Meet your candidates for County Commissioner, District Two.

Walt Beesley is a fifth generation farmer raised in Stevens County. He married his high school sweetheart, Jennifer Cutter, who is also a Hugoton native. They have three daughters: Britta, Jenna and Ella. Walt graduated from Hugoton High School in 1990. He then attended Kansas State University and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Milling Science and Management. Upon graduation, Walt was employed by Cargill for 25 years which led the couple to live in six different states over their first ten years of marriage. Walt returned to Hugoton in 2004 overseeing operations of the Cargill country elevators between Plainview, Tx. to Denver, Co. Outside of his work and family, Walt has been actively involved in the community by serving on the board at First Christian Church, Stevens County Economic Development and Stevens County Foundation.

Shannon Crawford feels he is blessed to have lived in Hugoton his whole life. “I have always loved our small-town community and been very proud of where I came from.” After Shannon graduated from Hugoton High School, he joined the United States Air Force. While overseas, he served as a C-130 Crew Chief during Desert Storm. After his time in the Air Force, he moved back to Hugoton and began his career as a fourth generation farmer. For thirty years and counting, he has continued to love what he does every day. Shannon and his wife Diana were married in 1995, and were soon blessed with two beautiful daughters, Katie and Marybeth. Both of their daughters are also Hugoton High School graduates. “Diana and I feel incredibly blessed that we were able to raise our daughters in such a tight-knit community.” Over several decades, Shannon has served on many local boards. He is currently on the Stevens County Hospital Board and the Stevens County Zoning Board. Before that, he served on the Hugoton City Council and the Hugoton Airport Board. “I care deeply about our community and want nothing more than to see it prosper.”

Pat Hall is running for reelection for Stevens County Commissioner District 2. He is a lifelong resident of Stevens County and has been married to his wife LaDonna for 39 years. The couple raised three children and they all graduated from Hugoton High School. The high school prepared them for the demands of college and all three have gone on to have extremely successful careers. Pat has worked for the City of Hugoton for 25 years and he was employed by the Stevens County Road & Bridge Department for 17 years. Pat served four years on the Hugoton School Board and is currently serving his twelfth year as a Stevens County Commissioner District 2. He feels his years of working for the Stevens County Road and Bridge Department and for the City of Hugoton has prepared him for the role of county commissioner. This background he feels has provided him with a solid foundation in public service and problem-solving.