Excelsior Springs, Mo. — Along the gravel-lined stretch of Cameron Road and in the surrounding rural Clay County area, residents are organizing against what they see as an escalating threat to their homes, health, and way of life: the expansion of Ideker Mining LLC.
The conflict centers on a petition filed by landowner David Rhodus to voluntarily annex approximately 89 acres of his property into the city of Mosby. Rhodus, who also sits on the Clay County Planning and Zoning Commission, intends to lease the land to Ideker for continued mining operations, an effort residents say will intensify blasting, worsen air quality, and accelerate damage to already-crumbling infrastructure.
On May 4, more than 30 neighbors gathered at Chris and Dave McClaskey’s property to share concerns and strategize. The meeting followed a surprise appearance by 12 area residents at the May 1 Mosby City Council meeting, where they successfully convinced the council to table a decision on the annexation until its next meeting on June 5…