Free complimentary copy June 17, 2016 • Volume 3, No. 34
www.raytowneagle.com • 75¢
Powder Mill Bridge step toward completing historic retracement trails By Kris Collins The Santa Fe, California and Oregon retracement trail from Wayne City Landing on the Missouri River to Gardner Junction, Kansas is one step closer to being completed with the completion of the Power Mill Bridge, the longest pedestrian passing across an interstate highway. The bridge, which takes pedestrians over Interstate 435 near Bannister Road, was completed at the end of 2015 and was dedicated June 9 with national, state and local parks officials in attendance. The 40-mile stretch from Wayne City Landing to Gardner Junction is the only section in the country where three national historic trails meet. “The National Park Service, when they realized that the three trails intersect with the Katy Trail right here, they are going absolutely – just nothing better could happen for the trail system,” said Larry Short, vice president of the National Santa Fe Trail Association and co- founder of the 3-Trails Corridor Partnership. “They can get on the Kay Trail in St. Louis and they’ll be able to eventually come here and join up and get on the Santa Fe, Oregon and California trail and go all the way to Santa Fe or California
from right here in the heart of our city.” The $1.4 million bridge was funded by a federal grant and by the 3-Trails West Community Improvement District. The cost, Short said, will be worth the economic impact on communities along the corridor. “What’s amazing to me is the support we are getting from the public officials – Mayor [Mike] McDonough, the city councilman Steve Meyers,” Short said. “They understand how important history is, but also the major thing with all of this is they are understanding the economic advantages for the city of Raytown.” The bridge also brings attention to the history of the trails in American history and passes along to younger generations an understanding and appreciation for what they once were and how they are still relevant today, hence the theme of the dedication ceremony: Bridging Communities Past and Future. The name of the bridge also calls attention to the area’s history. “There was an actual powder mill called the Excelsior Power Company,” Short said. “It was there for years, but it just kept blowing up too often and finally the closed it down and moved out. That’s how
Photo courtesy Missouri Department of Transportation The Python Drill Team marches down Power Mill Bridge June 9 as part of the dedication ceremony. The bridge is the longest pedestrian passing over and interstate highway in the country. Its completion marks a milestone in the completion of the 40-mile retracement of the historic Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails.
the name Powder Mill was selected for the bridge, something local.” The Missouri Department of Transportation included in its project plans for the bridge the story of the powder mill so that its history is documented.
The next step in completing the retracement trail is completing a comprehensive plan, the funding for which will come from the U.S. National Park Service, and will be finalized in mid-July, Short said. “Once that plan is hard-copied
and everything, there’s nine communities, plus Jackson County, plus Johnson County along that corridor that we have to meet with and funding will be a major thing to talk about with each of the communities,” Short said.
Fire district calls for renegotiation of 2007 TIF project agreement
By Kris Collins The Raytown Fire Protection District held a public meeting June 6 at Fire Station No. 1 to discuss the district’s disagreement with the city on a 2007 agreement penned for the Raytown Live redevelopment project along Missouri 350. Fire district officials believe the city has not upheld its part of the agreement that called for the fire district to surrender a larger percentage of its tax revenue than is called for by state law to pay off the bonds that funded redevelopment in the 30acre tax increment finance, or TIF, district. Specifically, the fire district claims, because of a 2011 amendment that removed certain language
Photos by Kris Collins Raytown Fire Protection District Chief Matt Mace speaks about the district’s issue with the Raytown Live redevelopment project during a public meeting hosted at Fire Station No. 1 June 6.
in the 1,000-page project agreement that dictated how the tax revenue captured by the TIF would be spent, the surrendered tax revenue is not being used under agreed-upon terms in the 2007 agreement. The 2011 amendment removed language that required economic activity taxes, which are taxes generated as a result of economic development, to exclusively fund public improvements and other reimbursable project costs that are within the public easements and right-of-way owned by the city or another public entity. “That was a hook the fire district really thought was worthwhile because it guaranteed that the money being spent was used on things to
RPD Safety Fair Raytown Police hosted the 5th Annual Safety Fair on June 13 at C. Lee Kenagy Park. The event
Photos by Diane Krizek Aaron Hixon and Jared Rogers of RPD Swat Team Unit show the force is with them.
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attracted a good crowd despite the heat. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) served
free hot dogs, cookies and drinks to the crowd.
Irene Korotev (left) with Lexy and Christine Roseman with JD from Missouri Search & Rescue K-9, a volunteer organization dedicated to finding find lost or injured persons and to assist in saving lives. Its multi-breed K-9 teams make it better-rounded than single breed units because each breed has specific strengths best suited for water search, air or ground scented trails.
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benefit the community, not just private businesses,” Mace said. During the June 1 meeting the city held on the redevelopment project, Chris Williams, TIF attorney for the project, said the economic activity taxes have been used to pay off the bonds. He noted that making bond payments with the economic activity taxes was an appropriate use of the funds. In other words, Fire Chief Matt Mace said the district felt it agreed to participate in a project that was never fully realized. The sentiment was perhaps demonstrated best at the start of the meeting when Mace displayed a photo of a row of newly
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Raytown’s Pop That Thang closes
Pop That Thang, gourmet popcorn and party shop at Raytown Plaza Shopping Center, closed June 8. A closing notice was posted on the business’ Facebook page on the morning of June 8. Owner Tracie Hardin could not be reached for comment by press time. The Raytown-Brooking Eagle will report an update when more information is known.
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