May SCC Meeting

Southern Communities Coalition Meeting

Wednesday, May 16, 2018, 7:00 P.M.
South Kansas City Patrol Station
9701 Marion Park Drive
Kansas City, MO 64137

Guest Speakers

Mr. Terry Riley, consultant, on behalf of Mr. Rick Kochuyt, applicant for the proposed Shell station with Dunkin’ Donuts at the location of the vacant UMB Bank building, 10321 Blue Ridge Blvd.

For the KC Water Department, a “rates presentation” featuring Mr. Terry Leeds, KC director, Mr. Hugh Woods, Sr., financial analyst, Mr. Sean Hennessy, chief financial officer, & Mr. Harry Ingels, “trouble shooter”.

Questions will be taken after each presentation.

The May meeting will be the last until September.

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Hickman Mills Stays Losing

Apparently the Hickman Mills School Board members don’t realize that, as  the community’s representatives, their function is to vote the will of the people.  If they understood that, they would not have appointed a loser to fill the most recent vacant seat.  Shawn Kirkwood ran as an incumbent in 2016 and was rejected by the electorate.  If he had the drive to continue on the board, he could have run in either the 2017 or 2018 election; rather, he chose the easier (and more sure?) route of appointment.

Not only did the board appoint someone rejected by the community; but in doing so, they rejected two other highly qualified candidates.  Not only is Steven Ramsey qualified, but he is young and would bring a fresh perspective.  Sandy Sexton is also qualified and would bring some much needed diversity to the board, which appears to be a one-way street.

Steven Alan Ramsey for School Board

The Hickman Mills board of education is about to select a replacement for the latest resignation.  They have five candidates to choose from and it will be very interesting to see the outcome.  One of those five previously resigned, so it is difficult to see how he would actually bring stability to the board.

One of the candidates, Steven Alan Ramsey, seems very promising.  He and his four siblings went through the Hickman Mills schools and his mother was a very active volunteer.  He’s young and a professional, having earned his law degree at Norte Dame.  He was a law clerk for the state Supreme Court, worked at the Department of Health and Senior Services, and served in the attorney general’s office.  Currently, he is an assistant Jackson County prosecutor.

He seems to have the kind of level-headed professionalism that is sorely needed on the school board.  Did I mention that he’s young?  When was the last time anyone under 30 was elected?  Fresh ideas and young thinking might be just the thing to turn this district around.

Red Bridge Road Design Concepts

Notice of Community Meeting
Thursday, April 26, 2018
5:00—7:00 P.M.
St. Peter/All Saints Episcopal Church
100 E Red Bridge Road
Kansas City, Missouri 64114

There will be a short presentation on completed studies at 5:30 P.M.

The City of Kansas City, Missouri invites you to a community meeting to learn about design concepts for Red Bridge Road between Wornall & Holmes.

For more information, contact Parson + Associates at 816.216.6571 or gina@parsonkc.com

Center Planning April Meeting

Center Planning and Development Council
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
7:00 pm
Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes Road, KCMO 64131

AGENDA

1) Perry Allen, Project Director, will tell us about the widening of I-435 from State Line to Three Trails Crossing. We understand no additional right-of-way will be necessary. There will be major changes in bridges and interchanges at Wornall and Holmes.

2) Hugh Woods, Senior Financial Analyst and Harry Ingels from the Water Department will explain the changes in our water bills. Specifically: Will the rates continue to rise? Are they leveling off? When can we expect rates to decline? These men will answer our questions and concerns.

April SCC Meeting Agenda

Southern Communities Coalition Meeting
Wednesday, April 18, 2018, 7:00 P.M.
South Kansas City Patrol Station
9701 Marion Park Drive
Kansas City, MO 64137

Guest Speakers:

• Mr. Terry Riley, consultant, on behalf of Mr. Rick Kochuyt (H&R Block Plaza), applicant for proposed Shell Station with Dunkin Donuts at end, at the location of the vacant UMB Bank, 10321 Blue Ridge Blvd.
• Mr. Jeffrey Williams, director, City Planning & Development
• Mr. Joseph Rexwinkle, Development Management Division manager

Still Losing

It appears as though Freedom, Inc. was able to re-elect their three candidates to the Hickman Mills Board of Education Tuesday. While I’m not opposed to Freedom, an organization not unlike other political organizations in KC, I am opposed to a School Board whose members don’t have a clue. From their answers at a recent forum, they believe the way to gain accreditation is to support the superintendent and continue with the 5-year plan begun by the previous, unsuccessful superintendent. In other questioning, they seemed to be okay with the fact that “there may have been some mismanagement of funds” from the last $19 million bond issue because of the change in superintendents last spring. It seems like that’s an issue they should have addressed before hand. It’s not the superintendent who’s responsible for spending. The superintendent hires a CFO to oversee the district’s dollars. Then its the board, itself, who is ultimately responsible; which means any mismanagement of funds lies at the feet of the board.

But then these are the same people who approved a board policy requiring them to give prior notification before they visit any of the schools so they can then be escorted through those schools. If this isn’t board manipulation by the administration, I don’t know what is; and they can’t even see that.

They also seemed to be unaware that Hickman Mills employs ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers in order to help those students who come to the district not speaking English. Of course they also seemed to think that only comprises 7 or 8 different languages when, in fact, it’s considerably more.

Also at that recent forum, in response to a question about the district’s pre-kindergarten program, the current board president said she could speak to that question because that’s the building she visits. THE building she visits? As in she doesn’t visit them all?

This is a board that appears to not understand who is ultimately in charge. It is no different than the board of a corporation that hires a CEO. What organization would not fail if it simply approved or “rubber-stamped” everything that CEO suggested? This district will never turn around until it has a fully aware and engaged board.

 

Center Planning March Meeting

Center Planning and Development Council

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

7:00 pm

Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes Road, KCMO 64131

AGENDA

Mary McCall, our Community Interaction Officer (CIO) will present the crime report for our area.

Kevin McManus, our 6th In-District Councilman, will provide information on the renewal of the 1 cent Sales tax (includes PIAC funding). This will be on the April 3rd ballot.

Robert Woods, Jr, Special Projects Coordinator for the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department, will tell us about the revised dumpster program

effective May 1. In our area, dumpsters can be available on the 2nd Saturday of the month from May to October. There is also a multi-neighborhood clean-up available.

Doug Stone, attny with Lewis Rice, along with Ray Jagoda and Jeff Ellis, developers and Don Hathaway, civil engineer will explain a multi-family one and two bedroom apt project East of Charlotte and north of 135th St. He will also present these plans to the Martin City CID as this project is within the CID.

Michael Stuckey, Director of Facilities at Avila University. along with Dr. Ron Slepitza, President and their architect from PGAV architects will present their plans for a Master Planned Development zoning. This will reflect the university’s needs for the next 20-30 years.

Announcements:

The League of Women Voters is holding a candidate forum for open positions on the Center School Board on Wednesday, March 28th at 6:30pm at Center High School at 87th & Holmes There are two open positions and four candidates: Paul Kramschuster, Rebecca Lahann, Stephen Stricklin and Ronald Fritz.

Your input is needed in helping formulate the City’s 5 year housing policy. The current and future citywide housing issues will be discussed on Tuesday. April 10th from 6-8pm at the South Patrol Headquarters, 9701 Marion Park Drive.

Don’t forget to register your neighborhood or homes association with the City. You should have received an application in the mail. For more information contact Sarah Cecil at Neighborhood and Housing Services at 513-3036.

The South Patrol Major and CIO’s are hosting a Health, Wellness, and Safety Fair on Saturday, April 21st from 10am to 2pm at South Patrol Headquarters. They are looking for sponsors, volunteers, anyone setting up a booth. For more information contact Mary McCall at 672-2828.

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March SCC Meeting Agenda

Southern Communities Coalition Meeting
Wednesday, March 21, 2018, 7:00 P.M.
South Kansas City Patrol Station
9701 Marion Park Drive
Kansas City, MO 64137

Agenda

Guest Speakers:

• Lisa Hummel, Outreach Coordinator “Keep Out the Rain”
• Project Manager – MODOT – Discussing upcoming work on I-435
• School Board Candidates Forum – Sandy Sexton, Carol Graves, Luther Chandler and Alvin Brooks. No response from William Young.

 

Center Planning February Meeting

Center Planning and Development Council

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

7:00 pm

Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes Road, KCMO 64131

AGENDA

 

Tim Wilson with Stark Wilson Duncan Architects, will present two projects at 141st Terrace:

• MO-AN ManCaves at the northwest corner of W 141st Terrace and Madison Ave.
• A Senior Community Project at 141st Terrace and Wyandotte.

Mike Crist, owner of the former All Saints Episcopal Church at 9201 Wornall Road will present his proposal to rezone his 4.7 acre property from residential to business to be able to lease space for Coach’s Bar and Grill at the church.  (Many of the businesses along 103rd St were flooded and need to find other locations.)  This case will be heard before the City Plan Commission at City Hall on Tuesday, March 6th. (The time has not been set yet.)

Mary McCall, our new South Patrol Community Interaction Officer, will report on crime in our area, specifically at the Gomer’s shopping center location on the southwest corner of 99th & Holmes.  All businesses in that location are invited to attend our meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Missouri  Department of Transportation is having an open house forum with citizens on Thursday, February 22nd from 4 – 6pm at Center Middle School on l03rd St  to explain an extensive improvement project along I-435 from State Line to Three Trails Crossing.  This will include adding another lane, replacing bridges, increasing vertical  clearance under the Wornall Rd bridge, removing the loop ramps at the Holmes Rd interchange and numerous other improvements.

The South Kansas City Alliance will have their meeting on Monday, March 12 at 6pm at the South Patrol Station on 9701 Marion Park Dr. (behind Home Depot on Bannister) Frank White will give an update on  the jail, COMBAT and other county business.  A CIty official will provide an update on the 1 cent sales tax renewal for infrastructure (PIAC) that will be on the April ballot.

The League of Women Voters is holding a candidate forum for open positions on the Center School Board on Wed, March 28th at 6:30pm at Center High School at 87th & Holmes.  There are two open positions and four candidates:  Paul Kramschuster, Rebecca Lahann, Stephen Stricklin and Ronald Fritz.

Short-term Rental was voted out of the Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee with no recommendation.  It is now before the Council.  The City Development Department will be reviewing the ordinance with the Council and the Mayor.  We do not know when a vote will be taken.