Stephanie Bowers Honored
The Lathrop Elementary principal earns high praise for her work. || PAGE A3
LEADER CLINTON COUNT Y
“The People Have The Right To Know”
Thursday, December 12, 2024 | Plattsburg • Lathrop • Gower • Cameron | FREE |
“Covers Clinton County Like Dew”
CITY OF PLATTSBURG
City has a new tool to clean up junk properties by brett adkison leader editor
In recent years, residents in Plattsburg have questioned the city’s ability to enforce nuisance violations. With a decision on Monday evening, the municipality will soon have a
new tool in its toolbox. The Plattsburg City Council voted Monday, December 9, to approve changes to city codes that will allow the city to abate known nuisances when a property owner fails to do so. Now, when a code en-
forcement officer identifies a nuisance on a property, the property owner will be given 10 days to either abate the nuisance themselves, or request a hearing with the city. If the owner fails to take either of these steps, the city can obtain an ad-
ministrative warrant, which will allow an agent of the city to walk onto the property and abate the nuisance at the cost of the owner. Mayor David Jett said he feels the new code will be a great help to the city in the coming year, while
Alderman Richard Stanley said that the council, just like residents, have grown tired of the town’s code enforcement being so toothless. The council also moved Monday to alleviate a problem with speeding motorists
CHRISTMAS IS HERE
on the west side of town, approving an ordinance establishing a speed limit (and the accompanying signage) of 25 m.p.h. on Broadway between 116 Highway and Y Highway. The issue primar||Continued on A2
ELECTIONS
Filing period now open for April election by brett adkison leader editor
In Plattsburg, the Christmas season was ushered in this past weekend with the annual Community Christmas event downtown, which included the lighted parade, Santa visits and so much more. For more photos from the event, plus other Christmas events happening in Clinton County, see inside. (Above) Plattsburg Mayor David Jett and wife, Susan Jett, flipped the switch on the downtown lights Friday, aided by Santa’s elves, Lisa Crawford (right) and Jennifer Darkenwald (left). brett adkison | the clinton county leader
Change would require more land to build homes in agricultural areas leader reporter
On Thursday, December 5, the Clinton County Planning and Zoning Commission listened to a request for a minor subdivision, a review of a special use permit and held another public hearing related to recommendations for amendments to several sections in the zoning codebook. The first item on the
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agenda was a request for a minor subdivision for the Rogers Constance Lee Trust of Lathrop, Mo., to subdivide a 10.90-acre lot from an 86.57-acre parcel, and rezone the 10.90-acre parcel from Ag-A to Ag-B. The property is located on the north side of SE 251st Street, west of SE Tri County Line and east of 69 Highway in rural Lathrop. Certified letters were sent to eight adjacent prop-
erty owners, with none attending the public hearing. Both the request for the minor subdivision and the change in zoning from Ag-A to Ag-B were approved by 8-0 votes, and the board’s recommendation will be sent to the Clinton County Commissioners for final approval. The second item on the agenda was a review of a special use permit granted to BigFoote Outfitters. The per-
INSIDE One Section | 12 pages
Community.........A3 Community.........A5 Opinion..............A4 Sports................A6 Legals................A8
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Cameron, Plattsburg hit the hardwood || INSIDE
COUNTY ZONING
by jim bonebrake
While the 2025 April Municipal Election is still months away, interested candidates will now be putting their names forward for consideration. The filing period to run for local city councils and school boards opened on Tuesday, December 10, and will run through the end of the month. In the City of Cameron, just one seat—that of Karen Hamlet—will be up for election this spring. The seat carries a three-year term and is open to all city residents for candidacy. The Cameron R-1 Board of Education has two seats up for three-year terms, which are currently car-
ried by Andi Lockridge and Staci Earley. It will be a big election for the City of Plattsburg, as three seats will be decided in April. Those seats are in Ward I (held by Clyde May), Ward II (Sue Malone) and Ward III (Ken Tongue). Each seat carries a two-year term. The Clinton County RIII Board of Education will have three seats up for grabs, those of sitting members Travis Day, Danny Parra and Keith Carnie, the latter of which was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board. Therefore, two of the seats will carry three-year terms while
mit holders are Troy and Vanessa Foote of Trimble, Mo. This is the 18-month review of this permit. The property is located on the east side of O Highway, south of SW 225th Street, north of Smithville Lake in rural Trimble. The petitioners were also asking the commission to consider some changes to the original permit. These changes included adding ||Continued on A2
Wrestlers head back to the mat
Wreaths Across America
Local grapplers have opened the 2024-2025 season, including some history at EBHS
Veterans will again be honored this year for Christmas at the Lathrop Cemetery.
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Honeycutt Media 102 e. Maple St. Plattsburg, Mo., 64477 (UPS 435580000) 816.539.2111 email: leader@clintoncountyleader.com
VOL. 130, NO. 6