Airport Rentals Soar Skyward at City Council Meeting

With cool weather moving in and the Chiefs playing Monday Night Football, attendance was low and business was brisk at Monday evening’s council meeting. Things kicked off with the approval for the purchase of a new mower and the subsequent trade in of a used mower for the Parks and Rec. dept. Public works director Chad Birdsong gave a report detailing the final walkthrough of Clacton Estates. There were no problems and an inspection of the drainage system will be conducted after construction is complete.

City Manager, Molly McGovern, announced that after conducting a survey of small airports around Missouri it was concluded that rental fees at Excelsior Springs Memorial airport will be increasing. Outdoor hangar rentals will remain $75 per month, while indoor hangar rentals will increase from $100 to $175 per month. In a twist of irony, the airport survey came by suggestion of the results of a state audit conducted in the spring. The audit was prompted by allegations of misconduct by city officials, made by supporters of the airport who were upset with the perceived lack of support for airport facilities. The audit which cost the city in excess of $100,000 in fees found no evidence of any misconduct, and made only minor suggestions to city procedures.

In closing, councilman Stephen Spear thanked fire chief Joe Maddick for working with the Excelsior Springs Career Center to potentially donate the ambulance that will be decommissioned after the purchase of a new ambulance that was approved earlier this year. View the council meeting in its entirety at the link above. City Council meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 6:00 PM at the Hall of Waters in downtown Excelsior Springs, MO.