city scope winter 2011-12

Winte

r 2011

-2012

Mayor’s Memo

Happy New Year!Lee’s Summit has celebrated

many successes. Achievements, such as the Advanced Law

Enforcement Accreditation received by the Lee’s Summit

Police Department; the Gold Medal Award for the Lee’s Summit Parks & Recreation Department; the City’s “Aaa” bond rating, completion of several goals and strategies associated with the Lee’s Summit 360°: Charting Tomorrow (LS360°) strategic plan; and several initiatives and programs of departments, all make me proud to call Lee’s Summit home. Read about our recognitions and awards at cityofls.net | Main | Awards | Recognition.This year will be another exciting year for Lee’s Summit as we continue to work toward the vision set forth in LS360°. In coming months, our City will have a “community-wide brand” to showcase our unique characteristics to residents and potential visitors. Other exciting projects are the annexation of a portion of Unity Village into our community and the construction of a new building downtown to house Licata Flowers and other tenants. Both of these projects and other economic development and redevelopment goals are detailed in this issue of the City Scope.Also new for 2012 is a reconstituted Human Relations Commission (HRC) that will begin meeting in February to continue efforts of promoting diversity awareness and understanding in our City. Together individuals from the business, faith and educational communities will continue the great work of the HRC that began in Lee’s Summit in 1993. The work of those involved from the City’s boards, committees, commissions and task forces are essential to the City's success and will continue to be so in the future. Thank you to all who have served and currently serve the City in this valuable capacity. Thank you as well to those individuals working daily to help the City reach its program, initiative and service goals.If you would like to learn more about the City’s programs and the work of the boards, commissions, committees and task forces: visit cityofls.net | Main or call (816) 969-1000.

Mayor'sMemo 1

CityCouncilAdopts 2-3 WaterUtilitiesStrategicPlan

Development&Redevelopment 4 Efforts Underway

EarnedIncomeTaxCreditAssistance(EITC) 5

2012Dr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.Celebration 5

NewDistrictBoundaries 5

Mayor&CityCouncil 6

WorldTradeCenterArtifact 6 PermanentlyDisplayedinCityHall

CommunityofCharacter 6

2010NoTaxIncreaseBondProjectsUpdate 7

WinterWeatherTips! 7

ArtistEvent-FeaturingRonHoyle 8

2

TheLee’sSummitCityCounciladoptedtheStrategicPlanfortheLee’sSummitWaterUtilitiesDepartmentanddirectedstafftoadjustthewaterrateasrecommendedintheplantoaddressneededsystemimprovementsandincreasingoperatingcosts.ThedecisionwasmadeduringtheCityCouncilmeetingonDecember15inLee’sSummitCityHall.

ThisistheCity’sfirstwaterrateincreasesince2006.TheadjustmentwillbecomeeffectiveApril1,2012fortheCity’scommercialandresidentialwaterservicescustomers.Sanitarysewerservicesrateswillremainunchangedin2012,butarerecommendedtoincreaseinsubsequentyears.

ThestrategicplanwastheresultofacomprehensiveassessmentandstrategicplanningprocessinitiatedbytheWaterUtilitiesDepartment.Duringtheassessmentprocess,theutilitywasevaluatedonoperationalpracticesandprocedures,long-termplansforinfrastructureimprovements,andfinancialviabilityincomparisontoindustrystandardsandbenchmarks.Feedbackfromcustomerandemployee

surveysaswellastheCommunityAdvisoryGroup(CAG)wasalsoapartoftheassessment.TheCAGiscomprisedofresidential,businessandcommercialcustomers.

Asaresultofthecomprehensiveassessment,theutility’sstrengthsandopportunitiesforimprovementemergedtohelpguidefuturedecisionsandpractices.Highmarkswerereceivedbytheutilityforproductquality,customersatisfaction,operationresiliencyandwaterresourcesadequacy.

Theassessmentalsorevealedtheneedto:

• Establishappropriatepoliciestoaddressfinancialchallenges;

•Developaprogramforrenewalofexistingagedundergroundinfrastructure;

•Improvecustomerunderstandingandrelations;and

•Addresslong-termneedstoensuretheutility’ssustainability.

Whilealloftheseareasareimportant,twoopportunitiesforimprovementemergedasthemostcriticaltoaddressnow.Thoseareas:ratemanagementpolicyandinfrastructurestability.

TheCity’sWaterUtilitiesDepartmentpurchaseswaterfromIndependenceandKansasCity.Thecostforwaterhasincreasedduringthelastseveralyears,butthedepartmenthaschosentoabsorbtheseincreasesinsteadofpassingthemontocustomers.However,thishasimpactedtheoperatingreservesofthedepartmenttoapointtheassessmentidentifiedaneedtoaddressthiswithaseriesofminorrateincreasesduringthenextfewyears.Sewerrevenueisalsonotinalignmentwithwastewatertreatmentcosts.Thecostoftreatingwastewaterisexpectedtograduallyincreasemorethan75%duringthenext10yearsaccordingtoprojectionsbyLittleBlueValleySewerDistrict.

City Council AdoptsWater Utilities Strategic Plan

A sewer line with visible cracks.

3

Duringthelast12months,therewereanumberofwaterandsewerlinebreaks–approximately190resultinginservicedisruptionsandcustomerinconveniencesacrosstheCity.Theselinebreaksandfailuresrepresentanincreasingproblemduetoourcommunity’sagingundergroundinfrastructure.

Repairstowaterlinesinourcommunityhavemainlyconsistedofpatchingwherethebreaksoccur.However,thisisconsideredatemporarysolutiontoaproblemthatwillcontinuetoincreaseinfrequencyandseverityiftheselinesandpipesarenoteventuallyreplaced.

ThestrategicplanincludesarecommendationfortheCitytoadjustthewaterandsewerratestohelpfundrisingcostsforwaterpurchases,sewagetreatmentandforfuturesystemimprovements.Adjustmentstothemonthlycombinedwaterand

sewerbillsarenotexpectedtoexceed6%.Withtherateadjustment,Lee’sSummitcustomersareexpectedtocontinuepayingamongthelowestratesforwaterandsewerservicesinthemetro.

Forexample,thecombinedsewerandwaterrateincreasemonthlyin2012wouldonlyaddanestimated$2.91tothemonthlywaterbillforresidentialcustomersusing5,000gallonsofwaterpermonth.Bythefifthyearoftherateprogram,customersusing5,000gallonsofwateramonthwouldpayan

estimated$3.87moreamonth.

In addition to implementing the rate adjustment, steps are being taken to:

•CreateaWaterUtilitiesAdvisoryCommittee,whichwouldbeanexpansionoftheexistingWaterTapFeeCommittee

•InitiateaCostofServiceStudytohelpdeterminefuturerateadjustments

•Implementthegoalandstrategiesofthestrategicplaninthenext6monthsto1year

FormoreinformationabouttheWaterUtilitiesStrategicPlan,call(816)969-1900.Downloadthereportatcityofls.net | Utilities | Publications and Reports.YoucanalsoviewtheDecember8strategicplanpresentationtotheCityCouncilatcityofls.net | Main site.

* Johnson County includes the following cities in Kansas: Leawood, Lenexa, Merriam, Mission Hills, Mission, Overland Park, Prairie Village, Roeland Park and Shawnee.

A water main break last year in Lee’s Summit.

$300.00

$400.00

$500.00

$600.00

$700.00

$800.00

$900.00

$1,000.00

$1,100.00

$1,200.00

$-

$100.00

$200.00

WATER SEWER AVERAGE - TOTALAnnual Cost of Water & Sewer(based on monthly consumption of 5,000 gals.)

4

Development & Redevelopment Efforts UnderwayEconomicdevelopmentandredevelopmentremain

prioritiesintheCity’sefforttoattractcorporationsandbusinessestoinvest,re-investandexpandinLee’sSummit.Agrowthinourcommercialbasewhetheritbeadditionalsalesorpropertytaxes,allowstaxingjurisdictions,suchastheCity,schoolandlibrarydistrictstohavelessdependenceonresidentialpropertytaxes.Workhasbegunonseveralsuchprojectsthatwillhaveapositiveeconomicimpactonourcommunity.

Licata Building

Thereisanewbuildingunderconstructiondowntownon3rdStreet.LicataFlowerswillbeoneofthetenantsofthisnewbuildingthatwillhave5,000squarefeetofcommercialspaceand4,000squarefeet

ofresidentialspaceupstairs.TheprojectwasmadepossiblebytheLandClearanceforRedevelopmentAuthority(LCRA)programthatassistswiththeredevelopmentofbuildingsorpropertiesthathaveapotentialofprovidingahighereconomicvaluethanitscurrentuse.TheDowntownMasterRedevelopmentPlanadoptedin2004encourages“mixed-use”developmentsthatcombineretail,officeandresidentialactivities.Thegoalistocreateplacesthathaveaconstant“buzz”ofactivitiesinourdowntown.ThenewLicatabuildingsupportsthesemasterplangoals.

OtherareasoftheCitycurrentlystudiedfordevelopmentandredevelopmentpotential:

•SouthM-291and50Highwayarea,includingAdesssaAutoAuctionandtheCalmarpropertysites

•NorthM-291HighwayCorridorbetween50HighwayandInterstate470

•M-150HighwayCorridorfromDocHenryRoadtojustwestofPryorRoad

Infrastructureneeds,bestlandusepracticesandcostestimatesforimprovementsareapartoftheanalysisofthesecorridorsfordevelopmentandredevelopmentpotential.

Unity VillageInlateDecember,theCity

incooperationwiththeUnityVillageSchoolofChristianityapprovedtheannexationanddevelopmentofapproximately300acresoflandsouthofColbernRoadbetween350HighwayandDouglasRoad.Residentialpropertiesarenotincludedintheannexationatthistime.Asapartofthedevelopmentphase,thepropertycouldcontainanestimated2.2millionsquarefeetcapacityfor"ClassA"andothercommercial-orienteddevelopmentuponfullbuild-out.Atractofapproximately25-30acreswithinPhase1wasdonatedtotheCityforusebytheLee’sSummitParksandRecreationsystem.ContinuetowatchforupdatesontheseprojectsinthisnewsletterandtheCity’sWebsite,cityofls.net | Development | Redevelopment.

The annexation area is outlined in yellow.

5

2012 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

January 16, 2012Pre-show

at 5:30 p.m.Celebration

at 6 p.m.Makeplanstoattend

thecommunity-wideDr.MartinLutherKingJr.celebrationonMonday,January16,2012inthePavilionatJohnKnoxVillage,520NWMurrayRoad,Lee’sSummit.

“StoneofHope”isthethemeoftheeventthat

willincludemusic,dance,songsandaculturalextravaganzaonstage.Thecelebrationbeginswitha5:30p.m.pre-showfollowedbythecelebrationat6p.m.

Amongtheperformers:HeritageDanceMinistry;NartanAcademyofDance;ElGrupoAtotonilco;Lee’sSummitWestHighSchoolAirForceJuniorROTCColorGuard;Lee’sSummitHighSchool;Lee’sSummitWestHighSchoolDrumline;andPleasantLeaMiddleSchoolBlack&GoldChoir.

AninspirationalmessagewillcomefromPastorArmourD.StephensonIIIofCityofTruthChurchinKansasCity,Mo.Therewillbeavideotaped“Reflection”byCongressmanEmanuelCleaverIIaboutDr.KingandthesignificanceofthemonumentbuiltinhishonorinWashington,D.C.Fox4ReporterTerraHallwillserveasthemistressofceremonies.

This is a free event and the community is encouraged to attend and bring friends to help

us celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King.

Save the Date!

TheCityofLee'sSummit,inpartnershipwiththeLee’sSummitChamberofCommerceandUnitedWayofGreaterKansasCity,isconductingFREEtaxpreparationservicesforqualifyingLee’sSummitresidents.

TheEarnedIncomeTaxCredit(EITC)isarefundablefederaltaxcreditforlow-incomeindividualsandfamilies.Toqualify,youmustmeetcertainrequirementsandfileaU.S.IndividualIncomeTaxReturn.TheamountofyourEITCdependsonwhetheryouhavechildren,thenumberofchildrenyouhave,andtheamountofyourwagesandincome.

Earned income and adjusted gross income (AGI) must each be less than:

•$43,998($49,078marriedfilingjointly)withthreeormorequalifyingchildren;

•$40,964($46,044marriedfilingjointly)withtwoqualifyingchildren;

•$36,052($41,132marriedfilingjointly)withonequalifyingchild;

•$13,660($18,740marriedfilingjointly)withnoqualifyingchildren

Visitwww.irs.govorcallUnitedWayat(816)472-4289formoreinformationortaxrelatedquestions.

ThesefreetaxpreparationserviceswillbeheldeveryTuesdayinFebruaryfrom6to8:30p.m.atCityHall,220SEGreenStreet.Call(816)969-1011forweather-relatedcancellationnotification.

TheCityCharterrequiresdistrictboundariestobereviewedfollowingeachdecennialcensus.Afterthe2010Census,theCityCouncilestablishedaRedistrictingCommitteecomprisedoftwocitizensfromeachofthefourdistricts,torevisethedistrictboundariestoreasonablydistributethepopulationbetweentheexistingdistricts.

Toviewthenewdistrictmapvisitcityofls.net | Main site | Elections

New District Boundaries

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C.

2011 Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

FREE Tax Preparation Assistance

66

ViewtheWorldTradeCenterartifactMondaythroughFridayfrom8a.m.to5p.m.across

fromtheTreasuryDepartmentonthefirstfloorofLee’sSummitCityHall,220S.E.GreenSt.Theartifactisastructuralsteel“I-beam”removedfromalargerportionofasteelbeamfromaWorldTradeCentertower.

District1JamesHallam

3996SEDocHenryRd.(64082)

(816)517-7790jhallam@mid-west.net

MayorRandyRhoads1060NWHighPointDr.(64081)

(816)524-8245Randy.Rhoads@cityofls.net

District1KathyHofmann

1011SWOrringtonPl.(64081)

(816)536-3393hofmannk@kc.rr.com

District2BrianWhitley

4544SWGullPointDr.(64082)

(816)213-9366BWhitleyd2@gmail.com

District2AllanS.GrayII

612SWWaldenLane(64081)

(816)695-8845agrayd2@gmail.com

District3JosephC.Spallo

5502NEOaksRidgeCr.(64064)

(816)478-6752jspallo@sbcglobal.net

District3Forrest“Ed”Cockrell

4000Cimarron(64064)

(816)350-2523cockrelled@yahoo.com

District4BobJohnson

1000NERemingtonCt.(64086)

(816)225-6126BJohnsond4@gmail.com

District4DaveMosby

352SEWilliamsburgCt.(64063)

(816)246-1315DaveHMosby@gmail.com

Mayor & City

Council

Community of CharacterThe City of Lee’s Summit is designated as a Community of Character. Each month, a character trait is highlighted. Join us in celebrating the following traits:

• January –Courage

• February –Cooperation

• March–Honesty

World Trade Center Artifact Permanently Displayed in City Hall

77

Progressisbeingmadewiththepublicsafety,infrastructureandroadimprovementprojectsapprovedbyvotersinNovember2010fortheNoTaxIncreaseBondElection.Thefollowingisanupdateabouthowthepiecesarecomingtogetherfortheseprojects:

• Emergency Services Radio upgrade: $2 million. Withtheplanningphaseofthisprojectcompleteandsomeequipmentpurchased,implementationis

scheduledtobeginJanuary2012.UponcompletionoftheimplementationinMay2012,theradiosystemwillhaveseveralpublicsafety-ratedcomponentsinplace

toprovideastrongersignalandmeettheFederalCommunicationsCommission(FCC)mandatetoreducethebandwidthto12.5MHzbytheyear2013.

• Police Facilities Upgrade: $8 million. Thedesignphaseforboththepolicetrainingfacilityandthepolicedetentionfacilityiscurrentlyunderwayandwillconcludethiswinter.Thebidphaseistentativelysettostartinthespringof2012andcontractorselectionisscheduledforcompletionbyAprilof2012.Theconstructionisscheduledtotakeplacefromsummer2012throughfall2013.

• Sidewalk Rehabilitation Program: $2.5 million. ThroughouttheCity,anumberofAmericanwithDisabilitiesAct(ADA)rampswerebroughtuptocurrentstandards.Inthespring,bidswillbeacceptedtorepairverticaloffsetsmeasuring½-to1-inchandtoaddressadditionalnon-compliantADAramps.

• Curb Replacement Program: $9.36 million. Twocontractshavebeencompletedthatreplaced235,000linearfeetofdeterioratingcurbsandguttersonresidentialstreetsin20neighborhoodsbuiltwithinthelast20years.Atleasttwoadditionalcontractswillbidinearlyspring2012

• Strother Road Improvements: $3.675 million. Currently,theCityisindiscussionswithmultiplepropertyownersaboutright-of-wayacquisitionfortheprivatelyownedpropertieslocatedbetweenInterstate470andLee’sSummitRoad.

• View High and I-470 Improvements: $1 million. Transportationimprovementswillhappentoaccommodatedevelopmentwhenitoccursinthecorridor.

• Tudor Road Improvements: $10.8 million.Thisproject,toprovideaccesstolandforfutureeconomicdevelopment,isbeingdesignedintwophases.ThedesignofPhase1,fromDouglasStreettoapproximatelyMain,isnearingcompletionandtheright-of-wayisbeingacquiredinordertoreceivebidsinspring2012.ThePhase2designoftheproject,fromMaintoWardRoad,isunderwayandwillinvolvecoordinationwiththeUnionPacificRailroadtoconstructabridgeoveritsmainline.

•Stayup-to-dateonwinterweatherandroadconditionsviatelevisionandradionewscasts

•Sign-upfortheCity’sfree,snowremovalupdatesvia www.nixle.com

•Removevehiclesfromstreetstopreventadelayandtoimprovethesnowremovalprocess

•Shovelsnowtothesideofyourdrivewaytolessentheamountofsnowleftattheentranceofyourdriveway

•CalltheSnowDeskat969-1870.Normalbusinesshoursare7a.m.to3:30p.m.MondaythroughFriday.Duringwinterstormevents,theSnowDeskoperates24hoursaday.

Winter Weather Tips!

2010 No Tax Increase Bond Projects Update

8

City of Lee’s Summit220SEGreenStreet

Lee’sSummit,MO64063

(816) 969-1000www.cityofls.net

PRSRTSTDU.S.POSTAGE

PAIDPermitNo.79

Lee’sSummit,MO64063

ECRWSS

RESIDENT/BUSINESS

Important Community Phone Numbers

CityHall...............................................(816)969-1000ChamberofCommerce......................(816)524-2424DowntownMainSt.,Inc...................(816)246-6598EconomicDev.Council......................(816)525-6617GamberCenter....................................(816)969-1580LSSocialServices...............................(816)525-4357OATSBus.............................................(816)380-7433MetroflexDowntownBus.................(816)346-0802

Phone Numbers General Information .................... 969-1000 Animal Control .......................... 969-1640 Administration............................969-1010 Mayor........................................969-1030 CityCouncil..............................969-1010 CityManager............................969-1013 Codes Administration Inspect.&PlansReview..........969-1200 NeighborhoodServices...........969-1200 Fire Department BusinessOffice.........................969-1300 Emergency Calls .................... 911 Municipal Court..........................969-1150 Parks & Recreation.....................969-1500 Planning & Development..........969-1600 Police Department BusinessOffice.........................969-1700 Emergency Calls .................... 911 Public Works Airport.......................................969-1182 Engineering..............................969-1800 Operations(Streets).................969-1870 ResourceRecoveryPark..........969-1980 Recycling..................................969-1804 Treasury Dept.(taxinfo.)............969-1139 Water Utilities Operations.........969-1940 CustomerService(billing).....969-1900

Artist Reception Featuring Ron HoyleChat one-on-one and view portraits and drawings!

ArtworkwillbeondisplayinCityHallfromJanuary19

throughmid-April2012.Exhibit Hours: Monday-Friday,8a.m.-5p.m.

Lee’s Summit City Hall220 SE Green St.

Thursday, January 19, 20125:30-7:00 p.m.

Enjoy light refreshments and wine sampling.Corner Photo

Courtesy of Jeanne

Bucey