Dean Katerndahl, current Parkville Planning Commission chair, announced Tuesday, Nov. 2 his intention to run for mayor of Parkville in April 2022.
In a press release, Katerndahl said his campaign will focus on his experience, integrity and intention to implement, and continuously revisit, the vision for the city as reflected in the Parkville Master Plan , the Parkville Park Plan and the governing body’s Strategic Goals and Priorities.
He said he believes he can use his experience to help Parkville and its residents continue to grow while maintaining its neighborliness and appeal.
“We have a jewel of a small community, rich in history and personality, adjacent to all the amenities of a large metropolitan area,” Katerndahl said. “Parkville is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. We need to work together as a community continuing to develop our infrastructure and to foster local development in such a way as to maintain that small town charm while making sure we are meeting the needs of all our citizens.”
Katerndahl is retired after working for 18 years as the government innovations forum director for the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), a nine-county association of local governments dedicated to improving service and efficiency in local government operations. In that position he worked with local government city managers, planning directors and other staff on joint projects spanning multiple communities and states.
Prior to his work at MARC, Katerndahl was director of development for the city of Kansas City, Kan., and was responsible for economic development, planning, community development, code enforcement and building inspection.
Katerndahl has served on the Parkville Planning Commission for more than 14 years, working with a number of Parkville’s mayors and city staff, and has been chair of the commission for the last 12 years. Most recently the Planning Commission completed and adopted a master plan for the city informed by extensive resident input.