Category: Unified Government Commission

UG schedules special committee and subcommittee meetings

The Unified Government has scheduled some special committee and subcommittee meetings.

Business and Economic Development Special Committee today

The Business and Economic Development Special Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 29.

The meeting will be conducted virtually on Zoom and will be available for viewing on YouTube or UGTV cable channels. The public also may view the meeting from the lobby area of City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89627387635.
The meeting ID is 896 2738 7635.

ARPA community workshop to be held tonight

An American Rescue Plan community workshop is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight, March 29, both virtually and in person at City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

At the workshop the public may discuss how COVID has affected them and the community, and discuss how they would prioritize recovery funds.

The workshop will both be virtual on Zoom and in-person at City Hall.

Registration is required to https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpdemprDIiGd2rYOBG2IDTNYr2jZ4ldL5g.
For more information, see https://www.wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us/Calendar-of-Events/ARPA-Community-Workshop-1.

Special committee on unhoused residents and neighbors in need to meet Wednesday

The Unhoused Residents and Neighbors in Need Special Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 30.

The meeting will be conducted virtually on Zoom.

The public also may view the meeting from the lobby area of City Hall, 701 N. 7th St.,K Kansas City, Kansas.

The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88347556186.

The meeting ID number is 883 4755 6186.

Special committee on community health, recreation and wellness to meet Friday

The Community Heath, Recreation and Wellness Special Committee will meet virtually at 11:30 a.m. Friday, April 1.

The special committee meeting will be carried on YouTube and UGTV cabel television channels, and through Zoom.

The public also may view the meeting in person in the lobby area of City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87652258752.

The meeting ID number is 876 5225 8752.

UG committees to meet today

The Unified Government Public Works and Safety Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, March 28, followed by the Administration and Human Services Committee meeting.

The Public Works and Safety Committee agenda includes:

• Approval for project prioritization for grant submissions, including raising safe streets and roads for megaprojects as priorities, energy efficiency and conservation block grant and Infra grants.

• A revised grant for the bi-state sustainable reinvestment corridor.

• A request for approval to apply for a federal intersection safety grant through the Kansas Department of Transportation for fiscal years 2025-2026 with a 10 percent local match.

• An ordinance to amend speed regulations against racing on the highways, including violations for spectators at races or events.

• Approval for open burn updates.

• A resolution extending the state of local health emergency for COVID-19 in Wyandotte County, through July 1.

• A request to approve a local match of funds to move forward with the bi-state sustainable reinvestment corridor grant application.

Items on the Administration and Human Services Committee agenda include:

• A proposal for a remote worker policy, for nonessential personnel.

• An update on the fiscal impact of the minimum wage at $18 per hour for UG staff, potential issues and union implications.

• An update from the county appraiser’s office.

The meeting will be on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86146154785?pwd=Q3dQQ1Y0VDFTNHRBbEgzWFNGREpoUT09.

Also, the public may view the meeting from the lobby of City Hall, 701 N. 7th St.

The agendas are online at https://www.wycokck.org/Departments/Clerks-Office/Agendas-Minutes.

For more information about how to participate in a meeting, visit https://www.wycokck.org/Departments/Clerks-Office/Engage-in-Public-Commission-Meeting.

More information is at https://www.wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us/Calendar-of-Events/Standing-Committee-Meeting-PWS-and-AH.

Real estate values show increase

County Appraiser Matt Willard, right, and his deputy, Janae Robbins, explained the functions and duties of the appraiser’s office at the spring membership meeting of Business West.

by Murrel Bland

Residential housing values have increased more than 13 percent during 2021, compared to 2020.

That was the message that County Appraiser Matt Willard and his deputy, Janae Robbins, brought to the spring membership meeting of Business West held Friday, March 16, at The Dotte Spot Bar and Grill.

That increase was due to a high demand for single-family housing here and across the country. Nationally, there is a need for more than 4 million new homes.

Willard explained that the annual notice of appraisal and classification went out March 15 as required by Kansas state law which specifies that real property be valued at fair market value. If a property owner believes that his or her property is overvalued, he or she has until April 14 to appeal it. Real estate values are used along with the mill rate to determine the amount of tax charged.

Willard said he and his staff closely monitor real estate sales in determining values. There were about 5,400 residential sales during 2021 in Wyandotte County.

Willard joined the County Appraiser’s office in 2006 after working as a fee appraiser. The Unified Government Commission appointed him county appraiser in 2021 to a four-year term.

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