Parkville leadership explained the role of the Parkville Economic Development Council (EDC) to a concerned resident last week.
Parkville resident Elaine Kellerman spoke to the board during its regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 18 and questioned the EDC’s trandparency, methods, structure and funding. She said although the city pays the EDC $40,000 per year to handle economic development that its meetings are conducted in secret and projects are given code names instead of stating the companies and areas involved in potential development.
She questioned the agenda of the EDC and asked if the EDC guided the city’s actions regarding developments.
“They don’t run the city,” said mayor Dean Katerndahl. “The EDC doesn’t direct the city. They follow our master plans.”
Katerndahl and city administrator Alexa Barton are on the EDC board and Katerndahl said due to non-disclosure of private entities involved in business or real estate deals, often the board members themselves don’t know the details of code named projects during their preliminary phases.
Barton said EDC director Ed Linnebur had recently come to her, asking to speak to the board to update them on the EDC’s recent activities. Previously, EDC directors made such presentations to the board two to four times per year. Linnebur is scheduled to speak to the board in December to provide an update.
Katerndahl said one of the city’s long-term plans to ensure transparency in the public process included efforts to demystify the EDC and its role in city projects.
He called the EDC a valuable asset to the community and said while the names of the projects themselves may not be made public, the city can ensure that in the future the public is made aware of projects as information becomes available.
Kellerman also said in 2021 alderman Brian Whitley was concerned that the EDC office is located in the city hall building, implying a closer relationship between the two than was reality.
Later that year, the lease extension was approved and no other public discussion on the matter was heard. Whitley also resigned from the EDC board. She asked why. Whitley, who was present at the meeting, did not respond.
City officials last week also briefly discussed the revenue benefits to the city of the Creekwood development.
During a budget workshop held Tuesday, Oct. 18, board of aldermen member Doug Wylie asked if there was specific data showing the impact of the Creekwood development, located at Highway 45 and Interstate 435 on the city’s west side.
The development came under fire from those opposed to the commercial and multi-family residential elements of the plan, including a large private baseball complex, which is now open.
According to Barton, 2022 revenues were up, including about $2.8 million in tax revenue, a slight bump over projected revenue growth.
She attributed this growth to increased retail activity in new developments.