Dear resident:

Thank you for subscribing to my monthly message. Your interest in the city is key as we work to provide better services and a stronger community.

Housing plan presented to mayor, City Council
Improving housing and neighborhoods is a top priority for the City. A recent report gives recommendations on how to accomplish this goal, including focusing on:
• Expanding the amount of affordable, quality housing available
• Elevating the level of homeownership in the city
• Providing meaningful incentives for developers
• Building and strengthening relationships with neighborhood associations
• Improving the City's ability to coordinate activities.

Already, the City is making significant improvements in housing and neighborhood development. We have restructured old housing department policies, enacted the Neighborhood Improvement Program and focused on service delivery. Read about our other accomplishments and goals.

Kansas City neighborhoods show improvement
Earlier this month, The Kansas City Star released its report card rating the quality of life in Kansas City neighborhoods. The extensive analysis of nearly 40 livability trends found more than 60 percent of all trends show improvement since 2000. The majority of Kansas City neighborhoods are now less violent, cleaner, have smoother streets, more restaurants and improved ACT test scores in public high schools.

The City of Kansas City, Mo., is committed to doing our part to maintain this momentum. For example, we have:
• Served more than 15,000 area youth through our Youth Advocacy Office
• Hired an additional 115 police officers and 21 firefighters
• Increased vacant lot mowing from twice a year to six times
• Filled 25,000 potholes
• Collected 3,841 tons of illegally dumped items
• Replaced 2,256 catch basins.

Fire and police stations dedicated
In November and December, the City dedicated two new fire stations, two remodeled fire stations and one new police patrol division:
• Remodeled Fire Station 23 at 4777 Independence Ave.
• New Fire Station 14 at Highway 152 and North Brighton Avenue
• New Fire Station 19 at 550 W. 43rd St.
• Remodeled Fire Station 16 at 9205 N.W. 112th St.
• New Shoal Creek Patrol Division at 5308 N.E. Chouteau Trafficway

There are now more than 12 new and remodeled fire and police facilities, the most ever in Kansas City’s history. Funding for these public improvements came from the quarter-cent sales tax that voters passed in August 2001. Congratulations to the Kansas City Fire Department, Police Department and Capital Improvements Management Office for making these public safety facilities a reality for Kansas City neighborhoods.

Trash Cart Pilot Program unveiled
The Trash Cart Pilot Program is Kansas City's newest curbside waste disposal program. The pilot program is scheduled to begin with 6,100 homes in select neighborhoods in March. Residents will place their household trash, in bags, in the trash cart and roll it out to the curb for collection. The program will improve trash service by creating a safer, more efficient process and promoting a clean city.
More about the program.

Council meetings, KCCG-TV2 programs available online, on demand
Internet access is all you need to view programs on KCCG-TV2, the city government channel. A new service allows City Council legislative and business sessions, meetings, Channel 2 programming and other events to be aired online so you can see exactly what you want when you want to see it.

Watch City Council meetings or watch Channel 2 programs.

As always, I appreciate your feedback as a citizen. 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.