Former Alderman Bob Headley Announces 2026 Run for Grain Valley Mayor

Bob Headley, former Grain Valley alderman, is planning a run for mayor in 2026. Headley served eight terms as alderman, with his last term ending in 2022.

Headley currently serves as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission. During his service as alderman, he also served as liaison to the Park Board. In 2022, he was honored as the Truman Heartland Community Foundation’s Citizen of the Year for Grain Valley (prior reporting: Quick News - Grain Valley News).

Headley, a Navy veteran and long-time resident of Grain Valley, has two grown sons who both graduated from Grain Valley Schools. In an interview with Grain Valley News, Headley said that continuing his service to the community as mayor was something that he has wanted to do for a number of years.

Talking about his decision not to run for another term as alderman in 2022, Headley said he was changing jobs at the time and decided it was time for a break.

“It was good to step away and know that there were other people that came in and have done a good job since. I liked the direction we were taking as a city, and many of the things you see now, such as the new police station and continued expansion of our parks and trail system, can be attributed to a lot of hard work and decisions to the past boards I was privileged to serve on.”

“I am at a point in my life where I have a little more free time. I’ve always wanted to give back to my community, and I believe I am ready to get back into it and think I can do a good job in taking the city to the next level.”

Asked about his priorities if elected mayor, Headley pointed to two key areas of focus.

“In light of the political environment in general, all of us in Jackson County have felt the impact of the property tax issue. A key priority at the city level is to continue to maintain fiscal responsibility with the funds that come into the city. It is amazing what they (the Board of Aldermen and City staff) have done over the past 3-5 years. The levy has gone down significantly while services to residents improve and increase. There are a lot of people at City Hall doing a good job of stewardship of tax dollars. There can be debate ten ways from Sunday, but Grain Valley is in far better position financially than other communities around us,” Headley said.

Headley points to infrastructure and working with MODOT on roadway issues as a second area of focus over the next few years.

“There are also a number of projects partially in flight with our parks and trails system that we can support to keep progressing. These are great opportunities to create spaces for our residents and others in surrounding communities to come and have a place to enjoy,” Headley said.

​Filing for the position of mayor begins in December; the election will be held in April 2026. 
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