KANSAS CITY, Kan. - This is a piece I've been wanting to write for awhile now, with Joe's name appearing as a possible candidate for the KS-03 race I figured there is no better time to do so.
Before I start I want to make it clear that I do not know if Joe will jump into the race or not, I have no 'inside' information on this and think that this is a big decision for him to make with his family. With that being said if Joe is to jump into the race I am completely behind him and I think he would be great. I've wanted to write this because I feel that Kansas City, KS/ Wyandotte County often are left to handle themselves both by state politics and the state party. Candidates in KCK often run their own campaigns and don't get much support from outside the city. Over the past 7 years KCK has had a rockstar candidate, Joe Reardon.
Joe Reardon is the 27th Mayor of the City of Kansas City, Kansas. He was elected to his second term as Mayor/CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas on April 7, 2009. Joe was born in 1968 to a stay home mom, Helen, and father, former KCK Mayor Jack Reardon, he was taught at an early age the values of working hard and respecting people.
Joe grew up in the St. Peter's Cathedral neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas. He loved the area so much that he continues to reside in the same neighborhood with his wife, Amy, and two young sons Jack and Connor.
A graduate of Bishop Ward High School, Joe is a family man with deep roots in Kansas City, Kansas. He is what some call, a true "Dotte" to the core. His love for people and overwhelming desire to enhance the quality of life for residents in his community, led him on a journey into the political arena. He quickly rose to the most influential seat in politics just two years after being elected to the Unified Government Board of Commission in 2003.
This was no surprise to those who knew his family background. Joe's grandfather was a Wyandotte County Commissioner. Joe's father, John E. (Jack) Reardon, was elected Mayor in 1975. At age 31, He was the youngest in the history of Kansas City, Kansas to be elected Mayor and the first to serve under the new Mayor-Council-City Manager form of government. Before running for the mayoral seat, his father served as Register of Deeds for Wyandotte County.
In 1997, Wyandotte County voters overwhelmingly approved consolidation of the Kansas City, Kansas and Wyandotte County governments. This action created the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas. At the age of 35, Joe was elected to a four-year term in 2005 and continued his father's political legacy by becoming only the second elected official to serve as Mayor/CEO under the new Unified Government. He was elected as President of the League of Kansas Municipalities (LKM) from 2007-2008. His election marks the first time in the organization's history that a father and son have served as president. Jack Reardon served as President of LKM from 1978-1979.
I've know Joe for many years. Our families are fairly close, and he lives across the street from my parents home in KCK. In all the years I've known Joe there is no better neighbor to have or candidate to work with. Joe is in politics to make a change, to work for the people and improve our communities. Joe is one of the hardest working people I know, and no matter how busy he is he always makes time to stop and talk for a bit.
During his term as Mayor/CEO, he has brought government closer to the residents of Wyandotte County through his First Floor First Friday's event. The event allows citizens the opportunity to meet with Mayor face-to-face and one-on-one to discuss issues and concerns that are of importance to them as taxpayers. He has worked diligently to bring a 10 member Board of Commission and UG staff together to embrace his theme of commitment and promise.
During his term as Mayor, groundbreaking ceremonies have become a common event in Wyandotte and Kansas City, Kansas. The city has built its first grocery store in 30 years. The 42,000 sq. ft grocery store is the largest tenant in the $20 million Prescott Plaza Shopping Center that will host additional retail stores, restaurants, and upscale hotel. A neighborhood grocery also opened on Leavenworth Road in late 2008. Western Wyandotte County continues to expand with the "Plaza at the Speedway" project and the Schlitterbahn Vacation Resort and Water Park, which opened during the summer of 2009.
Reardon is taking the momentum of progress and moving forward in new ways. He is also working to revitalize downtown Kansas City, Kansas. Currently the Children's Campus on the corner of 5th and Minnesota Ave is being constructed. The Children's Campus is a place where children can receive high quality early education and young families can have easy access to comprehensive services to address their needs. Projects also included capital improvements to 5th Street in the historic Strawberry Hill neighborhood. Joe's leadership was critical to leading focus groups, developing procedures, and guidelines during the lengthy selection process to bring destination casino gaming to Wyandotte County. He worked diligently to get it through the Kansas Legislature. Currently Joe is working to bring the Cerner Medical campus and Wizard Stadium to western Wyandotte County which would create close to 9,000 new jobs.
Joe's dedication to his community and constituents is unparalleled. If Joe does decide to run for the KS-03 seat I will be right there working my butt off to get him elected. Joe is incredibly qualified and the only candidate, in my opinion, that could fill the shoes left by Dennis Moore.
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