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* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.
INTRODUCING MAYOR JOHN BACON WE LIKE TO CALL HIM PAPA JOHN WE LOVE YOU
[2021 State of the City Address]
[00:00:15]
I LOVE THOSE TWO GIRLS TOO UM IF THERE ARE ANY GRANDPARENTS IN THE ROOM YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT UM GOOD AFTERNOON WE'RE HERE WE'RE TOGETHER AND IT'S FANTASTIC SOMEONE TOLD ME A LITTLE BIT AGO UM THAT WE'VE GOT SOMEONE THAT'S GOT A BIRTHDAY TODAY ED EILERT'S IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM ED EILERT WE'D LIKE TO SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU I THINK HE'S CELEBRATING 59 TODAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ED HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU AND MANY MORE TODAY ISN'T JUST A CHANCE FOR YOU TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CITY THIS TIME TOGETHER ALLOWS US TO ONCE AGAIN SHARE CAMARADERIE TO INTERACT WITH FRIENDS WITH COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS IT'S UNIFYING AND IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED SO WELCOME IT'S WONDERFUL WONDERFUL TO SEE EACH OF YOU TOGETHER AND IN PERSON NO ONE KNOWS BETTER THAN YOU HOW ESSENTIAL IT IS TO ANY COMMUNITY HAVE COMMERCE I BELIEVE THERE IS NO GROUP BETTER AT COMMERCE THAN THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE YOU ARE ALL PUSHING US FORWARD TOGETHER THIS IS ACTUALLY MY SECOND STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS THE FIRST WAS VIRTUAL AND THIS HAPPENS TO ME MY FIRST CHANCE TO STAND BEFORE ALL OF YOU AS MANY OF YOU KNOW I'M A CPA IT'S A TOUGH CAREER TO PURSUE THEY SAY THE CPA EXAM IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION TO PASS IT TAKES HOURS OF STUDY BUT THROUGH ALL THAT WORK AND HOURS OF CLASSES THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO PREPARE YOU FOR THIS SO WISH ME LUCK WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES OUTSIDE OF OUR COMFORT ZONE LIKE ME STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU HAVING TO LISTEN TO AN ACCOUNTANT FOR 25 MINUTES WE ALL NEED LOVE AND SUPPORT I FIND MINE AND MY WONDERFUL WIFE OF 20 37 YEARS MELANIE PLEASE STAND UP YOU ARE IN THIS TOO I GET LOTS OF LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM MY FAMILY INCLUDING MY TWO WONDERFUL GRANDDAUGHTERS TWO OF WHOM YOU SAW EARLIER I ALSO GET SUPPORT NOT SURE ABOUT ALL THE LOVE FOR MY COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY COUNCIL I'M PROUD TO SERVE WITH A DEDICATED GROUP OF SERVANTS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY THEY ARE MAYOR PRO TIM AND WARD 1 COUNCIL MEMBER LARRY CAMPBELL AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS WES MCCOY KAREN BROWNLEE WARD 2 COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM NICHOLSON WARD 3 COUNCIL MEMBER KEVIN GILMORE AND WARD 4 COUNCIL MEMBER MARGE VOTE YOU WERE ALL WELL REPRESENTED AS I SAID THIS IS NEW FOR ME BUT TODAY SO MUCH IS NEW FOR ALL OF US IT'S EASY TO DWELL ON WHAT COVET HAS MEANT AND WHAT IT MEANS TODAY IT'S IN OUR FACES ALMOST EVERY WAKING MOMENT IT'S BEEN HARD PAINFUL AND TRAGIC AT TIMES BUT MY FRIENDS WE MADE IT THROUGH WHEN IT HIT AND WE ARE MAKING THROUGH IT TODAY THAT'S WHO OLATHE IS THAT IS WHO OLATHE WILL ALWAYS BE BECAUSE OF WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR EYE ON TOMORROW WE KNOW WHAT WE DO TODAY CAN'T BE JUST FOR THE MOMENT IT'S PART OF A STRATEGIC PLAN LEADING US TO AN EVEN STRONGER FUTURE THAT BEING SAID THIS AFTERNOON WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT PATH BUT I NEED A LITTLE PARTICIPATION I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT I'M DELIVERING IS WHAT YOU WANT YOU SEE WE HAVE TWO VERSIONS OF THIS SPEECH VERSION A INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING WORDS NORMAL UNPRECEDENTED TIMES VARIANT HERD IMMUNITY SOCIAL DISTANCING QUARANTINE ZOOM VIRTUAL ANYTHING EXCEPT MAYBE HAPPY HOUR VERSION B DOES NOT BY A SHOW OF HANDS WHO WANTS TO HEAR VERSION A I DIDN'T SEE ANY HAND SO WE'LL GO WITH VERSION B THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT MAKE NO MISTAKE COVET IS VERY REAL TODAY IT CONTINUES IMPACTING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US BUT IT WILL PASS OUR QUESTION THIS AFTERNOON IS THIS WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR TOMORROW LIKE TODAY OLATHE WILL THRIVE TOMORROW[00:05:08]
WE ARE INCREDIBLY SAFE IN FACT WE AND WILL REMAIN ONE OF THE AMERICA'S SAFEST CITIES TODAY'S CRIME CLEARANCE RATES ARE AMONG THE TOP OF THE NATION AND STAND HEAD SHOULDERS ABOVE OUR PEER CITIES BUT MY FRIENDS THAT'S OUR BENCHMARK IT'S OUR STARTING PLACE AND OUR STANDARD FOR TOMORROW THROUGH INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT POSITION OUR POLICE OFFICERS AS A KIND AND FRIENDLY RESOURCE FOR OUR RESIDENTS OLATHE HAS DEFINED WHAT COMMUNITY POLICING MEANS OUR OFFICERS ARE NOT ONLY PREVENTING CRIME AND ENFORCING TRAFFIC LAWS BUT THEY'RE PLAYING KICKBALL AND BASKETBALL WITH OUR KIDS THEY'RE EXTENDING A KIND HAND THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND EVEN IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC THEY'RE BUILDING CRITICAL RELATIONSHIPS YOU WONDER WHY WE HAVE SUCH AN INCREDIBLE SAFE COMMUNITY IT'S THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAKE IT SO LET'S THANK THEM YOU KNOW IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT OTHER CITIES ADDING MENTAL HEALTH CO-RESPONDERS TO THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENTS I APPLAUD THEM BUT OLATHE HAS BEEN DOING THAT FOR YEARS OUR OFFICERS HAVE EXTENSIVE TRAINING IN BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ALSO DEALING WITH THOSE IN CRISIS IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE HEARING ABOUT OTHER CITIES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT OLATHE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS PIONEERED SPEAKING OF LEADING EARLIER THIS YEAR WE OPENED THE OLATHE FIRE ACADEMY GIVING OUR FIREFIGHTERS ACCESS TO THE BEST TRAINING POSSIBLE TO BETTER SERVE YOU THIS CENTER IS A FIRST IN JOHNSON COUNTY TO OFFER THIS REAL WORLD TRAINING OF COURSE WE WILL BE SHARING OUR FACILITY WITH OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS FOR A FEE WE'VE ALREADY WELCOMED FIREFIGHTERS FROM DESOTO AND EVEN STUDENTS FROM OLATHE'S 21ST CENTURY PUBLIC SAFETY ACADEMY AT OLATHE WEST IN FACT IT'S ALREADY TURNING OUT SOME FIRST-CLASS RECRUITS OKAY I NEED TO WORK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT BUT I WAS IN A SUIT YOU SEE THAT THAT'S PRETTY COOL THAT IS ACTUALLY OLATHE'S NEWEST FIRE STATION IT OPENED JUST LAST MONTH PROVIDING SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS IN SOUTHWEST OLATHE TODAY IT ALSO PREPARES US FOR TOMORROW AND THE CONTINUED GROWTH IN THAT AREA OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS THE HIGHEST INSURANCE SERVICES OFFICE RATING POSSIBLE THIS MEASURES THIS MEASURES A FIRE DEPARTMENT'S EFFECTIVENESS AND A LATHE ATOP THE CHARTS BASED ON RESPONSE TIMES QUALITY EFFECTIVENESS AND THEIR FORWARD THINKING APPROACH TO PROTECTING US A HIGHER RATING MEANS YOUR HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE RATES ARE LOWER AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS SAVING MORE LIVES AND PROPERTY BETTER SMARTER FASTER AREN'T JUST BUZZWORDS TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE OLATHE FIRE DEPARTMENT THEY'RE DOING ALL THOSE THINGS BUT THEY'RE DOING THEM THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WITH OUR PARTNERS ONE KEY PARTNERSHIP HAS CREATED OUR MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH UNIT WHICH BRINGS THE QUALITY CARE OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RELATE TO HEALTH SYSTEMS TO PEOPLE'S HOMES TOGETHER WE ARE TREATING AND CARING FOR THOSE WHO NEED CARE THE MOST WE'RE PROVIDING A BETTER SERVICE AND REDUCING STRAIN ON OUR COMMUNITIES RESOURCES THAT'S WHO WE ARE TOMORROW MEANS OLATHE'S QUALITY OF LIFE REMAINS SECOND TO NONE OF ALL THE PIECES IN THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTING IT WE CAN'T DENY THE OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD FOR ONE OLATHE ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF NEW RESIDENTS AND MILLIONS OF SQUARE FEET OF NEW BUSINESS EACH YEAR WITH THAT GROWTH COMES MORE PEOPLE AND MORE NEED TO MOVE TRAFFIC THINK ABOUT THIS OLATHE HAS GONE FROM 650 LANE MILES OF STREETS TO OVER 1300 SINCE 1990. LIKE TODAY WE'RE ANSWERING THAT CALL FOR TOMORROW JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO THE NEW 119TH STREET AND I-35 INTERCHANGE OPENED WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST TO CROSS ACTUALLY MARGE SAYS SHE BEAT US SHE WAS THE FIRST TO CROSS SHE WAS ACTUALLY WAITING ON THE ORANGE BARRELS TO BE MOVED YOU KNOW I GREW UP IN A BIG FAMILY AND I'M ONE OF 10 KIDS AND SO[00:10:04]
I WAS THE EIGHTH SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BE FIRST UM SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO REMIND US YOU KNOW THAT THEY SAY THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM BUT IT'S THE SECOND MOUSE THAT GETS THE CHEESE I KNOW THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF ORANGE CONES IN THAT VIDEO BUT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WHILE WORK CONTINUES WE'RE UNCORKING ONE OF THE MOST CONGESTED INTERCHANGES AND OVERPASSES IN OLATHE AND THE REGION TRAFFIC ONCE STACKED UP FOR UP TO A MILE ON I-35 NOW DRIVERS ARE ACCESSING AND TRAVELING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY MORE EASILY SAFELY AND OF COURSE QUICKLY TRAFFIC'S ALSO MOVING BETTER THROUGH OLD 56 AND LONE ELM IN WEST OLATHE I KNOW DRIVING THAT INTERSECTION WAS A BIT CONFUSING FOR A TIME BUT TODAY WE'RE TRAVELING THROUGH IT 20 FASTER DESPITE THE INCONVENIENCE OF THE ORANGE BARRELS WE'VE MADE TRAVEL BETTER IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT WILL ONLY CONTINUE WE NOW HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO CROSS I-35 AT MAHAFFEY STREET THANKS IN LARGE PART TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH GARMIN AND THE STATE OF KANSAS SO WE'VE DONE GEOMETRIC IMPROVEMENTS IN EAST OLATHE AS WELL THE RIDGEVIEW CAPACITY PROJECT ADDRESSES THE CONGESTION AT 151ST AND I-35 AS WELL AS BETWEEN 143RD AND 151ST IT'S WRAPPING UP SOON THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE THIS IS ALLOWING BETTER TRAFFIC FLOW FOR 25 000 DRIVERS WHO TAKE 151ST EACH DAY BETWEEN MAHAFFEY AND RIDGEVIEW AGAIN SUPPORTING OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES PLANS ARE ALSO UNDERWAY TO EXTEND 119TH STREET FROM NORTH GATE TO WOODLAND THAT'S ONE MORE WAY WE CAN QUICKLY CROSS THE WEST RAILROAD TRACKS WE'RE MOVING BETTER AND THAT COMMITMENT CONTINUES FOR TOMORROW IT'S NOT JUST OUR INCREDIBLY SAFE STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MAKE OLATHE ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE COMMUNITIES TO LIVE IN WE NOW HAVE 1137 ACRES OF PARKS IN THE LAST 25 YEARS WE'VE GONE FROM HAVING 16 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS TO 25 TODAY WE HAD ONLY TWO GREENWAY TRAILS IN 1996. TODAY WE HAVE 28. THAT NUMBER IS GROWING FURTHER CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN FACT WE'RE HARD AT WORK ON THE CEDAR LAKE TRAIL WHICH WILL ALLOW RESIDENTS TO BIKE WALK AND RUN STRAIGHT FROM CEDAR LAKE TO LAKE OLATHE THE OPENING OF LAKE OLATHE PARK IN THE AMENITIES AT THE LAKE ITSELF HAVE RECEIVED NATIONAL ACCOLADES THIS HAS BECOME A DESTINATION NOT ONLY FOR OLATHE BUT FOR PEOPLE ACROSS THE REGION OUR COMMUNITY CENTER CONTINUES TO THRIVE AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY ARE IN AGAIN ENJOYING OUR OWN RECREATION PROGRAMS YEAR ROUND WE ARE IN THIS PLACE BECAUSE OF THE VISION WE HAD WE WILL REMAIN IN THIS PLACE BECAUSE THE VISION WE NOW HAVE WE WILL CONTINUE INVESTING YOUR TAX DOLLARS WHERE YOU TELL US YOU WANT THEM THAT LEADS US TO CREATE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER LIKE OUR COMMUNITY CENTER IN OUR NEW AWARD-WINNING INDIAN CREEK LIBRARY THAT VISION IS CREATING OUR NEW DOWNTOWN LIBRARY THAT WILL FOREVER ENHANCE OUR CENTRAL CORE IT WILL BE A PLACE FOR GATHERING COLLABORATING LEARNING AND CREATING COMPLETE WITH A FLEXBOX THEATER LEARNING STAIRS CAFE MEETING ROOMS AND MUCH MORE IT ALSO MEANS YOUR CHAMBER IS COMING BACK TO DOWNTOWN WHERE IT BELONGS SPEAKING OF DOWNTOWN ITS TRANSFORMATION CONTINUES BASED ON OUR COMMUNITY'S VISION THE NEW DOWNTOWN APARTMENTS THAT WILL OPEN IN JUST A FEW MONTHS ARE THE FIRST MAJOR PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN NEW CONSTRUCTION DOWNTOWN IN DECADES AND THE JOHNSON COUNTY SQUARE WILL WELCOME VISITORS IN DECEMBER DOWNTOWN IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO ONCE AGAIN THRIVE WELCOMING NEW RESIDENTS NEW BUSINESSES[00:15:04]
AND ULTIMATELY NEW ATTRACTIONS IT WILL BE A GREAT DESTINATION FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AGAIN JUST AS IT SHOULD BE AS I MENTIONED PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES ARE COMING TO OLATHE AND THEY'RE COMING FOR A REASON IN THE LAST YEAR WE SAW A RECORD NUMBER OF NEW HOMES BUILT OR STARTED IN OUR COMMUNITY INCLUDING MORE THAN 600 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES 70 ATTACHED HOMES 104 NEW APARTMENT UNITS ARE WELCOMING FAMILIES AND PEOPLE YOUNG AND OLD SUPPORTING THOSE NEW FAMILIES ARE NEW JOBS AND NEW AMENITIES IN THE LAST YEAR NEARLY 1 000 JOBS WERE CREATED OR RETAINED RIGHT HERE IN OLATHE WE'VE ADDED 1.2 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF NEW COMMERCIAL SPACE RESILIENT COMPANIES LIKE GARMIN CONTINUE INVESTING HERE OTHERS SUCH AS LINEAGE AND ACCELERATE 360 ARE OPENING THEIR DOORS AND CREATING HUNDREDS OF JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY KCAS HAS BROKEN GROUND IN OUR BIOSCIENCE PARK CREATING NEW 21ST CENTURY JOBS THAT WILL PAY AN AVERAGE SALARY OF NEARLY 70 THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR AS WELL AS BRING NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR COMMUNITY OUR BUSINESSES HAVE FACED MANY CHALLENGES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN MANY OF THEM PIVOT INNOVATE AND FIND NEW PATHS FORWARD FOR SUCCESS OUR BUSINESS OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL TO ALL WE DO IN OLATHE THEY ARE CREATING JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND THEY'RE CREATING REVENUE FOR OUR GOVERNMENT IT'S THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ALLOW US TO HAVE LOW PROPERTY TAXES AND GREAT SERVICES WE LOOK AT THEM AS A PARTNER LIKE ME I SUSPECT MANY IN THIS ROOM RECEIVED A NEW SURVEY FROM BUSINESSES FROM THE CITY AND THE CHAMBER IT IS ONE MORE TOOL TO HELP BUILD ON THAT PARTNERSHIP AND FIND NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER TO BE SUCCESSFUL LIKE OUR RESIDENTS WE LISTEN TO THOSE INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE WORK TO ENSURE THAT INVESTMENT PAYS OFF NOT ONLY FOR BUSINESS BUT FOR ALL OUR TAXPAYERS TIM MCKEE AND HIS TEAM AT THE CHAMBER DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB REPRESENTING OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY THEY'RE HELPING TO BRING NEW INVESTMENT NEW JOBS AND THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO INTO OLATHE GREAT JOB CHAMBER AND TIM NOW SPEAKING OF INVESTMENT IT SEEMS A DAY HARDLY GOES BY WITHOUT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GREAT MALL PROPERTY'S FUTURE THOSE HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THE CITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN WORKING TO ANSWER FOR YEARS TODAY I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT PROPERTY AND THE UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY TO THE NORTH HAVE BEEN PURCHASED IN TOTAL 193 ACRES ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF 151ST I-35 AND HIGHWAY 169 ARE ALL OWNED BY ONE ENTITY THIS HOMETOWN AND KANSAS COMPANY IS ONCE AGAIN PROVING ITS LONG-STANDING COMMITMENT TO OLATHE IN OUR STATE CARMEN IS IN OLATHE GARMIN IS COMMITTED TO OLATHE AND GARMIN IS COMMITTED TO GROWING ITS FACILITIES AND WORKFORCE RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY JUST IMAGINE WHAT THE FUTURE WILL HOLD WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEM HERE THESE INVESTMENTS ALLOW US TO THRIVE THAT MEANS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO INVEST IN KEY TAXPAYER PRIORITIES LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION WHILE STILL MAINTAINING ONE OF THE LOWEST MILL RATES IN THE STATE OF KANSAS IN FACT OLATHE HAS THE THIRD LOWEST MILL RATE OF ANY FIRST CLASS CITY IN THE ENTIRE STATE AND OF COURSE WE WILL ALWAYS LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS WE HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE MAKING RESPONSIBLE BUT DIFFICULT FINANCIAL DECISIONS WHEN IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO BUT WE DO SO WITH AN EYE FOR THE FUTURE AND FOR OUR COMMUNITIES FISCAL STRENGTH OUR APPROACH IS ONCE AGAIN NOTED BY THE BOND RATING AGENCIES CHARGED WITH ASSESSING CITIES FINANCIAL STABILITY S P GLOBAL NOTED OLATHE AGAIN HAS VERY STRONG MANAGEMENT WHICH HAS RESULTED IN CONSISTENTLY STRONG OPERATING PERFORMANCE THEY SEE OLATHE'S FINANCIAL PRIORITIES ARE STRONG WELL EMBODIED AND LIKELY SUSTAINABLE FITCH EXPECTS OLATHE WILL MAINTAIN A SUPERIOR LEVEL OF FUNDAMENTAL FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY IN AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN AND CALLS OUR INHERENT BUDGET FLEXIBILITY SUPERIOR ONCE AGAIN OLATHE'S RESIDENTS SATISFACTION LEADS THE NATION YOU ARE CITIZENS AND OUR TAXPAYERS TELL US SO AND YOUR VOICE RISES ABOVE ALL OTHERS SATISFACTION LEVELS WITH OVERALL CITY SERVICES VALUE FOR TAX DOLLARS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE STAND HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL AVERAGES SATISFACTION WITH OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE[00:20:02]
PUBLIC SAFETY AND A PLACE TO LIVE SHOW US NEARLY EVERYONE FEELS GOOD ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW WE'RE PROUD TO SAY WE'VE EARNED THE LEADING THE WAY AWARD FROM ETC INSTITUTE IT GOES TO CITIES FOR EXCEPT EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES AND WE ARE THE FIRST TO ACCEPT IT TWO YEARS IN A ROW PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING THE MEN AND WOMEN WORKING FOR THE CITY OF OLATHE WHO MADE THAT POSSIBLE OLATHE HAS IT ALL OLATHE PUBLIC SCHOOLS LIKE THE CITY GOVERNMENT CONTINUE SETTING THE STANDARD THEY ARE PREPARING OUR CHILDREN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT DON'T YET EXIST THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE AND FORWARD-THINKING APPROACH DON'T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT JUST TAKE A LOOK AT U S NEWS AND WORLD REPORT'S LIST OF BEST HIGH SCHOOLS IT INCLUDES ALL FIVE OLATHE HIGH SCHOOLS AS THE STATE'S SECOND LARGEST DISTRICT OLATHE SCHOOL OLATHE SCHOOLS STILL PROVIDE A CARING AND INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION CREATING A FOUNDATION OF EXCELLENCE FOR OUR FUTURE LEADERS SPEAKING OF LEADERS PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING DR BRENT YEAGER OLATHE'S NEWEST SUPERINTENDENT PLEASE STAND BRETT HAS BEEN SERVING OUR KIDS FOR YEARS AND I'M PROUD AND THRILLED THAT YOU'RE NOW LEADING OUR DISTRICT ASIDE FROM OLATHE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OUR KIDS ARE GETTING EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS IN THE BLUE VALLEY SPRING HILL DE SOTO DISTRICTS AS WELL AS IN SOME FIRST-CLASS PRIVATE SCHOOLS RIGHT HERE IN OLATHE NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE RAISING CHILDREN IN OLATHE OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND FOR THEIR MOST PROMISING FUTURES FOR A BRIEF MOMENT NOW I'D LIKE US TO TAKE A LOOK BACK IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE WE LOST OUR MAYOR MIKE COPELAND ONE OF HIS LEGACIES LEFT BEHIND IS THE CATHEDRAL BUILDER AWARD MIKE USED HIS TIME ON THIS STAGE TO HIGHLIGHT THE PEOPLE WHO PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY OVER 10 YEARS HE GAVE THE AWARD TO BUSINESS LEADERS FAITH LEADERS EDUCATORS AND VOLUNTEERS WOULD SHARE THE STORY OF THREE MASONS APPROACHED BY A YOUNG BOY HE ASKED THE FIRST WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE MASON REPLIED I'M LAYING BRICKS HE ASKED THE SECOND WHO SHARED I'M BUILDING A WALL FINALLY HE ASKED THE THIRD AND WISEST OF THE GROUP WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE MASON STEPPED BACK PUT HIS ARM AROUND THE BOY AND SAID WE ARE BUILDING A CATHEDRAL FOR ALL THE WORLD TO ENJOY WE ARE ALL PART OF SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER THAN OURSELVES AND MIKE UNDERSTOOD THAT I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO LIVED UP TO THE STORY OF THE CATHEDRAL BUILDER MORE THAN MIKE DID HE BELIEVED IN OLATHE MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE HE RECOGNIZED WE AREN'T JUST LAYING BRICKS WE'RE BUILDING A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE HERE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT THE CATHEDRAL BUILDER AWARD TODAY TO THE PERSON WHO PERSONIFIED IT WHAT IT MEANS TO CARE ABOUT AND BUILD A GREAT CITY MIKE'S NOT WITH US TODAY IN THIS ROOM BUT HE'S CERTAINLY LOOKING DOWN ON US AS WE ALL KNOW MIKE'S ROCK WAS HIS FAMILY MARIA OLIVIA ABIGAIL AND JOSHUA IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE TO HAVE SOME OF THEM WITH US HERE TODAY MARIA I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW SPECIAL IT IS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THIS AWARD TO YOU TO YOU IN HONOR OF MAYOR MIKE COPELAND OLATHE'S CATHEDRAL BUILDER PLEASE JOIN ME IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO SEE UP HERE THINGS NO I'M GOOD THANK YOU JOHN AS THE FORMER FIRST LADY OF OLATHE LET ME SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT DAY IN OLATHE EVEN WHEN IT'S RAINING UM THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR PRESENTING THE CATHEDRAL BUILDER AWARD TO MIKE I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS HERE WITH US TODAY MY GRANDMA SHE LOVED MIKE MY SISTER-IN-LAW JANA AND SEVERAL THAT ARE WATCHING ONLINE SO GRATEFUL OUR DAUGHTER OLIVIA[00:25:02]
MADE IT HOME FROM K-STATE EARLY THIS MORNING TO BE HERE AND JOSHUA WHO DIDN'T MIND TAKING A DAY OFF OF SCHOOL AND I JUST GOT HOME ACTUALLY LAST NIGHT AS WELL I WAS VISITING OUR DAUGHTER ABIGAIL IN CALIFORNIA SO SHE'S WATCHING ONLINE AS WELL OUR CHILDREN GREW UP WATCHING WATCHING THEIR DAD PRACTICE HIS REMARKS FOR THIS EVENT AND MANY OTHERS SO THIS IS A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR THEM AS WELL WHEN MIKE CREATED THE CATHEDRAL BUILDER AWARD IT WAS HIS WAY TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THEIR ROLE IN LIFE AND HOW IT FULFILLS THEIR LASTING PURPOSE I KNOW HE FELT CALLED TO HIS SERVICE BUT HE ALSO RECOGNIZED IT TAKES ALL OF US TO DO OUR PART TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CITY OF OLATHE TEAM AS WELL AS ALL THE PAST AND PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBERS MIKE SERVED WITH OVER HIS 27 YEARS MIKE APPRECIATED YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO MAKING OLATHE GREAT AND WHILE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE I COULD MENTION THAT HAVE BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF MIKE'S TIME AT THE CITY OF OLATHE AND WHO'VE CARED SO MUCH FOR US I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGE MICHAEL BOOKS AS AS IRON SHARPENS IRON MIKE AND MICHAEL ULTIMATELY WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BEST OUTCOME FOR OLATHE AND FINALLY I FOUND A LIST OF PEOPLE MIKE HAD IDENTIFIED AS FUTURE RECIPIENTS OF THIS AWARD AND WHILE I KNOW HE WOULD WANT TO BE HERE TO HONOR ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY RECOGNIZE ONE PERSON TODAY KAREN HOOVEN KAREN THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFUL LOYAL SUPPORT TO MIKE AND ALL THAT YOU CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY OF OLATHE AND TO HIS SERVICE YOU WERE SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF ALL THAT WAS DONE OVER THESE MANY MANY YEARS AND WE ALL LOVE YOU AND WE KNOW IT ALL COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE THREE OF YOU TOGETHER SO ON BEHALF OF MIKE AND OUR FAMILY THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU KNOW MARIA THE THE IMPACT THAT YOUR FAMILY HAS HAD ON THIS COMMUNITY WILL LAST FOR UH FOREVER SO THANK YOU SO MUCH LADIES AND GENTLEMEN I'M PROUD TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AND REPORT ON YOUR TREMENDOUS CITY WE'RE TOGETHER AGAIN PHYSICALLY BUT WE'VE NEVER TRULY BEEN A PART OUR COMMUNITY WOULDN'T STAND FOR IT WE'RE GROWING WE'RE THRIVING WE HAVE A VISION THAT WILL CARRY US THROUGH TO TOMORROW IT KEEPS US EVER PERCHED ON THE VERY TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN MY FRIENDS WE ARE IN A TRULY SPECIAL PLACE IT'S MADE SO BY EACH OF YOU IN THIS ROOM AND THE MORE THAN 147 000 PEOPLE WHO CALL OLATHE HOME WE'VE ALL PLAYED A ROLE AND WE WILL ALL CONTINUE MOVING THIS GREAT COMMUNITY FORWARD TOGETHER LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IT'S MY HONOR TO REPORT TO YOU THAT THE STATE OF OUR CITY IS STRONG WE ARE READY FOR TOMORROW THANK YOU GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU AND GOD BLESS THE GREAT CITY OF OLATHE YOU* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.