Sunday, June 20, 2010

In This Week's Raytown Report

Board Hears Complaints from South Raytown Residents by Greg Walters
Solutions to Violent Behavior by Raytown Youth
In Their Own Words
Notes of Interest
Beware: It's Getting Hot, Hot, Hot by Jenn Walters
Last Week's Poll Results

Every Picture Tells a Story . . . 

Sunrise, Bar Harbor, Maine. The furthest point east on the Continental United States.






News and Views
by Greg Walters


Board Hears Complaints from South Raytown Residents
Raytown residents gave the Raytown Board of Aldermen over one hour of testimony about serious criminal problems in the neighborhoods around 85th and Lane Streets. Complaints of criminal behavior by teenagers were graphically explained to Board members. Individual cases of assault, robbery, curfew violations, vandalism, threats, illegal blocking of traffic and intimidation were explained in detail to Board members during the session.

Residents asked that the police become more focused in their response to the criminal activity by taking hard line on all criminal activity.

Ward 5 Alderman Steve Mock organized the meeting in response to constituent complaints of violence.

Mock told the Raytown Report that police patrols are being increased in the area and that community meetings with neighbors are being held to identify the juvenile delinquents in response the outbreak of criminal activity.

Mayor Bower urged the people in attendance to become proactive and to join together in working with police, churches and schools in addressing the problem.

Solutions to Violent Behavior by Raytown Youth
AN EDITORIAL

The problems outlined by the good people in the south part of Raytown are in the increase throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. The steps outlined by Mayor Bower to increase community involvement are a good plan to combat the problem. But in this day and age the reality of the situation is that the problems begin in the home. And all the social networking in the world cannot replace what is missing in the home.

Those who participate in miscreant behavior know the limits of what society will tolerate. In the south part of Raytown, that line has been crossed.

A solution, and it is important to stress it is not a simple solution, is for the Raytown Police to take a no tolerance response to criminal and anti-social behavior in our neighborhoods. This goes for the obvious strict enforcement of laws against crimes of violence like vandalism, assault and the like. For the message to be clear the "no tolerance" position must also apply to lesser violations like the breaking curfew by minors. Excessive noise violations in our parks and other nuisance violations throughout Raytown. 

By doing so the message is sent that Raytown is the City where you will sit up straight and mind your manners. 

Raytown has the laws on the books to ensure Raytown remains a safe city to live in. The burden of that enforcement falls upon the broad shoulders of our local police department. The voters in Raytown have been generous with their tax dollars in supporting the local police. It is time for that investment to pay off with strict enforcement of our city's code of ordinances. 

Anything less will be viewed as a sign of weakness by those who participate in criminal activity. 

In Their Own Words
On Tuesday, May 11th, the Raytown Board of Aldermen held its annual retreat and goal setting session. The Board using the event to set goals for the following year.

In a different twist from previous year sessions, this meeting also included an assignment for members of the Board of Aldermen. Board members were asked to respond to two questions. The response was to be written down and handed in at the beginning of the meeting. The comments returned by Board members gives an interesting view of the our city leader's self image. 

The two questions asked were:

1: What have been the most significant accomplishments of the board, the staff and the citizens over the course of the last year?

2: What do you hope the Board, the staff and the citizens will accomplish in the upcoming year?
The answers are enlightening.

Some of the members of the Board took their assignment seriously. If an award were given for the longest answers it would be a three way toss-up between Aldermen White, Melson and VanBuskirk.

Others were not quite so verbose. For instance, Alderman Pardue, in answer to question #2 responded, “I hope we continue to attract new businesses and remain fiscally responsible.”

But it would be best for you to read the comments yourself and draw your own conclusions.

The following link will take you directly to the city’s website. The section with the Aldermen’s comments is on entitled Survey Compilation and begins on page 24.

Here is the link:  2010 Goals Setting Report

Notes of Interest . . .
While going through the 2010 Goals Setting Report we noticed a few items that merit mentioning. To their credit, all of the Aldermen participated (though some to a much lesser degree than others) in the Survey Compilation. It is noteworthy to mention that the Mayor did not respond to the questions..

It is also noted that on page 23 under a heading entitled “Community Image and Improvement”, in a subsection entitled “Threats”, the first item mentioned is “on-line blogs”.

Ouch! That really hurts.

It also begs the question; how can something that is not read by anyone be a threat to anything? The question is tongue in cheek. Some Board members claim to never read the on-line news sources in Raytown.

In fairness to the topic, not all members of the Board of Aldermen share that point of view. That is a good thing. But until that narrow, small-minded viewpoint is corrected at City Hall there will probably continue to be unrest and dissatisfaction voiced by the good people or Raytown.

What some on the Raytown Board of Aldermen still fail to grasp is that the blog portion of this website is made up 100% of the public speaking its mind.

If they would pay attention to what is written by those who participate on this blog are saying, they would learn we are all on the same page. We recognize the problems. We want the solutions.

Keep writing folks  . . . you are not a threat. You are part of the solution.

TO YOUR HEALTH by Jenn Walters


BEWARE: It's Getting Hot, Hot, Hot


I’m always excited for summer after a long Midwest winter. Flip flops, shorts, the pool, the beach, sunlight until 9 p.m., shirtless men running around my neighborhood…the list goes on and on. And I, each year, forgo the gym, slather on my sunscreen and hit the great outdoors for weekly power walks and runs.
I recently started teaching an outdoor bootcamp as well, which has considerably added to my outdoor workout time. The bootcamp goes from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and although it’s fairly early (especially on a Saturday morning, for this Fit Bottomed Girl revels in her weekend beauty rest), it still gets up to the mid-80s. And when you’re going from high-knees to push-ups to sprints, you get hot in a hurry.
I always tell my clients to take it easy, drink plenty of fluids and listen to their bodies. This is good advice, but according to this article, apparently many people under the ill effects of heat are in denial about how terrible they feel and are very good at convincing others they feel fine, too, when really they’re about to pass out.
Below are some tips from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association on how to stay safe—and not have to lie to your friends and family—while working out in the great outdoors.
Seven Tips to Stay Cool 
1. Gradual is the name of the game. Gradually increase your workout’s intensity and duration in the heat. This prepares your body for more intense, longer duration exercise in warm conditions, and helps prevent injury and heat illness.
2. Take a break, man. Take breaks during your outdoor activity and assure adequate rest between exercise sessions. Rest breaks are an important defense against heat illness, and proper sleeping habits decrease your risk, too, so don’t skimp on the zzzs!
3. Drink up (water not beer). Begin outdoor activities only after you’re properly hydrated. Drink water or sports drinks (for any activity more than one hour long) throughout your sweat session.
4. Check your pee. A darker urine color is a quick indicator of dehydration. Your urine should look more like lemonade than apple juice. If it’s at the darker end of the rainbow, drink up.
5. Timing is key. Exercise during cooler portions of the day (early morning or late evening), if you can.
6. Know thy self. Do not participate in intense exercise if you show signs of an existing illness (such as nasty stuff such as fever, diarrhea or extreme fatigue). These can decrease your body’s tolerance for heat and increase your risk of a heat illness. Yuck! Back off on your exercise intensity or duration if you don’t feel so great (walk instead of run or cut the session short).
7. Too legit to quit. If you’re participating in an athletic event, make sure an athletic trainer or medical professional is on call or on the premises in case you or a teammate don’t get along well with the heat.

Last Week’s Poll Results
Due to technical difficulties last week’s poll on whether or not the City of Raytown should consider changing the city’s status from a Fourth Class City to a Charter City had to be shut down.
A larger than usual number of participants had cast their vote in the poll before it was removed. Judging by those early results it is fair to assume that an over-whelming number of those participating were in favor of re-visiting the Charter question.
The Raytown Report will re-visit the Charter issue at a later date.

46 comments:

Andy Whiteman said...

I will read the alderpersons' comments when I get time.

I spoke with one Alderperson who told me he/she reads the blog because he/she wants to know what people are thinking. I ask is there a better way to get public opinion?

So the blog is viewed as a threat? Maybe that is why Dictator O'Bomba wants to be allowed to turn off the internet. That is one way of stopping free speech.

What is a blog? An exchange of thoughts and ideas~~some good and some off the wall. If these same bloggers met at Benittis or anywhere else would they be seen as a threat? When I worked for the Post Office in Littleton, CO; Abe's Cafe had a large round table that sat up to about 12 and was a community forum from breakfast opening until the dinner crowd started arriving. It was mainly local business people but open to anyone. Participants could order a meal or just a beverage. That was the first blog I knew for an exchange of friendly conversation and ideas. If there were complaints, I never heard them. I met a CPA there who saved me $$$$ on my taxes for many years.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

I have yet to understand why it is that the board of alderman and theis mayor thinks that is or any other blog, facebook, twitter ect. are a bad thing. It seems to me that it would be to their advantage to see what people are thinking and then go to work to make the changes that are the concerns of the people. Isn't that the jobs of those we elect? Aren't they our reprsentives at city hall? Is mayor thinks he is going to run again but I believe he is going to have a harder time next time. He may be a pretty boy looks only go so far it takes more than that to run a city. It takes caring about the people who put him there and caring about their concerns which this mayor and the alderman as well don't have.

I do however, have to applaud Alderman Steve Mock for organizining the citizens and getting them to city hall for that meeting. It is apparent that his counterpart did not feel the need to do the same. Great job Mr. Mock!

Andy Whiteman said...

From the goal setting meeting:
Rename ―code enforcement‖ to ―neighborhood preservation‖

This is both asinine and laughable! People may pay attention to Code Enforcement but Neighborhood Preservation will be totally ignored. If codes are to be enforced, they need an appropriated name that has the sound of authority. Neighborhood Preservation sounds more like a club.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

I find it hard to believe it's this blog per se the session document is referring to, this blog is fairly constructive in comment and tone. It's "idiots gone wild" blogs like Tony's Kansas City that insist on perpetuating the Raytown stereotype. Pickups, rednecks, trailer parks, meth. You know.

Case in point.

After living here five years, the stereotype doesn't seem to hold much water as far as I'm concerned. But it's tough to divorce people from their long-held beliefs, no matter where or how long ago they got them.

Also: oh stop it Andy, an internet "kill switch" is actually pretty ingenious. After all, companies are quite able to create disasters well beyond their ability to fix them. If another country starts a internet attack on the U.S., you really want a helpless President, unable to do anything (see: BP spill)? We wouldn't be looking at a few tarballs; worst-case, emergency, no power, no phones, and a compromised financial system, all because a few people had a knee-jerk reaction.

Sheesh.

Pat Casady said...

As I see it, the Board of Aldermen is more of
a threat to the people of Raytown than any blog
could be to them. It's not the people that write on the blog
that raise taxes, give away city income, let our
neighborhoods become dangerous and don't enforce codes.
If some of our elected feel this or any other blog as a threat
then I guess the truth really does hurt. If their bad decisions
hadn't hurt this town so badly and cost the taxpayers so much
we wouldn't need a place to vent.
I look at the free printed word as a report card for our elected
officials. So far the grade for most is very low.
However, there are a few that seem to care for the people of
Raytown and try to look out for their best interests.
But, the others have shown no reason for respect in my book.

Anonymous said...

I think the problem in Raytown is spelled out in the report from City Hall. Apparently, enough of the city council think that a blog is a detriment to the city.

Wht they fail to recognize is that the blog is a reflection of the city.

If people are happy with the way things are they will say so. If they are proud of how things are they will say so. If they are unhappy with the way things are they will say that as well.

Some serious introspection by uor city council would seem to be in order.

Anonymous said...

Meighborhood Preservation? Code Enforcement?

I have heard this before.

Kansas City played the name game with iits departments years ago.

It didn't change anything other than to create more paperwork for the bureaucrats.

Changing the name of a city department is a thinly disguised shell game meant to obscure the failure of what is already there.

If it was running well, the change would not be necessary because you would be proud of what it is by what it does.

What's next? Change the name of the police department? Public Works?

Andy Whiteman said...

I know of other areas where the Police are called the Department of Public Safety. The DPS may also include Fire and EMS. Where I am moving, the police are firemen and EMTs. IF there is a fire, they respond in their squad cars while someone brings the fire truck(s). There could be a conflict of interest if an officer shoots a suspect and is also the same EMT who must save the suspect's life.

Sheesh, Are you relate to Mahesh?
The kill switch on the internet could be an important protection for a cyber attack, but ONLY IF the attack is detected early and the switch thrown. I suspect that by the time any attack is detected the damage would have been done.

I am really afraid that is is something Dictator O'Bomba would throw when he doesn't like negative comments. Election time is also a good time to throw the switch. How about Nov. 2012. I wonder if we will have an election. I don't trust der Füehrer.
*********

Andy Whiteman

Lee said...

The problem with blogs is keyboard courage. People tend to post things online that they would never say in person. The Internet is full of trolls whose sole purpose in life is to make other people's lives difficult.

It's also human nature to complain about bad things and overlook good things. This blog is a case in point, not a single week goes by that someone doesn't complain about codes enforcement. I realize this is a political blog (unfortunately, there are no pure new sites for Raytown), but rarely does anyone have anything good to say about Raytown here.

If this was your sole source of information about Raytown you would see the city in a very poor light. Since part of the BOAs job is to encourage people to want to come to Raytown (live, work, visit), sources of pure negative information could be seen as a threat.

Anonymous said...

The keyboard courage is interesting. I will note that you did not sign your name either.

I would not call your comments negative. I would call them analytical.

The complaints about codes are probably be there for legitimate reasons. If the problem does not imporve does that mean you shut up and say no more?

Blogs are healthy instruments for people to share ideas and thoughts. They also keep people and especially politicians honest.

If you look closely you find that those who complain the most about blogs are usually those in public view who have something to hide.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the link to the Aldermen comments. Pretty interesting stuff. Some wrote like they knew the public would possibly be reading what they had to say.

A couple of them, Par-Due and Ertz, only gave one or two sentence replies to the questions. Come on guys, you are better than that!

I also noticed that all of sudden someone has decided that we need a new city hall built!

Things must be slow in the architecture business!

Anonymous said...

Lee,
You are right about us not having anything positive
on this blog. It's too bad someone hasn't stepped up
and praised our elected people for the shape they
have made this town we like so much.
So I'll start.
Isn't it great that the crime rate has gone up.
Isn't it great that taxes have gone up.
Isn't it great that our neighborhoods aren't safe anymore.
Let's not forget the wonderment of our property values
going down. I'm just so happy I could just bust!

Pat Casady said...

I read every word in the goal setting report and
I have to tell you with the exception of Mr.Van Buskirk and
Mr.Mock it seems like political promises that never
come to pass. You can tell these two gentlemen want
to see things get better without jeopardizing the people
of Raytown or their money.
Several of the rest of them could only come up with short
written goals for this towns future and the rest was just
more of the same, year after year.
Having said that, it would be nice if the goal that have been
promised year after year would come true.

Andy Whiteman said...

Lee,

True there are negative comments, but, if true, they are justified. Yes, I know we are suppose to lie and tell the world how great it is here. It is similiar to asking, "How are you?" Why ask, because the expected answer is a lie, "Fine"? Ask me, I don't lie in this case and ill tell you how I really am, "In the the State of Misery." That is one of this dumb polite questions that mean nothing.

Ask me how I feel about Raytown. I and others will tell you the truth as I (they) see it.

If I observe something positive, I will post it here. I have commented on the good job of snow removal but others didn't agree. That is their opinion and have the right to express it.

Some obviously feel that we need thought control in Raytown so only positive statements are posted. As one US Senator said, "The people need to be controlled."

In the case of Raytown, the roads are in a mell of a hess but only SOME will be repaired in the near future. We have a heat advisory today. The humidity is high and we are in the State of Misery. IF people really like this climate that is their decision, but it is pure misery and that is why I am moving, not the leadership of Raytown. The cost of living here is way too high due to the Dysfunctional school district, high utility rates caused by miserable climate, and a close to 10% city tax on the outrageous utility bills!

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Lee,

My apologies. You did sign your name!

Just sign me a non e mouse!

The Truth Hurts said...

Would it be to much to ask our Alderman why if they feel posting on blogs like this are negative that they keep the department heads on the payroll that should be addressing the concerns everyone is complaining about.

Simple they don't care. They just don't like the blog administrator therefore they have decided to act like kids and let our city fall deeper down the ghetto whole then enforce the codes and laws on the books.

To think they wonder why so many of us think they act like fools and waste our tax dollars.

Oh well, I am sure at the next board meeting the head of codes will once again be told what a fine job they are doing to improve our city.

Please!!! Enough is enough you can have a the planning session you want but until you address the waste at city hall our city will keep being Greater Kansas City's tolet.

Andy Whiteman said...

6:39 AM, It looked like a Language Arts class assignment. I always completed mine with the minimal complete sentences while others would write a paragraph or even a whole essay. I would get C's while the essay writers would get A+.

On the positive side, Mahesh took what seemed like 5 minutes to tell us the O'Bomba regime would fund energy efficient street lights. We really need street lights. My street has a long dark area except for citizens who have yard lights.

Andy Whiteman

Andy Whiteman said...

I would like to see a factual list of Aldermen opposed to this blog. One Alderperson told me he/she reads the blog to find out what We the People are thinking.

As I see it the blog is a positive tool to an Alderman. A person will post here, but won't take the time to email or call his Alderman. The blog may be to only way an Alderman can judge public feeling.

Andy Whiteman

Lee said...

Just for clarification, I'm not making any judgments on whether negative comments have merit. Just why the BOA (or any business) might see blogs as a threat. I've been online for 2 decades, and it's a lot easier to ruin a reputation than it is to build one.

Internet savvy businesses have people on staff that patrol the net looking for negative comments that can be addressed. Should Raytown hire someone to watch blogs and twitter for unhappy residents so they can be proactive with posts that reflect negatively on the city?

Keep in mind that addressing problems doesn't necessarily make the negative comments go away. And it's possible to make legitimate complaints appear to have no merit, thus avoiding to address them. Online opinions are not necessarily based on facts, and few people check to see if something they read on the internet is factual.

We all KNOW that Al Gore said he created the Internet and Democrats want to roll granny up before a 'death panel' because they don't want to pay her medical bills. You could spend all day reading on snopes.com things that people really believe, based on nothing more than an e-mail they received from a stranger.

Anonymous said...

I hope Mr's Mock and Van Buskirk don't give up.
I hope they don't join the yes men club like the rest of
our board members. Let the mayor bully and rant,
these guys are for the people and this town. They don't
seem to want to make a name for themselves they just
want to do the job they were elected to do.
They work for the people and want to watch out for how
our tax dollars are spent. Too bad the rest won't do that.
A word of caution to these men, remember Greg Walters
was for the people and questioned spending. He was even
put down by mayors both past and present. It would seem
that if you want to do your job and represent the people
you could be in trouble. But, please for the people of Raytown
hang in there we need eight more just like you guys.

Andy Whiteman said...

Lee, Personally I don't think the city's issue with the blog is not whether posts are factual or not. The issue is they are NEGATIVE. Even if true, they reflect poorly on the leadership of the city.

I received an email that Snopes cannot be believed because they back Dictator O'Bomba and show anything negative towards the dictator as false.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

In my opinion either one of these alderman Mock or Van uskirk would make a great mayor for Raytown. How about it guys give it some serious thought.

Andy Whiteman said...

7:30 AM, Hopefully there is power in numbers when more than one Alderman represents the people and city as a whole and questions spending. It may be a little more difficult to turn on 2 aldermen than a single alderman. It is not just 2, but I have heard others question spending.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

I really don't think it would take much to beat Mayor Bower.

Anonymous said...

From the home page of the City of Raytown's website:


Plans for redevelopment along the highly traveled 350 Highway corridor will add new shopping and dining experiences, while additional redevelopment planning is underway in our downtown to restore and reinvigorate the heart of our community. Crescent Creek at 59th and Raytown Road is an award winning, new traditional neighborhood currently under construction. Offering 128 new housing units in a mixture of styles and prices, Crescent Creek boasts a pedestrian friendly environment with wide sidewalks, wide front porches and carriage houses on rear lanes.

You guys are dreaming! With a success track record like above how could the Mayor be defeated?

Only a fool would run against such strong credentials..

Andy Whiteman said...

9:30PM, Couldn't believe it. Had to check it out myself. What Idiot wrote that lie? We all know Crescent Creek is a failure. Does anyone own a carriage these days? Just proves you can't believe everything that is written.

BTW: Should the City website be classed as a blog since it is an out and out lie and untruth?

Andy Whiteman

Pat Casady said...

Andy,
I know, you know how it works but, I'll explain it again.
You are right, other board members may question
spending but, when they go into the back room in their
"Executive Meeting" away from the camera, the
majority will vote the way they are told.
It's politics. Look good in front of the people, after all
that's how they get re-elected. Then behind closed doors
away from public eyes, that's when they give away tax income
and show no care for the people and make the stupid decisions
that have hurt this town. Plus they can blame the other guys when
it all goes bad.

Anonymous said...

I understand that Mayor Bower had a meeting on crime at Spring Valley School last night. My question to the Missouri Ethics Commission is did he give proper notice of a public meeting? There were at least 5 of the aldermen in attendance plus the Mayor and the Chief. This is a fragrant violation of the law if they did not give public notice of this meeting and they can all be fined or charges can be filed by the county prosecutor for disobeying this statute. What is the Mayor trying to hide? Yes, there is a rising crime problem in Raytown and the more people that we can get involved the sooner we can solve it.

Anonymous said...

Anybody know anything about the (and correct me if I'm wrong on the name, I just noticed it last night) The Cherry Bomb Club?

It will be opening soon at the Raytown Plaza and judging from all the beer signs, it will be a bar.

Anonymous said...

Raytown continues to decline as each new bar opens in our city. Where are the good ministers of the community? Why are they allowing this to happen? If Reverend Caylor were alive you can bet this would not be happening. It hurts all our property values, including the expensive new churches that are being built, as we are rapidly becoming a town of only drinking establishments and churches. If these good ministers don't get up and do something and feel the drinking establishments are going to win out in the end.

Andy Whiteman said...

HOUSE NUMBERS OR SIGNS
Every few years someone comes around posting a flier that they will put your house number on the curb for a fee. I have been here for 10 years and always wanted to have it done but have been reluctant to leave a check taped to my door. I happened to meet the person as he dropped off the flier. I had Damon Arnold put my house number on the curb mainly so emergency services can find my home easily. Damon did a very professional job. The numbers aren't painted. They are made of reflective pavement marking tape. He offers numbers only, numbers on a black background, or a sign.

I highly recommend his service. You may call Damon at 816-986-0837
or:
www.addressamerica.biz/damon

Andy Whiteman

Andy Whiteman said...

10:32AM, I have had the legal notice issue dispute for over 4 years. What is legal notice? In this Fascist Fief they seem to think it means posting at City Hall of on CH 7. Legally publishing a legal notice means publishing in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. Since Raytown has no paper (other than the Raytown Times which has no 2nd Class mailing permit to give it a legal designation) that means publishing in the Red Star.

What are the chances of seeing a legal notice in the Red Star? Slim and none if you ask me.

You might question the City Administrator, City Clerk, or other authority as to where legal notice was published.

Andy Whiteman

Andy Whiteman said...

11:17 AM, I am sure that the Community Undevelopment Department could confirm or deny what is going in.

I don't like a city full of bars but apparently the city is looking at tax revenue since drinks are expensive!

There are laws about how many bars are allowed in an area. That should be checked into.

I also question the closeness to RHS. There is also a day care at Cedar and 63rd Ter. Also a banquet hall located at 10020-10030 East 63rd Street mainly for the use as a part/dance hall for youth. This same location also houses church services.

It seems that the close proximity of schools, youth activities, and a church would rule out a bar. There are also homes behind Raytown Plaza. Just behind these homes to the west is a residential area of apartments or condos.

A bar is certainly not warranted in this area and could be protested for the above reasons.

I would have no objection to a restaurant primarily serving food that may serve drinks with a meal but not intended primarily as a bar.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

The decline of Raytown is not caused by the bars. It is however, caused by a mayor that does not want to stand by what he told the people to get them to that voted for him. He told us that he was going to make the changes to make Raytown the safe and prosperous city it used to be. He has turned his back on us and has done nothing that he said he would do. The only thing he has done is not let the codes dept. do their jobs, he has set and watched from his high horse as the city becomes the slums of eastern Jackson County, he has watch the crime increase in all areas to the worsed this city has seen in years. The city funds have declined steadly since he took office.

The other reason this city is declining is our police Dept. They are afraid to do what is necessary to stop this crime wave we are having. Why is it we don't have ZERO TOLERANCE here in Raytown??? Why is it that our neighbothoods have to be afraid to even have their doors and windows open in good weather? I have not seen a cop car in my neighborhood in so long I just about forgotten what it looks like. Our police Dept. here in Raytown runs it's self because we have an elected Chief and he is NOT accountable to anyone not even the so called mayor.

There are the two major reason that this city is declining. We need to have an appointed police chief so that his job depends on the job he and his officers do. We also need a Mayor that truely loves Raytown and is willing to do what is necessary to turn Raytown around even if it's means stepping on a few toes.

Unfortunately, those two things will never happen until we have a the right to recall our elected mayor and alderman. The police cheif must be appointed and become an actual employee of the city until we have a charter that says he cannot be elected only appointed. But then once again we have to have a mayor who is willing to hold his feet to the fire and not just be a pretty boy.

Nesbitte was a bad mayor but this one is worse because he doesn't care and never will because he would have to work.

Anonymous said...

I believe that a complaint with the Missouri Ethics Commission in Jefferson City is all that it takes to get Bower and his cronies investigated. Then, if there is probable cause. it will be turned over to the Jackson County Prosecutor for prosecution.

Get It Right! said...

Lee,

I do agree that many blog and emails floating around on the internet hold no true value and are ment to harm someones reputation.

However, the only thing being harmed in Raytown is the property values because of two main factors and both have been posted time and time and time again on this blog. If you and elected individuals like our mayor would take the time to get out of the easy chair and check we have some very serious issues in our city.

1.) Codes should be proactively enforced. This also accounts for about 60% on average of all the postings on this blog. The mayor has commented to many of us about not wanting to be proactive as that is negative. Don't think so then give him a call and ask why codes cannot address all the violations. If you don't know what the violations are then you sir need to start there and once you have that list and yes there is a list maybe you can explain to the mayor he is the treat and not this blog.

2.) Lack of police enforcement - NOTE: This is not the same as lack of police. This is when the chief makes policies that says only go after the big crimes, which now has how many murders unders is resuma. I would think a chief would want a resuma that shows a reduction in crime and no murders. I have seen the post about things the department is not enforcing and have actual done some checking and we, the good citizen of Raytown, best be verd concerned about why our chief is not taking care of our public safety. Yes, you too could do some checking it is not hard just time consuming and learn the things this man is doing that is helping bring the criminal element to Raytown. Now if I was an Alderman, I would list bad police policies as a threat to not only are city's imagie but our safety.

Sure makes those postings about getting a Lynching for the publicly safety tax sound so true. Sorry, but what am I to believe after doing my reserach including catching Lynch out over two years ago and asking him about the lack of serving warrents in the city at least he gave the same answer then as keeps being posted on the blog - They are just behind. Well then get the over staffed upper mangement out of the chairs and on the street.

Anonymous said...

Being this week's topics are around what negative things are a threat to Raytown, I would think somking should be at the top of the list.

Take away all of caner related issues. The problem is when Raytown is one of the few cities in the area to allow smoking all of the trouble makers will or should I say have started coming to our city.

I bet we even see more problems when Kansas in a few days has the state wide smoking ban in place.

It is funny how I used to drive by a couple of the local bars and see just a few cars on any givin night and now the parking lot has 3 times the cars. Yes, good for business, but also a good way to bring criminals to our city.

Now that is negative for all of us!

Anonymous said...

Andy:

What has Obam done that has you and your Republican friends in a fit?

Are you really that much out of touch that he has inherited alot of issues from one of the worst Presidents our nation has ever had. Yes, I base on facts like spending on a war looking for weapons that were never there. Just a personal family fued that we got to pay for. It also helped alot of his supports make a lot of money.

Now here is what really gets me I see you complain about Obama then get so happy about street lights.

Be careful as I understand the money is not for more lights, but to replace those in place so they use less energy. So I hope I didn't burst yur bobble. Now will KCPL give the city a discount on the light bill per pole. I know a few years ago big debate from $120 a year to $150 per year. If the city is paying less do you really think they would add lights to the dark and unsafe streets.

No as that would be something positive for the city and the mayor has done nothing positive for the city.

Anonymous said...

I noticed that Woodson Road FINALLY got overlaid. I understand that we have the Obama administration to thank for this, (federal stimulus money) not our city leaders. It's a shame that our city leaders have squandered our local tax dollars and we have to go to Washington D. C. to get a major street overlaid. Mayor Bower MUST BE DEFEATED in next year's city elections!!!

Greg Walters said...

This is long but soooooo funny I had to share it with you.

May 30th:

Dear Diary:

Just moved to Madison , Mississippi ...Now this is a city that
knows how to live!! Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings.
What a place!

Watched the sunset from the Reservoir lying on a blanket. It was
beautiful. I've finally found my home. I love it here.

June 14th:

Really heating up. Got to 100 today. Not a problem. Live in an
air-conditioned home, drive an air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to
see the sun on the water everyday like this. I'm turning into a sun
worshipper.

June 30th:

Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus
and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing lawn for me.

Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

July 10th:

The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get used
to this kind of heat? At least it's kind of windy though. But getting
used to the heat and humidity is taking longer that I expected.

July 15th:

Fell asleep by the pool. (Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body.)
Missed 3 days of work. What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson
though.

Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.

July 20th:

I missed Morgan (our cat) sneaking into the car when I left for work
this morning. By the time I got to the hot car for lunch, Morgan had
died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stank up the $2,000
leather upholstery. I told the kids that she ran away.

The car now smells like Kibbles and shits. I learned my lesson though.
No more pets in this heat.

July 25th:

The wind sucks. It feels like a giant freaking blow dryer!! And it's
hot as hell. The home air-conditioner is on the fritz and the A/C
repairman Charged $200 just to stop by and tell me he needed to order parts.

July 30th:

Been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. $1,500 in damn
house payments, and we can't even go inside. Why did I ever come here?

August 4th:

It's 105 degrees. Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today. It cost
$500 and gets the temperature down to 85, but this freaking humidity
makes the house feel like it's about 95. Stupid repairman pissed in my pool.
I hate this stupid city.

August 8th:

If another wise ass cracks, "Hot enough for you today?", I'm going to
strangle him. Damn heat. By the time I get to work the radiator is
boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like a baked cat!!

August 9th:

Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts and sat on the black
leather seats in the ol' car. I thought my ass was on fire. I lost two
layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and ass.

Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.

August 10th:

The weather report might as well be a damn recording. Hot and sunny.
Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. It's been too hot to do anything for 2
damn months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week!!

Doesn't it ever rain in this damn desert?? Water rationing will be
next, so might as well watch $1700 worth of cactus just dry up and blow
into the damn pool. Even the cactus can't live in this damn heat.

August 15th:

Welcome to HELL!!! Temperature got to 105 today. Forgot to crack the
window and blew the windshield out of the car. The installer came
to fix it and said, "Hot enough for you today?"
My wife had to spend the $1500 house payment to bail me out of jail.

Freaking South.

Andy Whiteman said...

9:12 AM, You forgot to end with:
"Heil O'Bomba!"

This man can't or won't prove his citizenship. Kenya claims him as a citizen. Michelle states Kenya is his home. No one at the Universities that he attended remembers him. He had a scholarship at Occidental as a Citizen of Indonesia. So what country is we really a citizen of? If he wants a free education, it is Indonesia. If he wants to be President, it is the USA.

Won't produce transcripts. He has no loyalty to the United States. He lied to get elected. He is running this country as Dictator. He is Socializing our health care system. My Medicare had been reduced and costs are higher under der Füehrer. I appreciate paving Woodson and the street lights but this money comes from the Feds and he is spending money putting us into dept for generations. I don't believe in debt and my only debt is 2 house payments.

I have agreed with the Dictator on 2 issues:
1) Telling auto executives not to fly corporate gets to Washington and
2) Making demands of BP to pay for the oil leak. Some say he overstepped his authority to which I agree. The same could have been accomplished in court. Obviously BP knew they were wrong and decided to submit. I think $20B is way low. It was stated on Nightline that the Alabama Dept. of Education would claim lost tax revenue from BP due to decline of tourism.

By the way, I am not a Republican.

Andy Whiteman

Andy Whiteman said...

Greg,

LOL, Good one! Maybe people will understand why I call this the State of Misery.

I would like to see the diary entry after Freaking South receives his electric bill. I bet it is more than the $1500 house payment! Another reason I am moving. I can't afford to run my a/c or heat due to the miserable climate, high utility rates, and the city tax of close to 10%. What a rip off on top of 69% or property taxes going to the Dysfunctional School District to squander.

Andy Whiteman

Lee said...

Andy, I know sometimes you have difficulty with facts that oppose your entrenched thinking, but school levies are the largest percentage of any real estate tax. And I could point out again that Raytown's school levy is pretty much the same as any other community throughout the KC Metro area. You know, you are free to run for a school board seat at the next election.

As far as the cost of utilities in this 'miserable climate', I manage to keep my house cool (75-77 degrees) on a level pay of $82. 1400 Sq/ft over a finished full basement and a 15 year old AC unit. My goal for my Raytown home (smaller 2 bedroom) is $600 a year for both heating and cooling.

Andy Whiteman said...

Lee,

I don't know about the rest of the metro, but 69% of property taxes for schools seems outrageous considering the way they waste money.

School tax should be based on usage. I have no children and can point out several homes nearby with no children. If people want to breed, they should bear the cost and responsibility of their children. True a public education is necessary but all that should be provided is what is required for a HS diploma. Taxpayers shouldn't bear the cost of athletics and electives. Parents and/or student should bear these costs.

No, I can't run for school board because I will no longer be living in this State of Misery and most likely they would refuse to accommodate my disability. The meetings are too early for me. If I was going to run for anything, it would be Mayor or Town Marshall.

You are lucky to have such a low heating/cooling bill. I wonder how you did it? I even had my attic insulation increased to R41 and the garage to (I believe) R-24 because heat loss from the house was keeping the garage at 50 degrees. Now the garage is in a more normal 30s in the winter. I know part of the issue is poor construction so that the ducts narrow through the walls so there is little air flow at one end of the house. Also the idiot who installed my door did such a poor job that I could see sunlight through the cracks. He came back many times and finally said he couldn't fix it. I did the best I could to insulate it, but it is difficult with the cheap stuff they make by slave labor in China. It is a waste of money to try to heat or to cool. I cool to 83 during the day and 81 from 1AM to 9AM. The electric bill if I am not cooling is over $100/month. I can't understand how anyone pays only $600 per year for both. You know something the rest of us don't. I forgot you live in a miniature house. Mine is miniature too, but about 1800sf with an unfinished basement. The basement maintains a fairly consistent temperature so I have blocked the vents so the basement receives no heating or cooling.

I will be glad when I can leave this State of Misery.

The winter is like 10 feet from the south pole and the summer is like 10 feet from Hell. (I quote my father who was describing Amarillo when he was stationed there.)

Andy Whiteman

Lee said...

I understand your reasoning on not paying for services you aren't directly using. I'm in the same boat, in two school districts. I've learned to look at it as education is a benefit to society. I would even go as far to say that we need to increase the number years of education publicly funded. With the stipulation that standards are met and money is spent wisely. I can't say about Raytown's school district because I haven't bothered to check. Do Raytown students score well on standardized tests? Are they literate when they graduate? Having had to work for all my education, I'm willing to support students who are interested in learning.

As far as my utility bills, that $82 a month is electric only. I spend about another $1000 a year in gas for heating and hot water. That is on my 'big' house. I'll bring that down a bit as I'm currently installing new windows and putting another R23? in the attic.

The smaller Raytown number is a goal. I have added R38 in the attic, new insulation in all the exterior walls and a vapor barrier. It already had double pane windows. I have already saved $360 in the last year by converting to electric hot water. (although some of that will be lost when I'm living in the house full time) And this fall I'm pulling the virtually new furnace/AC and putting in a heatpump. I only have 650 sq/ft that I have to condition, but I'll moderate the temperatures in the garage. I also installed a new insulated garage door.

If that doesn't get me to my goal, I may look into some solar options as well.

Oh, and most of the lighting in both homes is either fluorescent or compact fluorescent.

I'd have to look back at last year (we pretty much went from cold to hot this year), but I think my baseline electric usage is about $40 a month. My desktop machine and server run 24x7, but they idle back to about 40 watts so it doesn't add much.

There are a number of things that could be causing your problems. Drafts, improperly installed insulation, not enough attic ventilation, old windows, lack of vapor barrier, inefficient HVAC, under spec'd HVAC, no SW shade.

FWIW, I don't have the AC turned on in my Raytown house, and granted, there are no internal heat sources other than the water heater, but the highest inside temp I have seen there is 81 degrees.

If you think the $600/yr goal is madness, you'd really like the one I have set for the new house I'm going to build in the next couple years. It will have electricity service only and I'm shooting for a net $0 yearly utility cost. That will be 2500 sq/ft living space, 900 sq/ft garage, and 2500 sq/ft workshop. The only catch is the solar equipment will add 15-20% to the build cost.

Andy Whiteman said...

Lee, I would have no problem with paying school taxes if it financed only what is required for a HS Diploma. Electives and athletics ahould be funded by the student/parent. The Dysfunctional district wasted over $2M on an astroturf foot ball field. Assinine! They also bought the old Singer Sewing shop machine above market value to discover it was delapidated unsafe, and an asbestos hazard. Wasteful spending!

So $600 is a goal and the house is vacant? Good luck after you move in. When I bought my house, I gusetioned utility bills. The seller said the average of all utilities was $75/month. She didn't know the cost of each. I don't pay an average. I pay for each. What she stated may have been true for a vacant house, but it sure wasn't true for an occupied house after I moved in.

An electric hot water heater may be fine if you like waiting all night for hot water. I had one once and recovery is very slow. I don't believe you can heat with gas for only $1000 and have a comfortable temperature.

You are correct that obviosuly I have air leaks, etc. since I could see daylight through the door after I moved in. Since I am moving, the next person may correct these issues if they want.

Andy Whiteman