point of view
Excelsior Springs, Missouri
Is this good?
My younger kids have been attending VBS this week. They have been bringing home information about food they are collecting for a homeless ministry. This morning my son gathered his own personal snacks & change in a ziploc bag & asked "is this good?" Not connecting why he packed a bag with a few granola bars & money, I responded "Good for what?" He said "For the offering." This is what an offering looks like. The purest form of goodness & innocence. A tiny 8 year old boy who owns nothing in this world gathers all that he has & stuffs it into a ziploc bag. Yes, baby. This is soo so good.
week of July 17th
Monday, noon - Thrive Monday Meet-up; 6PM - City Council Meeting
Thursday, 4PM - Board of Zoning Adjustment
upcoming agendas
City Council Meeting
- public hearing for 353 redevelopment at 208 Spring Street & request for approval;
- Fire requests approval of contract with Eastern Clay County Ambulance District for $115,000 to continue providing service west, north & south of Excelsior Springs;
- Council considers Mayor recommendation to appoint Cindy Spellman to BZA;
- Community Development presents list of records to be destroyed;
- Public Works requests purchase of truck [Funding - Water $50,187.53], & consideration of change order with Vance Brothers [Funding - Transportation Trust, reduction of $103,886] to remove base repairs on Vintage Dr., Vintage Ct., & Estancia Street to stay in budget;
- Police requests consideration of MOU with ESSD for Student Resource Officers for $165,000 & consideration of improvements to Overland Flow Field [Funding ARPA $26,520] provides training facility for POST certification;
- closed for real estate.
BZA will consider a variance requested to permit a swimming pool that encroaches upon the yard requirements in District R-1 Single-Family Residential District @ 908 E. Golf Hill.
making a difference
Celebrating work anniversaries this week - Joe Spear, Water Maintenance - 42 years; Kathy Twitchell, Utilities Administrative Assistant - 16 years, Mike Britt, Refuse Center - 14 years, John Donat, Chief Water Plant Operator - 13 years, Lisa Morgan, Community Development Administrative Assistant - 4 years, Jeddidah Watkins, PT Firefighter EMT - 1 year.
this week
- Elms Neighborhood meeting last week discussed whether to address damage to sidewalks from tree roots individually or as a group effort. City Code establishes that maintenance of sidewalks is the property owner's responsibility, however the City has a sidewalk program using Capital Improvement Funds to assist with the cost to replace or repair by either removing the sidewalk or providing concrete for owner to install.
- EPA mandated cities to abate lead in water lines due to the health risk to residents. Our employees have not found any lead lines during their service with the city, so we believe we are at low risk to having lead lines. The first step will be to complete an inventory of all lines. A grant of $54,325 & zero interest loan of $78,175 was awarded to complete the inventory by October 2024.
- The Mayor recently received a letter from a Door Dasher asking public information be provided about house numbering. With the uptick in internet shopping, packages delivered to the wrong address, plus importance for quick emergency response, finding the correct address is more important than ever. Did you know, that all buildings shall bear a "house number"? City code 540.260 requires numbers shall be at least 4" tall & shall be placed adjacent to the front entry door on the building or porch. Numbers shall be of a contrasting color to the background color to which they are affixed. Numbers on the curbing is permitted, but only in addition to the numbers on the building.
choose your attitude!
Rural tourism is believed to stimulate economic growth, development & a sense of community in small towns. ES has revived its tourist industry. The wells are still capped, but the city now quenches a thirsty audience with local wineries & breweries. A conscious effort to resuscitate the heart of ES may have just saved it from dropping off the map. At the very least, it's created one of the cutest little downtowns in the KC area. Cami Koons, PBS Report for America
Email: mmcgovern@excelsiorsprings.gov
Website: cityofesmo.com
Location: Hall of Waters, 201 E. Broadway, 64024
Phone: (816) 630-0752