The Weston Chronicle
In a letter to the Editor January 28, Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker said the proponents of the Children’s Tax Fund had failed to address the actual demand for the services.
Attached was a report by the Platte County Health Department from January 8 Comm. Fricker said showed Platte County’s youth mental health situation was not as big a problem as reported and it was improving.
He then said he is trying to find out if Platte County residents were receiving mental health services equal to the $3 million going from Platte County to the Clay Platte Ray Mental Health Board.
He is asking that the board begin tracking their services by county and submit monthly and quarterly reports and submit their annual budget to the Commission.
The report from the Platte County Health Department showed that Platte County Youth ages 0-19:
• Had 139 Self Harm and Self-Inflected visits to the ER, more than the previous seven years.
• That’s 500 visits for 100,000 residents 19 and under in 2024. The state rate is nearly 700 per 100,000 for those ages. Platte County’s rate has been fairly steady for all eight years, going from 450 per 100,000 in 2017, to just over 500, back down, then rising again in 2024. The entire state stood at 400 per 100,000 with slow rises until 2020, when the rate went from just over 400 to the high in 2024. Nearly twice as many girls were reported than boys.
• Suicide rates (reading from a graph, not hard numbers) appear to have been 25 in 2017, about 33 in 2018, 27 in 2019, 16 in 2020, 9 in 2021, 18 in 2022, 17 in 2023 and 18 in 2024.
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Sunday, February 16, 2025, at 2:00 pm
Weston United Methodist Church •
533 Main Street, Weston MO
Platte County has launched of a new software program designed to streamline government operations and improve online access for citizens to services and information.
This web-based system allows citizens the ability to access government services online. Citizens can now apply for a building permit, submit and track your development application, request tow and liquor licenses, request a building inspection, pay fees, download documents, apply for a job, and submit a senior citizen’s real property tax freeze application online.
Additional online services like park reservations and driveway permits will be activated soon.
To access the online services, simply go to the County webpage (www.co.platte.mo.us) and create an account. After creating your account, sign in and go to “My Profile” to access your online services portal.
“One nice feature of the system is that it allows people that apply online to track the status of their application as it moves through the review and approval process. For example, our building inspectors will now be able to enter the results of an inspection on their phone in the field, and the results will automatically upload to the portal and be emailed to the applicant,” said Daniel Erickson, Facilities, Parks and Planning & Zoning Director.
“This is a major step in our commitment to innovation in local governance,” said Scott Fricker, Platte County Presiding Commissioner. “We are excited about the positive impact it will have on both the administration and the citizens of Platte County.”
“One thing we learned during the covid pandemic is that our online government services were not where they should be. Folks should be able to access government services from their computers or their phones. This software is a huge step in achieving that goal,” said Joe Vanover, Second District Commissioner.
“Not everyone can come to Platte City during regular business hours to conduct their county business. I’m excited to see this new system roll out as I start my term as the First District Commissioner. I look forward to hearing your feedback and ways to make the system better over time,” said Allyson Berberich, First District Commissioner.
For more information on the online system or to inquire about its features, please visit www.co.platte.mo.us or contact 816-858-3368.
The Black Ancestors Awareness Campaign (BAAC) and the Weston United Methodist Church (WUMC) are excited to announce their rescheduled date of their third annual presentation of “If These Walls Could Talk,” a collaborative celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This year’s theme is “We Have a Dream,” honoring Dr. King and three additional champions of change, Mahalia Jackson, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X, close associates who fought for freedom and equality for all people.
All are invited to this family-friendly multimedia event. We’ll explore Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s good works portrayed by Brother John Anderson, and learn about the lives, legacies, and dreams of Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Mahalia Jackson portrayed by Leah Ricketts, Larry Lester and Angela Hagenbach, also featuring Mary Jane Norman as Narrator and Rebecca Ehrich as Emcee.
In this year’s presentation, we will hear about Rosa Parks and her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. We will learn why the United States Congress has honored her as “the First Lady of Civil Rights”.
We will also hear about the profound influence of Malcolm X, one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history.
And last, we will learn about Mahalia Jackson, the Queen of Gospel Song, and her impact on popular culture and the Civil Rights Movement. We will also enjoy a reenactment of Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
This event and multi-media production was crafted by and is dedicated to our dear friend David Pat Norman who passed away unexpectedly on January 18, 2025, the day before the third anniversary of If These Walls Could Talk.
Fellowship and refreshments will follow the program.
“If These Walls Could Talk” is a Black Ancestors Awareness Campaign and Weston United Methodist Church production. Together, we work to unite communities through thoughtful programs featuring storytelling, music, dance, drama, and multimedia presentations.