The City of Parkville is pleased to announce that a traffic study at the intersections of Crooked Road, River Hills Drive, and S. National Drive has been completed. The intersections serve the River Hills and Cider Mill Ridge subdivisions. The study, produced by TranSystems Corporation, makes recommendations to address operational and safety conditions at the two adjacent intersections. A public meeting has been scheduled for June 24 to present the results of the traffic study and to discuss other traffic related issues in the area.

In 2013, at the request of residents in the River Hills subdivision, the intersection was studied and at that time it was determined that a four-way stop was not warranted. The Board of Aldermen made a commitment that it would conduct a new study when the newer subdivisions started to build out and traffic volumes increased.  

In 2018, when the last Plat of Cider Mill Ridge was approved and its construction began, the Board of Aldermen approved a new traffic study funded by a Transportation Engineering Assistance Program grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

In addition to determining the warranted traffic control devices at Crooked Road, residents and City staff were concerned about limited site distance and increased traffic volumes on S. National Drive due to the new homes being built in the 7^th Plat of Cider Mill Ridge. City staff installed interim yield signs on the minor legs of S. National Drive to address resident safety concerns. The traffic study commenced and reviewed operational and safety conditions at both intersections and provided recommendations to address any existing deficiencies.

The study determined that a four-way stop at Crooked Road and River Hills Drive was not warranted and should continue to operate with stop signs on the north and south legs of River Hill Drive. The study further determined that the north River Hills Drive intersection with S. National Drive be modified to remove the existing yield signs and install a single northbound stop sign on River Hills Drive.

Mayor Nan Johnston said, “The traffic study makes recommendations that will help improve traffic flow at the intersection and improve vehicle and pedestrian safety. It is the City’s goal to provide citizens with safe access to all areas of the city.”

To hear the results of the study and to discuss other traffic related issues, the Board of Aldermen will have a work session on Monday, June 24, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. at Parkville City Hall, 8880 Clark Avenue. The public is invited to attend.

For more information, contact Public Works Director Alysen Abel at (816) 741-7676.

As the Missouri River continues to rise this weekend, we anticipate that most of the parking lot south of Harvey Drive will be covered by water and Main Street will be closed just south of the railroad tracks. Vehicles can access English Landing Center through a temporary road marked by signs. The Scottish Festival and Cruise Nights on Saturday have been cancelled. If needed, the Farmer’s Market on Saturday will be relocated to the north side of the parking lot just north of the original location.

With assistance from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) through its Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) grant program, the City of Parkville completed its plan to update the tree inventory of English Landing Park, remove dead wood and prune some of the larger established trees in the park. The City has a total of 777 trees in English Landing Park.

To make the project possible, the City was awarded a $6,282 TRIM grant from the MDC. Parkville was one of 38 communities to receive a grant in 2018. With these grant funds, the tree inventory was completed by Davey Resource Group. It is an important planning tool that will help the parks establish a regular program for tree care and to determine budget and equipment needs. Implementation of the maintenance recommendations will enhance public safety and increase the benefits the trees provide to the community.

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.”

Parkville, designated as Tree City USA again in 2019 for the 29^th consecutive year, was awarded the TRIM grant last fall and greatly appreciates the support of the MDC who helped significantly offset project costs to make this plan possible.

The City of Parkville will host the 3^rd Annual Northland Law Enforcement Appreciation Day event on Saturday, May 18, 2019, in Platte Landing Park in downtown Parkville. The event is free and open to everyone!

Over 30 law enforcement agencies from the northland will participate in the event that will start at 11:00 a.m. The honor guard flag parade will start at 11:30 a.m. and will be led by the Kansas City, Missouri Mounted Patrol, along with police ATV’s, bicycles and bagpipes. The parade will start at the intersection of Main and McAfee streets and end in Platte Landing Park.

The event will also include the Fallen Officer Memorial, police car row, demonstrations, special operations and tactical vehicles and personnel from both land and water, and many kid-friendly events. Children can participate in a road course in a Parkville power car and driving-aged teenagers and adults can drive the DWI education pedal car in a course simulating impaired driving.

For more information about the event, contact the Parkville Police Department at (816) 741-4454.

 

For the 29^th 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 29 years or more.

The City hosted a public Arbor Day celebration on Monday, April 22^nd at the Watkins Park. The event included a proclamation read by Community Land and Recreation Board Liaison and Ward 4 Alderman Marc Sportsman celebrating “Arbor Day in Parkville” to mark the 29^th year that Parkville has been named a Tree City USA. A tree was 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.

The City of Parkville is pleased to announce that the 2018 Annual Report is now available on the City’s website. The 2018 Annual Report is intended to record the important events, projects, accomplishments and statistics of Parkville over the last year. It also helps illustrate how staff time and taxpayer resources were spent over the calendar year. The full report can be found at https://parkvillemo.gov/download/2018AnnualReport.pdf.

Some of 2018’s major accomplishments include completion of parks projects, including the new maintenance facility, a new shelter in Platte Landing Park and the final phase of the English Landing Park restroom renovation. The City continued its ongoing efforts to invest in infrastructure projects by completing the Sanitary Sewer Phase 4 improvements, the South National Pump Station reconstruction and replacement of Wastewater Treatment Plant equipment. Utility relocation and right-of-way acquisition began for the Route 9 Corridor street project. Parkville saw record growth with a total of 93 new single-family permits issued and the Six at Park Office Project and the Apex Plaza Shopping Center began construction.

In 2018, the City also saw successful creation of the 2019 budget and 2019-2024 Capital Improvement Program and continued commercial and residential development in the community.

City Administrator Joe Parente said “I encourage you to review the 2018 Annual Report to see what Parkville accomplished over the last year. As I completed my second year as Parkville City Administrator, I am thankful of the support and hard work of our staff, volunteers and elected officials. Parkville is a small community with big ambitions. It is incredible to realize how much was accomplished this past year and the desire to continue this effort into the future. Special thanks to Assistant to the City Administrator Anna Mitchell for leading the compilation of this report. I look forward to what Parkville will accomplish in 2019.”

For more information about the report, contact Assistant to the City Administrator Anna Mitchell at (816) 741-7676.

A Letter to the Citizens of Parkville from Mayor Nan Johnston:

On March 23^rd, the Missouri River crested at its highest level since the Great Flood of 1993.  The river flooded English Landing and Platte Landing parks and the water remained in the park for several days.  City crews worked around the clock to assure the safety of our residents and businesses.  While we are sad the flood damaged portions of the park, we are grateful that it spared businesses in downtown Parkville.   Our parks are designed for floods, and we know they will recover.  We are also mindful that other areas outside of Parkville have seen much worse damage, including people losing their homes, businesses, and farms.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they recover from this devastating disaster.

Our city crews have spent the past week assessing damaged areas and have begun the cleanup effort.  Representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency toured the parks yesterday and are compiling a damage assessment, which will be used to make a request for federal disaster assistance.  Such assistance will provide Parkville with the financial resources needed to help recover from the disaster. During the last major flooding event in 2011, the City was reimbursed for costs related to flood fighting, clean up, restoration of damaged facilities, and for new mitigation projects including the construction of the McAfee Street Bridge over White Alloe Creek.

While we are still assessing the damage and developing a plan of action, we do plan on opening portions of the park as soon as possible.  We appreciate the patience of residents and ask they keep out of areas not yet cleared for their safety.  Debris needs to be removed and some amenities such as benches and pavilions need to be cleaned of any river contaminants.  The dog park is badly damaged and the crushed stone on the trails has been washed away.  We are examining options for temporary facilities for the dog park and the re-routing portions of the trails while damaged areas are being repaired.  Areas where heavy silting occurred will require the removal of truckloads of sandy deposits so that grass can be reestablished. 

The City intends to commit the financial resources needed to restore the park as quickly as possible.  We believe most of these costs will be reimbursed by FEMA.  No funds from the recently approved parks sales tax will be used for park restoration.  These funds are reserved for future improvements to the parks.  We are also aware the river levels are forecast to remain elevated through the summer and will consider this when prioritizing areas for restoration. 

I greatly appreciate the outpouring of support from our residents and the generous offers to volunteer to help clean up the park.  We will keep you posted on when this help is needed.  The City’s parks are a jewel of the community and the volunteer spirit of our residents is a testament to the wonderful community we all are part of.   I commit to you that the City will do its best to restore the park as soon as possible for the continued enjoyment of our residents.

Sincerely,

Nan Johnston
Mayor

The City of Parkville supports today’s decision by the Platte County Board of Elections to seek court approval for a special election to decide the races between candidates for Ward 1 and 3 Aldermen.  

The City was notified by the Platte County Board of Elections on Thursday of an error related to wrong ballots being provided to some voters residing in newer residences on Limestone Court.  Voters residing in these homes were listed in county records as Ward 1 residents instead of Ward 3.  Before the error was discovered on Election Day, thirteen voters in Ward 3 cast a Ward 1 Ballot.  These 13 votes incorrectly affected the results in Ward 1, and the true intentions of the voters were not registered in Ward 3.  Because the results of both races were by a margin of less than 13 votes, it is not possible to declare a winner of either Ward. 

The City of Parkville is not involved with administering elections.  The Platte County Board of Elections is responsible for conducting all elections in Platte County.  The City supports the Election Board’s past and present efforts to administer a fair and efficient voter system.   

While it is inconvenient to the voters and candidates to participate in another election, it is important that the will of the people be determined in electing their representatives to the Parkville City Government.  There is no other way to achieve this without having a complete new election for the Ward 1 and 3 Aldermen positions.  The City of Parkville supports the petition for a special election.

The City will await the decision of the Court and if approved, will work with the Platte County Board of Elections to declare a date when the special election will occur.

The City of Parkville published its expanded 2019 Budget document. In December, the Parkville Board of Aldermen adopted the fiscal year 2019 budget and 2019-2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) ordinance. The City’s budget includes 16 governmental funds and totals approximately $11 million. In addition to the operating budget, the 2019 CIP, totaling approximately $3.1 million, prioritizes capital projects and establishes a financing strategy for completing each project in 2019.

The expanded budget document provides additional information, beyond the budget ordinance, that helps communicate to the public not only the City’s revenues and projected expenditures for the upcoming year, but a vast amount of additional information. In addition to being a financial plan, the document is a policy document, an operations guide and a communication device for the benefit of taxpayers.  

In 2018 for the third year in a row, the City received a Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the City of Parkville 2018 Annual Budget. It is the highest form of recognition and the only national awards program in governmental budgeting. Only 15 municipalities statewide received the award in the first three quarters of 2018, putting Parkville among the top two percent of its peers for excellence in municipal budgeting.

The budget is the most significant document that the City prepares each year and is organized to convey the services being delivered to the community in 2019. The Board of Aldermen held a strategic planning session in August 2018 to review community priorities and set organizational goals. The Board identified five critical success factors to achieve the City’s mission: basic services, infrastructure, economic development, parks and finances. The 2019 budget maintains essential services at current levels and directs limited additional resources toward the five critical success factors, of which the 2019 budget focuses on addressing.

Highlights of the 2019 budget include:

• Year-end expense savings in the General Fund primarily due to personnel and legal services savings, as well as CIP projects that were postponed to 2019.
• The Board continues to strategically maintain reserves beyond the minimum target of 25 percent, in accordance with adopted Neighborhood Improvement District Financing Strategy, in order to make the payment of bond principal, interest and fees to the Brink Meyer Debt Service Fund and Brush Creek Debt Service Fund.
• The entirety of the 2019-2024 Capital Improvement Program includes $9 million of capital improvements, with a 2019 budget of $3.1 million; large projects to be done this year include completion of the English Landing Park low water crossing, beginning construction on the Route 9 street project and completing priorities identified in the 2008 Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study and subsequent closed circuit television inspections.
• The 2019 Debt Service includes the second payment toward the increased street maintenance program which allowed for the repair of 40 streets and an increase in the overall street rating; the City will continue to pay interest and fees annually through 2022.
• A new fund was approved for the 2019 budget. The Veterans Memorial Donation Fund will be used to house donations given for the construction of the planned Veterans Memorial to be placed in English Landing Park.

Mayor Johnston said, “I want to thank the City staff who worked hard to prepare the annual budget that will guide City operations this year. I appreciate the effort of the staff each year to analyze budget recommendations and respond to questions from the Board of Aldermen. We are proud of the budget document, its purpose of promoting transparency in government and the opportunity to better communicate with our residents how we proposed to spend their tax dollars.”

The 2019 budget became effective January 1, 2019. The final budget document is available on the City website at https://parkvillemo.gov/download/Final2019Budget.pdf.

For more information about the budget document, please contact Assistant to the City Administrator Anna Mitchell at (816) 741-7676