City Clean Up Day 

Comprehensive Plan 

In general, a comprehensive plan is the community’s vision, illustrating how we want to grow and develop – today and in the future. The main objectives of the comprehensive plan are to establish a shared vision for the community and set priorities. Public input and involvement are vital to creating this community consensus.

Community leaders should look to the comprehensive plan for direction on land use, transportation, housing, parks, trails, open space, and community economic issues, all guided by public input. The comprehensive plan influences policies that have a direct bearing on the quality of life in the community. Utilizing the comprehensive plan as a guide can help ensure that decisions made now are helping the community move towards its established goals.

MAYOR OF THE YEAR

Earlier this spring, city officials from across Kansas gathered in Topeka for the 2011 Governing Body Institute and Mayors Conference. As part of the conference, the Kansas Mayors Association presented Edwardsville Mayor John “Tiny” McTaggart with the 2011 Mayor of the Year Award. The League of Kansas Municipalities (LKM) is pleased to recognize Mayor McTaggart at the 2011 LKM Annual Awards Luncheon on October 10, 2011.

Abraham Lincoln wisely stated that one should not “worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” Mayor John McTaggart not only has offered a career of public service worth recognizing, but he has done so in a way that rightly earned recognition by his peers as the 2011 Mayor of the Year.

Mayor McTaggart is serving as Mayor of Edwardsville for the second time. He first began serving the City in 1991 after being elected to the council, and he became mayor in 1993. After his first tenure as mayor ended in 1997, he again ran for and won the mayoral election in 2009. In addition to his service on the Edwardsville City Council, Mayor McTaggart was elected as the District 7 Commissioner representing the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas in 1997. Mayor McTaggart has also served his community on the library board, park and recreation board, museum board, and the council of mayors. Mayor McTaggart is also serving his second stint as a member of the LKM Governing Body.

Public service in Edwardsville has been a natural fit for Mayor McTaggart. He noted that, “[a]s a local business owner, my interest in how city government worked and the knowledge that I might have something to offer [influenced my desire to run for office].” McTaggart also expressed that his highest goal in service is to act with integrity while serving the public interest and trust. He noted the importance of making “sound decisions based on the priorities and needs of the city.” It is those characteristic that reflect the purpose of the Mayor of the Year award, and it is those characteristics that serve as the reason Mayor McTaggart’s fellow mayors chose to honor him for his public service.

Mayor McTaggart summarized his thoughts on being recognized—and his thoughts on service—with the following: “As elected officials, we are called to be community trustees and servants of the public welfare. It is for this calling that we set aside our personal feelings to make sound decisions as to what is in the best interest for our communities and our citizens.” LKM is proud to partner with the Kansas Mayors Association to recognize Mayor John McTaggart for going above the call of duty to provide exceptional community leadership. 
 

Code of Ordinances

 The City of Edwardsville is happy to announce that you may view an entire listing of the city’s Code of Ordinaces. This will allow you to view the information about the laws that govern our city municipality 24 hours a day. You may access the listing by clicking on Code of Ordinances located at the top of this page.  You may also locate it to left in the navigation box of this page. Hope you enjoy the convenient access to the Codes right at your own fingertips.

ECKAN Weatherization

ECKAN sponsors a weatherization program for the elderly, handicapped and low to moderate income residents, helping you save money on utility costs.  The help is at no cost to you if you own or rent your home and qualify under program guidelines, including income guidelines are shown below.  Services that may be included in Weatherization are shown below.

Weatherization service may include:
Cleaning/Tuning-up furnaces or replacement if necessary
Sealing Leaks in heating systems
Repairing broken glass in windows
Sealing holes in outside walls/ceilings for insulation
Insulating attic areas
Insulating exterior walls

Income Guidelines

Contact information
Gabrielle Carrassquilla
1542 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66102

Phone: 785-893-1544
Fax: 913-271-0457
gabrielle@eckan.org
www.eckan.org

Come see the fastest growing corridor in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

With about 4,650 residents, Edwardsville is quietly becoming a business success not only for Western Wyandotte County, but the entire Kansas City metropolitan area.

Located south of the Kansas Speedway, Edwardsville is among the area’s most prosperous communities, featuring an excellent balance of developments and strong but manageable growth. Edwardsville also benefits from excellent schools and public services. Its best feature-at least according to most residents-is its continued image of a rural, small-town atmosphere accessible to the resources offered by a larger metropolitan region. 

Edwardsville is located in the western portion of metropolitan Kansas City. It is bounded on the west by Bonner Springs and on the east by Kansas City, Kansas. Edwardsville is strategically situated with adjacent highway access to both I-70 and I-435. In terms of advantages for current businesses and residents, as well as growth potential, this strategic location plays a major role. Edwardsville currently supports a population of approximately 4,650.

Since August 2000, this community has seen more than $72 million in new business, including creation of more than 1,000 new jobs. Extensive, open land and Edwardsville’s strategic location have brought an influx of industrial companies as well as other development. 

Part of this success is due to a two-part strategy by the community that exploits the city’s natural assets. Besides the “location, location, location” advantage, the city also adds smart development requirements that promote an efficiency not found in larger cities. 

With industrial development in the naturally flat Kansas River Valley on its southern quadrant, Edwardsville is home to more than two-dozen large businesses. These companies continue to exhibit a strong and diverse economic presence, providing stability for the entire community.

Economic development activities are a high priority and are conducted in tandem with Wyandotte Economic Development Council (formerly WDI). Extensive property, including prime vacant ground, remains in Edwardsville and is available for future development. 

Edwardsville has a wide variety of housing options to choose from for singles, families, and senior citizens. Residential growth has been steady, with an emphasis on rural development that features large lots and acreage. Numerous housing additions have started in recent years, however. Edwardsville, also lists three apartment facilities and three homes geared to older adults or long-term care.  Edwardsville also has the large mobile home community in Kansas available. Extensive open ground remains for future growth. 

The Bonner Springs/Edwardsville School District USD 204 provides education in the area. The district provides quality education throughout the area, including at the Edwardsville Elementary School. Older students attend the Robert E. Clark Middle School and Bonner Springs High School, both in nearby Bonner Springs.

Local adults are well educated. More than 81 percent of the residents have a high school degree or greater education. Another 12.8 percent have bachelor’s degrees and 3.7 percent have graduate or professional training. Local unemployment is among the lowest in the country. 

The spiritual community is important here. With a population of less than 5,000, Edwardsville still boasts six churches within its twelve square miles. A number of service organizations also make their home here and contribute to the fabric of the community with volunteers and numerous programs.

Edwardsville has a dynamic Park and Recreation Advisory Board, which oversees the city’s park facilities. These amenities include two ball diamonds, playground area, shelter house, sand volleyball court, and three soccer fields. This facility serves adult softball in the spring and fall, youth soccer in the spring and a fall and a summer baseball program for area youth.

One of the most attractive features of Edwardsville is its combination of small town flavor near major attractions such as the thriving Village West retail area. Edwardsville’s community flavor is evident in activities such as the popular September Autumnfest and parade. Crafts festival, children’s games and an evening of bingo complete the day.

(As showcased in Ingram's Magazine)

For more information about Edwardsville:

• John McTaggart, Mayor at jmctaggartmayor@aol.com 913.441.3707 Fax 913.441.3805
• Phyllis Freeman, City Clerk at pfreeman@edwardsvilleks.org. 913.441.3707 Fax 913.441.3805

For more information, call the Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Chamber of Commerce at 913-422-5044.

 or Wyandotte Economic Council at 913.371.3198