[Transcript of, "City of Lenexa: A Look Back at 2020", produced by City of Lenexa Communications Department] [GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION]: Grid collage of photos from 2020 in the City of Lenexa, Kansas. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION]: A Look Back at 2020. MAYOR MICHAEL BOEHM: I’m very proud about how our staff adapted to the pandemic and the new circumstances. We don’t get to go home, we are deemed essential services across the board, whether that’s police and fire, our parks service, the legal, communications, planning and development, administration. All departments, continue to do their job, just in a new way. MIKE: The City of Lenexa is committed to providing exceptional government services, even during challenging times. JEFF: Making sure our parks are clean for those who visit them. SUSANNE: Creating new ways for Lenexans to enjoy our city. CARMEN: Changing operations to welcome people to the Public Market and the outdoor Farmers Market. NICOLE: Conducting court hearings virtually. TIM: Keeping up with thriving new development. JEFF: Making sure our parks are clean for those who visit them. ERIKA: Offering at-home workouts to keep you active. CHIP: Improving city streets, traffic signals and street lights ANDREW: Teaching fire safety in a different way. ANDREA: Keeping you informed. OFFICER GAINES: All while protecting our community. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC TITLE DESCRIPTION]: Leading the Way. DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TODD PELHAM: Lenexa’s employees are dedicated to excellence. We were proud to win a Leading the Way award in recognition of outstanding achievement in the delivery of service to residents. Lenexa was one of only 16 communities across the nation to receive the award in its inaugural year. These cities ranked in the top ten percent of local governments in three core areas assessed on ETC Institute’s Direction Finder citizen survey. Lenexa’s professional staff and governing body strive each day to create a first-rate community to live, work and spend time. MAYOR MICHAEL BOEHM: I’m very proud of the way the Lenexa city council came together this year. We had two new members, who essentially had 90 days worth of experience, no previous government experience, brought into the fold before the pandemic hit and things changed. It’s been difficult building those relationships that are so important — I think we’ve done a fabulous job — everyone’s been very accepting and we’re all still focused on what’s right for Lenexa. Everyone has pitched in, supported staff, when we needed to make changes, the governing body was there to approve those changes, and lend support and maintain communications with the residents . Our emails and our phones are still active. And we continue to respond to residents’ needs and requests. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC TITLE DESCRIPTION]: Recreation. PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR LOGAN WAGLER : Taking care of ourselves physically and mentally had new meaning and urgency during the pandemic. Lenexans made great use of our Parks & Recreation services, and we saw record participation in leagues like youth soccer and basketball. With thoughtful safety precautions in place, we were able to operate the Lenexa Rec Center, Farmers Market and an outdoor pool, to meet the community’s fitness, wellness and recreation needs. We were glad to see residents rediscover our outdoor spaces and embrace our extensive park and trail system in extraordinary numbers. New amenities and programs like the sport courts at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park and Bois d’Arc Park, along with our bike share partnership with RideKC Bike, provided even more opportunities to explore and enjoy Lenexa. As Lenexa’s new Parks and Recreation Director, I hope to sustain and approve upon the high quality of life that makes this community so great. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC TITLE DESCRIPTION]: Enviornment. CITY MANAGER BECCY YOCHAM : Protecting our City’s natural spaces and resources is a priority. Lenexa accepted Climate KC’s Climate Action Playbook in 2020. The playbook will serve as a guiding document from which the city can draw sustainable practices, procedures and policies that will further our mission of creating a more resilient community. Lenexa has long been a leader in local environmental initiatives. By the end of 2020, we replaced 98% of the City’s streetlights with energy-efficient LED fixtures. We signed on to Evergy’s renewables direct program, which will allow the city to purchase renewable energy for city facilities. We helped keep waste out of landfills by offering Dumpster Days recycling events and negotiating discounts for residential curbside composting. And we protected our natural habitats and water quality with thousands of native plants grown in City greenhouses. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC TITLE DESCRIPTION]: Development. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR SCOTT MCCULLOUGH: Consistent growth ensures we stay a vibrant city poised for long-term success. Lenexa’s development hit historic highs in 2020, with total permitted construction surpassing $450 million – the second highest in the City’s history. We reached all-time records for both residential and commercial development. We also saw unique requests for development, as businesses reacted to the shifting economic demands of the pandemic. Staff worked with private businesses to efficiently help them expand to manufacture testing supplies, conduct clinical trials, manage increased demand on logistics and expand outdoor dining areas. New infrastructure like the extension of Ridgeview Road north of K-10 is critical to attracting new high-quality development to the City. Completed last spring, it’s already attracted multiple development applications for an area once considered undevelopable, due to subsurface mining. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC TITLE DESCRIPTION]: Reinvestment. MUNICIPAL SERVICES DIRECTOR NICK ARENA: To keep our City thriving, it’s also important to keep the assets we already have in top shape. The city is committed to continue annual investment in this critical area. We resurfaced streets in neighborhoods and key roads like College and Renner Boulevards. We completed repairs to our sidewalk system in two neighborhoods and will continue to invest in our sidewalks annually by filling in critical gaps and making targeted repairs. Two major bridges were repainted and we worked on several neighborhood stormwater projects to prevent flooding and drainage issues. The Santa Fe Trail Drive and 95th Street project fulfilled several reinvestment needs at a key intersection. These updates improved safety, accessibility and convenience at the gateway to historic Old Town Lenexa. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC TITLE DESCRIPTION]: Public Safety — Lenexa Fire Department. FIRE CHIEF TRAVIS VAUGHN: While keeping our residents and their property safe, the Lenexa Fire Department sought new ways to respond quickly to emergencies. We tested the outcomes of having a fire station in northeast Lenexa and continue to evaluate the data from this temporary operation. New audiovisual technology will help us train more effectively, and new digital dashboards created in-house will improve situational awareness and data accessibility in each fire station. To continue making physical and mental health a priority, we have installed equipment and piloted new programs to protect the health and wellness of our employees. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC TITLE DESCRIPTION]: Public Safety — Lenexa Police Department. CHIEF OF POLICE DAWN LAYMAN: Maintaining a high-quality workforce is key for our public safety departments. The Lenexa Police Department welcomed its largest-ever recruiting class and retired Chief Hongslo became the third in our department’s history to win the prestigious Clarence Kelley award from the metropolitan crime commission. As part of a national conversation about policing practices, we worked hard to discuss our department’s high standards with the community. We’re committed to enhancing these strong community partnerships. As Lenexa’s new police chief, I am honored to lead our agency into the future and continue to work alongside some of the most dedicated and professional men and women in law enforcement. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC TITLE DESCRIPTION]: Looking forward. MAYOR MICHAEL BOEHM: During 2020, we paused on a couple of projects in the city — capital projects in the city. Police station, new court facility, out on Prairie Star Parkway being one of them. Old Town Community Center, reactivation, renovation, expansion, all of the above, potentially. Those are things we need but they didn’t have to be this minute. So we paused. I think with the vaccine now with us, hopefully our communities, our residents, our nation, will accept that vaccine, and we will be able to put the pandemic behind us during 2021. I look forward to getting those underway and being able to celebrate the completion of those in the next few years. ANGEL: We're so excited to come together later this year to enjoy the many events and activities that make Lenexa a wonderful place to live and work. MANDY: Seeing you at Chili Challenge in Old Town. AMANDA: Hosting live music and parties on the patio with our merchants. JENNIFER: Welcoming students to Learning about Lenexa. NICOLE: Conducting court hearings virtually. GLORIA: Hearing your voice at a public meeting. APRIL: Talking with you about career opportunities at a job fair. BETTIE: Connecting with friends at the senior center. MATT: Touring fires stations in person. DANNY: Meeting you at coffee with a cop. MAGGIE:Hosting birthday parties at the Lenexa Rec Center. [ANIMATED GRAPHIC TITLE DESCRIPTION]: City of festivals. City of service. City of vision. City of excellence. [City of Lenexa logo] [End of transcript]