LEADER CLINTON COUNT Y
Thurs., February 9, 2023 |
INSIDE
one section | 12 pages
From the Office of the Mayor Plattsburg Mayor James Kennedy gives an update on the exciting projects the city has in store during 2023. || PAGE A5
Sheriff ’s Report Get a comprehensive look at what went on in law enforcement the previous week throughout Clinton County. || PAGE A3
Plattsburg, Lathrop and Gower, Mo.
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| “Covers Clinton County Like Dew ”
SCHOOLS
East Buch considers future of middle school
In near future, EBMS could move to Gower or remain in Easton
by brett adkison leader editor
For decades, the communities of Gower and Easton have been intertwined through their shared, consolidated school district, East Buchanan. To this day, students travel to the smaller Easton (located nine miles to the northwest)
to attend East Buchanan Middle School. But that could change in the future. The East Buchanan School District is currently working on its long-range plan, which is expected to include major changes to the middle school in one fashion or
another. The district could either keep the school in Easton or move it to Gower, and either renovate existing facilities or build an entirely new building. East Buchanan Superintendent Dr. John Newell said the question of what, exactly, to do about the middle school has been
SCHOOLS
BEE CHAMPS
NW Missouri columnist Paul Hamby on the fourday school week and its school/life balance. || PAGE A5
Commission approves $4.5 million 2023 budget
leader editor
THE LEADER Est. 1895
Clinton County has its spelling bee champions for 2023! The best spellers in the area competed at the county bee last week at Plattsburg High School for the chance to advance to the regional spelling bee next month in St. Joseph. (Left to right) Brogan Noll of Plattsburg will serve as an alternate, Rylan Hall of Plattsburg is advancing to regionals, Plattsburg’s Adrian Rockstead is the county champion and is advancing to regionals, and Lathrop’s Hayden Wilson will serve as an alternate. submitted
Honeycutt Media
VOL. 128, NO. 15
COUNTY
by brett adkison
Community........A3 Opinion..............A4 Legals.......A10,A11 Sports...............A7
102 e. Maple St. Plattsburg, Mo., 64477 (UPS 435580000) 816.539.2111 email: leader@clintoncountyleader.com
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County puts marijuana tax on April ballot
Benefits of the Four-Day Week
Winner of 100+ awards from the Missouri press assoc.
floating around for years, but the district has arrived at a juncture where delaying a decision is no longer feasible. “The facility has some major needs and deficiencies,” he said. “Regardless of the solution that ultimately becomes the direction
Clinton County is the latest public entity to position itself to capitalize on marijuana sales. Clinton County, like several cities in the area, will be running a three-cent sales tax on the sale of marijuana on the April 2023 ballot. The recreational purchase and use of marijuana in Missouri was decided last year, and this past weekend – the first full weekend of legalization – the state estimates $12.7 million in sales took place for both medical and recreational purposes. The Clinton County Commissioners recently approved the county’s budget for 2023, which outlined $4.5 million in spending in the county’s general revenue budget. ||Continued on A2
CLINTON COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING
Board approves rezoning and division requests by jim bonebrake leader editor
During its regular monthly meeting Thursday, February 2, at the Clinton County Courthouse, he Clinton County Planning and Zoning Commission listened to five requests for minor subdivisions in the county, as well as one request
for a change from a special use permit granted in 1995. The meeting lasted a little more than two hours. The M-2 conditional rezoning was the last hearing on the agenda and was a request from Darrell and Marcella Fortner. They asked to have 20 acres rezoned from Ag-A
Special Use to the M-2 Conditional for their family business, D&D Pallet Service, LLC. This land is located on the north side of NW 316th St., east of VV Highway., west of NW Grimes Rd., in rural Gower. The Fortners, as well as their attorney, Troy Dietrich, attended the hearing and
explained the reason for their request to the board. D&D Pallet, LLC manufactures and repairs pallets, and the original special use permit was granted in 1995 so the business could begin operations. Mr. Fortner explained that his father and ||Continued on A6