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Coffey County commission backs Convention of States resolution after extended discussion
Summary
After more than an hour of remarks and questions, the Coffey County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt a resolution supporting an Article V "Convention of States" to propose amendments limiting federal power and imposing term limits.
The Coffey County Board of Commissioners voted 03/03/2025 to adopt Resolution No. 868-A, a resolution calling on the Kansas Legislature to advance an Article V Convention of States to propose amendments limiting federal power, imposing fiscal restraints and term limits.
The action followed a lengthy presentation and public remarks by Bob Stratter, identified in the meeting as Republican county chairman, who described the Convention of States effort, distributed informational material and urged commissioners to re-adopt a version of a resolution the county passed about four years earlier.
Supporters framed the resolution as a constitutional mechanism to return powers to states and local communities. "If we could get three or four states to make application," Stratter said, he argued, "we could move this forward," and he described the proposal as focused on fiscal restraint, limiting federal jurisdiction and term limits.
Commissioners asked several procedural and substance questions about how an Article V application works, including how many states must apply (34) and how ratification proceeds (38 states). Stratter and others explained the mechanics and offered historical context. Commissioners also raised concerns about risks, including the possibility of a convention exceeding its stated scope and the need for procedural safeguards. Stratter addressed those concerns by describing recent simulations and legal commentary his group had circulated.
Commissioner discussion included whether the County should refile the measure because the board membership had changed since the prior resolution and whether the commission should edit the list of named state legislators in the earlier resolution. Commissioners asked staff and the applicant about technical drafting details and punctuation in the existing resolution text before voting.
After the discussion, Commissioner McCurry moved to adopt the resolution supporting a Convention of States for the purpose of proposing amendments that would impose limits on the federal government; Commissioner Barker seconded. The board voted on voice; all present said "aye," and the motion carried.
The adopted resolution (868-A) calls on Kansas legislators — specifically naming state senator Karen Tyson and state representative Brad Barrett in the text as the county's legislators — to advance concurrent resolutions to request an Article V convention. The resolution was dated in the motion as 03/03/2025.
The commissioners did not direct immediate implementation steps beyond signing and filing the resolution; Stratter said he planned to present the county's action to state lawmakers and continue outreach.
Ending: The commission signed the corrected resolution and agreed to circulate an updated copy with minor punctuation fixes and with the county clerk’s office maintaining the official record. Any further local action would follow as state legislative activity unfolds.
