Lenexa Town Talk - February 2015

TownTalk Sunflower exhibit highlights area’s past

February 2015 • Issue 1

Volunteers essential to Lenexa

Kansas history and Lenexa history are coming together in the Legler Barn Museum’s latest exhibit through the sunflower collection owned by Bill Nicks, the city’s former Parks & Recreation Director (1978-2008).

More than 400 items of Nicks’ collection will be displayed March 4 through fall 2015. This includes a 1996 Bob Dole sunflower pin, a Sunflower State Expo in Topeka publication, a 1936 Alf Landon pin from his presidential run against Franklin D. Roosevelt, a sunflower clock and much more.

The Legler Barn Museum is free and open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More info can be found at www. leglerbarn.org.

Lenexa volunteers are giving back more than ever. And it’s those people who help keep Lenexa looking beautiful and operating efficiently. In 2014, 917 volunteers gave 14,054 hours to the city in numerous capacities.

These volunteers make a significant contribution to the city’s daily operations. According to independentsector.org, the dollar value of the volunteers’ service equates to $293,447.52.

Interested in volunteering? There are a variety of opportunities in just about every department in the city. Simply go online to www.lenexa.com/ volunteers to sign up.

Each year, we induct individuals who have made a significant contribution in our community into the Lenexa Volunteer Hall of Fame. Know someone worthy of the award? Nominate them by March 6. More info is available at lenexa.com/towntalk.

Historical Society President honored as Distinguished Volunteer Lenexa Historical Society (LHS) President and Lenexa volunteer Todd Crow was recently honored as the 2015 Distinguished Volunteer by the Kansas Recreation and Park Association. Working with LHS, Todd volunteered nearly 300 hours for Lenexa last year.

Todd was chosen as the Distinguished

Volunteer for his contributions to LHS, which include increasing the organization’s membership by 30 percent; bringing in new exhibits to the Legler Barn Museum; modernizing the LHS technology infrastructure; and securing Heritage Trust Fund grants to assist with digitizing more than 1,000 photographs in the LHS collection.

Todd Crow (center) pictured with Mayor Mike Boehm and Parks & Recreation Director Gary Ristow.

TownTalk Art scholarships available to area high school seniors

Blue lights keep intersections safer

The Lenexa Arts Council is accepting applications for the 2015 LAC scholarship program.

Up to $3,000 will be awarded in both visual and performing arts categories to area high school seniors interested in the arts. The deadline is March 2.

To be eligible, a student must: • Live in Lenexa.

• Be a senior planning to attend college in the fall.

• Submit a completed application (available at www. lenexa.com/ towntalk).

Municipal Court shifts hours in 2015 Lenexa Municipal Court hours have changed. Clerks will now be available 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays; and 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Many matters can be resolved without a court appearance.

Court clerks can amend tickets and grant time to pay during regular office hours. Payments, court date lookup, and record searches can be done online 24 hours a day. For more information, please visit www.lenexa.com/courts.

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Omni-directional blue confirmation lights have been placed near some of Lenexa’s traffic lights to make intersections safer and assist the Lenexa Police Department with red light running enforcement.

Drivers traveling at several of the major intersections in Lenexa recently may have noticed small blue lights appearing near the traffic lights.

These lights, called confirmation lights, make it safer and easier for police officers to cite motorists who violate red lights. A major cause of traffic accidents in Lenexa are due to red light violations.

lights allow an officer to safely be positioned down the road to see both the blue light aglow and the vehicle traveling through the intersection.

They work by being located directly adjacent to the traffic signal lights and illuminating when the signal turns red. The confirmation

• 87th Street & Lackman Road

The lights are currently located at the following intersections, which were determined based on recent crash history: • 87th Street & Quivira Road • 95th Street & Quivira Road • 95th Street & Monrovia Street • 95th Street & Marshall Drive

Give feedback on website with survey City of Lenexa staff are preparing to redesign the city’s website, and we need your help. In order to make the site as user-friendly as possible, we are asking residents to help us by filling out a short survey on your use of our website. Your participation in the survey will have a direct effect on how Lenexa’s future website looks and operates.

The survey will take approximately

5 minutes to complete, and all responses are anonymous.

You may choose to enter your email address to be eligible for a Lenexa gift bag. And, you may choose to provide your full contact information to volunteer to help us with a more in-depth activity in the future.

To participate, go to www.lenexa. com/WebsiteSurvey. Responses will be collected through Feb. 28, 2015.

Survey Link: www.lenexa.com/WebsiteSurvey

Expo promotes clean water practices

Revitalization program helps spruce up Lenexa neighborhoods The new year means new funds available for residents living within the city’s Neighborhood Revitalization District. The NRD is an area where the city is helping property owners reinvest in their homes to improve neighborhoods.

Photo by volunteer photographer Bill Harrison

Lenexa is again a contributing partner of the Healthy Yards Expo, and this year, the event is going back to its roots.

and groups will be there to answer questions you may have. Children’s activities will be available.

This year’s event will focus on what you as a resident can do to help improve water quality in the community and your own yard.

This year’s Healthy Yards Expo is scheduled for Saturday, March 28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Shawnee Civic Centre, 13817 Johnson Drive.

Admission is free.

Informative speakers will be on hand to discuss a variety of related topics, and representatives from various businesses, government agencies

For more information about what will be offered, visit www.lenexa.com/ towntalk.

Plan your wedding at Lenexa’s Bridal Show Needing some ideas for the big day? There will be plenty at the Lenexa Bridal Show, which will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 22 at Thompson Barn, 11184 Lackman Road. Admission is free with preregistration or $5 at the door.

Photo by volunteer photographer Bill Harrison

Sign up for free tickets to the Lenexa Bridal Show at www.lenexa.com/bridal

The event will feature free samples, innovative ideas and giveaways for those in attendance. As a show special, Lenexa Parks & Recreation is offering a 10-percent discount for anyone who books a wedding or reception at Thompson Barn during the event.

More information about the event and vendors is available at www.lenexa.com/bridal.

Property owners who make qualified improvements to their homes may receive financial incentives through either the tax rebate program or the exterior grant program (distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.)

District boundaries are approximately between 85th Street and 98th Street from Goddard Street on the east and Acuff Lane on the west. Also included in the NRD are two small portions to the north and south. A full map and address lookup tool are available at www.lenexa.com/towntalk.

2015 Dumpster Days Lenexa’s 2015 Dumpster Days are scheduled for April 11 & 12 and Oct. 10 & 11. Lenexa residents may bring their items from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to the Municipal Services Center, 7700 Cottonwood St. Fees will be charged per load based on the size of vehicle, with additional fees for TVs, appliances containing Freon and tires.

A full list of acceptable items is available online at www.lenexa. com/towntalk.

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TownTalk

Lenexa Town Talk is published six times a year by the City of Lenexa for its residents. Please direct questions or comments to the Communications Division by e-mailing communications@lenexa.com.

Mayor Mike Boehm

City Administrator Eric Wade

Council Members Ward 1 Joe Karlin Steve Lemons

Ward 3 Amy Slater Lou Serrone

Ward 2 Diane Linver Tom Nolte

Ward 4 Mandy Stuke Andy Huckaba

12350 W. 87th Street Pkwy.

Lenexa, KS 66215

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage P A I D Kansas City, MO Permit No. 32

913.477.7500 • www.lenexa.com Lenexa is an equal housing community

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Enjoy the history of basketball with LHS If you’re a basketball fan, then the Lenexa Historical Society and Lenexa Parks & Recreation have just the program for you. Members of the public are invited to attend the LHS Annual Meeting to enjoy an evening with James Naismith on March 4 at Thompson Barn.

Former Lenexa Parks & Recreation Director Bill Nicks will portray James Naismith, inventor of basketball and KU’s first basketball coach.

LHS will serve pancakes by Chris Cakes ($6 suggested donation) at 5:30 p.m. with the program at 6:30 p.m.

Admission to the event is free.

A limited number of tickets are available at the Legler Barn Museum or by emailing your RSVP to pancakes@leglerbarn.org.

More information is available at www.lenexahistoricalsociety.org.

You’re Invited to the 2015 State of the City Residents are invited to attend Mayor Michael Boehm’s 2015 State of the City address, which will be held at lunchtime Feb. 25 at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel, 6100 College Blvd.

wishing to attend have two options.

For tickets to the event and a meal, the cost is $30. Or, you may attend just the presentation portion of the program for no cost. Register by calling 913.888.1414.

This event is being held in conjunction with the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce, so residents

If you are unable to make it, the full text of the Mayor’s speech will be available online after the event.

Year in Review 2014 Don’t forget to read the 2014 Year in Review, which is included in this issue of Lenexa Town Talk.

The Year in Review discusses many of the reasons to celebrate Lenexa, including cost-savings, a strong financial picture, major advances in economic development and numerous accolades earned by city staff in 2014. Need more info on a topic you read about? Go online to www.lenexa.com/ yearinreview.