The past few weeks have been an adventure, one that I have dreamed of for 30 years. Last summer we purchased a Gold Wing motorcycle from Dell’s Powersports, setting the stage for a touring vacation.

We spent 12 glorious days exploring North and South Dakota, culminating in the Smidt family reunion in White, S.D. My two great aunts, 96 and 101 years young, along with many members of my maternal grandfather’s family, enjoyed a great reunion. Our travels took us to the Crazy Horse Memorial, Mount Rushmore, Needles Highway, Spearfish Canyon, Standing Rock Indian Reservation, the Corn Palace, Laura Ingalls Wilders’ Homestead and Pageant, and the cities of Brookings and White. What a truly remarkable country we live in!

When we arrived in Brookings, a city of about 20,000, we spent a little time seeing the sights and discovering hidden treasures. Tree-lined streets with sidewalks set far back from the right of way enhanced the walk-ability and attractiveness of the community. Their downtown is vibrant and focused on local business, dining, and entertainment. Like many cities along an interstate highway, their business community also included national chain stores and restaurants at their interchanges. Similar to Blue Springs, Brookings has its own economic development corporation collaborating with the city to achieve balance, as it pursues opportunities for growth and development.

Blue Springs was again recently honored by Money magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live,” ranking us 49th out of a total 100 cities honored. Our low cost of living, nationally recognized schools and low tax rates helped us stand out among the 746 cities considered for recognition.

It is a blessing to live in one of the best cities in America, but that blessing requires commitment from our residents and our elected leaders. One of our long-standing challenges is the revitalization of our downtown. The city has adopted a blueprint for that revitalization that will allow our downtown to grow to a size that is appropriate in relationship to our current population. Our downtown business owners, city government and Chamber of Commerce continue to work hard to provide and promote events that encourage residents and visitors to the downtown area. These events help to generate the synergy necessary to make our downtown thrive.

By working together, we have the ability to make this happen. There are those in our community with the available resources to bring more business opportunities into our downtown. However, they need the confidence that we will support those businesses once they open their doors. We need to focus on local innovation and creating a unique mix of businesses that will make our downtown a destination for residents and visitors alike.

Rotary Park at Railroad Lake is one of the most popular in our city park system and one of my personal favorites.

Each Sunday evening throughout the summer, the gazebo on the south side of the pond comes alive with the sounds of blues, jazz and rock ’n’ roll. Residents bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the free concerts with family and friends. This past Sunday, the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce sponsored the concert that featured The Elsea Smith Band, hosted its annual member appreciation event with hamburgers and hotdogs and provided free ice cream for everyone who attended the concert.

As Wanda and I enjoyed the fellowship and music with our friends, neighbors, and fellow chamber members, I realized these events and activities are just a part of what makes our small town a great community. I say small town, yet Blue Springs is the tenth largest city in Missouri.

As Blue Springs has grown, we have maintained a welcoming, small-town, bedroom community feel without inhibiting the growth required to provide for our citizens. As I looked across the park, I saw friends and neighbors listening and laughing, enjoying the beautiful evening together. I saw business associates benefitting from the opportunity to build relationships outside of the confines of the workday, meeting family members and networking together. In the shelter house, a young child practiced her first steps, the newest addition to the chamber family slept in Daddy’s proud arms, and twins took in their first chamber picnic.
Life should be more than just work. Play is important too! A well-rounded life includes time for work, time for rest and time for fun. Seek out community events, and share time with friends and neighbors. We are so fortunate to live in a community that provides a wide variety of recreational events and opportunities to enrich our lives. Walk the paths, pack a picnic lunch, enjoy the art pieces in our parks, or just sit and listen to the music.

The complete concert schedule is available at http://bit.ly/bscp2010.

Sometimes hope is found in the simplest of places. Monday evening, the Blue Springs City Council unanimously passed a consent agenda containing hope that the K-Mart building at 40 and 7 Highways may soon find new life and new opportunities.

Since 2003, the vacant building has been a frustration for residents and city officials, as many looked for ways to eliminate the blight that K-Mart’s closing brought to that intersection. One of the challenges in addressing the situation involved the bankruptcy proceedings that continued for several years after the store closed. It was not until late in 2006 those Tri-Land properties purchased the site and began the process of exploring options with the city regarding possible redevelopment. Several years have again passed, leaving people to wonder if anything is ever going to happen. More...

Press Release by the Blue Springs Chamber (Updated as provided by Lara Vermillion)

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Lara Vermillion, Blue Springs Chamber 229-8558

What does Leadership Mean in Blue Springs?

Leadership means something in Blue Springs.  The Leadership Blue Springs class of 2009-2010 has taken the word seriously and is putting leadership skills to work

As a part of their class this year, the group has decided to renovate some patios at St. Mary’s Manor.  St. Mary’s Manor is an assisted living facility in Blue Springs.  During one of the class sessions on Health Care group members toured the facility.  They were touched by the residents of the facility and wanted to make things a little brighter for them.

The group began forming a plan.  Group members met with staff members from St. Mary’s Manor and learned that residents enjoy outside planting and gardening, but are sometimes unable to plant because they cannot get their wheelchairs close enough to planters.  They also learned that there are never enough places for residents to sit with family members and enjoy the patio areas. 

With those challenge in mind, the Leadership class started immediately working in the community to secure donations for the facility.  Home Depot offered to help with the project and has been instrumental in selecting and obtaining furniture for the two patios and wood to make the planters.  Not only were they willing to help with materials, but they wanted to be an active part of the project as well. 

Christel Flores, Operations Manager at the Blue Springs Home Depot said, “Community service is one of the core values of Home Depot.  We have Team Depot, which is a group of our employees that are all about giving back.  We have not had a lot of opportunity to be involved with a project in Blue Springs.  We are excited to be doing this”. Haldex and other sponsors including Randy & Jan Castle, MarKirk Construction, Blue Springs School District, Hy-Vee, Betty’s Restaurant, Costco, Adams Dairy Bank, Sonic, Lamar’s, MAC Corporation and Architectural Ornaments have donated money or items to help with the project. 

Other than the Home Depot team, a group of local Webelos from Pack 604 took an interest in the project.   The scouts are working on their Citizenship badge which is a part of the Arrow of Light requirement.  They have been learning about how to be a good citizen and must participate in a service project.  “This seemed like a great way to teach scouts how to be involved in their community”, said Chad Vermillion, Den Leader.  “We are hoping that by teaching them now how to be a good community member, it will carry through for the rest of their lives.”

On April 17^th, starting at 8:30 a.m.  the first phase of this project will take place in two different locations.  A group who is building and assembling planters for the residents of St. Mary's Manor will meet at Home Depot.  Another group will also meet at St. Mary's Manor to move bricks and dirt from an existing planter and recreate a garden area with the materials.

On April 24^th the entire group will meet at St. Mary’s Manor.  On that day, group members will power wash all patios, move in the planters and new furniture and spend some time planting to beautify the area.  A formal presentation of the patios to the residents will take place around 2 p.m.

The Leadership Blue Springs Class is a program of the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce.  In 1991 the Blue Springs Chamber established the Leadership Blue Springs program.  The idea of the program is to develop a community leadership pool that will develop skills and knowledge of our community through a series of workshops focusing on business, government, quality of life, volunteer service and local history. 

Class members are Tim Stephenson (Community America Credit Union)  Tom Alderman (Blue Springs High School)   Karen Findora (City of Blue Springs) Cheyanne Reed (Adams Dairy Bank)  Suzanne Dell-St. Clair (St. Mary’s Medical Center)  Charles Weber(Blue Springs R-IV School District)   Sheryl Morgan (City of Blue Springs)   Mark Briscoe (Central Jackson County Fire Protection District)  Ralph Habben (Community Volunteer) Gregg Lehenbauer (Haldex Brake Products)   Lori Turner (City of Blue Springs) Dan Hood (City of Blue Springs)  Steve Decker (Blue Springs Police Department)  Lara Vermillion (Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce)  Amanda Meyers (Blue Springs South High School)  Anna Cole (Blue Springs High School).  They are scheduled to graduate at the June 17^th Chamber luncheon.  Call 229-8558 for more details about the project or the Leadership Class.

Lara Vermillion, IOM

President

Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce

816.229.8558 Office        

816.204.5048 Cell

1000 W Main Street

Blue Springs, MO 64015

www.bluespringschamber.com

The mission of the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce is to develop, promote and facilitate a strong economic environment in which the business community can grow and prosper.

There is a lot of talk around town regarding the Missouri Innovation Park, a development that is sure to change the face of the future of Blue Springs. A “Show Me” attitude is part of the culture in Missouri, and some need to see dirt moving and buildings under construction to truly believe that the Innovation Park, bringing with it the desired growth of quality jobs, is a reality.

Community leaders in Blue Springs laid a path many years ago, putting in place the key components to support the development of the Innovation Park by establishing the vision for Adams Dairy Parkway. As that vision has evolved, we have seen the addition of retail and restaurants, which add another component necessary to the realization of the original vision for Adams Dairy Parkway.

Two and a half years ago, as the first details regarding the park began to emerge, Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation President Brien Starner and I had long conversations about the potential the park brought to our community. It was clear that the stars were aligning for success. A project of this type normally takes, on average, approximately five years to develop the support of all the various organizations necessary for success.

In this instance, the Missouri Innovation Park has the support of the City of Blue Springs, the University of Missouri, the Blue Springs School District, the Central Jackson Country Fire Protection District, the Blue Springs Economic Development Corp., the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Kansas City Area Development Council, Jackson County, the Mid-Continent Public Library system, and many other entities in the region and state in just two short years.

This support by so many public and private organizations is vital to the success of the project and is a direct result of the passion and commitment of current and past mayors and councils, Brien Starner, and the Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation members.
Despite the current national economy, the project has continued to move forward. New legislation, referred to as “Jobs for the Future,” has been filed and would enable projects like the Missouri in Innovation Park not only for Blue Springs, but also for progressive communities all over Missouri. This legislation would allow cities more control over their own economic destiny, with the intent of attracting high-quality public and private jobs.

Our city now stands at a precipice of key decisions and actions. As citizens, we need to join with our elected leaders and the leaders of these supporting organizations to see the fulfillment of this vision for our city. In the coming weeks there will be announcements that will show visible progress and the beginning of construction of the Mizzou Innovation Center which will anchor the project and provide the intellectual property that will spur the creation of high-tech jobs in the park. The possibilities are endless, and I am excited to see this vision come to fruition.

Blue Springs City Theater - July 23,24,25 , 7:30 pm, Footloose - The Musical is also on Sunday July 26th at 2:00 pm. The City Theater is located at the Barbara Landes Performing Arts Center located at Blue Springs South High School, 1200 SE Adams Dairy Pkwy.

Street Flicks, Madagascar 2,  Friday July 24th, activities for kids begin at 7:15 pm. Movies begin at dusk.  Bring lawn chairs for seating.  Downtown Blue Springs 12th & Main St. 

Concert in the Park, July 26th, Rotary Park, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Platinum Express will be performing at this free concert.

Bowling Challenge - August 11th, Lunar Bowl, 6:00 - 10:30 pm.  This is a fundraiser for Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation and Blue Springs Education Foundation. For more information email Cindy Oddo at coddo@wrisinger-king.com

Texas Hold'em - August 23rd, Side Pockets, 2:00 pm. Your donation of $30.00 will benefit St. Mary's Medical Center's "Calling to Care" campaign.  St Mary's is a non-profit hospital that serves our community.

Today the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce hosted a little Family Feud at their annual Administrative Assistant Luncheon.  The "A-Team" (Administrative Assistants) squared off against the "B-Team" (Bosses) in a battle to figure out the most common answer to a boat load of questions.  In the end the "A-Team" won and generated close to $1000 for the Standup Dental Program for Children.  There is nothing like a little feuding to help our local charities.  You can find more pictures at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021569&id=1405337531&l=86cd12f45f 

Award Nominees
Congratulations!

Business of the Year Nominees

Tandem Paving
Sonic Drive-Ins
The Fountains at Greenbriar
Village Gardens
Side Pockets
M & I Bank
7 Hwy Chiropractic
Haldex Corporation  
Vital Signs

Business Person of the Year Nominees

David Chinnery
Bill Wrisinger
Christine Smailys
Joe Haney
Christy Gillespie 
Glen Nash
Ben Pettus

The Blue Springs School District has placed  a NO TAX INCREASE Bond Issue on the February 3rd ballot that will assist our schools in continuing to provide the best education to the more than 14,000 students currently enrolled. This bond issue will also help prepare our district for the future growth that is expected to continue in our communities.

Informational Forums

Thursday, January 22nd 
7:30 a.m.
Adams Dairy Bank
651 NE Coronado Drive

and

Wednesday, January 28th 
9:00 a.m.
The Steamin' Bean
1875 NW 7 Hwy