Tarsney Lakes update: Jackson County executive pledges more money next year for lily pad treatment

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. — KSHB 41 News anchor Taylor Hemness continues to follow up on lily pad concerns in the Tarsney Lakes community. He also reports on consumer issues. You can contact Taylor by email.

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I've been following the concerns of people who live in the Tarsney Lakes community in Jackson County for more than a year now.

At our Let's Talk session in Grain Valley in 2025, a viewer told me that I should do a story about how lily pads had taken over the small public lake.

I visited, and it was obvious that the vegetation was a problem.

After I did some reporting on the issue, interim Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota visited and told residents the Jackson County Legislature would devote resources to the problem.

Earlier this year, the county entered an agreement with a company called Aquatic Control to spray chemicals on the larger of the two lakes at Tarsney. The intention would be to kill the lily pads, but not remove them.

Debora Corn

The company has now sprayed the lake twice. Debora Corn, president of Tarsney Lakes Citizens Inc., sent me a new video of how the chemicals are working on the lake.

It shows the vegetation turning brown and sinking below the water's surface.

Debora Corn

Corn told me that LeVota already told her money will be in the 2027 county budget to make sure further treatment is done.

I confirmed that with LeVota on Wednesday. He told me he intends to "enter into a contract with a provider before the end of the year" so it will be in next year's budget, even as a new county executive will be in place.

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