Residents living in the disputed territory claimed by both Excelsior Springs and Mosby will not be allowed to vote on Excelsior Springs’ Aug. 4 lodging tax question after a Clay County judge approved an agreement reached by all parties in the ongoing annexation lawsuit.

The ruling stems from an ongoing dispute between Excelsior Springs and Mosby over competing annexation efforts involving the same unincorporated property in Clay County. Both cities approved annexation measures in November 2025 that include overlapping portions of land west of Excelsior Springs, primarily along Cameron and Rhodus roads. Because both cities claim authority over portions of the same territory, the court must determine which municipality, if either, has the legal right to proceed with the annexation.

Excelsior Springs has asked the court to approve its annexation and rule that it obtained prior jurisdiction over the disputed territory. Mosby, however, argues its annexation effort began with a voluntary petit…