Councilwoman Jeanie Lauer  is inviting you to  a free event!
Congressman Sam Graves will be in the area to discuss small business legislation and provide an opportunity for you to ask questions.

Wednesday, Sept 8, 2010

12:00 – 1:00

Central Jackson County Fire District Training Facility

4715 W. 40 Hwy

Blue Springs, MO

Lunch will not be served, but you may brown bag your lunch.

Please rsvp to  
Karen Giudici at 816.392.7255 or

karengiudici@sbcglobal.net

I hope to see you there!
Jeanie Lauer

Councilwoman, District 1, Blue Springs

Once again, it’s election time, as you can tell by the proliferation of political signs, letters to the editor, and junk mailings filling up our mail boxes. There are politicians who say they represent our interests, politicians who say they aren’t politicians, and opinion column writers, current and former politicians. How do we weed out the facts from the spin and make good decisions in selecting our next leaders? It’s difficult if not impossible to effectively verify the statements made by politicians in a timely manner. We often believe what we read or hear, especially if we know or trust the source.

As I read the letters to the editor and added my own comments to several, it occurred to me that those letters have been written with the best of intentions, usually to help friends with their efforts to win an election. Letters of support to express our own individual opinion of the person, not necessarily that the person we are supporting will in the end vote the way we think they should. Our elected officials surprise us at times with their comments, and their votes not always in sync.

So how do we as voters figure out whom to cast our vote for? Whom do we believe? The answer is simple and hard at the same time. We should make every effort to learn more about the people we are supporting, and we should dig more deeply than just our personal relationship with that person. Friendship is one thing; voting is another.

I really wasn’t surprised when I read Ron Fowler’s letter to the editor supporting Sheila Solon, as they are longtime political friends with similar positions on local issues. Ron wrote about how Sheila voted against multi-family housing complexes. What he didn’t mention is that she votes for them as well. Right or wrong, she is inconsistent on this issue. Once in February 2003 she voted to put multi-family zoning on Adams Dairy Parkway and twice that I recall in 2007 while I was on the council serving with her.

Ron also talks about Sheila voting against sales taxes. Those votes were actually against the new retail development on Adams Dairy Parkway. The next time you sit down for dinner at Olive Garden or shop at Target or Gordman’s, consider that she fought hard to stop Adams Dairy Landing from coming to town. Just before she left city office, she worked very hard to scale back Missouri Innovation Park from its original 500 acres to just 100 acres. Her actions would have restricted job growth in Blue Springs at a time when we need more high-quality jobs. Again, she is inconsistent after making “real jobs” a focal point of her council campaign.

Former Councilman Solon, as pointed out by Mayor Ross in a recent article, was very ineffective as an elected official while on the City Council. I expect it would be no different in Jefferson City. Fortunately, the voters have a choice on Aug. 3. I would recommended giving strong consideration to Mike Parker. I’ve spent some time getting to know him and believe that he will best represent the interests of his constituents and will be an effective leader.

John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural address said “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” Many paid the ultimate sacrifice, and this past weekend we honored them along with the families of the men and women who serve our country. For the husbands and wives, sons and daughters of our military heroes, every day is Memorial Day.

Living in a country that endows its citizens with many rights, we also have many responsibilities, including the responsibility to participate in the political process of electing those who represent us. We are quickly approaching another election, with the primary in August and the general election in November. As we choose our state and national representatives, the importance of choosing well cannot be overstated.
Many of the candidates seeking office this fall are visiting residents at their homes, walking door to door to meet their future constituents. I hope they are listening to the issues that are important to you and me and will learn to seek opportunities for collaboration for the good of all. With thousands of voters, most candidates use some type of system to determine the most likely voter and visit those homes first. The more consistently you vote, the higher the likelihood your name will be on the list. This process may be frustrating to some people, but consider what it really means. When you do not take the time to vote, not only are you not participating in the selection of your representatives, you are less likely to have the opportunity to express your thoughts about issues you feel are important.

If you are fortunate enough to find a candidate standing on your doorstep, do not squander the opportunity to learn about what they hope to accomplish if elected. Question them about the issues that are important to you. Do not just accept the statements they make in their efforts to convince you to vote for them. Ask questions to learn where they truly stand on the issues. Compare notes with your friends on what you learned about them, review the information on their websites, and contact them if you have more questions. Candidate committees, especially on the state and local levels, are primarily grassroots, volunteer-driven efforts. Contributing your time to a campaign is a wonderful way to learn about our election processes first-hand.

Voting in every election, regardless if it is for a local city council, school district or statewide or national, is a right and a privilege. Do not take it for granted. Get involved and get informed.

In 2008 the voters of Blue Springs approved funds to expand and improve Woods Chapel Road from Interstate 70 south to the railroad tracks.

The first step in redeveloping Woods Chapel Road is acquiring the rights of way on both sides of the road. Widening the road cannot occur until this step is complete. This is a time-consuming process that involves properly compensating the property owners and establishing easements for the new sections of roadway.

While right-of-way acquisition is under way, the traffic engineers are creating the plans for the roadway modifications. These activities take time and provide no visible progress to residents in the community. As with most projects and developments, many significant steps are required that lay the groundwork for completion. This important project has progressed normally with completion anticipated in 2013. The current anticipated schedule for each section of the road is:

* I-70 to Castle Drive out for bid in March 2011, substantial completion by December 2012
* I-70 to Duncan out for bid in March 2011, substantial completion by December 2012
* Castle to railroad out for bid in March 2012, substantial completion by December 2013

As the western gateway to our city, Woods Chapel Road is a critical north-south connection for many residents. Improvements to this area are long overdue and are likely to facilitate the retail growth and redevelopment that the residents of this area of the city have long desired.

Honored Monday evening for their service to the Blue Springs community, outgoing Councilmen Sheila Solon, Lyle Shaver and Sissy Reed each received a clock commemorating their service, along with proclamations from the city, the county and the state legislature.

Each councilman spoke briefly, remarking on the positive and negative aspects of public service. Sissy Reed, who leaves after 17 years on the council, expressed her gratitude to city staff and to the many friends she made while in office. These transitional City Council meetings are a wonderful opportunity to honor those leaving office, while welcoming the newly elected.

Former Mayor Grounds spoke briefly about each outgoing councilmen, commenting, “Sometimes when you vote, everybody is not going to like you.” It takes special people with a passion for our community to serve, knowing that the decisions they make will not always be popular. I would like to join with Mayor Ross and County Legislator Grounds in thanking former Councilmen Lyle Shaver, Sissy Reed, and Sheila Solon for their service to our community.

The city clerk, Kathy Richardson, then swore in the three new councilmen. They join with the remaining councilmen to represent the citizens as they govern our community’s future. We have an obligation to communicate with them, keeping them informed regarding our thoughts and opinions on important issues they will face. Mayor Ross reminded everyone Monday evening that, “You never learn anything by talking.” Our new councilmen are ready to listen, learn and take action to achieve the desired results.

Following the meeting, I spoke with each of our new councilmen and found them to be excited about their opportunity to serve. Dale Carter spoke of his desire to encourage a pro-business attitude and to continue to work on bringing tax revenue back into the city. Chris Lievsay spoke of his passion to improve public safety and to focus on Woods Chapel and downtown redevelopment. Grant Bowerman spoke about the humbling experience of meeting the citizens in his district and visiting with them at their homes. He is eager to work on developing new business opportunities and ensure that our police officers have the best and most current technology available.

The potential of this new council is exciting. Such a diverse group will bring an expansive range of ideas, while working collaboratively and positively. Contact information for all of the Blue Springs City Councilmen is available at http://bit.ly/bscc2010 It is an honor to have the opportunity to know these new community leaders, and I encourage you to communicate with them on issues of importance to you.

Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, Chipotle, Panera, Sonic, Panda Express, Taco Bell, Planet Sub. The addition of these eight restaurants, along with new retail shops like Petco, Gamestop and Maurices in the developments surrounding Coronado and Adams Dairy Parkway have provided opportunities for residents and visitors alike to have greater options for shopping and dining.

How very different this area looked just five short years ago. The area along R.D. Mize consisted of deteriorating homes, with the majority of the area along the parkway largely undeveloped for well more than a decade.

These developments have not come easily or without conflict. Our District 3 City Councilmen have continued to look for ways to stop these developments from progressing, in spite of the overwhelming support for new retail development in our citizen surveys. As I drove through the area after lunch at Olive Garden, I observed the restaurants and shops, all teeming with customers, and I simply could not comprehend why anyone would want to impede such progress.

Our council members must continue to open their minds to the opportunity inherent in these developments and look for ways to encourage the refurbishment of older shopping and business districts throughout our city.

New restaurants have recently opened in both the northern and southern areas of Blue Springs; we have seen progress in our downtown district; and the redevelopment of Woods Chapel Road is under way from Interstate 70 to the railroad tracks. The majority of our council members are eager to continue the positive momentum of the past several years. They understand the commitment they are making to finish what began and reap the benefits for our community.

Much work remains. On April 6, each district in our city will elect a council member. This is a privilege and a sacred responsibility. Those whom we choose to represent us will influence the future of our city.

Over the past several weeks, I have encouraged each of you to be an informed voter. Citizens willing to serve are a blessing, and we are fortunate to have two candidates to choose between in each district. The following are my endorsements for City Council:

District 1 – Dale Carter will listen to his constituents, consider the facts and ramifications before making a decision, and seek collaborative solutions on the important issues facing our city.

District 2 – Sissy Reed has served our city well for many years and will provide an experienced voice of coherent reasoning. Her calm leadership and respectful decision-making will guide the rest of the council members and facilitate support for continued development of all areas of our city.

District 3 – Grant Bowerman has a clear understanding of the issues facing our city. His positive demeanor, his passion for the community, and his intelligent evaluation of the challenges facing our community will serve the citizens of District 3 well.

Candidate forums provide opportunities for those seeking elected positions to speak to the voters and to answer questions on issues and positions.

The Blue Springs Business Association hosted a candidate forum at Clancy’s last week, the first of several organizations to host such an event. Each City Council candidate and the two Board of Education candidates had the opportunity to speak regarding their goals to serve our community. I found the predominantly positive outlook among the candidates encouraging. I have a tremendous amount of respect for those who seek to serve their community, and I understand the commitment and dedication that campaigning involves.

We each have the opportunity and responsibility to influence the direction of our city through those we select to represent us. Blue Springs has three districts; each elects two councilmen on alternating years for three-year terms. District 1 includes the northern section of the city, District 2 covers the central part of the city, and District 3 covers everything south of District 2. To determine exactly which district you live in, go to http://bit.ly/bsccmap for a map.

Each district will be electing one council person on April 6. Take the time to learn about the candidates and their positions on various issues facing our city.:

District 1
Dale Carter – www.ElectDaleCarter.com
James May – www.ElectJamesMay.com

District 2
Sissy Reed – www.SissyReed.com
Chris Lievsay – www.VoteChrisLievsay.com

District 3
Grant Bowerman – www.GrantBowerman.com
Michael W Freeman – www.MichaelWFreeman.com

Review the information on each candidate’s Web site, and contact them if you have additional questions. Talk to them about what is important to you and how you would like them to represent you. Voting is a sacred responsibility. Vote for the candidate you believe will best serve our city.

On Thursday, the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce will host a lunch-hour forum at Adams Pointe Conference Center. Call  816-229-8558 to make reservations. The Eastern Jackson County Builders and Developers Association forum is also Thursday at the Blue Springs Country Club. The social hour begins at 6 p.m. with a dinner for $15 served at 7 p.m. The program follows dinner, during which the candidates will introduce themselves and answer questions from the audience.

Louis L’Amour said “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.” April 6, vote!

Following is information regarding another candidate forum for the upcoming April 6th city council election in Blue Springs.

Jeff,

Below is a reminder I mailed out to all of our members about the upcoming Candidates Forum we will be holding at our next meeting, this Thursday. If you think your readers would like to attend, please feel free to pass it along. Make sure it is clear that dinner at the meeting will cost $15, so no one is caught off guard.

The March Meeting of the Eastern Jackson County Builders and Developers Association will be held on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at the Elks Lodge at 100 NE Brizendine Road in Blue Springs.
Social Hour will begin at 6:00 pm, with Dinner at 7:00 pm.
Association business and an industry related program will follow dinner. This month we will be holding a Candidates Forum for those running for City Council positions in the Cities of Blue Springs and Grain Valley. Each candidate will have a few minutes to introduce themselves and explain their stance on major issues of their election. A Question & Answer session will follow.
Feel free to pass this invitation along to friends, neighbors, and business acquaintances so they can join us to hear the candidates speak.
The cost of Dinner is $15, the Social Hour will be sponsored by:
Kansas City Power & Light - Kristin Riggins
Midwest Lumber - Ray Mager
Reece Nichols - Lakewood - Renee Ryan-Edwards
Stewart Title Company - Cindy Hood
We will also be holding our Annual Election of Directors, so plan to attend.
The next regular meeting will be held on Thursday, April 15, 2010.

Fred Byam
Secretary-Treasurer
Eastern Jackson County
Builders & Developers Assn.
3501-G S. Sterling Ave.
Independence, MO 64052
816-252-3519