Indian Mound Neighborhood Association Meeting Minutes from March 15, 2021

Next Meeting: Monday, April 19, 2021 via Zoom

Northeast Library is remodeled and open!

• Two study spots, reserve for hour at a time
• 13-15 computer reservations
• Community Connection rooms – can use Zoom
• 10-6 (pop-in pickup); everything else reserved
• To reserve, probably best to call (816) 701-3485
• Hiring soon – two part-time positions, fluency second language required.

Councilman Eric Bunch, Fourth District at Large

• Budget season
• Typical year, a lot of events but COVID has made it difficult
  • Did three of them
  • Departments also do individual
  • Changes: Fully funding office of tenant advocate
    • Unclear what happened from the funding last year
  • Reorganizing city departments, so have a housing-focused office.
    • Significant displacement of residents of buildings.
    • So reorganizing neighborhood and housing services (with focus on housing)
  • Unsheltered individuals, helping over wintertime.
    • Bartle Hall
    • Hotels
    • Bigger picture: Have this option available regularly/long-term
  • $70m budget shortfall
    • Almost able to close with no lay-offs and no furloughs.
  • Last session in March is when must be passed
  • Goes into effect May 1
• City got funding from COVID relief bill, will help with budget shortfall
• Mayor Lucas calling in governor helped with upcoming events: 6,000 shots coming this weekend.
• E-Tax April 6
  • 40% ($250-350m) of general fund funded by earnings tax.
  • Flat 1% tax on earnings if you work in KCMO (work but don’t live here – still use city services)
• Police Funding
  • Police took 4% cut
  • Bunch advocating
    • “De-coupling” – where do we really need uniformed officers?
    • Duplication of services (city services could cover offices – millions of dollars)
  • Police still not wearing masks, what can we do about that?
    • Local control would help that
  • GO Bond?
    • Independence Industrial Park
    • Sidewalks – focused on 311 back-log, still at least another year of that
      • After that, systematic approach (most-traveled, equity, access to public transportation, schools, etc.)
      • Bunch can send map
    • PIAC
      • Traffic calming on St. John
    • Independence Ave MAX
      • Timeline unclear, but KCATA got federal funding.

Pattie Mansur, KCPS Board At-Large Candidate, April 6

• Three kids went through KCPS; daughter teaches at Gladstone!
• Teachers getting vaccinated started today
• Been on board 7 years
• Background in non-profit communications
• Running for school board because heart for public education
  • State doing “education reform,” which really means private schools, charter schools, out-of-state private online providers.
  • These sort of reforms would take money from our public schools
• KCPS is the most diverse (in terms of where families are from) school district in the state.
• KCPS has not had a superintendent there for more than 5 years since the early ‘70s. Dr. Bedell is going into year 6.
• Plan: Full accreditation; experiential learning opportunities; recruiting more young people into education
• pattiemansurforKCschools.com

Events

• NE Sustainable Houseless Summit
  • Many organizations coming together to work together, share ideas, collaborate
    • Neighborhoods, city, state representatives
  • Not band-aids, but solutions.
    • March 18, 19, 20
    • Register by emailing phernandez586@gmail.com
• Election for KCPS, E-Tax April 6
• Neighborhood Clean-up – Saturday, April 10, 8-noon
  • Budd Park (but also Lykins Square, Concourse, Sheffield Park, 7806 US 24)
  • Electronics to soccer fields at 9th and Van Brunt
  • Tires to Concourse

• KC Symphony at Indian Mound Park
  • Sunday, April 18 at 2 p.m.
  • Free!