Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to speak with KC leaders during nine-city listening tour

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Friday that he'll meet with Kansas City community leaders next week as part of a nine-city listening tour.

Kansas City will be the fifth and final stop he makes on Tuesday, when he plans to meet with leaders at 7 p.m. in the community room of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, 30 W. Pershing Road.

“We’ll be talking to community leaders about how to best address issues like infrastructure, workforce and economic development, and the urban and rural divide," Parson said in a statement. "Our local communities are the bedrock of this state, and we are committed to working with and listening to all ideas as we begin to develop a plan to move Missouri forward."

Parson will visit Springfield, Branson, Carthage and St. Joseph before he comes to Kansas City on Tuesday.

"Leaders of the community have been invited to meet at these locations," Kelli Jones, Parson's press secretary, said in a text to The Star in response to a question about whether the events would be open to the public. "Media is welcome."

Parson will be in Columbia, Gordonville, Sikeston and St. Louis throughout Wednesday.

“In order to govern effectively and to begin the process of moving our state forward, it is important to take the time to listen and understand different types of challenges that face our communities,” Parson said in the statement.

This story was originally published June 8, 2018 at 8:14 PM with the headline "Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to speak with KC leaders during nine-city listening tour."