Two Miami County Mayors have been nominated for the Kansas Mayor of the Year Award. Mayor Artie Stuteville in Paola and Mayor Mark Govea in Osawatomie are up for the award. They are among 13 mayors from across the State nominated by the Kansas League of Municipalities Annual Award. Mayor Mark Govea, in Osawatomie, is known for carrying a camera and capturing both the highs and the lows of the community, from high school sports to devastating flooding in the city last year. According to the Miami County Republic, he is known as the “Storyteller” for the community, and his photographs populate the websites of local organizations and the walls of businesses.
Last Summer, Govea had the honor of driving one of the first soap box derby cars from 12th street to the John Brown Memorial Park entrance, to kick off the event — the first ever Soap Box Derby in the state of Kansas. Govea has worked as the point person for Catholic Charities’ distribution of groceries and turkeys to area families in need. He has also been actively involved in construction of the trailhead for the Flint Hills Nature Trail, establishing Osawatomie as the eastern terminal for the trail.
