EXCELSIOR SPRINGS – When Michael Fitzpatrick became president and chief executive officer of the Excelsior Springs Chamber of Commerce in April, he found himself quickly dropped into the planning process for this year’s Waterfest. “I kind of was learning while simultaneously running at full speed to keep up with what … has been done historically and trying to make new inroads for new directions for this year’s festival,” Fitzpatrick said June 17. Fitzpatrick will see results of his efforts to get up to speed and be a Waterfest trailblazer this weekend, as the festival returns after a 2020 cancellation because of the coronavirus pandemic. The festival runs Friday and Saturday with many attractions. Understanding there is more to his job than planning Waterfest, Fitzpatrick is addressing additional issues. During the initial 90 days of his tenure, he is “doing a complete analysis of all things operationally – internally and externally,” he said. That involves examining “the processes…