Author Archives: Kristen Leathers-Gratton

President’s Corner: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going

Posted on Wednesday, February 9th, 2022 by
In Firm News, tagged in
affinis 21st birthday

This year, Affinis turns 21, and in commemoration, we’re launching a year-long campaign that celebrates our clients, co-workers, and colleagues. But, before we begin celebrating our 21st Birthday with you, we wanted to take a look back at 2021. We’re proud of what we accomplished and know we couldn’t have done it without the continued […]

An Inside Look at the KC Chamber’s Centurions Program: reStart

Posted on Wednesday, June 16th, 2021 by
In Firm News, tagged in
reStart Centurions Kansas City

I’ve been participating in the KC Chamber’s Centurions Leadership Program since September 2020. In November, taskforce events were paused due to COVID and the inability to meet in-person. However, we continued the work with our committees. Our taskforce efforts resumed with virtual events in May with the potential for in-person, small group gatherings. Though the Chamber […]

An Inside Look at the KC Chamber’s Centurions Program: Initial Thoughts and Impressions

Posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 by
In Firm News, tagged in
kcchamber centurions leadership program

In late August, the KC Chamber kicked-off the Centurions Leadership Program. I was selected to participate in the Fall 2020 class. Over the course of the next two years, I’ll be periodically sharing updates on my experience. You can expect to see key takeaways and lessons learned from this beneficial program in our new blog […]

A Letter to Clients: Public Infrastructure, COVID-19, and Affinis

Posted on Friday, March 27th, 2020 by
In Firm News, tagged in

By and large, our clients are public servants. They work for local, state, and federal governments and make tough decisions year-round to best spend taxpayer dollars and protect the health and safety of our communities. We know those skills have been needed over the last few weeks, as our communities responded to COVID-19, and they […]

Client Interview: Merriam, Kansas

Posted on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018 by
In Our Clients, tagged in Tags:
client interview city of merriam ks

We recently sat down with Chris Engel, the City Administrator of Merriam, Kansas, to discuss how his community is moving forward. In the interview below, you’ll find his insight on infrastructure maintenance, funding, and how the city expects to change over the next decade. What are some of the changes you’ve seen in regards to […]

Stormwater Solution: Nyloplast

Posted on Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018 by
In Stormwater, tagged in
nyloplast stormwater solution

When it comes to creating stormwater solutions, one size doesn’t fit all. While traditional offerings deliver a number of benefits, a less commonly used option, Nyloplast, provides its own set of advantages. Designed for low flow, this plastic, storm drainage system has a traditional structure, which is durable and corrosion resistant. It’s smaller pipe size […]

Communicating with Your Community

Posted on Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 by
In Project Strategies, tagged in
communicating with the community public engagement

Last month at the Transportation Engineers Association of Missouri conference, I shared five questions every entity should ask before creating a public engagement strategy. Below, you’ll find details on each one. Why? It’s important to start by considering why you’re communicating with the public. It will influence the content you’re sharing and the way it […]

Prairie Village Promotes Walkability with Road Diet

Posted on Wednesday, October 4th, 2017 by
In Roadway, tagged in Tags: , ,

The community along Mission Road between 71st and 75th Street is often recognized for its walkability. With shops, schools, restaurants, and parks nearby, it is a highly sought-after neighborhood for homeowners. As traffic continued to increase along this stretch, pedestrian safety became a concern for the City of Prairie Village, Kansas with so many walking or […]

Intersection Study Establishes Design for 159th St. Improvements from Metcalf to Nall

Posted on Wednesday, February 15th, 2017 by
In Roadway, Traffic, tagged in
Finished 159th Street Intersection

There were a number of key questions surrounding the improvements to 159th Street between Metcalf and Nall Ave. We worked with the City of Overland Park to determine the thoroughfare size and the best way to manage school traffic around Blue Valley High School (BVHS). To learn more about why the study was conducted and […]