Dear resident:
Welcome to another edition of Insight, my monthly e-newsletter with updates and information about the City and its services.
Chief of staff named for City Manager’s Office
I am pleased to welcome former two-term City Councilman Charles (Chuck) A. Eddy to the City Manager’s Office as my chief of staff. In this new position, Chuck will be responsible for supervising all administrative staff and City department heads, and will advise me on a variety of topics. He has extensive experience within the City, including with the budget process and providing high-quality City services, and in the community, which makes him an asset to City staff, the City Council and our residents. More. City implements strategy to fast-track infrastructure projects
While local governments nationwide wait for a federal stimulus package to help with infrastructure improvements, it is important to proceed with City-funded projects. Consequently, I have outlined a strategy to expedite these projects, while ensuring a list of projects is ready to take advantage of any federal stimulus funds. To help move City-funded projects forward more quickly, I appointed the Ad Hoc Committee for Federal Stimulus package, which will work to streamline processes involved in starting work on approved and pending projects. The committee includes City staff and local labor and construction leaders who are familiar with the City’s construction processes and procedures. More. Kansas City named ‘Destination to Watch’ in 2009
Travel Web site SmarterTravel.com has named the city as one of its five international “Destinations to Watch” in 2009. Kansas City is the only U.S. city to make the list, which was recently unveiled to USA Today and included such exotic locales as Vancouver, Canada; Peru; Rivieria Nayarit in Mexico; and Vilnius, Lithuania. The recognition cited the downtown renaissance, including the Power & Light District, Sprint Center, Crossroads Arts District, College Basketball Experience, and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame; renovations at the Kansas City Zoo; the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art expansion; excellent airline services at Kansas City International Airport; Kansas City’s culinary scene; and affordability among the reasons for the selection. Affordability also was a factor in Hotwire.com’s recent ranking of Kansas City as one of the top value-priced destinations among 50 U.S. cities based on airfare, accommodations and entertainment prices. More. Water Services Department to introduce first major green solutions project
The Water Services Department will introduce its Middle Blue River Basin Green Solutions Pilot Project to more than 300 property owners at a public meeting Jan. 26. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at the United Believers Community Church, 7546 Troost Ave. The pilot project is located in the Middle Blue River water basin area, which extends from 73rd Street to 77th Terrace and Holmes Road to Paseo Boulevard. The project will use green solutions to capture stormwater before it enters the combined sewer system, thereby reducing overflows downstream. These green solutions are an alternative to more traditional gray stormwater improvements such as storage tanks and pumping facilities, and will reduce costs for ratepayers. This project is part of the City’s Overflow Control Plan, which will be submitted for approval to federal and state regulatory agencies this month. More. Tow lot relocates to new, environmentally friendly facility
This week, the City’s new tow lot and Tow Services Division administrative offices moved to a new location at 7750 E. Front St. The 25-acre facility is designed to be more convenient for customers, and includes space for about 2,000 cars, new administrative buildings and a vehicle garage where the City's tow trucks are stored. The facility is currently on track to receive a gold rating for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, making it the City's highest rated LEED-certified building. LEED certification is determined by established criteria for sustainability in a number of different categories, such as sustainable site work, water and energy efficiency, emissions and air quality. The buildings that make up the facility will be extremely energy efficient, using less than half the amount of energy required of a typical building of comparable size. More. As always, I appreciate your feedback. Please feel free to e-mail questions and comments to my office at Insight@kcmo.org. Sincerely,
Wayne A. Cauthen
City manager
City of Kansas City, Mo. | 
