WCEDC Minutes September 1998

WYANDOT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
(WYANDOTTE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL)
SEPTEMBER 16, 1998, 11:00 A.M.
DAVIS HALL, WYANDOTTE COUNTY LAKE

WCEDC Members Present: Mayor Ted Stolfus-Chairperson, Commissioner John McTaggart; Mayor Woody Berry; Mary Ryan

Others Present: Susan Rohrer, Craig Gaffney, Bob Evans, Boris Sztorch, Pat Brune, Terry Woodbury, Cindy Cash, Wendy Wilson, Evelyn Welton, Rick Yarnell, Jackie Hampton, Marianne Poke-Stewart, Alisa Lang, Tom Cooley, Marcia Ashford

Mayor Stolfus called the meeting to order at 11:10 a.m. and introductions were conducted.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the July 22, 1998, meeting were unanimously approved by a motion from Commissioner McTaggart and second by Mayor Berry.

CITIZENS PLANNING COMMITTEE UPDATE

A. Report on Planning Session – Mr. Gaffney reported that a CPC Planning Session was held on August 14. The group reviewed the accomplishments and progress of the five core issues of the Strategic Plan during the last three years, identified a few new issues and made some decisions on where the CPC needs to go in the next two years.

Following is a summary of the five core issues that were discussed at the planning session and the future plans for each:

Self Image – Evelyn Welton reported that the decision was made to complete the process the Image Council started of producing a brochure that highlights the ethnic festivals of our community. Additionally, the Image Advisory Council is working towards making a community festival that celebrates the diversity of culture in Wyandotte County. Both of these projects are being discussed with Kansas City Kansas Area Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

Youth/Schools – Mr. Gaffney reported that the CPC will continue to monitor the progress of the student/parent/teacher partnership agreement and work toward expanding the usage of the agreement from last year’s 17 schools. We are hopeful of finalizing an arrangement with a youth services agency in Wyandotte County to transition the administration of the agreement in the near future.

In the creation area, the CPC’s recreation task force had made two recommendations to the community. First was establishing a citizen-based, countywide recreation advisory council. At the same time, the Unified Government was considering reconfiguring the Wyandotte County Parks Board. We went before the Rules and Government Standing Committee and the Unified Commission to make recommendations concerning the establishing of the new Board of Park Commissioners. Although all of our recommendations were not adopted, we were pleased to see that the Unified Commission approved, including advisory board members, from each public school district in the county. One of our recreation task force members is being asked to serve on the new board, so we feel confident the message and work of the task force will be carried on to the Parks and Recreation Commission, and we will continue to monitor.

Secondly, the recreation task force had made a recommendation of opening our schools up, particularly in USD 500 for recreation and community use. This recommendation tied in nicely with neighborhoods and the Connect The Dottes group, so we will be working with them, the Parks and Recreation Department and USD 500 to continue the efforts of this taking place. We also would like to look around the country and research how other communities like ours have succeeded in increasing recreational/life enrichment activities for its citizens.

Housing - Terry Woodbury reported that CPC is partnering with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to facilitate the Urban Land Institute coming to KCK and assisting our community in establishing a process that will allow us to look at one or two areas of Wyandotte County while they are here. After the ULI’s project is completed, we are hopeful that we will have a blueprint for the methodology of creating long-term strategies for not only housing development, but also retail development and utilizing it in other areas of our community. We are keenly aware of the interrelationship these two have.

Retail - Pat Brune reported that the CPC’s Retail Subcommittee completed a task of inventorying retail in our community, surveying our citizens and conducting focus groups with retailers in Wyandotte County. After reviewing all of this information, the subcommittee made a recommendation that a retail development organization be established for our community that has retail as a full-time focus. We forwarded those recommendations to Wyandotte Development Inc.’s executive committee. We will continue to monitor the progress of our recommendations.

Citizenship – Mr. Gaffney reported that the citizenship core issue has focused on the marketing of the Citizenship Pledge during the last two years. Over the next two years, we would like to take on the rather challenging issue of race relations. We believe as a group that the message of positive race relations. We believe, as a group, that the message of positive race relations should embody all of our core issues.

Transportation – Susan Rohrer reported that a new issue that has come up time after time over the last three years is transportation. We believe that the issues of public transportation, highway and street development need some attention. In other words, validating the issues, creating a vision, and developing a strategy.

We would like to create a process for bringing together those entities that have transportation as a focus, such as the Unified Government, Chamber of Commerce, Mid-America Regional Council and citizens.

Access to basic services is a concern for many in our community. We would like to see if CPC can serve as a facilitator for bringing a collaborative effort together, which will study this important issue and develop some long-term strategies.

Mayor Stolfus announced that a metro-wide transportation meeting sponsored by MARC is scheduled for September 29 from 7:30-10:00 a.m. at the American Heartland Theatre.

Mr. Gaffney outlined the calendar goals that were a result of the planning session:

Spring 2000 – 5^th Best of Wyandotte Celebration.

Fall 2000 - Report to the community regarding the Strategic Plan and work toward

the next five-year plan.

2001 – Apply for All-America City Award.

B. Introduction of CPC Officers – Mr. Gaffney introduced the CPC Officers for 1998- 2000:

Pat Brune – Chair
Vice-Chair – Jackie Hampton
Rick Yarnell – Secretary
Tom Cooley - Treasurer. He will serve until December 31, 1998.

Mr. Gaffney thanked the WCEDC board for their support the past two years, and said he looked forward to continuing to work with them in the future.

On behalf of the WCEDC Board, Mayor Stolfus presented a proclamation to Mr. Gaffney for his hard work and dedication the past two years as chair of the CPC.

REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY

Cindy Cash, marketing director for Wyandotte Development, Inc. (WDI), provided an update on development issues in Wyandotte County and distributed the WDI 1997 Annual Report. She said that the Economic Development Team has worked very well and plans are to continue with this approach. All three cities in Wyandotte County are represented on the team as well as BPU, business associates, the Kansas City Kansas Community College and other educational institutions.

She reported on the Toward A New Century (TANC) program which is a joint venture with WDI and the Kansas City Kansas Area Chamber of Commerce. She said a 4-step program was initially developed which included the following items:

1. Attraction of new businesses

2. Retention of existing businesses

3. Creation of business education partnerships

4. Development of Industrial Parks

Ms. Cash said that $632,760 in new capital investments had occurred in the county over the last 5 years. The initial goal was to create 3,000 new jobs in this time period. The goal was exceeded with the creation of 4,052 jobs.

She showed the board the WDI ad that was recently published in The Business Journal. WDI has plans to update the 4-color Quality of Life brochure for Wyandotte County.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Tom Cooley presented the treasurer’s report as of September 14, 1998. The balance of the Wyandot Development Corporation account is $97,794.65.

Commissioner McTaggart made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report as presented. Mayor Berry seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved.

OTHER BUSINESS

A. Business Incubator Task Force Update – George Powell from BPU had indicated to Mayor Stolfus that there wasn’t any new information to report at this time, but than an update should be available for the November meeting.

B. WCEDC Logo – Mayor Stolfus reminded the CPC that this project is still pending.

C. November 18 Meeting Host – Unified Government. Commissioner McTaggart said he will not be available for the meeting on November 18.

D. Edwardsville Development – Mayor Berry reported that the City of Edwardsville is presently talking with two new businesses that plan to locate in Edwardsville. If this occurs, there will be over 350 created for Edwardsville and the county.

E. Bonner Springs City Manager Search - Mayor Stolfus announced that the City of Bonner Springs will be interviewing 5 candidates for the city manager position. There should be an announcement sometime next week.