Though there is still a lot of work to be done, one thing is certain: We are virtually unanimous in our commitment to make this happen either this year or next.

My preference is that we put it on the ballot this November, and I believe there’s still a reasonable chance we can. My fellow elected officials and I have reached agreement on the principles that would shape a regional system, a list of questions that need to be answered satisfactorily before the issue could be put on the ballot and a timeline for those questions to be answered. Follow our progress.

Council
In my State of the City Address, I identified a series of major challenges for the city: infrastructure funding; sewers; regional partnerships for regional amenities; modernizing the city’s insurance and retirement systems; making it easier to do business in Kansas City; transit; education; building a legislative agenda; and developing “New Tools” for economic development in distressed areas.

I said at the time that I would be meeting with City Councilmembers to find out who might assume leadership on each of those challenges. During the last two weeks of June we have been meeting. I’m very excited about the level of enthusiasm and good ideas my colleagues have for these issues. In several cases – such as with sewers, transit and infrastructure funding – councilmembers have already taken charge and have made a lot of progress.

In the coming weeks, we will be making very public announcements about our plans and progress in each of these areas. By next spring, when it’s time to deliver the State of the City again, I feel confident that I will have a lot of successes to report.

Neighborhoods
In early May, I convened a day-long symposium of economists, developers, business people, community leaders and elected officials to discuss economic development in distressed areas. For too long, areas of our city have been neglected – and that impacts all areas of the city. Though comprised of many neighborhoods, shopping districts and industrial centers, our city comprises one economy where everything is interconnected. If one part of that economy is left to falter, it limits the entire economy. So I called these folks together to begin strategizing solutions. By the end, we were all in agreement that the city needs to develop a comprehensive, bottoms-up plan for these areas of the city.

In mid-June, I hosted a bus tour of a distressed area of the city so people could see first-hand the potential of for economic development there. Afterward, we had a celebration at the corner of 27th Street and Prospect Avenue. We celebrated because this is the heart of our city, and celebrate because the potential there is so great. We celebrate because it’s time to send a strong statement to the entire city that these areas of the city will no longer be forgotten. They will now be the priority.

In the coming weeks and months, we’ll convene again for a follow-up symposium to sharpen our ideas. I will appoint a task force to begin molding those ideas into an action plan, much like I did last year for economic development incentives.

Then we will make that plan a reality. For as long as I am mayor, I will make it one of my top priorities to make that happen. When I campaigned for mayor, I promised that I would lift up the long neglected neighborhoods, and I'm a man who does not go back on his word. No matter how much the opposition wants to stop me and this progress, I will not let up on the charge.

Citizen Satisfaction
In June, the City Council and I unanimously approved an ordinance that will dramatically reduce the number of metal plates on city streets. This will go a long way toward increasing citizen satisfaction with City services, I believe, because those metal plates might well be the most tangible nuisances all of us endure as Kansas Citians.

The new ordinance limits the amount of time a plate can be in place to 30 days. When plates remain after 30 days, those responsible for the plate will be assessed daily fines. Before it had been 90 days. It also prohibits use of plates from October to March except under special circumstances.

I intend to keep a close eye on the progress of this effort to cut down on the number of plates, and my office will report that progress regularly throughout the remainder of my term. Meantime, you can help as well. If you see a metal plate somewhere, call the 3-1-1 Action Center at 311 or (816) 513-1313 and find out who is responsible for the plate, how long it’s been down and when it’s supposed to come up. That will keep the spotlight on this important issue. Watch the news conference

Education
The Kansas City, Mo., School District Education Task Force recently concluded its first round of work. On June 27, we met to discuss the final report. Although I was unable to attend every meeting, I followed the process closely and found it to be very productive.

For me, the main thing I got out of it was the need for this city to come together to build a political agenda for our education system. For too long, the Kansas City School District has struggled against community discord and disinvestment, and that impacts the education system across the entire city.

That said, I feel confident that this is something we can turn around. I don’t think we’ll be able to solve all of our differences; people will always disagree about some things. But I think there is a enough common ground that if we only make an effort to find out where the problems lie and begin to focus on them, we will begin to build the cohesiveness that our children need. I have proposed to do this with a citywide summit on education, and I will continue to push for that to happen.

Please check my official weblog for daily updates on the work of my office. If you've been forwarded this update or know someone who might be interested in subscribing, please sign up for "News from the Mayor's Office."

Sincerely,