If you’re picking up this copy of The Landmark to look for the result of Parkville’s special election, you won’t find it in print. Go to our Facebook page–you know how to find it, and if you don’t now is a good time to learn.
Your Landmark went to print earlier than normal this week.
Interest and discussion about Parkville’s proposed tax issue that faced voters in the city was low and extremely quiet up until the final couple days before the election. That’s probably the way the city preferred it, actually. Little attention paid to a special election makes it easier for the entity to slide in there with their friends, family and blind followers and get the tax question passed.
On the final weekend prior to the election opponents to Parkville’s tax circulated flyers stating their opposition. As of the time this column was being created, the outcome was not known of course, that’s why I’m guiding you to our social media outlets to see if opponents had any success in their late push against the tax.
The ballot question was this: “Shall the City of Parkville continue collecting its property tax levy of $0.1665 which was levied through the year 2024 under voter approval from 2004, for another 20 years to fund costs related to facilities and infrastructure provided by the city?”
City officials said the temporary levy was first adopted by voters in 2004 and was used to fund the new City Hall, acquisition of Sullivan Nature Sanctuary, improvements to Rush Creek, and the construction of the parking lot next to White Alloe Creek. The levy had its last collection in 2024.
The city says the board of aldermen voted to place the 20-year extension of the levy on the ballot “so that the city could expand and improve the maintenance of public infrastructure.”
In advance of the election, city officials said funds from this levy “will be dedicated exclusively to maintenance of streets, curbs, sidewalks, storm sewers and public buildings. In the city’s recent community survey, maintenance of city infrastructure was the number one priority of survey respondents.”
So maybe you’re wondering why we printed early this week. Or maybe you weren’t. Either way, we’re big on transparency here so we’ll tell you–it was based on employee availability amid some late-summer opportunities to get away. The edition you’re reading right now was put to bed on Sunday morning, though we tucked it in with a soft closure. We left ourselves some space to maneuver over the next 24 hours or so just in case something crazy happened that we would definitely want to get in the print edition.
Office manager Cindy was flying to the East coast Monday morning for some family time, so it made my job a little easier if we put most of the finishing touches on this edition while she was in town. If you want some other Landmark travel updates, because why wouldn’t you, Chris Kamler split town over the weekend for some playtime in Cancun. Guy Speckman recently spent a little time in Colorado to attend a wedding, because we all know how big Speck is on weddings and whatnot. He’s bigger on receptions than weddings, actually. He’s like our designated Wedding Crasher, really.
Then on Thursday I’m heading to a place called Beaver Lake. No jokes about the name, please, let us trained professionals handle the sophomoric humor.
Anyway, Beaver Lake is near Eureka Springs, Arkansas (go ahead and joke about Arkansas if you want). Eureka Springs looks like it has a cool historic downtown area to explore. There’ll also be some live music opportunities calling my name, or so I hope.
Cindy and I will both be out of town later this week so the office won’t be physically occupied for a day or two, but never fear, emails and text messages will still be checked and responded to. It won’t even feel like we’re gone. If you really need us you can really reach us.
I wouldn’t mind if all public officials behaved themselves over the next few days while I’m away. Save some of that fun for when I’m back in town to fully enjoy the experience.
Somebody keep an eye on them just in case, will ya?
NFL season is about a month away, and with that being the case I know some of you who like to put a dollar or two on NFL action are waiting for my Pay Your Mortgage pick. If you’re new here, every August I provide guidance on at least one wager, sometimes two, that you should make with confidence, thus the name Pay Your Mortgage. The pick is always in the category of season wins for a particular team. We tell you whether or not that particular team will finish “over” or “under” the number of projected wins the bookmakers have set for each team.
I have not yet 100% decided on what my recommended play will be, but I’m getting close. I’ve narrowed it to two teams. Gonna marinate on the choice while enjoying Beaver Lake views and give you a report next week. If I’m still feeling strong about both of them I’ll give you two picks this year for the price of one. Actually we don’t charge for this information, it’s free with your Landmark subscription.
Remember, we’ve never lost one of these NFL “Pay Your Mortgage” bombs. Our lifetime record on these money missiles is 5-0. So by now you’ve paid off a mortgage or two and maybe bought yourself a boat and other playtime things, it matters not to us. We don’t tell you what to do with the money, we just try to help put the cash in your pocket.
Last year’s winner was that the Patriots would finish the 2024 season with “under” 4.5 wins.
(Find Foley doing Beaver Lake things, whatever that might be. Email ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
