Thank you so much to all of you who spent last Saturday evening with us at the Look North Awards Gala. Keynote speaker Randy Wisthoff and his friends from the zoo were a hit. Tim Harris, who earned our Look North Award, was very gracious. Dick Davis accepted the Special Achievement award on behalf of Keith Nelson’s family. Chairman Greg Canuteson delivered your EDC’s “587 Plan” and then we hit the road first thing Monday by meeting with property owners and developers and will continue to do so.
The City of Kearney has a use tax question on their ballot for Tuesday. Your EDC is supportive of businesses that have made an investment in our county. We will give whole-hearted support to any municipality asking their constituents to vote for a use tax that will help level the playing field for brick and mortar businesses. Also called the fair tax, a use tax simply applies the same sales tax rate that is charged for purchases from local merchants to those made over the internet. City services are required for these purchases as the delivery trucks run on the streets and the police will have to pursue any porch pirates. As more and more retail sales are made over the internet it is imperative that all cities have a use tax to help maintain the basic services we all expect. Our Sheriff’s Department is also requesting the renewal of a sales tax measure for them. In the current environment most of our police departments are understaffed. It is an easy decision to make to support the men and women who provide the mutual aid to our cities.
If you have a student or friend in grades 8-11 who is interested in a career in skilled trades you may want to have them attend the Northland Career Center’s open house November 11th between 4:30 and 7:30. A partner of your EDC, the NCC event will be an opportunity for families to find out more about their 12 programs by speaking with instructors and current students and touring the facility. Click here for more information.
The next Northland Education and Business Alliance Career Series event will be November 16th with sessions at 8:00 and 9:00AM, noon and 1:00PM. The career areas will include architecture and construction, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Additional information and registration are available here.
Kerrie Tyndall, an assistant to KC City Manager Brain Platt, is once again asking us to participate in the AdvanceKC online community survey. Your taking a few minutes will be a big help to Clay County and the Northland. Click here if you are a KC family with children, here if you live in the First District, here for the Second District and here for the Fourth District. And just like voting, if you want to skip this it will allow you more time to complain about how the Northland is ignored by City Hall.
The Northland CAPS program is looking for possible opportunities for their student associates for Spring 2022. Internship experience will take place during normal Northland CAPS class time, 7:30 am – 10:00 am (some AM companies have an 8:00 am start time due to the starting time for their company) for AM associates and 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm for PM associates. These will be unpaid internships for the spring semester. Northland CAPS internships meet IRS guidelines for unpaid internships. Fifty percent of these unpaid internships have been converted to paid opportunities with companies, proving to be a powerful tool in workforce development. These opportunities for Spring 2022 would be from January 18th – May 6th, Tuesday – Friday each week, all students report back to their classrooms on Mondays. We post all available positions by late October, so students can apply in early November and interview with companies in December. These opportunities would be in-person with businesses at their site, students provide their own transportation to locations. If you would like to offer an opportunity just complete this request: www.northlandcaps.org/internship and they will follow up with you on next steps.
Missouri’s Department of Economic Development is asking small business owners to provide their feedback on how the State of Missouri can provide more supportive economic tools and how the state can encourage participation with more minority businesses. The link for submittal can be found here.:
Northland CAPS is organizing an interview session for their student associates for Monday, November 15th. They will be rotating students through interviewers with 10-minute sessions and three rotations. This event will be hosted at Harrah’s -Voodoo Lounge – 1 Riverboat Drive – North Kansas City, MO. They hope that through this experience we will help their student associates to be better prepared for their internship interviews that will be in December. They will be having two sessions – AM from 7:30 am – 9:30 am and PM from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm If you would be available and willing to assist, please click on the link that works best for you to sign up.
The Mid-Continent Public Library has upcoming Square One classes for Scaling Your Business– Program Options in KC November 17th. More classes begin November 10th with Small Biz Support Group—Reading Rainbow Edition, Create Your Customer Avatar and Business Model Canvas Workshop and Veterans Entrepreneurship Celebrationon November 11th.
Your EDC wants to make sure you know of the great resources provided by our state that address job seekers, employers and our community. The information provided at https://jobs.mo.gov/ is both relevant and timely. You can also reach them at 1-888-728-JOBS (5627).
For the next few weeks the redistricting committee for Kanas City will be meeting on Wednesday afternoons from 4-6PM on the 10th floor of City Hall. The meetings will also be broadcast on channel 2. Northland representation on the Kansas City Council has a huge impact on our county and your EDC has been and will continue to be involved.
Clay County State Senator Lauren Arthur wants to make sure everyone eligible for Medicaid expansion knows how and where to apply for the voter-approved assistance. Please spread the word that there are four options: Apply through the online portal, apply by phone at 855-373-9994, complete an application (aplicación Español) on your computer or download & print application (aplicación Español).
Are you tired of having to get permission to hunt on someone else’s land? Want some acreage and a hunting lodge or event center near Chillicothe? Your EDC is working with Whitetail Properties to sell a piece of property that currently belongs to us. Take a look here.
Did you know that your EDC provides small business loans through our partnership with Midwest Small Business Financing? We want to put your business into buildings and purchase the required fixed assets. Our rates include the Small Business Administration fees and are currently 3.245% for ten years, 3.483% for 20 years and 3.601 for 25 years. Please contact us with any questions. You can read about upcoming SBA trainings and get more information about the SBA’s Resource Partner Training here.
Your EDC helps to sponsor weekly educational programs designed to engage, educate and accelerate communities of entrepreneurs and small business owners. Hosted in-person by iWerx, 1520 Clay Street, North Kansas City, MO 64116, Coffee Connect starts at 7:45 and the program begins at 8. To sign up or for more information click here.
Your EDC’s Friday Facts is your go-to read to see what is happening in our County. We want you to see Clay County while spending your disposable income right here:
Today Big Shoal Creek Trail Opening October 29th 2PM ribbon cutting Tonight Halloween Haunt & Great Pumpkin Fest till Sunday at Worlds of Fun
Tonight Monster Jam Thunder Alley – November 21 at Worlds of Fun Tomorrow Downtown Trick or Treating Excelsior Springs Oct 30th 4-6PM This week Jazz at the Garrison at the Corbin Theatre Nov. 1st at 6:00PM North Kansas City’s Ladies Night Out November 5th from 5:30 – 8:00 PM Craig Davis at the Corbin Theatre November 5th at 6:00PM
Steven Wolcott at the Corbin Theatre November 6th at 6:00PM
Liberty North High School presents Mamma Mia November 11-13th
Excelsior Springs’ Second Weekend November 12-14
Liberty High School presents Oklahoma November 18-20th
Level Up Kids 20th anniversary open house Nov 19th 8-10A
Click on the school of your choice to see their calendar of events. Excelsior Springs, Kearney, Smithville, Liberty, Liberty North, North Kansas City, Winnetonka, Oak Park, Staley, St. Pius, Kansas City Christian and Platte County R-3 (yes, part of their district is in Clay County).
The Northland Education and Business Alliance now has its own YouTube channel. This organization just continues to grow and get things right and your EDC is proud to be a part of it. Feel free to view the dozens of videos from various career opportunities right here in Clay County.
