South Kansas City Advocates

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  skcablog 4:55 am on October 21, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: public works ( 18 ), Trash Collection ( 4 )   

  Your Tax Dollars At Work 

  Does the Public Works Director never look around at the outside world?

  Is he truly unaware that not only are most of the leaves still on trees, but most of them are still green?

  The City’s free leaf and brush pickup is this week and I’m sure a lot of people would love to take advantage of the program. When the leaves are still on the trees, however,…..

  This didn’t just happen this year. This situation has been building for several years now to the point that we’re either at or very near the climax. Yet, we continue down the same road because that’s what the plan calls for.

  Director Shaw should be aware that all programs aren’t static. Most need to be reviewed and possibly revised. This is one of them; especially since city trucks and city workers will, for a large part, simply be driving around the City wasting tax dollars and contributing to the unstableness of the atmosphere – and most will still need to find a way to deal with their yards full of leaves.

  Meanwhile, the Director can pat himself on the back for creating such a helpful program.

   

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  skcablog 2:06 am on October 6, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Hickman Mills Community ( 12 )   

  Investment/Disinvestment 

  I was just reading about the Prospect Corridor and how important it is for the City to invest in the area. In fact, it’s so important that…

  The Kansas City Council unanimously passed legislation June 5 directing the city to implement a $500 million investment strategy for the Prospect Avenue corridor over the next decade. (The Voice 6/9/2025)

  While I applaud the folks behind this and their ability to get the city council and Powers That Be to understand their plight, there seems to be a bit of a social justice issue in Hickman Mills that no one wants to call out.

  A couple of decades ago, Cerner moved to KC and built their headquarters in Hickman Mills. Everyone except those living in Hickman Mills applauded the move. In fact, KC was so happy about it they literally gave away one of the few north-south through streets because Cerner wanted it. The Community did also, but their voice wasn’t heard, because no one was notified until after the fact.

  I have friends who have been complaining about this for years with no response from the City and now seem to have another road issue to deal with. Blue River Road, another one of the few north-south through streets was closed many years ago because it basically caved in. There is now some effort afoot to do something with it. The Hickman Mills community is excited about possibly having their beloved road back, but their council people don’t seem to care. Councilman Duncan simply wants yet another trail. There are a lot of trail (bicycle) people out there, so he is probably simply counting his votes for re-election rather than responding to his current constituents. Councilwoman Bough, who seems to look for the dollar signs, can’t find any with the reopening of this road as a road, so has seemed to show little interest.

  Social justice and injustice are very real and the injustice is currently being felt by those in Hickman Mills. The folks I know there are proud of their area and its history, but they are certainly NOT proud of Kansas City as a whole or their so-called representatives in particular.
   
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  skcablog 2:27 am on August 27, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Blue River Road ( 13 ), Michael Shaw, public works ( 18 ), Ryana Parks-Shaw   

  What’s up with Michael Shaw? 

  Can anyone tell me why our director of public works seems to have a dislike for Hickman Mills? Of course his wife grew up here, as she’s fond of saying anytime she shows up at a community meeting in Hickman Mills. There is apparently, however, no affinity for the area because she hasn’t really done anything to help. In fact, she’s supportive of her husband’s stance that Blue River Road will never be reopened as a road, never mind what her constituents want.

  Many have wondered about his absolute refusal to do his job. First he didn’t lift a finger to maintain the road which is part of his job description; and for several years now has actually said it won’t ever be restored. All we want to know is WHY? Oh, and what would happen if he said that about any other road in KC that isn’t in Hickman Mills?

  The other big question is why is everyone at city hall supporting him in this? The City is spending major bucks to make a show of “listening” to the community about what Blue River Road should look like. IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE THE ROAD IT WAS MEANT TO BE.

  Of course, many who should have received notice of the first “community” meeting didn’t; SpeakEasy was rigged because it didn’t even offer the community’s option. Now a second meeting is scheduled and probably wont’t even be held in the community, meaning fewer people will show up. Also, the ability to ask questions will be severely limited.

  All we want to know is WHY? Why is Michael Shaw being supported in this over those of us who are paying his salary? Why is his wife–the next mayor wannabe–supporting him in his efforts to ignore a whole community? Why is anyone in city hall okay with this kind of behavior; okay with someone not doing the job he’s being paid to do? Why is it okay to spend taxpayer dollars on a sham to get out of doing the job he’s supposed to do?

  Madam Mayor Pro Temps’ term will be up in a couple of years. Should she really then be sitting in the mayor’s seat where she can continue to protect a husband who refuses to do his job?

  Katie is discussing. Toggle Comments

   
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    Katie 6:40 pm on August 27, 2025 Permalink | Reply

    I have heard that there will be another meeting about Blue River Road, but it doesn’t look like it will be any better than that fiasco at Wonderscope. They are refusing to consider a venue in the area where people most affected by the closure live, and from what I heard, they plan to limit participation of the attendees by requiring written submission of questions in advance.

    So, I think the questions you ask here are very good ones, but I don’t have any answers. If the city had spent as much money trying to convince us they can’t fix the road, on fixing the road, the road would be fixed!

    LikeLike

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  skcablog 1:30 am on August 18, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Blue River Road ( 13 ), SpeakEasy   

  How to get help sending your opinion on Blue River Road. 

  Just show up at Crow’s Coffee on the north side of the Red Bridge Shopping Center this Wednesday (August 20th, 2025) from 10:00 to noon. Then, look for Kristi Ashton, who will assist you to fill out a paper form which she will hand deliver to the City Council on Friday, which is the deadline.

  This is an alternative to navigating the City’s “public engagement platform”, called SpeakEasy, which has been criticized by community members as not easy, not user-friendly, among other things. For example, there is no verification of a participant’s identity, making it vulnerable to hacking.

   
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  skcablog 3:30 am on August 11, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Blue River Road ( 13 ), public works ( 18 )   

  It’s Simple: Abide By The City Charter 

  The Charter of Kansas City, Missouri requires the Public Works department to maintain City roads, yet the Army Corps of Engineers’ report indicates that the failure of Blue River Road was due to a lack of maintenance. In other words, the City of Kansas City, Missouri owes the community of Hickman Mills a road because of Public Works’ neglect and failure to abide by the City Charter. Laughingly enough, that is all the community has been asking for these last 15 years.

  Now, after insisting upon insisting that it would be far too expensive to repair the road, Public Works and the City are offering to make amends by offering expensive options. The problem is, none of those options includes the one the community has been asking for: a simple road. All offered options would be far more expensive than what those living in the area have been asking for these last 15 years.

  It is appreciated that, 15 years later, Public Works has decided to abide by the City Charter. But despite going to the expense of all their machinations of a website for feedback that many are not comfortable using, and holding a community meeting to tell everyone what good guys they are, south Kansas City’s message has not changed: Just do what you’re required to do and fix the damn road.

   
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  skcablog 3:00 am on August 8, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Blue River Road ( 13 ), Hickman Mills Community ( 12 )   

  Hickman Mills—The Community KC Forgot 

  Kansas City annexed the community of Hickman Mills back in the 60’s for some unknown reason. Most on the City Council now pretend that never happened. Off the top of my head, I can think of 4 four abandoned areas the City claims there is nothing it can do anything about. One of them, a single building, burned to the ground a few years back. The other was a shopping center that was recently in the news because it, too, burned to the ground. That still leaves two areas the Community is concerned about while the City claims its hands are tied.

  Kudos to Councilman Curls, an actual Hickman Mills resident, for trying to do what the City has claimed it can’t (or won’t).

  While these are ongoing issues of much concern, there is one other the City is now attempting in its bungling way to deal with. Wait for it: Blue River Road. There are two sections which make the road undrivable, one in the fifth council district where Councilman Curls is again attempting to do what he can to get it reopened. The other and the longer stretch is on the edge of the sixth district where Councilman Duncan, Mr. Trails Above All Else, and Councilwoman Bough, Ms. Economic Development or Move On, are doing their best to keep the Hickman Mills Community from having what it wants (and needs!) – a simple road as it was 15 years ago.

  They have rigged the system by asking (requiring) everyone who wants to comment (as if the Hickman Mills Community hasn’t been commenting for the last 15 years) on the City’s SpeakEasy (a laughable name for many) site. Along with making comments, visitors can chose which option for the “road” they would prefer. Getting back to that ignoring issue, no where to be found is the option the Community has been asking for – a simple road. This would also be laughable if it weren’t so important to the Community.

  Because the area included in the sixth district doesn’t have a high turnout at elections, I’m sure the councilpersons feel they can ignore the actual wishes of their “constituents”. Of course Bough is opposed because there’s nowhere in the parkway through which the road is laid where economic development could occur. I$ thi$ ignorance of the $ituation? If $0, $hame on her. Meanwhile Duncan can only see trails. There are already many trails in the area, mostly not maintained and littered with trash, but hey, why not add more that won’t be maintained? Maybe he should consider letting the Community have an actual road to drive on and just insist that what is already there be taken care of.

  I’ll have to look up “short-sighted” to see if either or both of their pictures are there.

   
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  skcablog 1:54 pm on August 6, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Hickman Mills CS-1 ( 20 ), Hickman Mills School Board ( 14 ), Hickman Mills School District ( 15 ), Superintendent Carpenter   

  The Vaping Superintendent 

  In April, Bonnaye Mims was elected to the school board and then elected president. In May the Board voted to rehire Superintendent Obeng. Now, in July, Ms. Mims has summarily dismissed him without reason or cause and brought in former Superintendent Carpenter, who everyone was happy to see leave the first time around. (He went to Lee’s Summit who was also happy to see him go.)

  It seems Ms. Mims was upset about the way Mr. Obeng spent money, but is willing to pay the new superintendent $260,000.00 a year plus a $2,000 monthly housing stipend, possibly because he has a doctoral degree which Mr. Obeng did not.

  While I’m sure Mr. Obeng had his faults, at least there wasn’t all the turmoil the District suffered through some years ago. Except for stories relating to accreditation and trips to Jeff City to meet with education officials, it has been mostly quiet in the district and in the community. That is a good thing and a plus in terms of reaching full accreditation. It means the Board is doing its job.

  Now, we seem to be a laughing stock, at least among educators, and one has to wonder what this has done for the morale of our school district employees, and how far it has set us back as far as reaching full accreditation. However, the big question will be how to tell our students vaping can be a health risk.

  Two years ago, Dr. Carpenter opened a “smoke shop” in Augusta, Georgia where he lived before and after being the Hickman Mills superintendent the first time around, and where his children still live.

  It does make one wonder, however, if he’s so dedicated to education, why did he decide to go into the vape business?

  Meet your new superintendent.

   
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  skcablog 12:02 pm on August 4, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Blue River Road ( 13 ), public works ( 18 )   

  Jumping through hoops because Public Works is ineffective 

  I’ve been visiting with some of the folks in Hickman Mills and it seems they’re getting screwed yet again by the City, Public Works to be specific. From what I understand from reading the Army Corps of Engineers report regarding the failure of Blue River Road, Public Works failed to maintain the road properly resulting in the current closure. This was echoed in the Martin City Telegraph article about last spring’s “public engagement event” about Blue River Road:

  The portion of Blue River Road had been built on fill material rather than atop stable rock bed. Unfortunately, drainage was not properly maintained, which is necessary when roadways are built with fill. Consequently, the road collapsed.

  Now, instead of simply putting the road back as it was, as would most likely be done in any other part of the city, Public Works is telling people to go to the City’s SpeakEasy site and choose one of their options for “cleaning up the mess”. I can’t say putting the road back because none of the options include that, possibly due to Councilman Duncan who doesn’t want anything but trails – seemingly anywhere. Maybe he would be happy if we traveled back in a time a couple of centuries, giving him all the trails he could ask for.

  There appear to be several flaws in this scenario:

  1. Being at fault, Public Works should simply do its job and rebuild the road without asking people, who they won’t listen to anyway, what they want to see.
  2. Many people, yes many elderly but not all, don’t find SpeakEasy easy. They are simply not comfortable having to jump through all the hoops they’re asked to jump through simply to leave their thoughts.
  3. Being at fault, Public Works should simply do its job
  4. There is no way to identify where the comments are even coming from, so anybody from anywhere can choose what the Hickman Mills Community ends up with.
  5. Being at fault, Public Works should simply do its job
  6. The site is offering several choices, most having to do with trails (Thank you Councilman Duncan? Might a City department be pandering? Or do the departments call the shots?)
  7. Being at fault, Public Works should simply do its job
  8. The site does not offer as a choice, what the community has been asking for and still wants to see 15 years later. And that is simply the two-lane road that was originally imagined and then constructed under the watch of President Truman, then a County judge.
  9. Being at fault, Public Works should simply do its job

  The former President’s vision was for a quiet pastoral drive through the valley, not a place for joggers or bike riders which seems to be all Councilman Duncan can envision. Truman’s vision also did not include economic development which is Councilwoman Bough’s excuse for not supporting the road.

  It’s a sad day for Hickman Mills when their representatives can only see dirt trails or dollar signs. It’s even sadder because this part of the community is barely even in their city council district.

  It’s also sad to realize that this is simply another example, though glaring, that Public Works can’t simply do its job.

   
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  skcablog 12:25 pm on July 31, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: public works ( 18 )   

  Things are still (somewhat) up to date in Hickman Mills 

  KC is still looking out for the commuters

  It appears that Public Works was finally able to replace the traffic light at Red Bridge and Grandview Roads that has been out since last October. Both lights for Red Bridge traffic (E – W and mostly commuters during the busy hours) now have a “left turn on blinking arrow”. We’ve seen them in Kansas for years, so it’s good to see KC installing them.

  Sadly, though, those traveling on Grandview Road (N-S) don’t get the same consideration. There is a left turn lane, but those using it will still simply have to wait until they get an actual green light. While the Grandview Road traffic increases during “rush hour”, the commuters are a bit more local, so they don’t get the same consideration as those waiting to jump on the highway and literally drive for miles.

  Good start, though, Public Works.

   
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  skcablog 2:04 pm on July 17, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Blue River Road ( 13 ), Citizen Action   

  Citizens Take The Lead On Blue River Road! 

  KC Citizens are generally a passive lot, electing the same swamp-creature types to office and trusting they will do the right thing, but recently some encouraging developments are in evidence in the Southland. For one, a Facebook group with a large following named The Real Kansas City has sprung up and they have some real results they can point to. The Real KC Facebook page has allowed Southlanders to vent their frustration on various issues from crime to homelessness to trash to the City‘s inaction on Blue River Road.

  It is on that last issue that another group has formed in order force the City to do their job, rather than tolerating the endless excuses why Blue River Road hasn‘t been maintained, delays in the process with pointless engineering studies, and gaslighting the public with a dog and pony show last April that left many attendees boiling mad.

  They also have a Facebook group: Save Blue River Road. And they have planned a meeting that looks a lot like what the City should have done in the first place. Although they have an above-board bias in favor of restoring the road to its former scenic glory, the meeting is open to all comers. Questions can be asked (unlike at the City’s “meeting”), and all points of view can be heard. Here is the blurb from their promo material:

  If you are a supporter of saving Blue River Road, we want to chat with you. The City didn’t want to hear from you, but we do! This is your opportunity to get some information, share some information, and have your voice heard. We will have a few presentations (and snacks!) This is a drop-in event, so stop by when time allows.

  This community open house meeting will be held Saturday, July 26th from 11 A.M. to 2 P.M. at the Grace Point Baptist Church, 10415 Chestnut Drive, Kansas City, MO 64137. That’s up the hill from where Blue River Road is closed just south of I-435.

  At the meeting, the organizers will also be available to assist attendees in filling out a comments-registration web page on the City’s website called SpeakEasy. This will allegedly help determine the future of Blue River Road.