The Board of Aldermen met May 9th, approving a series of resolutions and ordinances, including the first reading of an ordinance to sell the former Nichols building.
     The first order of business was to administer the oath of office for Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) K9 Officer Dozier. Dozier's duties include interacting with those in crisis and providing a calm presence for law enforcement officers. 
     The Board approved a resolution to continue its agreement with the Grain Valley Partnership for another three-year term. The agreement outlines the relationship between the City and the organization and their partnership in economic development efforts. The Board also approved a resolution to continue an agreement with Utility Service Company, Inc. to provide maintenance for City owned water tanks and towers.
     The Board approved the first reading of an ordinance which would authorize the sale of the former Nichols building to Scottish Investments at a sales price of $222,225. In their RFP, the development team of Nilesh Patel of The Patel Group Real Estate Services LLC and Jason Fenstermaker of Iron Kettle Brewing, outline a plan which they state has a goal of fostering "a spirit of community while giving back to organizations that are vital to Grain Valley".
     The plan allows the Grain Valley Assistance Council to maintain their current space at 513 Gregg for the next 15 years, and mentions the possibility of partnering with the school district on a retail outlet owned and operated by Grain Valley High School in the remainder of the building. Additional uses for the space could include space for nonprofit organizations or office space to be used as an incubator for small business start-ups.
     The space at 517 Gregg Street would be transformed into a facility for craft beer production and entertainment space, with an outdoor patio area to the east of the building. 
     The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be Monday, May 23rd at 7:00pm at City Hall.

     The result of the City's recent branding process was recently debuted, with a new logo, tagline, and positioning statements for use in economic development.
     "Life Outside the Lines" is the City's new tagline, which alludes to the City's placement along the line of 1-70 and outside of the boundary line of areas considered suburbs of Kansas City. The City is emphasizing its status as an exurb, a district straddling suburban and rural areas. 
     "When the strategic plan was set in 2021, dedicating ourselves to discovering what makes Grain Valley unique was a top priority. Grain Valley has grown so fast that we have, in a sense, lost the chance to organically find our identity along the way. candid marketing, our consultant, was amazed at the response received from the community and noted it was the highest return rate they had seen on a project such as this," Deputy City Administrator Theresa Osenbaugh said.
     "Through the responses, they discovered that the community is very passionate about Grain Valley, even if they can’t always put their finger on exactly why. They continually felt a great sense of pride from respondents. From an outside perspective, it became clear that while Grain Valley may seem ordinary, it is actually very different than many communities around us. The way our neighbors take care of each other, the way we have maintained a small town feel while growing exponentially, the ease of life all contribute to that feeling of pride and sense that Grain Valley is a hidden gem. Living here means living life your own way or 'life outside the lines'. This also refers to our geographic location which many said was just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the 'city'."
     While the process resulted in the new logo and tagline, Osenbaugh emphasized the project goes well beyond those deliverables.
     "We expect the new brand to help showcase that the City is stepping into the current times, matching our growth. The most important thing we’ve tried to stress is this is more than a logo or a tagline, our brand position will really guide us as we work to reach out to businesses, new residents, and more. We are finally able to say more than Grain Valley is a great place to live, work, and play. We are ready to manage our reputation through this brand."
     Economic development efforts are top of mind for the City in rolling out the branding position, and Osenbaugh encourages the community to incorporate the brand into the work they do as well. 
     "This brand was born at City Hall but our dream is to see it spread throughout the community."
     "Some of the biggest benefits from the brand can boil down to correcting outdated perceptions about our community. This in turn, partnered with a new sense of civic pride from residents and businesses owners, can lead to economic growth and help us have a mindset when planning for the future. With increased attention lies the possibility for increased business sales and attraction, tax generation from visitors, workforce attraction and more. We are also excited to move towards a consistent look and feel for messages and designs of the city."

     Newly elected Mayor Mike Todd and aldermen Dale Arnold, Rick Knox, and Ryan Skinner took the oath of office during the April 25th Board of Aldermen meeting, but not before the current board recognized its outgoing members for their service.
     Mayor Pro Tem Shea Bass issued proclamations recognizing the service of Ward I Alderman Jayci Stratton, Ward III Alderman Bob Headley, who served the City for 16 years, and outgoing mayor Chuck Johnston. 
     Prior to the oath of office by Todd, Arnold, Knox, and Skinner, new GVPD officer Lisa Romano took the oath of office. Romano will serve as a school resource officer for South Middle School, Stony Point Elementary, and Sni-A-Bar Elementary.
     The new Board quickly went to work on a series of resolutions, approving the 2022-23 employee health, dental, and vision insurance plan elections and rates, and a resolution to establish procedures for public access to city facilities. The Board also approved the first reading of an ordinance that amends current Chapter 215 of the City's code of ordinances pertaining to nonconsensual pornography and public indecency, in an effort to protect the public from the dissemination of private sexual images.
     In other business, Police Chief James Beale noted the prescription drug take back and shredding event this Saturday, April 30th. The prescription drug take back event will be held from 10:00am - 2:00pm; the shredding event for Grain Valley residents will be held until 1:00pm. 
     The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be held May 9, 2022 at 7:00pm in Council Chambers at Grain Valley City Hall. 
     Following the April 25th meeting, Valley News spoke with outgoing mayor Chuck Johnston regarding his time in office and plans for the future.
     Looking back on his two years as mayor, Johnston pointed to the progress on promises made during his initial campaign.
     "When I ran for office in 2020, my campaign promises were to focus on road and curb maintenance, try to lower taxes, and to sell off some of the properties that had been bought in the past with no apparent purpose. When I took office in June of 2020, the previous administration had budgeted $350,000 (for road improvements) for each of the next three years '20, '21, and '22. For a total $1,050,000. Through my encouragement, the help of City staff, and cooperation of the Board of Aldermen, we were able to increase that to $3.2 million. Our roads are in terrible condition, and this went a long way in catching back up. On the tax side we did have the largest single reduction of $.15 in the history of Grain Valley. We have also been able to sell a lot from the property at Sni-A-Bar and Buckner Tarsney to Mid-Continent Public  Library, we have an offer on the Nichols Building, and there is some activity on the lots between Sodanos and the laundromat. So I was able to make very strong head way in to what I had promised. We were also able to get the proposal for the new Police Station passed in the April election. Something that is well overdue," Johnston said.
     After another contentious election cycle, Johnston was asked what has driven him to stay active in local elected service, and any advice he may have for those considering a run for office.
     "What has kept me going is wanting to make a difference in the future of our city. It is not true that public service isn't rewarding; maybe not in the ways most think but I do take pride in knowing that I've made a difference in the lives of the citizens I represent. Yes, at times it can be very frustrating, and no matter what you do you hear a lot more complaints than thank you's, but you have to remember the complainers are generally the most vocal. You have to remember if you go into politics, be a person of your word and your supporters will appreciate your efforts, but you will never make everyone happy. Just be true to yourself and your convictions - that is the best you can do."
     Johnston will continue his service to the community through Grain Valley's Santa Bus. 
     "I have been doing it for the past 26 years and I intend on doing it as long as I'm able. It keeps me busy throughout the year, either during the Christmas season or getting the toys and bus ready for the next year. I have never done anything as rewarding as seeing the kids that really believe they have met Santa."
     When asked if another run for office is in his future, Johnston was succinct.
     "I don't think you can get rid of me this easily. I've been at it a long time and I still see things I think need to be changed."

     The Board of Aldermen met briefly on April 11th, voting to censure Mayor Chuck Johnston for revealing confidential information from an executive session on social media, and approving a series of permits and resolutions that signal summer is just around the corner.
     The Board approved a resolution to allow Food Truck Friday events be held in the City parking lot between the Community Center and the pavilion. In addition, Food Truck Fridays will be allowed to set up on the first Fridays of June - August on street parking spots on the west side of Main Street. Front Street from Main Street to Gregg Street will be closed to vehicular traffic during Friday Friday events. 
     The Board also approved fireworks permits for the Grain Valley Band Parents Association and Grain Valley Partnership as well reviewing a liquor license for Slinger's Saloon. 
     As previously reported, the Board met the week prior to the April 11th meeting, directing staff to prepare a written censure of Mayor Johnston for revealing confidential information from an executive session on social media. The censure was approved unanimously by the board. During Mayor comments, Johnston expressed regret and apologized for the disclosure.
     In other business, candid marketing presented results of the recently completed branding project. A new logo and tagline for the City will be rolled out first to staff and then to the community in the near future.
     The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be at City Hall on Monday, April 25th at 7:00pm. 

     For the second time in as many months, a Grain Valley police officer has filed suit in Jackson County claiming employment discrimination. 
     On April 1st, attorneys for Kevin Bellmyer filed a petition in Jackson County Circuit Court claiming Bellmyer was discriminated against for his age when applying internally for a school resource officer position. 
     The petition claims Bellmyer, 50 years old at the time of the incident, began working for the department as an officer in March 2019. A school resource officer (SRO) opening was announced in late December 2020, and Bellmyer sent a formal memo indicating his interest in the position, and later shadowed current SRO to prepare for an interview.
     The petition states, "On or about January 12, 2021, SRO Sergeant Stratton told Plaintiff he overheard Grain Valley Police Chief James Beale make comments to other supervising officers about Plaintiff’s age and told them, “We don’t need any gray hair in the school.”
     The petition goes on to state two officers, including Bellmyer, were interviewed for the position, and a younger officer with less experience was ultimately awarded the job, against the recommendation of a panel of interviewers from the Grain Valley School District and three members of the police department. The petition claims the "Grain Valley School District was upset with Defendant’s decision to overturn the School District’s decision and/or recommendation that Plaintiff be hired as the new SRO."
     The petition states Bellmyer filed a complaint with the City's Human Resources Department alleging discrimination on April 15, 2021 and filed a charge of discrimination in June 2021 with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR), receiving a right to sue from MCHR in January 2022. 
     Judge Kenneth R. Garrett has been assigned to the case, with an initial conference scheduled July 25, 2022.
     Attorneys for Bellmyer did not respond to requests for comment. The City declined to comment, stating they do not discuss personnel matters or pending litigation. 

See also:
Officer sues City for employment discrimination

     The Board of Aldermen met at the Grain Valley Community Center Thursday evening to consider actions to be taken against Mayor Chuck Johnston following the disclosure of executive session information on social media platforms. The Board met with the City Attorney in closed session to consider options, later voting 6-0 in public session to place a vote to censure Johnston on the next regular Board meeting agenda. Johnston was not in attendance at the meeting. 
     In a post on Johnston's "Mayor Chuck Johnston Grain Valley" Facebook page, Johnston engaged in a debate in the days leading up to the April 5th municipal election. In one response, Johnston disclosed that the City is selling the Nichols Building "at a loss after doing nothing with it for four years". The disclosure on social media of information that had only been discussed in executive session is what prompted the special meeting. 
     The City Attorney explained in public session that the Board had essentially four options to consider: do nothing, issue a verbal admonishment, a written censure to be passed by the board at the next meeting, or impeachment. In considering impeachment, the cost to the City in legal fees was noted as a reason why the Board chose not to pursue that option. The Board voted 6-0 to place a vote to censure Johnston on the next regular meeting agenda. 
     The next scheduled meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be held Monday, April 11, 2022 at 7:00pm at City Hall. 

Two candidates, current Mayor Chuck Johnston and former mayor Michael Todd are on the April 5th ballot. Each candidate responded to the following series of questions from Valley News.

Chuck Johnston
 
If elected, what are your top three priorities?
The City recently sold a portion of the Sni-A-Bar Farms site to the Mid-Continent Public Library to build a new branch. What is your vision for the remainder of the City-owned property?
I would like to see it sold off to a developer with the front third of the property along Buckner-Tarsney zoned as commercial and the back two thirds zoned as residential. While we do need more green space I don't believe however that putting a park in the most south eastern point of the city is that advantageous when the town is clearly growing to the north.
 
What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, developing downtown, improving environment for existing businesses, etc.)?
Something that everyone has always been asking for is sit-down restaurants. We are starting to get to the point were we could support a few more upscale restaurants I believe the citizen are at that stage where restaurants would be more feasible. I would also like to see more skilled labor trades coming to town where we would be able the provide jobs for the resident rather than having them have to drive to larger cities for work. The more we can do right here in Grain Valley captures more revenues to help support the tax base.
 
Do you feel the police department is adequately staffed and current patrols are sufficient? What are your suggestions to ensure residents feel safe and their property is secure? 
According to FBI guidelines where the smallest city they rank in their guideline is 50,000, they recommend 15 officers per 10,000 of population. With our population at just over 15,000 that would be 22 or 23 officers. We just had a swearing in that brings us to 30 officers. Based on the FBI guidelines we are fairly well over their recommendations. I believe we are at an adequate number of officers. We do have a bond issue on this years' ballot for a new Police Station. Getting that put through I believe will help the productivity, efficiency, and overall moral of the Police in Grain Valley. 
 
Many of our City candidates, including both mayoral candidates, have served in this position or as aldermen for multiple terms. While their dedication to the City and to public service is admirable and appreciated, what can long term leaders do to foster new leadership for future years?
This is a question that is starting to affect all aspects of life as things have evolved. Where will the replacements for all positions in life come from as people's goals, expectations, and needs change. Going into political life you are putting yourself out there under a microscope for very little pay, a lot of criticism, and very little reward unless you appreciate self accomplishment. I'm sure other will come along to fill the shoes of those that have already accepted this challenge and are stepping down or just moving on. But unfortunately those replacements aren't running around with a sign on their back saying they're ready to step up. I'm just not sure how you identify and find those that are ready. In the past I have approached several that have expressed an interest and a couple of those are still involved. I believe we just have to do our best to encourage those that do express an interest. It has always been that way in the past and a lot of great people have stepped up to fulfill the needs. I'm sure there will be other great leaders and/or just good people that will fill the vacancies as needed in the future.

 
​
Michael Todd
 
If elected, what are your top three priorities?

1. Staffing issues throughout the city primarily the Police Department.  I realize that we are in times where everyone is struggling to find employees, but just blaming hard times is not being proactive enough.  We have had some positions go months without a single applicant.  We need to do more to see what we can do to separate us out from other entities looking for employees so we can have good candidates for our positions.  The same goes with retaining the people we have.  From Public Works to Police we have good employees and we need to do a better job of retaining them.  It cost us thousands of dollars to train new employees when we lose employees.  In the last 18 months we have lost 8 rank and file officers.  Some of these officers are leaving to take lower paying jobs in other jurisdictions so it is an issue beyond money that we need to get to the bottom of.
2. Crime Prevention needs to be improved.  Some people want to say we don’t have a crime problem, or that it is a problem everywhere.  That isn’t good enough for me.  Just because there are increases everywhere doesn’t mean we should stick with the status quo and not be more proactive in what we are doing to protect our residents and their property.  I’m proposing we establish a Crime Prevention Unit.  This Unit would be comprised of dedicated officers who only worked towards Crime Prevention and didn’t work addition patrol shifts.  They would work flex schedules so they would be available at the times that we saw they were needed for Crime Prevention.  For example if trucks in the industrial park are being hit for their catalytic convertors they could set up to catch possible thieves,  if we have had cars being broken into in Rosewood they could set up to watch for suspicious activity there, maybe there are reports of speeding on Montana Ridge between 2 PM and 6 PM daily.  Again they could set up and run speed control on Montana Ridge.  Maybe some houses in Woodbury are wanting to establish a Neighborhood Watch Program.  These officers could meet with the residents of Woodbury to get that established.
3. Infrastructure Improvements.  We need to continue working towards the street plan that was established with the street study that was budgeted for during my last term as Mayor.  That identified the order of street resurfacing and curb/sidewalk repair around the city.  Included in that is we need to start working on the Buckner Tarsney corridor north of I-70.  What I mean about that is the intersections of Duncan Road and Buckner Tarsney and Rust Road and Buckner Tarsney.  The residents that live north of I-70 make up a very large portion of the population of Grain Valley and it is difficult and unsafe for them to get into town and back home.  These intersections need work and we need to start that process.

 
     The City recently sold a portion of the Sni-A-Bar Farms site to the Mid-Continent Public Library to build a new branch. What is your vision for the remainder of the City-owned property?
          First thing is I would like for the city to take the money they received from the sale of that land to the library and use it, along with any other property sales they make, to start the purchase of some land around the Rosewood/Woodbury subdivisions to star the process of having a park north of I-70.  Land is not getting cheaper and if we don’t start that process soon there will never be a dedicated park in the north portion of our town.  Now for the remainder of the Sni A Bar Farms property, which I believe is around 40 acres, I propose to dedicate it as Park and Recreation Space.  There are not a many large green spaces left in town and we need to protect that one from becoming several hundred homes and commercial properties.  There are lots of uses from a Parks standpoint it could be used for and that is something down the line for the residents to decide on.  Additional trails, splash pad, play grounds, even a possible location for a future Community Center close to the area where the library will be.  Lots of possibilities from a Parks and Recreation standpoint can go there.
 
     What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, developing downtown, improving environment for existing businesses, etc.)?
          Attracting New Business
               We need to be in constant communication with our developers, land owners, and brokers of vacant properties to see what they have in the works and what we can do for them to assist them.  Projects come up really quick and lots of times have quick turn arounds.  We also need to set up some meetings with our building owners to see what the city can do to help them lower the cost of rent in Grain Valley.  Business rent is very high and if we want to retain and attract businesses we need to see what we can do to assist landlords in lowering those rental costs.
          Developing Downtown
               I believe the biggest thing we can do here is to improve foot traffic to promote our downtown businesses.  The Grain Valley Fair Association is going to be trying something new this year on June 3rd, July 1st, and August 5th where we move our popular Food Truck Friday Nights back to downtown for those three nights to draw foot traffic downtown to see what all downtown has to offer.  I’m excited about the opportunity this brings and hopefully we can work on more of these types of events in the future to increase foot traffic.  Some great businesses have been added over the last few years and we need to promote those. 
               I think they city has also already taken an important step in trying to get some Main Street Improvement Grants.  Hopefully that comes through and can be used for some improvements that are needed as well.
          Improving Environment for Existing Businesses
               We start with having some meetings with existing businesses.  The landscape has changed since I was last in office with the onset of COVID so I’m not familiar with all of the struggles our businesses are currently having.  Once we can get a handle on those struggles we can work towards the solutions that we can make as a city.  We can’t help with everything, but there are things we can do.  I’m sure one struggle is the price of space in town and again that is something we need to talk with landlords about to see if there is anything from the city standpoint that can be done to help lower that.
 
     Do you feel the police department is adequately staffed and current patrols are sufficient? What are your suggestions to ensure residents feel safe and their property is secure?
          I addressed this a bit in my first response regarding my top three priorities.  I don’t believe we are adequately staffed at the moment.  Part of that is we can’t keep the positions we have filled.  The Board of Alderman took a step in the right direction with the 2022 budget when they added a few more officers.  The issue we run into is we are very seldom fully staffed.  We  have had 8 rank and file officers leave in the last 18 months.  That is a huge percentage of our officers.  These officers aren’t always leaving for better paying jurisdictions either.  Some are taking pay cuts to go to other departments.  We need to get to the bottom of what is going on and work to retain the officers we have so we aren’t constantly playing catch up and training new officers.  If we can get fully staffed and then focus on adding more officers through a Crime Prevention Unit I think we start to see the property crimes decrease.  These criminals are very seldom from Grain Valley.  They are coming from outside our community because they think we are easy targets.  We need to start catching them and prove to them we aren’t easy targets so the word will travel to avoid committing your crimes in Grain Valley.
 
     Many of our City candidates, including both mayoral candidates, have served in this position or as aldermen for multiple terms. While their dedication to the City and to public service is admirable and appreciated, what can long term leaders do to foster new leadership for future years?
          I’ve been called a glorified party planner by some because of my involvement in the Grain Valley Fair and Food Truck Friday Nights.  While I was Mayor we also did the Pool Parties for the kids and the Movie with the Mayor Event.  I really think getting the community involved through all of these types of events is how we get people involved.  I meet and talk to so many people at the Fair and FTF that I normally wouldn’t get the chance to.  Through the events we had for the kids I got the chance to talk with lots of parents.  Not to mention the kids got the chance to meet and talk to a lot of us involved in the city.  Being involved can be intimidating to some especially when your only experience with government might be what you see going on with the Federal or State Level.  By being out in the public, having these events, having the conversations, I think it gives people a bit more of a comfort with the city and then they are more ready to serve.  I know it’s a long ways off, but 20 years from now we might see my daughter in this position of answering questions for the Grain Valley News.
 

One aldermen position is open in each of Grain Valley's three wards. In Ward I, Dale Arnold and Chris Bamman are on the ballot. In Ward II, Rick Knox is running unopposed, and in Ward III, Ryan Skinner is running unopposed. Below are answers to questions Valley News sent to each candidate. 
*Updated 8:00pm 3/31/22. Responses from Rick Knox have been added. 

Dale Arnold, Ward I Candidate
 
I moved to Grain Valley in 1986 with my wife, of now 45 years, and our 2 daughters.  I served for 32 years with the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District attaining the rank of Captain/Acting Assistant Chief. I retired, due to an injury on the job, leading to my disability retirement 4 years ago. I have been active in the community and served in many ways through the years.
 
What are the top 3 priorities for the City in the next five years? How will you work with the Mayor, Aldermen, and City staff to address these issues?
 
 First and foremost, we need to maintain our communities infrastructure including water, sewer, streets, curbs and street lights. This is all needed to keep a safe environment for our citizens. Second: As our community has grown, we have outgrown many of our city's facilities. We need to balance the need for larger facilities, with the ability of the taxpayers to provide those necessities. Third: We must continue our efforts on economic development bringing more mercantile, sit down restaurants and industrial or light industry. That would hire and pay a higher scale wage for those who want to live, work and play in our community.
To achieve this will require leaving personal agendas at the door. Stepping up to help when needed, by attending events like Night out Against Crime, and Community Development evening to show support to our employees. Attending events allow the public access to their leaders to discuss what is occurring in our community.
 
When talking with constituents, what are the concerns you hear most often? What can the Board do to address these concerns?
The one concern most often heard are the taxes that we pay. I'm not sure what can be done to change this, other than working for the continued growth of our community. So that we spread the cost of government over more households and businesses. As we get larger the amount of taxes each individual will have to pay, should go down for the community.
 
What do you see as the best path forward for addressing facility needs for the police station, city hall, and community center?
 
 I feel that there is not a need to tear everything down and start with all new facilities. It is my feeling that if we approach the process with building a new community center first, then that would allow us to repurpose the old community center as a police station. With the police department move, we now can use the entire building as city hall. That should meet our needs for the next 20 years or more. This should save considerable taxes, at today's high cost of construction. This is a blueprint already used by our neighbor to the east and west of us. It has worked well for them, as it should for us.
 
What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, developing downtown, improving the environment for existing businesses, etc.)?
  This is a most challenging area for our community.  We set geographically to too close to Blue Springs, making it not profitable for some larger companies to come to our community based off populations and expected commercial viability.  This kind of ties into the needs for city facilities. Some believe that we should move away from the area on Main Street and sell the property to a big business, that will pay millions in taxes. It's just not feasible. That a Box store or something similar will come to our community and pay the kind of taxes that will reimburse the citizens for the millions of dollars already invested at the current city hall site and facilities.  One only has to look at the plight of big box stores and how they are disappearing to understand this is not in the future for Grain Valley. I spoke to economic development in my priorities above. As to improving the environment for current businesses, that would take an improved working relationship with the Chamber of Commerce (known as the Partnership). A refocusing on promoting existing businesses, should be a priority.

Do you feel the police department is adequately staffed and current patrols are sufficient? What are your suggestions to ensure residents feel safe and their property is secure?
 Our current police department has its struggles. Adjustments in patrol and personnel assignments may be necessary. The addition of three new officers this fiscal year should help with this. A study of needs may be needed to determine if more personnel are needed.  The tax base is what will limit what is feasible for the city to afford in this area.
Despite the current issues with crimes of opportunity, with car break ins and stolen autos', we still live in a safe community. The best way to handle this is to stay vigilant and aware of what is happening around you and early reporting of suspicious activity.
 
Many of our City candidates, including both mayoral candidates, have served in this position or as aldermen for multiple terms. While their dedication to the City and to public service is admirable and appreciated, what can long term leaders do to foster new leadership for future years?
My experience has shown that the average person including myself understand little about how our communities are managed. After a time in office I have learned how things work and began to figure out ways to improve our community, within the limitations that are there.  There are so many things that need to be done to keep our city healthy. Street improvements, expansion of the water and sewer systems, and additional personnel to meet the service needs of our community. All these things at once are pulling on the limited amount of funds available. Knowing the history of what has worked and what has not worked in our community's past helps make for better decision making as we move forward. Hopefully those who come after will have done their homework and are prepared to carry on. That is the way it has worked and will work for years to come. There will always be young leaders that will raise up and take on the tough challenges for whatever reason. We can help them through encouragement to get involved and by setting a good example for them to follow.
 
Chris Bamman, Ward I Candidate
My wife of 33 years and I have lived in Grain Valley for about 19 years.  We have 3 children all who graduated from Grain Valley Schools.  I’ve served our local Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, have coached youth basketball, baseball and soccer.  I’ve served on our local School Board for three, 3-year consecutive terms serving 4 of those 9 years as Board President.  I’ve served one, 2-year term as Alderman of Ward 1 and Mayor Pro Tem.  I stepped away from local politics for a short time focusing on my career and a significant amount of travel associated with my job.  I work in the area of Energy Engineering, Energy Conservation and Sustainability.  My travel requirements are reduced and I look forward to the opportunity of getting back to service to our community and to others.  Similarly, I worked for about 8 years as the Executive Director of Facilites Planning and Operations at the University of Central Missouri.  Running a college campus is very similar to running a small city.  These experiences coupled with my previous School Board and Alderman experience provide great experience and background for continued success in the role of Alderman for Ward 1.
 
What are the top 3 priorities for the City in the next five years? How will you work with the Mayor, Aldermen, and City staff to address these issues?
 
I see our top 3 priorities as supporting our Police.  There is too much turnover, too many vacant positions that can’t be filled and their facilities are sub standard for a city of this size.  Second, I see needed improvements to city infrastructure in the areas of streets, curbs and sidewalks.  There’s been focus on streets but our efforts need to be expanded. My experience with Engineering and Construction can provide valuable guidance in this area.  And last, but not least, providing focus on supporting competitive wages ad benefits for other areas of our city team is another area where we had success before when I served as Alderman.  There are many other areas that require focus and improvement but these are my top three for present and near term future needs.
 
When talking with constituents, what are the concerns you hear most often? What can the Board do to address these concerns?
 
The single biggest concern I hear is about the rising incidents of crime in our city.  I believe supporting our police and looking for way to attract and retain our veteran officers is the best way to correct that problem.  Having a full “quiver” of officers available to patrol and respond to calls is the best way for us to reduce the growing crime statistics.
 
What do you see as the best path forward for addressing facility needs for the police station, city hall, and community center?
 
I am a supporter of the new police station.  I prefer the butterfly trail location.  This is to make sure we aren’t infringing on activities like food truck Friday locations, our Fall Fair and our parks.  The activities that occur in these areas are too important for our community.  Regarding our community, I have always wondered why we would locate city hall and the community center on the most valuable piece of property in the city.   I believe the community center and recreation areas need to ultimately be moved to the Sni A Bar Farms property when this can be supported and it makes sense for the city. The current location is outgrown but more importantly can be better utilized generating revenue for our tax base and ultimately reducing our taxes.
 
What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, developing downtown, improving the environment for existing businesses, etc.)?
 
Future development in our city should be focused on bringing better paying jobs to the community. Technical and Healthcare and the like.  Further, the continued development and revitalizing our downtown area is also an area where we can continue to move forward. I am a fan of CID’s (Community Improvement Districts) and the like but I am not a fan of continuing the practice of TIF’s.  Our school district has taken it “on the chin” for far too long.

Do you feel the police department is adequately staffed and current patrols are sufficient? What are your suggestions to ensure residents feel safe and their property is secure?
 
I answered this up above and won’t take up more space repeating myself here.  In short, we need to make sure our Police Department is as healthy as possible as an organization.  From leadership, competitive wages and benefits, facilities, etc. 
 
Many of our City candidates, including both mayoral candidates, have served in this position or as aldermen for multiple terms. While their dedication to the City and to public service is admirable and appreciated, what can long term leaders do to foster new leadership for future years?
 
Politics in our community have become very ugly.  Our Mayor’s race is an example of this.  When you look at just finding someone to run for various offices you don’t have to look very far just to see the extremely low percentage of people who actually vote in these elections let alone find those willing and interested to serve.  So few are making the decisions for so many in our community which in my opinion is very sad.  It seems a little kindness would go a long way to draw more into the dialogue and maybe participate.
 
 
Rick Knox, Ward II Candidate
Rick Knox is currently serving as the Ward II aldermen and is running unopposed.

What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, developing downtown, improving the environment for existing businesses, etc.)?
It's my opinion that the City works to attract not just new business, but the correct business. What did I mean by correct? We need to work at bringing in business that meets the needs of our City. We need shopping here in The Valley that keeps or citizen shopping here, not in the neighboring communities. Developing our down town area is a major need that we have been working on and we're starting to see the fruits of our labor and we need to continue to push this.

Do you feel the police department is adequately staffed and current patrols are sufficient? What are your suggestions to ensure residents feel safe and their property is secure?
Is our Police department adequately staff? NO, it's my opinion we are understaffed. We must improve our staffing and minimum staffing per shift. I here Mayor Johnston talk about the F.B.I. statistics that say our staffing is where we should be. Those stats do not take into account the demographics of our city. Our city is cut into three sections due to the interstate and the railroad, with only one way to respond from opposite ends of the city this can cause major delays in response times for officers. This puts or officers in grave danger if they need back up. We must do a better job of attracting and retaining our officers. 

I also support the building of a new Police station to bring our police faculty up to code and todays standards. This not only allows for that, but also helps our city staff to have a better working environment that they need and deserve.

Many of our City candidates, including both mayoral candidates, have served in this position or as aldermen for multiple terms. While their dedication to the City and to public service is admirable and appreciated, what can long term leaders do to foster new leadership for future years?
I'm running for my second term, this first term has been a learning curve, with the tenured members they can give guidance to new members. It's also important to have members on the board who know the history of how, why past decisions  were made and if they worked. We need short term, medium term and long term goals. Tenured members who have helped set this goals can help new members understand the goals. Leading the city is a moving target 
and tenured members have to be willing to accept newer members and listen to their ideas and concerns. I have found this to be the case in my experience with the present board Alderman.  
The most important job of the Alderman is to be good stewards of the tax payers money.
 


 
Ryan Skinner, Ward III Candidate
I am a 2009 graduate from the Grain Valley School District. I graduated in 2012 from the University of Central Missouri with degrees in Criminal Justice and Political Science. I also attended the Central Missouri Police Academy, where I obtained my Peace Officer certification.
 
Following college and the police academy, I became a Deputy Sheriff in Boone County, MO (Columbia, MO) for 4 years as a patrol deputy. While at the sheriff’s department I also worked as a recruiter, where I had the opportunity to work on morale and retainment issues. I left the Sheriff’s Department and joined the Oak Grove, MO police department for a year before deciding to change careers. I now work for a manufacturer in Kansas City, MO as a Regional Manager. Aside from work history, my wife Laurel and I just welcomed our first child in September, and we look forward to raising her in Grain Valley.
 
What are the top 3 priorities for the City in the next five years? How will you work with the Mayor, Aldermen, and City staff to address these issues?
 
The police department, infrastructure, and commercial growth are the top 3 priorities for the city in the next five years in my view. Concerning the police department, working with the Board and City Staff, we need to take steps to bolster the department’s ability to retain officers. This includes addressing pay compression among our veteran officers, looking into forming specialized units so officers can grow their skill sets, and just as importantly how we recruit new officers.
 
Regarding infrastructure, the Board and City staff need to strategically work together to plan for these immense projects. There are key roadway and intersection issues, especially North of I-70, which create congestion and pose dangers to motorist. Also, facility infrastructure, such as the community center and city hall need to be addressed. A comprehensive plan that all parties can agree on is a must to move the city forward.
 
Lastly, responsible commercial growth is very important for the city. Working with the Board and City Staff, we need to ensure that we are thoughtfully looking at new commercial growth and ensuring that it benefits the city. It is important to bring in commercial businesses that will allow Grain Valley residents to spend their hard-earned money within our city. This will help grow our tax base and help ease the burden from single family residences.
 
When talking with constituents, what are the concerns you hear most often? What can the Board do to address these concerns?
 
The biggest concern I hear most is the increase in property crime occurring in our city. Supporting our police department by helping bring the department back to full staffing is the quickest way to address this. With an average of 2 or 3 officers working at any given time, it is impossible to have adequate coverage of the city. To improve the staffing issue, I would work with the board to find new ways to recruit officers and then retain them. One way to due this is recruiting from local colleges and paying for new recruits to attend the police academy. The officer would sign a contract and agree to work for the department for a set amount of time to pay back the expense of the academy. This would open the door to a new stream of potential officers to recruit from. 
 
What do you see as the best path forward for addressing facility needs for the police station, city hall, and community center?
 
I believe the best path forward concerning the police station is for voters to vote in favor of the new police station on April 5th. I believe this is an immediate need for the city and the proposal put before the voters meets the needs of the department. Regarding City Hall and the Community Center, I believe the Board who will be in place after April 5th needs to work with city staff to create a plan to address this. The politization of this topic has hit a breaking point in my opinion and the voters will decide on how this should be handled on April 5th.      
 
What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, developing downtown, improving the environment for existing businesses, etc.)?
 
The city should be encouraging responsible commercial growth. It is important to remove the tax burden from the single-family residences and transition this to commercial businesses through sales tax and property taxes. The city should have a strong focus on supporting the family owned businesses that have made Grain Valley what is today while also inviting new growth into our community.
For developing downtown, I believe it is important for the city to provide financial assistance to businesses who are looking into moving into existing downtown structures through engineering and architectural funding. This will help the city transform the downtown aesthetics and streetscape, while also assisting small businesses at the same time.   

Do you feel the police department is adequately staffed and current patrols are sufficient? What are your suggestions to ensure residents feel safe and their property is secure?
With the department having at least 8 open positions today, it is clearly not fully staffed. Once we have fixed our recruiting and retainment issues, I believe we need to take a serious look at creating specialized positions to address the real fear our residents have of crime in our neighborhoods. Patrol officers who are responding to call after call, unfortunately do not have the luxury of being able to sit in a neighborhood for a long period of time looking for criminal behavior. Instead, they are busy responding to calls for service. Specialized officers who are not responsible for responding to calls for service would allow for increased proactive patrolling to help catch and prevent criminals targeting our community.

Many of our City candidates, including both mayoral candidates, have served in this position or as aldermen for multiple terms. While their dedication to the City and to public service is admirable and appreciated, what can long term leaders do to foster new leadership for future years?
Leaders who have been in their position for multiple terms can bring experience and leadership to the city. To foster new leadership, long term leaders must have an open mind and willingness to listen to new members and those from different generations in our community. Grain Valley has a median age of 30.5 years, so this means that the decisions made by our current leaders will influence many generations to come. When making important decisions, such as the city complex, our leaders need to be thinking about the long-term consequences that come with it. I look forward to working with the leadership and ensuring every decision that will affect our future generations are carefully considered.   
 
 

     Voters on April 5th will be asked to decide on a $14,000,000 bond issue for the site development and the construction, furnishing, and equipping of a police facility.
     The proposed station will be approximately 22,000 square feet, which the City states is expected to accommodate 20 years of growth. The proposed building has been designed to allow for expansion if needed. 
     The estimated $14 million for the station project includes site development, including utility infrastructure, paved entrances and parking, and all the external and internal features including furniture. The City has emphasized its sound financial standing that would allow any type of municipal financing can be accomplished without an increase to the tax levy. It is anticipated that a no levy increase bond initiative will allow the headquarters to be built without maxing out debt capacities. 
     “The current building is a shared space housing the police department as well as many other departments in the city. The population of Grain Valley has tripled since the station was built in the early 2000's. With that growth, the number of commissioned officers alone has more than doubled in size. Currently the police department occupies 8,000 square feet but it has been determined that the department would operate most efficiently in a space almost triple that size," Theresa Osenbaugh, Deputy City Administrator, said. 
     "Besides the overall building layout and size not being conducive to department needs, national standards have changed since the station was originally built and much can be improved upon. We look forward to being able to provide our officers and civilian staff with the space needed to adequately complete paperwork, package and store evidence, and provide secure parking for vehicles and safety as well as have increased safety features for detaining and transferring prisoners and adequate space for training amongst other improvements."
     The City is hosting an open house and opportunity to tour the current facility, 711 Main, on March 30th from 5-7pm. Below is a virtual tour for those who are unable to attend in person.

Photo credit: City of Grain Valley