Tuesday, July 9, 2014

WyCo District Court Judge Kathleen Lynch, Sumner Academy
teacher Erick Jensen, and Mayor Mark Holland give a
thumbs up as
they prepare to take the plunge on the World's tallest waterslide
.
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Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas

More Luxury Apartments to be Built in Village West

Mayor Mark Holland joined officials of the NorthPoint Development group for another groundbreaking to kick-off the second round of construction of new first classes apartments in western Wyandotte County. 

 

The development firm is near completion of the 306-unit development. There are just two units remaining to be completed. The second phase will bring an additional 311 units to the already growing area. 

 

"About 15 years ago we had a gas station, a liquor store and a KFC out here. Now the Village West area generates over $650 million in annual sales. It represents ten percent of the total valuation of the county. It's because of partners like you and NorthPoint that this growth continues," said Mayor Mark Holland.  

 

Construction is expected to begin on the Village West complex this summer, with completion in about one year. About two-thirds of the market-rate apartments will be one-bedroom units, the remainder two-bedroom. The average monthly rent will be about $1,150.

 

The next phase is very exciting and I have to tell you this is only the start. We have 275 acres and these two projects will take about 26 acres total so we have a lot of land left. We look forward to working with the UG to help propel the economy through even more development," says Steven Allison, with Allison Family Trust out of San Diego, CA.

 

The amenities will include a club house, fitness center, racquetball court and pool.

 

"Everyone knows these things don't pop out of the ground by themselves. It takes a whole team and it takes a lot of effort from a lot of people and we're proud as the Unified Government to part of that team," said Holland. "NorthPoints success is our success. There during a great job in our community."  

 

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2015 Proposed Unified Government Budget

County Administrator Doug Bach will present the 2015 Proposed Unified Government Budget on Thursday at 5pm in the Commission Chambers on the lobby level of City Hall.

 

The presentation will outline the financial strategies and approaches to funding Unified Government services and programs in 2015.  

 

Mayor Mark Holland and the Board of Commissioners will then launch a month of public budget workshops to review, analysis and discuss the budget plan before adopting it at the end of July.

 

 Here's the schedule for the budget meetings and workshops.

 

  • July 10 5pm - County Administrator Proposed 2015 Budget Presentation to Commission
  • July 14 5pm - Budget Workshop
  • July 17 5pm - Budget Workshop 
  • July 21 6PM - Budget Workshop
  • July 24 5PM - Budget Workshop
  • July 28 5PM - Final Budget Public Hearing followed by Budget Workshop if necessary
  • July 31 5PM - Budget Workshop if necessary 
               
    7PM - Commission meeting to adopt budget  

 

 

All budget Workshops will be held in the 5th floor conference room. Budget Presentation and Final Public Hearing will be held in the Commission Chambers.

 

All budget workshops will be broadcast on UGTV. 

 

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WyCo Assessed Value

New assessed valuation amounts for the 2015 budget have been calculated and certified. Assessed valuation is what all of the taxable property in the county is worth.

 

The total net change for the County was +2.5-million or a 0.23% increase. The assessed valuation change for KCK actually declined by $1.4-million for a 0.14% decrease.

 

On a county-wide basis, a $20.1-million or 2% increase in real and utility property was offset by a $17.6 million loss in personal property valuation due to the on-going annual loss from the 2006 action by the Kansas Legislature to repeal the property tax on machinery and equipment.

 

Wyandotte County had experienced nearly 20 years of steady growth in assessed valuations until the repeal of the Machinery and Equipment tax in 2006 and the Great Recession of 2008.

The assessed value of all taxable property in Wyandotte County dropped from an all time high of $1.2-billion in 2008 to $1.09-billion in 2014. This loss of almost $200-million in value reduced property tax collections significantly.

 

Had the recession and repeal of the machinery and equipment tax not stopped the trend in valuation growth, the Unified Government would have collected more than $60-million in additional actual tax revenue between 2008 and 2014.

 

The Unified Government Clerk's Office certified July assessed valuation figures for the 2015 budget this past week. 

 

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Holland Among First to Ride Verruckt

After several delayed openings, the world's tallest waterslide, Verr�ckt, was put to the test by Mayor Mark Holland  as he and his special guests climbed 264 steps to the top.   

 

Speculation began to build about the safety of the waterpark's newest attraction after scheduled openings were consistently delayed. However it appears much of the mystique and rumors were quickly washed away after the huge splash from a 168 foot, 7 inch drop. 

 

In addition to Mayor Holland, a host of other daredevils tried the ride out for the first time today as well. There was nothing but laughs filled with excitement from all of the riders.

 

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Voting on Election Day

 

Election Day for the Primary Election is Tuesday, August 5th, 2014.

In about 30 days from today, many voters will go to their assigned polling place to vote in the Primary Election.  We hope you are planning to be among the people who will vote in this election. 

The voting hours on Election Day are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

 

Where do I go? 

Each voter is assigned to a polling place. The ballot meant for your community will be at your assigned polling place.  Your ballot will have all of the correct offices for which you are eligible to vote.  If you go elsewhere, you are potentially using a ballot that was intended for someone else in a different jurisdiction.  The ballot at a wrong polling place will likely not contain the offices for which you should be voting.  Please go to your assigned polling place.

 

 Your assigned polling place is identified on your newest voter registration card.  If you have lost or misplaced it, you can obtain your current polling place information at https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org. You can also obtain a replacement voter registration card by calling the Election Office.

 

If you have moved to Wyandotte County or you have moved within the county, you must re-register to know your correct polling place.  You can re-register on Election Day, but you should only go to the polling place for your new ward/precinct. 

 

What will I see when I get to my polling place? 

When you arrive at your polling place on Election Day you will find a group of election workers, who are your friends and neighbors, who have volunteered and are committed to providing you with the best voting experience possible.  To the best of their ability they follow the requirements of Kansas law to perform their duties.  Please treat these volunteers with courtesy and respect.  We want them to want to continue to work.  If you feel you can do the job as well or better, we invite you to become an election worker. 

 

For more voting information visit our website at www.wycovotes.org, www.wycokck.org/election, or call 913-573-8500.

 

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Community Field Dedication Ceremony

We're hosting a very special event and you're invited! 

Commissioner Tarence Maddox would like you to join him and guests for a special ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the restoration and dedication of the city's new Community Field in downtown KCK.

 

This family fun event will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2014 at 1900 North 9th Street in Kansas City, Kansas.

 

The day will begin with a program that will include remarks from keynote speakers followed by a brief dedication of the field after long-time coach Mr. Adrion Roberson. Immediately following the program, youth will participate in the popular NFL Punt, Pass and Kick event. There will also be an exciting soccer match between the Juba Boyz and Somali Soccer of KC.

 

Please don't miss out on this exciting event to celebrate the completion of this new field. Come out and support our youth!

 

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Washing Your Car Can Impact Water Quality

Citizens don't realize that if they wash their car on their driveway or on the street that the dirty, polluted water ends up going down the storm drain and into streams, rivers, and lakes untreated.

 

Dirty water from washing your car can include soaps, detergents, residue from exhaust fumes, gasoline, heavy metals from rust, and motor oils. Phosphates from soap can cause excess algae to grow in water. Excessive algae smell bad and harm water quality. As algae decay, this process uses up oxygen in the water that fish need.

 

Many residents don't realize how their everyday habits impact our region's water quality. Even small amounts of pollution from an activity such as washing your car can add up to big problems when it occurs throughout the Kansas City region. Remember: if it's on the ground, it's in our water.

 

As you wash your car, what can you do to help reduce stormwater pollution?

 

  1. The best way to minimize the effect of washing your car on the environment is to take your car to a commercial car wash. The average homeowner uses 116 gallons to water to wash a car. Most commercial car washes use 60% less water for the entire process than a homeowner uses just to rinse the car.
  1. If washing your car at home, wash on an area that absorbs water, such as gravel or grass. This can filter water before it enters groundwater, storm drains, or streams. Avoid washing cars on concrete or asphalt pavement unless it drains into a vegetated area.
  1. If washing your car at home, use biodegradable, phosphate-free, water based cleaners only. To minimize water usages use a spray gun with flow restriction to minimize water use and runoff. Always empty wash buckets into sinks or toilets.

 

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Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days Set

The schedule for the Household Hazardous Waste Collection days for Wyandotte County residents has been set for 2014.

 

The site will be open from 8:30am to 1pm on the following Saturdays:

 

July 19

August 16

September 20

October 18

 

The site is located at 2443 South 88th Street in Kansas City, Kansas. (South on 88th Street from K-32) or (East of I-435 using Woodend exit near Kaw River).

 

When bringing items to the collection site please label or identify all items. Items accepted include tires (limit of 10 tires and rims need to be removed), motor oil, batteries, antifreeze, degreasers, paints, varnishes, solvents, lawn & garden insecticides/pesticides, and household cleaning products. For additional information call 573-5400.

 

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Water Vision Team on Statewide Tour July 7-11

Team Leaders to share first draft of the 50-year Vision with public

 

Next week the Governor's Water Vision Team will be visiting 12 locations throughout the state for citizens to provide input on the first draft of the 50-Year Vision for the Future of Water in Kansas.

  

"The first draft of the Vision has been posted to our website and we encourage the public to look at the preliminary document," said Kansas Water Office Director Tracy Streeter. "This discussion draft is based on input the Team has been gathering for months from stakeholders representing all water uses. While we know the solution isn't a one-size fits all, we hope this can address many of Kansas' water priorities." 

 

Last fall Governor Sam Brownback issued a call to action for a 50-Year Vision to ensure a reliable water supply for Kansas citizens. The Team will be at the following locations for input from stakeholders and citizens on the first draft:

  • Monday, July 7
    Wichita, KS - 11:30-1 pm, Sedgwick County Extension Center, 4-H Hall, 7001 W 21st Street North
    St. John, KS - 4:30-6 pm, Stafford County K-State Research & Extension Office, 210 E. 3rd

  • Tuesday, July 8
    Liberal, KS - 7-8:30 am, Seward County Activity Building, 810 Stadium Road
    Garden City, KS - 11:30 am -1 pm, Finney County 4-H Building, 209 W. Lake Avenue
    Dighton, KS - 4:30-6 pm, Lane County 4-H Building, 755 N. 7th

  • Wednesday, July 9
    Colby, KS - 7-8:30 am Colby Community Building, 285 E. 5th
    Stockton, KS - 11:30 am -1 pm, Rooks County Fairgrounds, Harding Hall 4-H Building, 918 S. Elm
    Assaria, KS - 4:30-6 pm, Assaria Community Center, 315 E. Main
     
  • Thursday, July 10
    Manhattan, KS - 7-8:30 am, Manhattan Fire Department Headquarters, 2000 Denison Avenue
    Washington, KS - 11:30 am - 1 pm, First National Bank, 101 C Street
     
    Kansas City, KS - 4:30-6 pm, Kansas City Community College, Jewel Room 2325, 7250 State Avenue
     
  • Friday, July 11
    Ft. Scott - 9-10:30 am, Ft. Scott Community College, Ellis Fine Arts Center, 2108 S. Horton

"Kansas and its citizens are continually reminded of the importance of water," said Secretary Jackie McClaskey. "We look forward to hearing from folks next week because it doesn't matter what area of Kansas you live in, the entire state is affected by this issue." 

 

Stakeholders and Kansas citizens are encouraged to attend one of the Vision Tour input sessions. For more information and to view the preliminary discussion draft of the Vision for the Future of Water in Kansas, visit www.kwo.org

 

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CERT Class Registration Now Open to Public

When:
Thursdays, 6 - 9 p.m.
Sept 4 - Oct 23, 2014


Where:
 
Wyandotte County Emergency Management, 701 N 7th St Room
B-20, Kansas City, KS 66101
 
Learn more:
 
Contact us at 913-573-6300 or [email protected]

Lessons include:

Disaster Preparedness

Fire Safety & Utility Controls

Disaster Medical Operations

Light Search & Rescue

CERT Organization

Disaster Psychology

Terrorism

Disaster Simulation 

 

CERT Basic Training is designed to prepare you to help yourself and to help others in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Because emergency services personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, you can make a difference by using your CERT training to save lives and protect property.

 

This training covers basic skills that are important to know in a disaster when emergency services are not available. With training and practice, and by working as a team, you will be able to protect yourself and do the greatest good for the greatest number after a disaster. 

 

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Road Closure Sign
Road ClosuresConstruction Barrel

Based on information provided by both the UG's Public Works Department and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), we are able to provide motorist living in Wyandotte County an update on road and highway projects.

 

This information can be useful to prepare individuals, commuting to and from work, with early warnings on minor delays. This also encourages motorists to use alternate routes due to land and ramp closures.
  

No UG Closures to Report

 

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KDOT Logo

I-670 at 7th Street Bridge Joint Replacement Project

On Monday, July 14, a joint replacement project will begin on the westbound I-670 over 7thStreet bridge in Kansas City (Wyandotte County). Project work includes the replacement of the bridge expansion joints. Work will take place during daylight hours, Monday through Friday, with some occasional Saturday work.

 

Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, July 14, westbound I-670 over the 7th Street bridge from the Kansas/Missouri state line west to just past the west end of the bridge will be reduced to two open lanes, 24/7 round the clock, for joint replacement work throughout the project duration. (See map above.) Traffic will be detoured through the project work zone via concrete barrier, signage and cones. NOTE: The traffic control for this project will be directly adjacent to a Missouri Department of Transportation bridge repair project that has one lane of westbound I-670 over Genessee/Wyoming/Liberty/Beardsley Roads closed in the West Bottoms area.

Advance message boards will alert traffic to the westbound I-670 lane closure. There will be an 11-foot lane width restriction through the project work zone throughout the duration of the project. Drivers should expect delays during peak commute times and may wish to use alternate routes if possible.

Updated daily traffic information for this project and the entire Kansas City Metro Area can be viewed online: www.ksdot.org/kcmetro/laneclose.asp

The Kansas Department of Transportation urges all motorists to be alert, obey the warning signs, and "Give 'Em a Brake!" when approaching and driving through the project work zone.

PCI (St. Michael, MN) is the primary contractor on this bridge joint repair project with a total contract cost of $750,000. The scheduled completion date for the overall project is late September 2014, weather permitting.

This project is funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas Legislature in May 2010. Find out more about this and other T-WORKS projects at: http://kdotapp.ksdot.org/TWorks/.

For more information on this project, please contact Kimberly Qualls, Northeast Kansas Public Affairs Manager at (785) 640-9340, or Amy Pope, Construction Engineer, Bonner Springs at (913) 721-2754. (KDOT Project # 670-105 KA-3188-01). 

 

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Daily Lane Closure Highway Project Sign

Remember, you can always go to the KDOT website for up to the minute road closures and traffic information. 

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This Week in Kansas City
More Luxury Apartments to be Built in Village West
2015 Proposed Unified Government Budget
WyCo Assessed Value
Holland Among first to ride Verrückt
Voting on Election Day
Community Field Dedication
Washing Your Car Can Impact Water Quality
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days Set
No UG Closures to Report
I-670 at 7th Street Bridge Joint Replacement Project
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