Main Street Parkville Association monthly meeting

At Wednesday's meeting of the Main Street Parkville Association Carol Kuhns was elected as the association's chairperson; she had filled in as interim director since the resignation of Angelo Gangai. Tom Hutsler was elected as the vice-chairperson and Linda Varner was elected as the association's secretary.

PCDC treasurer John Kuhns reported on the association's financial condition, and except for a large difference between the budget and the actual income and expenses for this past years acoustic festivals the overall difference was better than the budget expected. There was a short discussion of the Christmas on the River event (even though COTR is not an MSPA event) and that it was another success. Kuhns noted that the event for the past two years has operated in the black. Kuhns contrasted that to the situation of COTR for 2005 and 2006 when it emmerged about $19,000.00 in the red.

The MSPA signed up nore than 25 members at their breakfast meeting and Hutsler immediately went out into the community and started signing up additional members who were unable to make the early morning meeting. The representative from Park University commented that she was excited about the coming year and all that MSPA has planned.

Anyone can join MSPA. The fee is $25.00 year; contact either the MSPA office at 816-505-2227, or speak to Hutsler at 816-918-0057.

Platte County Business of the Year for Parkville

H.M.S. Beagle was honored today at a luncheon at the Embassy Suites Hotel as Platte County Business of the Year for Parkville. The Beagle's nomination was submitted by the city's Board of Aldermen and the award was presented by Mayor Gerry Richardson. Calling the beagle "part museum and retailer of science supplies" the Beagle and its owners John and Carol Kuhns were cited for their entrepreneural abilitieas as well as their community and civic involvement.

The Kuhns were guests of the Oppenheimer companies and were seated at the table with Platte Commissioner Elect Kathy Dusenbury, Parkville Mayor Gerry Richardson, executives from Openheimer, Michael Short and others.

WAG

Main Street Parkville Association monthly meeting

The next meeting of the Main Street Parkville Association (MSPA) is next Wednesday morning at the American Legion Hall on Main Street. The meeting starts at 9:00 am with a breakfast, provided by MSPA, at 8:30 am. This is the annual meeting where officers will be elected and where dues can be paid. Paid memberships allow businesses and individuals to vote on all matters that come before the group at its regular monthly meetings for the coming year. Dues are $25.00; memberships can be purchased by individuals and/or businesses. Each paid membership is entitled to a vote. Member businesses are encouraged to have their employees (clerks, wait staff, sales people, etc.) personally join MSPA. This will give the organization a larger pool of potential, and hopefully committed, volunteers for the many committees and festivals and events during the year.
The officer positions that are being elected at this meeting are the chairman, vice-chairman and secretary. MSPA is part of the Parkville Community Development Corporation (PCDC) and it operates under its organizational umbrella. However, PCDC does not direct the actions of the MSPA, but the PCDC's elected treasurer serves as the treasurer of MSPA (as well as of all the other organizations that are under the PCDC umbrella).
A slate of candidates was submitted at the last monthly meeting; it is composed of Carol Kuhns as chairman, Tom Hutsler as vice-chairman and Linda Varner as secretary.

==JFK==

Recent developments on the Steamboat Arabia Museum

The Steamboat Arabia Museum is still steaming on in its upstream effort to dock in Parkville. The latest news, which is generally circulating among folks downtown, is that the museum owners have secured an option on one of two large parcels of land in which they have expressed interest. That parcel is just to the south of the English Landing Centre. This is another crucial step to bringing the museum to Our Parkville MO. Its good that local politicians, community leaders and others have picked up on the excitement and have kept the buzz going. Even folks as far away as Overland Park, KS, have heard the news and have expressed their delight in the possible move.

On another topic, congratulations to Watercolors High Fashion LLC on Main Street for winning the Best Decorated Storefront in Downtown Parkville award. Many other stores worked very hard at their season's decorations and all are to be congratulated.

==JFK==

Smoking Ban Fails, and Other News

It was fun sitting at the reporter's table at the Board of Aldermen meeting last night. It was most enjoyable to sit and hear some of the most elegant speeches I have ever heard from local politicians as they spoke about their thoughts and opinions on the proposed smoking ban. This was especially true of Aldermen Sportsman and Bay who had given the subject great thought and were obviously in awe of the gravity of the situation. Their comments were definitely persuasive, but in the end the vote was 3 for the ban and 5 against the ban. So for the time being smoking is still to be suffered in those few Parkville restaurants that allow it. The ban, as it was proposed, would have disallowed smoking in any public building, not just restaurants. This issue will not die, and the eating and drinking establishments in town must realize that it will come.

On another subject that has been dragging one for a few months was that of the motor scooter store that has been working towards opening on Mill Street (FF Highway). The city Planning and Zoning Board, largely because of the strong opposition by Dr. Harold Brown, votes 6 to 0 deny the permit for the store to open. Dr. Brown was heard o say, at that meeting, in response to the question, "where should we open our store?", "anywhere but Parkville." Parkville certainly does not not need such a flat-screen view of economic opportunities in our Parkville. Downtown Parkville has the lowest vacancy rate of any areas in town, and the building into which the scooter business is opening was not even considered to be a vacancy due to its dilapidated state.

Well, last night, the Board of Aldermen went against the tide and passed the permit application unanimously. The permit does have a few, minor caveats that will fall upon the property owners to complete within a defined time span. Our Parkville MO wants to be among the first to welcome the motor scooter store to downtown Parkville, and as usual, we want to emphasize that Parkvillians should think Parkville first when shopping, especially this time of year and in this economic climate.

WAG

Proud to be an American

I was the unfortunate recipient of a piece of trash e-mail sent to me by a friend who I am confident did so not because he thought I would appreciate it for what it puprorted to be (a "good read"), but as an example of the fact that ignorance can still be found in our fair country. I won't reproduce the e-mail, but I will reproduce the response I sent to the person who seems to have started the daisy chain of forwarded e-mails.

"William:

I don't know who you are, but you ought to be ashamed of yourself for sending out such hogwash. You said "good read", so I have strong doubts about what else you consider a good read and what, exactly, your yardstick is. The e-mail you forwarded was written by someone who appears to be racist, bigoted, misogynistic and obviously quite ignorant.
Americans can stand proud, confident in the fact that all of its promises, as embodied in the Declaration and Constitution and other founding documents, are really true. Americans have followed through and not just paid lip service; we're walking the walk and not just talking the talk. We've put our money where our collective mouths are. Now, we can expect to see some of the excesses and failures of the past corrected; or at least an attempt made to correct them.
Most Americans know that our system of government is the best around and even though not perfect it is capable of being perfected. Recent events have demonstrated this admirably."

Here I though the crap that was being sent around before the election was finally over. Boy, was I wrong!

==JFK==

Steamboat Arabia Museum Discussed at MSPA Meeting

The buzz about the Steamboat Arabia Museum coming to Parkville is increasing. The Main Street Parkville Association (MSPA) discussed the plans and what has transpired in the past few days. Unfortunately, like so many MSPA meetings of late, only a handful of the most active members were present. I am sure that these folks will be talking about this to others in the next few weeks.

In other news from the MSPA meeting Chairman Carol Kuhns suggested that due to the small number of members present that the elections of officers be postponed until the next meeting in December. The revised by-laws, however, were approved. The meeting had to be moved at the last minute to the American Legion Hall due to the Train Depot being locked and no one having a key or the keypad code to open the front door.

Those present, which included Terry Brown, voted to hold all future meetings at the Legion Hall and for the next meeting to have a Legion-prepared breakfast. The next meeting will start at 8:30 am (for breakfast), and the business meeting will start at its usual time of 9:00 am. Carol expressed her interest in getting to know others more in the less formal setting of a breakfast. The Nominating Committee has nominated Carol for chairman, Tom Hutsler for vice-chairman and Linda Varner as secretary.

==JFK==

Tree City USA?

There are rumors that KCP&L and the City are talking about taking out all of the beautiful trees along Main Street and replanting with smaller species such as crab apple trees. I suspect that KCP&L has no particular love for our trees and would just as soon have nothing but naked overhead lines. Hey folks, we want and need these mature trees to help sequester the carbon dioxide spewed out by the coal-fired power plants, to provide much needed shade, to offer homes for songbirds and to soothe us with their beauty.

Some have suggested that if KCP&L presses the issue that the City will simply cave and allow our trees to be cut down. Now, it is one thing to remove dead or diseased trees and to replace them with the same species, but to remove healthy trees and replace them with smaller species is not what we, as Parkvillians, will want. Perhaps KCP&L should put their lines underground.

Comments?

==JFK==

Parkvillians at the Sprint Center

I have heard a lot of complaints about, as well as a lot praise for, Kansas City's Sprint Center. I'd like to get some of them on the record for other Parkvillians to consider. If you have had an opportunity to visit the new Power & Light District or attend an event at the Sprint Center please leave your comments here (Just click in the word "comments" just below). If you don't live in Parkville feel free to comment, but tell us where you live.

Thanks.

==JFK==

Christmas on the River Donor's Party

The donor party was well attended even though some folks who paid did not make it. Most of the Parkville restaurants donated food and desserts. Jenny McCoy was the facilitating hostess and Kirby Varner and Tom Hutsler served drinks from behind the bar. Linda Varner, Debbie Hopkins, Carol Kuhns and Tom Hutsler who are once again the movers behind the Christmas on the River event. The same folks were the co-chairs last year and were able to turn around the losses the event suffered from the previous two years. Melissa Robbins and Kathy Cline who are heading up the Gallery of Trees event brought several local artists who showed their works that will be auctioned off at that event.

The many works of art were on display as were this year's new blue-on-white ceramic Christmas tree ornament. Remember, commemorative ornaments are for sale at a few local stores in Parkville.

There was an interesting discussions last night at the Christmas on the River donor's party at the lovely home of Don & Linda Julian. Don Julian had been in some of the early discussions about the Steamboat Arabia Museum's desire to move to Parkville. He and I, Tom Hutsler and Carol Kuhns discussed the possible reasons that Park University had for deciding against allowing the museum to locate on undeveloped land on the university's campus.

The currently preferred location was discussed and everyone agreed that it would be great for Parkville. The plans for a larger museum, to house a second riverboat, as well as the construction of an hotel on the site was also discussed. I mentioned the seeming disinterest by Platte County leaders.

I encourage this blog's readers to pick up the buzz and to post your comments here. This blog is the first to have any relevant news on this subject (remember, you heard it here first).

Comments?

A Shameful Display

Well folks, it certainly didn't take long for the wing nuts to drag out the anti-American sentiments. I encountered one that I am fairly sure an American POW of any war would not approve of. This was seen at, or near, 11556 Northwest Highway FF in front of a gated home that is secluded in the hills and trees on the north side of the highway. It is bad enough that the homeowner has the American flag flying at half staff, but to hang another American flag, upside-down over the McCain-Palin sign is an entirely different matter. This is, of course, an international sign of severe distress or emergency, "(t)he United States Flag Code gives an explanation of reasons to fly the American flag upside-down, and none of the reasons include protest. Recently, I have witnessed many stories where people are flying the American flag upside-down as a form of protest against any number of things: the war, the President, the Supreme Court, school, etc. (http://www.flagsbay.com/flag/2007/10/30/flying-us-flag-upside-down-not-sign-of-protest/)." I suspect "displaying" the flag can be construed as "flying" the flag.

A satelite photo of the site can be seen on Google Maps at: "
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=39.196414,-94.713505&spn=0.005172,0.006909&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.194111,-94.714322&panoid=wQzpdcev_Mj8pi2gM9DUJQ"

Here are two photos of the display:

One has to wonder what John McCain would have to say about this shameful display.

WAG

The future is ours!

Well, our guy, Bill Quitmeier didn't win (our minuscule straw poll gave Bill a 76% to 17% for Kathy). Instead, Kathy Dusenbury did. Now we all need to step up to help her do the best job, especially as her job impacts Parkville. The first job is to secure the Arabia Museum for Parkville. Kathy is in a unique position to help craft an outcome that will be good for our town, for Platte County, the Northland and for the entire Kansas City area. Lets all e-mail or call Kathy to offer our help.

Now, don't think the Arabia Museum is the only important thing facing our city and county. We still have the issues that Bill brought up during the campaign. We are in Platte County not Flat County, and we have no idea where Kathy stands on the important issues of uncontrolled development. Neither she, nor her campaign manager's weekly newsletter, put out any significant information on her positions. I don't really know Kathy (unlike some of the other contributors hereon), but I'll keep reporting on her here, and I hope you will keep commenting.

Comments?

WAG

Restaurant Critic/Reviewer Coming On-line

We will soon be announcing a new restaurant critic/reviewer to our line up of contributors. This person, we'll call "AJ", will be visiting all Parkville restaurants as well as surrounding area's eateries and will be writing about the experience. If you have particular restaurants you'd like to recommend for one or more visits please comment.

WAG

$500,000 in Reserves?

Why is it that the recent former mayor and the current city aldermen say that the city has a half million dollars in reserves, but when downtown merchants bring up the need to replace missing lights so that downtown won't be so dark at night the city staff always says they don't have any money? Given that one of the lights was hit by a truck and, presumably, the city collected insurance for it why wasn't it replaced at the time? Now the city officials say "that was so long ago that we don't know what happened, but we don't have enough money now."

Hey folks, either there is enough money to replace three lousy lights downtown, or the city is in far worse financial shape than we've been led to believe. Perhaps those reserves aren't really reserves after all. Perhaps it is money that's already promised. Perhaps for grinder pumps.

WAG

Big Cat on Campus at Parkhill South High School

Two ladies, both students at Park Hill South High School, are walking around downtown Parkville asking local businesses for support in the way of prizes for their upcoming "Big Cat on Campus" event on the evening of December 3rd. We are familliar with this kind of event having had an AFS student who participated in the "Mr. Park Hill" event years ago at Park Hill High School.

Businesses who participate will be given an advertisement placement in the evening's printed program (this is likely to be seen by more folks than a full-page ad in the local birdcage liner). The event is billed as a "male talent show" and will be judged by area celebrities. The prizes will be given to the winners and participants in the show.

We'd like to encourage Parkville merchants to give and to see the show. More information can be requested from Kerrie Herren at 816-359-4120 or herrenk@parkhill.k12.mo.us.

WAG

Thought for the day

Proof read!
Our favorite birdcage liner publisher is advertising for an assistant with a computer. Perhaps that assistant will have spelling/grammar checking.

WAG

Downtown Parkville Visitor's Map

Visitors to Downtown Parkville have a very useful map available to them that shows the locations of all the businesses and amenities available in the historic Parkville. This map is produced by Main Street Parkville Association (MSPA) and is provide free of charge to all downtown merchants and others (including hotels and motels, and the visitor bureaus). The map and listing as well as the events happening downtown are a tabloid size, printed in color and trifolded, are reprinted every quarter.

The new map will now include information of the spaces that are available for rent, lease or sale. Where known by the MSPA the commercial vacancies are listed as "Space available" with a contact phone number. I see folks every week that have an interest in opening new businesses in the downtown. The MSPA also gets notification from community leaders about contacts they have had from new entrepreneurs.

Recently I have met a couple who wants to open a book and stationery store. They have been looking at two or three different spaces on Main Street and in English Landing. I have also talked to several folks about opening an art supply store. I know I would be a customer at both stores should they get open.

==JFK==

Watercolors High Fashion

Carol and I first met Shelley Wood a day or two after she first moved into her new business on Main Street. We welcomed her and invited her to get involved with Main Street Parkville Association (MSPS) and the many events that are operated under the auspices of the Parkville Community Development Corporation. Shelley did attend the last MSPA meeting. We think she and her business, Watercolors High Fashion LLC, are good additions to our community.

Dannelle Nichols, the program coordinator for MSPA has provide me with the following write-up, from Shelley, about her business:

Watercolors High Fashion is an elegant, high class woman's and men's clothing boutique. Located in historic downtown Parkville, MO. The store is in a home that is dated over 100 years old. There are six rooms with elegant chandeliers in each room and over 2,000 dresses that are restocked every week with new inventory. Included are men's unique t-shirts, shirts, ties and jewelry. There is a TV with sports channels and leather chairs are in the men's area so that their special women can have time to shop while the men are kept happy. We also carry beautiful jewelry and accessories.

We also have a special, very private room where we welcome cancer patients who need that special attention on what to wear for wigs. We carry hair extentions (Jessica Simpson), Racheal Welch wigs, and plumes of ornate feathered headbands. We take high-end dresses and bridal gowns for consignment (all consignors must call for an appointment). Warm fresh cookies are served everyday just for stopping by. Hope to see you soon.

Shelley Wood

Watercolors High Fashion is located at 307 Main Street, The phone number is 816-741-1963 and the e-mail is watercolorshighfashion@yahoo.com. The store hours are: Mondays closed, Tuedays & Wednesdays 11-7, Thursdays 11-8, Fridays & Saturdays 11-7 and Sundays 12-6.

==JFK==

Thought for the day

Never stick your hand into the cage unless it is to change the liner.

WAG

Parkville Information Web Site

Parkvillians should be aware of the recently updated and upgraded downtown information web site: parkvillemo.org. On this web site (owned by the Parkville Community Development Corporation (PCDC) and managed by the Main Street Parkville Association (MSPS)) visitors can find: (1) all downtown and member businesses of the MSPA, (2) information about downtown and MSPA and PCDC sponsored events (e.g. Christmas on the River), (3) links to other community related sites and resources, and much more.

WAG

Parkville Old Towne Market Community Improvement District

What's a "CID"? How is a CID managed? How does it get its money? What does a CID do with its money? How many CIDs do we have in Parkville? How do I find about the CID where I shop or live?

These are all good questions. First, a CID is a political subdivision of the city, it is comprised of a board of directors who are approved by the Board of Aldermen. The officers of the CID are nominated and voted on by the board members; the officers are a President, Vice President, Secretary and a Treasurer. The CID receives its money from a voter-approved sales tax that is levied on all sales within the boundaries of the CID. The sales tax is collected by the businesses, paid to the state and the state sends the CID's share directly to the CID's bank. Each CID is set up differently, but in the case of the Parkville Old Towne Market Community Improvement District, POTMCID, it uses its money to fund grant requests presented to it by organizations that operates within its boundaries. In the case of the POTMCID, to date the on;y grant requests received have been from the Main Street Parkville Association, MSPA, which is an entity within the Parkville Community Development Corporation, PCDC. The grants are used to pay for a wide variety of worthy endevours, including marketing, special events and beautification.

In parkville there are currently two CIDs. The POTMCID and the Parkville Commons Community Improvement District, PC1CID. The latter is a CID set up to utilize the 1% sales tax collected in the Parkville Commons shopping center. The POTMCID also collectes a 1% sales tax which is the same as what the City of Parkville collects. Informaton about either CID can be had by contacting the Parkville City Hall, however, for the POTMCID, you can e-mail me directly at fishmanjack@gmail.com. MeetingS for CIDs are open to the public and I encourage anyone with an interest to attend at least one meeting of either, or both.

==JFK==

A word about our polls

As you will notice there a few opinion polls posted here. These polls are locked, and neither I nor any other contributors can change any other person's votes. In addition, anyone who has voted can change their vote any time they log in. I do ask that everyone please refrain from "stuffing the ballot box."

If you haven't voted please do so. In addition, I would like to hear any suggestions you may have for any other poll questions.

Walt

P.S. Please welcome JFK, John Farrell Kuhns, who has been invited to be a full contributor to this blog (he has posted a couple of comments). Several other folks have been asked to be contributors. Stay tuned.

A new voice added to the blog

I have been invited to be a direct contributor to Our Parkville MO instead of just leaving a comment or two. I understand that several other folks have been, or are being, invited to be contributors/editors. First, I want to thank Walter A. Grantham, WAG, for inviting me. I have no axes to grind and no particular causes to espouse, but I really don't suffer fools well. I see this blog as a place where legitimate discussions can be carried on, and where some of the news that never seems to make it into the local press can be passed on in a timely manner.

I feel that the most important thing happening in our beautiful town right now is the prospect of the Steamboat Arabia Museum coming to town. I was one of the handful of folks originally invited by the Hawleys to the meeting last month at the museum in the River Market. Previous to that the museum's representative, here in Parkville, first came to visit with my wife, Carol, to fill her in on the museum's desire to locate on the bluff at Park University. Surprisingly, about one week after he laid out the plans for the museum to occupy a piece of land overlooking the exact site on the south bank of the Missouri River where the boat sank. I sat in on the meeting and I can say Carol and I were as excited about the prospects as was the museum's representative. He had several pages of site plans and maps.

A week later, at the meeting at the museum with representatives of the city and the county, it was reported that the university stated they no longer wanted the museum on campus (for whatever reason). I talked to some officials at Park and they all stated they had heard nothing about it. They stated thay not only didn't know the university was no longer interested, but that they had never heard that there had been any conversation about locating it on campus in the first place. What a dissapointment! However, the Hawleys made it clear that after looking at a few other sites, including Weston, that they still wanted to locate in Parkville. There was skepticism expressed by some of theose present, especially from the county people.

Since that date, as was reported here on Our Parkville MO there is some serious movement with the city, and it seems the Board of Aldermen is involved. None of this has been reported in any of the local newspapers. It seems that some may have spoken out of turn, but I have confirmed from other sources that contact has, indeed, been made and that things are proceeding.

There are very few things I can think of that would be better for Parkville. Imagine the positive impact on the quality of life the museum would have here. This, of course, would be in addition to the positive impact it would have on the economics of our town.

I would like to hear from you on this subject.

==JFK==

Politics in Parkville

Well friends, last night was a good night for politics in Parkville. The Bill Quitmeier fundraiser was held at the National and the last presidential debate was on television and radio. I'd like to hear from anyone who was at the Quitmeier event; who was there, what was said, what are your impressions? I think this is a tough race for an ethical and reasonable man. He's running against an opponent who refuses to debate due, I think, to her lack of knowledge of what the job entails and her fear that she will look bad in the presence of a man who knows the facts and who really wants to keep Platte County moving along without giving it up to the developers and their lawyers.

Quitmeier has repeatedly said this is Platte County, not Flat County. Your thoughts?

On the presidential debate I was forced to catch snippets from the radio as I drove back into town from Minneapolis (I travel way too much for my family-owned business). What I missed were the facial expressions and body language of the two candidates. Once I got home I tried to watch the rerun at midnight, but sleep beckoned and I missed it. Again, I'd like to hear what you folks thought. This morning the commentators seemed to be in agreement that Obama, again, won the debate and seems to be steaming on. Comments, please.

Steamboat Arabia Museum

Well folks...it seems a certain Parkville alderman let some folks get a peek at the kitty in the bag. There is more than speculation and hopefulness that the Arabia Museum will actually be coming to our fair town. Stay tuned. Isn't this exciting?

Comments?

Parkville Community Development Corporation

Wow! The buzz on the street about last night's meeting of the Parkville Community Development Corporation, PCDC, is even louder than the news about the guy who was killed on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) tracks last night. It seems that the publisher of the local "newspaper" showed up at the meeting and proceeded to raise strenuous objections about projects the PCDC board was proposing. His performance was given no consideration by the board, and they proceeded to approve a program to recognize the many volunteers who have helped make the PCDC events so successful. It seems he is against recognizing these valuable people...this is completely in line with his stand to do as much harm to the psyche of downtown Parkville as possible.

A Blast in Parkville!

English Landing, Saturday, October 4th: According the club members of the Kansas City Association of Rocketry (KCAR) this day's event was the biggest so far of the annual gatrhering of amateur rocket scientists in Parkville. Called October Skies, the event is organized yearly by H.M.S. Beagle, Kansas City's science store. The KCAR members run the entire show and provided the necessary expertise needed to flawlessly launch over 100 rockets. Beagle personnel, Leif Bahl, Bill Nedblake and John Kuhns handled the check in for all aspriring rocket scientists.

One participant's father was over heard telling another, "Isn't it great what these folks are doing for parkville?" I later found out that two bus loads of students and teachers came for the day from Turner Middle School's Science Club, nearly each student had a rocket to launch. Launches were done for prizes in two catagories. First was the "spot landing" where the participants' rockets were supposed to land as closes as possible to am R2D2 robot model, and secondly there was "flight duration." The wind wasn't usually a factor, but for some of the lighter rockets with larger engines the duration of flight was truly awesome. One rocket we watched propably landed on Joe Millers deck.

Local restaurants, including those as far away as Nick & Jakes, reported they had the largest day in months. Tommy T's owner Tom Hutsler said his burger joint had the biggest day since they opened.

Changes in Downtown

The e-mails are flying, and I am sure that there will be a newspaper publisher running stories and editorials that will attempt to make downtown Parkville look as bad as possible. Of course, as everyone says, his job is to sell newspapers and not to promote the town.

Well, here's the news for all of us: While it is true that Angelo Gangai announced that the Power Plant Restaurant and Brewery is closing indefinitely downtown Parkville still has the lowest vacancy rate of any of the business areas in the town with the possible exception of the strip center on Missouri Highway 45. The loss of the Power Plant is to be mourned as is the figure of Angelo briskly walking the downtown streets taking care of his many tasks. We saw the last group gathering at the Power Plant, a campaign strategy meeting for Bill Quitmeier. As one leaves three others are coming in.

Word has it that a book store is coming to downtown as well as a tea room. In addition the scooter/motorcycle shop is coming along and we hop we'll soon see it in operation on County Highway FF west of the Power Plant building. We can count on one hand the vacant storefronts in the downtown. We wonder how many hands it takes to count the vacant storefronts in Parkville Commons. Comments?

Posted Earlier:

The Packet (Steamboat) Arabia...152 years ago.

This was posted earlier on another blog and has been very slightly edited:

On September 5th of 1856 (152 years ago) the the Packet (Steamboat) Arabia struck a sycamore snag in the Missouri River and sank at Parkville. No lives were lost except for the mule who later became known as Lawrence. When Arabia and its still intact contents were unearthed from 40-feet down in a farmer's field on the Kansas site of the river by a crew of four local treasure hunters in 1987 no one expected the real treasure that eventually came to light. That treasure has been housed in Kansas City's Treasures of the Arabia Museum in the city's River Market.

The museum is one of Kansas City's jewels but is housed in a woefully inadequate former produce warehouse that has been subjected to a leaks from above and other persistent problems. We've heard the owners of the museum are actively seeking to locate the museum in Parkville. Such a location is logical and will be highly appreciated by the citizens of the town as well as the citizens of Southern Platte County. The Arabia will provide a rare, nearly instantaneous boost to tourism, business investment, economic development, educational opportunities (at all levels including the university level) and civic pride.

What's to be done? Last week, September 5th, several politicians from Parkville and Platte County as well as officials from the county's Economic Development Council, a commercial developer and a municipal bonding agent were present at a meeting as invitees of the Hawley family who owns the museum. It has been reported those in attendance were given a tour of the facility and treated to cake and other refreshments while being allowed to ask questions about how the relocation of the museum to Parkville could be accomplished.

It has been said that the first obstacle to overcome is the location. Isn't it always? Even before the first penny can be raised in earnest, the location must be agreed upon and, at least, options for the site secured. We've heard that the Hawleys have a location, or two, in mind near the current English Landing Park. We suspect that due to restrictions that Park College put on the use of the park itself, that the museum cannot be located within the park proper. Of course, location in the wrong place, in that area, will simply invite the Missouri to revisit the Arabia from time to time with floods. Sites above the flood levels will have to be considered.

We think it would be great to have a solid grass-roots support for the museum's relocation to Parkville. Who will step forward to organize this? What citizens of gravitas will step forward to add their support to this effort? We shall see.

Want to be a regular contributor to Our Parkville MO?

Have you ever had a hankering to make a positive impact on our community? Now that Our Parkville MO is a bit over a month old we feel that it is time to invite others to add their views to the blog as postings rather than just as comments. Most of you remember our first attempt at a blog and I know that most of you were disappointed when it ended shortly after being set up and having the first posts and comments. Those of you who dived into the first fledgling blog, and those of you who think what we're doing here, now, is valuable, and who would like their comments read by others in Our Parkville MO, then send us a resume and a sample post. We're not looking for any particular point of view, your politics don't matter to us, your writing skill should be sufficient to allow your postings to be understood. There will be no deadlines, no agendas, and no personal attacks.

Just send us an email to myparkville@gmail.com. We are limited to the number of people who can actually do postings other than comments. We'll be out of town for a few days of golfing and relaxing and visiting the kids and will only be able to check in sporadically with our e-mail.

Tempest in a Teacup?

Our local newspaper, The Parkville Luminary, ran a front page story in which, as far as I can determine, the publisher tried to embarrass a local man who it seems just got caught up in doing what he thought was right. The "story" was a series of e-mails that the newspaper publisher simply reproduced in its pages. It isn't completely clear, but it seems that the focus of the story, John Kuhns, was trying to insure that the vendors at a special 2-day sales event would properly collect and pay sales tax. The event was held on the 19th and 20th, a Friday and Saturday.

It appears the organizer of the event got peeved with Mr. Kuhns and sent an e-mail to the newspaper's publisher expressing her outrage. The event organizer did get the correct sales tax information to the event's vendors, and presumably the correct sales taxes were collected. The publisher admitted that the "story" came to him via the reproduced e-mails and that he didn't have to seek out any information. A local politician expressed his view that it was the best writing he's seen in the paper!

There is a very interesting addendum to this story. One of the local participants (the majority were from outside of Parkville) told me that over the two days of the event there were about 20 visitors! She told me that the organizers assumed there were too many other things going on around town. I talked to several other folks in our fair town and all of them said they had excellent sales on that Friday and Saturday.

Ten Questions for the Candidates.

I have decide to post this on-line questionnaire to the two candidates for the position of Platte County Commissioner. It seems that it has been impossible to get a debate set up between the two candidates. I'm not completely clear as to why this has not been possible (at least so far), but the word on the street and in the restaurants is that one candidate has consistently refused. That will, in fact, be my first question.

Q1: Is it true that both the Parkville Luminary and the Pachyderm Club have tried to arrange a debate between you and your opponent? If so, what do you think is the main reason one or both debates have not come off?

Q2. What public endorsements have you received? (Please cite specific publications, dates and page numbers and/or URLs at which such public endorsements can be viewed.)

Q3. What do you think is the biggest issue (positive or negative) facing Platte County today? Why? How do you plan to deal with issue if you are elected?

Q4. How important is the appointment of non-partisan boards and commissions within the community. Why?

Q5. What is the most important development issue currently facing the citizens of Southern Platte County? Why? How will you deal with this issue if you are elected?

Q6. What do think is likely to become a "headline issue" in the county within the next 2 years? Why? How do you anticipate dealing with this if, in fact, it does become an important issue in the future?

Q7. What do you think the voters of Southern Platte County should consider to be your primary assets and/or qualities?

Q8. Since both of you have been mayor of Parkville, what was the one major, negative, controversy with which you had to deal during your mayoral tenure? Was this controversy successfully resolved during your term in office? If it was, how was it resolved; if was not, why?

Q9. What do you think will be your primary responsibilities to the two different types of citizens in Southern Platte County, namely those who live in municipalities and those who live in the unincorporated parts of the county?

Q10. Please post your campaign platform, in bullet points. Also, please post the link to your campaign's web site.

I want to thank the candidates in advance for their responses.

Stone Canyon Pizza Co. Awarded the 2008 Best of the Taste of Parkville

I stopped by the Stone Canyon Pizza this afternoon and noticed a spiffy new banner on the front of their counter announcing that they had been awarded the "Best of the Taste of Parkville" for 2008. Many of you know I was out of town on a family emergency during the Taste of Parkville so I missed out on what I know from past events was a lot of good local fare. As far as I know none of the local papers have carried this announcement, so let me be the first to say "congratulations to Kevin and the Stone Canyon crew." How about a repeat next year?

Local Newspaper gets called on its Editorial

The Parkville Luminary was pulled up short by the president of the Parkville Community Development Corporation, PCDC. In his response to the newspaper's editorial in which the publisher, Mark Vasto, referred to the PCDC as part of a "three-headed monster", Tim Rice layed out a very concise explanation of the history and value of the PCDC to Parkville's past and future economic development. My investigation turned up the fact that a private e-mail from the PCDC's treasurer, John Kuhns, to Rice and the other two PCDC officers, in which Kuhns expressed his concern that the PCDC might not be included in Mayor Gerry Richardson's call for a new commission to study and promote economic development. In the e-mail Kuhns suggested that perhaps Rice should have a conversation with the mayor to find out what the mayor's intentions were.

It seems the private e-mail was forwarded to a plethora of other Parkvillians. One of the persons to whom the e-mail was forwarded was Vasto and the Luminary. The letter was featured in a scathing editorial and Vasto used it as his jumping-off point to do what he seems to delight in...the trashing of downtown Parkville and its volunteer organizations. It was reported in the paper that the mayor had not met with anyone from the PCDC, when in fact, he did have a meeting with Rice about the subject prior to the appearance of the editorial. It seems the meeting might have been a little awkward since the mayor had also been a recipient of the forwarded e-mail.

I have spoken to a few of the merchants and my neighbors here in Parkville, and a very precious few hold the Luminary in high regard. Their biggest complaint, it seems, is that the publishers rarely has anything good to say about downtown. This attitude exists in light of the fact that the current may has reiterated what all of his predicessors have said, "The downtown is the heart our our city."

Let me hear from you on this subject, Post your comments and participate in our pools.