eNewsletter June 7, 2011
From City Council . . . to the Business Council
Prepared by Rich Groves, Executive Director, North Kansas City Business Council
Recent topics from City Hall (and beyond) as of June 7, 2011…
- North Kansas City Levee District Flood Forecast
- North Kansas City Hospital Ground Breaking for Emergency Room Expansion
- liNKCity Consultant's Report
- Cook Paint & Polymer property re-alignment
- Stormwater Infiltration Reduction Program
- Tornado shelters
- Temporary signage
North Kansas City Levee District Flood Forecast
Here is the content of a recent press release from the North Kansas City Levee District:
Based on information and forecasts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the North Kansas City Levee District is currently preparing for rising water levels in the Missouri River. The current forecast for the Kansas City Area predicts a moderate event with flooding generally limited to areas not protected by levees.
River stages will be slightly higher than those observed in May 2007, and well below those experienced in 1993.
Flood stages are measured at the USGS gage on the Hannibal River Bridge (USGS 06893000 Missouri River at Kansas City, MO). Gage readings are available to the public at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt. Gage readings between 30 and 39 feet are expected for the months of June and July. River stages may remain higher than normal through the end of the year.
The North Kansas City Levee District has enacted its Emergency Preparedness Plan in response to current river stages and the USACE’s forecast. In preparation for the moderate flood stages predicted, an inspection of the levee system has been conducted, the stormwater pumping stations have been activated, and the levee is being monitored frequently.
The following are key river gage readings for which the North Kansas City Levee District takes action during a flood event:
| GAGE READING* | FLOOD IMPACT / ACTION |
52.5 |
OVERTOPPING OF NORTH KANSAS CITY LEVEE UNIT |
48.9 |
HISTORICAL CREST (07/27/1993) |
39.0 |
USACE’S HIGHER FORECAST STAGE (FREEBOARD = 13.5 FEET) |
37.6 |
INITIATE CLOSURE OF BNSF STOP LOG GAP (NORTH KANSAS CITY) |
35.0 |
PEAK STAGE FOR MAY 2007 EVENT |
32.0 |
FLOOD STAGE - MINOR FLOODING OUTSIDE OF LEVEES OCCURS. |
30.0 |
USACE’S LOWER FORECAST STAGE (FREEBOARD = 22.5 FEET) |
19.3 |
BEGIN USING PUMP STATIONS |
* USGS 06893000 Missouri River at Kansas City, MO |
|
North Kansas City Hospital Ground Breaking for Emergency Room Expansion
Here is a press release announcing the ground-breaking Tuesday, June 14 at 10 a.m. (outside the Emergency Department entrance) for an emergency room expansion.
We encourage you to attend and learn more about the new area that has been designed to improve overall functionality for patients, visitors, staff and physicians. Renderings, like the ones you see in this email, will be on display in the Admitting lobby. We will have Lifesavers and Hero Sandwiches, which we feel is a way to honor our Emergency Department physicians and staff. Also, hear from former Emergency Department patients as they tell their life-saving stories.
Some of the features include:
- 28,000 square feet of new space
- 42 treatment rooms - addition of 5 rooms, all private
- 31 exam/treatment
- 8 quick treat
- 3 trauma
- Private space for gathering family
- Heightened security
- Open design for ease of staff communication
- Distinctly separate entrances for EMS/ambulance and self-presenting patients
- Increased parking available
liNKCity Consultant’s Report
- Focus more on obtaining and serving commercial customers with higher revenue potential and which require considerably less support per revenue $ generated than residential customers.
- Focus on converting residential customers to become larger data users rather than trying to offer cable TV services or landline voice services because margins in both of these services are declining significantly.
- Seek opportunities for “dark fiber” leases to leverage excess capacity of network to generate additional revenue streams that don’t require significant operating and maintenance expenses.
- Be more deliberate in leveraging North Kansas City economic development efforts with the availability of the fiber optic network for potential businesses who might see that as a benefit.
- Accept the reality that liNKCity will probably never be able to be a stand-alone entity. It will continue to need financial support from the City.
- Recognize the “off-the-balance sheet” benefits liNKCity offers.
- Recognize that as a City department liNKCity does not have some of the competitive capabilities of its competitors.
- The original expectations and assumptions (in 2004-05) were neither realistic nor attainable.
- Find ways to incentivize multiple dwelling unit (MDU) owners to install and offer liNKCity capabilities in their complexes.
- Gradually raise rates to enable a positive contribution on every level of service and to be more equivalent with competing services.
- The publicity from the Google announcements can be used to liNKCity’s advantage since most of the capabilities to be offered by Google are already in place in North Kansas City – and North Kansas City’s underground network will be more reliable than above ground lines exposed to ice, strong wind and other weather threats.
These are some of the observations and recommendations offered at the special City Council work session on May 31 by Tom Asp, representing Columbia Telecommunications Corporation, the consulting firm hired by the City to perform a business performance evaluation of liNKCity which was first offered as a city utility to its residential and commercial population five years ago.
The full report can be found as an attachment for Item 2 at the following link: http://nkc.org/UltimateEditorInclude/UserFiles/Common/agenda/Special_Meeting_-_Work_Session_-_City_CouncilAgenda_05-31-2011_034638.pdf
Cook Composites & Polymers property re-alignment
Mike Smith, Assistant City Administrator, presented to the City Council a request from CC&P to allow a portion of their property to be platted into two lots so a portion of the property can be sold to another entity. Adjustments to setback requirements have been approved by the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Adjustment.
Stormwater Infiltration Reduction Program
Pat Hawver, Public Works Director, explained the history of the stormwater infiltration reduction program. North Kansas City has a contractual agreement with Kansas City, Missouri to treat North Kansas City’s sewage. In an effort to minimize these costs, North Kansas City has been systematically rehabbing the sanitary sewer system by lining the sewer mains with a trenchless plastic application to reduce the amount of stormwater entering the system. In 2002, the rehab of all 38 miles of sewer mains was completed. The following year, the City began a three-year program to rehab all 760 of its manholes.
Hawver presented graphs showing incredible cost savings resulting from infiltration prevention programs. One graph indicated that if not for the rehab programs, the City would have paid $7.0 million to Kansas City in 2010, rather than the actual cost of $2.07 million. The presentation showed that this proactive approach has kept sewer charges to a minimum for all businesses and residents.
As part of the 2011-2012 Budget, consideration will be given to begin rehabbing sewer service lateral connections, which according the Hawver, will further reduce the volume of stormwater entering the sanitary sewer system, keeping Kansas City’s escalating sewer rates to a minimum.
Tornado shelters
The recent tornado warning (not a "drill") prompted many downtown workers (as well as shoppers and diners, no doubt) to find a safe place for the duration. Some learned that an adequate shelter is not all that easy to find. N.T. Realty has agreed to work with the Business Council to help identify accessible underground shelter locations in buildings in the downtown district. More to come on this topic.
Temporary signage
As a reminder, if your business is planning a sale, special event or a construction project, and if you are planning on putting up a sign to advertise your special event, you need to obtain the necessary temporary sign permit from the City of North Kansas City. Permits for temporary signs for sales or special occasions will be authorized for a maximum of 30 days (limit 3 permits per calendar year). Only one sign per business at a time will be allowed. Permits for temporary signs for construction projects or a new building may be authorized for a six-month period, and may be renewed for successive six-month periods. The fee for a temporary sign permit is $10. For more information and to obtain an application please contact City of NKC Code Compliance Division 816-274-6006.
What is this?
This is the 8th in a series of e-newsletters that will bring to you, twice a month, any relevant news for the business community from the City Council meetings that I attend each week, as well as other happenings at City Hall.
Why do we do it?
This communication is intended to be an additional Benefit of Membership for members of the North Kansas City Business Council. If you know of other businesses who are NOT members – but who probably would benefit by being a member – please let them know this is one thing they are missing.
If you have good "leads" for prospective new members, please let me know. Call 472-7700 or e-mail richard@nkcbusinesscouncil.com.
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