With 14.6% of Jackson County voters heading to the polls, three new school board members, Lance Pollard, Sarah Swartz, and Julie Taylor, will replace current members Jeff Coleman, Tisha Homfeld, and Jan Reding. 
     Reached for comment Tuesday evening, Dr. Julie Taylor expressed her thanks to Grain Valley voters.
     "Thank you Grain Valley residents for your support throughout this election. I am humbled by all the ways you showed up to support me during this election. I have said how much I love this district, but today, I love it just a little more. Thank you for believing in what I stand for in supporting our students and staff. Thank you for believing in me. I will serve you well and make sure Grain Valley continues to be the amazing district I am proud to have taught for and now get the honor of representing. From the bottom of my heart…thank you," Taylor said.
     Additionally, the Grain Valley Schools bond issue passed with 70.84% of the vote. 
     The bond will allow the district to continue with Phase 6 of the GVHS Masterplan, which includes additions to the southwest corner of the existing building. This fieldhouse and student activities addition will include a new fieldhouse gymnasium that seats 2,000, renovation to the existing smaller gymnasium which will become the auxiliary gym, renovations to PE and varsity locker rooms, a new weight room, new student and activity entrance with student attendance office, and renovations to the existing commons/lunchroom.
     Work will begin late spring/early summer, with phase 6 expected to be completed in time for the start of school in August of 2024.
      In the Grain Valley Board of Aldermen race, Ward I Alderman Tom Cleaver retains his seat, defeating candidate Chuck Johnston. Uncontested candidates Darren Mills (Ward 2) and Brian Bray (Ward 3) were elected. Mills will begin his second term on the board; Bray will fill the seat currently held by Alderman Shea Bass.
     Sales tax measures to institute a 3% sales tax on recreational marijuana sales passed for both the city of Grain Valley and Jackson County. 

    The Missouri Ethics Commission requires candidate/committees to file reports eight days prior to a municipal election, detailing income and expenditures. In Grain Valley, committees for three school board candidates reported income and expenditures for their campaigns.

Common Sense Coalition for Pollard
Income: $5200 ($1239.30 additional in-kind)
Income detail: 
$1000.00 Teresa McBride (Jan. 2023)
$4000.00 Lance Pollard (Jan. 2023)
$100.00 Lance Pollard (January in-kind)
$1139.30 Lance Pollard (February in-kind)
$200.00 Terry Pollard (March 2023)

Expenditures: $4660.49
Expenditure detail:
$3283.43 campaign signage
$25.75 campaign checkbook
$208.16 signage hardware
$1100.00 Anthony Lonsdale/text services
$43.15 lunch with volunteer
 
Committee to elect Sarah Swartz
Income: $1850
Income detail: 
$750 Sprinkler Fitters LU 314
$500 Jeffrey Wolff, Pink Hill Properties (March 2023)
$600 in gifts from individuals totaling $100 or less

Expenditures: $1,734.68 on signage and signage supplies

Additionally, MO NEA-PAC reported $145.64 in expenditures in support of Swartz. 
 
Committee to elect Julie Taylor
Income: $2100
Income detail: 
$250 Tara Patel/Patel Group (December 2022)
$250 Sally Downey (March 2023)
$400 Julie Taylor (March 2023)
$500 Pink Hill Properties LLC (March 2023)
$700 in gifts from individuals totaling $100 or less

Expenditures: $2070.25 in sign printing

Additionally, MO NEA-PAC reported $145.63 in expenditures in support of Taylor.

     Voters head to the polls Tuesday, April 4th. Polls are open from 6:00am - 7:00pm. For a sample ballot and polling place lookup, visit Jackson County Election Board ballot information and polling place lookup. 
     Grain Valley voters will vote on Board of Aldermen candidates in each of the City's three wards, and select three candidates out of seven candidates running to serve on the Grain Valley School Board.
     A bond issue to fund a new high school gymnasium and fieldhouse addition, and a $.03 sales tax on recreational marijuana will also be decided by voters.
     Voters are required to provide photo ID in order to vote (see JCEB graphic below). If you do not have a photo ID, a provisional ballot may be completed. 
     Visit our Voter Resources page for additional information. 

Prior reporting:

Board of Aldermen candidate Q&A 

Board of Education candidate Q&A

City, County both consider ballot measure to add sales tax on recreational marijuana

On the Ballot: School bond issue to fund new high school gymnasium/fieldhouse addition

Visit our News page and click on the "Elections" category in the sidebar or type a candidate name or issue in the search bar to view results. 
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April 4, 2023 Municipal Election
Jackson County Election Board sample ballot: Legal-Notice-of-Election-04.04.23-General-Municipal-Final.pdf (jcebmo.org)
Ballot and polling place information: Jackson County Election Board ballot information and polling place lookup

Grain Valley News hosted a candidate forum featuring Board of Aldermen and Board of Education candidates on March 21, 2023 at Grain Valley South Middle School. Video from the event is provided below and on our YouTube channel. 

     Four candidates are on the ballot for Grain Valley's Board of Aldermen. Only one of the City’s three wards will have more than one candidate. In Ward I, incumbent Tom Cleaver will face former mayor Chuck Johnston in April. In Ward II, incumbent Darren Mills is running unopposed. In Ward III, Brian Bray is running for the seat currently held by alderman Shea Bass.
​     Each candidate responded to the following series of questions from Valley News. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order, and other than minor spelling or grammatical corrections, the candidates' responses are provided as written. 

Brian Bray, Ward III

​What motivates you to serve on the Board of Aldermen?
     Really just a desire to further serve my community. Having been a member, Vice President and President of the Park Board starting in 2018 I feel like I have had an impact on a small corner of our city. The trails system that is currently a large focus there is definitely something that can differentiate Grain Valley from some of our neighboring communities.  However, I felt that it was time to move on to a larger role in city government and help guide the city in a broader manner moving forward.
 
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 feel like the top 3 priorities are all really connected with each other. Responsible and well managed growth being the driving issue. Around that comes infrastructure and funding to support that growth.  While I welcome it, I believe that the growth is coming whether we like it or not. Getting in front of that growth and managing it responsibly is the key to our future success as a city.
 
When talking with constituents, what are the concerns you hear most often? What can the Board do to address these concerns?
     I hear a lot about sidewalks and trails and the connectivity issue between north and south reaches of Grain Valley as well as the lack of park space north of I-70 but that may be due to my connection to the Park Board. This is something I have been and will continue to work on for the community of Grain Valley. Beyond that most of the people I have spoken with are excited about the new businesses and growth that is coming to town. QT, Starbucks and Culvers along with the other restaurant options on the North side have people pretty excited. They seem to be eager to get more options in the future perhaps some sit-down dining and shopping.
     To keep this moving forward the board can ensure that the greenspace is allocated with new development north of I-70 for parks and trails. There are some areas where we need to go back and figure out how to get sidewalks in place. As far as the business growth we will need to stick to the plan that city and consulting firm are currently in the process of creating.
     I will add here though, that it is not just the Board of Aldermen or it’s members that need to work to get this done. We need everyone to get involved. Come out to the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Parks Master Plan workshops and let the board know what you expect or would like to see.   
 
What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, housing, developing downtown, improving the environment for existing businesses, etc.)?
     I think we are on the right track here. The new businesses that have come to town recently along with the blend of single family, multi-family and multi-unit housing are on track with what I would want to see. I think once the Comprehensive Plan is complete, we will be in a position to fine tune things and strike the most responsible plan for how we grow into the next 15-25 years.

Tom Cleaver, Ward I

​What motivates you to serve on the Board of Aldermen? 
     I want to see our City prosper and continue to be a great place to raise a family.
 
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? 
     Revenue, city streets/sidewalks and new city facilities. City hall/ Community center. I will continue to work with and support the Mayor, Board and City staff to help retain business, bring in new business and support a good sound budget that address’s these issues.
 
When talking with constituents, what are the concerns you hear most often? What can the Board do to address these concerns? 
     Taxes, streets, more sit down restaurants. By continuing on the path we are on to attract new business and continue the budgeting for the street improvements.
 
What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, housing, developing downtown, improving the environment for existing businesses, etc.)? 
​     We need retain our current businesses, attract new business, more affordable single family homes and improving our downtown.

Chuck Johnston, Ward I

What motivates you to serve on the Board of Aldermen?
I’m driven by the same thing that that has always driven me. My love for the city and the people of the city. I feel there’s a lot I can do in helping guide the city in the right direction. I think I’ve shown in the diversity of things I’ve done for the city over the years, my true commitment to it.
 
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?

This town has grown by leaps and bounds since I’ve lived in Grain Valley. While there have been a lot of changes, the biggest concerns have always been taxes, road, curb and sidewalk maintenance and the city just not listening to the people. It’s important that we focus on all three of those things for the betterment of the city. 
 
When talking with constituents, what are the concerns you hear most often? What can the Board do to address these concerns?
     You can hardly have a conversation where the railroad tracks are brought up. Unfortunately, I think everybody knows that that’s something that can’t be changed. This town was developed around the railroad tracks and it’s just a fact of life. On the things that actually something can be done about it's about addressing the needs of the people.
     The existing board of aldermen was almost entirely in favor of the $60 million City Hall complex being built at the corner of Buckner, Tarsney and Sni-a-bar Road. That was overwhelmingly voted down. We need a better mindset of just with the citizens do you want and strive make that happen. All the men are elected to carry out the bill to people not to dictate what they want if it isn’t for the best interest of the people.

What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, housing, developing downtown, improving the environment for existing businesses, etc.)?
     I think the city has done an excellent job in trying to focus on what citizens want. The downtown area needs developed into something that everyone can be proud of and provide some amenities so many citizens want. We have an excellent opportunity to turn it into a show place, and that’s what the city needs.

Darren Mills, Ward II

What motivates you to serve on the Board of Aldermen?
​     The residents motivate me. So many want change and improvements to the city but not all are comfortable being the "voice".  From the Navy to now, I have always held a management type roll and have no problem being the "Voice" for Ward 2.  

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 would be seeing that the plans for road improvements stays its course. I will work with the City and Board to make sure this stays in the budget until it is complete.
     Second, I want to make sure we continue with the rebranding and the revitalization efforts of downtown. I personally want to attend as many of the workshops and help everyone involved to get the word out. I will be happy to assist anyway I can with City Staff and those on the committee.
     Third, I would like to see our Police department back up and running full staff, everyone happy and get the VIPS program up and running full throttle again. I would ask the City and the other Aldermen to stand beside me on this. We need to make sure we always have enough money in the city budget for the correct equipment for the Officers and hire and maintain officers.

When talking with constituents, what are the concerns you hear most often? What can the Board do to address these concerns?
     Usually its street conditions first and family style restaurant second. This has been ongoing the 2 years I have been in office. The Board of Aldermen are always aware of and we do our best to pass Resolutions and Ordinances that make since for the city to help with these.

What should the City's priorities be in terms of economic development (attracting new businesses, housing, developing downtown, improving the environment for existing businesses, etc.)?
     I still want to see a new Community Center and City Hall.  I hope we can come up with another plan and budget to present to the voters for approval. This will only help with the econimic development. I am looking forward to the completion of the new Police Station, which originally was part of the initial City development that was voted down in the past. We need the proper ratio of single family, multifamily type development along with staying on point with the revitalization of downtown.  We need the Partnership/Commerce to visit existing business more and ask "what can we do for you?"

     Lance Pollard is running for a seat on the Grain Valley School Board, and while he understands it may take a bit of explaining, he looks forward to being a part of “the band”.
     Pollard and his wife moved to Grain Valley 12 years ago and are raising their five children in their “forever home” they’ve built on the north side of town. Pollard operates plumbing and property management businesses out of Grain Valley and is an independent Nashville country music recording artist through Sony.
     Pollard said he is a third generation pastor’s son, and had studied biology and then accounting before the band he was a part of got signed. Pollard said that family and business commitments now keep him off the road for extended periods of time, but he does get out for the occasional mini tour.
     “The music industry is a huge part of my life. It allows me to meet new people from all walks of life. The band isn’t about playing music. It’s about hanging out. You play music for one hour a day, and you hang out for 23 hours a day.”
     In talking about his approach with employees and board service, Pollard said he pulls inspiration from the dynamics of working in a band.
     “I’m not going to say the school board is a band,” Pollard said. “What I’m referencing is, a group of people like minded or not, that are all moving in the same direction.”
     Asked about his reasons for running for school board, Pollard said, “Since I fell in love with the Grain Valley community, I felt like I saw some things, not from a lack of leadership, but from a lack of direction for the community. I think in our ever changing society, there has to be a foundation that can be built upon.”
     Pollard identified four priorities he would focus on if elected.
     First, teacher pay and benefits are at the top of his list.
     “Being a small business owner, I understand inflation firsthand when I am dealing with my employees’ payroll. I also understand the hours and commitment that it takes to be a teacher.”
     “Why isn’t there money for a raise? Why can’t we do better? I want our Grain Valley school district to be the envy of Jackson County. If we have the best pay, if we have the best benefits, I believe that will attract more teachers.”
     Second, Pollard plans to recommend what he terms a “Student Personal Privacy Act”.
     “In an ever changing society, I understand communities change, and obviously culture changes. I believe that change can be done without affecting the foundation of the community.”
     Pollard explained that the proposed policy is intended to further clarify the privacy rights of all students, and accommodate all students equally. Pollard gave the example of locker rooms as an area in which he feels the policy would be helpful, providing privacy for female, male, and transgender students equally.
     “Every student has to be accommodated equally. No bullying, no set apart,” Pollard said.
     Pollard shared the district’s current policy on transgender students in a campaign Facebook post on February 25th with the statement, “We need to stop accommodating stupidity.” The post resulted in many comments and back-and-forth, and Pollard said the post illustrated the difficulty of having conversations on social media.
     Pollard said he has since reached out to several of the commenters and invited them to coffee or to meet with him at upcoming candidate forums.
     “I believe people are way more similar than not. At the end of the day, we all care about our community. We all care about our children. I don’t think there’s anybody out here that does not care about kids. I just want to make sure that all of our kids’ privacy and rights are protected.”
     The third priority for Pollard is to ensure that sexually explicit content remains out of the elementary grades.
     “I just don’t feel those types of books have any benefit to young kids.”
     Pollard said he understands that content needs change as students enter middle and high school grades, and once explicit content policies are addressed at the elementary level, “we could then look at policies that would make sense for the middle school and high school students. I would absolutely support this.”
     “I do not believe that currently any person is purposefully allowing material in. I think we have great teachers and great staff. But I think if there was an oversight committee that would look through some of the content to look at where that content is coming from (it would help). It’s not that an accident won’t happen, but we make sure we correct it when it happens. There’s not a policy on that now, but I would like to see a policy written or some sort of wording created that would make sense.”
     “I believe a policy like that would absolutely benefit the students and the district.”
     Finally, Pollard believes the board needs to continue to focus on supporting the growth of the district. Pollard supports the bond issue on the April 2023 ballot.
     “As our community continues to grow, we have to keep up with the demand of the growing community. The high school renovation is going to be incredible. That (bond issue) benefits students, the community, the staff.”
     A cursory Google search of Pollard not only reveals his Nashville connections, but links to a Fox4 article identifying Pollard as having attended the rally which preceded the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
     Pollard said he took a bus trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the rally but had no part in the attack and was not near enough to the Capitol building to know what was happening until he began to receive texts from family members inquiring about his safety.
     Asked for comment regarding his attendance at the event, Pollard said,
     “I’m an American citizen. I went to the capital city on January 6th to support a sitting president. Everyone has the peaceful right to assemble, and everyone has a right to assemble no matter what the assembly is. I do not in any way, in any way, agree with the stupidity that took place at the Capitol building. I was not involved in it. I do not know anyone who was involved in it. People were hurt. I have five kids and a wife at home. Even if I didn’t, I would never participate. If I had, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here today.”
     “I hope that clarifies. I believe that people assume things without reaching out.  I’ve been called many names over the last few weeks, but I was prepared for that because I knew that the foundation that I believe in, that I stand on, of supporting all of the community, depending on how that was worded might be viewed as a disruption.”
    “Again, I appreciate healthy dialogue. I enjoy meeting all the residents of the community, and I just want to see our community continue to get better.”
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Valley News will profile each candidate on the ballot in the weeks leading up to the election, provide a voter guide, and plans a candidate forum on March 21st at Grain Valley South Middle School. To search for all election related articles, click on “Elections” under the categories on our News page. For voter information and links to resources, visit our Voter Resource page. 
 
     

     Former mayor and alderman Chuck Johnston has thrown his hat in the ring once again, running for the Ward I seat currently occupied by incumbent candidate Tom Cleaver.
     "I don't like the way things are going," Johnston said. "There is no focus on roads, curbs, and infrastructure. When I was mayor, we had allotted 3.2 million over 3 years to the roads budget, and now it's dropped again."
     Johnston also expressed disappointment in the building site of the new police station near the city's Butterfly Trail and expressed disappointment in the City's decision to expend City resources to file suit against Jackson County Election Board regarding their refusal to update the approved changes to ward boundaries in time for the April election. 
     Johnston is pleased with the growth in the city. 
     "We are getting a good mix of businesses. We (the city) have little control over which businesses decide to locate in Grain Valley and where, but I am happy with the growth we are seeing."
      Another priority for Johnston is ensuring the city has the right mix of housing options for residents. 
     "One of the ongoing concerns for the board is deciding what mix of multifamily housing is appropriate. They (multifamily housing) have their advantages. Not everyone can afford to buy a home right away. It is important for the residents to have options."
      Johnston said he would like to see a survey of residents to find out what they would like the city to focus its efforts on. 
     "It is important for the residents to have a voice in what they would like to see in their city."
     Johnston was in the news in November after having been arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, and offered the chance to comment, reflected on the incident.
     "I had been going through a tough time the past year and a half, and what happened wasn't like me. I haven't had a ticket since the early 1980's. I regret what happened," Johnston said.
     Looking to the possibility of a new term, Johnston said he is focused on infrastructure, smart growth in terms of businesses and housing, and listening to what the residents want in their town.

​   Valley News will profile each candidate on the ballot in the weeks leading up to the election, provide a voter guide, and plans a candidate forum on March 21st at Grain Valley South Middle School. To search for all election related articles, click on “Elections” under the categories on our News page. For voter information and links to resources, visit our Voter Resource page. 

     Ward II alderman Darren Mills is seeking a second term in the April 4, 2023 municipal election and is running unopposed. Mills said he is pleased with the progress the Board and City has made over the past two years and looks forward to seeing several projects through in his next term.
     “I’m looking forward to seeing the police station completed. We’ve made a lot of progress in the last two years with several improvement projects, including the water tower, street repairs, and looking at adding additional parks and trails on the north side of town. I’ve enjoyed the last two years, and I think I have made a difference on the Board,” Mills said.
     Mills is also pleased with the selection of the newly hired police chief, Ed Turner.
     “I think the City handled the process really well, and I am excited to see what he is going to do.”
     Mills is also excited about the City’s recent branding process, and the efforts to revitalize downtown.
     “The census figures showed us how much our population has grown over the past 10 years. We experienced a bigger population growth than our neighbors in Blue Springs and Lees Summit. The challenge is to provide the growth residents need and want and keep our small town feel.”
     One of the challenges with a growing population is housing, and Mills said he is also focused on making sure there are options for all residents.
     “We need to provide affordable housing for the next generation. We don’t want to shoo them out of city if we have no options for them. Having apartment and multi-family options is going to benefit the city and bring in more tax dollars. This way we can keep tax dollars here and continue to grow the city.”
     As far as goals in his own ward, Mills is still focused on providing more sidewalks, particularly in Winding Creek where he said they are lacking.
     Mills enjoys representing the city at business events, including the Grain Valley Partnership luncheons and ribbon cuttings, and said he has enjoyed working with the board to do what they can to promote business development in the area.
     Mills is the Sales Manager with Blue Compass RV (previously Lifestyle RVs) in Grain Valley, is a past President of the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS), and is an active member of First Baptist Grain Valley, where he leads the Kids Connect program.     


   Valley News will profile each candidate on the ballot in the weeks leading up to the election, provide a voter guide, and plans a candidate forum on March 21st at Grain Valley South Middle School. To search for all election related articles, click on “Elections” under the categories on our News page. For voter information and links to resources, visit our Voter Resource page. 

     Grain Valley News is pleased to once again host a candidate forum for residents to learn more about the Board of Aldermen and Board of Education candidates on the April 4, 2023 ballot.
     The Candidate Forum will be held Tuesday, March 21st from 6:30pm - 8:00pm at Grain Valley South Middle School, 901 E Ryan Road, Grain Valley. There is no cost to attend and all are welcome. 
     All Board of Education and Board of Aldermen candidates were contacted in advance regarding their availability, and as of press time, all candidates indicated they plan to attend. 
     Grain Valley News will also public a candidate guide in addition to our ongoing candidate profile articles in the weeks leading up to the election. For voter information and resources, visit our Voter Resources page.