My Kansas state rep picks his own audience for chats, and I’m left out | Opinion

Kansas House District 8 Rep. Chris Croft’s office says his community gatherings are restricted to people he personally invites and he considers to be “thoughtful.” I am a constituent of District 8. As well as being Kansas House Majority Leader, Croft is my state representative — and apparently he thinks his constituents are unworthy of his time.

On Feb. 9, Croft posted on his Facebook page that he had recently hosted a coffee chat. He wrote: “This past weekend, we hosted a Coffee Chat, which was a great opportunity to connect with my constituents! It was wonderful to speak face-to-face and listen to your concerns. Hearing from you all is my number one priority as I work to represent each of you. As always, One Team!”

Funny, I am one of Croft’s constituents and I knew nothing about any coffee chat.

After hearing about the meeting after the fact, I reached out to Rep. Croft’s office to learn about the next one. I sent an email and asked two questions: When and where are these coffee chats occurring? And how are constituents made aware of these gatherings?

Croft’s chief of staff, Dan Stanley, responded to my questions in an email dated Feb. 25. It read: “Chris Croft’s constituent coffees are hosted randomly as schedules allow. Because of the limited space they are typically by invitation to thoughtful people who are versed in the issues. Representative Croft has done and will continue to do open events for various groups and forums. In addition, he routinely walks the 8th district, knocking on doors and has many conversations with his constituents. He receives countless emails which he also reads.”

It did not include an invitation or an apology. It simply told me I did not make the cut. When invitations are extended only to certain people, it naturally raises the question: Who decides which constituents are “thoughtful” or “versed” enough to attend? All constituents are versed in the issues that affect their family. Parents navigating special education services are versed. Older adults worried about rising property taxes are versed. Small business owners trying to stay afloat are versed. You don’t need a screening process to have a legitimate concern.

Over the years, I have attended coffee chats, town hall meetings and forums hosted by elected officials and other civic minded groups. These events are crucial for public engagement and make local government accessible to the public that they serve. Two years ago, I attended a coffee chat that state Rep. Croft hosted at Tomahawk Ridge Community Center. The only reason I knew about it was because someone who had received an email invitation passed it along to me. Little did I know that I was crashing a party seemingly meant only for people who think the same way. That morning, I sat in a room that was only half full and I listened. The only thoughts shared were Croft’s. Since then, I have not seen or received any information about Croft meeting with his constituents.

When an elected official limits access to hand-picked attendees, it sends the message that only certain voices are welcome. If hearing from constituents is truly a top priority, as Croft claims, then the solution is simple: Announce the meetings publicly. Post the time and location. Croft was elected to serve all of House District 8, not just the people who voted for him.

Representative government works best when it’s open and transparent. If Chris Croft is not willing to hold regular meetings, open to all constituents, maybe he should consider another line of work.

Sheila Albers is an advocate, educator and open records warrior. She lives in Overland Park.