Politics in Parkville

It would be great sport to just sit back and watch, but the race for Platte County Commish is just too darn important to be just standing and watching the parade. What we have here is a couple of former mayors running for the position. One has a well established reputation as an even-handed administrator who rarely, if ever, participated in closed meetings. The other claims to have actually lowered taxes in the City of Parkville and seemed especially enamoured of closed meetings and, as we hear, of special "passes" for her dearest projects and friends.

We talked to a neighbor who is managing the former candidate's campaign, and he confirmed that his city taxes were easily higher at the end of the latter's reign in our city. The funny thing is that we voted for both persons when they ran for mayor. We liked them both, but after a long-term observation and interaction with both we definately have a favorite in this race.

For those of you not familiar with the persons being referred to in our post allow us to introduce them. The latest former mayor is Kathy Dusenbery. The one we are supporting is William Quitmeier.

Dusenbery is a very liberal Republican (we've heard she said, to a close neighbor of ours, that Sarah Palin is too conservative) and Quitmeier is a fiscally conservative Democrat. Without reservation we support Quitmeier, but to get elected we think he needs to get more aggressive in the campaign. We heard from a local newspaper publisher that Dusenbery has refused an offer to debate her opponent...not once, but twice. We think this is because Quitmeier has a much firmer grip on the facts and details that concern the race. Also, he's less likely to get flustered in a face-to-face exchange.

The Packet (Steamboat) Arabia...152 years ago.

On September 5th of 1856 (152 years ago) the the Packet (Steamboat) Arabia struck a sycamore snag in the Missouri River and sank at Parkville. No lives were lost except for the mule who later became known as Lawrence. When Arabia and its still intact contents were unearthed from 40-feet down in a farmer's field on the Kansas site of the river by a crew of four local treasure hunters in 1987 no one expected the real treasure that eventually came to light. That treasure has been housed in Kansas City's Treasures of the Arabia Museum in the city's River Market.

The museum is one of Kansas City's jewels but is housed in a woefully inadequate former produce warehouse that has been subjected to a leaks from above and other persistent problems. We've heard the owners of the museum are actively seeking to locate the museum in Parkville. Such a location is logical and will be highly appreciated by the citizens of the town as well as the citizens of Southern Platte County. The Arabia will provide a rare, nearly instantaneous boost to tourism, business investment, economic development, educational opportunities (at all levels including the university level) and civic pride.

What's to be done? Last week, September 5th, several politicians from Parkville and Platte County as well as officials from the county's Economic Development Council, a commercial developer and a municipal bonding agent we present at a meeting as intitees of thre Hawley family who owns the museum. It has been reported those in attendance were given a tour of the facility and treated to cake and other refreshments while being allowed to ask questions about how the relocation of the museum to Parkville could be accomplished.

It has been said that the first obstacle to overcome is the location. Isn't it always? Even before the first penny can be raised in earnest, the location must be agreed upon and, at least, options for the site secured. We've heard that the Hawleys have a location, or two, in mind near the current English Landing Park. We suspect that due to restrictions that Park College put on the use of the park itself, that the museum cannot be located within the park proper. Of course, location in the wrong place, in that area, will simply invite the Missouri to revisit the Arabia from time to time with floods. Sites above the flood levels will have to be considered.

We think it would be great to have a solid grass-roots support for the museum's relocation to Parkville. Who will step forward to organize this? What citizens of gravitas will step forward to add their support to this effort? We shall see.