RICHMOND – Three Excelsior Springs leaders asked and received Ray County Commission support for a Fishing River study to prevent floods that have struck the city several times since 1951, including June 25, 2021. Mayor Sharon Powell, City Manager Molly McGovern and Community Development Director Melinda Mehaffy outlined the plan Monday for commissioners. Rep. Doug Richey suggested the city seek a share of Missouri’s federal infrastructure and COVID relief funds to study and relieve flooding, McGovern said. The city then received support from the Clay County Commission to spend $350,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to study Fishing River flooding between Excelsior Springs and Lawson. “All of that is outside our city limits,” McGovern said, but it causes flooding downtown. “It flooded the Hall of Waters and The Elms Hotel,” Powell said. “The Elms is now in renovation in their spa because it was just oblit...