Month: September 2022

Central Avenue apartment project advances

A Central Avenue apartment project at 505 Central advanced at Monday night’s Unified Government Economic Development and Finance Committee meeting.

The committee approved a resolution of intent to issue industrial revenue bonds not to exceed $25 million for this project. The IRBs now will go to the full Unified Government Commission meeting for approval.

The project will receive sales tax exemptions on construction materials, according to Katherine Carttar, UG economic development director. Last month, UG staff stated that the $6 million in tax increment financing, and the $2 million on the sales tax exemption, is not being fronted from the UG, and there would be no direct contribution from the UG for the project. They are using funds from the project to reinvest back into the project, according to staff.

On Aug. 26, the UG Commission approved the development agreement for the $40 million, 129-unit, eight-story apartment building off Central Avenue, near the I-70 entrance, near 5th and Central. The developer, Sunflower Development Group, proposes market-rate apartments.

The EDF Committee also approved a public hearing date on the redevelopment project plan for the 505 Central Ave. project for Oct. 27. This item will go to the full UG Commission on Sept. 15 for approval.

Rose Ellis, who lives in the Strawberry Hill area, spoke at the meeting to ask if the UG would own the property. Carttar said the UG would not own the property.

Patrick Waters, a UG attorney, said under an old law the UG would have had to take ownership briefly, but the state legislature changed the law, allowing the project to use the UG’s tax-exempt status.

In other action, on Monday night the Kansas City, Kansas, City Planning Commission unanimously found that the 505 Central Ave. redevelopment district conformed to the Central Area master plan. This was one of the required steps toward approval of the project.

See earlier story at https://wyandotteonline.com/central-avenue-apartment-project-receives-ug-commission-approval/.

KCK schools’ public budget hearing to be tonight

A public hearing on the budget is on the agenda for tonight’s Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools board meeting.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the Central Office and Training Center, third floor board room, 2010 N. 59th St.

The board will have a public hearing to exceed the revenue neutral rate for the 2022-2023 school year, and then will have a public hearing on the 2022-2023 budget.

Approval of the budget also is scheduled as an agenda item.

In other action, the board is scheduled to hear an update on Junior Achievement membership; a memorandum of understanding for Royals Charities Crown Schools and new 2023 graduation dates. In addition, a Foundation of Excellence memorandum of understanding is on the agenda, along with a report on Kansas Education Systems of Accreditation and a dual language program.

Several policies also are on the agenda for review.

The meeting will be shown on YouTube, according to school district information.

The agenda is online at https://go.boarddocs.com/ks/kckps/Board.nsf/vpublic?open#.


A previous story about the budget is at https://wyandotteonline.com/school-districts-and-some-local-governments-to-hold-budget-hearings-in-september/.

Current moves into first place

The Kansas City Current (9-4-5, 32pts, 1st place) began a stretch of three matches in seven days on Sunday with a 1-0 road triumph over NJ-NY Gotham (4-14-0, 12pts, 12th place).

A 78th minute penalty kick from Current defender Hailie Mace was the difference as Kansas City extended its ongoing unbeaten streak to 13 matches. Forward Claire Lavogez won the foul that led to Mace’s spot kick.

Sunday proved to be a historic day for a variety of reasons for the Current. The win moved Kansas City into first place in the National Women’s Soccer League for the first time in club history, and goalkeeper A.D. Franch picked up the 40th shutout of her NWSL career. Franch is only the second player in NWSL history to reach that mark, which marked the fourth clean sheet that Franch has kept in the 2022 regular season.

“I couldn’t be prouder of (AD), especially in the manner of how she got the shutout this evening,” said head coach Matt Potter. “I thought she did, on a tough occasion, a tough evening, the simple things well and allowed us to have that tower of strength behind our group of field players. That just speaks to who she is and we’re very fortunate to have her as a part of our group.”

Kansas City nearly opened the scoring in the opening seconds of the match. Mace whipped in a dangerous cross to the back post that eventually fell to Current defender Kate Del Fava in front of goal. Del Fava was unable to steer the ball in as Gotham goalkeeper Michelle Betos did just enough to keep the ball out of the back of the net. Betos had to resort to similar goal-line heroics in the 25th minute following a dangerous cross from midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta that bounced around in the goal box.

Gotham generated plenty of early offense as well, testing Kansas City’s back line on multiple occasions. Gotham forward Taylor Smith sent multiple shots at Franch in the opening 45 minutes, but Franch was up to the task on each occasion. The Current closed a first half that featured eight shots from the visitors with a dangerous effort from Del Fava that sailed high in the 44th minute, but the sides entered the locker room deadlocked at 0-0.

The Current failed to score in the 58th minute due to more Gotham defensive efforts. Forward Kristen Hamilton slid a ball through to Lavogez in the penalty area, and the French international’s cross from the end line was arching over Betos and into the back of the net. However, Betos stretched to tip Lavogez’s effort away from the goal, followed by Gotham forward Paige Monaghan clearing the ball off the goal line to keep the match scoreless.

Kansas City finally broke through with just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation. Lavogez raced through Gotham’s defense and was pulled down in the penalty area by Gotham defender Ellie Jean to win a penalty kick. With LaBonta, Kansas City’s regular penalty kick taker, out of the match, Mace stepped up to the spot and slotted the ball in the top left corner to give the Current the lead. Mace’s third goal of the 2022 regular season stood as the match winner, which capped a performance where she recorded four total shots and two shots on goal.

Franch made one more incredible save to preserve the Current’s 1-0 victory. In the 80th minute, Gotham midfielder Kristie Mewis fired a shot on goal from the top left corner of the penalty box. Franch stretched to tip the ball off the crossbar and Kansas City eventually cleared the ball away. She recorded three saves in the win as the Current saw out the one-goal victory.

The Current remain on the road next week for a mid-week matchup against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14. Kansas City then returns to Children’s Mercy Park Sunday, Sept. 18, against the Portland Thorns.

Tickets are available for all home matches at Children’s Mercy Park. For pricing and information visit KansasCityCurrent.com.

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