[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6137925,"mediaKeyId","5594071-97ac52ed9ebfd19218cb0cc8e1fed8fb","parentId",5594071,"title","Clay County commissioners approve consent and prosecutor invoices, 4-0","audioSeconds",86,"startMs",510000,"endMs",596000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5594071-97ac52ed9ebfd19218cb0cc8e1fed8fb&start=510&end=596","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5594071-97ac52ed9ebfd19218cb0cc8e1fed8fb/thumbnail_510000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6137925/Clay-County/Missouri/Clay-County-commissioners-approve-consent-and-prosecutor-invoices-4-0","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6137925-cbe22103621dac948acfda969139ea93/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166515&Signature=W0jEvySvD~5HmM-L7nnngQ8wuyW3nH4EmZ5aK3-W9BtJZ2ZflrhttJhJVH3XV4rH29mpGSNMVc53SXgraZ3b3tNSnQdk7SX7PiGygFN893dvEq4vjWdgSUr5YYHvOTTEuXMdE2mefv0YE8pk~TdLtIAq3FmYE3PKiTsmVsSQfYKZctfXX3dE2RBsimmVIQugg-EGd-dM4BBMjrlpl6kqY4IZe9vlCC3ai7XKwGNg6Tmea6INo~7DHRFhjkoTtPTUT66DrmErWKF45Qes99I9cGwkQv42zNNyHRkDoRD8-~kYE4wh2Xu0Xoi1U2SJc3K3Tj0m1jZJSpQIr3Ir-FCOJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Clay County, Missouri","date","2025-08-08T12:01:54Z","article","At the start of its meeting, the Clay County Commission approved the evening’s agenda and later approved the consent agenda and a separate set of prosecutor’s office invoices.

Commissioner Johnson moved to approve the meeting agenda; the commission called the roll and the motion passed 4-0. Later in the meeting the county administrator read two consent items. The consent agenda covered county invoices from July 26 through Aug. 1: \"243 invoices totaling $512,904.21,\" the administrator said. Commissioner Johnson moved to approve the consent agenda; after a roll call the motion passed 4-0.

The regular agenda included item 2025-235, approval of nine invoices for the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office for the same period. The administrator said the nine invoices totaled $1,105.96. Commissioner Johnson moved to approve item 2025-235; the commission voted 4-0 to approve.

The meeting record shows the commissioners who voted \"yes\" were Commissioner Johnson, Commissioner Whittington, Commissioner Lawson and Commissioner Wagner. No second was recorded in the public transcript for the motions as read.

These approvals concluded the consent and regular business portions of the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commission Business Session August 7th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Clay County Commission approved the meeting agenda, a consent package of 243 county invoices totaling $512,904.21 and nine invoices for the prosecutor’s office totaling $1,105.96; motions were made by Commissioner Johnson and each vote passed 4-0.","taxTitle","taxId",13661,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6137929,"Kearney resident asks Clay County to address invasive plants on roadways",187,282000,469000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5594071-97ac52ed9ebfd19218cb0cc8e1fed8fb&start=282&end=469","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5594071-97ac52ed9ebfd19218cb0cc8e1fed8fb/thumbnail_282000.jpg","/articles/6137929/Clay-County/Missouri/Kearney-resident-asks-Clay-County-to-address-invasive-plants-on-roadways","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6137929-62b90a5bd6ffae1685742697e3ff7d40/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166515&Signature=l4u~IWoj3jWf4IQKmHNo~wfwHyD-QY4eyY2Re0EX42No9FQ3aAUF9Z-PuxTxxEo9QRozKL7fwcfAupwp3XeyTM-jzAiB~-g-IpSA7eNCZOmtarMmMMnMBIMW2p4Ls0FQIJKbw~MOAp3I3ogiZe0fLmaHRktkjOljrEtKXsIGrmAx36buRCCjguRrcHgVNQsqjBkGxcwhl20gstlGQmvMJes9tpzEI8skT010TPaWJTuv~U0LvYW7KbsTDt1f99bMtmrGfS4RABrQfMSW5jUj6tOs7r3ruloMhM0Eq4hzyHEfc7KOfFvFUM3TQXwQgHC9~WgJqxZXH8oAOhDMLj60sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Linda Hetzel of Kearney told the Clay County Commission she is concerned about invasive plant species spreading along county roadways and public rights-of-way and asked county staff what steps are being taken to control them.

\"I'm here to ask how the county is addressing invasive plant species along county roadways and public right of ways,\" Hetzel said, identifying herself as a resident of 13318 Plattsburgh Road. She listed several species she said are spreading: callery pear, garlic mustard, sericea lespedeza, autumn olive, birdsfoot trefoil and burning bush, and urged a countywide approach guided by Missouri invasive-species experts.

Hetzel said she does not support \"indiscriminate roadside spraying,\" citing a past highway department application that she said killed wildflowers but not Johnson grass. She asked the commission for targeted, least-toxic interventions and suggested one requirement that could limit seed spread: requiring hay and debris haulers to cover their loads.

A commissioner asked that Hetzel's handout be given to the county administrator and parks director so staff could review it and provide feedback. The county administrator acknowledged receipt.

Hetzel referenced recent legislation by the Missouri Council on Invasive Species to stop the sale of certain invasive plants, but did not cite a statute or ordinance. No formal action or vote followed the public comment.

Speakers at the meeting asked staff to review Hetzel's handout and report back; county staff did not state a specific timeline for a response during the meeting.","Linda Hetzel of Kearney asked the Clay County Commission how the county is addressing invasive plant species along county roadways and urged targeted, least-toxic interventions and options such as requiring hay and debris haulers to cover loads.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6137933,"Clay County naturalist interns showcase wildlife programs, prairie restoration to commission",2443,616000,3059000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5594071-97ac52ed9ebfd19218cb0cc8e1fed8fb&start=616&end=3059","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5594071-97ac52ed9ebfd19218cb0cc8e1fed8fb/thumbnail_616000.jpg","/articles/6137933/Clay-County/Missouri/Clay-County-naturalist-interns-showcase-wildlife-programs-prairie-restoration-to-commission","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6137933-01357fcd2ec8e58551cb5206bf991a11/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166515&Signature=jYFxYFfkLdTwiYSW~AuWKA34BaI4zDY7UbwUFjgVt9L7eJecBP13FayzkfDJRuVyDosWeZR5~5ALv9xw-XGtwYS1vlDWpcXJdDRtL-0Irp0SE7q0qMu2v6wca4JaVtsXvwJTioYRon0I9uSW4YhvcBam46vER2QYfIaLVwL016fqSO7jOiJtS7-ZFhj0Qp~8DB45kJxANlhqNpeLDWG7GvmT5rKRipjjqeFCNWaeb6ZiIgRkgqSpoulh0s7wJszs~sN09TPW4gQB7jp8195dmfY-S-8-VirUOEu-PewzsRuioCniPI3-mcEUUQlz6548SttuQA3fbT13yEaCv4LNqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","John Davis, parks director for Clay County, introduced five college interns from the Smithville Lake Nature Center and described the county naturalist program at a Clay County Commission meeting. The interns demonstrated live animals, explained outreach programs and outlined prairie and habitat work the parks department conducts.

Davis said the naturalist program is managed by three full-time employees and supported by college and high-school interns. \"Tonight, we wanted to kinda give you a special program, update about our naturalist program that we've had for many years,\" Davis said, adding the program helps run educational presentations, water monitoring and maintenance of about 150 acres of prairie grass.

The interns described the educational focus and gave examples of animals and topics used in programs. Jackson Cartwright, a senior at Missouri Western State University and an intern, said, \"One of the main things that we do is our educational programs and our shows.\" Cartwright showed a tiger salamander and explained amphibians’ sensitivity to pollution. Braxton Chambers, another intern and Missouri Western senior, emphasized connecting children and adults with local wildlife through hands-on demonstrations using animals such as Omelette, a western rat snake. Braxton said the presentations also teach practical guidance — for example, distinguishing venomous pit vipers from nonvenomous snakes.

Other interns described the center's live-animal ambassadors and material used in presentations: Daya Keithley discussed the three-toed box turtle and blue-tongued skink exhibits; Brett Claypole highlighted pelts and skulls used to explain beaver and fox ecology; and Kyla Spradlin detailed the parks’ prairie restoration work and listed native prairie plants used in education. The interns said the naturalists deliver programs countywide — at libraries, day cares, schools and public events — and that they partner with organizations including the Mid-Continent Public Library, YMCA and Kansas City parks agencies.

Davis told commissioners the internships were recently moved off temporary staffing and are now part-time county positions after a budget adjustment last week, a change he said will give the interns stronger credentials for future government jobs and a better sense of belonging to Clay County. He also said naturalists conduct E. coli testing at swim beaches and maintain pond and lagoon systems for public safety.

Davis summarized program reach: \"We've kept data since 2012 of the park naturalists. They've performed about 4,142 outreach programs since 02/2012, and that's reaching over 78,000 youth and adult participants,\" he said. Commissioners praised the interns’ presentations; Commissioner Lawson called the group \"very impressive,\" and Commissioner Wagner encouraged the interns to use county and partner connections to pursue conservation careers.

The parks staff said the nature center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and that exceptions can be made on request; they gave the county parks web page and the parks office phone number as contacts. The interns and staff remained at the meeting after the formal presentation so commissioners and members of the public could see the animals.

No formal action was taken on the presentation.

The presentation highlighted the county’s active naturalist outreach, the 150-acre prairie-restoration project, and the recent personnel change that moved interns to county employment.","Parks Director John Davis introduced college interns from the Smithville Lake Nature Center at a Clay County Commission meeting, where they described outreach programs, prairie restoration work and animal-ambassador education; staff said interns are now county part-time employees after a recent budget adjustment.","actionData","errors"]

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Clay County commissioners approve consent and prosecutor invoices, 4-0

Kearney resident asks Clay County to address invasive plants on roadways

Clay County naturalist interns showcase wildlife programs, prairie restoration to commission