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Council Names Cross As Mayor: Two Sworn in Monday in Gladstone

Posted on: Wednesday, 12 April 2006, 06:00 CDT

By Mike Rice, The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Apr. 12--In its annual changing of the guard, the Gladstone City Council on Monday appointed Bill Cross as its new mayor for the next year.

Cross, a councilman since 2000, had no opposition in his re-election bid last week and will serve three more years on the council.

Cross and Mark Revenaugh were both sworn in at Monday's meeting. Revenaugh replaces Councilman Joe Evans, who did not seek a second term. Like Cross, Revenaugh had no opposition in the election.

Councilman Les Smith nominated Cross for mayor, and the vote was unanimous.

"Bill, you have been through a lot this past year," Smith told Cross. "I'm so happy to see you in that chair."

Cross, a retired North Kansas City High School teacher, recently underwent successful treatment for lung and bone cancer.

"I am certainly thrilled ... to be here and to be able to serve in this capacity," Cross said.

In Gladstone, voters do not elect a mayor. At the first council meeting after the April election, the five council members, who serve at-large, chose a mayor among themselves to serve one year.

Cross also was selected mayor in 2002.

The council also selected Les Smith to serve as mayor pro-tem, who presides over council meetings in the mayor's absence.

Evans, who received a plaque for his service, said his three years on the council "quenched my thirst for volunteerism" and told the audience that he was leaving the council "in good hands."

All the council members thanked Evans for his work. His departure marks the first change in the five-member council since 2003.

Revenaugh, a vice president and trust officer for the Gold Trust Co., said this is an exciting time to be serving on the City Council.

He cited the pending construction of the community center and natatorium in Central Park and the proposed village center as examples.

"It's also important not to forget the need for having quality city services," Revenaugh said. "But I am confident that that won't be an issue."

In one of its first actions, the new council authorized the city to pursue the determination of eligibility to the State Historic Preservation Office in order to have the Atkins-Johnson Farm Home listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Having that designation would allow the city to receive state or federal tax credits that would help pay for restoration of the structure at 6508 N. Jackson St.

Gladstone bought the property last year in hopes of restoring it.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri)

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