This Labor Day weekend, look at the price on your local gas pump. It will be the lowest you’ve seen it on Labor Day since 2016.
The website known as GasBuddy predicts a national average of $2.55 per gallon this Labor Day, which is down about 30 cents from last year at this time and yes, it’s the lowest priced Labor Day since 2016 when the national average was $2.20.
While the national average might be $2.55 per gallon, here in Platte County most outlets are priced considerably lower than that, at around $2.29 per gallon.
And there’s even better news on the horizon, everybody. GasBuddy estimates that by Thanksgiving, stations in Missouri will be selling gas for less than $2 per gallon.
“The transition back to cheaper winter gasoline begins in just two weeks while demand for gasoline is also set to begin a seasonal downturn,” the experts at GasBuddy are saying.
One downside to lower gas prices is if you have an investment portfolio it sometimes takes a hit. Oil production royalties and such sometimes are a big part of many folks’ investment plan, which means the lower gas prices often translate into a downturn on those types of investments.
Speaking of money and such. . .
The local retail sales economy is basically flat. According to numbers released by the office of Rob Willard, treasurer for Platte County, so far in 2019 the county general sales tax revenue is up by only half a percent. Perhaps more telling is that the combined general sales tax and local use tax revenue is actually down by one percent.
The general sales tax income and the local use tax revenue both go into the county’s general fund, so the combined total is the one most observers generally consider to be the most important number to follow. And with four months of totals still to come in for 2019, that number is down by about one percent.
Nothing to jump off a cliff about. It’s just interesting to keep an eye on the revenue numbers.
Presumably because the club doesn’t want/can’t afford to continue the upkeep, the Platte City Lions Club is giving up its building.
Yes, the Lions Club is donating its meeting clubhouse, located on North Street across from the Platte City Cemetery, to the City of Platte City. The city officially accepted the donation this week, with the city officially set to take possession on Oct. 1.
Under terms of the agreement, the city becomes the owner of the property and will be responsible for operating, maintaining and renting the building out for public use. The Lions Club will be allowed to conduct bi-monthly meetings and up to five other annual events at no cost for the next 25 years.
The city will provide the Lions Club with a secured storage closet and use of one dedicated refrigerator, although the Lions Club will be responsible for replacement of the refrigerator when needed. In addition, the city says the Lions Club can continue to use and maintain the outbuilding structure on the property, subject to releasing the city for any claims related to the use.
It’s important to note the agreement does not prevent the city from demolishing or relocating the structure, except that the city will be required to provide the Lions with similar space in any replacement facility. In other words, keeping the property in its current form may not be in the city’s long range plan.
City officials say they anticipate annual operating expenses for the building to run about $4,000. The city anticipates getting about $1,500 to $2,000 in annual rental income.
Platte City says it will have about $2,500 to $3,000 in one-time expenses related to the property transfer transaction.
You’ll recall we told you a while back that Central Bank of the Midwest was in the process of acquiring BankLiberty. The deal is done. Central Bank of the Midwest has sent notification to BankLiberty customers that “on Aug. 1, Central Bancompany completed the acquisition of BankLiberty. This partnership will bring more products and services, as well as an extended network of more than 150 branches to the Northland.”
The deal involves all BankLiberty locations, including the multiple branches in Platte County.
“In the next few months we will begin the process of merging our banking systems. Until then, nothing will change with your accounts or services and BankLiberty will continue to serve your banking needs as they have for more than 60 years,” Central Bank of the Midwest has told BankLiberty customers.
It’s potentially notable that the Platte County R-3 School Board has a closed session on the agenda for later this week. Could the topic of Chad Searcey be on the agenda?
You’ll recall Searcey is the Compass Elementary principal who was placed on paid administrative leave after sending a controversial tweet to noted young gun control activist/school shooting survivor David Hogg. Searcey responded to a post by Hogg encouraging Congress to fund research on gun violence by tweeting pictures of himself and his sons shooting and holding guns. Searcey later deleted the tweet and also posted an apology to Hogg but by that time Hogg had already retweeted the picture sent by Searcey.
The school district placed Searcey on paid administrative leave and that is where he has remained since that action in June, drawing a check for not working. The district recently assigned an interim principal in Searcey’s absence.
Stay tuned.
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