Paid for by Elect Michelle Distler
Michelle Distler, Treasurer
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What are the People Saying about Michelle? She Listens. She Responds. She Represents. She's With Us! 


Responsible Leadership:

“You have been the best mayor hands down! Your vision and concensus building have blessed Shawnee!” Charlie T.

“You have been the voice of reason on the city council. You have provided great leadership. I bought my home in 1986 and have seen it all. I was tired of the ‘good ol boy’ attitude from city hall, administration, and some elected officials. There are too many personal agendas being served rather than the citizenry and you changed that course. Continue the fight to keep it from returning.” Shirley H.

“Thank you so much mayor Distler! You are one amazing woman! So glad that you are our leader!” Phil B.

“I feel guilty for my attitude. I would have just generically placed you  among those at city hall and the other mayors I never met until I had the opportunity to speak with you. I’m glad I got that opportunity. You’re a kick ass person that I am proud to know.” Gavin G.

“Your selflessness is a testament to the fact that you are a giver (not a taker); always wanting to help, offer support, lend a shoulder, whatever. Your servant-leadership style is evident in everything you do!” Lindsey M.

“Your love for the City and those who support its efforts is unmatched. I have never ever met anyone as civic minded as you who genuinely cares about the community and its people. Most politicians offer that in their platform. You live it! Amazing!” Chris G.

“Madame Mayor, it was a pleasure to meet you and observe your passion for Shawnee! It was very refreshing to see how dedicated you are to not only the betterment of Shawnee by diving in personally, but to the spiritual welfare of your fellow person. God Bless you, your family, and your leadership for the community.” Tracy A.

“I appreciate your time and effort to come to our Home Owners Association meeting last night and discuss the successes of Shawnee. I am very proud of your and the strides you have made to make Shawnee a better place to live. It is obvious you have a passion to make things better for EVERYONE in Shawnee.” Kathy W.

“Mayor Distler, as I was reading through your letter in the recent Shawnee CityLine publication, I was struck by the various ways that you are being intentional about connecting with and making yourself available to community members. I sincerely appreciate your time and effort in this area. I know you are passionate about transparency and accessibility within our local Shawnee government and I can see the steps you’re taking to develop that. Thank you! I especially love the new opportunities you’ve put in place for our Shawnee youth…to help educate and interest them in the structure and function of our local government. Thanks again for serving this community so tirelessly. We appreciate you and the work that you’re doing to make Shawnee an even better place for us to all call home.” Sarah F.“You are so incredible in your role. It’s so great to hear people talk positively about you. The impact you are having will leave a legacy behind for years to come. You are truly raising the bar and I pity the poor person who has to follow in your footsteps.” Michael H.

“You are a born leader. You believe in leading by example and you take everyone with you towards success. I saw this quote that reminded me of you. ‘A leader is one who knows the way, shows the way, goes the way.” Megan O.

“Mayor, You are leading by example and you had a vision on what kind of Mayor you wanted to be and you are living that vision now. Your support has not gone unnoticed!” Randy M.

“Your State of the City’s are absolutely perfect! So creative and fresh. Seriously proud to serve a city with you as it’s leader!” Elli B.

“I remember you as a council person & my first impression was that you would make a great Mayor. I underestimated you & didn’t give you enough credit. You are not only great, you are awesome! I am so proud to have a Mayor that really gets what a Mayor is suppose to be. Thank you for all that you do for Shawnee! You are the best & I am so proud to see someone that thinks outside the box & truly cares!” Randy M.

“You’ve changed culture and perception of the city more than you could ever possibly realize. You’ve had impact in just your first two years that far surpasses any impact of the previous mayors terms combined. Thanks for all you do.” Brandon K.

“It’s an honor and pleasure to work with a caring and compassionate leader like you who always thinks of your team first.”  Kevin F.

“As you know, I strongly supported you for Mayor, Michelle Distler, but you have well-exceeded my expectations. You are, truly, a Mayor of the people, and you work hard and invest so much of yourself each and every day. Shawnee will continue to be a strong city because of your efforts and dedication.” Anne H.

“Quote from my leadership team ‘the most impressive person last night was the Mayor-she knocked it our of the park!’ Very glad to share with you. Thank you for your outstanding leadership last evening - could not have been more proud of our Mayor!!!”  Linda L.

“Just wanted to let you know that we’ve been receiving dozens of positive comments this morning about the vote for the project last night. Every single one of them has specifically mentioned your strong leadership and how proud they are of you for making this important decision to move Shawnee forward. I imagine you’ve had a few calls today that aren’t so positive…I hope for each one of those you receive you know there are dozens more who are proud to have you as our Mayor and grateful for the tough decision you made last night!” Ellie B.


 Honesty & Integrity:

“So proud you were elected the first female Mayor of Shawnee, KS. You have done the city proud as a good, honest person who truly listens to the people’s needs.” Jeyn M.

“You truly are amazing. Such perseverance and fortitude to do what’s right. If there were more people like you in government, our country wouldn’t be so F’d up. You are such a light and shining star and make me so proud and honored to work for you.”


Fiscally Sound Decisions:

“I grew up in Shawnee and it could use a dose of common sense with level headed and level tempered leaders. Michelle Distler is the only viable choice who will act in a fiscally responsible and respectful manner.” Patricia S.

“Your city is fortunate indeed to have a mayor with guts, impressive leadership skills and a deep love of her community. To read that you broke a pair of the votes to move along a no-frills, maintenance budget…well that just confirms your drive to do what you believe is best for your city, even in the face of various detractors, selfish agendas and petty rivalries. You’re cut from the right stuff Michelle and I’m proud of you. Shawnee is lucky to have you.” Tom C.


Principled & Decisive:

“Since taking the helm as the city’s Mayor, Distler has advocated for open government. She has shown a willingness to involve the public and listen to people’s ideas. For a suburb whose neighboring cities have grown at a faster clip, Distler’s election gives Shawnee a good shot at refurbishing its image.” The Pitch

“Having a mayor that you truly admire and respect goes a long way. You work hard for this city and those who serve, it’s well known and observed by all. Thank you!” Brandon G.

“You are the role model for the position of Mayor. You work hard, care so much, are so humble, so accessible, so passionate and open in your actions. In the current political climate you are the perfect person to give people faith in the political systems again. All the best to you and the employees of Shawnee!!”  Annabeth S.

“You stood up to a very tough crowd and said what was right. You didn’t take the easy way out. You are a true leader.” Steve B.

“Anyone who has been paying attention knows you’re calling a fair ball game. You’re not working any agenda other than doing what’s in the best interest of the city and its residents/business owners.” Mike F.


Knowledgeable & Informed:

“I am impressed how you learn by shadowing or doing city worker’s jobs. I’ve learned so much watching you!”  Marla G.
 

Fair & Open Minded:

“Mayor, thank you for hosting this morning’s meeting. My reflection of the meeting is that citizens appreciate a way to communicate with the city. Although some of the comments were complaints, it illustrates that many of the citizens do not know how to communicate their concerns to the city. Keep doing the great job as mayor!!!!!” Rod H.

“You care about this city more than anyone I know. That shines through. You have incredible patience and show great skill in navigating these controversies. I could not be more proud to have you as Mayor. I rave about you to everyone I meet every chance I get. You’re honest and sincere and don’t play the political games. You have that ability to connect with people because you care.” Brandon K.

“You are truly an incredible person. The way you manage the different sides of your life and yet manage to retain your individuality is unbelievable. Sometimes, it does get difficult but the very fact that you manage to come out on top shows your strong side.” Mark H.

“Thank you so much for your reply. One thing I can say about you, you are engaged. Love it! (Which brings me to my next comment, the one quality I do truly love about you, you do put yourself in another’s shoes; only way to really understand the issues. THANK YOU again for your reply…on New Year’s Day!” Darlene J.


Proactive – Diligent –Thorough:

“I don’t think any other Mayor has done the things you are doing to better understand everything that goes on in your city. You are inspirational! Great Job Mayor!” Rich B.

“I complimented the Mayor yesterday on the wonderful job she has been doing the past 6 months. I realized I should have complimented you as well. The Mayor would not be able to carry out her mission without the full support of you and staff. I know you have served this city for many years. In my opinion, transparency and inclusion are important components in building a cohesive community. I feel that previous Mayors have not given you the opportunity to be introduced to the residents as City Manager and as a person in the manner Michelle has.” Mary B.

“You are EVERYWHERE and I want you to know that others recognize it. We APPRECIATE all you do for Shawnee and we do notice.” Tammie G.

“The student Mayor and guest council member programs are wonderful Michelle! Than you for starting them and generating interest in our young people.” Mary J.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll be saying it for a LONG time: You are the epitome of what a mayor should be!”  Waldo P.


 Caring – Concerned –Sincere:

“Madame Mayor we are very proud of your service and so pleased that you are our Mayor.” John R.

“The citizens of Shawnee should be proud to have someone like you that that cares so much for her community at the helm. You are an AWESOME mayor!” John S.

“You know what I like about you? You make me inspired to think and work harder to find a solution or compromise. I think you do that for others. I hear more people talking together over coffee and such about kind acts, duty, volunteering, and how to fix problems. I haven’t felt that in this city in years. You are only one person but you inspire a community.” Ann W.

“I admire your love for this City and her people. I am inspired by the way you conduct yourself and represent us well. I commend you for your servant’s heart.” Brad F.

“Dear wonderful Mayor Distler. I just watched the news talking about the Lenexa Rock Hunt and that they were the beginning of this. I informed them via their email that our Mayor had been painting and hiding rocks for nearly a MONTH. Think Channel 9 should make a correction. Thank you Mayor.” Carol W.

“As a side note, I just want to say I really appreciate your service as mayor. The transparency and your availability to the citizens is awesome. And as a father of an 8 year old girl, it’s challenging finding role models in our culture. Shawnee continues to impress me and my experience with the CPA, and you, makes me proud to be a resident.” Nick B.

“A note to you before I forget. One of our neighbors stopped by yesterday to offer condolences. He started talking about our mayor, and how much he really enjoyed and loved the way she interacted with our community. He spoke so highly of you and all that you have accomplished. He said you make people really feel like they are part of a small-town community. He said one of the things he thought he liked about you the most, is that you were not a politician! I thought you would really enjoy that.”  E.R.

“I don’t remember ever feeling so appreciated in the 14 years I have worked for this city. I do love Shawnee. I have lived here since second grade and I am 61 years old so that’s a long time. I appreciate a mayor that makes the employees feel valued also. Thank you for taking the time to let us know how you and the citizens you deal with feel about our efforts.” Sheryl B.

“You are the best mayor this city has EVER had. My wife met you at the hair bob donation today, and, of course, totally impressed! Not a surprise. I brag about you all the time. Thank you for all you do!” Jim D.

“You’ve been doing a wonderful job as Mayor. Pleased I voted for you. Calm, thoughtful, levelheaded. Just what we needed! Proud of you!” Roger C.


Competent – Dependable – Dedicated:

“You’re the first Shawnee Mayor to ‘get in there and work’ without worrying about getting your hands dirty. Michelle Distler you are truly a Mayor of the People - and I love that about you!” Anne H.

“Thank you for the forums. You have embraced your leadership role as Mayor in an extremely positive manner and I look forward to seeing you next time!” Mary B.

“You are doing a great job as Mayor and you inspire the citizens of Shawnee!” Greg G.

“Your tireless efforts to get things done. You run from meeting to meeting, answer hundreds of emails, coordinate efforts, provide speeches, etc. Your work ethic is amazing. You give 110% and don’t take shortcuts in anything you do!” Melissa G.

“You are so incredible in your role. It’s so great to hear people talk positively about you. The impact you are having will leave a legacy behind for years to come. You are truly raising the bar and I pity the poor person who has to follow in your footsteps.” Michael H.

“Ms. Distler, My 90 year old mother told me that she got to meet the Mayor of Shawnee yesterday. She said you were with the person delivering Meals on Wheels. She was so excited to meet you . It meant a lot to her. I wanted to say thank you. She has been a resident of Shawnee since 1951. Their first home was in Shawnee Village. Four out of six children still reside in Shawnee. It has been a great “little” town for us. Your visit to her home will be a memory she will hold onto close to her heart.” Beverly C.

“I’m so proud of you and how strong and committed you are. I wish I had one tenth your strength and commitment. You are really something else!” Leslie P.

“Thank you for all you do. You are being a great mayor.” Jack W.

“You are so involved and passionate and you are everywhere all the time!” Jean N.

“We have a wonderful Mayor who goes above and beyond every day. I am so proud and thankful and you are our Mayor, God Bless You.” Carol W.

“Mayor - just a quick note to say thank you to you and Jeydan for all the help last Friday night at the event at Stump Park. It means a lot to see the Mayor working hard to make sure that those attending have a good time - and I deeply appreciate all you do to help whenever asked.” Kevin F.

“Thank you for caring so much about our city. It’s nice to have a mayor who actually comes through the doors of your business.” Carrie B.



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