CITYSCENE
A Community Newsletter for Independence Residents January 2024 | Volume 31 | Number 1 | IndependenceMO.gov
Welcome, 2024!
In this edition: 2 | Upcoming events and programs 3 | Upcoming events continued City celebrates reinvestment in our community A new year can be challenging, know there is help 4 | New award focuses on keeping our community beautiful
Learn more at: indep.us/facebook @CityofIndepMO @cityofindependencemo indep.us/nextdoor @IndependenceMissouri indep.us/linkedin CityScene is published by the City Manager’s Office, located at 111 E. Maple Ave., Independence, MO, 64050. For information, call (816) 325-7086.
Like many of you, we at the City are starting the new year looking back at where we’ve been and forward to what is coming. Over the last few weeks, we’ve celebrated with our departments and the community on our social media with the “top hits” from each of our departments. For those of you who may not be on Facebook or Instagram, here are a few of the most notable: • We launched the new City of Independencemo.gov website! Sharing our information in a new and more visual way with our residents, businesses, and visitors. • We added a new Crisis Intervention Officer and are working with Comprehensive Mental Health to add to new mental health co-responders in the Independence Police Department. • We reviewed building permits for $90.1 million of investment in the community. • We helped more than 800 animals (including rabbits, lizards, turtles, and birds) get adopted! • We distributed hundreds of packages of Narcan for free. • We filled more than 7,500 potholes across the City. • We maintained an average power outage time of two hours and eight minutes – beating the national average! • We trimmed nearly 5,500 trees to protect power lines. • We ran more than 27,000 calls for service in the Fire Department. • We welcomed more than 250,000 patrons to events, programs, and classes organized by the Parks| Recreation | Tourism team. • And we celebrated economic development wins for the community with the HUB, ERA, and Eastgate Projects.
The list goes on and on. We have so much to be proud of and 2024 is already looking even brighter. Here are some of the things we can’t wait to celebrate with you! This January we will mark the opening of the learning centers for the Community Services League and Fort Osage School District at the Eastgate Commerce Center. These will be the first buildings open as part of the more than $800 million investment made by NorthPoint, the largest in our City’s history. Our residents have received a Citizen Satisfaction Survey in late 2023 and early 2024. This will be the first survey since 2018 and help us in the 2024-2025 budgeting process. If your household receives a letter, please take time to fill it out. We will also share an online version of the survey with everyone this spring. In 2024 staff will also share with the Council and our residents the results of an updated Parks Master Plan, Community Center Feasibility Study, and more. You will also see the completion of Phase 2 of the 24 Highway Complete Streets Project and the full completion of the 40 Highway Complete Streets Project. Early this summer, you will see the beginning of the Square Streetscape project bringing important updates to this historic area. Finally, we would be remiss to not remind you of the important upcoming elections. You will see a Council Primary Election in February and a Municipal General Election in April. This is also a presidential election year so if you haven’t registered to vote, please visit the Jackson County Election Board or online at jcebmo.org. Whew, 2024 is going to be busy but we cannot wait to mark this forward momentum with all of you. Be sure to follow the City’s website, social media, and newsletters for regular updates on Council actions, events, and programs. Here’s to a great New Year!