In January of this year, city commissioner Ashley Hutchinson's fellow commissioners chose her to serve as the mayor of Concordia for 2026.
Mayor Hutchinson and her family have deep roots in the community. She grew up on a farm outside of Jamestown and graduated from Concordia High School, where she was student body president. She then earned a degree in political science with a minor in communications from Washburn University. She was also the student body president at Washburn.
Hutchinson's husband, Brandt, is the Vice President for Student Services at Cloud County Community College (CCCC), and was a former teacher and coach at Concordia Junior/Senior High School. Together, they raise three boys.
The Blade-Empire spoke with Hutchinson about the City's plans for 2026, and her own hopes for the community.
"Recently, the Concordia City Commission met to evaluate our priorities for the coming year, with a shared focus on getting back to the basics of local government: maintaining core services, being good stewards of taxpayer dollars, and addressing the everyday issues that most directly impact residents," Hutchinson said. "At the foundation of our work is maintaining infrastructure. This starts with ensuring the city's financial health so we can sustain existing infrastructure, both physical assets and staffing. We are prioritizing recruitment and staff development to support the people who keep the city running, while focusing resources on the maintenance of streets, alleys, and sidewalks; the essential systems residents depend on daily."
Hutchinson praised the people of Concordia and spoke about how the commission will platform the attributes of the community into sustainable action. "Concordia has been known as the friendliest small town, and that reputation reflects the people who call this community home," she said. "It is a wonderful place to build a family, and an equally meaningful place for residents to return to in retirement. Preserving that character matters. As a commission, we must continue to foster an environment that is welcoming, attractive, and affordable, while also creating the conditions needed for responsible growth. That balance is key to ensuring Concordia remains vibrant for generations to come."
Hutchinson highlighted other key priorities that she and her fellow commissioners will address this year. "A key priority is supporting the overall health and vitality of the community," she said. "Addressing blight is an important part of that effort. The commission is committed to handling nuisances fairly, effectively, and in a timely manner, continuing efforts to repair or remove unsafe and dangerous structures, and encouraging property maintenance that reflects pride in Concordia and respect for neighboring properties.
"We are also focused on policies and projects that support a strong quality of life. At its core, a healthy community needs access to resources that support physical, social, emotional, and mental well-being. As part of this back-to-basics approach, we will continue to evaluate city programs to ensure they meet current community needs and align with available funding and staffing.
"Finally, while focusing on core services, the commission recognizes the importance of thoughtful growth. We are prioritizing 'growth multiplier' areas such as housing, child care, workforce development and education, all of which are essential to sustaining the community long term.
Housing - especially affordable housing - has been at the top of the commission's to-do list for a number of years. Hutchinson said the issue is still a vitally important objective to her and her fellow commissioners. "Housing remains a particularly critical issue. The commission supports new housing development consistent with the 2022 Housing Study and Market Analysis and is committed to fostering an environment where property owners maintain safe, sanitary, functional, and attractive properties that strengthen neighborhoods."
Hutchinson believes that understanding the basics of community development and wellness will be the key to growth in every sector. "Ultimately, our goal is to focus on the fundamentals, do them well, and build from there, ensuring Concordia remains a community where residents can live, work, raise families, and enjoy retirement."
