Sunday, November 15, 2009

In This Week's Raytown Report . . .

O'Hara, Raytown South Move to Final Four! Heard on the Street . . . by Greg Walters 63rd Street Bridge to be Closed Raytown Main Street Contest Deadline Draws Near Raytown Hires Economic Development Administrator O'Hara, Raytown South Move to Final Four! Raytown has been blessed with two area high school football teams, located within two miles of each other, that have distinguished themselves in the arena of high school sports. Archbishop O'Hara High School has already won one state championship in Women's Volleyball. Now, both the O'Hara Celtics and the Raytown South Cardinals Football teams have moved into the final four bracket of their respective divisions. Both are in the hunt to be called "state champions". Next Friday, Raytown South will play Fort Osage in the state semi-finals. The game will be played on Friday, November 20th at 7:00 p.m. at Fort Osage. O'Hara will travel Cassville, Missouri to play Cassville High School in its semi-final game next Saturday, November 21 at 1:30 p.m. O'Hara Reaches Final Four by Brother Richard Geimer At one time in the close State 3-A quarterfinal game between the O'Hara Celtics and the Pleasant Hill Roosters, O'Hara led 35-7. But Pleasant Hill chipped away until eventually leading 49-42 with 2:72 remaining in the game. With 0:35 on the clock, the Celtics rallied to make the score 50-49, and their defense held on for the win. So close was the contest that there were a number of parallels. Both Raphael Spencer for O'Hara and Matt Hertzog for Pleasant Hill scored five touchdowns apiece. Joe Melchior and Jake Warren scored on pass plays for their respective teams. Justin Starks returned a punt to offset a touchdown catch by Aaron Stubblefield. Raphael Spencer and Cody Todd ran in two-point conversions for their teams. The difference ultimately was in the kicked extra points. Sophomore Julian Gidley won that battle succeeding with six while senior Jake Goosey missed one of his six attempts. How They Scored . . . At the beginning of the game, the Celtics scored on their third play of the game, a 65 yard TD run by Raphael Spencer [7-0]. On the Roosters' sixth play, Raphael Spencer picked up a loose fumble and returned for a 58 yard score [14-0]. In Six plays, the Roosters halved the score to 14-7 on Matt Hertzog's 11 yard run. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Raphael Spencer broke free for a 72 yard TD run [21-7]. FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY CLICK ON THIS LINK: http://brrichard.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2009-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-06%3A00&updated-max=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=50 Return of the Cardiac Cardinals It appeared that the Nixa Eagles and Raytown South Cardinals were headed to overtime. But with seven seconds left, the improbable happened. Raytown South quarterback Dennis Tanner was flushed out of the pocket and in an attempt to get the ball off was hit by a Nixa defender. The ball popped straight up in the air and came down to Cardinal running back Jerrick Walton, who headed for the left sideline and beat the Nixa defense to the end zone for the game-winning touchdown in a 21-15 victory. It was Walton's third TD of the game, as Raytown South overcame a 15-7 deficit. Walton finished with 116 yards rushing and 40 yards receiving. Nixa led the entire game until the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter, when the Cardinals tied it. A Jarod Robillard 35-yard field goal and a Jordan Keeney 1-yard TD run gave Nixa an early 9-0 lead after the extra point was missed. A late touchdown by Walton cut the lead to 9-7 at halftime. Ben Fisher hit Brandon Cobb for a 4-yard score in the third quarter to give Nixa a 15-7 lead after the two-point conversion was missed. Keeney, who had been averaging 127 yards per game was held to 66 yards on 25 carries. FOR MORE SPORTS INFORMATION ABOUT RAYTOWN SOUTH USE THIS LINK: http://school12220.ihigh.com/ O'Hara's Boehm is Athlete of the Week With four All-State volleyball players from the Archbishop O'Hara High School 3-A State Champions to choose from, Michala Boehm was named ATHLETE OF THE WEEK by the Kansas City Star on November 13th. Her 17 kills in the State final was a strong boost in influencing the panel as the Celtics defeated Villa Duchesne 25-16 & 25-13 for the State Title. Boehm had 47 kills as a middle hitter in the games against the other teams that made the final four. Her "kill efficiency" was .482 for the weekend. Michala Boehm is a junior and was named First Team All State along with senior Katie Huber and juniors Lindsey Hanaway and Tory Hurtt. Of the players mentioned, Hurtt lives in Raytown. Heard on the Street . . . Politics and regular news has taken a back seat to all of the sports activity in the Raytown area. However, the calm of the lake should not be mistaken as a lack of turbulance below the surface. If you pay close attention you can hear and see signs of activity.
  • Former Ward 2 Alderman John Wiley is said to be testing the waters for a possible run for mayor. Wiley chose not to run for a second term at the completion of his one term in office.
  • Speaking of Mayoral aspirations . . . Mayor David Bower, who was rumored to have decided not to run when his term expired, has now told confidents that he will not run if a qualified candidate does not surface. Sounds like Wiley is not the only one testing the water!
  • Driving by the Walmart Store located at the old Blue Ridge Mall site I noticed that a uniformed Kansas City police officer was on security duty outside of the store. It may be a sign of the times. Will Raytown's new Walmart have need of on-site security during the upcoming Christmas shopping season?
  • A number of potential challengers are said to be queing up for a possible run at the Ward 1 seat held by Joe Creamer. One such candidate in waiting (who has asked for anonymity)sent us the following poem as it relates to Creamer.
As I was walking up the stairs,
I saw a man who was not there.
He was not there again today,
Oh, how I wish he'd go away!
63rd Street Bridge to be Closed for Construction The Raytown 63rd Street Bridge will be closed beginning December 1st. The old bridge is to be demolished and a new structure put in its place. Demolition and construction is expected to last through the winter into late spring - depending upon weather conditions. Traffic will be detoured along 59th Street during construction. Raytown Main Street Contest Deadline Draws Near The deadline for entries to the Downtown Raytown Main Street Contest is November 30, 2009. One lucky winner can win over $4,000 worth of prize merchandise from local businesses by correctly guessing the value of merchandise on display at 9615 East 63rd Street. For an entry form and a copy of the rules use this link: http://www.raytownmainstreet.org/

Raytown Hires Economic Development Adminstrator

The City of Raytown has hired Mr. Thomas Cole of Liberty, Missouri to the position of Economic Development Administrator. Mr. Cole will officially begin his administrative duties for Raytown on November 23, 2009.

48 comments:

Anonymous said...

It appears that Mayor Bower and his BOA are trying to discourage recycling by cutting it to only 2 days a month. I can't believe that in this day and age that we aren't pushing for curbside recycling instead of cutting the program. Not being very progressive Mayor. Raytown just keeps falling further and further behind the other cities around us. But we are the leader in one thing, having the highest sale tax. Something Bower should really be proud of.

Andy Whiteman said...

It seems as if Raytown and Liberty are trading tie wearing chair warmers. As I have said several times these individuals should be required to live in the city that writes their checks.

I just looked up my tax bills on the county website. 68.3% of my tax dollars went to the Dysfunctional School District who like, the city claimed they didn't raise takes. These dysfunctional people get close to $1300 from me. What a rip off. I paid for a willing football team. I hope Raytown South takes state, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the taxpayers. If the dysfunctional board stopped financing teams and required the spectators and teams themselves to provide financing, taxes would be lower. I am not just talking about football. I am talking about ALL sports. They are an optional recreational activity and shouldn't be at taxpayer expense.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Funny, seems like I have to pay a 5 or 6 dollar per game admission fee Andy times number of games times number of spectators= ? Think about it!

While I am at it, most places that anyone lives has a school district, and when it is time to pay taxes, the schools are probably one of the highest paid parts of the tax bill. I just paid taxes for another county in Missouri and it is the same way there as it is here.

If you dont like paying the taxes, then dont own any real or personal property! Problem solved!

They do not give property tax waivers for private schools, so dont even think about going there either.

The turf football fields were a controvercial decision from the start, even I was not happy with that decision, even after I thought about the cost over time of watering, seeding, fertilizer, mowing, sodding, aeration, etc...
I still feel that it was a poor financial decision on the boards part.

Anonymous said...

If John Wiley would become mayor this town will go downhill at
record speed. And yes, it can get worse than it already is.

Andy Whiteman said...

Public education is necessary, but sports are NOT education. They are a waste of taxpayers' money. Either the players should bear the expense or Ticket prices should increase.

Yes, every area has a school tax, but the Dysfunctional School District taxec are outrageous. Look at you tax bill (most people to recive tax bills because it goes to the lender). The Dysfunctional group gets 68.3% of your tax $$$$$$$. Do you think thatr is reasonable? Taxes are so high the one needs to be rich to live in Raytown. Quite simply, people can't afford the taxes. I wonder if I will be able to sell my house because of the high taxes. Maybe that is why homes in Raytown don't sell or take forever to sell.

The best tax would be a user tax. Those with children who use the service should be taxed. I don't own children and can point out several people who don't own children yet we are forced to pay an outrageous tax while people who breed and have numerous children pay the same tax. Breeders with 2,3, 4, 5, or more children ahould should pay porportionally more taxes.

I know many consider children to be a gift from God, but they sure didn't have to request that gift. I didn't.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Speaking of the various local races, what are the thoughts on the race for Will Kraus' seat? Does anybody know anything about this Gavin Fletchall guy. I have been a supporter of Will's the last six years, but I recently learned of his move to Lee's Summit without telling anybody. Mr. Fletchall I believe lives in Kansas City. Thus, there is no Raytown candidate as far as I am aware. Does anybody have any further information on this race?

Anonymous said...

Mr.Wiley is another person like Mr.Creamer. You never know
when he is telling the truth or which Wiley will show up.
Don't let the preacher fool you, he is no different than any
we already have. He was no good as an Alderman and he
Won't be any better if he is mayor.

Anonymous said...

jOHN WILEY WAS A DESERTER FROM THE NAVY WHICH IS A FELONY. SO HE CANNOT RUN FOR MAYOR OR HOLD ANY OFFICE. HE IS A DEACON IN THE FOURSQUARE GOSPEL CHURCH. HE HAS NO DIVINITY DEGREE. HE IS A SELF PROCLAIMED MINISTER SO HE IS AN IMPOSTER.

Pat Casady said...

I really can't see John Wiley running for mayor.
There's no money in it for him. Besides the people of
Ward 2 should remember how little he did for them.
He was for destroying all the buildings in the downtown
area and refused to talk to or help any of us downtown business
owners. We had two meetings and he didn't come to either
Of them. Aziere came, I won't go into what he said but, it
made us wonder what he was thinking.
No matter what, Mr.John Wiley is not the man to run this town.

Anonymous said...

whatever happened to John Whiley'sw plan to turn the old hospital on Raytown Road into a homeless center? He made a big splash about it on the news a couple of months back but there hasn't been anything since then.

I'm not sure that a homeless center would be the best use fo that building.

Anonymous said...

I too know that John Wiley has LOTS OF BAGGAGE. I can't imagine why he would want to run for anything. This would just be further embarrassment for himself,his family, and the city of Raytown. The KC Star would have a lot to write about if he enters the race.

Anonymous said...

In the next few months I will be moving to Raytown, so several months ago while searching for local Raytown news, I stumbled across this blog. Since that time I have checked back from time to time. And while there is some good info here, there is also a lot of noise. Way too much whining about public officials from individuals with petty complaints. And when national politics are dragged into local issues, frankly, I just completely ignore the rest of the comment. Someone with an Us vs Them partisan mentality probably wasn't making a worthy remark anyway.

As new home owner in Raytown, here are some of my observations:

TIF: not to put more fuel on the fire, but a 23 year recapture period on a TIF for a retail store is ridiculous. Here is why; Bannister Mall was open for 27 years, the last 10 it was walking dead. Hypermart across the street from it was only open 17 years. When demographics change, retailers move. Are we going to be paying for the TIF long after the store is gone? Aside from this; I think arguments that Walmart is killing local businesses is off base. Those businesses have been competing with Walmart for years. It's a tough economy for sole proprietor.

Oh, one last Walmart comment. Back in the early 80s I worked for Venture. Even then shoplifters were a regular occurrence and I chased my share. And during Christmas season it was standard practice to have off duty police officers at the front door. The only difference is that now Christmas season starts at Halloween.

Streets: I currently live in a small town (metro suburb) of ~5000. Streets are in good shape and all have curbs and storm drains. During the winter all streets are plowed as necessary (and not the KCMO definition of necessary) and treated. I found Raytown wasn't quite up to the same standard last winter. We passed a special levy for road improvements as well, and our streets reflect that. Otherwise, the city has no income tax or property tax.

And Gregory... this is a major artery. And it has been closed for days at a time to rebuild an intersection. I took the detour one evening, and frankly I'm surprised the hazards they created haven't killed anyone. I took the detour down to 69th St and they had a construction sign blocking your view of north bound Raytown Rd. I'm assuming it's open again, I have avoided Gregory since and use 63rd, but judging from the month between when they milled the road and when they started repaving, maybe not.

Not that everything about Raytown is bad, if it was I wouldn't be moving here. I could have chosen other communities, my only restriction was that I would not buy a home in KCMO.

It would certainly be nice to have local Raytown discussions without the personal attacks, and maybe some more positive comments about the city. For instance, how about recommendations for local restaurants. Or does everyone just go to Applebees and BWW?

Andy Whiteman said...

11:47AM, Welcome to Raytown. I hope you checked the property taxes before you moved here.

What happened to the street improvement tax? From what I understood from the City Attorney at the BOA meeting was it was actually a "Public Transportation tax" and the funds were actually used to retire previous dept. That was not my understanding when I voted for it.

I agree with you abut the mess on Gregory. Hopefully Gregory will be finished before the 63rd ST bridge is started on Dec. 1 or we will have a worse mess.

As for local restaurants, I am not impressed. The manager at Arby's told me they will be putting out more coupons shortly. I consider Arby's to be expensive but will use the coupons or get 5 regular Arby's for $5 on weekends. There is a fast food Shanghai Chinese on Raytown Rd northbound after you go over the one way bridge that my wife and I used to come from KCMO to go to. Sonic Burger is another one we used to come from KCMO to eat at.

It depends on your tastes, but generally when I eat out, I combine it with a shopping trip to conserve gas and time so I end up eating in KCMO, OP, or Leawood depending on where I am going.

Go to www.maps.google.com and enter search for "Raytown, MO restaurants" without the quotes. You will get restaurants for miles around. I just did that and Mama Chinas was near the top. Some friends remarked that they liked it.

Andy Whiteman

Justin Tomac said...

Anon 11:47 a.m....
Welcome to Raytown!
Your assessment of the TIF & Streets are right on.

I agree the local discussions and personal attacks are not the most optimistic or encouraging. What you do find on this blog is a core group of individuals who are frustrated and not satisfied with how Raytown is run.

Recommendations on Local Restaurants....other then a few chains do we really have any? For Mexican, aside from El Maguey a new one opened on 350...have only eaten at El Maguey.
Chinese Take out...Ma-Ma's is good.
Besides from Applebees, we have not found anything that really excites us for restaraunts.

As for local businesses, you may be hard pressed to find...for Coffee try Benetti's, Smith Brothers Hardware as well as Westlake are pretty nice.

I have not made a purchase in a Walmart in about seven years....so I can not comment on that new or old one.

Once you move in...please let us know your opinion of the businesses and places to eat here.

Thanks,
JWDT

Greg Walters said...

Welcome!

I hope you find Raytown to be a good fit. You will find that, by and large,this is a community with friendly people who care for each other.

As for the blog. I and a friend of mine started this "publication" in 1997. At the time, we fashioned it as an "electronic newspaper" on the world wide web.

As times and technology changed so has the Raytown Report. It is now a blog format. But I do intend to change it to more of a carrier of local news and events.

Raytown has lost its two newspapers and I believe that the void left behind can be filled in this way.

I also believe the blog portion of the Raytown Report to be a healthy indication that there are many people in Raytown who care deeply for their community.

They certainly are not afraid to speak their minds!

Through the blog we (the contributors who post on this blog deserve as much credit as anyone) have collectively made their voice known to City Hall.

We have brought to light some problems, particularly in the area of code enforcement, that have been addressed by city hall.

My favorite response from one city councilman was a curt, "we fixed your pothole, now go find something else to complain about!"

In a perfect world the complain never would have been made because the problem would have fixed years before we shed the light of day on it in a very "public" way.

So, don't take the complaints as just so much noise. The noise is there because some real problems exist. Those problems should be resolved, not ignored.

Please feel free to jump in any time you want to say your piece about Raytown.

Pat Casady said...

To Anonymous 11:47,
First of all welcome to Raytown.
Don't be afraid to sign your writings because as you
stated about "noise" and how you don't read on, that's
most of us feel about "Anonymous" writers.
You are right about negative thoughts on this blog and
I'm one of the people that do a lot of that but, as you will see
as time goes by there is not a lot of positive deeds done by our
elected officials.
This doesn't mean Raytown is a bad place....it's not. It's a great
little town and almost everybody that lives or owns property here
loves this little town. Someday we will have elected officials
who will care for our neighborhoods, fix the streets as promised
and care for our hometown businesses but, until then we have to play the cards we are dealt.

Anonymous said...

I noticed a tow company is moving into the old Crawford's Dodge dealership. I'm sure they are a very good company, but they will generate NO SALES TAX, unlike the dealership did. Our city fathers have put us in a position where the sales tax is the most important part of our city's revenue. What happens as we continue to lose businesses that paid sales tax to be replaced with service type businesses that generate none? I see bankruptcy down the road for our small town. Thanks Mayor Bower, you're doing a wonderful job of destroying Raytown.

dennis said...

i see ol beth lynn threw the fire department under the bus during the board meeting last nite.
When will they fire her she is worhless.
Maybe she should have her department doing the job they are hired to do.

A little bird told me the on call person who refused to pick up the deer was at the chiefs football game.
Thats your tax money at work
dennis

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy the blog! My question is about the Gregory Rd construction. Once it is done, will we be able to turn North from Gegory on to Raytown Rd? The new concrete median is raised and almost looks like a barrier across the old turn lane.

Also, my husband and I just bought one of the historical homes in Raytown this Summer and are currently doing a authentic renovation of the structure. We have deep roots in Raytown (O'hara and Raytown grads along with our kids,church etc)and are very fortunate that we were able to purchase this piece of history. Our goal is to make our home something that the city of Raytown can be proud of.

Thank You,
Carol Spinski

Andy Whiteman said...

Reason to shop Raytown:

I recently returned 2 unsatisfactory items to Westlake. I don't save receipts because I don't expect a problem, so had no receipe. The cashier offered store credit which I couldn't use until the next day. I protested that I would have to make another trip on a day they close too early for me (Sunday). The cashier called the manager who said, "He comes in here all the time. Just give him a refund." I got my refund, walked to the back of the store, selected another item, and checked out. Being a known shopper at a local business has its advanatges.

FREE TURKEYS

There are 2 coupons today (one in Section 1 and one in the grocry ad) for a free turkey at HY-VEE with a $25 purchase. As a suggestion, if you don't need or want the turkey, get it anyway and donate it to REAP or give to someone in need. You could also go back a 2nd time for the 2nd turkey and donate it.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

What about Traci Fann? Is she FINALLY going to have opposition in her next election?

Pat Casady said...

I just thought of something that makes no sense to me.
They are closing the 63st bridge on the first of December.
This means that the the downtown businesses, the few of
them that are left, won't get the Christmas business they
are used to. This is another reason for us to point out that this
city cares nothing for the hometown businesses we have left.
would it kill them to wait until after December? Besides this is
the beginning of winter, how much do you think will be done on the
bridge when the weather gets bad. They haven't worked at
Gregory and Raytown Road for over a week due to weather.

Anonymous said...

Joe Creamer is not only simple he is also a snake in the grass.

Lee said...

Thought I'd log in this time.....

So, don't take the complaints as just so much noise. The noise is there because some real problems exist. Those problems should be resolved, not ignored.

I don't consider the complaints to be noise, mostly the name calling. I don't think it's productive.

It's not so much that the BOA is worthless, it's that the public isn't doing it's job. I believe there is nothing so simple that the government (left to their own devices) can't screw it up. So out of the 'Trust, but Verify' equation the voting public isn't holding them responsible for their actions.

I have been reading the BOA meeting minutes, what little there is to them now, and I can see that Andy is a regular contributor. Whether I agree with his priorities or not, they have no doubt about what he expects from him.

I personally would like to see more info about the city available on their website. Things like start/end dates on construction projects, particularly where public access is impaired. For example; the traffic alert for Gregory and Raytown Rd gives no details, what is 'restricted'. And shouldn't the 63st bridge closure say the bridge will be closed Dec 1st in big bold type?

And it would be nice to see full meeting minutes, or even the video, of public meetings. What they have right now, which is common practice, might meet the letter of Sunshine laws, it doesn't meet the intent.

As for local businesses; I checked out Smith Brothers and have shopped at Westlake. I drive by El Maguey several times a week, and they always seem busy. When things get less hectic and I'm in the mood for Mexican I intend to give them a try. Jim G's on the other hand never seems to have any business. I don't know if I should avoid them or if Sonic is killing them. I like Pauls on Blue Ridge @ 105th, so I thought they might have a similar menu. I was hoping there were more non-chain cafes or restaurants in town that I had missed. Some hidden gems like Corner Cafe.

On the topic of the Raytown Post, their website is complete gone now. It's a shame the archives are lost too.

Anonymous said...

Hi Welcome to Raytown.

I just wanted to say that I take acception to your statement that there is too much whinning on this blog. There wouldn't be any if things were being taken care of as they should be. Maybe you should live here a while before you make a statement like that because you might just see a reason for it. As Greg said there is nowhere else to vent our frustrations as we have no papers and it does no good to talk to city hall. Maybe it's time to talk to the TV Stations, if that would help. But that probably will not work either as the KC STAR makes a laughing stock out of us most of the time now. The TV stations can only say negative things about us as well.

This city is a place I have loved from the day we moved in here from Kansas City. We came here because our schools were the best in the state but they aren't now, they are good but not the best. You could go anywhere in the metro area in about 20 minutes or less and you still can. The neighborhoods were clean and well kept because people took pride in what they owned but not anymore. We had very good retail businesses and the city was not in debt but now we are and part of that is because of those TIFs you mentioned. Like the $800,000 due in December and the $1,000,000.00 due in June, 2010 that we don't have.

The problems here are compounded by city hall.
We just keep hiring people who don't, can't or just don't care to do the jobs they are hired for and no one does anything about it. We have ordinances that are not being enforced and that is why our city's neighborhoods are deteriorating. As the neighborhoods go so goes the city.

We have a mayor who is not willing to do the job that we all elected him to do. Many of us who supported this man did so because he said it was not going to be business as usual. Well it's not, it's worse.

We have lived here for several decades and have always believed that Raytown is the best place to live in the Metro area and we still do. The people were, and some still are, hard working and kind and who care about their city and have always supported it even when it was hard on our pockets money wise. Yes, we are frustrated because we don't see anyone trying to turn all of these negatives around. We don't want to move but we don't want to see all of our property values drop to nothing because those at city hall won't get off their backsides and do the job that we elected or hired them to do.

Andy Whiteman said...

Carol, welcome back to Raytown.

As for the deer, Beth Lynn said that they will pick up the carcass during business hours only. That is stupid. If it happens on a Friday, the carcass is there until Monday or Tuesday. Not only is it a nuisance, it is a HEALTH HAZARD. The city should remove it immediately. If the city won't handle it, I thank any public spirited citizen (including the Fire Department) who wants to tackle the task. If John Q. Public steps in and removes the carcass, will he, like the Fire Department, be accused of taking over animal control? The city is neglecting its duties.

If it is true that the city employee was at the Chiefs game, he should he/she reprimanded for not answering the call. If the call had been for an aggressive animal, would the call have been responded to?

The bridge closing will put a damper on the Dec 4th lighting ceremony and open house.

The bridge closing is posted on the city's web site, but is not obvious. Scroll to the bottom and look for small letters "63rd St Bridge closing." I think it should be a big icon at the top of the page.

Lee (are you Lee Grey), I believe in letting people know what I expect. If I don't let people know what I expect, how can I reasonably expect it? I wish more people whould do the same.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Thanks Lee you are absolutely right about the problems here in Raytown. It's all of us who keep voting these fools in but in our defense they are good at fooling people as an example the mayor. Sure fooled me soory to say.

Andy Whiteman said...

Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.

The real fools are the voters who don't get out and vote in local elections. They don't know it, but local elections are very important because they determine our local laws, services, and TAXES. People don't stop and think especially when the Dysfunctional School District wants to raise taxes. Only a few vote. The fools stay home. Don't be a fool the next election.

Andy Whiteman

Andy Whiteman said...

PS. I forgot to mention that we may have had different aldermen now if it wasn't for the fools who stayed home.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Wasn't today the day that the Caylor property was supposed to be auctioned? I wonder if anyone is interested in property in downtown Raytown? If it didn't sell then that should tell us something about downtown's future.

Lee said...

Andy, no, I'm not Lee Grey. I don't know who that is.

FWIW, my family moved to KC in 1967, and I grew up in the Hickman, Grandview, Raytown, Lee's Summit area.

I'm hoping to be able to attend a BOA meeting in January to get a feel for the people that are representing me. Maybe I'll get the chance to put some faces with some names.

6:55 Anonymous. One of the best things you can do is show up at city meetings. Raytown politics aren't exciting enough for local media. Not when they have the KC mayor/council trainwreck to cover. Judging by national apathy, your BOA was probably elected by less than 3000 voters. And other than the mayor, those are divided across 5 wards. Have you met your alderman yet? I intend to meet Jim & Jim in January.

Andy Whiteman said...

I walked by the Caylor property today on my way to the bank and there is a SOLD sign on it. That doesn't answer the question of when it will be brought into compliance with code?

I inspected the intersection of Raytown Rd & Gregory today. There is a space for turning left from Gregory onto NB Raytown Rd. That applies only if you don't cut your turn too sharply or slide on ice into the median which, if you ask me, is to close too the intersection and totally unnecessary. It serves only as a useless cosmetic safety hazard that will cost $$$$$ to maintain.

November 18, 2009 7:34 AM, The Dodge company terminated the contract with the dealer at no fault of the Raytown city government. I was hoping for another car dealer or repair but the city has no choice of business as long as it meets code and is a legal business. But I have the feeling it will become a junk yard and may violate code. I don't know if tows are taxable, but if they sell any parts or autos for charges, they will then be taxable. All entities will collect property taxes on the site as well as the equipment. I bet that property is assessed at $$$$$$$$$$. Also tow trucks aren't cheap.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

To Lee,
You are in for a treat, when and if you meet the Jim & Jim
show. Reminds me of a movie with Jim Carry and Jeff Daniels.

Salamander said...

I’m almost certain at least some blog readers read the daily Kansas City Star.

If are one of the select few in our country who admits to reading a daily paper you are most certainly aware of the recent reports about the antics of football coach Mangino.

Mangino is accused of bullying some of the players on that school’s football team.

So he might well be guilty. So what? Paybacks are always hell. My guess is that the “athletes” deserved it.

The Salamander recalls his highschool days. The worst bullies in the school system were, by large, the jocks

They got away with murder. That is a fact. Anyone who claims otherwise is bombpartmentalizing their memory and, in short “thinking like Bill Clinton.

The emphasis on sports and such programs at most public schools and some private academies at junior or high school level is ridiculous.

Anything connected with sports comes way ahead of reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic. You can bet your boots on that.

Our society would be better served if most inter-school sports programs were severely curtailed (and in many cases dismantled). The students should be playing intramural sports.

Flying, for example, high school kids from one part of the country to another to play a football game borders insanity.

Worse yet, is the fact that most schools devote 25-30% of their facility and funds to maintaining these programs. High schools with seven to eight assistant football coaches is not uncommon.

Our schools cut back on academies, abolish student assistance programs, slice teachers’ pay…all to finance a sports program which benefits a handful of the student body.

It should be changed.

Andy Whiteman said...

Lee, welcome to Raytown or maybe I should say welcome to the blog.

Lee Grey was the former owner/editor of the Raytown Post. He used to post on this blog but dropped out. (I think over a dislike to the style of some posts.) I was hoping to see him come back but you are an intelligent person who can also add thought to the blog and community.

I am not sure who Jim & Jim are unless you mean Jom Aziere and Chief of Police Jim Lynch.

If you watched BOA on cable TV you know my face, otherwise I am AKA "Helmet Head." That is what my wife called me before she was murdered. Since I am disabled if meetings are not one the scheduled days, you won't see me there if I have a doctor's appointment or other plans. I am also in the process of trying to pack for moving and my time is limited.

Salamander, I don't keep up on sports and haven't paid much attention to Coach Mangino news. Especially in this economy I feel taxpayer funding of sports is wasted money. Sports are not a part of Education at all. They are a fund raiser for colleges. The only educational part of sports is for players who are drafted into the big leagues and some of them quit college to play a game! My wife had a tennis scholarship and also swam on the men's team because she was too good for the woman's team. She didn't want to go to college but did so to keep her parent's happy. She had a degree in Outdoor Recreation which meant that she could qualify for a $7/hr job.

Anonymous said...

Salamander - So it is a "fact that most schools devote 25-30% of their facility and funds to maintaining these programs". Come on and think a bit before you throw that out as a fact. Raytown C-2, for example has an operating budget between $70M and $80M. Can you show where they devote $17M-$20M for sports programs? If you can, then maybe I can stop helping with all of the fundraising activities that we have to do to cover basics for the participants. If you want to find out how much is budgeted for sports, call the district and find out - you will see what a miniscule % goes to all activities such as sports, music, band, debate, etc. Here is a link to a story that is about 5 years old, but it shows that each school at that time had a budget of $125,000 to cover ALL activities at the school. You can even throw in the cost of the new turf and eight football assistants and you still won't get anywhere close to 25-30%.

http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Albin_Harold_109285528.aspx

Anonymous said...

Raytown South 6, Fort Osage 13. It was a good run anyway! They have nothing to be ashamed about! Good Job Team!

Anonymous said...

Andy and Lee,

The names of the two
Alderman from Ward 2 are Jim Hamilton and Jim Aziere. I assume that is the Jim and Jim Show referenced earlier.

It amazes me that the people in this town do not recognize the contempt their elected officials show for them. It is reflected in the poor service in codes enforcement. Any decent manager or executive would not stand for such substandard performance.

With the exception of the police and ambulance departments, the city shuts down at 5:00 p.m. Why? Because all the department heads live at least 10 miles away! Interesting to note that our Chief of Police lives in Raytown as does the director for the ambulance service -- as they should.

Public hearings are held in the late afternoon rather than evening for the convenience of Out of town directors. We don't want to inconvenience our department heads who live as far away as Liberty, Raymore, Gladstone, Shawnee, and don't forget our Park Director. He lives in Harrisonville! That's a long drive home everynight.

Raytown is a bedroom community with the majority of its folks working outside the city. Most do not get home until the evening hours. The low turnout out at a recent public hearing reflects that fact.

This demonstrates the contempt of city hall. It also shows what a farce the meeting is in the first place.

David Bower may have inherited a mess from Sue Frank. The seeds she planted for disfunction are showing their fruit now.

But he has made it worse by refusing to address the real problems facing Raytown. Instead he focuses on trying to make a name for himself in area politics. His Board of Aldermen is dominated by chair warmers who have relegated themselves to the roll of ribbon cutters who take orders from those the out-of-towners they have hired to run the city.

Andy Whiteman said...

5:31PM, even $125,000 spent on activities is money wasted. Just think, that $125K could be used to pay the salaries of 3 or 4 teachers at the low salaries they receive. Activities benefit very few students and are not truely education except for even a smaller minority who go on to be pros in that game. Activies should be paid for by the participants and/or fans NOT THE TAXPAYERS who are stuck with an outrageous tax bill. I really thing a tie wearing chairwarmer's job should be eliminated and that money used to fund activities. There is too much deadwood at the top for both the city and Dysfunctional School District.

I am glad to hear that Raytown South advanced to the point they did, but it shouldn't be funded by taxpayers.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know anything about a shop lifting incident at the new Walmart in Raytown that could have drastic effects on Raytown South Football?

Anonymous said...

The district's activities budget is 1.8 million dollars. That covers not only the sports programs, but the choir, debate, art clubs, etc. I feel that both academic and athletic activities serve an important role in a well rounded education for a student. True there are some programs that couple probably be cut to trim some fat around the budget, e.g. the sophomore basketball teams, but as a whole the money spent is a rather small portion of the inflated spending on behalf of the district.

Anonymous said...

Just watched the rebroadcast of the BOA meeting and I truly feel dumber. Someone needs to get one of those 5 second delay buttons and press it before Aziere speaks. Come on a story about some hillbilly friend who clubs a deer to death with a hammer, jesus is the gene pool this shallow in Raytown. As for the Fire Department am I missing something? As I understand it they were called, they went, made things better, they went home. Is that not essentially what we pay them for? I got an idea for you Aziere instead of the Fire Departments animal control policy why don't you ask to see the animal control should not be drinking at the chiefs game policy. I always liked it when you dies your hair red because at least then you looked like the clown we all know you to be. With baboons like you in office it is no wonder we have inept overpaid idiots like Beth Lynn on the payroll. It is just too bad we cant do any better than you.

Andy Whiteman said...

12:23PM, No, but your question makes me wonder how the 2 could be connected other than in geography of almost being neighbors?

Since we no longer have a newspaper, it will be difficult to get that news unless the Red Star or a TV station wants to use the alleged incident to bad mouth Raytown.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

The shoplifting incident was not at the Walmart. It was at Dick's Sporting Goods. One player committed the shoplifting while 4 others happened to be with him. All 5 were suspended for the playoff game against Fort Osage. A very unfortunate choice made by some kids that have always been good citizens.

Andy Whiteman said...

$1.8 M on activities is a real waste of taxpayers' money. Activities are NOT education. Just think how much lower out tax bills would be if $1.8M was cut from the budget. A true waste since apparently the only education achieved was Shoplifting 101 and that individual is a true failure.

Andy Whiteman

PS. I am seeing many post one or more days late because with delayed administrators approval is very difficult to find where the last post I read was. I understand Greg is busy with other things but there should be some way to identify what I have not read. I usually assume that the location of my post is where I left off, but am finding many new posts before mine. Anyone have a suggestion for a place finder?

Greg Walters said...

Andy,

I try to update the blog entries at lease twice a day. In this day and age where internet access is easily accessible nearly everywhere, it is not that hard to do.

I plan to make some major changes to the Raytown Report within the next month that should address your concerns.

Please be patient.

Anonymous said...

The best Mexican food--made by the local owner and family--is at Fiesta Azteca on Raytown Road just south of 350 highway, next to Cosentino's
Apple Market. Jim G's is famous for his huge tenderloin sandwiches. One serves two persons. it is possible to eat in Raytown and avoid the chains or franchisees, altho they need to make a living too.
Another positive thing about Raytown is its location. One can get anywhere around town in minutes from here, easily! And, most of all, the friendly, helpful residents. Who else would build an entire building entirely with volunteer help, in order to help others who need food, utility help, etc.?

A longtime resident.

Anonymous said...

What a great web log. I spend hours on the net reading blogs, about tons of various subjects. I have to first of all give praise to whoever created your theme and second of all to you for writing what i can only describe as an fabulous article. I honestly believe there is a skill to writing articles that only very few posses and honestly you got it. The combining of demonstrative and upper-class content is by all odds super rare with the astronomic amount of blogs on the cyberspace.