The 2024 General Election is only 34 days away and you are reminded that you have until October 15 to register to vote! To register to vote in Wyandotte County, you must:

• Be a United States citizen.
• Be 18 years of age or older (applicants who will be 18 before the next election are welcome to submit an application).
• Be a resident of Wyandotte County.

Am I registered to vote?

Finding out if you are currently registered to vote is as easy as doing one of the following:

• Visit the Secretary of State's VoterView tool. Please note, the information you enter (name and birth date) must match your registration record exactly. For instance, if you registered as William Jones, but search for Bill Jones, no matches will be found.
• Call our office at 913-573-8500. Provide a staff member your name and birth date and we will be happy to look you up in the statewide voter registration database.

On Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 9 AM-11 AM, CEO/Mayor Tyrone Garner will host the first-ever Wyandotte County Public Officials Town Hall at the KCKCC Performing Arts Center (7250 State Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66109).

In a conversation facilitated by Sandra Olivas, community members will have the opportunity to hear from various Wyandotte County Public Officials representing jurisdictions across the community, including the Board of Public Utilities, District Attorney, the community college and school districts, and others. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS will also be represented by at-large Commissioners Tom Burroughs and Melissa Bynum.

The community is invited to submit their questions for the panel by October 15. Email mayorgarner@wycokck.org.

“We build a stronger community when we collaborate toward a shared goal,” said CEO/Mayor Tyrone Garner. “I am excited to convene this town hall to welcome an open forum for community members to engage directly with their public officials. It is my hope that this town hall is the first of many great conversations, moving our community in the right direction."

To request accommodations, such as translation services, please reach out to the Mayor’s Office at least 72 hours in advance. Feedback gathered from the meeting will be compiled and directed to the various Mayor Garner’s respective task forces for follow-up and potential action plans.

Confirmed Public Officials Panelists:

• Mayor Tyrone A. Garner
• BPU Chair Tom Groneman
• District Attorney Mark Dupree
• KCKCC Board Chair Brad Isnard
• KCKPS Board President Randy Lopez
• UG Commissioner Melissa Bynum
• UG Commissioner Tom Burroughs
• UG County Administrator David Johnston

Additional guests will be announced as they are confirmed.

Mayor Garner joined many Kansas City leaders in the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

The Greater Kansas City Chamber arranges these trips to identify best practices that could be of value for the KC Metro. One of the days was learning about sports stadium projects!

Thursday: County Board of Health to Discuss Healthy Families

The UG Board of Commission will convene as the County Board of Health on Thursday during the Commission meeting. Tune in to hear presentations and program updates on the Healthy Families Wyandotte and Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Services. Tune in on Thursday!

Healthy Families Wyandotte (HFW) is a free program for pregnant women and families who want to improve their child's health and development. Pregnant Wyandotte County residents and caregivers of children up to three months old can request an appointment with a Family Assessment Worker. The Family Assessment Worker will meet with you to explain the program and provide useful information and resources to help support key development milestones and overall well-being. Click here to learn more about Healthy Families Wyandotte.

WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. WIC protects the health of low-income women who are pregnant or breastfeeding for up to one year or recently delivered up to six months, infants, and children under age five by providing nutritious foods, support for breastfeeding, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care. Learn more about the WIC Program.

Free Mulch Giveaway

The Unified Government’s Public Works Solid Waste team is hosting a Free Mulch Giveaway at the Recycling & Yard Waste Center, 3241 Park Drive in Kansas City, Kansas 66102. This event runs October 10 through October 26, on Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays with hours of operation from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Wyandotte County residents are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to get free, natural mulch created from the yard waste brought to the center. Unlike the commercial mulch sold at retail stores, this mulch is untreated and dye-free, making it a great option for those who prefer organic, eco-friendly gardening. Proof of residency is required, so please bring something displaying your name and address on it, like a BPU bill or driver’s license.

The mulch is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and residents are responsible for picking up, shoveling, loading, and hauling the mulch themselves. Be sure to bring your shovel!

In addition to the Free Mulch Giveaway, the Recycling & Yard Waste Center will continue to accept a wide variety of materials, including:

• Clear, brown, and colored glass
• Mixed office paper and cardboard
• Food and beverage cans
• Plastics labeled #1-7
• Grass clippings, garden trimmings, leaves, branches (up to 4 feet in length), and stumps (up to 12 inches in diameter)

Learn more about this event at wycokck.org/FreeMulch. 

Sign-Up for the Food Handler Course with K-State Research and Extension

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases.

Foodborne diseases are an important public health burden in the United States. First, we estimate that 31 of the most important known agents of foodborne disease found in foods consumed in the United States each year cause 9.4 million illnesses, 55,961 hospitalizations, and 1,351 deaths.

The ServSafe® program is a national certification program designed to teach safe handling practices to foodservice employees and others who handle and serve food to the public. The ServSafe program in Kansas is provided by K-State Research and Extension in partnership with the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association. The course will be held on Wednesday, October 16 from 1PM-4:30PM and costs $20. Learn more.

Public Comment Sought for BPU 2024 Integrated Resource Plan

The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) is inviting public feedback on its proposed 2024 Electric Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).

The 2024 IRP, completed in collaboration with Black & Veatch, is a comprehensive plan to assess how BPU can reliably, affordably, and sustainably meet its customers’ future electric needs. The plan utilizes computer modeling to explore various scenarios that may influence resource planning decisions.

As required by law, BPU must submit an IRP with the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), part of the U.S. Department of Energy. A long-term IRP must be updated and submitted to WAPA every five years.

The full proposed 2024 IRP is available for review on BPU’s website. Public comments can be submitted via email to IRP@BPU.com through the close of business on October 10, 2024. Additionally, there will an opportunity for public comment at the BPU Board Meeting on October 16, 2024. For additional details, please visit www.bpu.com.

Smoke alarms save lives!

The Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department, American Red Cross, the Bethel Neighborhood Center along with community volunteers will be going door-to-door on Saturday, October 12 to install FREE smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in the St. Margaret's neighborhoods.

Request an Appointment!

Installations will occur between 9AM and 5:30PM. You can request an installation appointment by phone or text. Please leave your name, address, best phone number and preference for morning or afternoon if possible.

• By Phone: 913-573-5971 
• By Text: 913-991-7002 

Calls will be answered between 8:30AM - 4:30PM.