It is a short six weeks until the citizens of Blue Springs will again choose a person to represent them on the City Council. While it seems we are always in the midst of some political season, this one has come upon us quietly. Several friends have remarked how this election has not generated the controversy of some in the recent past.

This will be the first election in five years in which I will not be serving as a councilperson or seeking office in Blue Springs. I miss the personal contact of the thousands of homes I visited and the thoughts and opinions of so many of you during my campaigns and my time in office.

The candidate’s efforts will include a variety of methods to convey their message to the voters. Some will knock on doors; some will use direct mail or the telephone. The Internet is another method of campaigning, including Web sites and social networking sites such as Facebook. It is important that we, the voters, make wise selections on who will help govern our city.

Candidates focus on those that vote regularly. While the election board does not indicate whom you voted for, it does keep records of how often you vote. This information is readily available through the election board. I urge each of you to participate in the process of choosing your representatives, whether it is a local, state or national election. Take an active role in your community, and make an informed decision on Election Day.

There a several opportunities in March to meet the candidates, learn about their ideas and visions for Blue Springs, and to ask questions. The Blue Springs Business Association will host a candidates forum at 8 a.m. March 11 at Clancy’s Bar & Grill. The Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce candidates forum luncheon is March 18 at Adams Pointe Conference Center. Reservations are required and can be made through the chamber office. Watch The Examiner for other opportunities to meet the candidates prior to voting on April 6.

For information about this candidate for Missouri State Representative go to http://www.jeanielauer.com.

Mayor Ross, along with the majority of our city councilmen, are working together to effectively handle the large and small issues of city government in Blue Springs.

Our council is most efficient when all of our elected leaders are respectful to each other and are willing to listen to each point of view on every issue. It is through careful consideration and thoughtful evaluation of all available information that great decisions take place on behalf of our citizens.

Our city’s charter defines three geographic districts from which our city councilmen are elected. Two councilmen are elected to serve the residents of each district. Councilmen are expected to respond to issues within their own district and to seek the advice of our professional staff. As a matter of protocol and courtesy, information is typically forwarded to the appropriate district councilmen if they are contacted on issues outside of their own district.

The primary issue at the Nov. 16 council meeting resulted from a citizen complaint regarding a potential code violation. A permanent outbuilding, in place for several years and constructed from what appeared to be a former portable container, was the basis for the complaint.

While the issue itself was relatively minor and easily addressed, the larger discussion was how the complaint was brought to the attention of the city and how it was handled by the District 3 councilmen, Ron Fowler and Sheila Solon, who represent the southern part of the city. The property in question is in the far north end of the city, an area represented by our District 1 councilmen, Jeanie Lauer and Lyle Shaver.

E-mails copied to the city clerk and comments made in the council meeting suggest that our District 3 councilmen directed staff to take action regarding this issue, without involving the District 1 councilmen. When Mayor Ross requested an explanation from Fowler and Solon as to why the issue was not directed to the appropriate councilmen, their answer was ambiguous at best. What is very clear to me from their comments is that our District 3 councilmen believe that it is their job to personally address issues not only in their district but throughout the entire city. This line of thinking is disrespectful to the voters who chose their elected representatives.

Our District 1 and District 2 councilmen addressed this issue in a professional and respectful way. Councilman Kent Edmondson was again a calm voice of reason in the meeting, despite Councilman Fowler’s repeated interruptions. Our city attorney,  Bob McDonald, showed patience and restraint as he explained the legal basis for his response.  The meeting is available for viewing on the City Website at http://tinyurl.com/bscc091116.

People who are willing to serve, to give of their time and work positively for the common good are sometimes difficult to find. In Blue Springs, our councilmen are compensated for their service, both with salary and benefits. It is our responsibility as residents to ensure that we are getting what we are paying for in our representatives. Candidate filing for the April election of a councilman for each of the three districts begins Dec. 15 and ends Jan. 19.

CITY OF BLUE SPRINGS, MISSOURI
MEDIA ADVISORY
903 W. Main Street Blue Springs, MO 64015 P: 816.228.0110 F: 816.228.7592 W: www.bluespringsgov.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: November 5, 2009, 2009
CONTACT: Merideth Parrish, Public Information Officer
Phone: 816.655.0497, Cell: 816.935.4176
Email: mparrish@bluespringsgov.com
Open House Public Meeting Scheduled for
Woods Chapel Road Improvements, November 12, 2009

Blue Springs, Mo. – The City of Blue Springs and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will host an open
house-style public meeting on Thursday, November 12, to share plans for Woods Chapel Road Improvements from I-70
to south of Briarwood Drive. The project team, TranSystems of Kansas City, Mo., will be on hand to answer questions
from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Howard L. Brown Safety Building, Multi-purpose Room, 1100 SW Smith St., Blue Springs,
MO 64015.

The City of Blue Springs and MoDOT encourage anyone who uses this route to stop by, review preliminary plans, share
project issues and concerns, and provide written comments at the public meeting. No formal presentations will be made.
For questions or additional information, visit www.bluespringsgov.com/woodschapel or contact the Blue Springs
Engineering Department at (816) 228-0121.

###

This is just a reminder to go to the polls and vote for the Combat Tax renewal in Jackson County!

As citizens, it is our responsibility and privilege to elect our representatives. We choose those that we believe will most accurately represent our beliefs and ideals, and those who will look out for our best interest. Once elected, we have a right to expect our leaders to speak to the issues that come before them in a straightforward manner, without attempting to twist or misconstrue facts. Our most recent Blue Springs city council meeting is an unfortunate example of how issues and details can be manipulated in an attempt to inaccurately spin the facts.

Let’s look first at the discussion coming from the District 3 Councilmen. The city’s check registers are a typical item on the consent agenda. Councilman Solon requested this item be removed from the consent agenda for further discussion. Her concern, and apparently Councilman Fowler’s as well, centered on reimbursements for business lunches and dinners, and the policy of how those reimbursements should be handled. Most successful organizations and businesses require some level of business conducted outside of the office, or in this case, city hall. Perhaps her concerns are indicative of the type of business Councilman Solon does, but for most of us in business, meeting with clients or prospective clients over lunch or dinner is a common practice. It is entirely appropriate that staff members should be reimbursed for doing their job at our request. Of course, proper documentation and procedures must be followed. We are fortunate to have a talented and dedicated financial department who oversees expenditures.

As I watched the remainder of last week’s meeting a common, reoccurring theme began to appear, again with the same two councilmen. Councilman Solon advocated reducing the funding to the Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation by 10% or $30,000, suggesting that the EDC budget should be cut because of the current hard economic times. However, I recall this same suggestion from her several years ago before these hard times. What is the true motivation here? Why are the District 3 representatives so opposed to economic development?

These recommendations appear to be attempts to slow economic development in Blue Springs. The frequent no votes coming from our District 3 councilmen often focus on economic development issues. While the developments occurring in various parts of our city are designed to increase revenue and help keep our taxes low over the long term, these votes seem designed to impede those efforts and keep our citizens spending their tax dollars in other municipalities. Is this truly the will of the residents in District 3?

I encourage people to speak their mind, and believe that a spirited, open discussion will bring a better end result for all. Contact your councilmen and speak your mind. You can watch the meeting at http://bit.ly/bscc20090908.

While dining recently with friends at the new Panera Bread on Coronado Drive, the discussion turned to how vibrant our city has become since the addition of just a few new restaurants and shops.  The parking lots were almost full and each of the nearby establishments was hopping with business.  

We all agreed that it was encouraging to see busy shops and restaurants, and exciting to see them succeeding. As new stores and restaurants continue to open we will have even more opportunities to be proud of our city as we see quality growth, in spite of the national economic situation.

Several friends have recently commented to me that they were surprised that my articles seemed to be very complimentary of Mayor Carson Ross. While Mayor Ross was my opponent in the last election, I have a great deal of respect for him, and have found that he and I have similar goals for our community. Both of us want to see Blue Springs prosper and under Mayor Ross’ leadership, that common goal is coming to fruition. For that I am very thankful and very supportive.

By writing about what is happening in Blue Springs, I hope to encourage our elected leadership and to help our citizen’s stay informed about the good things that are happening in our town.  While we, as citizens, may not always agree with the decisions made at city hall, it’s important that we engage our elected representatives in respectful, productive dialogue regarding our views and our goals.

From my discussions on the doorsteps of thousands of Blue Springs homes, I know that our citizens desire leaders that are willing to make changes to the outdated policies of the past. Over the last five years you, our citizens, have made many changes in our elected leadership.  These choices have changed the nature of decision making in our city and improved the process of governance in Blue Springs.

Televising council meetings and broadcasting them on the internet has made our city council’s actions much more transparent than in the past.

Our citizens are watching our council meetings and see firsthand how their leaders are performing. The leaders who are flexible, open minded and fiscally responsible are moving our community forward.  By watching the council meeting broadcasts, it’s easy to tell who is making a difference. Remember, our next city election is only 10 months away and we will each have a choice to make.

We all want a city that will weather the nation’s current economic storm and come out stronger in the end.  It remains an honor for me to participate in some small measure in that process. I look forward with anticipation to the bright future of our city.

Host:
Friends of Dale Carter

Location:

Blue Moon Lounge at Lunar Bowl
2001 NW 7 Hwy
Blue Springs, MO 64015 US
View Map

When:
Friday, May 15, 5:00PM

Phone:
816-419-2444

Like you, I love our town.  That's why I have decided to run for 1st District City Council seat in April of 2010.  I will ask the tough and important questions that need to be asked but, at the end of the day, I will weigh each decision on whether it benefits our community or not. 
Blue Springs is a wonderful town with tremendous potential.  Let's work together to make our community's potential a reality.

Dale Carter
Please Join Dale Carter, his friends and family for the official "Dale's Running for City Council" Kick-off Party!

Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation
Blue Springs, Missouri
For Immediate Release
January 26, 2009

Contact Information
Ann Judd, 816-228-0208
www.bluespringsedc.com

From: Lisa Franklin, Chairman

Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation

Brien Starner, President
Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation

Date: January 26, 2009

Subject: Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation Endorses Blue Springs School R4 School District

                 Bond Issue For February 3, 2009 Election

The Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation (EDC) meet for its regular monthly board meeting on January 21st, 2009, and with a quorum of board present they reviewed and voted unanimously to endorse the Blue Springs R-4 School District’s February 3rd bond election concerning a “No Tax Increase” vote.

The EDC board regularly considers matters that are deemed to have a broad or specific impact on Blue Springs which affects the community’s ability to support and sustain investment, redevelopment and growth, and maintain or improve the community’s overall quality of life. The merits of this bond issue were discussed by the EDC board, who voted unanimously to endorse this “No Tax Increase” bond issue. 

The latest census figures show that Blue Spring’s population grew at an annual growth rate last year of 2.0%.  Our current population and future growth trends demonstrate that timely investments in Blue Springs most critical and valued assets are needed, which on February 3rd will include the educational resources and facilities offering our students a safe and productive educational environment.

The EDC board weighed several significant reasons for endorsing the passage of this “No Tax Increase” bond issue. 

• This bond issue will fund the necessary projects that will increase safety and security, update classrooms and facilities and address projected growth in populations of pre-K through 12 students, which better ensures the delivery of quality education for today and for the future. 
• The $86.5 million is a “No Tax Increase” bond issue recommended by the Blue Springs R-4 Board of Education following their careful deliberation of the priority needs of the district. The bond issue will fund renovations to both high school facilities, create an additional grade reconfiguration at Cordell-Mason and make renovations to both Thomas Ultican and Chapel Lakes elementary schools, among a host of other necessary capital improvement projects.
• The $86.5 million no-tax increase bond issue will maintain the district's quality educational programs, meet the ongoing physical needs, improve the classroom environments and maintain appropriate classroom sizes for improved learning.
• Finally, the Blue Springs EDC Board recognizes that preserving the high quality of the Blue Spring School District’s programming and assets is extremely important to the near and longer-term attraction, retention and expansion of businesses to Greater Blue Springs.

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