Excelsior Springs council approves $1.1M fire pumper, shortens Hall of Waters easement and releases Royal Hotel lien

The Excelsior Springs City Council on April 21 approved a series of measures including a lease-purchase for a $1,102,652.80 Pierce Enforcer rescue pumper, a revision to a conservation easement for the Hall of Waters tied to a Save America’s Treasures grant, and the formal release of a city lien on 201 South Street stemming from an emergency demolition.

The meeting included roll-call approvals of two ordinances and four resolutions, plus adoption of a Title VI plan required for the city’s 5311 transit grant and zoning changes to the R4 medium-density residential district.

Why this matters: The fire apparatus purchase uses Public Safety sales tax funds and is expected to replace aging apparatus; the easement change affects preservation oversight and the scope of a federal grant; releasing the lien on the former Royal Hotel is intended to remove a barrier to redevelopment of a high-profile downtown property.

Assistant Chief Zack St. John presented the fire department request and the truck specification. “The truck was priced using [a cooperative purchasing] process,” he said, and the purchase includes “a minor equipment allowance of … $100,000 to replace antiquated rescue equipment.” He told the council the city’s current rescue pumpers are about 13 years old with an expected useful life of 15 years, and that the new vehicle’s build time is approximately three to four years. “This new vehicle will not only enhance the fire department’s ability to respond to fires, but also improve its capabilities during medical emergencies, vehicle rescues, hazmat incidents, [and] other critical situations,” St. John said.

Economic development director Melinda Mahaffey detailed the requested revision to the Hall of Waters conservation easement, which the State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service reviewed after council action in January. Mahaffey said the federal reviewer asked the city to shorten the easement period to 15 years from 50 and to provide an exhibit of architectural features to protect during future work. “They asked us to provide some clarifying pictures of architectural features that are important to this building … [including] terrazzo, the doors to the elevator, the front-to-facade and the tower,” Mahaffey said. The council approved the revised easement and the exhibit intended to clarify preservation priorities tied to the Save America’s Treasures grant.

Mahaffey also described the city’s request to waive and release a lien recorded against 201 South Street related to the emergency demolition of the collapsed east segment of the Royal Hotel in 2021. She said the city accounted for demolition costs totaling $225,163.97 and told council members that prospective developers had identified the lien as an impediment to recruiting redevelopment partners. The council voted to release the lien to improve redevelopment prospects for the remaining property.

On operational matters, the council approved a preventative-maintenance package for the Excelsior Springs Community Center that covers plumbing, boiler and HVAC checks. Parks, Recreation & Community Center Director Nate Williams said the three agreements together total $20,980 annually, start May 1 and will be performed by Quality Plumbing (the department’s recommended bidder). Williams told council the amount is substantially below staff’s prior budget line of $40,000 and that the program reduces workload on in-house maintenance staff by shifting scheduled checks and diagnostic work to contractors.

The council also: - Adopted the Title VI plan required for the city’s 5311 rural transit grant and approved an ordinance to take the plan to second reading. Public Works Director Chad Birdsong said the plan updates are federal requirements and the city will share Title VI information through public meetings, local media and printed materials. - Approved an amendment to Title 4, Chapter 400 (section 400.130) to add uses in the R4 medium-density residential district, including medium-density apartment buildings and congregate senior housing; the council removed the prior requirement that two-family housing in R4 be limited to planned-district review. - Certified election results by ordinance acknowledging the April 8 election and administered the oath to the newly elected councilmember, Mayor Mark Spahn, who was recorded as reelected in the certification ordinance.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 25-0404 (certification of election results, April 8, 2025): Motion to take to second reading and approve passed on roll call; council members voting yes included Councilman Rennie, Councilman McGovern, Councilman St. John, Mayor Pro Tem Speer and Mayor Mark Spahn. - Resolution 1563 (lease-purchase agreement for fire equipment — Pierce Enforcer Rescue Pumper, $1,102,652.80): Motion to approve passed on roll call; mover: Councilmember (motion speaker on the record); second: Mayor (second on record). Council voted yes on roll call. - Resolution 1564 (revise Hall of Waters conservation easement for Save America’s Treasures grant — reduce term from 50 to 15 years and add preservation exhibit): Motion to approve passed on roll call. - Resolution 1565 (waive/release city claim or lien against 201 South Street to facilitate redevelopment — lien recorded for emergency demolition costs $225,163.97): Motion to approve passed on roll call. - Resolution 1566 (preventative maintenance agreements for the Community Center; Quality Plumbing recommended; total $20,980; effective May 1): Motion to approve passed on roll call. - Ordinance 25-0405 (adopt Title VI plan for 5311 grant): Motion to take ordinance to second reading and approve passed on roll call. - Ordinance 25-0406 (amend Title 4, Chapter 400: section 400.130 R4 medium-density residential district — add permitted uses, landscaping and density rules): Motion to take ordinance to second reading and approve passed on roll call.

What’s next: The Hall of Waters easement and the Title VI ordinance proceed as written; the new rescue pumper will be ordered under the cooperative purchase process, with an expected build time of roughly three to four years; the lien release frees the 201 South Street property for developer discussions. Staff said they will re-open board application recruitment for several seats that expire in May and will transmit applicant materials to council members for review.

Council members closed the meeting to an executive session at the end of the public session.