RAYTOWN REPORT

Changes . . . Many readers have noted that a counter has been added to the Raytown Report. Just below the counter is a button that reads “view my stats”. You are invited to visit the link to the counter homepage. A wealth of interesting statistical information can be found at the site. At the same time, it is important that readers know the counter does not provide personal information of any visitor to this page or the counter site. Another change that will be instituted on this blog will be a no tolerance rule for those who use profanity in their posts. Simply stated, if you are going to post a message, keep the language clean or your post will be deleted. This has not really been a problem for 99% of those who post on this page – a statistic that speaks highly of those who share their comments here. The People’s Right to Know . . . A review of the many posts has shown that this site has become a gathering place for those interested in sharing information. One regular contribut...

At its February 4th meeting the Raytown Board of Aldermen completed legislation that will insure HyVee relocating its grocery store on Blue Ridge Cutoff to the old Schnucks property (or, Milgram location for us old-timers) on 350 Highway. The move is seen as a plus by proponents of increasing the re-development of retail space on 350 Highway. The move did not come without a price tag. HyVee asked for and received property tax abatements from the City Council valued at $510,000. They also received permission to charge a one-half cent sales tax that will be collected for the next 10 to 20 years to pay the cost of improvements made to the property. What does it cost the taxpayer? TAX ABATEMENT: Tax abatement is the term given to the action of a governing body writing off property tax on a parcel of land or property. In the case of HyVee and the old Schnucks property, that abatement has been in place for over ten years. However, the amount of (total) property tax collected in the go...

Last Thursday’s Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting (broadcast on Raytown’s Public Television Channel 7) was an interesting one to watch. A heated debate took place on whether or not a business that plans to relocate in Raytown on 350 Highway should be required to build sidewalks along the right of way on 350 Highway and Blue Ridge Cutoff. The location in question is the vacated Honda Dealership on 350 Highway on the city’s western border. Mid America Coach specializes in converting automobiles, vans and buses for handicap use. They are anxious to move into the location. No one is opposed to that – in fact, they would be a welcome addition to a building that has set vacant for nearly ten years. The problem is city staff has recommended the new occupants be required to build sidewalks on Blue Ridge Cutoff and 350 Highway. After a number of motions, votes and re-votes, the Commission settled on a compromise – of sorts. Since there are no sidewalks anywhere on 350 Highway it was d...