point of view

The exact roots of April Fools’ Day remain unclear, but historians have several theories. 1. Ancient Rome, where the festival of Hilaria — Latin for “joyful”— was celebrated in late March. It was a time for games, costumes, & lighthearted mockery. 2. 16th-century calendar reforms, Pope Gregory XIII ordered Christian nations to adopt the Gregorian calendar in 1582, officially shifting New Year’s Day from late March to its current calendar placeholder of Jan. 1. However, not everyone got the memo—or refused to accept the change. Those who continued celebrating the old New Year in April were mocked as “April Fools.” 3. In France, a common prank involved placing a paper fish on someone’s back, symbolizing easily caught fish & gullibility, a custom that persists today as Poisson d’Avril (April Fish). Despite its uncertain origins, April Fools’ Day continues to thrive. Scotland turned it into a two-day affair. Scots played pranks on people by sending them on ridiculous errands &, some claim, inventing the classic “kick me” sign. So, if you find yourself the target of a prank this year, just remember to take it in stride.

Monday, 6pm - Planning & Zoning Commission

Tuesday, 6pm - Clay County Planning & Zoning Commission; 6pm - Parks & Recreation Board

Wednesday, 6pm - Candidates Forum

Thursday, 11:30am - SAFE; City Wide Rummage Sale

Friday, 7:30am - City Council Work Session

Planning & Zoning Commission public hearing to amend R-4 Medium Density Residential text

Clay County Planning & Zoning Commission to consider Conditional Use Permit to operate a Solar Farm @ 12222 N Highway

Parks & Recreation Board will consider monthly financial report & budget, staff reports, Parks Foundation update, Earth Day & MPRA Conference.

Candidates Forum sponsored by Chamber of Commerce, Excelsior Citizen & Business Women to provide an opportunity for voters to hear directly from school board candidates about their priorities & vision for the future; city council election is unopposed this year; additionally, the proposed levy increase aimed at improving staff pay will be discussed.

City Council issues under development include Storm Water Annual Update, public works request to replace 2 trucks, consider agreement with Army Corps of Engineer to fund sewer relining & change order for Dry Fork Greenway; community center request to consider pool rental agreement, & sale of supplements at Wellness Cafe; Public Safety Sales Tax Committee concurrence to replace Fire rescue pumper; & Planning & Zoning recommendations.

Celebrating work anniversaries this week - Zac St. John, Assistant Fire Chief - 19 years; Taran Svoboda, Community Center Assistant Director - 14 years; Richard Nash, Water Plant Operator - 6 years; Tracy Sanchez, Administrative Assistant, Public Works - 4 years; Blake Stevens - Community Center Facility Coordinator - 3 years; Jacob VanOster, Sewer Maintenance - 1 year.

• Spa at the community center is still under repair, when damage is caused by the malfunction of the pumps, there is always one more thing that needs to be fixed.
• Parks is anticipating a lot of interest in the Earth Day clean-up, and has created a map for the locations that need attention.
• David Burton, Neighborhood Specialist from MU Extension spoke this week regarding connecting with neighbors. He spoke about how our ways of connecting with each other have changed over time. In the 1950s, houses had front porches & generally did not have air conditioning. So, it was not uncommon to drop by a neighbor's house unannounced, sit on the porch & stay a while. Today, the porches are on the back of the house behind privacy fences or we are inside where the air conditioning is on. It is no surprise there is a growing epidemic of loneliness. This year, we have a campaign to encourage our neighborhoods to hold block parties, met your neighbors & learn something new from each other.

"We moved here a year ago in December & we love it!! We moved here from KC as well to give our kids a good life & so far, this town has not fell short of that! I agree with you. It's definitely a cute little town." "It's a great place to live. I moved here 7 years ago & I couldn't imagine living anywhere else either." "I love this town. Welcome!!!" "I'm keeping an eye out for places to move this summer. I never would have imagined falling for this little town, but here I am." Thread on FB