Osage County — Republican candidate John Glavin is seeking to return to the Osage County Commission, this time as presiding commissioner, after previously serving eight years as the county’s 1st District commissioner.

The Unterrified Democrat made multiple attempts to interview Glavin before press time, but those requests were not returned. As a result, this profile is based on Glavin’s public remarks, campaign materials, and publicly available records.

Glavin was elected 1st District commissioner in 2012 and reelected in 2016. In December 2020, the Osage County Commission recognized him for eight years of service in that position.

Throughout his current campaign, Glavin has focused on county finances, road improvements, property taxes, transparency, communication with residents, and what he describes as treating county officials and employees fairly.

Speaking during the Osage County Republican Party Dinner, Glavin argued that the county should make better use of its financial resources rather than allowing large cash balances to remain idle. He said county government should use the available funds to invest back into the county.

Glavin said the county has been holding back about $2,000,000 per year that could have been invested back into the county, adding that residents most often ask him about road conditions.

Road improvements are a recurring theme throughout Glavin’s campaign. His advertisements repeatedly question why the county’s tax carryover increased from approximately $3.5 million in 2020 to approximately $16 million in 2025. The advertisements argue that county government should “FIX OUR ROADS & CUT TAXES” and state that Osage County should publish financial plans so residents can better understand how public funds are managed.

One campaign advertisement also criticizes what it describes as inconsistent explanations from county officials regarding the source of the county’s carryover funds, listing several explanations before concluding, “Truth is: None of the Above.” The advertisement does not provide supporting documentation for that claim.

Property taxes are another central issue in Glavin’s campaign. During his Republican Party Dinner remarks, he said county property taxes are too high and argued they should be reduced. “Our property taxes, they’re too high. We need to lower that,” he said. “We went from $275,000 in 2019, now it’s up to almost $800,000. Something’s not right there.”

Glavin did express support for the Health Department’s new Quick Care, which was launched by the current commission and Health Department Administrator Kim Sallin, and said he believes it will be “a great plus for the communities.”

Another consistent theme in Glavin’s public statements is how county government functions internally. At the Republican Party Dinner, he said elected officials and county employees should all be treated equally and argued that county government works best when officials communicate with one another and with the public.

“We can solve these problems if everybody talks to each other as equal human beings,” Glavin said.

His campaign advertisements similarly emphasize transparency and public accountability. Along with calling for the publication of county financial plans, the advertisements invite residents to contact him directly with questions or concerns and encourage greater public understanding of county finances.

Glavin’s campaign literature also emphasizes public service rather than political leadership. One advertisement states, “Osage County needs a public servant,” and promises that, if elected, Glavin “will try every day to be a good public servant.” The same advertisement concludes with the pledge, “I will be fair.”

Glavin has also received support from the Osage County Republican Committee. In a March 7 letter accompanying a $100 campaign contribution, committee treasurer Craig Rantz congratulated Glavin after he filed for presiding commissioner. Rantz wrote that one of the committee’s core purposes is to recruit conservative Republican candidates to seek public office and expressed appreciation for Glavin’s willingness to serve the community.

Taken together, Glavin’s public remarks and campaign materials consistently present fiscal management as the centerpiece of his campaign. He argues that county government should invest available funds rather than allowing large cash balances to remain unused, improve county roads, reduce the property tax burden, expand access to urgent care, increase transparency by publishing financial plans, and improve communication among county officials and with residents. His campaign also emphasizes fairness in the treatment of county employees and elected officials and frames public service as a guiding principle of his candidacy. These themes appear repeatedly across his speeches, advertisements, and campaign messaging.

“And I hope I hope you vote for me,” he said in conclusion at the dinner.