Craig Weinaug

Term expires when Class of 2029 graduates.

Craig Weinaug earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University in 1974, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kansas in 1976. Craig and his wife raised four children and also served as foster parents to 18 foster children in Kansas, Illinois, and Oklahoma.

Over a 43-year career starting in 1975, Craig served as the City Administrator of Scott City, Kansas; Zion, Illinois; and Ardmore, Oklahoma.
From 1992 until he retired in 2018, Craig served the citizens of Douglas County as the County Administrator.
Public buildings in Lawrence where his name appears on dedication plaques include the Douglas County Crisis Intervention Center, and the Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health Facility. His name also appears on the 2003 addition to the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, Peaslee Technical Training Center,  Douglas County Juvenile Detention Center, Douglas County Jail, Douglas County Public Works complex, the renovation of the Douglas County Senior Services Center, and the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Station 5.

Craig received several awards from his professional peers in the city/county management profession over his career including the national LP Cookingham Career Development Award in recognition of the 25 Kansas University graduate students who worked as interns for Craig in preparation for careers in local government administration. Alumni of Craig’s office include many young women and men that continue to serve in local governments all over the country and in Lawrence. He also received the Edwin O Stene Award for managerial excellence,  Independence Inc. Hero Award, Bert Nash Pioneer Award, and the 2019 Citizen of the Years Award from the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. He also served as the Practitioner in Residence to the 2011-2012 KU MPA class.

Craig believes passionately that local government can and should be a force for meeting the public needs of all citizens. Those needs often go beyond the traditional services of local governments. Non-traditional services that continue to be enjoyed by Douglas County residents include the Mental Health Crisis Center, the Peaslee Technical Training Center, and a broad range of social services.

Craig is a problem solver. Any citizen, regardless of personal politics, class, disability, national origin, or income could approach him for help. He listened to anyone with a problem. It did not matter whether the problem was a county responsibility or not. They did not leave his office until he found the person or agency that could help.

Craig fulfilled his responsibilities as a local government administrator with love for all of the residents of the communities that he served.