Five mayors. Five goals.

By Don Bradley 

Mayors, like most everyone, view New Year’s as a fresh opportunity for the start of good things. 

We talked to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and several suburban mayors in the south metro area about what they would like to see their cities accomplish –or at least get started– in 2024. 

Lucas says that after 185 homicides in 2023, he will push to restart an old program that helped bring down violent crime. Southland residents will also see major street construction in the area in 2024. 

One of the suburban mayors is excited about a total makeover of a 50-year-old city hall building. Another wants residents to approve a use tax on online sales that would go toward sidewalk improvements and water bill reduction. 

One hopes 2024 finally brings an end to the threat of a proposed landfill at his city’s front door. 

And several mayors want to see the Missouri Department of Transportation rethink plans to scale back and postpone a fix of a “choke point” that clogs rush hour traffic on Interstate 49. 

Belton 

Mayor Norman K. Larkey, Sr., hopes the old “third time’s a charm” will apply when the city asks voters in April to approve a use tax on online sales. 

Previous efforts failed in April and November of 2022. Larkey thinks voters did not fully understand what the tax would do. 

“They hear the word ‘tax’ and that’s all it takes to kill it,” Larkey said. 

The tax would apply on items purchased from a vendor which does charge sales tax or have a physical presence in the state. It would not add to any existing sales tax, such as for Amazon purchases. 

He also thinks voters will be more likely to support the ballot issue this time because the city has specified what the estimated $3 million in new revenue would be used for. 

“Fifty percent for sidewalks and the other 50 percent to reduce water bills,” Larkey said. 

He also wants the city to renew a push toward single-family homes development. Post-pandemic interest rates scared away developers, but indicators have economic forecasters thinking 2024 could provide a soft landing for the U.S. economy. 

“We were the second fastest growing city in the state and we want to get back to that,” Larkey said. 

He also knows residents want more sit-down restaurants and says the city is working on that. 

Lastly, the choke-point on I-49 between 155th Street and 163rd Street where traffic is squeezed from three lanes to two causing delays every day. MODOT had signed off on fixing the issue by extending the third lane all the way to North Cass Parkway, but recently announced the plan would be scaled back and delayed until 2028. 

“Ours was the only one to get cut and that’s what bothers me,” Larkey said. 

Grandview 

Mayor Leonard Jones had the perfect setting last week for a story about why Grandview needs an overhaul to its City Hall. 

The place was packed. Cars idled in the parking lot waiting for an open spot. It was the end of the month, end of the year, both tax deadlines for personal property and real estate. 

Work has already begun on a project that will remove tax offices from city hall to a building next door. 

On top of that change, every employee and department will move out in January to clear the way for a $6 million complete makeover of the 50-year-old City Hall building at 1200 Main St. The goal is to increase efficiency and create more space to ease crowding. 

“People are packing up now,” Jones said. “This is a major project and one much needed. We’ve had department heads who can’t close the door.” 

Work will also soon begin a $20 million project to widen Blue Ridge from I-49 to Prospect, including the roadway beneath a railroad bridge.   

 “This is a major undertaking,” Jones said. “The feds kicked in $5 million thanks to Congressman (Emanuel) Cleaver.” 

Jones also lamented the state’s decision to postpone work on the I-49 choke point. He said the daily slowdowns prompt motorists to jump off the interstate to the outer roads through Grandview. 

“They back up, create delays for our police and fire,” Jones said. “This impacts all of us.” 

Grandview is also set to begin a city-wide road improvement project paid for by a $12.4 million bond question approved by voters last year. 

 

Kansas City 

Mayor Lucas wants the city to restart NOVA (No Violence Alliance), which, Lucas said, helped bring violent crime down before being cut several years ago. 

Lucas thinks the city can take steps to better help victims of domestic violence by providing safe havens. 

Lucas said Southland residents will see a major redo of the intersection of 75th and Wornall. Work is also planned for Holmes Road south of Blue Ridge. 

Any talk of fixing Blue River Road remains the same: How do you fix it without it washing away again? 

“But there’s always talk about Blue River Road,” Lucas said. 

He said he is also having discussions with Cass County officials about a controversial proposal for a landfill near Raymore. The site is within Kansas City city limits, but is opposed by virtually every entity in the area. 

Raymore 

What a difference a year makes –not much. 

Heading into 2023 the big issue facing Raymore was a developer’s plan for a landfill just north of the Raymore city limit and it remains so at the dawn of 2024. 

Heading into year two, Mayor Kris Turnbow is quick to say he sees no scenario in which his city would accept the landfill project proposed by a Kansas City developer. 

“Our research shows a landfill would harm us economically and environmentally,” Turnbow said. “The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) says landfills leak, all landfills leak, so I don’t know why Jackson County hasn’t done more considering Longview Lake.” 

The plan, by Aden Monheiser, calls for a landfill to be put on 430 acres just south of Missouri 150, not far from the Raymore city limit. 

At least two bills have been introduced in the Missouri General Assembly to stop the project but to date none have done so. 

Monheiser has enlisted lobbyists to push the plan in Jefferson City, but Raymore still has moves to make. Already, Turnbow said, the plan has stymied development in Raymore. 

“People get cold feet because of the landfill talk, but if we kill the landfill, developers will come back,” Turnbow said.

Turnbow joins with his mayoral colleagues in calling for MODOT to reconsider the I-49 choke point plan. 

“They scaled back which was very disappointing,” Turnbow said. “We need that work to be extended all the way to North Cass Parkway. 

“That’s a big fight and we hope MODOT will reconsider.” 

Raymore is also asking voters to approve a use tax this year after earlier unsuccessful tries. The additional revenue would go toward personnel. 

“We need more people, we need another police officer on every shift,” Turnbow said. “And this tax would also be a way to help our mom-and-pop stores.” 

The city is also planning major work to the city’s trail system. 

 Leawood 

Mayor Marc Elkins was the last of the mayors to give his hopes for 2024…that’s because he didn’t take the oath of office until Tuesday night. 

“Still trying to learn the phone system at city hall,” he said early Wednesday. 

Elkins, the longtime chair of the city’s planning commission, won the mayor’s job in November. 

Starting out, he wants the city to communicate better with residents and hopes to get HOA (homeowner associations) presidents together with city department heads to discuss issues in the city. 

“Police, fire, public works, everybody,” Elkins said. “We’d like to do this in April.” 

Development along 135th Street remains a top issue in Leawood. It has caused controversy in the past, particularly near State Line when residents objected to the scope of a multi-use project. Elkins hopes recent changes to the city’s development ordinance improves the process. 

Elkins said Leawood this year will also explore ways for empty nesters to stay in the city when they no longer need large houses but want to stay in the city. One possibility is what he called “co-op” developments. 

“Single structures, 40-50 homes, it’s a cooperative in which owners would own a share of the co-op,” Elkins said. “Much different than anything we’ve had in the past.” 

The first would likely be in the State Line-Kenneth Road area.