Charles Gregor, executive vice president of the Leaven-worth-Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce, said the area’s goals should target just “three” areas. “There are three short-term challenges and three long-term challenges. The three short-term challenges are transportation, transportation and transportation. The three long-term challenges are transportation, transportation and transportation.” He also identified priorities as a better connection with I-29 and KCI, and to promote growth in the central portion of the county.

Others saw additional needs. “It’s not only roads, but it’s also sewer, water and power,” said Bill Petrie of Commerce Bank. “When you look at development of the county, those are all going to be basic needs, whether it’s a manufacturing facility or a subdivision.”

Lynn McClure, executive director of Leavenworth County Development Corp., said economic development and infrastructure are inseparable. “Without infrastructure facilities to handle the capacity growth, we are dead in the water. The biggest hurdle I see is being able to serve and provide services for land parcels. Anyone who looks at a map of this county knows there is a great deal of this county that is undeveloped. As the continued growth in Kansas City comes our way, we need all these parcels and availabilities to handle that growth, so it’s absolutely infrastructure in my book.”

Joey Studnicka with Cushing Memorial Hospital indicated that new housing also should be affordable in order to attract young professionals. “I think I see a discrepancy in the housing. There is a lot of new housing, but it is very high-income housing.”

Chuck Peterson with Citizens National Bank further emphasized those sentiments. “Affordable housing is definitely what we’re lacking here,” he said. “It’s one of the biggest things we need in order to attract more younger people.”

A related challenge involves both housing and jobs to retain younger county residents. “We need to find a way to keep our young people here,” County Commissioner Clyde Graeber said. “This is not only a issue just for the Leavenworth area, but for the state of Kansas. We have great universities, we train these young people, but they leave because there are not jobs to keep them here. Somehow, we need to get that word out.”

Perceptions Count

Though less tangible, image may equal infrastructure in terms of Leavenworth priorities. Bob Hatch with Cereal Ingredients saw better communication as crucial. “It’s important for us to let the folks in Kansas City know that Leavenworth is out here and that it’s not that far away, that you can be competitive with any other part of the metro area.”

One of Leavenworth County’s biggest hurdles can involve recognition by other metropolitan Kansas City leaders. “You go talk to someone in Kansas City,” noted Chris Donnelly with First State Bank of Tonganoxie, “and they think we’re 300 miles away.”

Concrete issues dominated most of the priories, including a need for more commercial development. “I think that providing retail and commercial opportunities for people to spend their dollars locally is extremely important as a short-term strategy,” explained Leavenworth’s City Manager Gary Ortiz. “Long-term, we want to be full participants in the global economy and part of the metro area. It is important to build those alliances by partnerships and dialogue with our fellow citizens in the metro area.”