City Administrator Mike Ekey announced today that Kati Horner will serve as the City’s new Director of Public Works. 

“Kati brings an incredible amount of experience and knowledge that will benefit the Public Works Department, but it was her absolute passion for public service that made her stand out,” Ekey said. “I know from day one she will be working to serve our residents and improve the quality of our public infrastructure throughout the community.”

As Director, Horner will lead a team of 60 public works engineers and maintenance professionals and oversee a $16 million annual budget that guides the design, construction and maintenance of the City’s streets, sidewalks, water and sewer infrastructure.

Horner’s background in civil engineering and municipal public works put her at the top of a pool of more than 40 applicants. She has served as the Assistant Director of Public Works and City Engineer in the City of Independence and as Director of Public Works in the City of Raytown.

She currently leads a team of engineers that focuses primarily on public works projects at Walter P. Moore Consulting and has been involved in complete streets, infrastructure rehabilitation and reconstruction, and downtown revitalization projects. In addition to the project-based work, Horner said she enjoys finding opportunities for day-to-day enhancements of operations including process improvement, programming and customer service.

In previous roles, she worked closely with staff and stakeholders to update and streamline practices while upholding a high standard of safety and effectiveness. Additionally, she has worked with external agencies to bring millions of dollars in state and federal funding to her previous municipalities to leverage and optimize city funds for vital public works projects. 

“I am very excited to join the Blue Springs Public Works team as we continue to design, build, operate, and maintain a safe and reliable infrastructure system,” Horner said. “It is truly an honor to serve the community I call my own, and I cannot wait to see what we will accomplish together.”

Horner is active in the American Public Works Association, serving on several local committees and the national Government Affairs committee where she works with elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels to bring awareness to the importance of public works. As a licensed professional engineer, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas.

Horner is an eastern Jackson County native and lives just outside the Blue Springs city limits with her husband, son and two dogs. Horner will officially begin on Jan. 23, 2023.