Conference Welcome

It is my privilege to welcome you in advance to next year’s Transforming Local Government Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, April 18-20.  The 2012 Conference is brought to you by the Alliance for Innovation, the University of Kansas School of Public Affairs & Administration, the Kansas Association of City/County Management, the Missouri City/County Management Association, and the seventeen metro area governments who have joined together to sponsor this event.  We are extremely honored to have the opportunity to showcase our great metro area.

The theme of the 2012 Conference is “Imagining Innovations of the Future”.  At a time when we all face challenges, collaborating to find solutions is what sets the Alliance and our member governments apart.  We recognize that the “end” of these challenges may have transformed into the now overused term “new normal”, but we are committed to being on the leading edge of providing innovative services and simply doing things better.  In essence, we are committed to turning the perception of government inside out by finding solutions rather than waiting for them to find us.

You’ll find much of that already happening in the Kansas City area.  Among many other initiatives here in Olathe, we have revolutionized how we provide health care.  In addition to turning rising costs into savings that are helping shore up our challenging financial situation, we’ve also changed the lives of many of our employees helping them to live longer and healthier lives.  Many of our neighboring governments are undertaking equally innovative initiatives, and we look forward to sharing them with you.  Likewise, we look forward to learning from you and your organizations as we continue this journey together.

In Kansas City, you’ll find communities like Olathe, one of the fastest growing in America over the last decade.  You will also find older cities developing solutions to maintain their unique quality of living while their populations remain stable or decline.  You will find examples of seriously challenged areas that have seen tremendous rebounds, and areas that have maintained their positions of strength.  All of this in a community characterized by caring people, who have made this a great place to live, work and play. 

Oh yeah, we also have the world’s best barbeque, great steaks and great jazz, in a city of tree lined boulevards and sparkling fountains! 

We are all looking forward to next year’s conference, and we hope you will join us in saying……”KANSAS CITY HERE I COME!!”” 

Sincerely,

J. Michael Wilkes
City Manager