Fees Increasing…
By Richard Tush
The Park Board voted Monday night to increase the fees for several of the amenities next year for example the all day shelter rental from $75 to $90.
However, the board might have to look at other means in the near future to ensure they have the funds to keep up the current programs and expectations. This may even include a future tax proposal. The board is planing to conduct a survey to obtain input from citizens and those who utilize programs provided by the park.
There will be two movies in the park next year with the intent to plan them both during months when tempters are not a high as was experienced during there showing last month.
Don’t forget next Friday, July 31s,t they will again be hosting movie in the park.
Deadly Future…
By Richard Tush
As I have been driving around the city, I have noticed an increasing number of dead trees and brush piles. In accordance with the city’s own ordinances these are to be removed, but as we are all too aware the city to often looks the other way.
A full grown tree comes down as on the property at 64th Ter and Evanston one can only be thankful it didn’t damage anyone’s home. As well, a concern for all around 65th Ter and Elm is the potential loss to power as a result from the dead branch in the tree at that corner and how they re directly over the power lines.
It should be noted that these are just a few examples of this problem and the potential property damage and power outages we could be facing related to this issue.
Above Par Expectations…
By Greg Walters
I was genuinely surprised to find out that the Board of Aldemen will not be holding their second public meeting in the month of July.
According to sources at City Hall, Board member received an email stating that there was no business to discuss, therefore the meeting was being called off.
The logic given here is bogus as it is against the written Code of Ordinances of the City of Raytown.
Please read on . . . Here is a copy of the applicable section:
Sec. 2-28. Regularly scheduled meetings.
The board of aldermen of the City of Raytown shall meet regularly on the first and third Tuesday of each month in the council chambers, City Hall, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Regular meetings may be rescheduled by the majority of the board for good cause. Regular meetings will be rescheduled to the following Tuesday if the scheduled meeting falls on a national holiday, or any election day.
As you can see, the Code does not say the Board might meet. It clearly says that it will meet.
As for items of business to discuss -- how about that list of items written up at the bottom of our weekly posts. Hell, we've even provided the pictures for them to study!
Or, they could hold a public discussion about the upcoming Smoking Ban that is scheduled for a first reading at the first meeting in August. That way they could hear what the public has to say.
Let's face it. The first public meeting they had was so poorly publicized that most of those who attended found out about it by reading notices posted by bar owners in restrooms as their establishment.
Remember that only three of the Board even took time to attend that "public" session. And one of them had to be there because he sits on the Committee.
I served on the Board for 27 years. There were more than a few meetings where we met without voting on ordinances and resolutions. But we did have discussions about what needed to be done in our City.
Now, more than ever, you need an active Board of Aldermen meeting to work on the city's problems. Ignoring the complaints of private citizens is not a way to address the city's problems.
It should be noted that there is only one Board of Aldermen meeting on the calendar for the month of August.
We have to now question if the appointed leadership at city hall is trying to set a new trend.
Fix This Eye Sore…
DAY 55 – 84th Street Sanitary Sewer Project: The mess left behind by the city after sanitary sewer improvements remains.
Day 48 - Time to Get Serious About Cleaning up Raytown: The proliferation of large trucks using our city as a parking lot. It is especially noticeable along 350 Highway.
Day 43 – Stop the Mosquitoes: The breeding ground for mosquitoes still remains and the forest of high grass has returned.
Day 29 – Minor Smith Park: The mess left behind by the city after sanitary sewer improvements remains.
Day 21 – Mount Olivet Cemetery: The grass is still around 18 inches high if not higher.
Day 21 – Crescent Creek: Wires still dangle from the pole.
Day 15 – Former Religious Store: Allowed to decay.
Local Meetings and Events:
July 24th – The Wizard of Oz 7:30 PM Raytown High School
July 25th – The Wizard of Oz 7:30 PM Raytown High School
Tickets may be purchased in advanced at HyVee (adults $8 & Kids under 12 $5)
Tickets at the door $10
July 27th – Special Board of Education meeting 6:30 PM at Board of Education Building
July 28th – Raytown Business Resource Expo 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM Raytown High School Auditorium
July 28th – Municipal Committee meeting 6:00 PM at city hall
July 28th – Finance Committee meeting 9:00 PM at city hall
July 30th – Human Relations Commission is have a goal setting retreat 5:00 PM at city hall
July 31st – Movie in the Park "Vertigo" at Colman Park, 5912 Lane starting at dusk
Aug 4th – Board of Alderman meeting 7:00 PM at city hall
Aug 6th – Planning & Zoning Commission meeting 7:00 PM at city hall.
Note: call the day of the meeting to make sure it has not be canceled due to no items being brought before the commission.
Comments
And there is nothing to discuss???
This is the problem when City Adminstrator, Department Heads and City Attorney all live outside Raytown.
Nothing to dicuss huh? How about getting rid of these overpaid chair warmers. Maybe we can discuss that!
Lack of agenda, I can't believe it. There is a bill due for second reading so there is an agenda. It could be a short meeting with public comment and the agenda item. Instead the next meeting will be a long meeting with the agenda plus comments on the smoking ban which is disquised as a "Clean Air Ordinance" so people won't know about it. I have an intense dislike for liars.
I requested an explanation from a public official and received what I considered to be a rude response, "Thank you for your opinion," without addressing the issue.
As I previously stated, I don't think the board listens to public comment. I have mentioned numerous times the blighted area on 63rd Street which is essentially main street to downtown. Nothing happened. Finally the wind blew over an illegal sign so that it was blocking the sidewalk. I emailed Beth Linn and received a prompt response from Andy Boyd. What does the board do? It seems like many sit there like zoombies.
Andy Whiteman
I sure would be upset if I brought an expensive home there and then they built only patio home in the rest of the developement. Does any one have information on this?
On your list of I sores did you forget 8610 Stark?
Why doesn't a local person apply? I am sure qualified people reside in Raytown.
5:52PM, My understanding is the developer must submit a plan, a public hearing scheduled, legal notice posted, etc. This sounds like a prolonged procedure if it gets started. I appreciate your concern. I also have a concern that patio homes will impact the entire city (especially the nearby areas). Personally I refer to these as miniature lots.
I suggest you address your question to John Benson or Beth Linn since they are the ones this has to go through. When you find out, please post the answer. I will speak against this at the planning commission and the BOA if necessary along with you if I am still here. You will carry more weight since you are impacted more than I am.
If the new owner was smart, he would have checked the zoning before buying. I bought a new house and I made calls to check zoning and ordinances before I bought. It saves a lot of problems in the long run.
Andy Whiteman
What is disheartening is that the Mayor and most of the Board of Aldermen seem to feel that the problems pointed out on this page are not worthy of their attention.
Though there have been some notable exceptions. The pothole at the gasoline station that was repaired. The signs on 59th Street being straightened. These are small things but they add up when taken as a whole.
I remember when there was an ugly remains of a foundation of a root beer stand at what is now a (very) small park at 63rd and Raytown Road.
It may seem like very little to some but I see the above mentioned items as steps in the right direction.
I only wish our City Leaders would put their petty prejudices aside and address the problems that we all see around us.
By the way. I agree with the earlier comment. The new look on your side bare is both innovative and impressive.
Keep it up Richard and Greg. It is publications like yours that make a community unique and special in the KC area.
What happens if the store does not open on time? Does the city have to make up the sales tax revenue that is not collected? Could that be why city hall is dragging its feet on projects like the 63rd and 83rd Street bridges or the Gateway at Raytown Road and Greogry Boulevard?
Just wondering?
The original plans called for quite a few apartments.
Personally I would rather see Patio homes than rental
structures.
Also, apparently our elected officials still think everything is
OK in Raytown. They still think they are doing a fine job so they
don't have anything to discuss. So, no meeting. Using their
way of thinking, one would think they are no longer needed!
Everything is great in Raytown. I would agree with this way of thinking. Half are not needed!
However sense very few of our elected officials can make their own decisions.
It is more probable that the city lawyer or City Administrator couldn't
make it to that meeting so it was canceled. After all, without direction
and being told what to do or how to think, our elected officials would be lost.
No motions to inter and no race to second them.
They would just sit there with that deer in the headlights look.
You indicate you are for saving money does that mean you hide your yard waste within your normal trash to save money on having it legally disposed of because you saved a few dollars. In this example you would be breaking the law.
It is sad that there are few that post on this blog and believe the city is above the law.
Would you rather wait to read about it in the Kansas City Star or see in on the national news before you see you are wrong? Raytown already has a negative image within Greater Kansas City thanks to how past administrations treated different races. Today too many still have that image of our city and as they visit they see a city that no-longer takes pride in maintaining its streets or properties.
I am glad you are proud of the direction our city is headed, but I am sickened and yes my tax information verifies the decline!
It is individuals like you that see things as pity and therefore have the mindset of why address the issue. However, before long one eyesore issues starts to craw across the city like a nuclear explosion until there is not a street facing some sort of blight.
As indicated in last week’s blog “Downtown’s Lacking Sparkle” the “Raytown Post” ran an article indicating the parks department, which is part of the city, would prosecute anyone damaging a city park.
So you believe Vicki Turnbow and her followers from the chamber are above the law too as they did agree according to Alderman Melson to replace any of the grass they damage. Do you believe this should be the same case for those who get caught damaging our parks, which would mean there wouldn’t need to go before our city court, but only agree to a city official (police officer) that they will make good on the damage.
Thanks to mindsets like yours it is no wonder that discrimination is still common in our city!
I suspect a State Audit would uncover the same in the Dysfunctional School District.
Andy Whiteman
We need some apologies and excuses for the Board of Aldermen breaking city ordinances by not holding public meetings twice a month.
It should be added to the list of the three great lies:
1. The check is in the mail.
2. I'll still love you in the morning.
3. And the greatest of them all (in Raytown) is when the Raytown Board of Aldermen took their oath of office to obey and honor the laws of the City of Raytown and the State of Missouri.
Except in the case of Charlotte Melson.
Her great lie is the Chamber of Commerce will repair any damage done to the grounds by the Raytown Barbeque!
The people in Raytown deserve much better than what they have running their city. Department heads that are no more than out of town carpetbaggers and a Mayor and Board of Aldermen that do their bidding.
I am not sure what your expecting the city to do concerning dead, dying or hazardous trees. They do not have anyone on staff that could find their Ash with both hands. Many other cities around us have an arborist on staff and or have a street tree program. Here in Raytown we have neither. We are reactive and not proactive. We wait for a tree to die and fall over before we do anything. We do not trim them or perform any other type of maintenance. Trees are one of the few things a city owns that actually appriciate in value.
Negligent
Alderman’s
Blighting
Efforts
The “KNABE” program is in full swing at the corner of 79th and Spring Valley. Even some of the new comers to the board bring their added achievement of “Above Par Service” with their yard at 67th Ter and Elm.
Now I think this is something the board could have talked about if they would take the time to not let department heads cancel meetings.
However, both examples to shed a negative light on the city, which is something the mayor doesn’t bring to light with his “Transparent Administration”
I notice a lot of dissatisfaction in the this and the last string. I usually speak at BOA meetings but I may have other issues to address. So don't count on me. I suggest that anyone who has an issue/dissatisfaction be there to express it himself/herself. Besides that I don't think they pay much attention to one person. It will get more attention if several people express the same concern. I usually try to sign up last so people aren't repeating me. During the animal control issue, I would take what others had said and add to there points. (I was going to say the same thing anyway but it is better to elaborate on a point rather than repeating it.)
One thought is if someone represents a group, they get 10 minutes. If there is enough concern about the missed meeting, maybe we should form a group of concerned citizens for Raytown and someone can volunteer to speak for the group. It should be someone who has good knowledge of the actual facts as well as city codes, state law, and city government. That leaves me out but I can think of 2 or 3 individuals if someone wants to volunteer. Obviously the members of this group can't be anonymous because I am sure that documentation this group exists with a membership list will be required to claim group status.
10:34 AM, I believe you are incorrect about the arborist. I had a tree issue and a Parks Department truck came out. The man said that he was an arborist and the city calls the Parks Department when they need an arborist. Apparently there is one on staff. It seems logical that he would be with the parks department. The trees were on city right of way, but I was later told that the city doesn't do the work. They expect the property owner to handle the maintenance. Obviously if the tree is on city property, they will have to do the work.
Andy Whiteman
In my line of work, one of our maxims is, "To deny a problem is exists, is the biggest problem of them all!". This seems to be the case with the City Government as well as the residents of the City Itself. Maybe not the majority who read & post to this blog, but I am betting the rest of our sleepy little 4th class city could care less if the BOA cancelled a meeting or two and broke the law. In a lot of ways they are just reflecting how the County, State & Federal Government is ran.
Greg/Richard, keep up the excellent articles and commentary!
Justin Tomac
However, they do no actively groom trees in the city. Never have for that matter.
As for the skipped meeting. They should not have called it off. It does not matter who said not to meet. Though it is pretty clear from BOA members that I have spoken with that someone from city staff made the decision.
Actions like calling off a regularly scheduled meeting without good cause only serve to lessen the image of the Board in the public's eye.
What is good cause? Extremely bad weather, like a blizzard or some other natural event outside of the city's control.
But saying we have no business to discuss is nonsense. They have plenty to discuss. But the problems they ignore are tough ones to handle. Apparently they would rather continue whistling in the dark.
From where I sit, the Board and Mayor need to grow a back bone and assert themselves.
Their inaction on the matter is an embarrassment.
Shame on them.
There are too many problems in Raytown to try to elaborate on them. There was one agenda item: A second reading on the conflict of interest form. The public is being deprived of there right to public comment for this meeting. Everyone who speaks deserves twice the alloted time at the next meeting to make up for time lost.
If a staff member can cancel a meeting it makes we wonder about the BOA and Mayor. It makes me think some but not all of the members are incompetant. I hope voters remember this at the next election. The people need to rise up and vote the ones who are idiots out. From what I have seen, there are only 3 I would vote for next time and 2 are in a different ward. But I forget most voters don't vote.
A friend noticed the street overlays and asked me where the money was coming from? Maybe I am strange, but I am more concerned that the work is finally being done rather than who paid except part of it is paid by Dictator O'Bomba's porkulous bill. Danke Herr O'Bomba. Are we getting to the point we should be using the title Furer?
I saw on the CH 9 5:30PM national news last night that the National Mall in Washington, DC is in such bad shape that it is not in the budget for repairs or even routine maintenance. Ant this is considered a National Park! Disgracefull! Maybe we should feel lucky that The Dictator will give Raytown money to repair one road while letting a national park go to pot.
Andy Whiteman
Just a resident trying to get a code violation resolved since the first quarter of the year. I used to live in Independence and I can tell you that if this had been the reported there it would have been dealt with the first day I called the city. It makes me regret buying a home in Raytown.
Andy Whiteman
Andy just likes to hear himself talk, if you don't like it here move to another country and see what you get from them. If you don't like Raytown leave what is keeping you here? If I were to be that unhappy to the point I felt the need to demean this city or this country I'd be gone.
How long do we have to listen to you ramble on about how bad this city/country/school board is? Can you at least act like you have some education and quite the name calling?
are still up on Raytown Rd.
The codes people have to drive by this house at least twice
a day!
And that is the sad part of Raytown. You read about openess and transparency but refuse to recognize a good size section of the population.
The arrogance from city hall is part of what needs to be fixed. The only way to remove the arrogance is to remove the arrogant ones who hold the power.
Who are they? They are the ones who call off meetings without good cause. They dictate to their elected bosses the terms of how business will be conducted at city hall.
This speaks to the other even bigger problem at city hall. The weak, spineless, mayor and city council that is warming the seats on the council dias.
Pathetic is the best word to describe them. They take orders from those they have hired. They are afraid to address real issues in Raytown and instead spend their time pretending to chart the city's direction with pie in the sky talk of economic development.
By the way. Does anyone reading this page know how far behind schedule Walmart is? There are dire implications for the city for every day they are not open.
What concerns me about his plans on health care is that he does not recognize the driving force in our country that drives the cost of health care.
Tort reform is not even discussed in Congress. This is not only Obama's fault, but the fault of his congress as well.
For a good understanding of how this is costing Americans so much today and also driving the cost of health care pick up today's KC Star and read the column by Charles Krauthammer in t eh editorial section (page A11, Tuesday, July 28, 2009).
Very enlightening.
Andy stands up for what he believes to be right.
He does it in person, in front of the board or on
this blog and signs his name.
He doesn't call people names.
Calling Obama a dictator isn't calling names. He may be
right on target. Time will tell. Besides Obama's popularity
is sinking like a lead ball. Even a lot of the Democrats are
leaving that ship.
Personally, I don't like any elected official. They all forget their
promises and shaft the people. Even in a small town.
I have been unable to post, so hopefully this one will work.
Anon 7/26 8AM and 11:29 PM, I come from 2 generations of Democrats. My father taught me to vote for the person NOT the party. I liked what Obama had to say at first, but I disliked him when it was obvious he was buying votes by promising tax cuts and entitlements. I didn't think much of McCain so there was really no choice. 11:29PM do you get a retirement check, expect to retire, or get health insurance? I am sure you paid part of the cost. Well, I paid for my Social Security and Medicare. Since I paid for it, it is mine. Would you give up your retirement?
Amdy Whiteman
4:06PM, I wouldn't lump all city employees into one category. There are the good along with the bad. I have seem many dedicated city workers. How about the workers who are clearing the streets 24/7 during winter storms? What about the firefighters who respond 24/7 to any emergency? (Sorry, I forgot they aren't city employees.) Well there is the EMS team who responds for illness or injury. And don't forget the Police Department. People don't think about it but there are many workers we don't think about such as sewer billing and all of the office workers at the castle on 59th St.
Please don't put down all of the employees. If you see someone not doing their job, please notify their supervisor and Mayor Bower. Likewise if someone does something outstanding, why not put in a good word for him/her?
Andy Whiteman
It's amazing what some will do for $100 a month.