22 April 2005

Governor Sebelius appoints Tom Wright to lead Shawnee County Consolidation Commission

Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced today her appointment of Tom Wright, Topeka, to serve as chairperson of the Shawnee County Consolidation Commission.

“Tom’s years of service and dedication to Shawnee County and the State of Kansas make him an excellent choice to lead this committee,” Governor Sebelius said. “I believe Tom’s experience will be helpful as this group works through the many complex issues relating to consolidation.”

On April 18, Governor Sebelius signed HB 2083 establishing this commission and outlining the procedures the commission must follow to provide ample public hearing and notification of a final proposal. This bill also established statutory definitions for the new consolidated government.

This commission will prepare and adopt a plan to address the consolidation of the governments of the City of Topeka and Shawnee County. The five-member commission will also appoint an executive director who would employ other staff necessary to carry out the functions of the commission.

Wright, who has worked as an attorney in Topeka for more than 40 years, is a partner at Wright, Henson, Clark, Hutton, Mudrick & Gragson. A graduate of Washburn Law, Wright was a member of the University’s Board of Regents from 1982 to 1988, serving as chairman for the last two years of his term. He was the chairman of the legislative committee for the Kansas Bar Association from 1987 to 1989 and was on the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Committee from 1995 to 2003. Wright most recently served as chairman of the Governor’s Gaming Committee last year.