The December Senior Citizens’ Luncheon will be held Wednesday, December 4th at the Grain Valley Community Center. Menu will include BBQ brisket, roast chicken breast, scalloped potatoes, green beans, hot roll, and assorted desserts.
     Allen Lefko of Bank of Grain Valley and Jan Reding are the hosts of this month’s luncheon. Reservations are requested by Friday, November 29th by calling 816-847-6293 or emailing info@cityofgrainvalley.org. A suggested donation of $3 is welcome.
     Bingo will follow the luncheon; bingo cards are $1 for the first card, $.50 for the second card.
 

Photo credit: Valley News staff

​     Ousted City Administrator Ryan Hunt requested and received a public hearing to share his version of the events leading to his termination in October. In the 10 minutes granted for his remarks, Hunt detailed accomplishments during his 10 years of service with the City, his perspective of the events that led to his termination, and detailed the three causes listed in his termination letter that led to the City terminating his employment.
    As previously reported, Hunt was terminated during a closed special meeting on October 24th. Hunt’s last day was October 25th. Former Deputy Administrator Ken Murphy was announced as Acting City Administrator during the City’s Community Campus meeting on October 29th.
     After detailing his length of employment with the City, including his tenure as City Administrator since 2014, an employment record during that time with no written or verbal reprimands, and his accomplishments and growth of the city during his tenure, Hunt claimed discrimination due to a disability and retaliation on the part of the Mayor and City due to investigations he pursued in summer 2019.
     “The City’s termination of my employment was reckless as a steward of the public trust and wrongful for a myriad of reasons,” Hunt said.
     “Suffice to say, there are causes of actions being considered against the City.”
     Hunt claimed discrimination due to a disability and claimed City staff and elected officials discussed the disability internally and with the public. Hunt did not disclose the nature of his disability in his remarks.
     “I am a person with a disability. Notwithstanding my disability, I gave my exceptional performance to the City. The board, Mayor, police officers, and City employees have discussed my disability with each other and members of the public. In 2019, a City police officer that is married to a member of the board began making negative and disparaging statements about me, including statements about my disability. This officer represented that he had the influence over the board to have me terminated. An internal affairs investigation intended to examine the officer’s conduct appears to have placed me somehow at the center of the investigation. Numerous statements were made about my disability including speculation,” Hunt said.
     “Based on the information and the discrepancies that were presented to both the Mayor and I, this influenced the nature of the investigation and I suggested to the Mayor that a neutral third party come in and reexamine the internal affairs investigation.”
     Hunt also claimed he became aware of conduct by City staff that violated the law and claimed he reported the conduct to the Mayor. Hunt indicated he requested an opportunity to present findings to the Board of Aldermen, and a special session was scheduled for August 1, 2019.
     “Approximately two hours before that meeting Mayor Todd contacted me and told me I had been barred from the meeting. Rather he was going to handle it. That was retaliatory. On September 24, 2019, I was issued a written disciplinary letter for breaching the confidentiality of the City. While simply trying to perform my duties.”
     Hunt also stated the disciplinary letter accused him of “playing unprofessional games”.
     Hunt requested a 30-day paid administrative leave on September 29th, which was authorized on September 30th.
     “On October 3rd, the City held an additional executive session and voted to revoke my previous authorization of leave and place me on a four week leave of absence without pay. Additionally, I was revoked all physical and electronic access to the City. My city credit card was canceled, and I was deprived of rights related to my contractual employment by the city attorney. This too was retaliatory,” Hunt said.
     “I submitted a written complaint to the mayor on October 16, 2019. Wherein I set forth about the disability and discrimination and being barred from board meetings and how the city’s actions during my leave were retaliatory in nature. To which he never acknowledged. I was scheduled to return to work on October 28, 2019.”
     According to Hunt, the mayor hand delivered his termination letter on October 25th following recovery of his city vehicle, which he stated was stolen from his driveway in the early morning hours of October 25th.
     “My city vehicle was stolen from my driveway around 2:30am on October 25th. Later that day, the mayor contacted me and told me the truck had been recovered. He asked me to meet him at the Oak Grove Police Department for the recovery. And when I arrived the Mayor handed me a letter of termination with cause and said nothing except I was not getting the truck back and I was not entitled to my severance package. When I asked what the cause was, he told me he would not discuss it with me, but the letter would explain the cause,” Hunt said.
     Hunt referenced the termination letter he received, listing three causes for his termination, and refuting each cause listed.
     Hunt indicated the first cause listed as “failure to obtain educational requirements set forth by my contract by accepting raises for educational credit.” Hunt claimed the mayor and City officials were aware that he had not obtained additional education during his term as City Administrator and denied he received any raises for educational credit.
     “I have never taken a raise for educational credits. In fact, since I became the City Administrator I have not gone to any more college. And that was well known amongst the board, or at least Mayor Todd represented that. Rather it was standard cost of living or merit raises specifically included in the budget and approved by the board. Additionally, I have concrete evidence that Mayor Todd represented that the board was not requiring me to meet the 3-hour educational requirement,” Hunt said.
     Hunt identified the second cause in the termination letter as “failure to rectify disharmony at city hall” and the third cause listed in the termination letter as “gross negligence by refusing to complete education in 2019,”. Hunt claimed his agreement required he complete six hours of credit in 2019, which he claimed he was scheduled to complete in fall 2019.
     In concluding his statement, Hunt claimed gross negligence on the part of elected officials and expressed his thanks to residents, business owners, and City staff.
    “I am very disappointed in those responsible for my termination and I do not understand the gross negligence they have performed as officers of the public. I planned on retiring from this City. But instead, I was systematically defeated by secrecy and dishonesty.”
     “To the business owners and the citizens, thank you for the time I had in Grain Valley. Thank you for your support, for being here tonight, for always having my back. To my staff members, I enjoyed working with you guys. It was a joy working with all of you.”
     “Thank you, Alderman Bass, for opposing my termination. I sincerely appreciate that. To staff and citizens, I am most regretful of the circumstance and what may come.”
     Alderman Jayci Stratton is married to Grain Valley police officer Willie Stratton, the officer referenced in Hunt’s statement. Willie Stratton denied Hunt’s version of the events and was adamant an investigation conducted this summer was found to be unfounded.
     “I would like to comment as a citizen that the statement he made is entirely false, and I was investigated and had nothing to do with any disability he had, and I’ll leave it at that. At this point, I am going to seek counsel because what he just stated was not the truth. My investigation was found to be negative and it had nothing to do with her (Alderman Stratton),” Willie Stratton said.
     Alderman Stratton declined to comment further.
     Mayor Mike Todd was approached for comment and declined to comment further at this time, calling on City Attorney Joe Lauber to assist with a statement.
     “We typically don’t make a public thing about personnel matters and as he indicated we are under a threat of litigation. Our common approach is not to talk about all that,” Lauber said.
     “There’s obviously differences between his perspective on the issue and ours. We are working to resolve those, and we hope that we can get there.”
     In other business, the Board of Aldermen approved an ordinance calling for an election on April 7, 2020. One item planned for the April ballot is the proposed Community Campus, which would include a new city hall, police department, community center, and library. Representatives from SAPP Design presented an update to the campus project and rendering of the most popular design of three proposed to resident in a variety of community  events.
     The Board also approved the first reading of the 2020 budget. The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be held at 7:00pm on December 9, 2019 at City Hall.
 

​     Ousted City Administrator Ryan Hunt requested and received a public hearing to share his version of the events leading to his termination in October. In the 10 minutes granted for his remarks, Hunt detailed accomplishments during his nearly 10 years of service with the City, his perspective of the events that led to his termination, and detailed the three causes listed in his termination letter that led to the City terminating his employment.
    As previously reported, Hunt was terminated during a closed special meeting on October 24th. Hunt’s last day was October 25th. Former Deputy Administrator Ken Murphy was announced as Acting City Administrator during the City’s Community Campus meeting on October 29th.
     After detailing his length of employment with the City, including his tenure as City Administrator since 2014, an employment record during that time with no written or verbal reprimands, and his accomplishments and growth of the city during his tenure, Hunt claimed discrimination due to a disability and retaliation on the part of the Mayor and City due to investigations he pursued in summer 2019.
     “The City’s termination of my employment was reckless as a steward of the public trust and wrongful for a myriad of reasons,” Hunt said.
     “Suffice to say, there are causes of actions being considered against the City.”
     Hunt claimed discrimination due to a disability and claimed City staff and elected officials discussed the disability internally and with the public. Hunt did not disclose the nature of his disability in his remarks.
     “I am a person with a disability. Notwithstanding my disability, I gave my exceptional performance to the City. The board, Mayor, police officers, and City employees have discussed my disability with each other and members of the public. In 2019, a City police officer that is married to a member of the board began making negative and disparaging statements about me, including statements about my disability. This officer represented that he had the influence over the board to have me terminated. An internal affairs investigation intended to examine the officer’s conduct appears to have placed me somehow at the center of the investigation. Numerous statements were made about my disability including speculation,” Hunt said.
     “Based on the information and the discrepancies that were presented to both the Mayor and I, this influenced the nature of the investigation and I suggested to the Mayor that a neutral third party come in and reexamine the internal affairs investigation.”
     Hunt also claimed he became aware of conduct by City staff that violated the law and claimed he reported the conduct to the Mayor. Hunt indicated he requested an opportunity to present findings to the Board of Aldermen, and a special session was scheduled for August 1, 2019.
     “Approximately two hours before that meeting Mayor Todd contacted me and told me I had been barred from the meeting. Rather he was going to handle it.  That was retaliatory. On September 24, 2019, I was issued a written disciplinary letter for breaching the confidentiality of the City. While simply trying to perform my duties.”
     Hunt also stated the disciplinary letter accused him of “playing unprofessional games”.
     Hunt requested a 30-day paid administrative leave on September 29th, which was authorized on September 30th.
     “On October 3rd, the City held an additional executive session and voted to revoke my previous authorization of leave and place me on a four week leave of absence without pay. Additionally, I was revoked all physical and electronic access to the City. My city credit card was canceled, and I was deprived of rights related to my contractual employment by the city attorney. This too was retaliatory,” Hunt said.
     “I submitted a written complaint to the mayor on October 16, 2019. Wherein I set forth about the disability and discrimination and being barred from board meetings and how the city’s actions during my leave were retaliatory in nature. To which he never acknowledged. I was scheduled to return to work on October 28, 2019.”
     According to Hunt, the mayor hand delivered his termination letter on October 25th following recovery of his city vehicle, which he stated was stolen from his driveway in the early morning hours of October 25th.
     “My city vehicle was stolen from my driveway around 2:30am on October 25th. Later that day, the mayor contacted me and told me the truck had been recovered. He asked me to meet him at the Oak Grove Police Department for the recovery. And when I arrived the Mayor handed me a letter of termination with cause and said nothing except I was not getting the truck back and I was not entitled to my severance package. When I asked what the cause was, he told me he would not discuss it with me, but the letter would explain the cause,” Hunt said.
     Hunt referenced the termination letter he received, listing three causes for his termination, and refuting each cause listed.
     Hunt indicated the first cause listed as “failure to obtain educational requirements set forth by my contract by accepting raises for educational credit.” Hunt claimed the mayor and City officials were aware that he had not obtained additional education during his term as City Administrator and denied he received any raises for educational credit.
     “I have never taken a raise for educational credits. In fact, since I became the City Administrator I have not gone to any more college. And that was well known amongst the board, or at least Mayor Todd represented that. Rather it was standard cost of living or merit raises specifically included in the budget and approved by the board. Additionally, I have concrete evidence that Mayor Todd represented that the board was not requiring me to meet the 3-hour educational requirement,” Hunt said.
     Hunt identified the second cause in the termination letter as “failure to rectify disharmony at city hall” and the third cause listed in the termination letter as “gross negligence by refusing to complete education in 2019,”. Hunt claimed his agreement required he complete six hours of credit in 2019, which he claimed he was scheduled to complete in fall 2019.
     In concluding his statement, Hunt claimed gross negligence on the part of elected officials and expressed his thanks to residents, business owners, and City staff.
    “I am very disappointed in those responsible for my termination and I do not understand the gross negligence they have performed as officers of the public. I planned on retiring from this City. But instead I was systematically defeated by secrecy and dishonesty.”
     “To the business owners and the citizens, thank you for the time I had in Grain Valley. Thank you for your support, for being here tonight, for always having my back. To my staff members, I enjoyed working with you guys. It was a joy working with all of you.”
     “Thank you, Alderman Bass, for opposing my termination. I sincerely appreciate that. To staff and citizens, I am most regretful of the circumstance and what may come.”
     Alderman Jayci Stratton is married to Grain Valley police officer Willie Stratton, the officer referenced in Hunt’s statement. Willie Stratton denied Hunt’s version of the events and was adamant an investigation conducted this summer was found to be unfounded.
     “I would like to comment as a citizen that the statement he made is entirely false, and I was investigated and had nothing to do with any disability he had, and I’ll leave it at that. At this point, I am going to seek counsel because what he just stated was not the truth. My investigation was found to be negative and it had nothing to do with her (Alderman Stratton),” Willie Stratton said.
     Alderman Stratton declined to comment further.
     Mayor Mike Todd was approached for comment and declined to comment further at this time, calling on City Attorney Joe Lauber to assist with a statement.
     “We typically don’t make a public thing about personnel matters and as he indicated we are under a threat of litigation. Our common approach is not to talk about all that,” Lauber said.
     “There’s obviously differences between his perspective on the issue and ours. We are working to resolve those, and we hope that we can get there.”
     Valley News will have a full report on the November 25th board meeting in the November 28th online edition.

​     Can you believe that we will soon be ushering in the year 2020?  So much has happened in our community over the last twenty years.  Most of you are aware of the growth that we have experienced.  As of the 2000 census, there were just over 5,000 residents in Grain Valley.  The US Census Bureau reported in July 2018, a population of 14,277, so it will not surprise us if Grain Valley reaches a population near 15,000 by the reporting of the April 2020 Census.
     The growth in population has brought many changes.  The City is averaging 10 new home construction permits per month.  New businesses are continually coming to Grain Valley, two of which are nearing completion.  Taco Bell, north of I-70, will open its doors in the coming weeks, as will TempStop, just north of City Hall.  The TempStop will include a BluTaco and Champs Chicken.  QuikTrip should be breaking ground soon also.  All of these will be great options for families on the go. 
     The growth we have experienced has had City staff evaluating the conditions and space constraints presented by the current city facilities, including City Hall, the police department and the community center.  These facilities were completed in 2001, when the total population of the city was approximately 1/3 of it’s current size.  City staff has worked with architects and construction consultants to evaluate the current needs of City staff and amenities for our citizens. 
     Looking ahead and in an effort to preserve our City’s history, the City purchased property several years ago at the location of the former Sni-A-Bar farms.  The 2014 comprehensive plan set the long-term vision to create a community campus at this property.  City staff and the project’s partners have appeared at community events seeking public input regarding the project.  They also facilitated a community meeting, which was held in October with 200+ in attendance.   We encourage citizens to stay informed regarding the project by visiting www.envisiongrainvalley.com.
     Our Parks & Recreation Department has been busy throughout the year with programs such as little league baseball and playtime for toddlers, but have also been involved in larger impact projects, such as the Blue Branch Trail.  It is a continuation of the City’s Trails Master Plan that focuses on connecting neighborhoods to schools, schools to parks, and parks to the downtown corridor. The Blue Branch Trail extends from Buckner Tarsney Road, west to SW Eagles Parkway, running parallel to Blue Branch Creek.  The trail will be completed in the coming months, with plans to add a pedestrian bridge in 2020. 
     We are gearing up now for the Holiday Festival at Armstrong Park on Thursday, December 5th.  The event begins at 6:00 pm with the lighting of the Mayor’s Christmas tree and lights throughout the Park, Main Street, the Community Center and City Hall.  We support the Grain Valley Assistance Council throughout the year, but this is a huge event for them as they rely on the community’s support to serve more than 100 families.  This year they will be collecting non-perishable food items throughout the evening.  Join us to enjoy this tradition as the community comes together to kick off the holiday season with free hot chocolate, cookies and photos with Santa.  Please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns at mayor@cityofgrainvalley.org or feel free to give me a call at 816-719-9436. 
     Happy holidays to you! 
 

     The Grain Valley Board of Aldermen held a Budget Workshop on Tuesday, November 5th at City Hall to review the 2020 budget drafted with City staff.
     The proposed Community Campus loomed over several items in the budget, including plans to develop the Nichols building on Gregg Street, which was purchased by the City to be repurposed for community use. Currently, the Grain Valley Assistance Council utilizes one part of the building. Plans for further development will be delayed until the results of a planned April 2020 vote for a no tax increase bond issue to fund the community campus.
     Parks and Recreation Director Shannon Davies reported work on two projects already approved by the board will be pushed into next year. A pedestrian bridge at Blue Branch Creek has been delayed until early next year, and trail construction along Dillingham will be postponed until early next year when weather conditions are more favorable.
     Police Chief James Beale addressed questions from Ward I Aldermen Jayci Stratton regarding officers driving police vehicles home and the fuel costs incurred, particularly officers who live a great distance from Grain Valley. Beale reported he completed a study on  current mileage costs and has already set restrictions on School Resource Officers driving vehicles home. Policies for the full fleet will be finalized in the coming months.
     The Board also included a 2% cost of living increase for City staff in the budget at a cost of $78,460.
     The Board of Aldermen will present the budget for a first read at their November 25th meeting and a second reading on December 9th.
 

​     The City of Grain Valley hosted a community meeting to discuss proposed site plans for a Community Campus at the former Sni-A-Bar Farms property on Tuesday, October 29th.  The  proposed Community Campus will move city services currently located just south of 1-70 on Buckner Tarsney Road further south to the historic Sni-A-Bar Farm property. The proposed campus includes a new city hall, police department, community center with indoor aquatics, and Mid-Continent Public Library branch. Approximately 200 residents attended the event.                 
     City staff and representatives from Sapp Design Architects began the meeting with a presentation of the three proposed site plans and briefly touched on the timeline and approximate cost of the project, estimated at $37-41 million. A no tax bond issue is planned for April 2020 to fund the project, and $5-8 million in prospective partnership opportunities were mentioned as additional funding for the project.
     Residents shared feedback during the presentation through a mobile survey tool, which indicated over 2/3 of respondents were in favor of the project. Following the presentation, City staff and elected officials were stationed throughout the room to discuss plans and receive feedback from residents.
     Bonnie Darby and her husband Tom Darby have lived in Grain Valley for 40 years and came away from the presentation with differing opinions. Bonnie was receptive to the idea of a community campus and appreciated the concept of having the library, city services, and community center in one location. Tom was less enthusiastic and voiced a number of concerns, including the isolation of city services further south of the center of the city, concerns regarding  the response time for police in a less central location, plans for Armstrong Park, and the lack of detail regarding funding available for maintenance of new facilities.
     “This seems like a fait accompli. We were presented their plans without opportunity to give voice or vote,” Tom said.
     Responding to this criticism, Mayor Todd emphasized this is just the first of several meetings and opportunities for the public to voice their opinion on the project,
     “This is a true democratic process. It will likely be on the ballot in April. Residents will have the chance to learn about the project and vote yes or no. If they vote no, it’s not going to happen.  We’ll have more meetings and folks will continue to have opportunities to voice their opinions and shape the project,” Todd said.
     For more information on the project and proposed layouts discussed at the October 29th meeting, visit www.envisiongrainvalley.com.
 
 

     It was business as usual at the October 28th Board of Aldermen meeting, save for the absence of City Administrator Ryan Hunt, who has worked with the City since 2009, becoming City Administrator in 2015.
     Hunt requested leave beginning September 29th, which the Board of Aldermen granted during an October 3rd closed session. The Board voted to fire Hunt last Thursday, October 24th in a closed special meeting. Hunt’s last day was Friday, October 25th. Mayor Todd declined to comment further, stating it was a personnel matter. Hunt did not respond to request for comment.
     “I appreciate his service to the City. He helped us through the big 1-70 project and served the City for over 10 years,” Mayor Mike Todd said. “The good thing is, with the staff we have, we have a number of qualified folks who could step into that position. We’re in good shape.” Todd mentioned the search for a replacement would likely not begin until after the first of the year.
     Announced briefly during staff introductions at the Community Campus meeting on Tuesday, October 29th at Sni-A-Bar Elementary, Ken Murphy, former Deputy Administrator, was introduced as Acting City Administrator.
     Murphy echoed Mayor Todd’s confidence that the absence of Hunt would not affect projects like the proposed Community Campus.
     “Our internal lead on the project has been Theresa Osenbaugh (Assistant City Administrator). She and I have been the main contacts working with the design team, so we haven’t had to make any detours along the way,” Murphy said.
     The October 28th Board of Aldermen meeting included a vote approving an ordinance to call an election in the City on April 7, 2020. The City also extended the current agreement for one year with the Oak Grove Animal Hospital to provide boarding and animal care services for animals taken into custody by the Grain Valley Animal Control Officer.
 

     An evening of spooky fun is promised for trick or treaters at the annual Trail or Treat event sponsored by the City of Grain Valley on Friday, October 25th at Butterfly Trail Park. 
     The free event will be held from 6:30pm—8:30pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and personal care items for the Grain Valley Assistance Council.
   According to Grain Valley Assistance Council Site Director Donna Compton, the organization is in need of the following items:
 
shampoo/conditioner
body wash
deodorant
shaving cream
paper products, including
paper towels, toilet paper, Kleenex. 
jelly in plastic jars
canned meat
boxed dinners
canned fruit
 
     More than 30 local businesses and organizations will be stationed along the trail distributing treats. Attendees can also enjoy a haunted hayride, silly slides, the gruesome graveyard, and more.
     Parking is available in several areas at the trail site. In addition, overflow parking is available at OOIDA (see page 5 for event parking map).
 For more information on the Grain Valley Assistance Council, visit www.grainvalleyassistancecouncil.org.
 
 

     The Grain Valley Police Department is hosting a National Drug Take Back and document shredding event on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at Grain Valley City Hall, 711 Main Street.
     The shredding event will be held from 9:00am—Noon for Grain Valley businesses and residents. Up to three bags or boxes may be turned in for secure shredding. Proof of residency is required.
     The National Drug Take Back event will be held at City Hall from 10:00am—2:00pm. All prescription and over-the –counter medications will be accepted for safe disposal. No syringes will be accepted. No questions will be asked.
     For more information on the Drug Take Back or shredding event, call 816-847-6250 or email info@cityofgrainvalley.org.
 
 

     Tasha Lindsey, Executive Director of the Grain Valley Partnership, presented the Partnership’s annual report to the Board of Aldermen during the Board’s October 14th meeting. Lindsey recently celebrated her second anniversary with the Grain Valley Partnership in August.
     The Grain Valley Partnership is the result of a merging of the Economic Development Corporation and the Chamber of Commerce. The organization focuses on networking and professional development, promotion of businesses, business resources to promote growth, and government relations support.
     “We want to guide and mentor new businesses as well as providing them with the resources they need. Furthermore, I want new and existing businesses in our community to feel comfortable with asking questions. We have a wealth of people that I can reach out to in finding answers for businesses from start up to exit strategy. I want to be a part of your business journey,” Lindsey said.
     Lindsey reported she has started work to become a certified economic development director and highlighted accomplishments and existing challenges for the Grain Valley Partnership. Accomplishments listed by Lindsey included building trust with businesses, creating programs that have added value for partnership members, visibility of the organization within the community, and adding 50 new business partners over the last two years.
     “Due to previous struggles and transitions along with the merger of two entities prior to my joining the organization, trust had been lost. Without the trust of the community and business owners, our progress would be stalled. Much work has been done to push out our brand and establish or re-establish relationships within the community,” Lindsey said.
     “Programs that have been created offer additional value to partnership businesses. Instead of just having a monthly luncheon that our small businesses may not be able to attend, we have also started doing after hours get togethers and Coffee Connections that have seen great results. Social media has also allowed us to identify who we are and gain exposure to our community.”
     Lindsey continued that the Partnership’s relationship with the Missouri Economic Development Council is getting stronger and mentioned the Council has an interest in touring Grain Valley and meeting with city officials. Grain Valley has seen continued population growth and is nestled along one of the busiest interstates in the United States. As the tagline on its website explains, the Partnership bills the city as the “The Gateway of the Kansas City Metro”.
     “The Missouri Department of Economic Development serves the entire state, including large communities like Kansas City and St. Louis. If these people are seeing us as someone they want to come meet and a community they want to explore, that means we’re being talked about in Jefferson City. This may be due to promotion through our State Representative Jeff Coleman, as that is a responsibility he has undertaken,” Lindsey said.
     Retention of partner businesses and growing the base of business partners were noted as focus areas for the organization.
     Lindsey closed her presentation with thanking the board for the current positive rapport between the City of Grain Valley and the Grain Valley Partnership.
     “There’s a respect level that is mutual between us and aids approachability for both sides. We understand that we must work together to grow Grain Valley in a beneficial capacity,” Lindsey said.
     For additional information on the Grain Valley Partnership and its services for local businesses, visit www.growgrainvalley.org.
     In other news, the board unanimously passed the first readings of two ordinances concerning Planning and Zoning. The first ordinance formalizes the appointment, term, roles, and functions of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the appointment of members to the Board of Adjustment. The second ordinance establishes a process for owners of lands adjoining on both sides of a right-of-way or easement to file application for said area to be vacated. The final ordinance establishes an application fee of $250 for vacation of right-of-way and utility easements.
     Assistant City Administrator Theresa Osenbaugh also reported on the upcoming Grain Valley Community Campus meeting to be held at Sni-A-Bar Elementary on October 29th from 6:30pm – 7:30pm. Osenbaugh indicated that Sapp Design’s updated master plan would be shared and city staff would be present to answer questions from community members. Childcare will be provided.
     “This campus is the community’s campus. The importance of this meeting is to look at the master site plans and give residents the chance to give feedback and help us decide what is most important to them. This is their chance to give that feedback before we move on to designs,” Osenbaugh said.
     Residents who are not able to attend the community meeting are welcome to ask questions and share feedback via www.envisiongrainvalley.com.
     Flyers regarding the Community Campus meeting will also be handed out at the city’s Trail or Treat event on Friday, October 25th.
     The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be held Monday, October 28th at 7:00pm.