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.

As we approach the end of 2009, we each have the opportunity to reflect on the past year, and to look forward to 2010 and to the next decade.

What will the future bring to our community? What exciting prospects does the new year hold? The last few years have seen great improvements in our city, as the refurbishing of blighted properties has continued and new shopping and dining establishments have begun to open their doors.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of sharing my day with some very special people, ringing bells for the Salvation Army. I also spent a few hours collecting donations for local charities and supporting our local Chicago Street Lights. The generosity of the people in our community is a true blessing.

As I visit with people throughout Blue Springs, I find that we are thankful to live in a city that has weathered the current economic storm reasonably well. We have friends and neighbors who care about our city and care about each other as well.

Our elected leaders strive to find ways to work together, to listen to each other and the needs of our citizens. Developers are seeing improvement in the city’s processes as they seek to invest here. There are still opportunities for improvement, but the city appears to be heading in the right direction on most issues.

Most importantly, we are positioned to excel as the national economy improves. I am hopeful that we will see our city truly blossom in the coming years.
I want to thank my readers for your support and encouragement over the past few years. I will be taking a break from writing for a few weeks to spend time with family. In my next article, on Jan. 13, I will begin a series of articles that will give a glimpse of the exciting things to come for our city in 2010 and beyond.

I am grateful to live in such an excellent community, and for the privilege of sharing it with so many caring people. Have a very merry Christmas and together let’s have a happy 2010!

In the years between World War II and Roe vs. Wade, 1.5 million women made the difficult decision to give up their babies for adoption.

In early 1958, one of those women rode the train from Detroit to Kansas City, and in May gave birth to a baby boy. She had intended to give the boy the middle name of Donald in honor of her father, but thinking that she might someday want to use the name for a future child she would keep, she chose instead the name of Jeffrey Allen Faragher.

Forty-four years later, she received a call from a Jackson County Family Court searcher. Her son was looking for her. The searcher inquired whether she would be willing to have contact with her child.

“Is my son looking for me?” she asked. “Tell him that I closed that door 44 years ago. If he wants me to open it again, I will never close it.”
Imagine her surprise when a few weeks later she learned her son’s name was Jeffrey Donald Quibell.

I came to my parents with my adoption papers indicating only “Baby Boy.” That I ended up with the given name that my birth mother originally intended for me is just one of the many miracles of my adoption story, as I have discovered over the past seven years.

Most of the birth and adoptive parents from this era were told that adoption records were forever sealed and that we could never locate each other. In Missouri, nothing could be further from the truth.

Adoptees from this time may view their adoption file, but without the identifying information. They may also pay a search fee to have their birth parents contacted. The request should be placed with the family court in the county where the adoption was handled.

My mother made friends with the other women who were also staying at the Fairmont maternity home in Kansas City. Recently, one of those women contacted her, seeking information on how to search for her daughter who was born in the Fairmont on Feb. 10, 1958.

I know it is a long shot, but if you are a woman born on this date and you are adopted, your birth mother may be looking for you. Call the Jackson County Family Court at 816-435-4788. They will help you follow the proper procedures and guide you through the process. Even without making contact, birth parents have the right to update medical information and include letters to their child in their adoption file.

Finding my birth parents has been a wonderful experience for me. I continue to work with the Missouri General Assembly to simplify the process for both adoptees and birth parents.

Typically, items on a consent agenda are routine. If discussion of a particular item is requested, that item is removed from the consent agenda. At Monday’s city council meeting Councilmen Solon made a request to discuss whether or not our city would approve the name change of the company that provides area municipalities with insurance from MARCIT to Midwest Public Risk.

However, the discussion didn’t center on the name change, but instead the issue discussed was District 3 Councilmen Solon and Fowler’s complaint that the insurance wouldn’t cover them if they are sued for land uses issues. It’s hard to understand the correlation with the primary issue, which was renaming a company. But it gives me a great opportunity to discuss what I feel is the heart of the issue, which is why a councilman might be sued on a land use issue and why insurance companies might choose not to cover them.

A properly trained councilman that has participated in land use education provided by the Missouri Municipal League has a very low likelihood of being sued by a landowner. To take that a step further, if our Councilmen formulate their decisions regarding land use based on the current state laws and city ordinances as they are required to do, they are well protected. Our Councilmen and our city are at risk when decisions are made based on personal bias rather than following the law.

Our councilmen should focus on approving appropriate land use ordinances and should make every effort to attend the annual training events provided by the Missouri Municipal League. They should familiarize themselves with our state land use laws and make their decisions based on those laws, as they are required to do. These training events, including those provided by the city’s insurance company, are a cost effective training opportunity and a worthy investment of our taxpayer dollars.

Perhaps if all of our Councilmen would participate in these important educational opportunities, we could stop wasting valuable time on things such as stopping the simple name change of our city’s insurance company and focus on the really important issues that face our city. You can learn more about our city’s insurance at http://www.marcit.org.

This evening Wanda and I went shopping at Target in Blue Springs!  It is hard to believe that four and one-half years have passed since the first time I had the opportunity to meet with a Target representative about bringing a Target Store to our community.  Since then the efforts of many people have resulted in the opening of the first store at Adams Dairy Landing.

First Wal-Mart, then Home Depot, then Coronado Place’s bank, restaurants, and stores, and now Target.  With dozens more yet to come, Blue Springs is suddenly hopping with business.

As the development work continues on Adams Dairy Landing, it is important that we all remember to patronize these businesses even when it might be inconvenient.  From October 12 to 14 this coming week, Coronado Drive will be closed for final construction.  To get to Wal-Mart or Home Depot you will need to enter from R.D. Mize road, the back entrances to both of these businesses.  For the businesses in Coronado Place you should approach from Mock Avenue or Sunnyside Road and enter from the west entrance by Sports City.

Please keep these businesses in mind and make a special effort to get out and patronize them during the construction.  We want to show all of our new businesses that we are happy they have chosen to do business in our city!

Sacrifice – selfless good deeds for others, or a loss in return for a greater gain.

It is important to remember the sacrifices made by those who serve in our military and their families. Their selfless good deeds, and at times their ultimate sacrifice, are the foundation of our freedom. We have so much to be thankful for in this country.

We have so much to be thankful for in our city, as well. Our local civic and non-profit organizations, through generous community donations and the willingness of our citizens to donate their time, are providing very necessary assistance to those in need. Many non-profit organizations in the area hold their annual fundraisers in the fall, and Wanda and I attend as many as we can.

Recently, we attended the Truman Heartland Community Foundation “Toast to Our Towns” Gala, which promotes private giving for public good. We are so fortunate to live in communities filled with such amazingly generous people. The Truman Heartland Community Foundation helps donors turn charitable dollars into major investments, creating a lasting legacy for generations to come. By working together, we build the necessary support network that makes our communities strong.

There are many nonprofit organizations that need our help. If financial support is not an option, there are many opportunities to give a little bit of our time. If you would like to become involved with a local community organization or would like to know more about volunteer opportunities, a list of community organizations can be found at http://bit.ly/thcfgiving.

My Web site has information about many upcoming fall events. Check out http://www.AboutBlueSprings.com for additional information about area nonprofit organizations that can use your help.

Please excuse the formatting below.  My blog site did not support the same formats as the newsletter!

Jeff Quibell

Add a Little Spring to Your Life

Newsletter - Vol 3, Issue 7

August 2009

Welcome

We are pleased to have the opportunity to inform you about some of the many programs and services we have to offer.  We hope that you are able to take part and enjoy some of them during your valuable leisure time.

Park Maintenance

  - A Job Well Done

By Roscoe Righter

Blue Springs is known to have one of the best Parks & Recreation Departments in the metro area.  When our residents or visitors go to one of our parks, they generally will experience clean, safe, and attractive facilities.  Most people never give a thought to what it takes in the way of maintenance for our system to look or perform the way it does........

More Information.....

Vesper Hall Volunteers

Many individuals give back to their community but few give back to the extent of the volunteers at Vesper Hall. On June 24th, 176 volunteers were honored for their contributions to the older adult programs sponsored by the Blue Springs Parks & Recreation Department. Volunteers and their guests were treated to appetizers, an awards ceremony, and entertainment by a popular 50's & 60's Retro Music Band, The Krazy Kats. Vesper Hall was decorated with the retro theme and some participants dressed in costumes from the 1950's through 1970's reflecting the 2009 "Lasting Memories" theme.  Our Vesper Hall volunteers have contributed hours totaling 12,422 during the last volunteer year. This reflects a grand total of 121,545 hours since Vesper Hall opened its doors in 1993.

For More Details....

Summer Pool Hours  

   Shortened

With the Blue Springs School District scheduling to start school operations on Tuesday, August 18th, Centennial Pool-Plex will be closed weekdays while school is in session.  The closed days is also due to financial budget cuts due to the poor economy.  Closed weekday dates:  august 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, September 1, 2, 3 and 4.  On weekends the hours of operation will remain the same at 12:30 to 7:00 PM. Other programs and lessons will not be affected.

Starting August 10th the Blue Springs High School swim team will begin afternoon swim team practices at Centennial Pool. These practices will affect some areas to be closed to public use during summer open swimming times. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday's August 10th through 17th the swim team will have access to 1/2 of the indoor pool and outdoor pool from 2:45 to 5:00 PM. The public will have access to 3 lanes in the indoor pool and one diving board, 4 lanes in the outdoor pool with the two water slides and the wading pool during these periods.

End of Summer Schedule

The Gift

By Bill Landrum,

Vesper Hall Volunteer 

"36"
That's a three, six!!
Thirty-six individuals, families and businesses have made donations to Vesper Hall this past year. Their gifts have funded many projects that, among other things, give light and sound to our members.

This issue of "the gift" says thank you to our friends.  We also invite you to consider one of the projects on the Gift Tree.........

More Information....

Your Guide to Parks

  and   Facilities

Have you ever wanted to know how many city parks are available in Blue Springs or where they are located?  How about how many shelters are available to rent, where are they, how many will they seat, are there grills, water or electricity available.  Are there nearby trails, ball fields, ponds or streams?  Maybe you would like to know where there are ball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts or playground equipment.  Answers to these questions and more are available in our publication titled "Your Guide to Parks and Facilities". 

Your Guide to Parks and Facilites

Bits and Pieces

Music in the Park Concert Series

Blue Springs Car Cruise Nights

Mighty Mud Volleyball Tournament

Dance Classes

Adams Pointe Golf Club Specials

Theme Park Tickets are Available

Parks and Recreation Activity Guide

Vesper Hall "GoodTimes" Activity Guide

Facility Rental Opportunities

Details on Bits and Pieces.....

Please, Do Not Feed the Geese

Caution: Feeding Waterfowl may be Harmful!

Regular feeding can cause dependency on people for food, conflicts with people and spread of disease. If you care for waterfowl, here's what you can do to help them retain their "wildness" and maintain their well-being. . . .

• Stop feeding them!  They don't understand the problem..........  You do.
• Learn more about waterfowl by visiting a library, nature center, State Wildlife Refuge. . . then teach others what you know.
• Preserve the spirit of America by allowing waterfowl to stay wild ......observe and appreciate them from a distance.

Photos of the Month

Wet fun at the Centennial

Pool-Plex.

July Photos.....

Health and Fitness Tips:

COOL DOWN:  Just as warming up for exercise is important, cooling down after exercise is just as important.  Once you have completed your workout, take five to 10 minutes to walk, or stretch to allow your body to cool down.  This is very important for the muscles and joints and for the heart and lung.

Quotes to Live By:

"Always leave enough time in your life for something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous.  That has more of an effect on your economic well-being then any other single factor."
-Paul Hawkens

Mission Statement

"It is the mission of the Blue Springs Parks & Recreation Department to serve the publics well-being by providing quality leisure opportunities through the research, establishment, implementation and maintenance of a comprehensive parks, recreation, buildings and grounds system." 

In This Issue

- Park Maintenance

- Vesper Hall Volunteers

- Pool Hours Shortened

- The Gift

- Your Guide to Parks and Facilities

- Bits and Pieces

- Do Not Feed the Geese

- Photos of the Month

- Health and Fitness Tips

- Quotes to Live By

Quick Links

Register Now

Parks & Recreation

Web Site

Past Newsletters

Adams Pointe Golf Club

Join Our Mailing List

/ Opt Out

Contact Information

Parks and Recreation Department 

903 W Main Street

Blue Springs. MO 64015

816-228-0137

On Monday, a "Pay it Forward" chain began at the Steamin' Bean in Blue Springs.  I dropped by to purchase a Latte this morning (July 9, 2009) and found myself to be the 392nd recipient since Monday in an unbroken chain of "Paying it forward".  Go to http://www.aboutbluesprings.com/post/2009/07/06/Pay-it-forward-Blue-Springs!.aspx to see the original article about what is happening in Blue Springs.