point of view

Right now, jot down at least two policies or practices that exist in your organization that are directed at either internal or external customers that you believe no longer add value & are cumbersome to navigate. Go ahead, I'll wait. That didn't take you too long, did it? My guess is your front-line employees would identify way more than 2 policies or practices that they consider as relics of the past. Ours has become an "experience economy" in which people have moved from passive consumption of products or services to active participation in the process. Recognizing this shift, many companies now invest in the delivery of experiences - known as design thinking. DT is a "next practice", a methodology that infuses innovative activities with a human-centered design principle powered by a thorough understanding of what people want & need & what they like or dislike about the way a particular service is provided. A pioneer in the field of DT, asserts that DT is a process for creative problem solving that starts with people & their needs. Opportunities are endless for the public sector to pursue DT & dramatically improve the delivery of services or programs. Patrick Ibarra, Public Management, August 2024

Monday, 6pm Planning & Zoning Commission & Study Session

Tuesday, 4pm - Municipal Court; 6pm Parks & Recreation Board Meeting

Wednesday, 4pm City Council Closed Session; Farmer's Markets

Thursday, 11am Housing Authority Meeting

Friday, 7:30 am - City Council Work Session

Planning & Zoning will hold public hearing for application by DHTC Development for consideration of Preliminary & Final Plat approval of the Flats at Coach Crossing @ 1117 Tracy Ave. & site plan approval.

Planning & Zoning Study session for policy discussion on R-4 Medium Density Residential District, Zoning Regulations

Parks & Recreation will review financials & budget; staff reports; discuss LWCF grant application for development of Boundless Backyard (new park on Milwaukee).

Farmer's Market - (morning @ Community Center 9-11:30am & afternoon @ Hitch Lot 4-7pm)

City Council items under development for the agenda include Proclamations for Diaper Need Awareness Week & Good Neighbor Week; Board & Commission appointments; recommendations from Planning/zoning including a cost share agreement with DHTC Development; agreement with Army Corps of Engineers for funding sewer line improvements & agreement with McClure Engineering to prepare bid documents for sewer line improvements. General Fund, Public Safety Sales Tax, & Grant Management budgets available for review.

Celebrating work anniversaries this week - Debra Einerson, Building Monitor - 5 years; Sydney Shepard, Child Watch Attendant - 4 years; Lydiah Anthony & Maggie Howard, Child Watch Attendants & Addison Jackson, Fitness Attendant - 2 years; Jaren Gilson, Center Custodian - 1 year.

One of the Fire Department's commitments "when rolling out the door, to expect fire & expect victims. If prepared for every call then there isn't anything we cannot handle." Unfortunately, this week when responding to a residential home explosion, there were victims. ESFD responded to a call that occurred south of Excelsior Springs & was assisted by their mutual aid partners (Fire Protection Districts from Kearney, Holt, Wood Heights, Lawson, Fishing River, & City of Liberty), ES Public Works, Clay County Sheriff, MO State Fire Marshall, MO Division of Fire Safety, MO Search & Rescue K9 with both on the scene operations and with city coverage as calls for assistance were received. Business that assisted include Broken Arrow MC, Shoemaker Tow, Scooter's Coffee, Pizza Hut, Pour Boy's Daylight Donuts.

When emergencies of this magnitude occur, calls continue to come into the station. Surrounding fire districts assist by responding to these calls on our behalf.

Planning continues on our Safe Streets & Sidewalk project. As improvements planned for the Commercial District along Highway 10, we are planning a meeting with businesses along this route. We need to discuss safe access for cars traveling & turning into businesses & new interactions with pedestrians and bicyclists that could be traveling along this route on trails to be constructed. The improvements need to be constructed to afford safety for all travelers. We will be asking the Westside CID to include this discussion on an upcoming meeting.

Excelsior Springs is on several published bike routes, which explains a stop-over made by Christa & Martin this morning as they stopped in for coffee after spending the night at Payne Jailhouse Bed & Breakfast. They are from Switzerland & biking across the US. Saw it on Facebook.