Theodis WatsonI am extremely optimistic about my new role as president of the Southtown Council. When the community voted me into this position, not only was I honored but I felt a sense of responsibility to serve. I have lived, worked, and patronized businesses in the area for more than 25 years and look forward to the bright future of Southtown.
During my tenure, I plan to accomplish three goals: 1) Finalize the process for the Community Improvement District, 2) Obtain more engagement within our small businesses in Southtown; and 3) Create opportunities to partner with area business and neighborhood associations to leverage resources that could assist with the development of our community.
The Troost CID will be an opportunity that will potentially generate more than $200,000 to be reinvested in our community. This initiative is instrumental to making this area a cleaner, safer and more vibrant place to live, work, and shop. Southtown Council is also dedicated to the growth of small businesses. In 2010, Kansas City was ranked 26th in the country among the 938 metropolitan areas for small businesses and many of them operate within our surrounding areas. As a business association, we must continue to utilize our ingenuity and provide opportunities to showcase as well as educate our business owners.
Lastly, the local areas such as Brookside and Waldo have done anexcellent job of creating a super community environment utilizing their CID resources, and we will look to their leadership, in order to become successful with our new endeavor. I am honored and committed to serve this community in full capacity but also look for other influences that could assist with our efforts. Southtown is a great place with an extremely talented team that manages the day-to-day activities. There is more to be done and I encourage individuals, business owners, and educators to join us on this ride to empower those around us.
As your local Branch Manager with Commerce Bank at the Blue Hills location and President of the Southtown Council, I am privileged to represent this community. I encourage those who have similar ideas and visions of economic development to get involved with this remarkable organization. Let’s continue to make Southtown, Brookside, and Waldo a great place to live, work and shop.