“Kansas City may be the most exciting city in the country right now,” said Fifth District Councilwoman Cindy Circo. “And yet I think our best days are still to come. From the Google Fiber project to green jobs to our bedrock Midwest values, there are very few cities that can match us. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Currently in her second term, Councilwoman Circo’s leadership role in some of Kansas City’s biggest recent success stories led Mayor Sly James to appoint her mayor pro tem in 2011.

A small business owner and Kansas City resident for 25 years, Councilwoman Circo has promoted growth and opportunity throughout her career. During her time on the City Council, Kansas City has seen an increase in competitiveness, improved economic development and stronger neighborhoods.

Councilwoman Circo is credited with spearheading the effort to bring the Google Ultra High-Speed Fiber Optics project to Kansas City, a success story she says ranks among her most significant accomplishments in business and in government.

“The Google Ultra High-Speed Fiber project has literally transformed Kansas City in the world’s eyes. We’re more than just the little city on the prairie now; we’re a magnet for tech startups and business development. We’re on the leading edge and we have an obligation to harness and maximize the impact of that privilege,” Councilwoman Circo said.

The Google project not only gathered national attention for Kansas City, it has provided the city and its neighborhoods with an online infrastructure that has spurred business start-ups, created jobs and promoted entrepreneurship.

To further support emerging and small businesses, Councilwoman Circo helped create KCBizcare, a one-stop storefront operation that allows small business owners and entrepreneurs to more easily and directly interface with the City and its agencies. The personal approach has helped to streamline the process for Kansas City’s small business leaders.

As an advocate for both stronger neighborhoods and sustainability, Councilwoman Circo has found innovative ways to integrate both priorities to establish and maintain green Kansas City neighborhoods. For example, her “Target Green” initiative promotes advanced, environmentally-friendly ways to manage sewer runoff. And the nationally recognized “Green Impact Zone” puts people and dollars to work in highly targeted geographic areas to demonstrate that focused efforts can literally transform a community by strengthening neighborhoods, creating jobs and improving energy efficiency.

Staying at the forefront of green technology and innovation, Councilwoman Circo is an active member of several national committees. She is a member of the National League of Cities’ Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee, which is responsible for developing policy positions on issues including air quality, water quality, energy policy, national wetlands policy, noise control, and solid and hazardous waste management. She is also a member of the EPA’s Local Government Advisory committee and the Mid-America Regional Council's Creating Sustainable Communities Committee.

On the City Council, Councilwoman Circo is a member of the Planning, Zoning & Economic Development Committee; the Finance, Governance & Audit Committee; and the Special Committee for Small Business. She is past chairwoman of the City’s Housing Committee and serves on the Board of Directors for the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association, Truman Medical Center, the Board of Trustees for the City’s Trust, and the American Royal Governors Advisory Board.

Councilwoman Circo has lived in the Kansas City area her entire life and still has fond memories of the 1985 Royals World Series championship and watching the Chiefs practice at Swope Park. She now enjoys watching KC’s newest franchise Sporting KC train there. When she’s not working, you can probably find her spending time with her two sons, Dominic and Mario, and grandson Jaxen.