Here’s what your mayor said at the 2024 Northeast JoCo State of the Cities

The state of northeast Johnson County is good, elected officials say.

Targeted efforts toward sustainability, infrastructure and development were some of the main highlights shared on Thursday by nine northeast Johnson County city leaders at the annual State of the Cities luncheon hosted by the Northeast Johnson County Chamber of Commerce.

Here’s a look at what each individual mayor from nine of the 10 cities had to say about what 2023 brought and where 2024 is headed. (The Mission Woods mayor was unable to attend).

Fairway

• Mayor Melanie Hepperly talked about the city’s work to inventory its stormwater infrastructure and the active adult apartments redevelopment on Shawnee Mission Parkway.
• It was also “a tough year” for the police department and city with the loss of Ofc. Jonah Oswald, Hepperly said.
• Hepperly touched on the bill introduced to the state legislature in 2023 that aims to convey the Shawnee Indian Mission site to the Shawnee Tribe.
• Hepperly said the bill is still live for the 2024 session, but she’s been assured by representatives and Gov. Laura Kelly herself that it isn’t going to pass.
• “That is very important for not only Fairway, but also Johnson County as a whole,” Hepperly said.

Merriam

• Mayor Bob Pape highlighted the redevelopment of the former Kmart site, now known as Merriam Grand Station.
• Pape also noted that the city’s partnership with the Johnson County Library to co-locate the former Antioch Branch to the community center land is well underway.
• He reminded the luncheon attendees that the library will have more than 7,000 native plants located on its green roof.
• Pape said the city is also working to underground utilities along Shawnee Mission Parkway near the Merriam Grand Station development.

Mission

• Mayor Sollie Flora said the city adopted a new comprehensive plan in 2023 and earned two Planning Sustainable Places grants.
• The city also worked to keep its promise to voters to increase investment in city parks, including a laundry list of updates to several Mission parks, she said.
• There are also several developments underway in Mission, including The Lanes (formerly Mission Bowl) multifamily project and 58 Nall, a downtown apartment complex project.
• Flora also noted that the new Rushton Elementary is expected to open this fall.

Mission Hills

• Mission Hills public safety officials, including police and fire, earned a more than 90% satisfaction rating from residents, said Mayor David Dickey.
• That’s according to a resident survey, the first one conducted by the city in 15 years, he added.
• Mission Hills is also preparing to celebrate its 75th anniversary.
• “The state of Mission Hills is good,” Dickey said.

Overland Park

• Mayor Curt Skoog said in 2023, Overland Park began implementing strategic goals for the first time ever.
• Skoog noted that the city filled 16 Olympic-sized pools with tree debris from the July 2023 storms.
• Overland Park is also working on an update to its comprehensive plan for the first time since the 1990s, and is calling it FrameworkOP.
• The work on U.S. Highway 69 is about halfway finished as of January, Skoog said.
• “The comments I hear regularly from people are, ‘Curt, it’s a real pain in the butt,’ but number two, ‘They are moving fast on that project,’” Skoog said.

Prairie Village

• Mayor Eric Mikkelson highlighted diversity committee events, infrastructure upgrades, park improvements and the adoption of a city climate action plan.
• Mikkelson noted the city’s record-setting attendance at festivals like VillageFest and Jazz Fest.
• Prairie Village also cut its mill levy rate and increased staff salaries in 2023, Mikkelson said.
• In 2024, the city is continuing its work on a new city hall and is getting resident feedback on a co-located community center and library branch idea.
• “We like what Mayor Pape’s done in Merriam, and Johnson County Library, with the walkable library,” Mikkelson said. “We’re going to look at whether that might work in Prairie Village as well.”

Roeland Park

• Mayor Michael Poppa said Roeland Park used 2023 to connect neighbors with infrastructure improvements, such as that along 53rd Street in conjunction with the city of Fairway.
• Poppa said the city took on a $1.7 million community center renovation project in 2023.
• The city also approved a new gateway sculpture to the city’s northern entrance in 2023, which is on its way in 2024, he noted.
• Poppa also noted that the developer of The Rocks closed on the property in 2023.

Westwood

• Mayor David Waters said Westwood completely renovated the 47th Street corridor, which now features a road diet, wider sidewalks and new signage.
• The city is looking at what residents want to see as far as infrastructure improvements to Rainbow Boulevard, as well, he said.
• Waters also noted the Karbank project along Rainbow Boulevard, which aims to bring office-retail and a larger public park to the corridor. The Karbank project has faced pushback from neighboring homeowners.
• Waters said Westwood is looking at other options for city hall and housing in 2024.

Westwood Hills

• Mayor Rosemary Potrebarac said 2023 was “a great year” for the city of Westwood Hills.
• Potrebarac said the city installed a rain garden and celebrated its 100th anniversary of the Westwood Hills Homes Association.
• The community that Westwood Hills is would be impossible without the help of local partners, Potrebarac said.