City Council Meeting - November 28, 2022

City Council will be discussing several issues at their next regular meeting. This meeting will be held in person but remote viewing is available (details on the City's homepage under the news section HERE).

Items set to be discussed include:

• The goDotte County mobility plan
• 2023 trash/recycling rates
• Quarter 3 Budget report

And more! City Council meetings take place at 6:00 p.m. on every second and fourth Monday of the month at Edwardsville City Hall, 690 S. 4th St.

Annual Holiday Events Set for Dec. 6

The Mayor's Tree Lighting Ceremony as well as the Ho Ho Express neighborhood ATV/UTV parade will take place on Tuesday, December 6, at Edwardsville City Hall and inside the Edwardsville Community Center. The parade will set out into residential neighborhoods shortly after 6:00 PM. Decorated vehicles will drive though the whole town, ending at City Hall around 7:00 PM, leading directly into the tree lighting. As always, the EDW Elementary Choir will be on-hand to provide some caroling for the attendees. Following the lighting of the tree and comments from Mayor Caiharr, the festivities will migrate over to the Community Center for coco, crafts, and a visit from Santa himself.

This year's event will feature the EDW Gingerbread House Contest. Participants will drop off their creations no later than Friday, Dec. 2 for display during the Community Center portion of the evening. Blind voting will take place that night and the results will be shared in the Dec. 9 edition of the Edwardsville Hotshot. More details and links to register for this contest can be found at THIS LINK.

Christmas Basket Application Deadline Extended for EDW

Vaughn-Trent Community Services, which serves the western part of Wyandotte County has extended the application deadline for aid through its Christmas Basket Program. Applications can be found by CLICKING HERE and returned to Vaughn Trent no later than Monday, November 28.

Sign Up for the Dec. 6 Ho Ho Express Today!

The Ho Ho Express will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 6, immediately prior to the Mayor's Tree Lighting Ceremony. This is a neighborhood ATV/UTV parade that drives through Edwardsville neighborhoods bringing Christmas cheer! The final route will be released next week, so be on the look out for another update.

To enter your vehicle into this year's parade, simply click THIS LINK to get you to the registration page. At the conclusion of the parade, the City will hold the Mayor's Tree Lighting Ceremony, followed by coco, treats, and Santa at the Community Center!

City Awarded an Additional $1.6 Million in ARPA Funds

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County awarded the cities of Edwardsville and Bonner Springs $2.8 million in American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding to split between the two entities. The Unified Government initially did not award either city with funding under the original allocation plan from the Commission's Standing Committee. Both Edwardsville Mayor Carolyn Caiharr and Bonner Springs Mayor Jeff Harrington advocated for their respective cities, citing their concern that the county money was not being dedicated county-wide.

The City of Edwardsville received approximately $686,000 of its own ARPA funding from the federal government in 2022. Funds from this resource must be dedicated prior to the end of 2024 to remain compliant with award guidelines.

EPD Participating in 'Thanksgiving Safe Arrival'

Beginning on Saturday, November 19th and lasting through Monday, November 28th, 2022 the Edwardsville Police Department will join many other law enforcement agencies across the state in the Kansas *THANKGIVING SAFE ARRIVAL* traffic enforcement campaign. Although all Kansas Traffic Laws will be enforced, this extra provision will be actively enforcing our occupant protection laws. Buckle Up Your friends and family are counting on you to arrive safely this Thanksgiving. Click it. Don’t risk it. For more updates from the Edwardsville Police Department, visit their official Facebook page HERE.

Local Businesses Provide Thanksgiving Meals to City Staff

Local Edwardsville business American Dish dropped off turkeys and apple pies to the Edwardsville Fire Station on Thursday, November 17. EFD would like to once again thank American Dish for this kind gesture!

Another local company, EARP, located in the City's Industrial Park, once again offered city staff and public safety personnel a Thanksgiving meal on Tuesday, Nov. 22. EARP has opened its doors to City staff for this luncheon for a number of years.

Police Chief Mathies Recognized for 15-Years of Service to Edwardsville

Edwardsville Police Chief Mark Mathies was recognized for his 15-year tenure at the City of Edwardsville at the November 14, 2022 City Council meeting. City staff and elected officials congratulated Chief Mathies on his length of service and thanked him for his contributions to the public safety of our residents. City Hall wishes to again recognize this achievement and thank Chief Mathies for all he has done for his department and the community as a whole.

Planning Commission to Meet

December 14

The Edwardsville Planning Commission will meet for their regular meeting on Wednesday, November 16. At the group's last meeting, the PC reviewed the goDotte Wyandotte County Strategic Mobility Plan and considered a temporary use permit for a workshop. You can access previous meeting agendas and check for new agendas on the City's official website HERE.

Edwardsville CPPS Board Meeting Postponed to Dec. 7

The City's Cemetery, Parks, and Public Spaces (CPPS) Board's next regular meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 7. This is to allow staff additional time to seek out vendors for the masonry repair projects located at the Cemetery. You can access previous agenda materials for previous meetings HERE.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY MEETINGS & EVENTS

• Thanksgiving holiday: City Hall offices closed November 24-25
• Mayor's Tree Lighting/Ho Ho Express: December 6
• CPPS Board Meeting: Edwardsville City Hall, December 7

Just like in 2021, we will have craft tables out at the Mayor's Tree Lighting Ceremony so our guests can make cards for the folks in the senior and assisted living centers in town!