New program helps ‘even up the gender representation’ in Lee’s Summit

A new project is seeking to give women a greater voice when it comes to the future of Lee’s Summit. The city is working with the chamber of commerce and United WE, a women’s empowerment organization, to even up the gender representation on boards and commissions.

“Boards should be reflective of the demographics of our community,” said Bill Baird, mayor of Lee’s Summit.

Baird said that many women underestimate or undervalue their skills and experience, thus don’t seek out opportunities such as these.

The aim is to “bring people who may not have been engaged at this level and bring new voices to the table,” said Wendy Doyle, president and CEO of United WE.

Baird estimated that 36% to 40% of the city’s current board and commission members are women.

Christy Engemann joined the city’s human relations commission last year, when Baird called her up and asked if she’d be interested.

“When an opportunity presents itself, you take it. I did want to be more involved,” she said.

If she hadn’t gotten an invitation to join, she might not have even considered the possibility that she could be part of something like this, she said.

“It’s much easier and much more collaborative and accepting than I thought it would be before I was involved,” Engemann said.

Although her first year on the commission has been a remote experience due to the pandemic, she’s been pleased with how it’s gone so far.

“Everyone has the chance to chime in on the topic of discussion on the agenda. Everyone’s opinions are accepted or talked about, and at the end, everyone has chance to voice concerns,” Engemann said.

Having women represented on boards isn’t new to Lee’s Summit — it’s just that now, the numbers of women there will be closer to their actual percentage in the general population. Kim Fritchie has been a member of the beautification commission since 2003.

Fritchie, then an assistant principal Pleasant Lea Middle School, was looking for a way to channel her energy to something constructive outside of the schools.

The commission, “really wasn’t on my radar,” she said.

Fritchie had some experience in local government, having been part of the Lee’s Summit’s 21st century strategic planning committee, but like Engemann, it took an invitation from a friend who was already on the beautification commission for her to see that this was a place where she could contribute.

Although the strategic planning committee had been mostly male, she said, the beautification commission was the opposite.

“I think there’s a certain amount of energy when women get together in a room, and they start making plans and generating ideas,” Fritchie said.

“Most people would acknowledge that women and men come at situations from a different point of view. I don’t know if it’s by nature, but it makes it more dynamic to be in a room and listen to those various points of view.”

Fritchie is happy that the new initiative will make that diversity of voices more widespread across city boards and commissions.

“I think it’s a great idea. I think, overall, many people aren’t even aware of ways to serve and volunteer period, both men and women,” she said.

“It seems like there are a predominance of men on several commissions and committees in Lee’s Summit, and I applaud the efforts to get women to join them.”