The newsletter welcomes employees to the new year and highlights two accomplishments from 2016 - approval of the first Parks Master Plan and reorganization of the Economic Development Council under the City. It announces that a 1/2 cent sales tax will be on the April ballot to address park maintenance. A new Economic Development Manager, Mark Stombaugh, is introduced. Employees are asked to provide feedback on the newsletter and can submit content. Finally, upcoming local development projects are mentioned.

1. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
WELCOME!
BLUE SPRINGS EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER
2016 was an exciting year for the City! Two notable
accomplishments include the approval of our first
Parks Master Plan by the Mayor and City Council and
the reorganization of the Economic Development
Council (EDC) under the City's umbrella.
As we move into 2017, the City Council will consider
an ordinance to place a 1/2 cent dedicated sales tax
on the April 4, 2017 ballot. This dedicated sales tax
is designed to address deferred maintenance in our
City's parks. Over the next month, employees will be receiving more information
about this initiative and tips on interacting with the public about the possible tax.
Speaking of moving forward, I am happy to introduce our new Economic
Development Manager, Mark Stombaugh. You can read more about him and how
he will help Blue Springs grow in this edition.
Thank you to each person who completed the online, anonymous survey for The
City Beat. Our Communications team will review feedback to guarantee that every
effort is being made to produce content that matches employee needs and is easy
to access by all. If you would like to contribute to the next edition by sharing a
kudos, a department photo or submitting a City Champion nomination, you can
email them to ajones@bluespringsgov.com.
Finally, keep reading to learn more about our City's updated records retention, get
local development updates and meet the newest City Champion.
Sincerely
Eric Johnson, City Administrator
City Administrator Eric Johnson
THECITYBEAT
1JAN/FEB 2017
DOWNTOWN ALIVE!
PICCADILLY GALA
TICKET SALES
KICKOFF EVENT
Join Downtown Alive! as they
host a special Piccadilly Gala
Ticket Sales Kickoff. Tickets are
specially priced at $45 each for
this one night only and will be
$50 each after January 30, 2017.
The Piccadilly Gala is a Ladies
Night Out and auction benefit
for Downtown Alive!, a 501c3
nonprofit organization dedicated
to the preservation and
revitalization of Downtown Blue
Springs.
For more information, visit www.
downtownbluesprings.com.
MONDAY, JANUARY 30
5:30-7 P.M.
AMERICA'S
COMMUNITY BANK
STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
On Thursday, February 16, Mayor Carson Ross will present
his annual State of the City Address at the Chamber of
Commerce lunchon. This presentation will highlight the
City’s award-winning accomplishments in 2016 and goals
for 2017.
The complete presentation will be available at www.
bluespringsgov.com in late February.

2. 2
CONTENTS
1 Eric’s Welcome
Downtown Alive!
Piccadilly Gala
Pre-Sale Event
2 City SharePoint
3 Department Spotlight:
Administration
4 Do You Know
Employee Updates
5 City Hall Updates
6 Around Town
7 Kudos & Congrats
8 Safety First
Physical Activity Tips
9 Police Services
Agreement
Local Elections
City Champion
10 Community Events
EMMC Updates
11 Photo Corner
JAN/FEB 2017
CITY SHAREPOINT
The IT Department rolled out
City SharePoint as our City’s new
intranet and a replacement to
CityNet. This new site acts as our
local communications network
where departments store data for
use across departments and within
each department. You will need to
login when accessing the site but
this allows you to visit City SharePoint inside and outside of the office.
When navigating the new site you will see department pages listed horizontally at the top
and citywide information is listed in a column on the far left of the main page. Once you go
onto a department page, the far left column will show department specific information.
Each department site also contains an internal site visible specifically to your department
members. The internal sites can be used for forms and information that only your
department can access including contacts or team plans. To navigate from a department
page back to the main site click the words“City SharePoint”in the row of links at the top.
For help navigating the new site, contact IT at ITDepartment@bluespringsgov.com
MASTER CALENDAR
The main City SharePoint will have
a combined calendar view with all
department events. By clicking on
a department name from the list
on the far left you can isolate and
view a specific calendar.
WHO TO CONTACT LINK
Each department page has a link
that lets users know who should
be contacted for certain functions
within each department. This list
includes the contact's name, email
extension and photo if available.
HELPFUL LINKS
This feature is on the main
SharePoint page and some
department pages. The main list
includes links frequently searched
for by employees including Kronos,
the employee directory, the Office
365 portal and more.
Whatdoyouwanttoseein
thenextedition?
Sendyourstoryideas
andcommentstoCity
Communicationsatajones@
bluespringsgov.com
NEW FEATURES

3. 3
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT: ADMINISTRATION
RECORDS RETENTION
JAN/FEB 2017
RECORDS STORAGE & DESTRUCTION
Though keeping track of records for decades can seem overwhelming, the process is made easier with the help
of Deputy Records Custodian (DRC). City Administrator Eric Johnson has signed an Executive Order designating
each DRC. This allows departments to better manage the responsibility of properly maintaining documents in
adherence to the Blue Springs Records Retention Schedule. City records are currently stored either within each
department and managed by the DRC or they are stored in the City’s new record center located on the bottom
level of City Hall. The series on the records determine the minimum amount of time the documents have to be
kept and what to do once that time passes. Assistant City Clerk and Records Manager Dylan Gibson will assest
with any questions on records retention or storage.
Proper and timely destruction of records is crucial to make sure the retention process doesn't become a burden
or liability for the City. The Records Manager will work regularly with the City Attorney and each DRC to
determine which records have met their retention schedules and need to be destroyed. A list will be created and
will need to be reviewed and approved by Council before destruction. If approved, a shredding company will
come shred on-site or transport the documents to their facility to be securely shredded.
BLUE SPRINGS RECORDS RETENTION
SCHEDULE
Over the past year, the City Clerk's Office
has been working diligently to create the
Blue Springs Records Management Policy.
to guarantee it follows the guidelines set
up by Missouri State Statues (RSMo 610)
commonly referred to as the “Sunshine
Law”. This Sunshine Laws focuses on
public access to information including
votes, deliberations, meeting minutes and
other official actions.
Records retention is a vital part of our
internal function and the documents
maintained are used by management to
make decisions on a variety of topics including short-term and long-term development projects, department
or citywide spending and employee training to name a few. Records retention is also important for properly
storing records that must be kept permanently such as historical papers and legal documents.
Assistant City Clerk and Records Manager Dylan Gibson
giving a tour of the new records center.
EMPLOYEES CAN ACCESS VARIOUS FORMS AND
THE RECORDS RETENTION DESTRUCTION POLICY ONLINE.
VISIT THE NEW CITY SHAREPOINT AND SELECT ADMINISTRATION. FROM
THERE YOU CAN SELECT THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT TAB AT THE TOP.
RESOURCES

4. JAN/FEB 2017
WELCOME ABOARD!
Full Time
Employees
MunicipalCourt
Jeanette Kniffen
PublicWorks
Kip Barker
Christopher Brown
Tom Degenhardt
Michael Viayra
Part Time
Employees
Parks&Recreation
Avery Fowler
Noah Johnson
Zachary Johnson
Ryan Kreglo
Susan Snelling
John Straub
Tammarie Tucker
RECENT EMPLOYEE MILESTONES
35 Years
Mark Redelberger-MC
15 Years
Corey Alford-PW
10 Years
Sara Murphy -PD
5 Years
Amanda Bates -PD
Dennis Dovel -PR
Joshua Haggard -PD
Jamie McCain -PD
David Ostendorf -PD
Paula Pickett -PD
Kyle Sanderholm -PD
EMPLOYEE BIRTHDAYS
January
CommunityDevelopment
Gail Porter
Aliyah Mihalko
HumanResources
Sue Heiman
Parks&Recreation
Martha Bears
Jayla Coleman
Debbie Olinger
Allen Wilson
Police
Denise Amerine
Anita Byrd
David Brotherton
Phyllis Camp
Mark Grist
Janet Jarvis
Alex Kunellis
Phillip Leslie
Christina Laing
Jayne Neville
Anda Offenbacker
Darren Rhoden
Paul Rinker
Kyle Sanderholm
Juan Saucedo
Alex Smith
Raquel Stark
Dannie Stewart
PublicWorks
Jeff Aten
Christopher Brown
Keith Enfield
Michael Hensley
Dominick Marshall
Michael Viayra
February
BusinessServices
Kristen Crosslin
CommunityDevelopment
Deborah Dunham
James Holley
Brian Heublein
Finance
Melissa Braun
MunicipalCourt
John Jack
Parks&Recreation
Ray Adamson
Randy Cooper
Jefferey Ketchum
Jake Moore
Clif Starnes
Rachel Uptergrove
Police
Nick Anderson
Tracy Benson
Nick Brooks
Jennifer Chinn
John Gale
Shannon Humphrey
Kevin Lange
Justin Smith
Sean Sullivan
Carolina Yeager
PublicWorks
Timothy Adams
Aaron
Hammerstrom
Nicholas Harms
Robert Horne
Gus Lappat
Christopher Stowell
Brian Turner
MATT
WRIGHT
Senior Planner
Community
Development
2 Years of Service
Q.What skills or new relationships are you
looking forward to developing while with the City?
A.For years I've worked in economic
development in the private sector. I'm looking
forward to learning more about economic
development efforts from the City's perspective.
Q.The best way for me to relax is...
A. To do something creative; my newest
challenge is tapestry weaving.
Q.What is your favorite outdoor activity and
when is the last time you did this?
A. I enjoy hanging out in Colorado though I
haven't been in over 3 years. That's way too long!
DO YOU KNOW?
TERESA
EVANS
Economic Development
Coordinator
Administration
4 Months of Service
Q.What's the most recent book you've read that
you would recommend to others?
A. I'm re-reading Erik Larson's "The Devil in the
White City" about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
It's the perfect mix of history and murder mystery.
Q.The best way for me to relax is...
A. Doing logic puzzles.
Q.What is your favorite outdoor activity and
when is the last time you did this?
A. I do enjoy swimming, but I have not done
this since the summer because I am not a cold
water fish. Swimming in an indoor pool is just not
the same.
4

5. 5JAN/FEB 2017
WELCOME ABOARD!
Mark Stombaugh has been named the new Economic Development
Manager and will join the City on January 23, 2017.
The Economic Development Manager position was created as a result of the
Economic Development Corporation being reorganized structurally under
the City’s umbrella as the Economic Development Council in response to
the changing needs of our business community.
With a focus on economic growth and prosperity, this new position will
work to retain, support, and collaborate with existing businesses while also
recruiting new businesses that are in-line with the city’s long-term strategic
plan.
Stombaugh will manage the many initiatives implemented over the past
few years to ensure a business-friendly environment for new and existing
businesses.
To contact the Economic Growth & Development Division, call 816-622-
4004 or email tevans@bluespringsgov.com.
CITY UPDATES
JACKSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTION COUNTER
At 5 p.m. on January 31, the City will discontinue
operation of Jackson County tax collection services.
Discontinuation of Jackson County tax collection
services will allow employees to better focus the
integral services the City provides on our residents
and customers.
This tax collection is currently performed by
Community Development's Business Services
Division. This team performs a number of duties
including: processing Blue Springs business
licenses, issuing business liquor licenses and
peddler/solicitor permits, and assisting with
tracking and routing of Blue Springs special events
permits.
On February 1, the Business Services Division
will move from City Hall into the Community
Development Annex. This move will unite the
department under one roof and improve work
flow. It will also allow them to focus on department
improvements including expanding and enhancing
current the Citizen's Access Portal capabilities to
include new permit types.
MEET
MARK STOMBAUGH!
Economic Development
Manager
816-622-4004
mstombaugh@
bluespringsgov.com
From left to right: Halee Stevens, Business Services Representative;
Tina Dale, Business Services Coordinator;
Kristen Crosslin, Business Services Representative

6. JAN/FEB 20176
AROUND TOWN
ST. LUKE'S SPECIALTY CLINIC
The building's structural skeleton is complete and
crews are well into the process of completing the
sheet rocking. Once that is complete, they will begin
installing an exterior brick façade.
QUIKTRIP
Development is moving along on schedule for this service station at the corner of Highway 40 & 7. Structures for the
pumping stations have been erected and an exterior brick facade has been started for the convenience store.
This location will feature a 24-station fuel pump center, a convienice store with pre-made food and limited grocery items,
outdoor picnic tables and an automatic teller machine.
WHITE OAK MARKETPLACE
Crews are currently installing infrastructure and the
foundation for the 85,000-square-foot Cosentino's
Price Chopper that will feature an attached retail space
measureing 6,000 square feet.
RESTAURANTS COMING TO TOWN
POPEYE'S LOUISIANA KITCHEN
A final plat has been approved
for a Popeye's Louisiana
Kitchen location to open on
727 NW Highway 7.
This restaurant will take the
place of the former Taco
Bueno that closed in 2016.
JOHNNY'STAVERN
During a City Council
meeting, Johnny's
Tavern announced
that they would be the
first new tenant in the
White Oak Marketplace
development.
KC Power & Light location pictured.

7. 7JAN/FEB 2017
KUDOS & CONGRATS
25YEARS OF SERVICE
Congratulations to Deputy Chief Bob Muenz on his December
2016 graduation from the FBI National Academy. D.C. Muenz
was selected to train for 10 weeks with other law enforcement
leaders from around the world at FBI Headquarters in
Quantico, VA.
While there, participants had the option to take undergrad/
graduate level course work on topics including forensic
science, behavioral science, leadership training and more.
BESTWISHES
In November
2016, Nancy
Yendes was
presented with
a proclamation
from Mayor
Carson Ross and
our City Council
in recognition
of her service
for the past two
years as the City
Attorney. November 30, 2016 was her last day in office
and was fittingly named "Nancy Yendes Day."
During her time with the City, Nancy was
instrumental in improving the City's responsiveness
to neighborhood concerns, updating our Unified
Development Code and more.
Best wishes to Nancy on her future endeavors.
CONGRATS GRADUATE!
“I made a call to your office and no more than 20
minutes later I had two men checking my line and
running the auger to clear it. When that didn't
work I called a local plumber but before I got off
the phone with him a call was coming in from an
awesome City of Blue Springs employee. He came
out to meet the plumber and make sure the line
was clear. I want to thank them so much for their
fast response and perfect attitudes.
- Pamela Heman, Blue Springs Resident
”
RESIDENTTHANKS
SANITARY SEWER MAINTENANCE
This January, Lunar Bowl owner Gary Cobb sent
his thanks to the team of men who came out to
repair a water line break in front of his business.
He stated that he was very impressed with
the overall work of the team and their dedication
to make the repair in very challenging conditions. Kudos
to Collections System Supervisor David Stacy, and
maintenance workers Kip Barker, Chris Brown, Jeremy
Hamilton, Robert Horne and Jacob Phillips.
In December
2016, Public
Works
Maintenance
Worker Russell
Monaco retired
after 25 years with
the City.
Russ began as
a temporary
employee
with Parks &
Recreation in 1988 before coming to Public Works;
he retired as a Street Maintenance Worker. Russ is
known among the Public Works team and around
the City as a great guy with a huge personality, big
smile and dedication to his work. In recognition of his
dedication, Friday, December 30, 2016 was declared
"Russ Monaco Day" by the Mayor and City Council.
Best wishes to Russ as he starts his retirement!
Deputy Chief Bob Muenz (right) with his wife (Suzie) at his graduation from the FBI
National Academy
Nancy (center left) receiving
proclamation from Mayor and Council
Russ Monaco (left) with
Jeff Mock of Public Works.
KUDOSTOYOU

8. 8
SAFETY FIRST
WINTER DRIVING
1. Limited Visibility
The change in seasons means it is
getting darker earlier in the evening.
Darkness limits your visibility while
driving so be sure your headlights are
on and are clean. Slow down to make up
for reduced visibility and be especially
cautious during rush hour when
roadways are crowded.
2. Behind the Wheel
When traveling in the snow, be sure
to apply the brakes with moderate
pressure to determine your car's grip. To
navigate turns: you should brake before,
negotiate the turn and then accelerate
after the turn. Finally, be sure to turn off
your cruise control in wet, icy or snowy
conditions.
3. Share the Road
If you have to get out during a snow
storm, be sure to safely share the road
with snow plows. Do not tailgate or try
to pass a snowplow; stay at least four car
lengths back from the snowplows and
their equipment. A snowplow operator's
vision is restricted; you may see them
but they may not be able to see you.
LIABILITY & SAFETY MEETING
In late 2016, City department directors and supervisors attended the
annual Midwest Public Risk (MPR) partner report to review liability and
injury trends within our organization. Attendees then discussed the best
practices to improve overall safety in the workplace.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Information presented by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) states adults ages 18- 64 need to do two types of
physical activity each week for a total of 150 minutes to improve their
health. These workouts should include aerobic exercise and muscle-
strengthening. For more information, visit cdc.gov.
Muscle-strengthening activities should be done to work
all the seven major muscle groups of your body: legs, hip,
back, chest, abdomen, shoulders and arms. You should
try to complete at least one repetition or one complete
movement each time.
Aerobic activity (cardio) causes you to breathe harder and
increase your heart rate. Try an aerobic activity each day for
at least 10 minutes at various levels of intensity. The more
intense the workout, the more energy you use.
CARDIO
MUSCLE
AEROBIC (CARDIO) MUSCLE-STRENGTHENING
WORKOUT OPTIONS
JAN/FEB 2017
Riding a Bike on Hills Working with Resistance Bands
Jogging or Running Lifting WeightsJogging or Running Lifting Weights
Swimming Laps Body Weight Resistance
Playing Basketball Yoga

9. 9
Congratulations to our January/February
City Champion, Liz Powers!
Employees have recognized her for her
consistent demonstration of excellence
in service.
She strives for high quality work and is
supportive and willing to go the extra
mile—all with a smile on her face.
"She is an asset to the
City of Blue Springs."
LIZ POWERS
Legal Assistant
Administration
The following employees were also
recently nominated for the
City Champion recognition:
Norman Gurney - Codes Administration
Wally Meyer - Information Technology
Special thanks to our Public Works team for
constructing the City Champion trophy!
POLICE SERVICES AGREEMENT
In early January, the City shared that it has been exploring a
cooperative police services agreement with the City of Lake Lotawana.
Before moving forward, Blue Springs and Lake Lotawana will present
the proposal to their respective communities, allowing residents to
provide input about the agreement.
If approved, the City of Lake Lotawana would contract with the City
of Blue Springs for law enforcement services beginning in April 2017.
These services would include comprehensive community policing,
animal control, crime prevention, investigations and 911 and non-
emergency communications support.
If the cooperative agreement moves forward, the Blue Springs Police
Department will receive funding from Lake Lotawana to increase
staffing to provide law enforcement services to their community.
LOCAL ELECTIONS
Tuesday, April 4, 2017 is the date for the next General Municipal
election. If you have not registered to vote in Jackson County,
you can register at City Hall or at either Mid-Continent Public Library
Blue Springs branch.
You can get answers to questions about voter registration online at
www.sos.mo.gov by searching "voter registration."
JAN/FEB 2017
CITY CHAMPION NOMINATIONS
Don't forget you can nominate a fellow employee for their good work
or good deeds year-round! Employees can log onto SharePoint to
complete the digital City Champion Nomination form found on the
City Communications page under the Documents section.
You now have the option to select "anonymous submission" which
allows you to complete the form without including your name as the
submitter.
If you have any questions about the form completion process, please
contact Asia Jones at ajones@bluespringsgov.com or call x0490.
BLUE SPRINGS PUBLIC FORUM
The Blue Springs public forum will be hosted by the Public Safety Citizens' Advisory Board
on January 24 at 6 p.m. at the Howard L. Brown Public Safety Building.

10. 10
JANUARY
Christmas Tree Recycling
December 26 through January 22
Pink Hill Park
Blue Springs Dog Park Fundraiser
Jan. 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Vesper Hall
Youth Sports & Recreation Expo
Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to Noon
Blue Springs Fieldhouse
FEBRUARY
Daddy/Daughter Valentine Dance
Feb. 10, 6-9 p.m.
Adams Pointe Conference Center
Vesper Hall Health Fair
Feb. 23, 8:30-11 a.m.
Vesper Hall
State of the City Address
Feb. 16, 11:30 a.m.
Adams Pointe Conference Center
COMMUNITY EVENTS
LET’S MOVE! SATURDAYS PROMOTES THE FUN IN
MOVEMENT WITH YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES HOSTED
BY LOCAL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT
THE COMMUNITY.
THESE EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO ALL!
A FULL WINTER SCHEDULE IS AVAILABLE
ONLINE AT BLUESPRINGSGOV.COM/LMS
SATURDAYS
JAN/FEB 2017
The Eastern Metro
Municipal Challenge
(EMMC) Planning
Committee has reviewed
employee surveys and is
working to incorporate
your feedback to make
EMMC events even more
enjoyable.
You can find more information about 2017 events by visiting the City
Sharepoint then selecting the Administration tab; from there you should
choose 'EMMC' from the tabs listed across the top of the page. Additional
details will be added closer to event dates.
YOUR FEEDBACK IN ACTION!
The events have been spread out more evenly throughout the year
with events starting in February and continuing through November.
Challenge Duration
Family-Friendly Options
Pickleball
Thursday, February 16
Trivia Challenge
Friday, March 3
Table Tennis
Thursday, March 30
Bowling
Wednesday, April 26
5k*
Saturday, May 6
Golf
Saturday, May 20
*Your family is encouraged to
participate in this event with you!
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Planning Committee is working on two additional events
that would be either family-friendly or allow a plus one option.
The majority of events have been moved from Wednesday
nights to avoid conflicts with family scheduled events.
Scheduling

11. PHOTO CORNER NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2016
Chris Flathers (left) and Wally Meyer (far right) receiving anniversary
pins from IT Director Dan Hood (center) during the 2016 Service
Recognition Program & Holiday Party.
(Left) Assistant City Clerk Dylan Gibson(front, right) with staff at the RecordsCenter ribbon cutting.
Asphalt Maintenance Supervisor Dennis Lafal with his
winning design during the annual Public Works holiday
cookie decorating contest.
JAN/FEB 2017 11
Blue Springs Police Officers, Mayor Carson Ross, City Council members and
Blue Springs Citizen's Police Academy Alumni Association representatives
at the annual 'Shop with a Blue Springs Cop' event.
Brunch With Santa
Parks & Recreation
Department volunteers.