RAYTOWN REPORT

How Accessible are Your Elected Officials? Raytown Offers Unique Services Final Reminders High School Sports How Accessible are Your Elected Officials? Your elected officials in Raytown are you most direct link to local government. The city is divided into five wards. Each ward is approximately two square miles in size and is represented by two aldermen. The small size gives elected officials a unique opportunity for hands on representation of those who elect them. In this day and age the most common way for people to contact for services is by telephone. Though it should be noticed that some make use of the internet (as is evidenced by this site) as well. But when it comes to city services it is fair to say that at least 90% of calls to city hall are exactly that -- telephone calls to city hall. In most cases the reason for the call is taken care at that point. If it is not, the next logical step is to contact your local elected official. While dinging around the city's websi...

New Recycling Center Hours Set Heard on the Street by Greg Walters O'Hara, Raytown South Post Season Hopes End in Semi-Final Round New Recycling Center Hours Set At its last meeting the Raytown Board of Aldermen set new operating hours for the Raytown Recycling Center. Those who wish to use the center should plan on dropping off their recyclables at the Raytown Public Works Garage located near Railroad Street and Raytown Road on the 2nd and 3rd Saturday of each month. The Center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The center will also begin accepting glass for recycling in the near future. In a presentation to the Raytown Board of Alderman, the city’s Public Works Director, Andy Noll, explained that the center cost approximately $10,000 annually to operate. Most of that cost is paid out in over-time wages to Public Works employees who man the center twice each month. The change from four days to two days (by closing the center on Sundays) will effectively cut that cos...

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 ...

Will the Real Joe Creamer Please Stand Up? What Raytown Needs O’Hara Women’s Volleyball Team Repeats as 3A State Champions Raytown South and O'Hara Football Teams Advance in Post Season Play Will the Real Joe Creamer Please Stand Up? by Greg Walters I received a call yesterday asking why the city’s recycling center has had its hours cut. To be honest, I have never heard a reasonable answer. I do know that when City Hall increased our property taxes this year Ward 1 Alderman Joe Creamer was quoted as saying that he voted for the tax increase so that services would not have to be cut. Two weeks later, Creamer voted to cut the hours of operation for the recycling center by half. Go figure! Unlike other city services, the Recycling Center actually produces income for the city. So, why did Creamer and his seatmates on the City Council vote to cut one of Raytown’s most successful operations? A telephone call your area representative would appear to be in order. What Raytown Need...

Vote Yes on Combat Tax Renewal by Kristi Wyatt Bare Curse Revisited by Greg Walters Win the Window Display Contest High School Sports Vote Yes on Combat Tax Renewal by Kristi Wyatt You've probably seen the billboards and read news about the Nov. 3 election to renew the Jackson County anti-drug sales tax called COMBAT. It's fair to ask: What does COMBAT do for your community? Quite a bit, in the opinion of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Our board endorsed the quarter-cent sales tax in August. We think its benefits are many. First, a little background. Voters first approved the COMBAT tax in 1989, renewing it in 1995 and 2003. It will be good for another seven years if passed on Nov. 3. The tax pays for investigation of drug crimes and the prosecution and incarceration of offenders. Importantly, it also provides funds to 80 community and faith-based agencies to provide prevention, treatment and counseling services to those with drug problems. Willing ...