Clay County State of the Cities/County luncheon at Harrah’s North Kansas City was filled with announcements, impressive figures, and lighthearted humor on Thursday, March 30. The event was hosted by city and county leaders who presented updates on public and private development throughout the county. Julie Sola, the EDC Chair, kicked off the meeting and revealed a significant recognition for Clay County. A North Kansas City site was listed among the top five potential locations for a “downtown” Royals baseball stadium. While a Jackson County location is more likely to be chosen, Sola said the inclusion of Clay County is still noteworthy.
The luncheon featured presentations from various leaders, highlighting development from all corners of the county, including Excelsior Springs’ own mayor, Sharon Powell. Powell highlighted the collaborative effort between Excelsior Springs and Clay County to tackle downtown flooding. She praised City Manager Molly McGovern and Economic Developer Melinda Mehaffy for their work to secure more than $24 Million in federal grants to improve pedestrian safety on the west side of the city, which will involve constructing a crossing at Highway 69 near the high school. Powell noted the work being done on the historic Hall of Waters also utilizing grant funding. She shared that overall, the city has invested $50 million into various projects in 2022, $32 million of which was provided by transportation grants. Powell also joked with the audience that “Excelsior Springs is the last city in Clay County to get a QuikTrip,” which garnered lots of laughs. Watch Powell’s full State of the City address in the video above. The combination of information and humor at the luncheon made for an engaging event that left attendees feeling optimistic about the future of Clay County.
