Point of View

Before the Presidency, Lincoln practiced law & served as defense attorney in a 1841 bizarre murder trial. William Trailor travelled to Springfield, IL, where he reunited with his brothers. Joining him was friend, Archibald Fisher. In Springfield, the men decided to go for a walk & long story short, Fisher went missing. Within days, the Trailor brothers would be arrested & charged with the disappearance & murder of Fisher. Henry Trailor confessed the murder. Lincoln, called his one & only witness to the stand, who proceeded to drop a bombshell: Fisher was alive & staying in his home. The witness explained that Fisher had suffered from a terrible bout of memory loss & had no recollection of his time in Springfield. All the charges would be dropped & the men’s lives spared. What a plot twist.

Monday - President's Day Holiday, City Offices Closed

Tuesday, 5:30 PM - LCRA, 6:00 PM - City Council

Thursday, 10AM - Housing Authority, 11AM - Urban Redevelopment Corporation

Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority will consider amendment to the Redevelopment Agreement with Peppard Seed & Co., LLC, to update dates for future development.

City Council will hear presentations from DEP for Placier.ai 4th quarter & Annual Reports, 2022 DEP Annual Report. Council will consider the following business:

• Purchase Blower Unit at the WWTP. Blower units aerate oxidation ditches as part of treatment process. One unit has stopped working & needs to be replaced. Low Bid from Aerzen for $27,836.78; MOU with ESH for lab services
• Amending Code to include Entertainment District & allow for open consumption of alcohol in designated areas; Amending Code to include vaping restrictions when/where smoking is restricted; Amending Code to change summer reduction in sewer use charges from 3 to 4 usage reduction months (July, August, September, October) & appropriations

Celebrating Work Anniversaries this week -

• Kristina Baxter, Lead Animal Control Officer - 20 years
• Helen Powell, Bus Driver - 17 years
• Cassie Cramer-Stocks, Police Sergeant - 11 years
• Jacob Leonhard, Fitness Attendant/Personal Trainer - 3 years

• There continues to be interest in permitting chickens in residential areas; we are planning a Listening Post to hear the pros/cons. Tentative date is March 5th @ 4PM.
• Clay County Prosecutor held a news conference this week to read the charges brought against Timothy Haslet.
• We now have a perfect match for the terrazzo floor, but it will take longer to get materials & finish. Meanwhile, the center cabinets at the Water Bar have been installed and will be refinished. Plumbers & electricians are working to restore water bar functions.
• The cold & snow delayed the work planned last week for the outdoor pool.
• The Excelsior Springs Chamber of Commerce announced their support of Question 1 on the April Ballot - Recreational Marijuana Local Tax. The tax will only be collected on non-medical marijuana sales with proceeds to be used for Public Safety & drug abuse prevention purposes.
• Progress Meetings this week for the RAISE projects focused on requesting pre-award approvals to select engineering firm to complete the environmental reviews, right-of-way plans, preliminary engineering & citizen engagement to occur before the funding agreements are completed.

We’re quite fond of a good one-tank road trip, & recently found that Excelsior Springs, ticked that box — plus many more! The wellness event I attended (arranged/curated by The Elms spa staff) also featured a small-group yoga session off site as well as a lovely, locally sourced private dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Three Owls. It’s a wonderful & holistic nod to the resort’s past as a health haven, & my stay there was a wonderful recharge! Read it at www.travelawaits.com

Email: mmcgovern@excelsiorsprings.gov
Website: cityofesmo.com
Location: Hall of Waters, 201 E. Broadway, 64024
Phone: (816) 630-0752