In This Issue
Community Services League 100 Year Celebration
Firefighter Spirit
Communities for All Ages
Chamber LEADership Class Graduation
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 City Councilmember

District 1

 Jeff Quibell     
 
District 2  
 District 3
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Be Safe and 'Be a Good Neighbor' 
this 4th of July!



Legal fireworks discharge hours within city limits are July 1-3, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and July 4, 10 a.m. to Midnight. Discharge of bottle rockets or aerial luminaries is prohibited.

The Police Department will increase street patrol and law enforcement measures over the weekend to make sure residents are complying with the City's Fireworks Ordinance.

To report fireworks violations:
* Call Police Dispatch at (816) 228-0151
* Text-A-Tip; text BSPD plus your message, including location to Crimes (274637)

I encourage you to "Be a Good Neighbor" this holiday by being mindful of your Blue Springs neighbors, the environment and the appearance of our community. Please dispose of all debris after discharging fireworks. We need everyone's help to keep our community operating as a clean, safe and enjoyable place to live and celebrate.
Red,White & Blue Springs
Monday, July 4
Gates open at 6:30 p.m.
Live Music begins at 7:30 p.m.
Fireworks begin at 9:45 p.m.
Blue Springs High School
2000 NW Ashton Drive

Come enjoy the fireworks display and live music for FREE! Entertainment will be provided by Jake Worthington (as seen on The Voice) and 6 Degrees West.

This year's event is sponsored by St. Mary's Medical Center and Country 94.1 KFKF.
COMBAT Cleanup

On Friday, June 17 I joined  COMBAT , the  Blue Springs Police Department  and  Jackson County Sherriff's Department  for a Neighborhood Clean-up and Rx Take Back event at the Kingsridge Strip Mall. 

At the end of the event, we gathered a total of 30 cubic yards of bulk trash and 50 gallon barrel full of unwanted/expired prescription drugs collected.

Special thanks to Tony at Kingsridge Strip Mall LLC, our own Sgt. Mike Russell and all of our volunteers for making this a successful event.
Community Services League 100 Year Celebration

On Friday, June 17 we celebrated 100 years of service with the Blue Springs Branch of the Community Services League! I was joined by District 2 Councilman Chris Lievsay and District 3 Councilman Susan Culpepper to present Site Manager Melodie Chrisman with a proclamation for the remarkable work of the organization in the Blue Springs community.

The efforts of the Blue Springs location were also recognized by Missouri State Representatives, Sheila Solon, Jeanie Lauer and Rory Rowland.
 
I look forward to many more years of this awesome organization in the Blue Springs community. Thank you for all that you do! 
Athletic Business Journal

Congratulations to the Blue Springs Fieldhouse for being featured in the Athletic Business Journal as one of the nation's State of the Art Facilities in the Architectural Showcase Edition. The Fieldhouse has also been nominated for the Athletic Business Journal's Facilities Merit Award to be presented in November.

Music in the Park

Ronni Ward Band
(Classic Rock)

Sunday, July 3
6-8 p.m.
Rotary Park
600 N.W. Vesper Street

 Grab a lawn chair and join us each Sunday in Rotary Park to enjoy FREE live music from various artists and genres including guitar blues, rock edge country, classic rock and more. 
Click here to see a full concert list.
Fall Blue Springs Magazine

We are working on the Fall issue of The Blue Springs Magazine and we want to hear from you! 

Please email city @bluespringsgov.com  and let us know what you would like to read about in the next issue.
 Let's Move! Saturdays
These events are free and open to the public, unless noted.

To view the entire summer schedul e,  click here .

Lunar Bowl
2001 NW 7 Highway
July 2, Noon to 2 p.m.
One free game of bowling, clean tennis shows required. 

TaJazz School of Dance
1100 NW Knox
June 9, 11 a.m. to Noon
Acrobats, ages 6-9

Rink Ratz
513 SW Keystone Drive
July 9, 7-9 p.m.
Open roller skating

City of Blue SpringsNews Happenings
Around Town
 
A bi-weekly message from your Blue Springs Mayor and City Council
Hello and welcome to News Happenings Around Town, your on e-stop source for city information and news updates, including those items most important to you.

I am happy to share that the past two weeks have been a time of celebration for Blue Springs.  We were recently recognized by the Communities for All Ages program and you can read more about that in this issue. You can also check out the recognition given to the Blue Springs Fieldhouse by the Athletic Business Journal. I am proud to be the Mayor of an award-winning city! 

Speaking of celebrations, I hope to see you at the city's annual Red, White and Blue Springs! Our annual fireworks display is free and open to the public with live music sponsored by Country 94.1 KFKF-FM.  When shooting your own fireworks, be neighborly by keeping our community clean and safe: discharge fireworks only during the  allotted  time and pick up debris from discharged fireworks. 

Finally, I hope each of you take the time for learn more about the Out-of-State Motor Vehicle Sales Tax ballot issue. The results of this ballot issue can greatly affect revenue for our city and impact development. 

As always, please continue sharing this timely publication and spreading the word about the good things in the City of Blue Springs.
Out-of-State Motor Vehicle Sales Tax
Out-of-State Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Election
Out-of-State Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Election

On Tuesday, August 2, Blue Springs voters will be asked whether or not to discontinue the collection of the city's sales tax on motor vehicles, trailers, boats and outboard motors purchased from out-of-state dealers.

The City's portion of the sales tax is 2% of an item's purchase price. The total annual revenue loss to the City, if the taxes are discontinued, is estimated at $339,000.

Please view this short video for more information about this sales tax initiative and how it will affect Blue Springs. You can also see more details on our website by clicking here. 
Firefighter Spirit
From Top to Bottom: Mayor Carson Ross greets the crowd; CJCFPD Chief Westermann talks about this year's theme; Artist John Banks poses with his wife Judy next to a photo of his piece ' Tolling of The Bell'; Artist Brandon Crandall poses with his girlfriend Hailee and mother Teri next to a photo of his piece 'Selfless'; Members of the Blue Springs Art League, Mayor Ross, Chief Westermann and the artists gather after receiving recognitions from Public Art Commission Chair Eleanor Fraiser. 

On Thursday, June 16th The Blue Springs Public Art Commission held the dedication for the Temporary Public Art Exhibition 'Firefighters Spirit'. Four artists from around the county were selected to display their work at various  Central Jackson County Fire Protection District (CJCFPD) Stations. 

The reception and celebration was held at the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District Training Center where two of the artists had the chance to speak about their work and community members were recognized for their ongoing support of the Art Commission.

Each temporary art piece will be on display until fall 2016; however, you can vote on your favorite piece by clicking here and taking the People's Choice Survey. 
Communities for All Ages
Blue Springs Assistant Director of Community Development (left) accepting the Communities for All Ages recognition. 

On Friday, June 17, Blue Springs was received a Bronze level recognition as a part of the Communities for All Ages program. 

This program was created by two subgroups governed by the Mid-America Regional Council to help communities develop plans and tools to support people of diverse ages and backgrounds.  The Bronze level recognizes heightened awareness of issues and requires a resolution or commitment by the city's elected body, along with community presentations and public engagement. For more information, click here.

This program will work with our Comprehensive Plan, Human Relations Commission and Parks Master Plan to create a community more welcoming to residents of all ages and backgrounds. 
Stantec Street Survey
Starting this week, Stantec Consulting Services will use vans outfitted with laser equipment to survey every public street and City-owned parking lot in Blue Springs.  No major street closures or detours are expected, and the process will last until Mid-July.

Once the survey is complete, Stantec will compile the findings into a comprehensive report cataloging the city's current pavement conditions with recommended maintenance schedules and suggested funding levels. 

This survey is part of the City's ongoing street overlay program that began in 2008. During this survey, Stantec will evaluate the City's pavement using vans outfitted with laser equipment. Once the initial onsite survey is complete, Stantec will compile the findings into a comprehensive report cataloging the city's current pavement conditions with recommended maintenance schedules and suggested funding levels.  This report is anticipated to be completed in November 2016.
Chamber LEADership Class Graduation 
On Thursday, June 23 the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce  graduated their 20th LEADership Blue Springs class.
 
This year's class made an impact in the Blue Springs community by partnering with the students at  Chapel Woods Elementary to donate more than 6,800 food, clothing and toiletry items to the Blue Springs Community Services League for immediate use. The LEADership class also  raised a total of $4,462.46 between cash donations and their fundraising event at Blue Springs Side Pockets. Their monetary donation was used to help four families in the Blue Springs community move into better housing. 

Each year since 1991, the Chamber has solicited nominations from areas businesses, professional groups, and high schools to take part in a unique, hands-on learning experience. To apply for the 2016-17 LEADership class, please contact the Chamber at 816-229-8558.
 
Congratulations to the 2015-2016 LEADership Blue Springs graduates!   Thank you for making a conscious effort to improve the Blue Springs Community.
City Government on CTV-7
Blue Springs POV Episode 4
Blue Springs POV Episode 4
Check out what's new and going on in Blue Springs, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by tuning into CTV-7 on Comcast Cable channel 7 or AT&T U-verse Channel 99.

To watch videos of past Blue Springs events, check out the City's YouTube page by clicking here .
I hope you have found this issue of News Happenings Around Town to be both informative and timely for your City information needs. Is there anything we missed? Do you have questions about any of the articles from this issue? Share your thoughts with me and the City Council by calling City Hall at (816) 228-0110. Know that we truly value your time and support of our City and hope you join us for the next issue of News Happenings
 
Sincerely,
 
 Ross sig
Carson Ross, Mayor
City of Blue Springs
Our
Mission 
The City of Blue Springs is a unique community where families, visitors and businesses share a special quality of life and an abundant spirit of community closeness and cooperation. 

 

Our number one goal is to ensure that our residents, visitors and patrons receive quality customer service and attention with every program and service the City provides. Just as you stand by a community that strives to meet your family's needs, we promise to do our best to meet these needs and anticipate what's best for you and our community, to the best of our ability.