www.independenceks.gov JUNE 2016

City of Independence 120 N. 6th Independence, KS 67301 620-332-2500

Calendar Notes...

June 3 First Friday 7:30 a.m. - Independence Civic Center Monthly community update co-hosted by the City and Independence Chamber of Commerce. June Sponsor: Home Town Healthcare

June 4 Recycling Collection Day 8 a.m.-12 noon - City Sanitation Yard, 21st & Maple Offered monthly on the first Saturday.

Iconic Logan Fountain restarts with a SPLASH!

J oy is flowing deep and wide since the revival of beloved Logan Fountain at Riverside Park.

More than 500 people turned out April 8 for a community celebration and rededication ceremony culminating a four-year research and renovation project to restore the fountain to its former glory. Fountain repairs included a new basin, full spectrum of energy efficient LED lighting and an entirely new computer-ized operating system. Multiple donors and contributors of in-kind services offered financial gifts, materials and labor to

help bring the project to fruition. “In its first 66 years of operation, the fountain became a legendary piece of Independence nostalgia. But those years also took their toll, and the fountain was in dire need of restoration,” said Jim Hogan, president of the Riverside Park Board of Directors. “There have been many memories made around this fountain, and now with the restoration and rededication, there will be many, many more. Our park truly is the crown jewel of Independence!”

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Calendar Notes...

June 4, 11, 18 & 25 Farmers Market 7:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. 100 Block of West Myrtle Fresh produce, baked goods and handmade treasures from area farmers and artisans.

June 7, 14, 21 & 28 Mid-Continent Band Performance 8 p.m. - Riverside Park Bandshell Free and open to the community.

Back on tour and coming to Indy

RELOADED!

Mark your calendars, Independence, for the next amazing

Memorial Hall concert!

Legendary country group Shenandoah will be command-

ing the stage Friday, August 19. Show time is 8 p.m.

Reunited after a 17-year hiatus, original band members

Marty Raybon and Mike McGuire have relaunched the group

for another run at producing hit country and classic gospel

music.

Known as one of the greatest all-time groups in the genre,

Shenandoah’s famous hits include “Two Dozen Roses,”

“Church on Cumberland Road,” “Next to You, Next to Me,”

and the Grammy winning duet “Somewhere in the Vicinity

of the Heart” with Alison Krauss.

The concert is co-sponsored by the City of Independence

and the Independence Chamber of Commerce/Convention

& Visitors Bureau. Ticket sales open June 6 and will be

available online at independenceks.gov and

indkschamber.org. Seats sell for $19.50, $29.50 and

$39.50.

“We are extremely fortunate to have booked such an

accomplished musical group for a concert in Independence,”

said Mike Flood, CVB director. “We hope to sell out

Memorial Hall and bring a lot of visitors to enjoy this

performance and experience our wonderful community.”

More information on Shenandoah and samples of the

group’s music can be found at ShenandoahBand.com.

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Calendar Notes...

Meet the new faces serving you at City Hall

N ew Independence Police Chief Jerry Harrison has officially been on duty

since March 28 and is finding his new role and new community to be great fits. “The people of Independence have been extremely warm and welcoming,” Harrison said. “It feels like home already.” Harrison came to Independence from

Monett, Missouri, where he served with the

Monett Police Department for 19 years,

most recently in the rank of sergeant. His

previous experience includes service in the

United States Army Reserve as an

artilleryman and military policeman.

A native of southwest Missouri, Harrison graduated from the police academy at Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) in Joplin in 1997. He attended Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and, in 2015, earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and an associate’s degree in Law Enforcement from MSSU. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Criminology at Missouri State University. He has one daughter, Makayla, who graduated high school this spring and plans to attend Independence Community College in the fall.

June 14 & 23 City Commission Meetings 5:30 p.m. - Veterans Room/Memorial Hall Open to the community.

June 25 Downtown Movie Night featuring “Minions” 8 p.m. - Pre-show activities; 9 p.m. - Show time Community National Bank parking lot, 121 N. Penn FREE. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Sponsors: Corner Post Insurance / Community National Bank

H eather Bryant has joined the team at City Hall as the new Independence City Treasurer. Her responsibilities include managing the daily deposits at the City offices, reconciling the

City’s financials monthly and providing routine and as-needed reports to the City’s administrative team.

Bryant began her new role in May, after a six-year career at First Federal Savings & Loan (recently transitioned to Equity Bank) in Independence, where she served as a loan processor and escrow clerk. She also works as a certified fitness instructor at Jane Phillips Medical Center Health For Life in Independence.

Bryant and her husband, Dan, have four children, adult son David; Carsyn, 17; Maeson, 14; and Jake, 12. She has served with several community volunteer organizations, including FORPAZ; Sisters in Service sorority; various Neewollah committees; and the Blake Bertie Cancer Foundation.

D on Cushing is the new Building Inspector for the City of Independence. He assumed the position in May, and his job duties include issuing building permits and conducting inspections

during the construction process. He also conducts Housing Quality Standard inspections and helps to enforce appropriate licensure among contractors working within the city.

“My job is to make sure people are following standard building procedures in accordance with City code,” he explained.

Cushing was formerly employed in the insurance industry. He is past president of the Independence Optimist Club and serves as an assistant pastor at the Independence Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

He and his wife, Lisa, owner of Saturday with My Sister in downtown Independence, have six children: Adult sons Connor, Chase and Collin; Chelsea, 18; Tristan, 13; and Bryson, 9.

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Calendar Notes...

June 30-July 4 Astra Arts Festival Featuring music, theatre, visual arts, literary arts. Various events and venues. Visit www.astrafest.org for info.

July 1 First Friday 7:30 a.m. - Civic Center Monthly community update . July Sponsor: Labette Health Independence Clinic

July 2 Wesley Park Groundbreaking 10 a.m. - Penn & Walnut Ceremony to launch new neighbor-hood park project in honor of Robert Augustus Wesley.

TREES UP! For the past several weeks, City staff

and volunteer citizens have been hard

at work beautifying the downtown with

a variety of new trees. To date, 76

trees have been planted in the central

business district, with 43 left to be set

this fall and winter. With the help of K-State Research

and Extension professionals, the tree

species were selected for their

aesthetic qualities, their ability to

thrive in Kansas weather and also for

their particular suitability to growing in

the concrete tree pits downtown. The City extends a heartfelt thank-

you to all volunteers assisting with

the tree-planting project!

Groundbreaking for neighborhood park scheduled July 2

O fficials with the Independ-

ence Housing Authority and

the City of Independence will pay

tribute to one of the community’s

all-time leading civic servants

when it breaks ground for a new

neighborhood park.

The public is invited to attend

the groundbreaking ceremony

Saturday, July 2, at 10 a.m. to

officially launch the Robert

Augustus Wesley Park project at

the corner of Penn Avenue and

Walnut Street.

Named in honor of Independ-

ence native and community leader

Bob Wesley, the park will feature green space, zero-grade

paved walking paths, shade trees, picnic/lounge areas and

parking spaces. It will be open to the community at-large

and easily accessible to the residents of

the adjacent Penn Terrace Apartments.

April Nutt, Independence Housing

Authority director, explained that Mr.

Wesley has played a key role in

providing necessary services for the

community’s senior residents. He and

his wife, Eloise, are credited with

establishing affordable transportation

services in Independence with seniors

in mind. In addition, Nutt explained,

Wesley and colleagues, founded the

housing authority agency itself, with

construction of the Penn Terrace facility

as its first priority.

“It is a most fitting tribute to honor Bob

in this way for his many contributions to the quality of life we

enjoy in our community,” Nutt said.

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Calendar...

In an effort to ensure the safety of our sanitation workers, the City

will be providing all residential sanitation customers a poly-cart

trash receptacle for routine use. The bins will be similar in design to

the one pictured at right, with a 95-gallon capacity and made of

heavy duty construction.

The goal of having uniform bins at all residences is to ensure a

more standard volume and weight of trash at each pick-up location,

as well as an appropriate receptacle to manage. This will help

prevent injuries to our workers from juggling irregular-sized,

overweight and loose trash items. As is our current policy, all trash

placed in the new bins should be bagged and secured.

Stay tuned for more information on the selection of trash bins and

phased delivery to customers later this summer.

July 4 Independence Day Celebration Riverside Park 8 p.m. - Mid-Continent Band Performance 9:30 p.m. - Fireworks Display. Music aired on 102.9 FM. (Rain date: Tuesday, July 5, same time)

July 5, 12, 19 & 26 Mid-Continent Band Performances 8 p.m. - Riverside Park Bandshell Free and open to the community.

What is PERMITted (and what is not...)

Certain activities within the city limits require special permits or licenses. Follow this easy-to-read guide to know the proper procedures:

If you plan to build, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change occupancy of a building or structure or mechanical system regulated by City Code, then you need a building permit. Sheds and carports over 120 square feet require a building permit. All structures, even those that do not require a permit, are required to meet setback requirements which vary by zone. Single family residen-tial zones have a maximum lot coverage of 30%; with setbacks from the front yard property line of 25’; side yard property line 8’ unless abutting a street, then 25’; and rear yard property line 10’. If you do not know where your property line is, please contact a licensed surveyor. If your proposed project does not meet the setback requirements, a variance hearing is required before a building permit can be issued. Also, any work in the right-of-way requires a right-of-way permit which can be obtained by contacting the Building Inspector at 620-332-2541. Find permit applications on the City website: www.independenceks.gov.

BUILDING PERMITS DAYCARE OPERATIONS

Daycare operations in residen-

tial zones require a “Conditional

Use” permit. Acquiring a

conditional use permit is a one-

time process, assuming the

operation does not relocate and

the operator complies with all

prescribed conditions. The one-

time application fee is $200.

A City license also is required

and must be renewed annually.

Additional state and county

requirements apply to daycare

operations and should be

thoroughly researched. More

information on the process for

daycare licensing and

operations is available by

contacting the City

Manager’s office at

620-332-2506.

Rummage sale permits are issued in the City Water Office, and application must be received the week of the sale. The permit fee is $2.50, and includes a free posting of your sale on the City’s web site. The permit should be displayed at the sale. A permit cannot be issued for more than three consecutive days, and only up to 5 permits per person or location can be issued in any calendar year.

RUMMAGE SALE PERMITS

NOTE: Certain jobs also require inspection, including:

All rough-in installations Electrical Final inspections Fire resistance-rated

construction Floodplain requirements Footing and foundations Frame and masonry Gas Mechanical Plumbing

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Calendar Notes...

2015

WATER PLANT Treated 679,678,000 gallons of water

Pumped 473,837,160 gallons to city customers, generating approximately $1.5 million in revenue

SEWER TREATMENT

Processed 97 tons of bio

-solids for distribution as fertilizer for area cropland.

Cleaned 80,027 feet of

sewer main line

July 9 Recycling Collection Day (a week later this month due to holiday) 8 a.m.-12 noon - City Sanitation Yard, 21st & Maple

July 30 Downtown Movie Night featuring “Cars” 8 p.m. - Pre-show activities; 9 p.m. - Show time Community National Bank parking lot, 121 N. Penn FREE. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Sponsors: FirstOak Bank & Sonic

Pool Days...

...are here again!

A s the summer days heat up, local

residents can always find relief at

the Riverside Beach Family Aquatic

Center, where cool water and fun for

all ages await. The complex features a

regulation-size lap pool, diving boards,

water slides and play equipment, a

baby and toddler pool, the popular

lazy river, shaded lounge areas,

lockers and on-site concessions.

Managed by the Independence

Recreation Commission, the aquatic

center also offers swim lessons and

hosts all home meets for the

Independence Swim Team.

For more information, visit

www.indyrec.com.

Pool information at a glance: Contact Info:

Aquatic Center: 620-331-4620 Hotline: 620-331-4624

Hours: Thurs/Fri/Sat 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Sun/Mon/Tue

1 p.m.-6 p.m. Wed

1 p.m.-5 p.m. Fees:

$4/per person 10-visit punch card - $35 20-visit punch card - $60

Booking for Special Events:

Contact Shawn O’Kane, manager 620-330-3997

For more family fun at Riverside Park,

check out the low-cost ticketed attractions:

PARK SCHEDULE

(Carousel, Train, Mini-Golf)

Memorial Day-August 22 Saturday & Sunday

1 p.m.– 5 p.m. 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Wednesdays 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Thursday & Friday

11 a.m.-1 p.m. 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

August 22-October 22 Saturday & Sunday, Labor Day

1 p.m.-5 p.m.

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Calendar Notes...

August 5 First Friday 7:30 a.m. - Civic Center Monthly community update Sponsor: St. John Health System & Clinics

August 6 Recycling Collection Day 8 a.m.-12 noon - City Sanitation Yard, 21st & Maple Offered monthly on the first Saturday.

August 11 & 25 City Commission 5:30 p.m. - Veterans Room/ Memorial Hall Open to the community.

FEELIN’ THE LOVE As the community celebrated LOVE Independence day on April 30, Fire/EMS and the Police Department were gifted with “Bags of Love” from the Young Pro-fessionals organization (top photo) and Soroptimist International of Independence. The bags contained individual pillows, blankets, tooth brushes and paste and age-appropriate toys for girls and boys who are brought to the police station during times of domestic crisis in their homes. Other acts of kindness benefiting the City included weed spraying in the park adjacent to City Hall and dozens of donuts delivered for staff.

Stay connected…

Check out these handy mobile apps Independence Kansas is the official mobile app for the City. The app delivers access to amenities, facilities, departments, events and services. Features include:

Citizen Request Tracker – Request a City service, such as brush pickup, appliance pickup, etc.

Calendar – See what’s going on in town and sign up for event notifications and changes.

Facilities – Rent buildings in the park for your next family reunion or company picnic, or hold your next banquet, business conference or concert at our historic Memorial Hall & Civic Center.

Agenda Center – Stay informed of city commission activities and download an agenda, review minutes of previous meetings or watch the meetings online.

Online Payments – Pay your utility bill or court fines online.

It’s easy to download the app and connect today. Here’s how:

Apple Store - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ independence-kansas/id1103395202?ls=1&mt=8

Google Play Store - https://play.google.com/store/

apps/details?id=com.civicplus.ks_independence

Nixle.com is a free community information service

providing important alerts via text message to your phone. By subscribing to Nixle, you can get severe weather alerts, police bulletins and other important information in real time. To learn more and sign up: Visit www.nixle.com Select “Resident Resources > Resident Sign Up” Then, select “City of Independence, KS” as the agency

you would like to follow

City of Independence

120 N. 6th

Independence, KS 67301

EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITIES FF1/MICT (Paramedic): $753.76 per 56-hour work week; benefits. Maintenance I (Park, Zoo & Cemetery): Full-time. $11.99/hour; benefits. Police Officer I: Full-time. $15.10/hour; benefits. Ride Operators/Ticket Sellers: Part-time. Must be 18 years old. $9/hour. Applications are accepted at: Kansas Works, 317 N. Penn 620-332-5904 www.southeastkansasworks.com www.kansasworks.com

Meet ‘The Girls’ T he newest residents of Ralph Mitchell

Zoo will soon make their appearance for visitors to enjoy. The trio of 4-year-old Syrian brown bears arrived in Independence April 26 from Hollywild Animal Park in Wellford, South Carolina. According to Barb Beurskens, Park & Zoo Director, the three playful bears - all sisters - belong to one of the most rare and endangered species in the world and are among only a handful of similar bears living in the United States. Like all Syrian bears, they have gray-brown fur with white “collars.” Fondly referred to by zoo staff as “The Girls,” they are named in honor of their Syrian heritage - Amalia Nur, Malica Ishtar and Samra’ May. The bears are currently in quarantine as they transition to their new home and enhancements to their enclosure are completed. They will be moved to the ravine and introduced to the public the week of June 20, Beurskens said.