Janet Robison appointed as new Kiowa city councilmember

Kiowa has a new city councilmember. For years Kiowa's City Council has been all men so the addition of Janet Robison was refreshing to women in the audience at the meeting, who commented about it, and surely to the community. After the meeting, Councilmember Tom Wells commented that "we needed a new perspective."

At the July council meeting Monday night, Mayor Bill Watson announced that Councilmember R.L. Simpson had submitted his resignation last Monday. Watson said he asked Robison if she would serve on council and she said yes.

Mayor Watson appointed Robison to fill the unexpired term of Simpson. The council voted unanimously to approve Robison's appointment. Amy in the Barber County Clerk's office explained that Simpson had filed to run for his council seat prior to the June 1 deadline. Although he resigned on July 5, his name cannot be removed from the ballot for the November 2 election, she said. There will NOT be a primary. Amy said Robison can do a write-in campaign for the November election. Regardless of the election results, Robison will serve on city council until the second Monday in January, Amy said.

Robison's husband of almost 47 years is Roger. They have three children – Paul, Shawna Schupbach and Nicole Kraft. "They've blessed us with four grandchildren," Robison said.

She is president of the Kiowa Chamber of Commerce and of the General Store Board. She serves on the Friends of the Kiowa Hospital and Manor Foundation. Robison is a member of the VFW and American Legion and is involved in Kiowa's Historical Society and the United Methodist Church.

"I couldn't do all the things I do without my family and friends' support and help!" Roger is "retired" (a mechanic and more) she said with a laugh. He's been a fireman over 50 years, and is assistant fire chief in Kiowa and district fire chief for Barber County RFD #1. "I ask for his help a lot, along with our girls and their husbands. I couldn't do it without them."

When the Newsgram asked Simpson for a statement of why he resigned from his council seat, he declined. Simpson was the council president so they had to replace him. They voted unanimously to make councilmember Brian Hill the council president.