Now that Excelsior Springs has annexed about 36 acres along U.S. 69, surrounding communities and Clay County will no longer provide that areas emergency services.
Instead, the city of Excelsior Springs will provide fire and police services in that portion of Township 52 between Excelsior Springs and Prathersville.
The city council passed an ordinance Monday night to annex the land after it received an annexation petition last week from Missouri Department of Transportation district engineer Elizabeth Wright. Portions of the eastbound lane of U.S. 69 within Prathersville will not be included in annexation, said Debbie Kimsey, assistant city manager for Excelsior Springs.
The change applies to public safety, primarily, City Manager Darren Hennen said, and does not affect tax rates.
The ordinance directs the Planning and Zoning Commission to officially change the citys zoning map, and transfers responsibilities for services immediately.
Hennen said the council this spring received input from the public and the village of Prathersville, which is south of the annexation area.
The city does not yet know how this will affect the police and fire departments workload, Kimsey said.
Also Monday night, the council granted utility easements for the Wal-Mart at 2203 Patsy Lane.
Wal-Mart has been working with the city to upgrade its 104,079-square-foot property to a Supercenter, which would entail 172 new jobs, a full-service grocery, newer product lines and more checkout lanes.
The Excelsior Springs Area Chamber of Commerce supports the change, but many competing grocers worry it could hurt locally owned stores.
Distributed by the Associated Press
