Notice to Customers on Parkville Sewer System: Effective this month, residential customers will see a change on their sewer bills. Winter averages are recalculated in May and that new amount will be the same through May 2023.

The City of Parkville is looking to fill a several openings on City boards, commissions and committees, with an emphasis on appointing residents from western Parkville to create fair representation in all areas of the city. Mayor Katerndahl will nominate and appoint, with Board of Aldermen approval, Parkville residents to serve for designated terms listed below.

• Board of Zoning Adjustment – One open position through May 2023; three open alternate positions with no end date
• Community Land & Recreation Board – One open position through May 2023
• Planning & Zoning Commission – One open position through May 2025

The Board of Zoning Adjustment acts on appeals of decisions made by staff in enforcement of the zoning code, variances that would not be contrary to public interests and in cases in which literal enforcement of code would result in unnecessary hardship, special exceptions and other considerations as may be authorized by the Board of Aldermen. It consists of five members who serve staggered, five-year terms. Alternates serve only in the absence of an appointed member and have no term limit. Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday every month (if needed) at 5:30 p.m.

The Community Land and Recreation Board acts in an advisory capacity to review matters of park planning or other issues brought before the Board of Aldermen related to parks and makes recommendations regarding public neighborhood beautification project requests, event approvals occurring on community public right-of-way and park land and procedures for carrying out such events. It consists of nine members who serve staggered, three-year terms. Meetings are held the second Wednesday every month at 6:00 p.m.

The Planning and Zoning Commission, pursuant to RSMo 89.320, reviews and makes recommendations on zoning, development plans and subdivision plats; zoning and subdivision text amendments; adoption, periodic review and update of the City’s Master Plan; and other planning- and zoning-related activities. It consists of nine members who serve staggered, four-year terms. Meetings are held the second Tuesday every month at 5:30 p.m.

Mayor Katerndahl said, “The City looks to balance all of its boards and commissions and at this time we are particularly looking to appoint residents who live in the western portion of our community in Ward 4.”

Parkville residents who are interested in volunteering and becoming involved with the City are encouraged to apply by submitting an application and resume/biography to the City Clerk in person at 8880 Clark Avenue, Parkville, MO 64152 or by e-mail at mmcchesney@parkvillemo.gov. The application is available on the City’s website at http://parkvillemo.gov/boards-commissions/apply-today/.

For more information contact Parkville City Hall at (816) 741-7676.

For the 32^nd year in a row, the City of Parkville was named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. Parkville is one of only 15 communities in Missouri that has been named as Tree City USA for 32 years or more.

The City achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements:

• A tree board or department;
• A tree care ordinance;
• An annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita; and
• Arbor Day observance and proclamation

The City will host a public Arbor Day celebration on Friday, April 22^nd at 12:00 p.m. at Watkins Park. A tree will be planted in the park to commemorate the event.

Mayor Johnston stated, “It is an honor to serve for a community that places such high regard on the importance of trees and parks. We join the Arbor Day Foundation in celebrating this special day.”

For more information about the event, contact the City of Parkville at (816) 741-7676.

With assistance from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) through its Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) grant program, the City completed its plan to prune trees and remove hazardous trees in English Landing Park. With the aid of bucket trucks and tree climbers, six hazardous trees were removed and 12 trees were pruned.

To make the project possible, the City was awarded TRIM grant funds in the amount of $9,000 from the MDC. With these grant funds, the City is able to provide a clean and safe park and yield the growth of new young trees that will establish a shady resting area, improve air quality and above all continue to provide beauty and comfort in the parks.

The TRIM grant program is a competitive cost-share tree care program administered by the MDC and the Missouri Community Forest Council. The program provides assistance for government agencies, public schools and non-profit groups with the management, improvement or conservation of trees on public lands. Projects eligible for TRIM grants include tree inventory and hazardous tree removal or pruning.

Mayor Nan Johnston said, “Because City staff continues to pursue grants, we are able to maintain the health of our tree stock as a top priority in our more than 200 acres of parks and over 100 acres of nature sanctuaries. We appreciate the assistance provided by the TRIM Program through the Missouri Department of Conservation.”

For more information, contact Parks Superintendent Tom Barnard at (816) 741-7676.

Alexa Barton brings extensive experience in a broad array of local government areas including strategic planning, economic development, infrastructure improvements and operations. Alexa received her bachelor’s and master’s degree with honors from Park University. Her career includes time with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City as well as nineteen-year career in local government with Clay County, Missouri where she rose to Chief Administrator and Chief Budget officer. Alexa has also served as the top administrator in Grain Valley and Belton, Missouri before accepting the post with Parkville. 
 
In addition to her college achievements, Alexa is certified through Heartland Economic Development of the University of Northern Iowa, possesses a Certified Purchasing Manager designation from the Institute for Supply Management and completed the Doniphan Leadership Institute certification through William Jewel College.
 
In anticipation of Joe Parente’s retirement, the Parkville Board of Aldermen engaged Strategic Government Resources of Keller, Texas to assist in the recruitment of candidates vying to become the next City Administrator. Thirty-three applications were received, and the process involved evaluation and research into the applicants’ background and experience in concert with Parkville aldermen. Three finalists were ultimately interviewed by the Board of Aldermen with Alexa Barton being selected for the position.
 
Mayor Nan Johnston said, “I welcome Alexa to our wonderful community. The Board of Aldermen and I look forward to having her as our new City Administrator.”
 
Barton will begin employment with the City of Parkville on February 14^th.

The City of Parkville is pleased to recognize a local Boy Scout for his hard work and dedication in helping to enhance the Parkville Nature Sanctuary through his Eagle Scout project.

Tyler Stegeman from Troop 341 completed his Eagle Scout project by clearing brush from a ditch and planting native flowers and plants to create a more natural looking environment. He also placed mulch to mark a trail to cut through from the parking lot and uncovered the rocks underneath the brush to create a natural water runoff to improve drainage.

Eagle Scout is the highest advancement rank in the Boy Scouts and to earn the Eagle Scout ranking, a Boy Scout must plan, develop and give leadership to a service project for any religious organization, school or community. Only three to four percent of Boy Scout members ever attain the prestigious honor.

Mayor Nan Johnston said, “The Parkville Nature Sanctuary is a 115-acre natural area with 2.8 miles of trails that is maintained almost entirely by volunteers. With Tyler’s help, we continue to improve the sanctuary. His project will be appreciated for many years to come.”

For more information about the Eagle Scout project or to volunteer, contact Nature Sanctuary Director Kristen Bontrager at (816) 741-7676.

On December 14, 2021, the Board of Aldermen was made aware of certain recent statements made by the mayor that could be interpreted as suggesting that a citizen’s use of the Missouri Sunshine Law was a form of harassment. Those comments are the individual’s views and are not representative of the Board’s or the City’s beliefs. The Board of Aldermen is committed to accountability and transparency and fully supports the use of the Sunshine Law to ensure open government.

The Parkville Board of Aldermen approved revisions to the City’s ward map which determines the areas of the community represented by the City’s elected officials. The U.S. Census Bureau recently released their 2020 decennial data and the City is required to draw new ward boundaries to take into account new growth in the community and to create balanced wards in terms of population. The Board of Aldermen approved the revised ward map on November 16, 2021, prior to candidate filing in December so the new boundaries would be effective for the April 5, 2022, General Municipal Election in which interested candidates for the open seats may file in the new ward in which they reside.

The City of Parkville is a fourth class city and is divided into four wards, with two aldermen representing each ward. The Parkville Municipal Code states that each ward shall be roughly proportionate, but may vary as growth, development and other changes affecting the population occur.

The ward map was last updated in November 2004 when the most recent census population was 5,054. The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 decennial data and Parkville’s total population is 7,117 (40.8% increase). Since 2004, there has been substantial growth within the community with the addition of new residential subdivisions and multi-family developments, especially in the western half of the city.

An ad hoc committee was tasked with deciding how to best revise the ward map to keep neighborhoods together in the same ward and to make the wards more proportionate to one another by population. Members reviewed the ward boundaries and developed a scenario using 2020 Census data and Community Development Department building and occupancy permit records that account for recent growth since April 1, 2020, when the census was taken. Recommendations were presented to the Board of Aldermen during a work session on October 19. The City also held an informational open house on October 26 to give the public an opportunity to review the proposed map and to answer questions about the revisions. The revised ward map keeps neighborhoods together in the same ward and makes the wards more proportionate and balanced in terms of population. The large amount of population growth in western Parkville resulted in the placing of the entire area in a single ward.

Mayor Nan Johnston said, “Many thanks to our ad hoc committee who reviewed and made recommendations to revise the City’s ward map. The new ward map puts subdivisions and neighborhoods with similar characteristics into the same ward, which will be represented by two aldermen who will represent their interests both on matters related to the ward and the community as a whole.

A copy of the ward map may be found on the City’s website at http://parkvillemo.gov. For more information, please contact Community Development Director Stephen Lachky at (816) 741-7676.

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) announced that the City of Parkville received the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the City’s 2021 annual budget. This is the sixth consecutive year the City has received the award for its annual budget. The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting.

In order to receive the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, the City had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity’s budget serves as:

• a policy document
• a financial plan
• an operations guide
• a communications device

To receive the award, a budget document must rate proficient in all four categories, as well as rate proficient in the 14 mandatory criteria within those categories. The program underwent a major overhaul and upgrade in 2021 to respond to and be better aligned with current budget best practices and real world challenges that local governments face in managing public money. This is the sixth year that the City achieved this award recognition. The first award was received in 2016.

City Administrator Joe Parente said that “Parkville’s budget document clearly articulates to the public how the City proposes to spend their tax dollars. It is a user-friendly document and promotes enhanced transparency in government. I am proud of the commitment of the governing body and City staff to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting.”

The Government Finance Officers Association is a major professional association servicing the needs of approximately 20,500 appointed and elected local, state, and provincial-level government officials and other finance practitioners. The GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting with over 1,600 participants. The City of Parkville was one of 18 government entities in the State of Missouri that received the award in 2021, putting it in the top 1.5% of its peers in the state. Parkville is one of 20 governmental entities in the Kansas City Metropolitan area that received the distinguished budget award in 2021..

To view a copy of Parkville’s 2021 Budget Document visit http://parkvillemo.gov/government/ financialdocuments/. For more information, contact City Administrator Joe Parente at (816) 741-7676.