Since our last Frontline publication, our Neighbor-hoods and Housing Services Department has been at the forefront and frontlines of many new events and exciting opportunities. To mention a few—most no-tably, Neighborhoods and Housing Services Depart-ment has grown significantly when Solid Waste Divi-sion joined NHSD in May 2016, which greatly expands our responsibilities in ensuring quality and livable neighborhoods. We welcome our new colleagues to the NHSD family! Another significant opportunity for us was the allocation of $10 million in the current 2016-17 budget by the Mayor and City Council to assist with eliminating within two years the inventory of dangerous buildings, which negatively impact the health, public safety and economic vitality of neigh-borhoods—a daunting but doable task as we work with several new stakeholders to assist in that effort!

We continue to be involved in new redevelopment efforts throughout the City, which will change both the landscape and perception of areas east of Troost Avenue. NHSD staff has played a key role in this im-portant endeavor.

As we take on these and other new initiatives, I en-courage all staff to be leaders as we carry out our daily work and that we try to always exercise good judgment in making decisions on behalf of the City. It is in this vein that you will see in this edition how that leadership has been exemplified. As staff, we don’t always receive nor do we seek accolades, but I think these examples exemplify the unselfishness, the commitment and the dedication of NHSD staff.

Sincerely,

John A. Wood, Director

More than 50 people, including a large number of NHSD employees, rolled up their sleeves to help a southeast Kansas City homeowner in need. With organizational assistance from the city’s Neighborhoods and Housing Services De-partment, a developing partnership with the faith-based community and the vision of 5th District Councilwoman Alissia Canady, chair-woman of the city’s neighborhoods and public safety committee, the ‘Love thy Neighbor’ initia-tive became a reality October 22. Armed with ladders, paint brushes and yard tools, volun-teers descended on the home of an 83-year-old woman, unable to make badly-needed repairs on her own.

“The purpose of ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ is to en-gage the faith-based community to serve the neighborhood where they worship,” Canady said. “Volunteers will make minor repairs and do yard work at homes owned by senior citizens and persons with disabilities who have received citations for code violations, but are physically and/or financially unable to do the work.” (continued on page 4)

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“The mission of the Neighborhoods and Housing Services

Department is catalyze new investments, deliver services

and enforce regulations to protect and sustain the quality

and livability of our neighborhoods.” T

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FALL 2016 John A. Wood, Director It’s All About NHSD, Volunteers Come Public Service Together to ’Love thy Neighbor’ ………………………………………………………………….....

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Good Samaritan Recognized 2 Donovan Named Animal Control Officer of the Year 3 Neighborhood Preservation Employees Fight Breast Cancer 3 Great Finds at Monthly Tow Services Auctions 4

Page 2 THE FRONTLINE

Director Honors Good Samaritan ……………………………………………………………………………….

Calling him “a model citizen” for risking his safety to help a stranger, Neighborhoods and Housing Services Director John Wood presented Kansas City resident David Lyman a plaque for heroism during ceremonies at the city’s Animal Health and Public Safety facility October 12.

In late May, City Animal Control Officer Elizabeth Meyer was responding to a call regarding a neglected dog in the area of 5700 Park when the dog’s owner threatened and then began choking her. Lyman wit-nessed the attack and immediately came to Meyer’s aid. KCPD quickly responded, but not before the dog owner took off in Lyman’s vehicle. Following a short chase through the neighborhood, police arrested the dog’s owner and the dog owner’s mother, who both assaulted Lyman while he was trying to aid Officer Mey-er.

“I don’t know what the outcome would have been,” Lyman told Fox 4 News. “There were 20 other people standing around. Nobody was trying to help this young lady.”

“I can’t thank him enough for what he did,” Meyer said. “He might have saved my life.” NewsRadio 980 KMBZ’s Bill Grady also covered the story. Follow the link below to read the story.

http://www.kmbz.com/Good-samaritan-honored-for-thwarting-attack-on-off/22905107 .

Page 3 THE FRONTLINE

Investigator Named Animal Neighborhood Preservation Control Officer of the Year Joins Fight Against Breast

Cancer

James Donovan, special investigator for the Animal Health and Public Safety Division, was named the Animal Control Officer of the Year by the Missouri Animal Control Association (MACA). Donovan was nominated by Assistant City Prosecutor Laura Dold, who called him “an exceptional advocate for ani-mals” and said he “constantly demonstrates com-passion and dedication.”

MACA provides training, education and support for animal care and control professionals throughout Missouri and neighboring states. Members include animal control officers, law enforcement officers, veterinarians and others working in animal care and control. Donovan received the award during the an-nual MACA Convention in Springfield September 21.

Marlborough Clean-Up Successful

Solid Waste Division workers ,members of the Marl-borough Community Coalition (MCC) and volunteers from throughout the southeast Kansas City commu-nity picked up trash and tires– lots of tires- during MCC’s third annual Fall Clean Sweep October 15. Here is the story from The Kansas City Star:

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article108509597.html .

Neighborhood Preservation code enforcement employees participated in the Pink Ribbon Soli-darity Walk supporting the fight against breast cancer October 17 in Ilus Davis Park. Walkers were encouraged to wear pink and sign a ban-ner in honor of a cancer survivor or in memory of someone who lost their fight to the disease. City, Jackson County and ATA workers took ad-vantage of summer-like weather conditions to support the cause.

Using a specially-painted pink RideKC bus, the Pink Ribbon Road Show crisscrossed the Kansas City metro, getting support from numerous businesses and organizations from across the city. October is National Breast Cancer Aware-ness Month, but the effort to fight the disease is year-round. Health officials estimate this year alone, nearly 250,000 woman will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die from the disease. While primarily diagnosed in women, breast cancer can also affect men . According to the American Cancer Society , nearly 2,600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.

Page 4 THE FRONTLINE

Love Thy Neighbor A ‘Lot’ to See at Monthly (continued) Services Auction

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Members of the Paseo Baptist Church and The City of Truth congregation worked side-by-side with Canady, 5th District Councilman Lee Barnes, Jr. and a number of NHSD employees, including Neighborhoods and Housing Services Department Deputy Director Deletta Dean, Housing Diversion Coordinator Shawn Kirkwood and Municipal Court Judge Todd Wilcher. Sol-id Waste employees volunteered their time to haul away truck-loads of trash and brush while Dean, Kirkwood and Wilcher spent their morning painting.

“I’m always hap-py to do this kind of work,” Wilcher said. “There’s no greater joy than contributing to the communi-ty.”

The City has identified more than 20 owner/

occupied homes that could be part of the ‘Love thy Neighbor’ campaign- if other churches and community groups want to participate. “The ‘Love thy Neighbor’ effort can only continue if and when other congregations come forward and express interest in volunteering,” Canady said. “This is a citywide prob-lem and in order for us to address it, it’s going to take the whole city getting involved.

“If groups will step forward and help us do this, we can address this community blight issue one house at a time.”

Here’s a link to the article in The Kansas City Star:

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article109907947.html

NHSD Holiday Party Friday, Dec. 9

8 p.m.

Stay tuned for more information!

From crumpled wrecks to diamonds in the rough- you just never know what you might find at the monthly Tow Service auction! Un-claimed vehicles impounded for more than 30 days go up for sale the third Tuesday of every month (next auction- November 15) at the Mu-nicipal Tow Lot, 7750 East Front St.

“The majority of the vehicles in the auction are salvage, but we do have a percentage designat-ed as premium vehicles,” said Nathan Pare’, tow services division manager. “They are in ex-ceptional condition and bring a premium price.” Trucks, SUV’s, trucks, motorcycles and high-end cars (like the 2003 Mercedes Benz in the photo) go on the auction block every month. Registra-tion begins at 8 a.m. the day of sale and the auction begins at 10 a.m. “We auction between 450-500 vehicles per month,” Pare’ said.

The auction is open to the public and all vehi-cles are sold to the highest bidder. For a list of auction items, go to http://kcmo.gov/neighborhoods/vehicles-2/vehicle-auctions-2/.

You just never know !