Nov. 4--Sure, the investment bankers got their bailout money right away with practically no questions asked.

But for stimulus payouts that might benefit the rest of us, the process slogs along like an army in the mud.

Remember U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's plan to steer $200 million in stimulus money toward a 150-block area of the inner city?

Probably it was unrealistic to have expected that the so-called Green Impact Zone would now be abuzz with activity. That blocks and blocks of century-old houses would be getting energy-efficient windows and state-of-the-art furnaces in time for winter.

But who would have thought that, seven months later, there'd be virtually no activity and not even a tiny fraction of that $200 million disbursed?

"He's impatient with the speed by which the recovery dollars are being spent," Cleaver aide Danny Rotert said when I asked if his Democratic boss was as frustrated as he ought to be.

For now, the project amounts to little more than a Web site and staff of seven that goes to meetings -- lots of meetings -- while awaiting word on grant applications.

That's what you glean from a recent 12-page progress report. That and the fact that there's a whole lotta "outreach" going on.

"What should be stimulating is that the conversations are being held," green zone director Anita Maltbia on Monday told The Star's Editorial Board.

To be fair, the fault doesn't rest with the recently hired staff. It's Washington.

A common complaint from supporters and opponents of the $787 billion stimulus bill Congress passed in February is that the feds aren't spending those dollars fast enough. Even more frustrating is to think how quickly government can act when it wants to, as with the bailouts of Wall Street and the auto industry.

Here's another example: While channel surfing the other night, I happened upon a documentary about the Civilian Conservation Corps. Remember the CCC from your history books? Or maybe, like my 89-year-old dad, you were in it.

What's remarkable is how fast that Depression-era program came together. In his inaugural address in March 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced his plan to put men to work on forestry, soil erosion and flood-control projects. By July, more than a quarter million were at it. Eventually, 3 million Americans joined the CCC, and millions more benefited from it.

Fast-forward to today's plodding stimulus process. With luck, Kansas City's Green Impact Zone might eventually live up to its billing and become "a model of energy efficiency." Only it'd be nice if we saw some results before the next recession hits.

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The details Go to KansasCity.com for a link to the progress report.

To reach Mike Hendricks, call 816-234-7708 or send e-mail to mhendricks@kcstar.com.

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