[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6283109,"mediaKeyId","2590898-6b55f1aace6f42f52ba76052e899de92","parentId",2590898,"title","Council staff briefs on $55 million Question 2; $15 million proposed for bridges and culverts","audioSeconds",354,"startMs",4493000,"endMs",4847000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2590898-6b55f1aace6f42f52ba76052e899de92&start=4493&end=4847","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2590898-6b55f1aace6f42f52ba76052e899de92/thumbnail_4493000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6283109/Independence/Jackson-County/Missouri/Council-staff-briefs-on-55-million-Question-2-15-million-proposed-for-bridges-and-culverts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283109-aed4716cd8e372f7b6d56307b87eae7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775346714&Signature=elYIsjHC0Aizcgv7EbLUAmSlo5q5xFCfHXjOxt3if9bMYb7WFqKmfwxlKpzuFTmZzZep1cvEsNbodRunZ9lAY-i2lWY4JFkSUSHiK-D-IplDDfkA1F2NmYsFiPMIuoOdsD6vWqMH63LibPrhk7Wct-8NmXKtjiJZHO~qdUYD~FlqGvwk8pL~sTNF~ssqnBQocAQbt5qnu1MbrH5T2NEGGVkusAPnZq9kQXwViivBaaQHrSLljk6vIIjDOu35gCzaLGi8A~l-DEx05oHr2~RmK4GnJe9W54AdXOZNDYeAvCJ91PdRNgQ~0Rn9Kw1OQvoQ4ftji0sNv99UMxmnhgBNSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Independence, MO","date","2025-03-10T00:00:00Z","article","Deputy City Manager Lisa Reynolds presented the city’s final study‑session briefing on Question 2 of a proposed general obligation bond at the May 10 meeting, describing a $55 million package that staff says aims to address streets, sidewalks and bridges.

Reynolds outlined the proposed split: $30 million for overlay and full‑ or partial‑depth pavement repair; $10 million for sidewalks and school‑related sidewalk needs; and $15 million dedicated to bridges, including a targeted $3 million subcomponent for large storm culverts that the public commonly considers bridges. City staff reported the city maintains an inventory of 68 bridges; Reynolds said roughly \"5½ of those are currently closed\" and that two of the closed bridges are already being advanced toward repairs with ARPA funds but that ARPA alone does not cover full repair costs.

Reynolds told the council that bridge conditions can deteriorate quickly and that the list of bridges needing attention has grown during bond planning — earlier lists of 14 candidate bridges had expanded to about 18. She said bids for single‑bridge repair packages have drawn little contractor interest and explained the staff strategy is to bundle multiple bridge projects together to attract bidders and improve contracting efficiency.

On prioritization Reynolds said the city will address closed structures first (named examples include Chrisler Avenue and some Kentucky Avenue bridges) and then prioritize by traffic counts, detour impacts, emergency‑response routing and the number of people affected. She also noted that roughly 21 large culverts in the city are substantial enough to be treated like bridges for repair planning.

No action was taken at the study session; Reynolds said staff will continue design and bid preparation on prioritized closures and pursue grant funding when available — but warned that bridge grant opportunities are limited and not guaranteed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Independence Study Session 3/10/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Deputy City Manager Lisa Reynolds presented the city’s final study‑session briefing on Question 2 of a proposed $55 million general obligation bond at the May 10 meeting, describing allocations for pavement, sidewalks and bridges.","taxTitle","Independence, Jackson County, Missouri","taxId",2581,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6283113,"Staff recommends continuing use of private inspectors for RentalReady; in‑house option would cost about $977,000 annually",680,3135000,3815000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2590898-6b55f1aace6f42f52ba76052e899de92&start=3135&end=3815","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2590898-6b55f1aace6f42f52ba76052e899de92/thumbnail_3135000.jpg","/articles/6283113/Independence/Jackson-County/Missouri/Staff-recommends-continuing-use-of-private-inspectors-for-RentalReady-inhouse-option-would-cost-about-977000-annually","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283113-b0a7d2cc6f49d0d717c0e6adbd0dd403/orig.mp4?Expires=1775346714&Signature=D6dn3Nsg7Jp2ABsPrSnoVwcl2YyhWndzS2qBxsTzhX3LbQGg9fJjf2SUwzJvbz01YjffyMDGo77anlBY2ILAUEFxzbcwf6jBxiAjyxYiwImV4Cp1cg7Krp~PRT4jaLCxkTLH-llQw2gxVqLzGXMfdExgQzxSrUwfOYp5IqNj59e3w8EB1V57k1C0FiKJc0WqwPsiv2mYukjzhfKwN6M5dw22I~RV4A6Rp-pURqOwxEm1tNh6W422v1WE1MxYoRxJZ2LKXGRQDqkHsMHFFP2hXkq3GzsTWfIrxeNTltNw8hFl86laF6IxKcqjE8Jyfl84aFaYZUR8VN4Kx8z9mkE4kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tom Skinnell, the city’s community development director, told the City Council on May 10 that staff recommends continuing the existing program that uses pre‑qualified private housing inspectors to perform RentalReady inspections rather than bringing the work in‑house.

Skinnell said the city has roughly 10,608 rental units in census estimates; after excluding units that already receive annual HUD or similar inspections, staff estimates about 8,800 units would need RentalReady inspections in a given year. That workload equates to about 731 units per month. To perform that work in‑house, Skinnell said staff calculated the need for eight full‑time inspectors plus a supervisor and an administrative assistant; initial‑year costs (salaries, vehicles, phones, computers and benefits) were estimated at approximately $977,000.

Skinnell reviewed fee scenarios: current private‑inspector fees under the 2016 program are $50 for the initial inspection and $30 for reinspection; private inspectors have proposed raising those fees to $100 and $60 respectively. Skinnell said covering in‑house costs would require an inspection fee of about $125 per unit. He noted private firms typically inspect evenings and weekends to accommodate tenants, while city personnel generally work a Monday‑through‑Friday schedule and would be more constrained by holidays, overtime rules and collective bargaining agreements.

Staff noted that the city issued a new RFQ and received applications from four firms; the responses were from repeat providers. Skinnell proposed that, if council directs continued use of private inspectors, staff will certify participating firms under the revised ordinance, train them on the updated inspection checklist (which went into effect May 1) and institute city audits of inspection reports. He recommended waiting at least one year from May 1 to perform an audit of the contracted inspection program.

Several council members asked for clarity on audit timing, shared‑amenity inspections (common boilers/air handlers) and whether enough contractors responded to the RFQ; staff said they will review the four submissions for qualifications and may recruit additional firms if necessary. The council did not take a vote at the study session but several members expressed support for the staff recommendation to continue using qualified housing inspectors.","City staff recommended on May 10 that the RentalReady housing inspections remain contracted to qualified private firms rather than moved in‑house because of expected staffing, scheduling and cost challenges; staff estimated an in‑house program would require eight inspectors and cost about $977,000 in the first year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6283119,"Consultant: Independence should pursue $10 million liability limit; budget impact expected",722,1290000,2012000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2590898-6b55f1aace6f42f52ba76052e899de92&start=1290&end=2012","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2590898-6b55f1aace6f42f52ba76052e899de92/thumbnail_1290000.jpg","/articles/6283119/Independence/Jackson-County/Missouri/Consultant-Independence-should-pursue-10-million-liability-limit-budget-impact-expected","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283119-c90dd7c8c668dc678472d47169ec2586/orig.mp4?Expires=1775346714&Signature=dVxfUSVCho5u5CqW37MUVMtHiwgxBcdKfBQBlPBIXc2ZsDb2H7nRxsBVVdtIi-DCx994qZKRsAh8QO-K45Lsb~acPxN7gNI68ceThSyZG1dF1z61Me43iHM3ywPclf32JhtcXrG5QGxsV2oECNdE9s8b4rRrKnPgE62AGoGNzwXfc2EcLdhOKZmEa7zkf4Jg7c-gce-GG1togsjQN7awW4Ziqzw9vxo0lyhHnc0wi-bkx~bnm7qmVDKFMLO3WUTLG3G-ctsfh-durpuSCY8QY24t250rUYxsGxqBMphQUNgmNDoL3ywf4465n8Xd59p9SkCC0QH0hTKG0nv09VOQhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance staff and an outside insurance consultant told the Independence City Council at a May 10 study session that the city has workable market options for renewing its general liability program and should consider returning to a $10 million excess limit subject to a $1 million self‑insured retention.

Bob Charlesworth, vice president of Charlesworth Consulting, summarized the market process the city’s broker used and said one market option represented by an A‑rated carrier could provide a $10 million limit at a price roughly 5% above the city’s current budgeted amount for a $5 million limit. Charlesworth said the recommended renewal approach would keep the city's $1 million occurrence retention but move the excess limit back to $10 million; he described the option as \"better news than what we had last year.\"

The briefing described the components of the city's liability program: general premises liability; employment practices liability; law‑enforcement liability; public‑officials liability; and auto liability. Charlesworth said the program is ‘‘all‑inclusive’’ and that the retention level — the amount the city pays before excess coverage applies — increased from $250,000 to $1,000,000 in recent renewals and that market alternatives were limited last year.

Finance director Melissa Cabrera introduced the session and the consultant said cyber liability is handled separately; Charlesworth reported that cyber renewal was ‘‘pretty flat’’ and that cyber premium (~$43,000) would appear separately in the renewal packet.

Council members asked for additional claims history and budgeting detail. One council member requested a five‑year claim run showing how often the city had hit prior retention levels and totals the city paid in self‑insured amounts; Charlesworth and staff said they can provide five years of claims data and predictive modeling the consultant uses when drafting budget recommendations. Charlesworth said his modeling suggests the city may need to target higher reserves and that budgeting for risk management could rise above previously projected increases.

No formal vote was taken at the study session; finance staff and the consultant said they will present a renewal recommendation for council action at a future regular meeting.","City consultants and finance staff briefed council members on May 10 about the city’s general liability renewal options and recommended pursuing a higher $10 million limit with a $1 million self‑insured retention, with an estimated $835,000 premium increase relative to current budgeting.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6283123,"Local AFS volunteers urge more host families as post‑COVID participation lags",0,2742000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2590898-6b55f1aace6f42f52ba76052e899de92&start=2742&end=2742","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2590898-6b55f1aace6f42f52ba76052e899de92/thumbnail_2742000.jpg","/articles/6283123/Independence/Jackson-County/Missouri/Local-AFS-volunteers-urge-more-host-families-as-postCOVID-participation-lags","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283123-18a71579d28010f4f15ce77856aae021/orig.mp4?Expires=1775346714&Signature=eAC0OUD4ekOLukB7NxPSNSkYGfXgxpQBlThk4RVM0C6ZXt4HkpujQavRme8h32VjRkgzDvN6bssWpSRMU~dUcVj3AMNdx3XXR6unVcf8ox4XyOo30-1onOnwzpkukonfqoiX99h3j4couvS9KPhnHzB7BpG8XvpqVkQLI7n8GOF0O~xLlz-n9biHgJQ5kfvGZgbjdgFYBMMFPoNtt26L2Vx~YIlC4FCYLx~XMUskMILLY2Wt3RI8U9vwyJBzGykUbyJJJN24DULqL-3vqNCMtzXNgFk-ex9b5Kk~5g-7sAz4dNuFFCZsgrDzzEHb0woXZJmvpkt6BnwLZIl2jD7lOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bruce Lowery, a longtime local AFS volunteer and former Independence city clerk, told the City Council on May 10 that the Kansas City area AFS program has struggled to restore host‑family participation following the COVID‑19 pandemic. \"We have had a little difficulty generating interest in involvement with our AFS program since the trauma of COVID,\" Lowery said, and he urged residents to open their homes to exchange students for a semester or a school year.

The city presentation framed AFS as a volunteer‑run student exchange that began nationally in 1947 and in Independence in 1959. Lowery said Independence has hosted \"over 437 students since then,\" citing local volunteers' records as the source of that tally. He noted that prior to 2020 the program typically placed as many as 10 students in the city's four high schools each year; since the pandemic the program has placed two students in some years and currently has none living in Independence.

Steve Grafeo, who with his family hosted a student from Vienna for the fall semester, described day‑to‑day experiences of hosting. He said the student took part in Truman High School athletics and classes, \"stepped out of his comfort zone,\" and enjoyed extracurricular activities ranging from football games to choir concerts. \"He loved being part of the team here,\" Grafeo said, and thanked the council for tickets to a Mavericks hockey game that he said the student attended.

Kathy Hallberg, Kansas City Area Chair for AFS, emphasized the program's long‑term personal impacts. She recounted host‑family stories spanning decades and offered examples of former students who pursued international careers. Hallberg said the AFS network includes volunteers across the Kansas City metropolitan area and that the program can place students only in accredited school districts; she noted Kansas City schools gained accreditation about a year earlier and could again host students if families step forward.

The presenters asked residents to consider hosting and provided contact information for AFS volunteering and hosting. Lowery closed by encouraging anyone interested to reach out and to help recruit other families.

Why this matters: City officials and volunteers framed the appeal as rebuilding a long‑standing cultural‑exchange program that previously involved multiple students per year and that supporters say produces sustained, cross‑cultural relationships.

The session included no formal action on AFS funding or program administration; volunteers were at the meeting to inform the council and seek community leads for prospective host families.","Volunteers with AFS—an international student exchange program—appeared at the May 10 Independence City Council study session to describe recent hosting experiences and ask the community to recruit new host families after participation fell from pre‑pandemic levels.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council staff briefs on $55 million Question 2; $15 million proposed for bridges and culverts

Staff recommends continuing use of private inspectors for RentalReady; in‑house option would cost about $977,000 annually

Consultant: Independence should pursue $10 million liability limit; budget impact expected

Local AFS volunteers urge more host families as post‑COVID participation lags