Clay County Ready to Soar Away from Roosterville Airport?
“Fueling the dreams of a few hundred while burning through taxpayer cash”
CLAY COUNTY, MO—In a gripping drama worthy of a daytime soap opera (with slightly less glamour), Clay County’s Roosterville Airport has landed on the agenda of the County Commission, sparking a debate about whether the county-owned airport is a cherished community asset or a financial black hole. Spoiler alert: for some commissioners, it’s looking like the latter.
The tiny airport, located just outside Liberty, serves a niche audience—a few hundred aviation enthusiasts who store their private planes there. These patrons are a tight-knit group, and on January 9, they turned up in droves (well, a few dozen of them) at a commission hearing to plead for continued county funding of their aeronautical haven.
Things got testy when Commissioner Withington, who is opposed to the the county's continued operation of the airport, called one of the advocates back up for additional questions. Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte attempted to end Withington's questioning of the Advocate Mr. Baldwin noting that Withington was violating procedural rules that limit questions to clarifications issues only rather than the open-ended policy questions that Withington was attempting to ask. Commissioner Joan Lawson also became agitated and told Nolte to "shut up" when he noted that she too was violating the procedural rules. When assked for comment, Mr. Baldwin noted that he may have triggered Withington when he stated that the county should not be running a for-profit airport by hiring private outside management, but did not feel he was Withington was badgering him.
The advocates argument? Roosterville has the potential to spur economic development in the surrounding area. Economic development, you say? Sure, but let’s pause and consider what’s currently fueling Roosterville: taxpayer dollars, most of which seem to evaporate quicker than jet fuel during a Missouri summer. According to reports, the airport is losing money on fuel sales—a puzzling feat considering aviation fuel isn't exactly known for its bargain-bin prices. One can only assume Roosterville has mastered the fine art of buying high and selling low, a strategy that's yet to win anyone a business award.
Some members of the commission, including Scot Lakin, Jason Withington, and Jon Carpenter, have floated the idea of selling the airport to private hands. After all, why should the county subsidize a playground for a select group of private plane owners while the other 200,000-plus residents of Clay County are left wondering why their tax dollars are stuck in the hangar?
Meanwhile, the rest of the commission, though not outright ready to clip Roosterville’s wings, have called for a full financial accounting of the airport’s revenue stream. In fairness, it’s not every day you get to see local government officials insisting on hard numbers before making a decision—almost as rare as a snowstorm in July.
Despite the push for accountability, the meeting left a clear impression: Roosterville’s days as a county-funded operation may be numbered. For the aviation enthusiasts who turned out to defend their beloved airport, this is no doubt a crushing blow. After all, nothing screams “economic development” like a handful of hobbyists tinkering with propellers in a field outside Liberty.
But let’s not be too harsh on the defenders of Roosterville. Their passion for the airport is admirable, even if their economic arguments require a bit of imagination. Perhaps they envision a future where Roosterville becomes the next O’Hare, bringing thousands of jobs, bustling commerce, and maybe even a Starbucks to the area. A delightful fantasy, but for now, reality suggests the airport is more of a pet project than a public benefit.
The commission ultimately decided to table the issue while they conduct their financial review, but the writing on the wall is clear: Roosterville may soon be up for sale. If it’s any consolation to the pilots, they might find a sympathetic buyer willing to take the reins. And if not? Well, there’s always a future in RC planes.
So buckle up, Clay County residents—Roosterville’s fate is up in the air, but one thing is certain: your tax dollars won’t be coming in for a landing here much longer
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