KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Christal Watson launched her first "Christal Clear Conversations" town hall Tuesday afternoon, kicking off a community engagement series aimed at increasing transparency and collaborative problem solving between the Unified Government and Wyandotte County residents.
The event was held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the KCK Town House Tenant Association, located at 1021 N. Seventh St. in Kansas City, Kansas.
Most attendees were residents with questions and issues about senior services, transportation and safety.
Watson and her staff shared resources and took questions, and several residents offered their own solutions.
Turner resident Connee Hays was among those who attended.
"I think it's a wonderful opportunity," Hays said.
Hays had a question of her own related to her neighborhood she didn't get to share verbally, but gave to Watson's staff.
Hays says a top priority of hers is seeing the county's property tax issue addressed.
Each 90-minute session in the series will be held across the eight Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, commission districts, and will include participation from each district's commissioner and the at-large commissioners.
Commissioner Evelyn Hill attended Tuesday’s meeting.
Watson said the solutions to community problems don't always come from her office.
Several issues brought up Tuesday related to building concerns that property management spoke to during the meeting.
"Solutions are not always in the mayor's office or within our local municipality,” Watson said. “The solutions, like I shared tonight, are right in front of us.”
Watson described the broader vision behind the initiative.
"Strong communities are built when people feel seen, heard and understood,” Watson said in a press release ahead of the event. “'Christal Clear Conversations' are about bringing government closer to the people, creating a space where residents can openly share what's working in their neighborhoods, what challenges they face, and how we move forward together. These conversations will help guide our priorities and ensure that the voices of our community remain at the center of the decisions we make.”
Residents also asked how Watson's office plans to track its progress. Watson said follow-up and feedback are priorities.
"What I want to do differently is make sure they get the feedback,” Watson said. “Make sure that there's good follow-up so they know those concerns were addressed. Even if we were able to fix those issues or get them addressed, we can at least tell them that.”
Her office plans to track progress by sharing a list of issues and their subsequent solutions.
Watson says she wants to hold the town halls once a quarter, with each one tailored to specific neighborhoods across Wyandotte County.
A complete list of meeting dates, times and locations for all districts will be posted on the Unified Government website by Friday.
Residents can find more information about the town hall series by visiting the Unified Government website or by calling the Mayor's Office at 913-573-5010.
Watson says residents can also submit questions ahead of time to her office at the number above.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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