Unified Government Holds UG 25/25th Anniversary Summit
Published on October 28, 2022
Event Celebrated 25 Years of Unification, Focuses on Forward-Looking Strategy
Leaders and employees of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS converged at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, KS, on Tuesday, October 25 for the UG 25/25th Anniversary Summit.
The focus of the event was to celebrate 25 years of unification of the city and county government in Wyandotte County, and to begin brainstorming an over-arching strategy for the next 25 years.
In his welcoming remarks, Unified Government Mayor Tyrone Garner encouraged participants to take advantage of the opportunity the event represented to help craft the path forward for the next 25 years, and help Wyandotte County reach its full potential.
“No matter what you do within the Unified Government or what department or division you serve, we are all unwavering in our commitment to make Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS a great place to live, work and raise a family,” he said. “We have heard the public’s desire for real change. Communication and collaboration are essential to bring about the change that we all would like to see in our community. And by working together and using events like this to form solid strategies, we can make positive change happen for everyone in Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS.”
Interim County Administrator Cheryl Harrison-Lee agreed, saying while the past serves up important lessons, the real focus is the future.
“It’s important for Unified Government employees to understand the tremendous effort it took to make unification happen back in 1997,” she pointed out. “Our focus is on the future –and the opportunities that lie ahead. We need to provide strategic economic development and long-term sustainability for current and prospective residents in Wyandotte County, creating a vibrant community full of opportunity.
Some of the highlights of the event included:
- A welcome by Unified Government Mayor Tyrone Garner
- UG Forward: Navigating Change: This was an interview-based segment between David Warm, Executive Director of the Mid-America Regional Council and Cheryl Harrison-Lee, Interim County Administrator for the Unified Government. This segment focused on the fluid, dynamic environment facing today’s Unified Government, and Harrison-Lee’s plan for helping the organization and employees take advantages of the opportunities that change offers.
- A brief presentation by UG Director of Planning & Urban Design, Gunnar Hand
- A panel discussion about the history of the move to unify the governments of Kansas City, KS and Wyandotte County. Participants on the panel included moderator Tom Roberts, a former County Clerk, Reverend C.L. Bachus, Commissioner Melissa Bynum, Former County Administrator Dennis Hayes, Michael Jacobi, a private citizen who co-founded the movement to unify the city and county government, and Carol Marinovich, who was Kansas City, KS Mayor at the time of unification and a key advocate for unification.
- Brief presentations from representatives of various UG Departments which highlighted successes and best practices. This included presentations from the Budget department, the Wyandotte County Museum, Public Works, Public Health, Economic Development, KCK Fire Department and Office of the Clerk.
Wyandotte County Commissioners were also involved throughout the day’s events, participating in various presentations and panels, and hosting a “lunch with the Commissioners,” one of several lunch options for event participants.
The afternoon session focused on dividing participants into three working groups to identify top issues facing the Unified Government and building out strategies and action items for how participants suggest the Unified Government address them. Some key issues identified in these sessions included:
- The need for more cross-departmental communication and interaction, especially when dealing with “community wide” issues such as drug misuse, public safety and homelessness
- Recruiting and retaining employees
- Developing more resources for potential residents (such as resources and activities for parents and children)
Next Steps
According to UG Strategic Communications Director Ashley Hand, the data and information from Tuesday’s session will be compiled into a master summary document, which will be shared with UG leadership, Commissioners and department heads. There will be a follow up meeting with leadership to determine the action items and timeline for moving forward with the over-arching Unified Government strategy.