The future looks bright for the City of Parkville, according to mayor Nan Johnston, who gave a “state of the city” address this week.
Johnston was the guest of honor at the Parkville Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon held Tuesday, Feb. 11 at the Platte County Community Center South. The mayor gave a brief overview presentation to a packed hall at the lunch event.
“For many years, Parkville has been the best kept secret in the Kansas City area,” Johnston said.
She outlined projects now under way and accomplishments from the past year, such as the start of reconstruction on Highway 9, the passage of Proposition P for parks, community policing efforts and commercial and residential development.
Johnston thanked the community for its support in such efforts, noting that the city is a mix of life-long residents and more recent transplants. She recognized accomplishments such as the designation of Parkville as a Purple Heart City and Tree City USA as well as its recognitions for government finance and a personal recognition by the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission for chief of police Kevin Chrisman.
Private investment helps the city grow, she said, including construction downtown and in other areas of the city, such as the Creekside development at Highway 45 and Interstate 435.
“We have made significant progress on the challenges presented during the most recent economic downturn,” Johnston said. “We are now in the best overall financial conditions in decades, with sufficient reserves.”
She also pointed out the city maintains its AA credit rating, despite the rate reduction suffered by Platte County.
Johnston outlined construction projects at Park University, the Apex Plaza development and Creekside. In downtown Parkville, Johnston said the city had completed lighting upgrades and planned to install new signage. In addition, the board of aldermen recently approved a redevelopment plan allowing property owners to take advantage of tax incentives to improve their properties.
During Johnston’s remarks on the $330 million Creekside development, she said the son of Kansas City Royals legend George Brett, Jackson Brett, had been tapped to manage the new tournament fields in the development. Play is expected to begin there in April.
Businesses such as Johnny’s Tavern, Scooter’s Coffee and Anytime Fitness had committed to opening locations in Creekside as well.
“Not only is the development a welcome investment in our community, it solves the city’s neighborhood improvement district debt problem,” Johnston said of Creekside. “The taxpayers are no longer on the hook for millions of dollars in debt for sewer and street improvements that occurred after a failed development many years ago on the same property.”
The city’s share to cover these NID debt payments was approximately $425,000 annually.
Looking forward to 2020, Johnston said several projects will continue or wrap up, including the wetland restoration project at Platte Landing Park, the reopening of that park’s dog parks, the update of the city’s master plan and a possible resolution of a long-running dispute with BNSF Railroad, allowing the completion of the Missouri Riverfront Trail.
City staff passed out a questionnaire to attendees, asking where they received information about city projects and events and how they wished to receive such information in the future. Another of the city’s goals for 2020, Johnston said, was improving communications between city residents and government.
Citizens for a Better Parkville PAC — which has long opposed the Creekside development — contacted the city over the weekend to ask if the address would be recorded for later review by the public. Johnston’s remarks were streamed live from the city’s Facebook page and remain available. The address will also be uploaded to the city’s website.