RESOLUTION NO. 250935
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Sponsor: Councilmember Johnathan Duncan
RESOLUTION - Honoring Debra Smith on her retirement after 21 years 9 months of dedicated service to the City of Kansas City, Missouri.
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WHEREAS, Debra (“Deb”) joined the City of Kansas City, Missouri on January 27, 2004, with City Planning and Development Department as Division Manager of Planning, Preservation and Urban Design; and
WHEREAS, Deb joined KC Water in August 2008 and has served as the Department’s Architect; and
WHEREAS, Deb worked on a variety of exciting projects as a project manager at the Water Services Department, including the KC Water Quality Control Lab building addition and renovation, currently under construction, located at the Water Treatment Plant, taking it from assisting in the selection of design and construction manager teams through design and the first 5 months of construction; the start of the design process of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Building project; design and construction phase for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance and Building Improvements at the KC Water Administration Building; and the roof replacement of about 5 dozen Water facilities, approximately 1/2 of the Department’s buildings; and
WHEREAS, Deb’s professional recognition includes various roles in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) at the National, State and Local level and with Kansas City’s Bridging the Gap organization; and
WHEREAS, Deb’s post-retirement plans include gardening, doing a variety of projects around her 109-year-old Brookside home, adopting a rescue dog, training it to be a Certified Therapy Dog, and resuming doing pet therapy, making stained glass panels, taking a European River Cruise in 2026 and traveling around the US to visit friends, family and National Parks; and
WHEREAS, November 1, 2025, will mark the last day of Deb’s career with the City of Kansas City, Missouri; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
That the Mayor and Council hereby honor Debra Smith on her retirement after 21 years 9 months of dedicated service to the City of Kansas City, Missouri; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy hereof be presented to Debra Smith in token of the Mayor and Council's respect and high regard and their best wishes for a long and happy retirement which she so richly deserves.
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