April 23 – Facing the Future. Joint ASPA/MARC Conference features Bob O'Neill , executive director of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Registration and further information is available online.
June 13 – MARC Regional Assembly. Keynote speaker is Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. Further information and registration is available online.
April 30: Sustainable Trends Luncheon
May 1: Stakeholder Engagement
For information on the Managers' Roundtable or the Government Innovations Forum, or to subscribe to this newsletter, contact Dean Katerndahl
April 7, 2008
Regional News
Joseph Turner leaves Parkville
Joseph Turner, city administrator for Parkville, has accepted the position of city manager for the city of Fort Scott, Kan. Turner's last day in Parkville is April 17.
Probasco takes Lawson position
Dawn Probasco has accepted the position of city administrator for the city of Lawson. Probasco comes from a planning background.
Morgan becomes Leavenworth County's first administrator
Heather Morgan has accepted the position of county administrator for Leavenworth County. This is the first time the county has had an administrator. Morgan most recently was director of public and legislative affairs and federal programs for the Juvenile Justice Authority in Topeka. Morgan starts on April 7.
Brymer to leave Olathe
Thomas Brymer, assistant city manager for Olathe, has accepted the manager position with the city of Westlake, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. Brymer's last day with Olathe is April 17.
Other regional news
The city of Gladstone has been named as one of 17 national finalists for the All America City Award. The city will make its final presentation in early June in Tampa, Fla.
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City Kansas has launched a 3-1-1 service. The call center has been functional since February, but officially launches April 7. This is the first 3-1-1 service in the state of Kansas and the second one in the metro area. Kansas City, Mo., has had such a service for over a year.
Kansas City is hosting a site visit from ICMA which is reviewing Kansas City for the 2016 ICMA conference. ICMA representatives should be here April 15 and 16. If you are interested in participating in the visit or want to recommend a possible field visit site please contact Rich Noll, assistant city manager for Kansas City, Mo.
The cities of Basehor, Edgerton, Raytown, and Lake Lotawana have just launched new web sites.
The city of De Soto has started a new solid waste management program using automated trucks.
David Dilner, city administrator for Edgerton, has started a blog on the city's web site. This provides him with an opportunity to provide information and comment on events in a more informal fashion.
Jackson County and the region are hosting the annual National Association of Counties (NACO) conference this summer. If you would like to assist or find out more information contact Joan Dickey of the Jackson County Parks Department at 816-503-4871.
MARC News
MARC launches regional economic Web site
MARC has launched a new Web site to provide information on the regional economy, kceconomy.com. MARC develops a large amount of economic data for its semiannual forecasts and in association with specific projects. The site makes this data more easily accessible. Any questions should be directed to Frank Lenk, director of Research Services.
MARC and UMKC to undertake regional poverty study
At the request of the Civic Council, MARC has agreed to partner with UMKC to conduct a comprehensive analysis of poverty in the metropolitan area. This study will act as a benchmark for any poverty initiative that might be recommended by the Civic Council. The project is anticipated to take about nine months and will be set up so the information can be used to measure progress over time.
Other MARC news
MARC's Government Training Institute is holding its 8th annual Leadership Academy. The series starts May 9 and applications are now being accepted. Questions can be directed to Georgia Nesselrode.
MARC is accepting comments on the South Metro Connection study through April 18.
MARC is in the process of completing its Community Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) in order to maintain our EDA status as a regional Economic Development District. The EDA status allows local jurisdictions qualify for economic development and planning grants. If you have comments or questions contact Molly McGovern.
The second in the series of Sustainability Leadership presentations will be held on April 30, featuring Jim Hartzfeld. Hartzfeld will discuss innovations and best practices in corporate America that reflect a renewed commitment to corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship.
MARC's Government Training Institute will host an all-day seminar, May 1, on Stakeholder Engagement: Designing Processes that Instill Citizen Confidence. This is a special training designed for teams of local government officials.
The "Destination: Safe" Coalition is accepting FY 2009 applications to fund transportation strategies that reduce fatalities and serious injuries on roadways in the Kansas City region.
Water quality public survey results are now available on the MARC Web site. The survey was conducted by the ETC Institute. The survey found that the top regional issue was education, followed by water quality and crime. Eighty-five percent of respondents were very or somewhat concerned about water pollution.
MARC has two Planning and Zoning Commissioners workshops this spring. The two workshops include preserving natural resources and reading site plans and GIS resources. For more information visit the web site .
The Government Training Institute is accepting applications for the 2008 Kansas City Metro Area Certified Public Manager Certificate Program, a program designed to provide managers at all levels of government a foundation of knowledge and skills in best management practices. The program offers a great opportunity for public sector employees to grow both professionally and personally.
State and National News
Foreclosure legislation
Foreclosure legislation is moving through the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support. Significant aspects of the legislation include $4 billion for local governments to buy foreclosed property and a $7,000 tax credit for purchasers of foreclosed homes. The proposed legislation also includes added tax credits for homeowners, new funding to refinance loans, and additional funds for counseling.
Other state and national news
The Missouri City Managers Association annual meeting is May 7-9 at Branson.
The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) has just released a research paper on local government green building incentives. The report provides a number of case studies from around the country.
A recent study by CoStar, the real estate tracking firm, indicates that green buildings outperform non-green peer buildings in key areas such as occupancy, sale price and rental rates. The study indicates that LEED buildings can command a rent premium of over $11 per square foot and a sales premium of up to $171 per square foot.
Implementing innovation is the subject of an interesting Management Insights column. The article says that coming up with innovative ideas is not the problem — it is implementing them.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has launched a consolidated Web page to help communities find information on environmental resources.
GIF News
Green Remodeling Idea Book now available
Under the sponsorship of the First Suburbs Coalition, MARC has published a book on ideas for incorporating green elements into remodeling. The development of the Green Remodeling Idea Book was a volunteer effort involving several cities, the Metropolitan Energy Center, HBA, and Piper-Wind Architects, the architect of the original remodeling Idea Book. Although sponsored by the First Suburbs Coalition, the book is generic enough to be useful to anyone doing remodeling. The book is for public distribution. If you would like copies for distribution, contact Dean Katerndahl. You can also download a PDF version of the book online.
Other GIF news
Both MARC and LINC have set up resource web pages on the foreclosure issue. The LINC site has information of special help to homeowners who may be facing foreclosure. The site includes information on counseling services and community meetings. Cities and counties can link to the site in order to provide their residents with information. The MARC web site is focused on local governments and contains resources that may be of use to cities and counties dealing with foreclosure issues.
The Cities on the Edge survey, with 15 managers participating, indicated that there was considerable support by managers of cities on the edge to meet at least a couple of times a year to address specific issues and share information. The biggest issues facing these managers are maintaining and expanding infrastructure, growth management, and attracting development. The topics that are of interest include development fees and incentives and managing growth.
The Kansas City Regional Purchasing Cooperative and MARC's environmental staff are hosting a meeting on April 11 to develop a green cooperative purchasing initiative. For more information contact Dean Katerndahl.
The First Suburbs Coalition is kicking off the second year of its remodeling loan program in partnership with Community America Credit Union. In 2007, the program completed 81 loans worth over $1.5 million.
The Regional Information Technology Managers Association (RITMA) met to discuss the use of SharePoint, a fairly new Microsoft product that allows internal teams or staff and external clients work together and share information. Implementation of such a technology can transform how an organization operates. A number of local governments are beginning to use the technology. For more information contact Dean Katerndahl.