucial to have leaders on hand with deep, trusted relationships. Buhler made a career of nurturing such relationships, and voters noticed.

While an era may be ending as Buhler heads to Hayden, it also offers an opportunity for a new generation of leaders in Topeka and Shawnee County. Find inspiration in her service and step up to follow her example.

We would all benefit by doing so.