10 minute read
Changing Hats
Leawood’s long-serving mayor plans to set down the gavel in January
By Jackie Hostetler
Photographs by Strauss Peyton Portrait Studio and Ryan Coody
Leawood mayor Peggy Dunn wears many hats. This is evident the moment you pass through her office door and into her tidy space located on the first floor of Leawood City Hall.
Framed certificates hang on the walls, indicating various certifications or her service on any number of different committees and boards. The large desk holds what anyone might expect to see on a mayoral desk, but scattered among the computer and the file folders are photographs of sweet babies and embracing loved ones. Thoughtfully placed keepsakes are also displayed. At the forefront is a glittering pair of ruby slippers. Each of these special belongings serve as a symbol of a role fulfilled by Mayor Dunn, some professional and some personal.
Perhaps the most prominent role fulfilled by Dunn, at least to the public, would be that of mayor. Dunn has served 26 years as the mayor of Leawood. She began her time in office in 1997 after serving four years on the Leawood city council.
“I was actually talked into running for the city council when I was finished with another nonprofit board in the community,” Dunn says. “A gentleman who had worked closely with me happened to serve on the City Council. He knew there would be an open seat. He thought all I had to do was file and then I’d be elected. That wasn’t the case. There was someone who had planned on that seat for themselves, and they immediately filed to run against me. He, along with others, helped me learn how to run a campaign. It was a little more work than I realized.”
“A little more work” turned in to a lot more work as Dunn transitioned into the role of mayor. In total, Dunn has worked as a Leawood elected official for the past 30 years.
This winter will mark the final phase of Dunn’s tenure as a mayor. As of January 2, 2024, Mayor Dunn will officially be passing the gavel.
“It was a big decision because I’ve really, really enjoyed my time in office. It was difficult to decide not to move forward, but the 75th anniversary year seemed like perfect timing,” says Dunn of her decision to depart office as Leawood celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Dunn admits her time as mayor came with a big, but exciting, learning curve. A graduate of University of Missouri-Kansas City, Dunn received her degree in sociology with an emphasis in social work. This seems a fitting field of study for a mayor, a role that relies heavily on people skills and properly reading the dynamics of a room.
However, she soon found out that the role entailed a lot more than she’d learned in her formal education. Storm water systems? Corrugated metal pipes? Faulty concrete aggregate materials? Zoning and rezoning?
“When I was elected the very first time, I felt like I’d gone back to school because I really didn’t know any of this,” she says, “but it was so interesting!”
People are really willing to roll up their sleeves and help with projects. All in all, there are about 300 professional staff and 300 volunteers. To me, that’s a bit unusual. To have that number of folks willing to raise their hands and help? It is so rewarding.
According to Dunn, there have been a number of interesting facets to the job, including the hustle and bustle.
“I think one of the things that has made the work so enjoyable is the pace. It’s been very fast paced with dramatic change. I’ve seen Leawood transform from just a bedroom community to its current state—lots of mixed-use developments and a diversified tax base that wasn’t here before the retail sales tax and commercial additions.”
The mayor also counts the people of Leawood high on her list of favorite things.
“Certainly, working with the people, residents, and council members has been exceptional. I’m so fortunate to have great colleagues that I’ve been blessed to work with. And our professional staff is truly outstanding. They are talented and responsive to the citizens. Our citizens are very demanding. They expect great service, and they expect it immediately. Our staff does their very best to deliver that.”
In addition to colleagues, Dunn also holds the residents of Leawood in the highest esteem.
“I have what I call an army of volunteers that I have had the privilege of either appointing or reappointing on an annual basis,” she says. “People are really willing to roll up their sleeves and help with projects. All in all, there are about 300 professional staff and 300 volunteers. To me, that’s a bit unusual. To have that number of folks willing to raise their hands and help? It is so rewarding.”
With such a lengthy tenure, Dunn has had the opportunity to work with residents of the community in a number of different capacities, both professionally and personally.
Megan Barr Jennings, a longtime Leawood resident, speaks fondly of her interactions with the mayor through the years.
“Most of my memories of Peggy are as a mom. And doesn’t that make sense? In a lot of ways, the roles of ‘mom’ and ‘mayor’ are one in the same. I was fortunate to have Peggy as a role model when I was younger, both as an excellent mom and an excellent mayor!”
With all the accolades and kind remembrances, Dunn admits her time in office hasn’t been without its challenges. She says it can be difficult to keep everyone happy all of the time. One of the most prominent examples often has to do with housing and development.
“I would say the biggest challenges occur when beautiful residential developments are built next to green spaces and open fields. These fields are then later proposed for development. In these instances, residents typically become very involved. It’s a good thing. Developers have to actually meet with the neighboring home owners’ associations and residents to lay out plans before they go through the process with the city. Often the developer changes their plans due to the input from the residents. Those situations sometimes don’t make everyone happy. There’s a lot of give and take, but the projects are always better due to the citizens’ involvement.”
Dunn will soon leave many of these challenges behind as she enters her next season. Her top priority? Family.
“I have four children and I had them in a six-year period. My youngest child was 13 when I ran for city council the first time. They’re all grown and married with children now. We have 14 grandchildren. We spend a lot of time with them because they are all within 10 minutes.”
She also considers herself fortunate to have extra time to spend with other loved ones.
“My mother is still living. It’s so wonderful. She’s in very good health, but she will be 98 in November, so it will give me more time with her,” Dunn says.
And those ruby slippers? A memento from a dear friend.
Dunn and five other moms became close when their children attended elementary school together years ago. They’ve remained friends, affectionately calling themselves The Rubies and celebrating birthdays and holidays together.
In terms of her continued career, Dunn plans to continue to serve her community in nonprofit work in conjunction with social service agencies.
When asked of any other specific plans she might have in her retirement, Dunn’s response is simple.
“I don’t plan to be bored.”
It certainly doesn’t sound like it.
The Mayor’s Other Hats (Past and Present)
Kansas Girl
“I’m a native of the greater KC Metro. My husband and I met when I was senior in high school and he was a freshman in college. We dated for four years and got married. We both went to Bishop Miege. He was a year older, and I didn’t really know him until I was a senior and he was already attending college at Rockhurst.”
Temporary Jayhawk, Permanent Roo
“I went off to KU as a freshman and then I transferred to UMKC. I’m a UMKC graduate with a degree in sociology with an emphasis in social work.”
Music Teacher
“I also studied at the Music Conservatory, and I taught piano in my home for 10 years.”
Leawood Chamber Board of Directors advisory member
“Our business community has really grown and expanded over the past 25 years. I’ve had the privilege of being an advisory board member on the Leawood Chamber Board of Directors. I have seen the very strong leadership of the board and the professionalism of the staff. It’s a great partnership with the city, having not only the support of the residents but also support of the business community.”
Welcome to Leawood
Organization has welcomed newcomers for 65 years.
In 1958, when Leawood was a decade old, a group of women joined forces to welcome newcomers to the nascent city. Known as the Leawood Welcomers, the social organization now includes more than 150 members.
Laurie Luongo, publicity chair, says, “It started out with (welcoming people) and then blossomed and continued and keeps getting more robust. The question was, what can we do beyond welcoming people?”
That prompted them to form a nonprofit social group comprising about 14 smaller clubs focused on a variety of different interests. Luongo says, a recently added club takes a closer look at health and wellness. “There’s always something going on. It just keeps getting better and better,” she says.
Within the last few months, the Welcomers have welcomed almost 20 new members, mainly due to the interest surrounding the group’s 65th anniversary. To mark that milestone, Leawood Welcomers donated a white bud tree planted at the Leawood City Hall. A plaque dedicated to the Welcomers’ anniversary was placed at the base of the tree. Mayor Peggy Dunn, a member of the Welcomers, attended the event.
Luongo says the Welcomers is a great way to make new friends and get involved in the community.
The group gathers for luncheons three times a year; the fall, holiday, and spring luncheons feature speakers and special guests. Coffees and other events are held throughout the year. In September, Vivian Jennings of Rainy Day Books and author and Leawood resident Candice Millard talked about writing and the author’s journey; also in September, the Leawood Fire Department gave a presentation on safety and CPR.
Of the current list of clubs, the book club is the biggest draw, Luongo says. Other clubs include bridge, canasta, crafts, mahjongg, dominoes, potlucks, lunch and dining out, and travel. “There are two different dining-out groups and one dining-out group for single women. A person could do something weekly, if they wanted to,” she says.
To become a member, complete the form found on the Welcomers’ webpage (www.leawood.org/service-groups/leawoodwelcomers), then mail it and $35 to the membership chair. The annual dues help defray the cost of a year’s bound directory, a monthly newsletter, and refreshments at meetings and events.
Luongo says the group is talking about a Welcomers-only website, and they have branched out into social media as well. On Facebook and Instagram, look for “Leawood Welcomers.”
“I think the fact that we’ve been around for 65 years is a testament to the authentic nature of the group, that we’re involved. It’s a very vibrant organization,” Luongo says.
