Members of the American Advocacy Initiative asked city commission members what citizens could do to get more involved.
“I feel like we are always coming to you and telling you what everyone else wants,” Taylor Moreland, executive Director of the American Advocacy Initiative, addressed the commission during Monday evening’s regular city commission meeting. “So, we wanted to ask — What do you guys want to see? What could we or the community be doing to ease your guys’ job and help Parsons?”
“Where do we start?” Commissioner Leland Crooks quipped.
Commissioner Kevin Cruse said the American Advocacy Initiative’s online presence and promoting neighborhood association and ward meetings will make a difference.
“I think that really helps a lot,” Cruse said. “As far as what Commissioner Crook says, “Where do we start?” Baby steps, and this — what you guys are doing— Those are the baby steps I think we need to not only get people involved, but get those ideas out there.”
Cruse said the advocacy work to reach each ward is a good start.
“The neighborhood associations, if you can get people involved in those,” Crooks said. “That gets them involved in their neighborhood, and then that gets them involved a little bigger in the community, and it just kind of grows by itself.”
Crooks then encouraged citizens to get together with their neighbors, host block parties, participate in neighborhood associations, and engage in discussions.
Commissioners then asked Moreland about the ward meetings. Moreland said the first meeting was pretty good, but attendance has been spotty.
Ward meetings currently take place on the third Thursday of the month, at 6 p.m. at the Parsons Public Library.
In other business, City Manager Jeff Cantrell noted that a zoning hydrogen case with Power Flame has been tabled for six months for further studies, and to ensure there would be no adverse impact on the hospital’s operations. The business is planning to use hydrogen in a research and development project and is seeking a special use permit.
Cantrell also noted that health insurance quotes from Blue Cross Blue Shield have increased by 25%. Cantrell said this was due to the high cost of biologic pharmaceuticals that are covered.
See CITIZENS, Page 3.
“The next question becomes: do you pass this on 100% to employees? I’d recommend that you don’t.”
Cantrell said that at the same time, there has to be a funding mechanism to pay for this increase, and future increases in rates.
“It’s one of those fixed costs that you have to have in an organization such as ours,” Cantrell said.
To learn more about Parsons Neighborhood Association Meetings, or the American Advocacy Initiative, call or text 682-398-4041, visit the American Advocacy Initiative page on Facebook, or join the AAI Neighborhood Association Group on Facebook.
The next Parsons City Commission Meeting will take place on Monday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. in the City Commission Room at City Hall, 112 S. 17th St., Parsons.
