Latest news with #KansasCityCouncil
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Repair costs grow for Waldo homeowner's failed sewer line
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One homeowner in Kansas City's Waldo neighborhood hasn't been able to live in their home comfortably for weeks. 'It's been four weeks, we haven't had a bathroom,' Audrey Thrasher shared. 'It's a complete sewer backup.'She's lived in the Waldo neighborhood since 2018. 'We don't want to move, we love this area, but when you think about the infrastructure and the burden being put on homeowners, it gets a little frustrating.' Things to do in Kansas City for Mother's Day Weekend Over the last few weeks, her time has been spent contacting a plumber, the city, and various contractors.'We opened our basement door and there was two inches of water in it. Our home is old enough that our sump pump is grandfathered into the sewer line, so when it was raining that hard, the rain water backed up into our basement,' she said after a heavy Easter weekend rain. Thrasher claims a new ordinance is putting this work, and its related costs, on her.'Prior to August 2024, the city would have taken care of this. My neighbor, one street over, got assistance from the city in August of 2023,' she shared. Thrasher says an ordinance was enacted in 2022, but wasn't enforced until August of 2024. The City of Kansas City, Missouri, shared that, 'In 2022, the Kansas City Council revised the language in Ordinances 60-348 and 60-536 to improve clarity. These updates did not change the existing policy that the property owner is responsible for the repair and maintenance of sewer service laterals. The Code Sections went through the required public notice procedures.''$20,000 to address and have our line repaired from our house and address our sump pump, on top of the $25,000 for the street repair,' Thrasher continued. Her street was paved within the last five years, and she'd be responsible for repaving a good stretch of it after the work on her sewer line is finished. She was told that estimate would be around $10,000. That hasn't been exactly accurate, however.'So now we are at 55,000.' Five former Kansas City USPS employees indicted on mail theft charges The City also says excavation of pavement less than five years old requires resurfacing to ensure long-term pavement quality. 'This policy is in place because smaller, limited repairs often fail to maintain proper backfill and compaction, leading to issues such as potholes and sinkholes. Currently, a waiver process allows the Director of Public Works to approve exceptions to this requirement. Public Works staff is reviewing policy options to reduce the resurfacing requirements for utility repairs affecting private single-family residences.''I want to know why they changed this ordinance, where is this money going, and why can't they still provide some assistance to make this more affordable and less of a burden on homeowners?' Both council offices representing District 6 are looking into Thrasher's situation. FOX4 was told City staff are set to contact Thrasher Thursday to discuss options, including the possibility of waiving fees for street repairs. If you or someone you know is experiencing something similar, you can contact KC Water at (816) 513-0187. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas City Council approves $2.5 billion budget for 2025-26
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Thursday, the Kansas City Council approved the $2.5 billion fiscal year 2025-26 city budget. City leaders note the budget prioritizes housing and community development, public safety, public health, and infrastructure improvements while strengthening the city's fund balance to maintain Kansas City's strong economic standing and credit rating. Shawnee man identified in fatal skiing accident in Colorado The budget allocates $341.4 million toward infrastructure and accessibility—a $17.5 million increase from last year, according to the city. This includes: $71 million for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA), with an additional $6.8 million from a budget amendment to support KCATA and $3 million for Vision Zero safety initiatives $2.6 million for operation and maintenance of the Streetcar and its expansion Enhanced funding for snow removal and sidewalk improvements $5 million for Blue Ridge Streetscape and Southwest Boulevard projects Lucas is also sponsoring an ordinance to ensure the maintenance of KCATA's services. During a Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee meeting earlier this week, city council members complained that the KCATA hasn't been transparent with them on what routes they're planning to cut or what their deficit was. 'This $2.5 billion budget reflects our values as a community and addresses the priorities we've heard directly from our residents. By increasing our investment in housing to over $314 million, dedicating nearly $700 million to public safety, and advancing transformative infrastructure projects, we're not just maintaining services—we're enhancing them. This budget delivers on our promises to make Kansas City more accessible, more affordable, and more equitable for everyone who calls it home,' Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news release Thursday. The city said housing remains a top priority with $314.5 million allocated to support initiatives across the city, a $13.2 million increase from the previous year. This funding will support: Emergency rental assistance programs Expanded emergency shelter services The ZeroKC initiative to end homelessness World Cup Legacy projects The Housing Trust Fund Additionally, $1 million will be direction toward implementing the city's small business strategic plan to prepare Kansas City to fully capitalize on hosting the 2026 World Cup, according to the city. Nearly $700 million will go towards public safety, an increase of over $70 million from the previous year, according to the city, with over $340 million for the Kansas City Police Department and over $320 million for the Kansas City Fire Department. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
