Ground breaking...for the new LifeFlight Eagle helicopter ambulance base east of Odessa was held recently. On hand for the ceremony were Chris Zalar, left, CEO and president of LifeFlight Eagle, Thad, Scott and Emma Rasa, and Dick Whipple, LifeFlight director of program operations. Scott Rasa is the property owner. Facility is expected to be operating by the end of the year. photo by Bud Jones
Construction begins on base for LifeFlight east of Odessa
by Bud Jones
Ground breaking took place recently on a new LifeFlight Eagle helicopter ambulance base in Lafayette County, near the intersection of I-70 and Routes M/O, east of Odessa.
Construction is underway on a 5400-square-foot building that will house a crew of three round-the-clock personnel at the base, along with LifeFlight Eagle 3, a Bell 407 helicopter ambulance, which now is located at Central Jackson County Fire Station #3 in Blue Springs.
"We are always exploring ways to provide improved access and care to the communities we serve, and the relocation of Eagle 3 will help us do that in our eastern service area," Christine Zalar, president and CEO of LifeFlight Eagle, said.
The Odessa facility will be similar to base facilities already operating in Harrisonville, Clinton and Trenton. Read more in The Odessan.
Hunter's View final plat tabled
by Betty S. Spaar
Approval of the final plat of Hunter's View subdivision, owned by Steve and Lisa Bailey, was tabled after an hour-long and sometimes heated discussion at the Monday night meeting of the Board of Aldermen.
The Baileys have plans to build 108 homes in Hunter's View, a subdivision south of Hunter's Ridge.
Clay Barton, city attorney, made the recommendation to table approval. He asked to see the letters, files, Planning and Zoning files and any other material pertinent to the issue.
Aldermen agreed to table to allow Barton time to review the material and bring back an opinion after a "reasonable amount of time."
A major issue with Hunter's Ridge homeowners is the plan for Remington Drive to be a through street within both subdivisions.
After attorneys for the Hunter's Ridge residents and the Baileys spoke, Barton asked who placed the approval of the final plat on the agenda. Read more in The Odessan.
Aldermen agree to shut down city's power plant in 2013
After hearing a report from Hap Phillips, power plant employee, Odessa Board of Aldermen Monday night agreed to move the engines at the city's municipal power plant to emergency status only until May 13, 2013, and then shut down the system. Steve Wright, alderman ward two, made the motion which also allows the city to purchase backup generators for the water and power plants.
Phillips, reporting on a MoPEP meeting he and Mike Hayslip, city administrator, attended last week, told aldermen there will be no penalty on discontinuing generation and running on emergency status until that date.
Phillips told aldermen that two of the city's three engines in operation have been disallowed for upgrades. Costs to bring the plant into new emission standards are estimated at $300,000.
This will allow the city to receive approximately $60,000 annual credits from MoPEP until May 2013 when new federal emission standards go into effect.
Hayslip said a letter must be sent by August 31 to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stating the city's decision.
"The pool needs to be informed of the decision as far in advance as possible," Phillips said. Read more in The Odessan.
Area voters to polls Tuesday in primary
Primary election will be held Tuesday in western Lafayette County, as Missourians from across the state participate in the electoral process to select their political party's candidates for the November general election.
And, depending upon the ballot chosen by each individual voter, candidate selection options will vary.
For example, in the race for 122nd District state representative, there are two candidates from which to choose on the Democratic Party ballot: Gary Grigsby and Holmes Osborne. Those voters selecting a Republican Party ballot will have only one choice for 122nd District representative, Mike McGhee, incumbent.
For 26th District state representative, the incumbent, Joe Aull, is the only choice on the Democratic Party ballot. There is no Republican candidate for 26th District representative.
A few Oak Grove voters living within Lafayette County may vote for 55th District state representative. On the Republican ballot, the choices are Sheila Solon and Mike Parker. There is no Democratic candidate. Read more in The Odessan.
Odessa voters to decide
on phone franchise fees
by Bud Jones
Voters within the city of Odessa will decide Tuesday on a ballot proposition to include all telecommunications services, not just landline based telephone services, under the city's franchise fee ordinances.
The city has for many years collected taxes on land-based telephone lines under its franchise agreements.
The ballot proposition Tuesday seeks to include "wireless communications" under the franchise fee ordinances. Read more in The Odessan. |
P&Z Board approves site plan for LifeFlight Eagle base
by Bud Jones
Lafayette County Planning and Zoning Commission members gave a unanimous "green light" Thursday night to a proposed LifeFlight Eagle helicopter ambulance base in western Lafayette County.
Site location is approximately 1/2 mile east of the intersection of Route M and Old 40 Highway, along the south side of Old 40 Highway, directly west of the tow lot for Wilkinson Tow Service.
Current property owner, Scott Rasa, Higginsville, made the presentation for what amounted to a change in site concept plan for property already zoned B-2, general business.
Rasa explained the proposed helicopter ambulance base would include living quarters for a crew of three, pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic, who would be stationed at the base, a helicopter landing area and hangar and fuel storage area.
The base would be staffed on a 24-hour, seven days a week, 365 days a year basis.
Eight parking spaces would be available in front of the building, Rasa said, but the only anticipated traffic in and out of the lot would be shift personnel beginning and ending work shifts. Read more in The Odessan.
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