| | | | | | | | | City of Independence | | AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET |
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| | | | | | | | Agenda Title:
Federal Advocacy Report |
| | | | | | | | Executive Summary:
The City of Independence sent a delegation to Washington D.C. to advocate for the City of Independence on June 15, 2021 thru June 17, 2021. Mayor Eileen Weir, City Manager Zach Walker and Constituent Services & Legislative Affairs Officer John Mayfield represented the City of Independence.
The delegation met with Sen. Roy Blunt, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and staff for Rep. Sam Graves. Mayor Weir also had the opportunity to meet with Congressional officials from Kansas. These meetings were with Rep. Jake LaTurner, Sen. Roger Marshall and staff for Sen. Jerry Moran.
One of the main topics discussed in these meetings were the status of talks on Capitol Hill regarding the nation’s infrastructure package being proposed in Washington D.C. An increase in the spending on Infrastructure is one of the main priorities for the Biden Administration. Staff has identified five major infrastructure projects in Independence that would benefit from the assistance of federal dollars.
The five major projects discussed included 5.8 miles of widening Missouri 7 Highway, Independence Square Streetscapes, Truman Connected Trail, US 24 Highway Complete Streets & Safety Improvements, and the Kentucky Road Bridge. The total amount requested for these projects by the City of Independence from the federal government is $75 million.
The City of Independence also discussed with these elected officials the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP). This is a federal grant within the FAST Act to states to operate Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Units. This grant is designed to reduce the number of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles.
It is the desire of the City of Independence to be given the authority for the Independence Police Department to operate a Commercial Vehicle Unit. The Independence Police Department is responsible for patrolling 99 miles of streets and highways. Under state law the Superintendent of the Missouri Highway Patrol designates the law enforcements agencies to receive funding under this grant program. According to the state of Missouri there is not enough funding under this grant to include the Independence Police Department in this program at this time.
Finally, the City of Independence discussed two tourism items. The first, was an update on the Truman Visitor Center. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic many government projects have been stopped or delayed. The City of Independence shared our vision for the new Visitor Center to ensure that everyone is on same page.
The City of Independence also discussed with our federal officials a national designation for the National Frontier Trails Museum. The National Frontier Trails Museum is the only museum in the nation that is devoted to telling the story of the Santa Fe, Oregon and California Trails. The museum is also the location of the national headquarters of the Oregon-California Trails Association, an organization that preserves, maps and marks the trails and educated the public about their impact on American History.
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| | | | | | | | | Department: City Manager's Office | Contact Person: John Mayfield |
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| REVIEWERS: | | Department | Action | | City Managers Office | Approved | | Finance Department | Approved | | City Managers Office | Approved | | City Clerk Department | Approved |
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| Council Action: | Council Action: |
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