2010 Year End Report - Jackson County Home

Jackson County
2010
Year End Report
www.jacksongov.org
“America was not built on fear. America was built on
courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination
to do the job at hand.”
– Harry S. Truman
Quick Reference Information
16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT OF JACKSON COUNTY JUDGES
Division 1 - Judge
Sandra C. Midkiff
Jackson County Courthouse
4th Floor
Division 2 - Judge
Michael Manners
Indep. Courthouse Annex
2nd Floor
Division 3 - Judge
David M. Byrn
Jackson County Courthouse
5th Floor
Division 4 - Judge
Justine E. Del Muro
Jackson County Courthouse
5th Floor
Division 5 - Presiding Judge
W. Stephen Nixon
Jackson County Courthouse
4th Floor
Division 6 - Judge
J. Dale Youngs
Jackson County Courthouse
6th Floor
Division 7- Judge
Ann Mesle
Jackson County Courthouse
6th Floor
Division 8 - Judge
Peggy Stevens McGraw
Jackson County Courthouse
6th Floor
Division 9 - Judge
Joel F. May
Jackson County Courthouse
6th Floor
Division 10 - Judge
Charles E. Atwell
Jackson County Courthouse
8th Floor
Division 11 - Judge
W. Brent Powell
Jackson County Courthouse
8th Floor
Division 12 - Judge
Edith L. Messina
Jackson County Courthouse
5th Floor
Division 13 - Judge
Jay A. Daugherty
Jackson County Courthouse
5th Floor
Division 14 - Judge
John Torrence
Indep. Courthouse Annex
2nd Floor
Division 15 - Judge
Robert M. Schieber
Indep. Courthouse Annex
2nd Floor
Division 16 - Judge
Marco Roldan
Family Justice Center
2nd Floor
Division 17 - Judge
Jack R. Grate
Indep. Courthouse Annex
2nd Floor
Division 18 - Judge
Brian C. Wimes
Jackson County Courthouse
8th Floor
Division 25 - Judge
Richard T. Standridge
Jackson County Courthouse
7th Floor
Division 26 - Judge
Kenneth R. Garrett III
Criminal Justice Bldg.
2nd Floor
Division 27- Judge
Gregory B. Gillis
Jackson County Courthouse
7th Floor
Division 31 - Judge
Christine T. Sill-Rogers
Jackson County Courthouse
7th Floor Mezzanine
Division 32 - Judge
Robert L. Trout
Indep. Courthouse Annex
3rd Floor
Division 33 - Judge
Jeffrey Bushur
Indep. Courthouse Annex
Ground Floor
Division 19 - Judge
Kathleen A. Forsyth
Jackson County Courthouse
9th Floor
Division 28 - Judge
Vernon E. Scoville III
Indep. Courthouse Annex
Suite 001
Division 19 - Commissioner Division 19 - Dep. Commissioner
S. Margene Burnett
Daniel P. Wheeler
Jackson County Courthouse
Jackson County Courthouse
9th Floor
9th Floor
Division 29 - Judge
Margaret L. Sauer
Jackson County Courthouse
7th Floor
Division 30 - Judge
Twila K. Rigby
Indep. Courthouse Annex
3rd Floor
Division 40 - Commissioner Division 41 - Commissioner Division 42 - Commissioner Division 43 - Commissioner Division 44 - Commissioner Division 50 - Commissioner
Martina Peterson
David J. Fry
Patrick Campbell
Geoffrey Allen
Molly M. Merrigan
Sherrill L. Rosen
Family Court Division
Jackson County Courthouse
Jackson County Courthouse
Family Court Division
Family Court Division
Indep. Courthouse Annex
2nd Floor
10th Floor
7th Floor
2nd Floor
2nd Floor
2nd Floor
For more information on the 16th Judicial Circuit Court, go to www.16thCircuit.org or contact Mary Jacobi,
Public Information Officer, at [email protected] or 816-881-3552.
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Quick Reference Information
COUNTY LEGISLATORS AT-LARGE
Theresa Garza Ruiz
1st District-at-Large
Aide: Jaime Guillen
Office: 816-881-3132
Fax: 816-881-3234
Henry C. Rizzo
Chairman
2nd District-at-Large
Aide: Ellen Reyez
Office: 816-881-3464
Fax: 816-881-3234
Fred Arbanas
3rd District-at-Large
Aide: Karen Conrad
Office: 816-881-4477
Fax: 816-881-3234
Dan Tarwater III
Vice-Chairman
4th District
Aide: Mary Riggs
Office: 816-881-3362
Fax: 816-881-3234
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James D. Tindall, Sr.
2nd District
Aide: Celestine Williams
Office: 816-881-3163
Fax: 816-881-3234
Gregory O. Grounds
5th District
Aide: Jane Cavanaugh
Office: 816-881-4476
Fax: 816-881-3234
Mike Sanders
County Executive
Office: 816-881-3329
Fax: 816-881-3133
James F. Kanatzar
Prosecutor
Office: 816-881-3555
Fax: 816-881-3995
Mike Sharp
Sheriff
Office: 816-524-4302
Fax: 816-524-4340
OTHER COUNTY NUMBERS
(Area Code is 816 for all numbers)
COUNTY LEGISLATORS IN-DISTRICT
Scott Burnett
1st District
Aide: Rebecca Regan
Office: 816-881-3076
Fax: 816-881-3234
COUNTY EXECUTIVE,
SHERIFF AND PROSECUTOR
Dennis R. Waits
3rd District
Aide: Terri Helsel
Office: 816-881-4441
Fax: 816-881-3234
Bob Spence
6th District
Aide: Linda Malone
Office: 816-881-4423
Fax: 816-881-3234
Chief Administrative Officer .................................................881-3333
Chief Intergovernmental Operations & Communications ....881-3333
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer .....................................881-3333
16th Judicial Circuit Court....................................................881-3934
Assessment Department .....................................................881-3239
Board of Equalization ..........................................................881-3309
Circuit Court Human Resources ..........................................881-3559
Clerk of the Legislature........................................................881-3242
Collection Department .........................................................881-3232
COMBAT .............................................................................881-1400
Corrections Department ......................................................881-4233
Corrections Population Control............................................881-3725
County Counselor ................................................................881-3355
Drug Task Force ..................................................................655-3784
Economic Development.......................................................881-6665
Emergency Management ....................................................304-4624
Election Board - Jackson County ........................................325-4600
Election Board - Kansas City ...............................................842-4820
Family Court Services .........................................................435-4850
Family Support Division .......................................................881-3171
Finance Department ............................................................881-3126
Human Resources ...............................................................881-3135
Information Technology Department....................................881-3151
Legislative Auditor ...............................................................881-3310
Medical Examiner ................................................................881-6600
Office of Communications ...................................................881-3381
Office of Human Relations & Citizen Complaints ................881-3670
Parks & Recreation Department ..........................................503-4800
Public Administrator .............................................................881-3775
Public Works Department ....................................................881-4530
Recorder of Deeds ..............................................................881-3191
Jackson County has continued to face daunting challenges
in 2010, but just as we have in previous years, we met
these obstacles head on. This is a testament to the continued dedication of our county employees and the quality
service they provide to our citizens on a daily basis. All of
our employees make Jackson County a great place to call
home.
Just as our citizens have had to, Jackson County continues to tighten its economic belt. For the fourth consecutive
year, we cut spending in order to balance our budget. Despite these tough decisions, our citizens have seen neither
a tax increase nor a decrease in vital services.
County
Executive,
Mike Sanders
In 2010, we have continued to make Jackson County government more ethical
and efficient. In August, voters approved permanent changes to our charter
that limits executive power, increases checks and balances and makes government more accessible to our citizens. July marked the one-year anniversary
of opening the Regional Correctional Center. This collaborative effort between
Jackson County and Kansas City, Missouri has saved taxpayers millions of dollars, reduced duplicative services and ensured public safety.
Additionally, we gave away a second rehabilitated home through our “Constructing Futures” program that fights homelessness, drug crime and helps
develop positive neighborhood morale. As a result of taxpayer investment in
the Truman Sports Complex, we saw the grand opening of the “new” Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City was also named host of the 2012 Major League
Baseball All-Star Game due to renovations at Kauffman Stadium.
Jackson County faced many obstacles in 2010 and there are undoubtedly
more ahead, but I’m proud to say that we have always looked for solutions
rather than excuses. As President Harry Truman once said, progress occurs
when we “seize the opportunity to change things for the better.”
It has been my honor to serve as Chairman of the Jackson
County Legislature in 2010. This has been another year full
of challenges for everyone, but I firmly believe that Jackson
County has turned these challenges into opportunities.
The Legislature, working with the County Executive, has
strived to ease burdens on taxpayers. That is why in 2010
we once again made the decision to not raise our county
Legislative
property tax levy. We have continued to find ways to cut
Chairman,
Henry C. Rizzo our budget and make our operation more efficient.
We have also continued our efforts to open up the democratic process to the
citizens of Jackson County. Throughout 2010, eight of our legislative meetings
were held outside of our regular chambers at various locations throughout the
county. We began each of these meetings with an opportunity for public comment. Connecting with our constituents may be the most vital duty of a county
legislator. This gives residents a chance to ask questions they may have about
the business of the county.
Despite the challenges we have faced and the ones that lie ahead, the future
of Jackson County is bright. With continued leadership and partnership by the
County Executive and the Legislature, a solid foundation will be laid for generations to come.
Table of Contents
Departments
Jackson County at a Glance ............................. 3-5
COMBAT
C
Law and Order ................................................... 6-8
Accountability/Compliance ................................. 9
Boards and Commissions................................... 10
Departments.................................................... 11-23
Quick Reference Information ........................ 24-25
Additional copies of this report may
be obtained from:
Jackson County
Office of Communications
22807 Woods Chapel Road
Blue Springs, Missouri 64015
Phone requests:
816-881-3381
A PDF version of this report is
available online at:
www.jacksongov.org
2
OMBAT continued to successfully make strides in 2010 to improve its
efficiency and effectiveness, while keeping the public informed of the
programs its supports.
New Mission & Strategic Objectives
The new Jackson County Drug Commission that County Executive
Mike Sanders appointed to oversee COMBAT set strategic objectives for the staff and established a new mission statement.
Tax Revenue & Administrative Costs Down
The sluggish economy resulted in the amount of money collected
through the anti-drug sales tax to decrease for the second straight
year. However, the reorganization of COMBAT has helped to drive
down the program’s administrative costs by five percent since
2008.
In 2010, COMBAT oversaw an $18.8 million budget, compared to
budgets that recently topped $20 million during more robust economic
times. COMBAT funds were distributed for law enforcement, prosecution,
the Jackson County Drug Court, inmate detention and judicial costs. Also
included in the $18.8 million was $4.5 million for 81 drug treatment, prevention and grant-match programs.
Thousands Helped Through COMBAT
COMBAT also funds Family Court operations related to cases involving
substance abuse that impacts children and families.
Each year, through COMBAT-supported programs, more than 24,000 individuals, most of them under 21, are given access to drug prevention
programs and 2,800 more through drug treatment. Additionally, 13,000
students per year receive Drug Awareness Resistance Education in their
classrooms. COMBAT funds the D.A.R.E. programs of eight different Jackson County law enforcement agencies.
Keeping The Public Informed
In the continuing effort to keep the public better informed of COMBAT’s
objectives, the COMBAT staff conducted two public forums in 2010. They
also sponsored a conference about drug prevention strategies that attracted more than 140 people from anti-drug organizations throughout
Missouri and Kansas.
As 2010 drew to a close, the COMBAT staff streamlined the application
process for agencies and programs seeking COMBAT funding for 2011.
In 2011, all COMBAT-supported organizations must begin filing reports
regarding standardized measurements that will be used to gauge the
progress and effectiveness of all prevention, treatment and grant-match
programs funded through COMBAT.
COMBAT sponsored a drug prevention
conference that was attended by nearly 150
people.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission and purpose of the Jackson County Drug Commission and
the COMBAT administration is to effectively oversee the Jackson County
Anti-Drug Sales Tax Trust Fund and
accomplish this by acting to identify,
support, fund, monitor and evaluate
comprehensive programs for:
• the prevention and reduction of
drug addiction
• the arrest and prosecution of violent and non-violent drug offenses
• the prevention of drug-related offenses
• the incarceration, rehabilitation,
treatment and judicial processing
of those who commit violent and
non-violent drug-related offenses
in Jackson County, Missouri
23
Jackson County at a Glance
Departments
ASSESSMENT
T
he Assessment Department had several major accomplishments in
2010 despite a department-wide reorganization. The utilization of
workforce has improved and has resulted in the completion of tasks in a
timely manner.
Jackson County first began
offering residents the opportunity
to make personal property tax
declarations online in 2005.
Less than 40,000 chose the web
option that year. But each year
the number of online declarations
has increased, reaching a
record 78,144 in 2010. Online
declarations save the Assessment
Department the time and
expense associated with entering
mailed declarations into the
County database and scanning
documents for electronic filing.
An example of these new efficiencies is the completion of the assessment of Business Personal Property prior to the final certification of the
Assessment Roll, an accomplishment that has not been achieved in almost ten years. A second example is that all personal property, real
property ownership and transfer records were consolidated in a single
section with common functions and procedures supervised in a consistent
manner.
One of the department’s goals for 2010 was the establishment of a Tax
Incentive Unit, which was accomplished in the spring. Since its inception
the TIU has implemented a new system through collaboration with the IT,
and Collection Departments to assist in tracking the Tax Increment Financing flow process.
The Business Personal Property section revamped the processes of opening and maintaining of accounts. The adjustments have resulted in 30
percent fewer taxpayer calls and 88 percent fewer appeals of taxable
value. The updated procedures are also responsible for a 27 percent
reduction in amendments to accounts.
REVISED CHARTER APPROVED
In August of 2010 voters overwhelmingly approved a revised Jackson
County Charter that focused specifically on making permanent the new
ethics code and other reforms instituted since County Executive Mike
Sanders took office in 2007.
Sanders appointed a blue-ribbon commission in March 2010 to conduct
a comprehensive review of the Charter, which was originally adopted
in 1970. The panel, chaired by former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes,
presented its recommendations to the County Legislature in May and
three months later voters passed the revised Charter with 60 percent
of the vote.
Jackson County Charter Review Commissioners, former
Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes and former Jackson
County Legislator Bud Hertzog discuss changes to the
The major revisions to the Charter included:
• limiting the County Executive’s power to award professional service con- County Charter which were approved by voters in August.
tracts without County Legislative oversight;
• adding protections against discrimination based on gender, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation and pregnancy status;
• consolidating the Ethics Commission with the Human Relations and Citizen Complaints Commission to create a “one-stop” entity for citizens
to submit complaints;
• and requiring any ethics complaint against the County Executive or a County Legislator to be automatically forwarded to the State Ethics
Commission for review and additional oversight.
Finally, the revised Charter provides for an automatic review every 10 years – a review to be conducted by a Citizen’s Charter Review Commission to assure the document remains updated to allow for better County governance.
Sanders made updating the Charter a top priority out of concern that future County Executives could – “with the stroke of a pen” – rescind
measures put in place over the last four years to reform Jackson County government.
The Individual Personal Property section has continued to increase efficiency in the entry and auditing of more than 300,000 licensed item accounts. This increase in accuracy results in smaller lines at tax time and
fewer telephone calls received by the phone bank.
JACKSON COUNTY RECEIVES AWARDS
Jackson County was the recipient of two major awards this year. In July,
County Executive Mike Sanders accepted the “Best of Show” award at the
National Association of County Information Officers Awards of Excellence
ceremony. The award honored the work of the Office of Communications to
promote and inform the public about a project to restore the grounds of the
Historic Jackson County Truman Courthouse. The ceremony took place at the
National Association of Counties Annual Conference and Exposition in
Reno, Nevada in July.
The Residential Section achieved the task of physically visiting 50,000 parcels in preparation for the 2011 valuation cycle. This accomplishment is
in addition to the ongoing tasks that must be performed because of other
statutory regulations.
Another major accomplishment for the section is the valuation of more
than 100,000 land-value parcels with the goal of updating the values all
residential land by next year.
These tasks have been completed successfully by the target dates and
production has increased almost 40 percent despite the reduction in force
brought about by budget cuts at the state level.
The Taxpayer Assistance section processed and completed research
on the 2009 real estate returned tax bills. This represents a .9 percent
increase from the previous year. Processing and completing the 2010
real estate assessed value change notices with only 5 percent being returned.
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The County
received
awards for
two projects in
2010.
The Missouri Association of Counties County Achievement Award
was presented to the County at its Annual Conference in November.
The award was for Jackson County’s Constructing Futures program.
Constructing Futures is a collaborative effort between the Executive’s
Office, the Housing Resources Commission and Connections to Success, a non-profit organization. Working with social service agencies,
other community organizations and donors the program identifies a
home that is in need of rehabilitation and then restores the home and
matches it with a family that has recently struggled with homelessness. The family must complete requirements that indicate they are
financially able to maintain the home. They are also required to make
a monthly payment and to live in the home for at least seven years.
At that time, they will receive full ownership.
3
Jackson County at a Glance
Departments
PARKS FOCUS ON TRAILS SYSTEM
Jackson Countians are on the move as scenic trails provide a recreational outlet for all ages. A major emphasis has been placed on providing a first-class system of trails for our citizens’ use. As a result of
these efforts, many improvements are under way. A new long range
plan for trail development in Jackson County was completed. Major
renovation of the Longview Lake trail is progressing. A 3.5 mile extension of the Little Blue Trace is under construction and many nature trails
were maintained through the work of volunteers.
A recent Kansas City Star editorial discussed the vision of Jackson County Parks & Recreation when it
comes to trails and its creative approach to making them happen. “Administrators do a good job
of stretching county money through federal grants
and partnering with area cities.” Two cases in point
would be the Longview Lake Trail and the Little Blue
Trace.
Extension to the
Little Blue Trace and
renovations to the
Longview Lake Trail
were started in 2010.
HUMAN RESOURCES
M
aintaining safety and productivity were two priorities for the Human Resources (HR) Department as it finalized updates to the
employee drug and alcohol policy in 2010.
The new guidelines call for anyone being offered County employment
to pass a drug test prior to starting on the job. Previously, only those
in a “safety-sensitive” position were tested.
The testing procedure also applies to all inter-departmental transfers
to safety-sensitive positions in Public Works, Parks & Recreation, the
Medical Examiner’s Office, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office
and Corrections. Furthermore, employees must submit to testing if
they are involved in a work-related accident. All employees in positions requiring a commercial driver’s license or who serve in a safetysensitive job are subject to random testing.
In keeping with HR’s effort to streamline and cut costs for training, the
Department combined training in relation to the new drug/alcohol policies
with training on updates to the Family Medical Leave Act. Using online
training tools keeps costs down while also reducing the amount of time
employees are called away from their normal duties.
CONSTRUCTING FUTURES
In 2010, Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders and County Legislator James D. Tindall Sr. (2nd District), chairman of the County Housing
Resources Commission, were able to once again surprise a family with the key to their new home. Wayne and Jacqueline Scott were given
the second home renovated through the Jackson County Constructing Futures project August 16. The couple and their daughter, Symone,
were forced to leave their previous home after Wayne lost his job as a computer technician in 2008. They found shelter at the City Union
Mission and got assistance from Community LINC, a transitional housing program.
The County developed Constructing Futures to change many lives through addressing
three key issues: 1) rehabbing vacant homes that are dilapidated and can potentially
be used for criminal activities; 2) giving on-the-job training for individuals who have
previously been incarcerated; and 3) providing housing for families who have recently
struggled with homelessness.
COLLECTION
E
ach year, the Collection Department prepares and mails more than
500,000 property tax bills, processes all tax payments, pursues collection of delinquent property taxes and assists taxpayers in person, by
telephone, correspondence and online applications. More over, the department collects fees due to the County for merchant, liquor and tax
foreclosure sales.
The program represents a successful public-private partnership with Jackson County
joining several non-profit agencies and businesses to make it work. More than a
dozen Jackson County businesses made donations that went toward rehabbing the
Scotts’ home. The Housing Resources Commission issued a grant to Connections To
Success, a non-profit organization that managed the remodeling project. Connections
To Success clients are former inmates seeking to acquire marketable job skills. Stable
employment is crucial to preventing recidivism. Among those individuals successfully
completing probation or parole in Missouri between 1996 and 2005, 73 percent were
employed, according to the State Department of Corrections.
The department collects property taxes not only for the County, but also
for all school districts, cities and other taxing jurisdictions. For every dollar
the County collects, only about seven cents goes toward County government.
More than 100 other people donated their time. “A lot of people just wanted to make an impact,” said Connections To Success Co-Founder
and Director Brad Lambert. Habitat for Humanity Kansas City donated the Myrtle Avenue property to Constructing Futures and did the
demolition work necessary prior to the remodeling. Jackson County Parks and Recreation staff did the landscaping work.
The recession has caused increased property tax delinquencies. The department has responded to this ongoing problem by working with the
Court Administrator’s office, County Counselor’s office and Information
Technology Department to develop a new delinquent land tax database.
This database saves hundreds of works-hours per year, greatly reduces
administrative costs and improves efficiency regarding delinquent judgments and tax foreclosure sales.
TITLE
A crew works on the second Constructing
Futures house which was given away
August 16.
The County presented the first Constructing Futures home to Barbara Nelson and her two daughters on April 6, 2009.
4
4
Employees can receive training on various
programs used by county departments.
The Collection Department has sought to keep its overhead costs down
in 2010, with an emphasis on better utilizing technology. Continually improving the web-pay function for taxpayers is a top priority because online transactions reduce paper, time and processing expenses.
From October of 2009 through
the end of November 2010, 804
Jackson County taxpayers signed
up for the Senior Quad Payment
program. County Executive Mike
Sanders introduced the program
in April of 2008 to give qualified
senior citizens the option to spread
payment of County real estate tax
bills over four equal installments
– (without interest or penalties)
rather than in one lump sum.
21
Jackson County at a Glance
Departments
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND HOMELAND SECURITY
T
he Jackson County Emergency Preparedness & Homeland Security
Department, which County Executive Mike Sanders formed soon after
taking office in 2007, has emerged as a leader in emergency management on a local, state and federal level.
Jackson County’s Emergency
Preparedness Director is one the
few individuals to ever earn the
Missouri Certified Emergency Manager
(MoCEM) Level 2 Certification from
the Missouri Emergency Preparedness
Association (MEPA). In an outline of
its MoCEM program, the MEPA noted
that certification “is an indicator of
experience, hard work, education and
dedication to integrity and creativity. It
is also an assurance that an individual
is dedicated to the field of emergency
management.”
LEADERS ON BOARD FOR RAPID RAIL
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders has been working to get other elected
officials as well as key business leaders on board for Kansas City Regional
Rapid Rail (KCRRR).
Utilizing already existing rail
lines, KCRRR would provide
over 100 miles of commuter
train service to key destinations within the Greater Kansas City region. The plan County Executive Mike Sanders traveled around the
calls for using Union Station region to present the KC Regional Rapid Rail plan.
in downtown KC as a central
hub with service branching out from there – north to Kansas City International (KCI) Airport
and Liberty, south to Lee’s Summit and Grandview, east to Oak Grove, and west across the
state line into Wyandotte County.
In addition, the Eastern Jackson County Emergency Management Team,
which the Department formed when it merged County preparedness/
response operations with the Independence Emergency Preparedness
Office, has also garnered international recognition. The Management
Team was the recipient of the prestigious National Partners in Preparation Award presented by the International Association of Emergency
Managers.
During the first 10 months of 2010, the Eastern Jackson County Emergency Operations Center was activated 62 times due to a variety of potential
crises, most of them weather-related. Two federal grants were secured
this year to be used for the new 5,000-square foot state-of-the-art Operations Center that will serve as a resource for all of Jackson County.
The role of the Emergency Preparedness Department has expanded beyond just Jackson County. Department Director Michael Curry has been
named co-chair of the Regional Homeland Security Task Force. This committee reviews and assesses various regional security projects and plans,
gauging their capabilities and effectiveness.
The KC Regional Rapid Rail Plan will link
employment centers and entertainment
venues around the region.
The County Executive has discussed the possibility of securing federal funding for this project with local congressional delegations which he
considers an engine for sparking economic development and improving the environment.
In August, Curry participated in a round-table discussion involving United
States Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. A major focus of the meeting was the successful Safe
Shelter program in Jackson County, including outreach and preparedness
in the inner city.
NEW TIME-TRACKING AND PAYROLL SYSTEM
Jackson County implemented a new computerized system in 2010 to more accurately track employee work hours. In early 2011, the County will launch a new program to calculate payroll. The improvements should significantly increase efficiency
with fewer work-hours being dedicated to tabulating employee hours and pay.
Governor Nixon has formalized an agreement with Louisiana that calls
for the Show-Me State to provide assistance sheltering evacuees from
Louisiana in the event of another “Hurricane Katrina-type” disaster. The
Eastern Jackson County Emergency Management Team has developed a
plan that would house more than 7,000 evacuees during such a crisis –
with an ultimate goal to eventually raise that capacity to 10,000.
The team participated in numerous exercises and community-based activities in 2010 including hospital evacuation drills, weapons of mass destruction training, the Lee’s Summit Emergency Preparedness Fair, “realtime” search and rescue practice sessions and a state-wide New Madrid
Earthquake mock disaster response. Jackson County has been deeply
involved in planning for the mass evacuations that would be needed in
the event of a New Madrid quake. (The New Madrid quakes of 1811
and 1812 caused the Mississippi River to flow backward. Should another
equally strong quake in the boot heel region of Missouri strike today, it
would rock the cities of St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee and be felt as
far away as Canada.)
20
At $7.3 million per mile to develop, KCRRR would cost a fraction of the estimated $70 million
per mile price tag associated with light rail. Therefore, a far more extensive KCRRR system
stretching beyond 100 miles could be established for about the same cost as previously
proposed light rail plans that were much shorter and often lacked service to KCI and/or
eastern Jackson County. Also, unlike those light rail plans that focused almost exclusively
on Kansas City, KCRRR would be truly regional in nature, involving three Missouri counties
(Jackson, Clay and Platte) and one in Kansas (Wyandotte).
InfiniTime, the new time-tracking program, was deployed County-wide in the fall
of 2010 after being used by the Circuit Court and various departments, including
Public Works and Corrections. It automatically inputs all employees’ regular work
hours, requiring them to only manually input hours that deviate from their normal
schedule, such as vacation time or sick leave.
The County began using the new InfiniTime
program in 2010 to track employee work hours.
The new Paycor payroll system will utilize the data collected through InfiniTime and
begin issuing employee checks in January of 2011.
The new systems are being implemented so fewer County resources – especially in terms of work-hours – are devoted to properly preparing
employee payroll. Both are also entirely paperless systems.
Implementing the new payroll system has been a collaborative effort involving the Finance, Human Resources (HR) and Information Technology departments. The new system will also allow HR to automate several of its processes, including online applications, evaluations and open
enrollment for employee benefits.
5
Departments
Law and Order
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
PROSECUTOR
I
T
In an 18-month period, the Cold Case Unit conducted legal and factual
review of 1,328 unsolved sex crimes cases. DNA technology is now used
to investigate and prosecute cases involving crimes that were committed
when this technology was not yet available.
The most significant effort of 2010 was the implementation of the Voice
over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system. The implementation, which
was completed in April, was accomplished using existing budgeted dollars. This was made possible by taking advantage of a 3-year lease/
purchase agreement. The VoIP was originally on the County’s Capital
Improvements Plan (CIP) for 2009, but was ultimately funded out of the
regular budget. This allowed the IT department to accomplish two other
CIP projects: replacing networking hardware and replacing the core network switch that handles all traffic going into and out of the County.
n August 2010, the National Institute of Justice recognized the Jackson
County Prosecutor’s Office as leading the nation in its system of investigating and prosecuting unsolved crimes or “cold cases”. Along with this
national recognition, the National Institute of Justice renewed funding of
the Cold Case Unit for another 18 months and increased the funding
by an additional $105,000. These funds will allow the unit to continue
to solve cold cases and remove dangerous offenders from the streets,
holding them accountable for their crimes. This funding allows the unit to
operate at no cost to taxpayers.
Jackson County Prosecutor,
Jim Kanatzar
The Jackson County
Prosecutor’s Office
implemented a new
website for 2010;
www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.net
During this same period, the unit also filed charges in 13 cases, the most
notable of these being four cases against suspected Waldo serial rapist Bernard Jackson. Jackson was arrested in May 2010 and charged
with 18 felony counts involving sexual assault and rape. He is currently
awaiting trial.
In addition to the Jackson prosecution, another recent case that was
solved by the office was from August 1992. In that case a man and a
woman were returning to their home. As they exited their car, six men
with guns approached them and forced them into the house. Once inside, the men forced the male victim to the floor where he was held at
gunpoint. The couple was robbed of several items. The female victim
was sexually assaulted at gunpoint. The case remained unsolved until
DNA identified two of the attackers. With this new lead, police were able
to identify two more of the attackers. Following two pleas and two jury
trials, four defendants were convicted of multiple counts of rape, sodomy
and robbery. The sentences ranged from 25 to 45 years.
Drug Court Celebrates its 100th Graduation
In 2010, Jackson County’s Drug Court conducted its 100th graduation
ceremony. In attendance to show their support and appreciation were
Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver II and Missouri Supreme Court Chief
Justice Ray Price.
Drug Court is administered by the Jackson County Prosecutor and the
16th Judicial Circuit. One of the first in the nation, Jackson County’s Drug
Court continues to provide substance abuse treatment to non-violent offenders, allowing them to avoid the stigma of a criminal conviction and
lead a productive life for themselves and society. More than 1,900 people have graduated from Drug Court since its inception, with the vast
majority of these graduates remaining drug-free and out of the criminal
justice system.
6
he Information Technology (IT) Department thinks every challenge is
an opportunity for creativity and problem-solving in helping the County
meet its goals. The department has made significant advancements in
its mission to provide improved technology solutions.
Another capital improvement project was a new Storage Area Network
(SAN). The existing equipment had reached the end of its useful life and
maintenance was cost-prohibitive. By using funds saved in other areas of
the IT budget, the department was able to acquire two new SAN devices
without increased expense. An added benefit of this effort was acquiring
five additional years of maintenance in the purchase price. SAN is the device that stores most of the County’s data. Because of its central position
in the IT infrastructure, a reliable replacement was very important. The
ability to accomplish this goal without increasing the department’s budget
was quite an achievement.
The Voice over Internet Protocol phone
system was the most significant project
for the IT Department in 2010.
An example of creative problem-solving was the implementation of
power-saving software on all county personal computers. This software
was paid for with a grant from the federal government. The software
automatically turns off any computers that are mistakenly left on during
non-working hours. The end result is a significant decrease in electrical
usage resulting in reduced electric bills. The savings are expected to be
$200 - $300 per year per computer.
The IT department once again shipped thousands of pounds of eWaste
to an approved recycling facility. eWaste refers to electronics that have
become obsolete, broken or are no longer needed. The department took
hundreds of old computers, printers and monitors to a Leavenworth facility. The material was from both Circuit Court and County departments.
This effort (other than the rental of a truck) was free to the County, which
is unusual because most locations charge for recycling monitors.
The County also made the decision to change its Human Resources
(HR) and Payroll software. The existing software was not satisfactory,
so a committee made up of representatives from Finance, HR and IT in
both the Courts and the County made the decision to replace it. The new
software, Software as a Service (SaaS), is currently being implemented.
Internet based, it provides the same level of access for end users and
provides new functionality for HR, including online applications and online
access to the annual benefit enrollment.
19
Departments
Law and Order
ETHICS AND HUMAN RELATIONS AND CITIZEN COMPLAINTS
O
n August 3rd, 2010, voters approved Charter revisions, that consolidated the Ethics Commission and Office of Human Relations and
Citizens Complaints (OHRCC). This Charter change creates a single place
for citizens to submit both types of complaints to one office.
The Office of Ethics and Human Relations and Citizens Complaints (EHRCC)
reduced its support staff to four days per week, as a cost saving measure. Nevertheless, the office has worked hard to maintain a consistent
level of superior service to the citizens of Jackson County. The office assisted 2,323 citizens who were in need of services ranging from utility
assistance to employment opportunity information.
Dawna Shumate displays the plaque
given to EHRCC for their contributions in
assisting the U. S. Census Bureau.
EHRCC relishes the opportunity to collaborate with community stakeholders for the enrichment of the community. Those stakeholders include:
• Aim4Peace - the City of Kansas City‘s violence reduction program
• ArtsTech - a youth enterprise that provides hands-on training and experience in the arts to underserved urban youth
• Board of Police Commissioner’s Office of Community Complaints
• The U.S. Census Bureau - which presented EHRCC with a plaque for
it’s contributions in assisting and achieving an accurate census count
• United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots - distributed toys to nearly
80 families.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
J
ackson County grabbed headlines with three key economic development
victories in 2010. National attention was focused on the renovated Kauffman Stadium being named the site of the 2012 Major League Baseball AllStar game. That event is expected to generate about $70 million thoughout
the local economy.
The Economic Development Department is collaborating with Blue Springs in
its efforts to develop the Missouri Innovation Park, a 500-acre complex for
research facilities and companies in the life-sciences field. The Park’s anchor
tenant, the Mizzou Center operated by the University of Missouri, opened in
2010. “(The Center) will build partnerships, develop smoother transitions for
technology transfers and create jobs.” MU Chancellor Brady Deaton noted.
Ribbon cutting ceremony at the Missouri
Innovation Park in Blue Springs, Missouri.
18
Economic Development also worked with Independence to open the Regional
Enovation Center, a “business incubator,” concentrating on support services
for companies with a bio-tech, kitchen/culinary or business and technology
focus.
The department continues to chair the Eastern Jackson County Development
Alliance while fostering regional cooperation to help existing businesses expand because they account for more than 75 percent of all jobs created.
In 2010, the department sponsored micro-business seminars, entrepreneurial workshops, a manufacturer council meeting and numerous networking
events.
SHERIFF
I
n May 2010, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office implemented a 12-hour
work day for the Deputies assigned to the Road Patrol Division. This allowed for the creation of a new Sheriff’s Office Response Team. S.O.R.T.
was established to enhance the Sheriff’s Office by providing additional
manpower for the Road Patrol, Courthouse, Investigations Divisions, as
well as to handle special assignments and reduce the amount of overtime. The unit’s primary responsibility is to respond to high risk situations
such as high risk warrant service, fugitive apprehension, hostage/barricaded subjects and to assist other units within the Sheriff’s Office.
To date, S.O.R.T. has participated in more than 30 tactical operations. The
total cost to complete a tactical operation prior to the implementation of
the team was approximately $1,000 per incident. However, with S.O.R.T.
participating in those operations by flexing their schedules, it has saved
the taxpayers of Jackson County approximately $31,000 in overtime.
The Traffic Unit patrols more than 500 miles of roadways in Jackson
County and enforces traffic laws in the county and acts to educate and
curb the negative behavior of drivers. The unit’s main focus in 2010 was
on impaired drivers and it targeted these drivers through sobriety and
driver license checkpoints, youth alcohol projects, the “click it or ticket”
campaign, the aggressive driver campaign and the habitual offender
campaign.
The annual Run For The Wall ride
starts in California and ends at the
Vietnam Memorial in Washington,
D.C. The mission of the ride is “to
promote healing among veterans and
their families and friends, to call for
an accounting of all prisoners of war
and those missing in action, to honor
the memory of those killed in action
from all wars and to support military
personnel all over the world.”
“We were honored to escort these
riders across the state,” Sheriff Sharp
said. “Most of them are veterans. This
is a small way for us to thank them
for their service.”.
The Investigations Unit was reconfigured at the beginning of 2010 to increase case loads and lower staffing costs. The unit, which includes the
Drug Interdiction Unit as well as Persons and Property Crimes, investigated more than 300 crimes in the unincorporated portion of the county. The
Drug Interdiction Unit seized large quantities of narcotics and thousands
of dollars while serving search warrants throughout the County during
2010. The Criminal Investigations Unit recovered thousands of dollars
worth of stolen property stemming from investigations into organized
property crime rings.
In December 2007, Jackson County adopted the Failing To Register as a
Sex Offender ordinance, which mirrored the State of Missouri’s Statute of
the same name. Upon taking office in 2009, Sheriff Mike Sharp instituted
a zero-tolerance policy regarding sex offenders who fail to register. The
Sheriff’s Office has improved its non-compliance rate by nearly 35 percent.
The Sheriff’s Office will soon be implementing OffenderWatch® by Watch
Systems. OffenderWatch® is a comprehensive system that allows the
Sheriff’s Office to more closely monitor sex offenders by keeping track
of all their information in one system. By using this system, the Sex Offender Registration and Enforcement Unit is able to share information
regarding offenders with other law enforcement agencies, prosecutor’s
offices and probation and parole offices. This will allow all agencies to
view the information in real time, cutting down on communication time
between agencies.
Sheriff’s Deputies lead riders in “Run For
The Wall” across the state of Missouri.
7
Departments
Law and Order
COURTS
I
n October of 2009, the Jackson County Municipal Court was expanded
to include a six-month to one-year diversion program for persons who
have been charged with municipal violations but are also diagnosed
with having a mental illness.
The “Mental Health Court” program has two primary goals: 1) ensuring appropriate treatment that promotes the wellness of and respect
for the individual; 2) trying to prevent that individual from repeat offenses that result in the further involvement with and expense to the
criminal justice system.
The County Municipal Court will have completed nearly two-and-ahalf years of existence at the end of 2010. The Court was formed
in 2008 to handle County ordinance violations issued by the Jackson
County Sheriff’s Office – violations previously adjudicated through the
16th Circuit Court, a state court.
Municipal Court Judge, Garry Helm holds
court in the Independence Courthouse
Annex.
In 2010, the Municipal Court worked to streamline its procedures, adding credit cards as a fine payment option. In 2011, the Court will look to
improve its online access to citizens looking up court dates or wanting to
make online court-related payments.
FINANCE/PURCHASING
O
ver the course of three years, Jackson County has made tremendous strides toward getting its finances in order. According to the
2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) released in August
of 2010, an independent auditor gave the County an “unqualified” rating,
meaning Jackson County has met the highest financial standard set for
public and private organizations.
In the 2007 CAFR, the auditor included a six-page “management letter”
pointing out numerous deficiencies regarding the County’s internal controls and financial oversight including some problem areas that had persisted for decades. The 2009 CAFR praised Jackson County for promptly
addressing those issues and County Executive Mike Sanders noted, “Our
Finance Department performs to the highest standards among government agencies in this region. This is a success story for Jackson County.”
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and
Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in
Financial Reporting to Jackson County. To earn a Certificate of Achievement, a governmental agency must generate a well organized, easy-toread financial report that meets GFOA standards and conforms to generally accepted accounting principles.
RECORDER OF DEEDS
COUNTY COUNSELOR
Bill Synder Acting County
Counselor addresses the Charter
Review Commission.
8
T
he Office of the County Counselor provides legal advice and litigation services for all County offices and departments as well as most
County boards and commissions.
T
The Counselor’s Office advises County Departments on matters that include tax assessment values for real estate and personal property, recording requirements for real estate deeds and the defense of civil suits
against the County. The Counselor’s Office also directs the prosecution
of ordinance violations before the County Municipal Court, civil commitments for mentally ill persons who pose a danger to the community and
indigent guardianships in the Probate Court and actions for the collection
of delinquent property taxes.
The Department leads all Missouri Counties in total land-related documents that are electronically recorded. Initiated in 2006, Jackson County
is in the top three percent of counties in the nation to utilize modern technology to transform and improve an age-old manual document process.
Today, electronic document recording accounts for 41 percent of the
130,000 plus recordings in Jackson County. Electronic Recording directly
benefits the public by helping to reduce the amount of time for title companies and lenders to process a taxpayer’s purchase of a home, approve
a mortgage application or lock-in a competitive interest rate by reducing
the amount of time expended in conducting title searches.
During 2010, the Counselor’s Office assisted in the drafting and adoption
of the 2010 Jackson County Charter providing a basis for the modernization of County government and the establishment of taxpayer-friendly
policies and procedures for the regulation of tax incentive programs adopted by local cities. The Counselor’s Office also assisted in the reorganization of anti-drug policies and programs aimed at reducing addiction
and drug-related crimes; establishment or continuation of grants to support law enforcement agencies and the Prosecuting Attorney; and the
development of contracts for numerous public works and road improvement projects.
The 2009 CAFR can be downloaded
at www.jacksongov.org. Click on the
“Financial Reports” link.
he Jackson County Recorder of Deeds Department continues to be an
innovative leader in service and technological advances in order to
exceed customer expectations and save tax dollars.
Through a continual effort the staff is back-indexing and adding 100,000
pre-digitized land documents to the database each year. The department’s online inventory and search engine now provide convenient, costfree access to more than five million images dating back to 1962. The
staff is also continuing a multi-year project to improve file retrieval efficiency for the 16th Circuit Court, Prosecutor’s and Sheriff’s Offices which
serve the community in civil, criminal, family and probate matters.
Susan Moore scans files at the Records
Center as she fulfills a departmental
request for the records.
17
Accountability/Compliance
Departments
MEDICAL EXAMINER
T
The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office (JCMEO) provides reliable identification regarding cause and manner of death and it educates, informs and guides the public concerning the final outcome of the
Medical Examiner’s findings. The office has continued positive communications with the Urban Pathology Community Forum in educating the
general public about the role of the Medical Examiner.
A new portable digital medical X-ray and a Dexis dental X-ray have improved radiology services and provided substantial savings since it is no
longer necessary to outsource these services. A new forensic database
program allows staff to enter and retrieve more statistical data for the
department.
A Paul Coverdell
Forensic
Science
Improvement Grant
enabled the office
to purchase stateof-the-art forensic/
autopsy equipment.
The JCMEO took advantage of a federal grant to stretch tax dollars. A Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant enabled the office to purchase state-of-the-art forensic/autopsy
equipment including two touch-screen computers, an evidence
drying cabinet, a two-headed training microscope with attachable
camera, 25 autopsy cart tops, three autopsy carts, one bariatric
autopsy cart and a stainless steel autopsy podium. Additionally,
the grant partially funded the Forensic Fellowship program.
The JCMEO provides one-month clinical rotations to seven hospitals and universities to educate medical students, physicians, pathology residents and pediatricians in forensic pathology. It is also
active in forensic teaching and research. JCMEO death investigators are on call to respond to every home death scene 24/7.
Organ and tissue donations are another service provided by the department, which functions as a liaison with the donor network for tissue donor
referral. The office also provides data to outside agencies including the
Health Department, Drug Abuse Warning Network, The National Missing
and Unidentified Persons System, Medical Examiners, Coroners Alert Program and the Child Fatality Review Board.
The JCMEO continues to educate and train its employees, first responders and the community. This requires identifying the training programs
offered nationally and allocating the appropriate funds. The department
also conducts in-house training and has continued involvement with community forums and affiliate organizations.
On-going goals include working on the Mass Fatality Plan for the Kansas
City, Missouri metropolitan area. The Medical Examiner’s Office submits
yearly grant requests to cover the costs of equipment and the training
of local emergency responders who would be needed to handle a mass
fatality event.
16
AUDITOR
T
he County Auditor objectively evaluates, on behalf of the County Legislature, the effectiveness of all County activities, operations, services
and programs to assure compliance
with the County Charter and Code as
well as Missouri State Statutes.
It is the duty of the Compliance Review
Office to make sure that Chapter 6
of the Jackson County Code, dealing
with Affirmative Action and Contractor
Compliance, is followed. The Office
monitors each vendor’s employment
numbers and affirmative action plans.
It annually distributes over 1,000 affirmative action questionnaires and
monitors 1,073 active vendors in a
data base with nearly 2,000 vendors.
The Compliance Office is also responsible for all prevailing wage issues
on County-funded projects. Payroll
review and on-site visits are done to
make sure companies are complying with prevailing wage guidelines of
the State of Missouri and the County Code.
The Jackson County Auditor’s Office
evaluates County activity on behalf
of the County Legislature.
Together the County Auditor’s Office and Compliance Review Office assist
the Legislature in selecting and monitoring 29 outside agencies to assure
compliance with all rules and regulations. They also assist in reviewing bond disbursements and expenditures from the 2006 voter approved
3/8-cent sales tax bond used to fund over a half billion dollars in stadium
improvements at the Truman Sports Complex.
The offices reviewed bond disbursement and expenditure reports of the
$271 million Kauffman Stadium renovation completed in July 2009 and
the $394 million Arrowhead Stadium renovation that was completed August 2010.
More than $2 million in funding has been awarded by the Jackson County
Legislature to 29 community agencies providing health services, educational assistance and recreation to youths and senior citizens throughout
the County. Staff visited agencies to observe programs and evaluate services to ensure proper spending of County funds. The staff also assisted
COMBAT with agency visits and reviews.
9
Boards and Commissions
B
oards and Commissions assist and advise departments and special groups within Jackson County, some working more closely
with various departments than others. Jackson County is always looking for people interested in serving on a Board or Commission. Boards and Commissions are made up of volunteers, your participation will provide for a better form of government. If you are
interested in serving on a Board or Commission, please visit www.jacksongov.org for more information on the application process
and a more detailed description of each Board and Commission.
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
PURPOSE: To hear appeals and equalize the valuation
and assessment of all real and tangible personal property
taxable by the County.
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH FUND BOARD
PURPOSE: To provide administrative control and management of the community mental health services fund.
archaeological, cultural and architectural resources owned
by the County.
LAND TRUST OF JACKSON COUNTY
PURPOSE: To deal with a portfolio of governmental tax delinquent properties and to exercise all powers for the effective
management, sale or other disposition of this real estate.
MERIT SYSTEM COMMISSION
SERVICES FOR THE
DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED
PURPOSE: To increase opportunity for persons residing
in Jackson County who have a developmental disability by
provision of services that encourage and support the individual’s functioning in the community.
BOARD OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS
PURPOSE: To administer the fees collected from the Marriage License Funds for Domestic Violence Shelters. Members also make site visits to shelters that are funded.
PURPOSE: To review operation of the County employee
merit system and recommend policies. Hears and decides
County employee appeals and disciplinary actions.
PENSION PLAN
ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
PURPOSE: To establish rules, and to interpret and administer the County’s pension plan.
PLAN COMMISSION
PURPOSE: To provide for the preparation, adoption,
amendment, extension and carrying out of a County plan.
ETHICS COMMISSION
PURPOSE: It is the Commission’s duty to examine questionable behavior, as defined by the Jackson County Ethics
Code, and to resolve complaints.
HOUSING RESOURCES COMMISSION
PURPOSE: To allocate and disburse the County Homeless
Assistance Fund that is collected and appropriated.
HUMAN RELATIONS & CITIZEN COMPLAINTS
PURPOSE: To encourage the peaceful reconciliation of
problems that tend to create tension between individuals
or groups and between citizens and County government.
The Commission also promotes the improvement of human relations, protection of civil rights and liberties.
DRUG COMMISSION
PURPOSE: The commission will oversee the Community
Backed Anti-Drug Sales Tax (COMBAT) program.
JANE FIFELD FLYNN HISTORIC RESOURCES
PURPOSE: To identify, evaluate and preserve the historic,
10
PUBLIC BUILDING CORPORATION
PURPOSE: To provide for the acquisition, construction, improvement, extension, repair, remodeling, renovation and
financing of public sites, buildings, facilities, furnishings
and equipment for the use of the County.
JACKSON COUNTY
SPORTS COMPLEX AUTHORITY
PURPOSE: To administer and maintain leasing of the
County Sports Complex, featuring Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums.
STORMWATER COMMISSION
PURPOSE: To coordinate efforts on stormwater management issues and projects through the County.
BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT
PURPOSE: To hear and decide appeals where it is alleged
there is error of law, requirement, decision or determination made by an administrative official in the enforcement
of the County zoning regulations and variances from the
specific terms of zoning regulations.
Departments
An emphasis on greater public access and improving employee efficiency
motivated renovations to the administration building, which was originally
a private residence built in the 1920s.
Getting The Word Out
Despite all the attention being paid to these major renovations the Parks Department did not lose sight of its primary
objective, encouraging Jackson County residents to take
advantage of the parks and assuring that they enjoy their
County Parks & Recreation experiences.
The Parks Department’s year-long marketing campaign
about seasonal events and ongoing activities utilized a
wide range of media. “Take a break at the lake” television commercials highlighted swimming at the County’s
beaches and boating on its lakes. A trade agreement with
Enterprise Broadcasting secured air time for radio advertising. The County also began offering online coupons and special offers
through jacksongov.org/recreation. To further enhance recreation attention on the website, a new virtual tour to showcase the Fred Arbanas Golf
Course was developed.
Patrons enjoy sun and sand at Blue
Springs Lake Beach.
More than 175,000 Calendar of Event Brochures were distributed through local newspapers, chambers of commerce and libraries.
Day Camp Filled To Capacity
Bolstering Jacomo’s Summer Day Camp attendance was a major goal for the Parks
Department in 2010, and an increased advertising effort about the camp really paid
off. Attendance at all nine sessions of the
day camp reached full capacity with attendance from the camp increasing 42 percent
compared to 2009 figures.
Improved infrastructure at the camp played a crucial role in
boosting attendance. New playground equipment, donated by R.
Crosby Kemper, III was installed in 2009. A new road opened to
improve the convenience of parents dropping off/picking up their
children at the camp. Surveys reflected high satisfaction with the
camp program as this response from one parent represented the
sentiments of many others: “Awesome program!”
Stressing Customer Service
Excellent customer service is viewed as an integral part of the
Parks Department’s job. In March of 2010, the Department teamed
with Lee’s Summit Parks & Recreation to conduct a customer service workshop, stressing the SMILE program – SMILE standing for Sincerity,
Motivation, Integrity, Laughter and Enthusiasm!
Jacomo Day Camp increased attendance by
42% compared to 2009.
15
Departments
Departments
CORRECTIONS
PARKS & RECREATION
T
hroughout 2010 the Jackson County Parks & Recreation Department continued to focus on improving
infrastructure to make the parks system not only one
of the biggest in the nation but also one of the best.
The County concentrated primarily on improving trails
and other facilities in 2010, a year after completing
renovations to the Fred Arbanas Golf Course.
A rider enjoys the Longview
Lake Bicycle Trail.
Trail Blazing
The Parks Department finalized details for developing
and maintaining trails in Jackson County with work on
two major projects commencing in 2010. Construction
of the long-anticipated 3.5-mile extension to the Little Blue Trace began
in September. Replacement of the 6.8-mile Longview Lake bicycle trail,
which started in June, was expected to be completed before the end of
2010.
The Little Blue Trace project was funded in part via a Missouri Department of Transportation grant, as well as through a partnership between
Jackson County and the City of Independence. The Little Blue Trace forms
the backbone of Jackson County’s trails system and connects with several
City of Independence trails. The extension should be completed in
the spring of 2011.
The Parks Department secured $250,000 in funding from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the $444,607
Longview Lake Bicycle Trail. The trail is being widened from eight to
10 feet, with additional two-foot shoulders on each side.
In April, the Department worked closely with the Boy Scouts of America on their 100th Anniversary Service Project that saw more than
200 scouts work to reclaim two other trails. The Parks Department
provided a project for two boys to earn Eagle Scout status through
clearing brush and hazardous trees. The scouts also worked to
re-route the trail in areas where erosion had become a problem –to
reclaim the 12-mile long Tcha-To-Ga “Mad Buffalo” trail on the east
side of Lake Jacomo.
Fleming Park Meeting Hall was renovated
to better accommodate organizational and
family gatherings.
14
Other Facility Upgrades
Renovations to the Fleming Park Meeting Hall and the Parks & Recreation Administration building were completed in 2010. During a typical
year, the meeting hall is reserved every weekend and more than 100
weekdays for organizations conducting meetings, family gatherings and
other activities. Hall rental fees covered the costs for installing new windows, counter tops, floor coverings and cabinets, in addition to landscaping and pavement work done to make the facility more accessible.
T
he Jackson County Corrections Department performed double-duty
throughout 2010, operating both the County Detention Center and the
new Regional Correctional Center (RCC) – two facilities connected to one
another via a secure underground walkway.
The RCC, which was opened July 31, 2009 through
an agreement between the County and Kansas
City, houses city municipal inmates. During its first
year in service, the RCC held on an average day
133 inmates. This figure represents 85.5 percent
of the facility’s capacity. Opening the RCC eliminated the County and City’s duplication of detention
services and permitted Kansas City to close its Municipal Correction Institution (MCI), which needed
$5 million in renovations.
MCI cost Kansas City $4.7 million per year to operate, versus the $3.1 million the City provides the
County to cover RCC expenses.
The Corrections Department added 61 new employees to staff the RCC. Jackson County implemented several rehabilitation services at the facility
that were previously unavailable at MCI, including Alcoholics Anonymous,
anger management classes, group therapy, education courses and Jackson County’s successful Drug Court treatment program. Despite these
increased services, the RCC has operated on budget.
The sixth floor of the Jackson
County Detention Center was
remodeled to accommodate
inmates classified as needing
medical/mental housing.
Detention Center Renovations
The sixth floor of the County’s main Detention facility (the Detention Center) was remodeled in the spring of 2010 to accommodate inmates classified as needing “medical/mental housing.” Originally used as a kitchen
when the Center opened in 1984, that floor had been used for storage
since an annex, featuring a new kitchen, was built on to the tower in the
mid-1990s.
On average, 20 percent of the Detention Center’s inmates require some
physical or mental health care. Creating more space to safely house
these inmates had become a top priority. The $500,000 project was completed— on budget and on time —in June of 2010. Costs were kept down by
Corrections staff and inmate crews working to remove remnants of the
old kitchen.
The new sixth floor can accommodate as many as 60 inmates under one
Correction Officer’s direct supervision in a barracks-style unit featuring
bunks rather than individual cells.
Despite operating the RCC and creating a new area in which to house
inmates with medical needs in the Detention Center, the Corrections Department held the line on overtime hours and other expenses in 2010.
11
Departments
Departments
PUBLIC WORKS
T
he Public Works Department of Jackson County is somewhat unique.
Like most Public Works Departments, it is responsible for maintaining
roads, bridges and sewer systems. Unlike many Public Works Departments, it is also responsible for planning and development, which includes
building permits and building code enforcement and stormwater
initiatives; environmental health, which includes restaurant inspections, animal control and nuisance code enforcement. Jackson County Public Works is also responsible for all county facilities
including janitorial, building maintenance and repair, HVAC, mechanical and electrical systems.
Woods Chapel
Road from I-470 to
Liggett Road was
completed this year
at a cost of nearly
$8 million.
The Public Works Department constantly looks for ways to provide
the best value for the least amount of money. For instance, its
engineering division is one of the few in the area that is equipped
to do its own design work. This year, work was completed on
reinforcing a stone arch culvert that had started to fail. By designing the repairs in-house, it is estimated that
$50,000 was saved. The plan for the project
called for concrete to be sprayed over the existing culvert. This not only provided a costefficient repair, but allowed the road to stay
open throughout the process.
Woods Chapel Road, from I-470 to Liggett
Road was also completed this year. Woods
Chapel is a major east-west artery that is a
popular route for commuters. The total cost
for the project was around $8 million. The improvements widened it from two lanes to five.
A 10 foot multi purpose path was also added.
Parts of this project were designed by the
Jackson County Engineering Division as well.
The Environmental Health Division contracted with StateFoodSafety.com
and now offers an on-line Food Handler Training Course. Previously,
those wishing to obtain a permit were referred to the City of Independence. The new service, initiated in July, had issued 571 permits by
September. The addition of this service coupled with the fees collected
for restaurant inspections and code violations makes the Environmental
Health Division nearly self-sustaining.
Both Facilities Management and the Engineering Division were recipients
of federal stimulus funds. Facilities Management requested and received
nearly $500,000 for energy-saving projects from the Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Block Grant Program, which is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Projects included installation of high efficiency
lighting at the Jackson County Election Board and the Vehicle Service
Center, energy audits for Jackson County facilities, replacement windows
12
at the Independence Courthouse Annex, software that remotely powers down computers, upgrades to inefficient HVAC systems and money
to partner with the Mid America Regional Council to develop a regional
energy strategy.
Additionally, the expense of a new deck on Blue Mills Road
Bridge was less than had been planned thanks to $378,061
in stimulus funds, slightly more than half the cost of the entire
project. It was the first stimulus road project completed in all
of Jackson County.
The Public Works Department provides many other services to
citizens. Jackson County food sanitarians inspect all restaurant
and food outlets in the county except for those in Kansas City
and Independence. Jackson County Road and Bridge employees
plow snow on the roads in the unincorporated area. Jackson
County Planning and Development is responsible for assuring
that residents in the unincorporated area follow proper building
procedures and zoning practices. Codes enforcement handles
complaints about weeds, trash and abandoned vehicles.
New reflectivity standards on road signs were mandated by the Federal
Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices this
year. All new signs are being made using the updated standard. The
Road and Bridge Division is now concentrating on retrofitting the current
inventory. They have also researched the intersections in the unincorporated area to ensure that safety standards are being met.
A new deck was put on the Blue Mills Road
Bridge with the aide of federal stimulus
funds.
The snow removal program may be one of the most important safety initiatives of the Public Works Department. Roads
in the unincorporated area are not often lit and usually do not
have curbs. This makes plowing challenging and sometimes
even dangerous, since so much of the work is performed
after dark. There are 435 miles of road in unincorporated
Jackson County that must be plowed during snow, patched
after normal wear and tear and resurfaced on a regular
schedule. In addition, crews regularly clear brush, pick up
litter, clean and replace culverts and apply chip seal.
Weather and the environment are recurring themes in Public
Works. It is the mission of the Stormwater Division to work
with other area cities and counties to look for sustainable
ways to manage stormwater runoff. This year, the division partnered with the West Branch Sni-A-Bar Watershed Consortium to
sponsor the Blue River Watershed Association’s True Blue Water Quality
Testing and Education Seminars at Lake Lotawana and Fort Osage. This
event educated about 150 school aged children about water issues and
allowed them to actually perform tests on water qualities.
One of the many regular projects for
Public Works is snow removal on the
435 miles of roads in unincorporated
areas.
Safety, accessibility, fairness and sustainability are just some examples
of the quality-of-life goals that the Public Works Department strives to
provide for the citizens of Jackson County every day.
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