KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Kelly Gebauer contacted Ryan directly to share her voice. If you aren't feeling heard, reach out to Ryan to share your story. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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Storms have caused damage across the area over the past few weeks, but in one Raymore, Mo., community, Mother Nature has been leaving her footprint for quite some time.
"I have been harping at the city for 20 years," Kim Hanner said.
Hanner lives in the Stonegate of The Good Ranch neighborhood in south Raymore. She's lived there for over 20 years and has seen numerous changes.
But there's one constant near her backyard when it rains in Good Parkway, a 33-acre green space and trail system that connect a few nearby neighborhoods.
"Water is still coming, the rains are still coming, moving this [trail], lifting this up, this creek is still going to flood," she said.
Hanner's neighbor, Kelly Gebauer, contacted KSHB 41 Cass County Reporter Ryan Gamboa on Monday morning.
She reached out after early morning severe weather that once again caused a scare for neighbors that live in Stonegate.
"It’s unusable for a majority of the time," Gebauer said. "The waterlines are moving so much because it’s eroding so much."
In Good Parkway's 33-acre green space, a creek meanders through. It's not a large body of water, but has enough flow to cause erosion damage.
Gebaur and Hanner took Gamboa on a short walk Monday through muddy grass and around standing bodies of flood water to show the damage it's done.
At one portion of the trail, the creek eroded away land beneath the concrete pathway. It wasn't uncommon to see other tree debris obstacles in the waterway.
On the same stretch of path, there was a small bridge the creek passes under with erosion damage beneath the concrete edges. On early Monday morning, had Gamboa been standing in the same spot on the bridge, the waters would have been at or above his waist. The water could have swept someone away at its strength and speed.
Gebauer shared videos of the flooding with KSHB 41 News from early Monday.
At the end of the block where Sheneda Mirador lives, she agreed to share her concerns about the floodwater.
She's lived in her home for 20 years and was one of the early residents in development.
"My first and foremost anxiety is thinking somebody is going to get hurt because of a near drowning," she said. "It’s an accident waiting to happen."
Mirador has also expressed her concerns to the city of Raymore regarding consistent flooding when it rains. She said it causes a lot of anxiety for her because she doesn't want to see someone, more importantly a child, get swept away and hurt.
"If I could say something to the city, it would be to save money by being proactive, not reactive, when someone has tragically gotten hurt," she said.
Mirador explained she has invested a lot of money into the area surrounding her property to protect from floodwaters, as have other neighbors Gamboa spoke with. Mirador re-graded the area outside her fence to help make it more difficult for water to approach her home, including experiencing damage to her fence.
While Gebauer said she and her husband have planted nearly 20 trees around their property and along the creek bank to try to slow down floodwater.
When Gamboa visited Monday, they piled up trees and other debris near their back fence to prevent to rising water.
Both Hanner and Gebauer mentioned they've had to fend off beavers from damaging their trees and that causes more flooding.
Hanner provided pictures of arguably the worst flood that approached her home in 2013.
Mirador provided pictures of flooding from 2023 and 2024 that also approached their property line.
Additionally, Mirador and other neighbors told Gamboa certain homes in their neighborhood have experienced a lot of turnover due to the flooding.
"These are $400,000 to $500,000 homes. These are backing up to a green space. These are all selling points of this area, nobody wants to deal with this [flooding]," Kelly Gebauer shared. "Either maintain the trail. Fix the flooding situation. Do something with this green space or make it all green space and be done with it."
The neighbors expressed they've long been told that action will be taken by the city. On Tuesday, some action will be taken on the Raymore Park Board.
Park board members will approve or deny an $89,462 contract to George Butler Associates, Inc. in Lenexa.
According to meeting documents, the contract would address flooding issues and a low water crossing that can no longer function safely. It will also relocate portions of the trail and a solution to cross the creek with ADA compliance.
"We want to hear from a professional that they’ve actually invested in someone for the downstream planning situation," Gebauer said.
George Butler Associates, Inc. has experience with municipal and water environments, according to it's website.
"Our team focuses on solving challenges for complex projects," its website states. "We collaborate to help communities manage water resources by proactively maintaining and updating infrastructure assets and navigating solutions for natural waterways."
While more of the specifics about the updates to the area have not been released — a source in Raymore told Gamboa the plans could include elevating the existing trail to eliminate low-lying areas.
Gebauer and Hanner don't see that as an a viable solution to the flooding. They would like to see a long-term vision for the area and people downstream that could be impacted by this water.
Additionally, neighbors see the community's extensive growth and development as a factor in the flooding.
It's believed that runoff water from parking areas near Raymore's commercial district and surrounding new apartment and neighborhood development flows into the creek. A Raymore spokesperson told Gamboa that development is not impacting the flooding.
Raymore shut down Dean Avenue at Johnston Drive on Sunday night due to flooding near a new development.
KSHB 41 reported on the project last year.
A viewer sent in this picture of police blocking the road — the city notified people on Facebook.
Other viewers also reached out to Gamboa regarding flooding a block over on Johnston Drive and South Darrowby Drive.
These images show water pooling in the intersection.
TJ Chambers also submitted this image of water running down the sides of his home.
He claims the water comes from an empty lot behind his house.
Chambers built a website documenting runoff damage in his neighborhood over the years. To view the website click here.
As for neighbors in the Stonegate area, they're looking for action by city leaders to address their concerns after a decade of asking for change.
"I hope that they will take accountability, use their taxpayer's money to do their job," added Mirador.
The funding mechanism to update Good Parkway is a Special Obligation Bond — a form of municipal debt that will be repaid annually by appropriating funds rather than being funded by a voter-approved property tax levy.
The Raymore Park Board meets on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 6:00pm in Raymore City Hall, 100 Municipal Circle.
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