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Independence, MO —
From all corners of the city, Independence is busy with projects and signs of development.
On Friday morning, four Independence City Council members and Mayor Don Reimal (District 2 Council Member Curt Dougherty was absent) gathered at the Independence Chamber of Commerce to provide business leaders an update on their area of town.
This is a snapshot of the many issues discussed in the hourlong meeting:
1. Industrial park.
Mayor Reimal said the city is continuing to work with Independence Economic Development on developing a new 360-acre industrial park at Missouri 78 and Missouri 7, a project that was first announced in August 2010. The EDC is in the process of raising $1 million in private investments to build a 40,000-square-foot building, Reimal said.
“We are going to be ready for the businesses that want to move in, because when they are ready to move in, they’re ready,” Reimal said. “They don’t want to waste a couple of years for development to come into the business park where they want to move into – they want to move into it as quickly as they can.”
2. Regional animal shelter.
At-Large Council Member Jim Schultz spoke briefly on a topic that’s been a hot one in recent weeks: The new regional animal shelter and the state of the agreement signed in 2009 between the city and Jackson County.
“They came to us, and said, ‘We’d like to explore another option,’” Schultz said. “We want to be good partners with the county, and we agreed to let them have a little bit of time to look.”
If a nonprofit organization is unable to step up and handle the operations of the shelter, Schultz said, “We’re prepared to open that shelter within 30 days. We can run it, and we can do it. We’re having great success in our shelter right now – our shelter is just small and old and tired and needs an upgrade. Our plan for partnering with (the county) was getting that done.”
3. Developing – and maintaining – partnerships.
While northwestern Independence is not always the first place businesses or residents look to move into, that’s starting to improve, thanks to partnerships made in recent years among entities like 12 Blocks West, the Independence School District, the NorthWest Communities Development Corporation and others, District 1 Council Member Marcie Gragg said.
“When we try to build community or rebuild community, we can’t do that alone,” Gragg said. “Where we have really found success is when we can leverage our partnerships.”
From all corners of the city, Independence is busy with projects and signs of development.
On Friday morning, four Independence City Council members and Mayor Don Reimal (District 2 Council Member Curt Dougherty was absent) gathered at the Independence Chamber of Commerce to provide business leaders an update on their area of town.
This is a snapshot of the many issues discussed in the hourlong meeting:
1. Industrial park.
Mayor Reimal said the city is continuing to work with Independence Economic Development on developing a new 360-acre industrial park at Missouri 78 and Missouri 7, a project that was first announced in August 2010. The EDC is in the process of raising $1 million in private investments to build a 40,000-square-foot building, Reimal said.
“We are going to be ready for the businesses that want to move in, because when they are ready to move in, they’re ready,” Reimal said. “They don’t want to waste a couple of years for development to come into the business park where they want to move into – they want to move into it as quickly as they can.”
2. Regional animal shelter.
At-Large Council Member Jim Schultz spoke briefly on a topic that’s been a hot one in recent weeks: The new regional animal shelter and the state of the agreement signed in 2009 between the city and Jackson County.
“They came to us, and said, ‘We’d like to explore another option,’” Schultz said. “We want to be good partners with the county, and we agreed to let them have a little bit of time to look.”
If a nonprofit organization is unable to step up and handle the operations of the shelter, Schultz said, “We’re prepared to open that shelter within 30 days. We can run it, and we can do it. We’re having great success in our shelter right now – our shelter is just small and old and tired and needs an upgrade. Our plan for partnering with (the county) was getting that done.”
3. Developing – and maintaining – partnerships.
While northwestern Independence is not always the first place businesses or residents look to move into, that’s starting to improve, thanks to partnerships made in recent years among entities like 12 Blocks West, the Independence School District, the NorthWest Communities Development Corporation and others, District 1 Council Member Marcie Gragg said.
“When we try to build community or rebuild community, we can’t do that alone,” Gragg said. “Where we have really found success is when we can leverage our partnerships.”
4. A recovering retail economy.
Southeastern Independence is home t the city’s biggest retail areas, including Independence Center, Independence Commons, The Falls at Crackerneck Creek and Hartman Heritage Center. Calling his area “kind of the economic motor,” District 3 Council Myron Paris said city staff have worked hard to get new businesses to fill out existing retail development.
“It’s still difficult for some people to get financing,” Paris said. “Hopefully, that will break to a greater degree.”
5. Improving business development.
One comment that City Council members often hear is that starting a new business in Independence is difficult or confusing. For District 4 Council Member Eileen Weir, business development remains a top priority, she said.
Weir also is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee, which recently set an agenda of priorities for Management Analyst Zach Walker. Those include a budget constraint analysis, as well as a review of the operations at the city’s central garage.
