Members Benefit from the KMEA Equipment Loan Program

Having recently served as town manager in Monument, Colorado, Chris Lowe has held numerous civic positions. Throughout his career in Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado, Chris Lowe has also contributed his experience to groups such as the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency (KMEA), where he served on the executive board.

With members in over 70 cities across Kansas, the KMEA provides resources to support businesses and communities in addressing energy needs with a creative approach and facilitating cost-effective services. These resources include its Equipment Loan Program.

Accessible to all of its members, the KMEA Equipment Loan Program provides equipment for troubleshooting issues in electrical systems and preventing such problems before they occur. The equipment includes two infrared cameras used to identify electrical hot spots, three power loggers to register load patterns and any distortions, and a pole tester to conduct utility pole maintenance examinations.

By offering this equipment on loan to its members, KMEA expects to limit power outages, damage to equipment, and personnel injuries. Those interested in scheduling time to borrow any of the items can reach out to Gerry Bieker at bieker@kmea.com or call 913-660-0232. Alternately, visit kmea.com for more information about the program or to become a member of the association.

Valuable Life Skills that Coaches Impart to Players

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Chris Lowe of Monument, Colorado has extensive experience in city government. A former town manager of Monument, Colorado, Chris Lowe also coaches basketball to kids in both elementary and high schools.

The rewards of coaching for those who choose to are numerous, but for children, great coaches can provide them with two valuable life skills in communication and developing a valuable relationship with peers.

At the core of any interaction between coach and player is the relationship. The rapport the coaches develop with their players is one of both guidance and trust. Because they have to work together while achieving the sport’s goal, mutual cooperation is something that students learn through coach modeling. Moreover, this relationship grows whether the player and coach are at practice or whether team players are engaging in some activity outside of just the game.

Communication is also a priceless skill passed on from the coach to players. During a game, coaches and players learn to communicate with each other in a way that facilitates a win, whether this communication involves simple plays or it involves positive and negative emotional outbursts. In the end, effective coaches can impart lessons that can be applied toward navigating social relationships and ones related to learning to communicate with the world.

Baldwin City Public Library Expansion Project Comes in under Budget

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A seasoned civic administrator, Chris Lowe most recently held responsibilities as the town manager of Monument, Colorado, where he oversaw an annual budget of $10 million. Prior to his position in Monument, Colorado, Chris Lowe served as a city administrator in Baldwin City, Kansas. His accomplishments included enabling upgrades to the municipal golf course and an expansion of the public library.

The $777,000 Baldwin City Public Library project launched in December 2013 and added 3,220 square feet to the facility. This centered on an L-shaped expansion to an existing building with a nearly 6,000-square-foot footprint. This addition includes a large meeting room that can be used by the municipal court and Baldwin City Council and a smaller meeting room ideal for executive sessions. Another aspect of the expansion was a replacement of the existing HVAC system and roofing.

With $500,000 in financing coming through a bond issue that used revenue from a quality-of-life sales tax, Friends of the Library contributed $25,000. At the 90 percent completion mark in May 2019, Mr. Lowe told the Baldwin City Signal that the project was coming in under budget, with a small amount held in contingency, “which is miraculous.”