Mid-America Regional Council 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW A message from our chair As we wrap up this report, the region faces an of all sizes allows us to facilitate conversations and unprecedented public health crisis with the COVID-19 information sharing crucial to response and recovery. pandemic. Our region is coming together to mitigate It is this work we do every day — looking across the effects of this crisis, just as we’ve faced myriad boundaries and pulling together with our neighbors to social and economic challenges before, strengthened improve the lives and futures of our residents — that by our very diversity. As I flip through these pages, will allow us to not only bounce back from this crisis I am inspired and encouraged by the teamwork but to bounce forward as a stronger, more resilient represented here. region. Our long-standing work in emergency services I’m proud to be the chair of the Board of Directors at Rob Roberts and 911 allows us to rely on existing collaborative Mid-America Regional Council because, even in times Commissioner, relationships in a truly regional response. Our aging that are challenging to our nation and region, the Miami County, Kansas and early learning programs stand on the foundation work reflected in this report reminds us that we are of their existing networks to quickly meet the needs stronger together. of older adults and children throughout the region. Our history of collaborating with local governments MARC Board of Directors OFFICERS MEMBERS | as of February 2020 CHAIR CASS COUNTY JOHNSON COUNTY RAY COUNTY Rob Roberts, Commissioner, Jimmy Odom, Associate Ed Eilert, Commission Chairman Bob King, Presiding Commissioner Miami County, Kansas Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick, Commissioner Holly Stark, Mayor, Peculiar Paula Schwach, Mayor, UNIFIED GOVERNMENT OF 1ST VICE CHAIR Westwood Hills WYANDOTTE COUNTY/KANSAS Jimmy Odom, Associate Commissioner, CLAY COUNTY Michael Boehm, Mayor, Lenexa CITY, KANSAS Cass County, Missouri Jerry Nolte, Presiding Commissioner David Alvey, Mayor/CEO 2ND VICE CHAIR Luann Ridgeway, Commissioner LEAVENWORTH COUNTY Mayor’s Representative: Harold Johnson Jr., Commissioner, Carol Suter, Mayor Pro Tem, Doug Smith, Commission Chairman Brian McKiernan, Commissioner* Unified Government of Wyandotte County/ Gladstone Jeff Culbertson, Commissioner Angela Markley, Commissioner Kansas City, Kansas Jim Walters, Commissioner JACKSON COUNTY MIAMI COUNTY Harold Johnson Jr., Commissioner TREASURER Frank White Jr., County Executive Rob Roberts, Commissioner John “Tiny” McTaggart, Mayor, Eileen Weir, Mayor, Independence, Missouri Scott Burnett, County Legislator Edwardsville Carson Ross, Mayor, Blue Springs PLATTE COUNTY SECRETARY Ron Schieber, Presiding Commissioner Carson Ross, Mayor, Blue Springs, Missouri Dagmar Wood, Commissioner MARC’s COVID-19 RESPONSE Although this publication largely documents MARC’s work in 2019, the emergence of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the early months of 2020 can’t go without mentioning. Many of MARC’s resources were diverted and focused on helping the region reduce the impact of this public health emergency. At the time of this publication, MARC is taking the following actions: • MARC is facilitating regular planning and coordination calls increased interest in home-delivered meals and among emergency management, public health, hospitals, other supports. EMS and other health care organizations and public • The Early Learning staff is supporting Head Start partners information professionals, local government administrators, in Clay, Jackson and Platte counties to continue service to nonprofit organizations and others to support one another’s children and families through virtual home visitation and Response and efforts and identify and address emerging issues. MARC educational supports, as well as providing meals, diapers, Recovery Fund stood up a Multi-Agency Coordination Group to coordinate wipes and formula. Staff are also providing additional To help respond to the urgent public health and other critical decisions being made at the support for programs that remain open for essential care. needs of area residents local level. • MARC’s Research Services staff is working to forecast the during the COVID-19 • MARC is also engaging civic and political leaders to assist economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Kansas pandemic, MARC partnered with communication efforts. Working with the public health City economy and subsequent policy responses. This work with the Greater Kansas City officials and Metropolitan Emergency Managers Committee is being done on behalf of KC Rising and is overseen by Community Foundation, LISC to gather information, www.PrepareMetroKC.org is updated representatives from area state and local governments, Greater Kansas City and frequently, as new information becomes available. economic development agencies and the Federal Reserve United Way of Greater Kansas • The Aging and Adult Services staff is working to identify new Bank of Kansas City. City to create the Kansas City resources and partnerships to ensure safe home-delivered • The KC Region COVID-19 Resource Hub was created by Regional COVID-19 Response meal service for older adults. Home-delivered meals were MARC to provide public health authorities and the general and Recovery Fund. expanded and operations modified to increase the number public in the Kansas City metropolitan region with a tool to The fund provides grants to of older adults served. The department also expanded their track data related to the public health crisis. The dashboard, information and referral call center staffing from one full- available at preparemetrokc.org, displays information from nonprofit organizations that time position to over eight staff people to help respond to freely available sources and is updated daily. support housing needs, food insecurity, access to health We hope these efforts help reduce the impacts of this virus and the economic and social consequences on our residents while care and other critical helping to make the region more resilient in the face of future adversity. human services. INDEPENDENCE LEE’S SUMMIT, MISSOURI BOARD ALTERNATES PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Eileen Weir, Mayor Bill Baird, Mayor Jim Allen, Commissioner, Johnson County (Non-voting advisory members) Tom Van Camp, Mayor Pro Tem Beto Lopez, Mayor Pro Tem, John Elliott, Commissioner, Platte County Robbie Makinen, President/CEO, KCATA Mayor’s Representative Vernon Fields, Council Member, Basehor Alternate: Dick Jarrold, Vice President KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI Danny Gallagher, Commissioner, Miami County of Planning & Development, KCATA Quinton Lucas, Mayor OLATHE, KANSAS Jeff Harrington, Mayor, Bonner Springs Michael Moriarty, Chief of Transportation Eric Bunch, Council Member* Michael Copeland, Mayor Jeremy Martin, Mayor, Oak Grove Planning, KDOT Brandon Ellington, Council Member Marge Vogt, Council Member, Mike Medsker, Recorder of Deeds, Cass County Alternate: Leroy Koehn, District Heather Hall, Council Member Mayor’s Representative Gene Owen, Commissioner, Clay County Engineer, KDOT OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS Steve Shute, Mayor, Gardner David Silvester, District Engineer, Missouri Carl Gerlach, Mayor Rick Walker, Mayor, De Soto Department of Transportation, MoDOT *Voting Public Transportation Curt Skoog, Council Member Alternate: Perry Allen, District Representatives Construction Engineer, MoDOT Efficient Transportation & Quality Places MARC’S Transportation department establishes priorities, guides investments and supports coordinated operations to implement the region’s long-range plan for a safe, balanced and equitable transportation system. It advances the region’s vision for quality places, focusing development and redevelopment energy around mixed-use, walkable activity centers, and the transportation corridors that connect them. Connected KC 2050 Rebuilding the Buck O’Neil Bridge As the metropolitan planning organization for the Kansas City region, Beyond the Loop, a 2018 study sponsored by Kansas City, Missouri, the MARC updates the federally required regional transportation plan every Missouri Department of Transportation and MARC, took a fresh look at five years. Connected KC 2050 will serve as a blueprint for managing the options for the Buck O’Neil Bridge and I-70 corridor. The study revealed region’s transportation system, identifying transportation improvements strong community support for replacing the bridge with a new structure that for the next 30 years. The three-year planning process began with an would strengthen connections to downtown and nearby communities. update to MARC’s vision and goals for the region followed by a needs A new bridge would cost approximately $200 million. In 2019, MoDOT assessment that shaped the policy framework. finalized its $100 million commitment to the project. The Total In 2019, public feedback was collected to reaffirm the goals of the plan. Transportation Policy Committee and Missouri Surface Transportation MARC’s Research Services department provided an updated population Program Priorities Committee jointly pledged $40 million of their federal and employment forecast that informs the transportation system model. funds over the next four years. A $25 million Better Utilizing Investments A call for projects resulted in 419 applications totaling more than $14 to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the U.S. Department of 2019 HIGHLIGHTS billion, which were assessed and sorted based on projected available Transportation completed the funding puzzle. Public