Month: October 2019

Mayor seeks quality economic development projects

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Opinion column

by Murrel Bland

Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor spoke about economic development opportunities for Kansas City, Kansas, at the monthly meeting of the Congressional Forum Friday, Oct. 18, at Children’s Mercy Park. The Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the forum

Mayor Alvey said the challenge for a city is to provide basic services, such as street repair and police and fire protection, at a reasonable cost. Beyond that, it is important to encourage those businesses who will help increase the tax base.

There are about 3,500 vacant homes in the Land Bank in Kansas City, Kansas. Mayor Alvey said that during the 1960s, the trend was to bulldoze these properties. Today the approach is different as those properties can be improved and provide housing for lower-income families. He said he hopes that financial institutions will come together to help fund such efforts.

The mayor held up a document which forecasts the Unified Government’s revenue and expenses for the next five years. He said it is important to have a long-term plan that provides reasonably accurate information.

Mayor Alvey spoke of the long-abandoned Rock Island Bridge over the Kansas River that is near the former Kemper Arena in the West Bottoms of Kansas City, Missouri, and could become a destination place for entertainment and retail development. The project has also drawn interest of Quinton Lucas, the recently elected mayor of Kansas City, Missouri.

Alvey also spoke of the $25 million investment along the Turner Diagonal that will provide warehouses and ancillary development. It is estimated it will produce about 1,100 new jobs.

Two other projects he mentioned were the downtown grocery that will be near Sixth Street and State Avenue and the American Royal campus that will be built in Village West.

The mayor also told of the new owners of the Kansas City T-Bones, Max-Fun Entertainment. The Unified Commission approved an agreement with Max-Fun last Thursday, Oct. 17. Matt Perry, the new president of the T-Bones, has pledged he will make improvements to the stadium that the Unified Government owns.

Mayor Alvey said the Unified Government will continue to seek the collection of back rent and utility payments that is owed by the previous owners of the T-Bones.

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids spoke to the group, via a large television screen. She said that she was able to help convene a meeting of the Congressional Small Business Committee at Kansas City Kansas Community College. She said she continues to spend time with area businesses including YRC Freight, a trucking company.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.

Candidate forums being shown on cable TV and online

Candidate forums that were held last week at Kansas City Kansas Community College are being shown on cable TV and online.
The forums were sponsored by Business West and neighborhood organizations, along with KCKCC.


The general election will be Nov. 5, with in-person early voting starting Saturday, Oct. 26, at three locations.


The forums are on KCEC cable channel on Spectrum Cable (Wyandotte County) on Channel 17, and on Google TV on Channel 146. The forums will be shown now through Nov. 4.


They also are online at YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/KCECable.


The KCKCC Media Services Department worked on the cable production for the forum, and made the schedule for KCEC cable channel.


The remaining forum broadcast schedule on the cable channels 17 on Spectrum Cable and 146 on Google TV:


Oct. 21
 5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 22
 9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 23
 9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 24
 9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 25
 9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 26
 9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 27
 9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 28
 9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 29
 9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 30
 9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Oct. 31
9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Nov. 1
9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Nov. 2
9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Nov. 3
9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds


Nov. 4
9 a.m. Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education
11 a.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
Noon Unified Government Commission
1 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
2:30 p.m. Register of Deeds
3 p.m. KCKPS Board of Education
5 p.m. KCKCC Board of Trustees
6 p.m. Unified Government Commission
7 p.m. Board of Public Utilities
8:30 p.m. Register of Deeds

UG committees tonight to hear about health, safety issues in Fire Department

Health and safety issues at the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department are on the agenda for the Unified Government Public Works and Safety Committee agenda tonight.

Robert Wing, business manager of the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 64, is scheduled to make an appearance at the meeting to talk about health and safety issues in the department.

The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, at the fifth floor meeting room, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Also on the agenda for the meeting are a presentation on Capital Maintenance and Improvement Plan (CMIP) 2020 projects and major capital criteria by the public works staff.

In addition, the committee is scheduled to hear a proposed resolution to donate a 2005 Seagrave fire apparatus to The Village of Birmingham, Missouri, Fire Department; a presentation on the UG’s low-pressure sewer program; and an appearance by Tscher Manck, a candidate for register of deeds, on lack of law enforcement, and diversity of officers and firefighters in the northeast area.

After the 5 p.m. committee meeting is concluded, the UG Administration and Human Services Committee will begin in the fifth floor meeting room, City Hall.

On the AHS Committee agenda is a proposed ordinance to give a reward of $250 to anyone who provides information that materially contributes to a conviction of unlawful dumping.

Also on the AHS Committee agenda is a request to submit a Community Health Improvement Plan coordination grant application, and accept it if awarded, from the Health Forward Foundation, for $174,000. An in-kind match would be provided by staff.

Also on the AHS Committee agenda is an appearance by Ron Kelsey requesting that Planned Parenthood of Great Plains or any related organization not be allowed to open a location in Kansas City, Kansas.