Plan now to attend the January 7, 2004 Quarterly Investor Lunch when R-7 Superintendent Tony Stansberry is our featured speaker.  Tony will bring us up-to-date on the state funding crisis and the district’s plans to submit a bond and levy issue to the voters in April.

Jim Devine will review the recently completed Eastern Jackson County Wage and Benefit Survey. Thirty-eight companies employing over 11,000 people participated. Some interesting trends appear.

The luncheon begins at 11:45 at the Summit Inn and Suites.  Cost is $15 for LSEDC investors and $25 for non-members.   Please RSVP to Teresa at 816-525-6617 or tdevans@leessummit.org by December 30, 2003.

Your LSEDC has cooperated in an updating of the Eastern Jackson County Area Wage and Fringe Benefits Survey sponsored by the Jackson County Department of Economic Development.  Copies of the survey will be distributed at our January 7 Quarterly Investor Lunch, and it will be online at www.leessummit.org on January 10, 2004.

The LSEDC’s public awareness postcard campaign has been completed.  Six postcards featuring different “Surprising” aspects of Lee’s Summit were mailed to several hundred area business, civic and governmental VIPs.  The purpose of the campaign was to raise the awareness of Lee’s Summit as a positive place to build or grow a business.  Currently, there is a survey online at www.leessummit.org asking recipients of the cards to state their opinion of the campaign.  If you received the postcard, you’re invited to participate. The survey will close on December 16.  Those who participate will be offered complimentary use of a meeting room at Longview Mansion.

enjoyed since first employing incentives in 1988.  In one area alone--the state’s 353 Tax Abatement Program--the city has abated a total of $4.1 million in taxes for five area companies since 1991.  The return has been $42.9 million…a ten-fold ROI!  Other economic incentives offered by the city include Tax Increment Financing, Community Development Block Grants, Sales Tax Reimbursements and Chapter 100 Bonds.  The city and LSEDC agree that incentives do not need to be employed in all cases, but that they can be valuable tools in attracting and retaining new companies when the circumstances warrant.  Plus, the city has been an exceptional steward in knowing how to assure that the return on these incentives is worth the investment.

Each of the panelists provided extensive background materials so if you missed the meeting please contact us at the LSEDC office and we will be happy to share our copies. 

We’re pleased to welcome Spencer Thomson of Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin,  Phillip Bartolotta of Fogel Anderson Construction Company, Jerry Campbell of Glascow Edwards Campbell, Mitch Hoefer of Hoefer Wysocki Architects, Keith Asel of Horizon National Bank, Robert Kendrick of Insurance & Benefits Group, Lon Lowenstein of L & K Realty Co., and Rich Herbst of Toys ‘R’ Us.

Welcome to Debra Lunn!  Debra joined the LSEDC staff as Office Assistant effective November 3.  She comes to us with over 12 years of executive administrative experience.   We are excited to have Debra join our team.  If you were able to attend the November 5 special Board of Directors meeting, you may have had opportunity to meet Debra.  If not, please stop by our offices and introduce yourself.

It was great seeing many of you at our holiday reception.  To all of our valued LSEDC investors and friends we wish you a safe holiday season and a prosperous new year.

P.S.: Mark your calendar for lunch on April 7, 2004 for our Quarterly Investor Meeting at the Summit Technology Campus on Chipman Road. Our guest speaker will be Bob Ady, formerly President of PHH Fantus Group, the nation’s oldest and largest site selection firm. Bob has located more firms around the world than any other single person. Jim Devine had the pleasure of presenting him the International Economic Development Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award in September in Cincinnati Ohio. Bob has been a high profile site selection consultant featured frequently in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Week, etc.