City Hall, 22nd floor • 414 E. 12th St. • Kansas City, MO 64106 • Phone: (816) 513-1629 •
Fax: (816) 513-1612 • Assistant: Schylon Clayton • schylon_clayton@kcmo.org |
"I've always
wanted to serve on the council, because it's where you can have the
greatest impact on the day-to-day lives of people. Working with neighborhoods
and community associations, making sure citizens receive City services
in the manner they should, that's what makes a difference in people's
lives." – Terry Riley
ouncilman Terry Riley
was elected to the City Council on Oct. 10, 2000, to represent Kansas
City's 5th District. He was recently appointed to the National League
of Cities' Community and Economic Development Committee.
A Kansas City, Mo., native, the councilman has been actively involved
in community organizing since his high school years at Southeast High
School. Riley also is an advocate of working class families, youth and
education, he first entered electoral office as a member of the Kansas
City Missouri School Board where he was the youngest board member on record.
During his tenure on the school board, a statehouse representative vacancy
became available in the 43rd Legislative District. Wanting to take community
concerns to the state capital, Riley pursued the vacant seat and was elected
in a landslide victory. As a statehouse representative, he passed an amendment
focusing on racial profiling and was involved in activities highlighting
a continued interest in education, health care, economic development and
mental health care.
As a member of the City Council, Riley focuses on improving Kansas City
and the quality of life in the 5th District. The Riley Plan includes:
- Flood control and
Brush Creek - ensuring the continued progress of the Brush Creek Flood
Control Project.
- Police and community
relations - increasing the number of minorities on the police force
and community policing.
- Blighted housing
- addressing the dangers of vacant houses and saving valuable housing
stock. The councilman hopes to increase the demolishment of condemned
houses and move families into those houses that can be rehabilitated.
- Revitalizing Prospect
Avenue corridor - continuing the work he began as a state representative,
by working with the Community Development Corporation to develop
the intersections of 63rd, 55th, and 47th streets (along Prospect Avenue
and the Bruce Watkins Roadway) with shopping centers. He also will continue
his effort to increase the economic promise of the 5th District.
Other initiatives Riley is involved in include:
The councilman is
involved in a number of civic organizations, some of which include:
- The NAACP
- Former national
vice president, National Association of Black School Board Members
- Board member, Boys
and Girls Club
- Advisory board
member, Greater Kansas City Job Corps
- Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity Inc.
- East Meyer Community
Association
- Operation PUSH
- Good Samaritan
Project
- Genesis School
Councilman Riley has
received numerous awards. Among them are the National Brick Award, The
Friends of Yates Inc. 2001 Black Man of Distinction, the United Minority
Media Association's Time Well Spent Award, Top 30 Under 30 Young Up and
Coming Community Leaders in America, and was named among The Kansas City
Globe's 100 Most Influential African-Americans. |
