Bill Bunten
Encyclopedia
William W. "Bill" Bunten (born 1930) is a Kansas
politician
and the current mayor
of Topeka, Kansas
, having been elected to a four-year term in 2005. Prior to becoming mayor, he served in the Kansas House of Representatives
from 1962 to 1990 and in the Kansas Senate
from 2002 to 2004. He previously ran for mayor in 2001 and in a special election in 2003. Bunten is a Republican
.
Bunten was the first mayor to be elected in Topeka under the new council-manager government, which stripped most of the powers of the office of mayor. (Instead, the city council
and appointed city manager
holds most of the power.) As such, Bunten's role will be limited to leading city council meetings, promoting economic development, and being the "ceremonial head" of the city. He replaced former-mayor James McClinton
who did not seek a second term after the powers of the office were reduced.
In 2005, after receiving a letter from a school child, Bunten was alerted to a local law which banned the throwing of snowball
s in the city. He has admitted to throwing snowballs himself (an assault
charge) and is reported to be getting that portion of the law repealed.
In 2010, Bunten decided to change the name of Topeka to Google in honor of the company Google Inc. for the entire month of March. While this change occurred, Google is not the official name of Topeka, Kansas as of yet. Reports confirm that Topeka is still the official name on the city.
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and the current mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, having been elected to a four-year term in 2005. Prior to becoming mayor, he served in the Kansas House of Representatives
Kansas House of Representatives
The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kansas Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. State of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for crafting and voting on...
from 1962 to 1990 and in the Kansas Senate
Kansas Senate
The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal amount of districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members of the Senate are elected to a four year term....
from 2002 to 2004. He previously ran for mayor in 2001 and in a special election in 2003. Bunten is a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Bunten was the first mayor to be elected in Topeka under the new council-manager government, which stripped most of the powers of the office of mayor. (Instead, the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
and appointed city manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
holds most of the power.) As such, Bunten's role will be limited to leading city council meetings, promoting economic development, and being the "ceremonial head" of the city. He replaced former-mayor James McClinton
James McClinton
James A. McClinton is a Kansas politician, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and former mayor of Topeka, Kansas who served a partial term from January 2004 to April 2005. He was appointed by the city council to replace Butch Felker who resigned amid a campaign finance scandal...
who did not seek a second term after the powers of the office were reduced.
In 2005, after receiving a letter from a school child, Bunten was alerted to a local law which banned the throwing of snowball
Snowball
A snowball is a spherical object made from snow, usually created by scooping snow with the hands, and compacting it into a roughly fist-sized ball. The snowball is often used to engage in games, such as snowball fights. Snowball fights are usually light-hearted and involve throwing snowballs at...
s in the city. He has admitted to throwing snowballs himself (an assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
charge) and is reported to be getting that portion of the law repealed.
In 2010, Bunten decided to change the name of Topeka to Google in honor of the company Google Inc. for the entire month of March. While this change occurred, Google is not the official name of Topeka, Kansas as of yet. Reports confirm that Topeka is still the official name on the city.