P. O. Box 17-1453
Kansas City, KS 66117-0453
(913) 422-1020, ext. 1309.
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WCEDC
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November 1998
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1997
History
of the Wyandotte County Economic Development Council
March 1999
Elected officials representing the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, City of Bonner Springs, City of Edwardsville, and the Board of Public Utilities make up the WCEDC along with members of the Kansas City, Kansas and Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Chambers of Commerce. WCEDC is a 501(c)3 corporation (Wyandot Development Corporation) and is supported by local government staff.
The initial charter of WCEDC was to develop a county-wide strategic plan. With the help of a Southwestern Bell grant, such a plan was completed in 1990. The unique, citizen-based plan focused on core issues of education, economic development, community life and local government. The Citizen's Planning Committee (CPC) continues to update the plan every five years keeping the process alive and fresh. The CPC reports to the WCEDC at their bimonthly meetings, and together, citizens and elected officials chart the course for the county.
Major accomplishments of the WCEDC, along with the CPC, include winning the National Civic League's prestigious All-America City Award in 1992; supporting the 1996 consolidation of city and county to the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas; creating collaborative efforts for a Communication Hub, Wyandotte Development, Inc., the Literacy Council, and the Early Childhood Council.
In June, 1997, Kansas City, Kansas/Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Missouri joined forces to host the first ever bi-state All America City Competition. Event activities were held throughout both cities. The Honorable Ted Stolfus, Mayor of the City of Bonner Springs was co-chairman of the even along with Pauline Rios of Kansas City, Missouri. The WCEDC was the financial agent for this historic event.
WCEDC and CPC also sponsor the popular biannual "Best of Wyandotte" awards ceremony, which is a local initiative to honor the BEST organizations in Wyandotte County.
In 1995, the CPC held a series of public forums culminating in a county-wide strategic planning session, which was held in September at the Reardon Center in Kansas City, Kansas. The goal was to develop for the community the next 5-year strategic plan, VISION 2000, as it approached the turn of the century. Five major visions evolved from this meeting:
- COMMUNITY AND SELF IMAGE VISION: "Wyandotte County is recognized as the center of cultural and ethnic diversity in the Midwest." Citizens working on this vision will produce a video highlighting all of the ethnic festivals held in the area.
- YOUTH/SCHOOLS VISION: " Adults are involved in the lives of youth, helping them to achieve academic success, positive recreation and successful employment." All five school districts in the county have participated in a Youth Partnership Agreement which commits students, teachers, and parents to ensuring that all students achieve to their highest level. All recreational facilities have been inventoried and efforts are on-going to increase organized recreational activities in the county.
- NEIGHBORHOODS & HOUSING VISION: " The county is a community of neighborhoods linked by a Neighborhood Council, high tech communications and strong leadership. Collaboration among neighborhoods and government services is achieving outstanding results, especially in housing rehab and new construction." The neighborhoods are joined through a group called Connect The Dottes, and communication is improving. The number of neighborhood groups has risen from approximately 30 to over 120 in 1998. With multiple Community Development Corporations working on housing construction and rehab, the vision is being made a reality. Recommendations by the Urban Land Institute in 1999 will assist in establishing a model for ensuring success in each of these efforts.
- RETAIL BUSINESS VISION: "All of Wyandotte County's retail business - regional, community and neighborhood - is inventoried; needs for new retail services are identified and marketed; and cooperative county-wide promotion is happening." A retail inventory was completed in early 1998 and is currently being reviewed by government agencies and Chambers of Commerce. The goal is to develop a comprehensive marketing plan.
- CITIZENSHIP PLEDGE VISION: "The Pledge is used throughout the county, and a newfound spirit of personal responsibility is evident everywhere." The Pledge was marketed in 1997 with well over 1000 individual members of the county taking the pledge in public events during the year.
The CPC held a retreat in August 1998 and reviewed progress on each of the above-mentioned visions. Progress is being made in each area and additional topics of transportation and public safety through crime reduction were added to the VISION 2000 strategic plan. Public meetings are being held in each of these areas to craft a true community vision around which to build strategic plans.
The WCEDC's and CPC's original mission of providing a forum for public/private collaboration on issues of concern to the county continues to be strong. Over 200 members of the community have been involved in working on one or more of the above strategic plans since the idea was born in 1990. The year 2000 will find the CPC again meeting with the community to design the next five-year plan.
