Well deserved.
DJ Gehrt, recently retired city administrator for the City of Platte City, was honored by the Platte County Economic Development Council at its Excellence in Business ceremony earlier this month.
Gehrt received the EDC’s 2023 Legacy Award.
“The award was especially meaningful because it had previously been awarded only to Alicia Stephens, a long time economic development professional whose impact on the north Kansas City metro far exceeds my own,” Gehrt wrote on his LinkedIn page last week. “My thanks to the PCEDC board for this award.”
Gehrt, who served Platte City for nearly a dozen years, added: “By the way, retirement after six months is great, I enjoyed nearly every day of almost 40 years of Marine Corps and local government service but am equally enjoying a very busy and fulfilling retirement.”
There have been some choppy waters since Gehrt’s departure and it has only been six or 8 months since the reins were handed over.
More on this at a later time. It’s the last column before Christmas so let’s try to keep things on a lighter tone.
We’ve got a scoop for you, and its good news for all the kids and kids-at-heart. State officials tell me Santa Claus has been cleared to spread Christmas cheer throughout Missouri on Christmas Eve.
Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn and Missouri Veterinarian Dr. Steve Strubberg said this week they have approved livestock movement papers for nine reindeer. An applicant by the name of Mr. Claus applied for the permit, proving proof of a healthy herd through a certificate of veterinary inspection signed by licensed veterinarian Dr. Hermey Elf. Team leader Rudolph underwent additional testing to prove he’s the most famous reindeer of all.
Chinn and Strubberg report that the permit approves Mr. Claus, his sleigh and nine reindeer for flight starting the night before Christmas, with a few exceptions for early deliveries.
“Our team recommends the reindeer consume healthy rations of Missouri grass hay. We encourage Missourians to make hay available for Santa’s reindeer, in addition to milk and cookies for Santa,” Strubberg said. Names of the reindeer approved for flight in Missouri are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph.
Do you want a Netflix recommendation? Good, I thought you’d never ask.
I’m enjoying a series called Suits. It’s a TV series that ran on the USA Network from about 2011 to about 2019. But I never watched it in those days. The entire series is now on Netflix and it is entertaining stuff.
The show focuses on a fictional New York City law firm where one top partner decides to hire a young college dropout and pretend he’s a lawyer. It’s witty, the storylines are good, and it was Megan Markle’s most significant acting job (before she married Prince Harry).
In reaction to my recent column about reactions from the public in regard to the hiring of Wes Minder as first-ever county administrator, Scott Fricker, Platte County presiding commissioner, told me he appreciates me setting the bar high for Minder while giving him the benefit of the doubt at the same time. “That’s a great place to start and I’m confident Wes will exceed everyone’s expectations.”
Fricker then asked that since I said reaction I had received ranged from the very positive to the very blunt, “why did you only list the negative comments?” The answer to that is easy. I did list the positive comment(s) I received. In fact I listed every single comment I had received up to that time. There was one glowingly positive comment received in regard to Minder, and I printed it. Maybe Fricker was speed reading and overlooked it. We’ll forgive the oversight, it happens.
Anyway, Fricker was anxious to share a positive comment he has received about Minder. It comes from Alicia Stephens, the former Platte County EDC executive director: “Hi Scott. Just want to say great move in hiring Wes Minder. In all of my career, I can sincerely say that Wes Minder is absolutely the best at getting things done. It is time for the fastest growing county in the state to have a professional administrator. Excellent decision. I am eager to see what Wes can accomplish.”
How about former EDC honcho Alicia Stephens getting two mentions in this week’s Between the Lines? It’s blast from the past week, apparently. Look at me, the Journalistic Santa out here making Christmas all merry and bright at the Stephens household.
It may sound silly to say, but the reality is this is a big deal for one northern Platte County town. Congratulations to all officials involved in the hard work to get to this point.
Ground was broken this week on what will be the first-ever sewer system to serve the northern City of Camden Point, population 462. The city of Camden Point’s sewer and wastewater treatment project will cost over $8.7 million. Federal funding partners include USDA, EPA, and HUD Community Development Block Grant.
Camden Point residents, get ready to show that toilet who’s boss. Flush with confidence.
Merry Christmas from all of us at The Landmark. When you subscribe or pick up a copy of this newspaper you are in a small way inviting us into your homes and to be a part of your lives on a weekly basis. We appreciate the invitation, are humbled by it and hope you continue to find us to be good company.
(Taco Bell would make a great corporate sponsor of a “first flushing of the toilet” event held at Camden Point. Get more suggestions at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)