Word on the street is a potential major business development project is being discussed to possibly go in at the southwest corner of Hwy. 92 and N. Winan Road, about 4.5 miles east of Platte City. The property is said to be “under evaluation” by a company for a light industrial project (common speculation–and I emphasize speculation, not confirmation–is it may be a data center) with the potential for “six phases and hundreds of potential jobs.”
Some tax incentives and/or abatements might be requested by the company. Again, nothing confirmed. When/if we learn more we’ll of course pass it along.
While looking at maps and such of the area near Hwy. 92 and Winan Road, a friend in the real estate industry tells me that the property at the northeast corner of Hwy. 92 and Winan is now owned by the City of Kansas City. The northeast corner was the area that approximately 15 years ago was being proposed as a 657-home high density subdivision project known as Tomahawke Ridge. The 316 acres of land on which Tomahawke Ridge was proposed was primarily owned by Hal and Peggy Swaney at the time.
Anyway, records show the City of Kansas City purchased 131 acres at the northeast intersection of Hwy. 92 and Winan in October 2024.
Interesting.
Don’t even try driving a stake through its heart. You just can’t kill the City of Platte City–DJ Gehrt connection. Not that anyone at City Hall wants to kill it, anyway, because they’ve brought the longtime city administrator back to town in an interim role once again.
As you’ll see in a story on our front page, DJ has risen from his retirement grave yet again. On Thursday of this week he has yet another “first day” on the job with Platte City. His first ‘first day’ came when he was originally hired in 2011, then he came back for another ‘first day’ to serve as interim after Marji Gehr’s eight month reign of terror was ended with a firing, and now he’s coming back for yet another ‘first day on the job’ to serve as interim, as Tom Cole leaves the position after only a matter of months at City Hall.
With several major projects currently underway and a few more on the near horizon, Gehrt will be a busy man. He’s practically a Marvel superhero at this point. When he finishes this stint, the city should gift him with a cape, a utility belt and a Batcave. No mask, though, masks are taboo.
At least stepping in after Tom Cole comes with less drama than stepping in after Marji Gehr. Her stint was only eight months but there was so much drama it seemed a lot longer, did it not? It was Masterpiece Theatre. It was Nan Johnston without Nan Johnston. I was getting winded just reporting on the drama, I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be living through it daily at City Hall. Kudos to those who did and lived to talk about it.
By the way, two of the questions on the ballot at the City of Platte City municipal election on April 8 will deal with length of terms of office for city elected officials like alderman and mayor. The city’s proposal is to change these terms to four years instead of the current two years. I would advise a ‘no’ vote on this.
You, the taxpaying voter in the city, are the boss over these folks. Make them keep coming back to answer to you every two years for renewal. That way you don’t have to worry as much about a mayor teaming up with a rogue city administrator to undermine the role of aldermen, which was going on during the closing weeks/months of the Tony Paolillo mayoral administration in late 2023 and early 2024. Fortunately for fans of good government, Paolillo’s two-year term happened to be up shortly after he and Marji Gehr began driving a crazy train steaming the wrong direction. Because his term was coming up for its two-year renewal, voters were able to stop the bleeding at the April 2024 election when Steve Hoeger was elected over Paolillo. Paolillo tried to save face by resigning a short time before the election, too late for his name to be removed from the ballot.
Anyway, you don’t need to risk a repeat of that type of drama. It would be wise to keep city officials on a two-year leash, not a four-year term, so voters can keep tighter control.
Another added benefit is it’s likely easier to find candidates willing to dip a toe in the water of local politics for a two-year term of office than it would be to find folks willing to commit for a four-year term. It’s hard enough as it is to find willing candidates now, with terms of two years. Changing terms to four years might make that search even harder.
It’s not a hill I’m willing to die on or a topic that should keep anybody awake at night, but if you’re a Platte City resident and you want to maintain the current level of control you have at City Hall then I would suggest that you choose “no” on the ballot questions that ask should the mayor and aldermen serve four year terms.
Just my two cents, if good government is your goal.
But you do you, I won’t be mad at you either way.
If you’re reading this after 11 a.m. on Thursday, March Madness is officially underway. You have my official pizza money level ‘investments’ as noted in last week’s column. Thanks for helping me cheer at least one of them on to victory.
The baseball season starts next week. Need a couple MLB futures plays?
Play these with confidence, but remember baseball futures wagers require you to have your money tied up for about seven months. In other words, for a season win total bet placed in March the casino is going to be holding your money until the regular season is over in October. You are in effect giving the casino a seventh month interest free loan. Be sure you’re comfortable with that before diving into baseball futures.
Two MLB futures plays for your consideration:
*Take the St. Louis Cardinals to finish under their projected win total of 76.5 wins. I’m predicting a long season for our neighbors in St. Louis, and look for the Cards to dump their best player sometime before the trading deadline.
*Take the Cleveland Guardians under their projected win total of 82.5. The Guardians will fall a little backward from last year’s pace, when they won so many games by narrow margin and their bullpen performed over expectations.
(Find Foley helping Platte City residents fight off the effects of PTSD from the Marji Gehr tenure)
