Impressive Improvement…
By Richard Tush
Speaking of the gateway to downtown at the railroad bridge those looking to the East while crossing are provide the first impression of how the city maintains their own property and sets the stage for expectation of downtown. The South side of the public works building has a least one broken window, pealing paint and graffiti. I would like to think that our new Director of Community Development, Beth Linn, as well as our new Director of Public Works, Andy Noll, would have by now toured all of the city property and ensure the city is setting the standard image for all of Raytown. 
Day 41 - 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 36 – Stop the Mosquitoes: The breeding ground for mosquitoes still remains and the forest of high grass has returned.
Day 15 – Mount Olivet Cemetery: The grass is still around 18 inches high if not higher.
Day 8 – Former Religious Store: Allowed to decay.
Several months ago we started a new regular section "Fix This Eye Sore". Since the conception of the section we have seen several improvements in the city:
- The signs that flooded the right of ways are all, but a thing of the past
- The hole at the 67th St entrance to the BP on Blue Ridge has been covered
- The signs on 59th Street have been straightened The grafitti has been removed from the back of the sign on 70th Terrace
We want to thank the city for taking noticeable steps to improve our city’s image.
Downtown’s Lacking Sparkle…
By Richard Tush
I question what steps is the city taking to improve our downtown image as the green area still has bare spots. At a Board of Alderman meeting prior to the SummerFest event Alderman Melson stated the chamber would repair any damage to the grass. Over a month later and still no repairs have been made. Yet, last week "The Raytown Post" ran an article about steps being taken to catch and prosecute those who are damaging the city parks.
As always in Raytown it seems to be who you are that allows you to be above the rules that apply to others.
The last couple of years we have been told the city is going to replace the 63rd street bridge and at that time create an additional gateway to downtown atmosphere as was done at the railroad bridge. However, the bridge still remains in decay, which ironically is so fitting for the our downtown and lack of occupied buildings or those former homes converted into business just beyond Cedar on 63rd that appear ready to collapse with the next strong wind.
Speaking of the gateway to downtown at the railroad bridge those looking to the East while crossing are provide the first impression of how the city maintains their own property and sets the stage for expectation of downtown. The South side of the public works building has a least one broken window, pealing paint and graffiti. I would like to think that our new Director of Community Development, Beth Linn, as well as our new Director of Public Works, Andy Noll, would have by now toured all of the city property and ensure the city is setting the standard image for all of Raytown. 
I guess based on the recent property value decrease the city has actually achieved the goal of setting the standard for decay and decline.
I hope the prompt improvements to the street sign on 59th street are able to be made to the public works building also and Beth and Andy will both see to other issues facing our downtown.
Smoother Roads Ahead…. 
By Richard Tush
By Richard Tush
Many travels in the city have already seen the signs of smoother roads. Rather it is 55th street that has been graded and the resurfacing started or side streets like 70th Ter with "no parking" street signs in preparation of the work to come. Raytown is finally starting to see the resurfacing projects that we have been requesting for sometime.
The link will take you to a map listing the other streets set for resurfacing:
Up In Smoke...
By Greg Walters
I see the K.C. Star has come out and endorsed a strong smoking ban in Raytown. Very unusual for the Star to run a headline editorial about a Raytown issue. So you know that somebody at city hall has been talking to them.
We've been watching this debate for some time (see last week's editorial, "Get The Word Out".
In fact, Richard Tush attended the smoking forum held at city hall. He was surprised by the low turnout until he did some investigating.
Apparently, the only place the meeting was advertised was in the Raytown Post. Which is not very timely since they do not publish until Thursday and most papers are not delivered until the weekend. Which stretches the credibility of whether or not "timely and proper" notification (as required by state law) of the public meeting was placed in the first place.
We are also dismayed by the lack of participation by members of the Board of Aldermen. Only three showed up -- Ertz, VanBuskirk and Lightfoot.
We did some inquiring at the post office as to the size of the Raytown Post's weekly mailing. While the exact numbers have not arrived yet, we do know that they are not very high.
Most of the participants at the forum found out about the meeting from postings in the restrooms of local watering holes. That may explain the lop-sided turnout by those opposed to the smoking ban.
For our part, we have offered city hall the use of our site to post these meetings. We know our readership (which has remained surprisingly steady during the summer months) is high for a blog. Check out our counter on the left side of our home page for verification.
Our offer has yet to be responded to by City Hall.
So, we will make it again.
Mr. Mayor, Board of Aldermen, the Raytown Report will publish ALL of your meeting notices if you will simply send them to us.
We believe it will help bolster the public's awareness and benefit you in your decision making process.
The ball is in your court. Pick it up and throw it back!
Fix This Eye Sore…
DAY 48 – 84th Street Sanitary Sewer Project: The mess left behind by the city after sanitary sewer improvements remains.
DAY 48 – 84th Street Sanitary Sewer Project: The mess left behind by the city after sanitary sewer improvements remains. 
Day 41 - 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 36 – Stop the Mosquitoes: The breeding ground for mosquitoes still remains and the forest of high grass has returned.
Day 22 – Minor Smith Park: The mess left behind by the city after sanitary sewer improvements remains.
Day 15 – Mount Olivet Cemetery: The grass is still around 18 inches high if not higher. 
Day 15 – Crescent Creek: Wires still dangle from the pole.
Day 8 – Former Religious Store: Allowed to decay. NOTE: Click on the pictures to enlarge and better see the problems.
Local Meetings and Events:
July 16th – Board of Zoning Adjustment 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.
July 20th – Park Board meeting 7:00 PM at park administrative office.
July 21st – Citizen Sales Tax Oversight Committee meeting 6:30 PM at city hall
July 21st – Board of Alderman meeting 7:00 PM at city hall
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 31st – Movie in the Park "Vertigo" at Colman Park, 5912 Lane starting at dusk
Comments
THe Hawk.
Get your facts straight Hawk before you spew a lot of misinformation!
Great article this week on “Downtown’s Lacking Sparkle”. You are correct that we need to cleanup the downtown and the adjacent areas. Until that is done what business is going to want to move in to downtown. Surely not one with direct customer contact, which eliminates the ability to bring in sales tax dollars and encourage shopping other local merchants.
I agree with you that it is time Beth and Andy take an interest in the city that is employee them, but I question why our city administrator is not on top of things at city hall. Including the blatant oversight to maintain city properties by the department heads that report to him. I would think the lack of attention to this building has been for some time based on the number of issues that you point out. Shouldn’t have our city administrator actually addressed these issues we he was head of public works. I think we should also be reminded that it clearly shows Alderman Creamer really don’t care about the city’s appearance as he would like us to believe with the “Rental Property Ordinance” he was trying to push.
By the way, it is a shame that once again a “fowl” attempt is being made to mislead other readers about, which building is actually occupied by public works. If is clear the photo on the right hand side of the article is the public works building as displayed on the sign located on the build. Also as anyone who actually travels this route or takes an active interest in the environment by recycling would have knowledge of ownership.
It is nice to know that pathetic people would kick a guy for a little bit of misdirection.
Anyway back to something important not people who cannot accept difference in opinions and the fact that people are not in the place in question at the exact time so could not see it.
Downtown lacks a sparkle. Well of coursae it does. The economy stinks. Old business are doing bad so new businesses are not going to happen. But just as i suspected you all think we should spend more money at make up instead of on working on the core. City hall is the porduct of what the voters wanted. Remember that. You want to work on this city stop complaining about what city hall is or is not doing. Start with your neighborhood and neighbors. They make things look better then thier neighbors make things look better. Then eventually everything looks better. Stop wining about city halls issues and take care of your own. You want to be heard then that would be the most effective way.Of course none of you would agree because you all think that someone else should have to do the work and all you need to do is complain.
THe Hawk
As to public notice: I am of the opinion that the Fascist Fief doesn't want people going to these public meetings. Please noticed the word smoking is not mentioned in the notice. It is called a "Clean Air Ordinance." Clean Air doesn't get attention, but "smoking ban" would get people's attention.
The Post, as well as all publications with a 2nd class mailing permit, are required to publish their circulation yearly in April. If the city really wanted public notice, it would go out with the sewer billing. This is simple and cheap! I am sure if an advertiser asked, the information would be quickly available.
I have brought up at the BOA meeting that little old ladies are jailed while the city can grant the right to others to violate ordinances. (IE the torn up grass at the park that is really green space and the graffiti on Raytown Rd.) I point out if there is a mud hole, it is no longer a green space.
As for maintenance, someone has to be aware it is needed. It is not reasonable to expect a department head to inspect every square foot of his area. Someone needs to be responsible to notify him/her.
I think 20 years is a reasonable time to replace a window. My wife and I noticed a cracked window at Balboa Park, San Diego in '84. We decided that it was an antique window hence could not be replaced. When we moved away in '92 my wife said that when we came back, it would still be there. I was there in '98 and '00. The window was still cracked after all those years! I was there in '05 and the window had been replaced. I actually backtracked looking for the window. I will miss that cracked window. It was historical.
BTW: There is no BOA meeting next Tuesday. No reason was stated.
Andy Whiteman
in the "Green Area" park. However that does not diminish
the fact that some get away with code violations and others
don't. Is it a coincidence that past elected officials seem
to get away with violations? Probably not. But, I would like to
think that the codes department is far and away from the City Council
on this matter. Raytown is a very small town and hardly anything goes
unnoticed. You would think that our elected officials were smart
enough to realize this. Oops, sorry about that last sentence.
Looks like our "good old boy" image is alive and well.
In Raytown we pay the second highest sales tax in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Is it really asking too much for the taxpayers to expect something from the city in return?
Apparently so. One of our leading slumlords is allowed to have vacant property deteriorate to the point that it makes conditions unliveable due to mosquitoes in the adjoining neighborhoods.
The city ignors requests to have the mess cleaned up. In fact, they award the same slumlord for his inaction by giving him a tax abatement at his business property headquarters!
Our property taxes are in the top five in the metropolitan area. The main culprit here is the school district, but all those other taxes from the fire district and the city do add up, don't they?
For all of our extra hard earned dollars going to the school district's coffers we are rewarded with football fields with sythetic grass!
We are not even allowed to walk onto the track area around the field.
Meanwhile our streets are left ruin. They don't even stripe the major roads anymore. Projects are promised, the 63rd Street Bridge, the Raytown Road/Gregory Blvd. intersection, the 83rd Street Bridge are biggies, but there are other broken promises as well.
The sidewalk in front of city hall is replaced (I have NEVER seen anyone walk along that stretch). Yet another promise to repair the uneven pavement on Raytown Road around the public library, particularly on the west side of Raytown Road is left broken and uneven. And this area is used frequently by senior citizens in walkers and in wheel chairs. Go figure!
I could go on and on, but even the space allowed on this page will not accomodate how poorly this city is being run.
No wonder businesses won't even consider opening shop here. The zoo at city hall is run by self-agrandizing out of towners who walk around telling each other what a great job they are doing when all evidence points to nothing but failure and excuse making.
What is worse is that most of our elected officials seem to be along for the ride. The Mayor leads the pack while he is propped up by seven of the ten members on the Board.
Is this really your idea of good government?
You certainly have low standards and expectation from life!
The fact that a Raytown ordinance about smoking does not in any way concern him does not seem to matter to Maddox. He is going to butt in and say his way regardless of whether or not anyone listens.
Maddox is trying to force his views on everyone else is another symptom of that poor guy's affliction.
On one point, the Salamander is right. Alle Maddox has not lived in Raytown for more than a quarter of a century. Just what it is that attract's so much of his attention is beyond me.
Maddox is not alone in his deluded sense of concern. For years after his disasterous term as mayor of Raytown, Doug Hall did the same as Maddox now does.
There was a city issue he would write the local papers and the Star and tell us how to vote. All the while he was living in the Country Club Plaza area.
Raytown's version of Clay Chastain in diapers: It is a good description of Alle Maddox.
I clicked the link to the street overlay map and noticed the really bad areas are not receiving attention. The area of Cedar they are doing was in good shape except a storm grain that was like a pot hole and some chunks of raised pavement that I triped over a few years ago ruined my pants and had an abrasion on my knee. I have been here 9 years. Willow is really bad and has not been resurfaced in all that time. What idiotic criteris is used in deciding what areas to do?
Andy Whiteman
Speaking of signs blown by the wind, the illegal sign on 63rd St where the double homicide took place has blown over on the side walk and is a safety hazard. That sign should be condemned as a public nuisance.
Andy Whiteman
Those at City Hall won't ask Maddox to stop. He's one of the voices, among many, that keep telling them they are great leaders. As do some of the organizations and other friends. Which is precisely why
Raytown is in the shape it's in. They would rather have smoke blown......
than here the truth.
So, tell me, how are the repairs going on the giant green grassy area in Downtown Raytown? Take another look and you will see that none have been started.
The story someone wrote earlier about such repairs is just like the fairy tale Andy wrote about the railroad holding back repairs on the 63rd Street Bridge.
So,what colorful excuse is there for no movement on rebuilding the Gregory Boulevard / Raytown Road intersection.
Just another broken promise.
Kind of gives you the feeling that City hall is hoarding its money to make up for tax dollars that will not be coming in from a Walmart Store that does not open in time to pay the debt for it construction.
Al Maddox is a wantabee. Wantabee mayor, wantabee alderman!!!!wantaabee Raytown resident.
Why is someone who no longer lives here so concerned about Raytown? Does he own property? Does he own a business? If he ownes property here, he has a right to speak, otherwise he should shut up as I will do after I no longer own property.
7:38 AM, The fairy tale on the RR holding back on the 63rd St bridge came from a previous BOA meeting. Are our elected officials actually lying in a meeting?
Andy Whiteman
new asphalt. I guess we know who comes first in the hearts and minds
of our city leaders.
Your post was in small blue font which I commented on. Then the font became normal. It keeps changing and is sometimes small blue or normal black. Do you control the font or is it the luck of the draw which server I get?
7:38AM, Saw your last paragraph again as I was posting this. If the city is hoarding money, it may be good money management. There very well may be a time because of Walmart and other free bees that the city is out of money. On the other hand, it is gross misconduct that the city is allowing safety hazards and not maintaining streets, etc. that will cost even more to repair as they get worse.
Andy Whiteman
Those repairs have yet to be made.
As for city hall getting a new sidewalk and all new asphalt.
It's just there way of telling you who is in charge.
By the way, you are right. They have cancelled the next meeting of he Board of Aldermen.
Incidentally, city ordinances specifically say that the BOA will meet twice a month. But, what the heck, they've ignored other ordinances for a very long time. Like residency rules for the City Administrator, etc.
Such arrogance is repugnant.
They all need to go!
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, 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 Commmittee.
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.
Speaking of problems they could discuss -- it appears we gave credit to the wrong group of people for the cheap plastic signs that find there way on to the city's right of way.
The "unsung hero" we spoke of a couple of weeks ago has dropped off another batch of signs for us to deliver to City Hall.
Andy Whiteman
I realize the elected officials receive a mere pittance, but I really feel that their checks should be docked for 1/2 months pay because they are AWOL. Apparently these people aren't accountable to the people. Some of us elected them and ALL pay their checks.
I am dealing with a Pit Bull issue in Northern Ireland now and it seems like the whole government is on Summer Holiday. Is this something that the Fascist Fief is going to start doing?
Andy Whiteman
Homestead Preservation Credit
The Homestead Preservation Credit gives qualified senior citizens and 100 percent disabled individuals a credit on their real estate property tax if those taxes increase 2.5 percent in a non-reassessment year or 5 percent in a reassessment year. The credit would be for the amount that exceeds the 2.5 or 5 percent increase in taxes. The act requires a legislative appropriation to fund the credit. If the funding is less than 100 percent, the credit will be a flat statewide percentage based on the appropriation amount. This credit will be applied against the taxes for the following year.
Go to this link:
http://dor.mo.gov/tax/personal/homestead/
not run this town. The City Administrator and lawyer have
made the decisions for our so called representatives.
Oh they vote, but only when they have been given to OK
by the CA and lawyer.
Most of our elected officials don't have a clue how
to run a town. If they did they wouldn't have given so
much away and put this town in financial jeopardy.
Hopefully I won't be here for the next election, but will vote absentee is I am unfortunate enough to still own property here.
Andy Whiteman
Greg or Rich do you have any idea? I have never seen this happen before.
Andy Whiteman
You asked Greg what could be done about enforcing
the ordinance he mentioned. The fact is our elected
officials answer to no one. They do as they please and
how they please. Until more people step up and vote
them out, nothing in this town will change.
The only thing these people know how to do is give away
tax income and bend the rules in their favor. Key department
heads need not live here, codes aren't enforced like they should
be because, at least one of the codes people have codes violations
at their own house.
Andy Whiteman
They might keep a log but who knows if the public has access. I was listening to my police scanner today and an officer asked for animal control for a pit bull roaming the streets. It took animal control over 30 minutes to get there for a pit bull....That is ridiculous and should not happen no matter what. People could be hurt.
5:40 PM, I have no knowledge if such a log exists or not. I would assume there is a record of calls and responses just like the Police and Fire Departments do. You could find out by filing a Freedom of Information Act request with the city clerk. If such a file exists, she will request 10 cents per page for copying it. If it doesn't exist, she will have to tell you.
Personally I don't agree with your comment. I made a complaint about the dilapidated buildings on 63rd as well as a sign fallen on the city right of way. I received a prompt response from Andy Boyd with answers. From what I have observed of the codes enforcement is that they have dedicated workers. The real problem is proper legal procedure is the delaying factor. It is necessary to notify the owner and allow time for correction assuming the owner can be located. If the owner doesn't want to correct the issue(s) it can go through hearings and protests. I have seen lawn/weed mowing that took months due to this procedure. One problem is locating and communicating with an owner especially on abandoned or repossessed properties.
Andy Whiteman
The "Jesus is Lord" and the "Bible study" signs are still there.
I don't believe there is any job enforcement in this town.
Once you are hired you can do anything you wish. With the blessings
of the city council. Besides how can the city council make them do
their jobs when the council doesn't have to answer to anybody either.
The problem stems from the voters.
Andy Whiteman
If they keep a log it is public record.
I think 30 minutes to respond for Pit Bull is reasonable. Was it stated that the dog was a danger to himself or others? If not, it is not an emergency.
It is quite possible animal control was on another call. Being a Pit Bull merely describes the dog. Maybe you are doing racial profiling.
Andy Whiteman
Would it satisfy you if the call was about a "big mean dog threatening people was running large in the neighborhood"?
Not doubt the police asked for a description of the animal. If someone called it a pit bull I doubt it could be confused with a french poodle.
Raytown is only ten square miles in size. Thirty minutes response is ridiculously slow for an area that small.
Since you were listening on scanner and animal control is on cell phones, you don't know the citcumstances. Animal control may have been on another call. The other call very well may have been a dangerous animal. Just because raytown is only 10 sq. miles doesn't say much. As I said the person who is to respond may be on other call(s). I used to dispatch a shift of 3 sheriff's officers over a 980 sq. mile county. A 30-45 minute response was possible even for an emergency.
By the way, do you think 30 minutes is a reasonable time for a response for a poodle? Jim Aziere's daughter was badly mauled by a poodle. My point is ANY dog can bite. Actually I am afraid of the small yippy breeds because they are more defensive.
Andy Whiteman