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.

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==

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).

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