The announcement ceremony at the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Airport featured a remarkable cast of characters, including a governor, state legislators, the mayor, the entire Buchanan County Commission, at least one sheriff and one fire chief, plus a base commander and a brigadier general, and most of National Guard personnel stationed at Rosecrans.
“This is a vitally important project, not only for St Joe, not only for Missouri but for the country,” Gov. Nixon told reporters. “This base needs to be protected and safe and not have any risks, so that these folks can do their valuable work.”
Nixon says he was not surprised at the bipartisan support the project has received, from the U.S. Senate to the Buchanan County Commission. But he says that cooperation was remarkable nonetheless.
“There’s really nothing else to say, other than there’s a whole lot of cynicism running around America right now,” Nixon told the gathering, “a lot of folks saying that folks can’t work together, can’t get things done.”
“You’ve got a bipartisan group of legislators, house and senate, you have a governor, you’ve got city, county, you’ve got the military, you’ve got the Corps of Engineers, you’ve got levee districts. Literally, everyone had to row together and do their part or we wouldn’t be here today.”
Completion of the repairs still depends on voter approval of a quarter-cent sales tax which goes on the ballot in Buchanan County August 2. Passage is anything but certain, but the ballot measure has drawn together an unusual coalition. It’s not often you hear State Senator Rob Schaaf speak in favor of a tax increase. But the St Joseph Republican does support the quarter-cent sales tax increase.
“This tax increase is something that this community absolutely has to have, in order to protect this air base, which is critical to our community,” Schaaf said in an interview. “Plus, this is a tiny tax increase, that has a sunset on it, and will only last until this levee system is fixed and protected. So it’s just something that they’ve just got to come through and support.”
City Manager Bruce Woody told the gathering that the project will proceed across four fiscal years, but should be completed in about 3.5 years. Among the elements of the project are raising the levees, protect them from underneath, the drilling of relief wells, and the addition of a “Stop log gap,” for areas where the railroad tracks cross the levees. The new device takes about two hours to set up. The old method of lifting the tracks and sandbagging the gaps takes much longer.
Officials say the Missouri River levees are vital to both the local and state economy by protecting over 6,000 jobs. They protect the Missouri Air National Guard, Rosecrans Memorial Airport, as well as many commercial, residential and agricultural properties along the river. Over $2 billion in private and public assets are located in areas protected by the levees.
William “Bill” Lee Rotterman 61, of Saint Joseph, Missouri, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2016 in Saint Joseph, MO. He was born May 9, 1955 in Wathena, KS, son of the late Pearl and William F. Rotterman. He attended Central High School. He loved to farm, and being with people and talking, he never knew a stranger. Bill was a Christian. Survivors include, wife, Norma Rotterman of the home, three daughters, Launa (Brian) Joyce of Saint Joseph, MO, Laura (Nathan) Kneib of Fillmore, MO, and Larissa (Michael) Jenkins of Shenandoah, IA, sister, Linda (Raymond) Swoboda of Gower, MO. eight grandchildren, Miranda, Hadley, Nolan, Lynde, Emery, Truman, Ainsley, and Delaine.
Kathy Munson, 71, Atchison, Kansas, died Sunday, May 22, 2016, at her home.
Betsy A. Bishop, 86, of Hiawatha, passed away surrounded by her family, Monday evening, May 23, 2016, at Hiawatha Community Hospital.
Jona Lea Pruett, 55, St. Joseph, Missouri passed away Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at her home.
