Sunday, May 22, 2011

-- BREAKING NEWS --
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BETH LYNN RESIGNS
The following release is from City Administrator Mahesh Sharma's weekly reported released on Friday, May 27th.
 
Beth Linn has tendered her resignation with the City of Raytown; she has taken a position with the City of Edgerton, Kansas as their City Administrator. Beth has been a part of the Senior Staff for over the past two plus years and instrumental in all of the City’s successes. Beth’s last day is scheduled for June 24th.

A NOTE TO OUR READERS:  Readers will see this week that we have reprinted the Paul Livius report of the May 17th meeting of the Raytown Board of Aldermen. This was done for two reasons. First, Paul’s report did not publish until Thursday and we are aware that a good number of our readers visit the Raytown Report earlier in the week. 

Paul’s report follows the lead editorial.

Reader’s will also note that we have allowed a comment from Ward 4 Alderman Bill VanBuskirk to further explain his position on the bicycle/walking trail planned for construction on 350 Highway to follow Paul’s report.

Paul and I had a lively debate on allowing the Ward 4 Alderman’s comments to run with the story. Finally, we came to agreement that in public discussion, with all the distractions and interruptions that are common at Raytown BOA meetings, that it is appropriate for elected officials to be able to clarify their positions.

With that in mind, we have allowed Mr. VanBuskirk’s “clarification”.

We extend this same offer to the Mayor and other Aldermen who are elected to run our city.

Greg Walters        Paul Livius


 Jim, you are so Wrong! by Greg Walters

The following appeared in the Paul Livius report of the last meeting of the Raytown Board of Aldermen. Mayor Protem Jim Aziere was sitting in as Chairman of the Regular Raytown Board of Aldermen meeting for Mayor Bower that night. Mr. Aziere’s comments were in response to Ms. Marilyn Gray who claimed to have reported a possible stalking situation to the Police

Mr. Aziere told Ms. Gray that public safety was important to the Board of Aldermen, but that the open comment portion of the meeting was for citizens to bring city business before the Board. 
"If she feels unsafe, she should talk with the police. Not the Board of Aldermen."
Alderman Aziere is correct that police matters should be reported to the Police Department. But he is very wrong that such matters should not be brought before the Board of Aldermen.

We have seen this mindset before on the Board of Aldermen. Some, but not all, of the city’s Board members have demonstrated this attitude in the past.

Let’s make this very clear. The Board of Aldermen has a legislative responsibility to run the entire city. The Police Department is not a kingdom unto itself. They are answerable to the ten men and women who serve on the Board of Aldermen. At the end of the day it is the Board of Aldermen who is responsible for how the city is run. That includes the police department.

Oh, and please do not misunderstand this . . . we are very aware that people should call the police and report their needs to them. But if there is a conflict on response then it is very appropriate for that discussion to come before the BOA in the Public Comments portion of a public meeting.

Aziere’s contention that Public Comments is “for citizens to bring city business before the Board” is accurate. It is even more accurate to say that privilege includes business concerning the police.

It would be fair estimate to say that the only contact 90% of the people living in Raytown have with their city government is through the Raytown Police Department. So it is only proper that the people of Raytown be able to discuss their Police Department in an open forum before those elected to represent them.

No Jim, you cannot do the Pontius Pilate act of washing your hands when it comes to police business. You are elected to represent your people. Turning your back on them when they reach out to you is not a model of proper representation.
  
Raytown BOA Meeting by Paul Livius

Sorry I was unable to post the May 3rd meeting of the Raytown Board of Aldermen. I was down with the flu and simply did not have the strength to put the report together.

Here is this week's report on what transpired at the May 27, 2011 meeting of the Raytown Board of Aldermen.

Keep those cards and letters coming folks! - Paul Livius
 
Mayor Protem Jim Aziere called the meeting to order.  After the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, Mr. Aziere presented a proclamation to the Raytown Public Works department in recognizing of Public Works week.  He also recognized the Emergency Medical Service week.

During the public comments, Ms. Evelyn Anderson asked why resident were not notified of the potentially dangerous situation during the police standoff last week.  She said she didn’t know about the problem until she turned on the news and saw her apartment complex.  She tried to leave for work, but was directed to return to her apartment until the situation was under control.

Mr. Andy Whiteman commented that Raytown has good Public Works and Police Departments.  However, he reported to the Board of Alderman four years ago that the 6200 block of Willow was unsafe.  He said it is still unsafe and wanted to know when the problem would be solved.

Ms. Marilyn Gray reported that while at REAP, she noticed a white truck pull in the parking lot.  Several times during the week, she noticed the same truck following her around Raytown.  She spotted a police officer sitting in his car at Walgreen’s and tried to report the problem.  He asked her if she came from Grandview, or perhaps 47th and Troost.  She told the officer that she was a Raytown resident and didn’t feel safe due to the stalker.  Mr. Aziere told Ms. Gray that public safety was important to the Board of Aldermen, but that the open comment portion of the meeting was for citizens to bring city business before the Board.  If she feels unsafe, she should talk with the police, not the Board of Aldermen.

Mahesh Sharma, the City Administrator, reported to the Board that there will be a blood drive on Friday, May 20.  Also, the goal setting session will start on May 31 and continue on June 14.  He will provide detail to the Board at a later date.

A resolution was brought before the Board that would reappoint John Ness to the Policemen’s Retirement Fund.  Christine White stated that she was uncomfortable appointing anyone to the Retirement Fund until after the goal setting session.  Joe Creamer said that John Ness was an outstanding citizen and had done a lot for the City of Raytown.  He thought the Board should reappoint Mr. Ness to the Retirement Fund Board.  Shane Pardue said that the Board should reappoint Mr. Ness so the Retirement Fund Board would not be short one person.  He reminded the Board that reorganization might not happen. Mr. Aziere said that even though Mr. Ness’ term had expired, he would stay on the Retirement Fund Board unless removed by a vote of the Board of Alderman.

The Board voted to transfer $4,895 from the Miscellaneous items to Lab Fees.  There was no cost to the taxpayers.  Chief Lynch said he hoped these funds would carry the Department through the end of the budget year.

Andy Noll, Public Works Director, reported that Miller Paving had defaulted on their contract with the city for the concrete repairs.  He asked that the city enter into a contract with Solid Construction Solutions in order to finish the projects. 

The first reading of the Bill authorizing the City to enter into an agreement that would provide bicycle and pedestrian trail along 350 Highway from Blue Ridge Blvd to Maple.  Andy Noll said that the total cost of the project would be $643,000.  A grant from the Federal Government would pay for 75% of the construction.  The city would have to fund approximately $151,000, plus the $60,000 engineering cost.   

Charlotte Melson said that we need bike paths, but this one will end at Maple.  She asked what happens to the bike rider when they get to Maple.  Mr. Noll said the bike rider have to ride on 350 Highway.  Bill Van Buskirk* pointed out that the bike path is only 7/10 of a mile.  Since 350 Highway is already heavily congested, the bike path will create a hazard on the highway.  He said the bike path would be a deterrent to traffic. 

The taxpayers of Raytown would have to spend $200,000 on this project.  He thought that money should be used for street improvements, street lights, or sidewalks in residential areas.  He said that the 83rd street bridge needed attention, as did 79th Street and 59th Street.  He urged the Board to forget about the grant because there were better uses for the City’s money.

Mr. Aziere asked Mr. Noll if the bike path would make 350 Highway unsafe.  Mr. Noll said the MoDot will have the final say on any design, and would not approve an unsafe design.  Mr. Aziere asked if there had been a study to find out the true number of pedestrian traffic on 350 Highway.  Mr. Noll said there had not been any study.
* This is a clarification from Alderman Van Buskirk; his suggestion that it could create traffic hazards was due to the elimination of the shoulder on the roadway and not necessarily the addition of the path. This would create huge traffic problems when vehicles break down or are involved in accidents. It would make it very dangerous for police officers, EMS personnel, and firemen working vehicular accidents or emergency medical situations on the roadway. It would also make it extremely difficult for emergency vehicles to respond to a situation on that roadway (no place for cars to pull over), or emergency vehicles needing to use that roadway to get to another location, especially during rush hour traffic. This highway carries a tremendous amount of traffic, which appears to be increasing all of the time. He is not opposed to improvements on the highway or to adding a sidewalk along side the highway, it is just that this particular plan is not what is best for our city at this time.

Ask Pete . . . A COLUMN DEDICATED TO GARDENING

GARDEN INSECTS

At any time, even before we plant the seed, insects exist.  Waiting to do their thing.   We have to realize that some, in fact, many insects are good.  Think of the honey bee.  A large majority of our crops would not pollinate if not for the honey bee and/or the butterfly.  Yet we indiscriminately spray poisons that kill not only bad insects, but good insects at the same time.  In fact, many good insects dine on bad insects.


In the natural order of things, we would have a balance of good insects and bad insects.  Although the bad insects would exist, they would not be so numerous as to destroy crops.  Of course, even in nature, things sometime go awry and crops will fail due to excess populations of bad insects.  But this is not natural.



A woman by the name of Ruth Strout wrote several books on her ‘no work’ gardens.  One of her claims was that she didn’t have problems with insects.  And after several years she invited a reporter to visit her garden so that she could demonstrate her methods.  For the first time she had a crop failure of one of her vegetables because of insects.  But on the whole, insects were not a problem.



What was her secret?  By most accounts she should have had insects.  She kept a heavy mulch on her soil and this should be a breeding place for insect infestations.  She didn’t spray or even use organic pest control. 


Still insects were not a problem.



What she did do was improve her soil with lots of organic matter.  Her soil was rich, her plants were healthy.  There is a line of thought that insects eat unhealthy plants.  This is natures way of eliminating the weak.  We may look at the crops fertilizes with chemical products.  The healthy looking plant is actually a plant that is not natural and so here come the insects and then, then we have to use poison to kill the insects, which kills the good insects also.



Last year I planted potatoes on some ground that has not had any chemical fertilizer or poison applied for over 60 years that I know about.  Before that there were no artificial products on the market.  The potatoes had no insects at all.  Now, potatoes are one of the greatest attractions for leaf eating insects.  In fact, I have heard that some  potato farmers will not eat a potato because they know how many tons of poison they apply to their crop.  Yet my potatoes had no insects.



I had dug a small holding pond on the property.  I dug 3 feet down and still had not found any clay.  It is not uncommon for a modern day farm to only have a couple of inches of topsoil.  Unhealthy farming practices have allowed the soil to either blow or wash away.  And here I had over 3 feet of wonderful black topsoil.  Healthy topsoil with lots of natural nutrients and no insects.



You can see from above that one of the keys to eliminating insects is to start with healthy soil!!



Until you have improved your soil to the point that insects cease to be a problem, then you will need to practice some kind of insect control.  Your main goal will be to control the bad insects without killing the good insects (most sprays and artificial fertilizers also kill worms and many of the other living organisms in good soil).  Once insects have established a toe hole in your garden, then you must identify the insect and apply some control.  Some harmful insects, once established, are very hard to control.  An ounce of prevention may solve lots of loss later in the season.
 
One of the best products for insect control only targets those who actual eat your plant.  If the insect doesn’t eat your plant, then what is the harm?  This product will control some 83 insects that will attack not only our garden, but our flowers and some lawn insects such as grub worm. 


About the only pest not controlled by this product are slugs and snails. This product is approved by ‘ORMI’ for organic production.



One of the secrets of this insect control is that it also acts as a fungicide.  If you have ever had leaves turn brown or plants die for no apparent reason, it may have been because of one of the following:


Powdery mildew, black spot, downy mildew, rust, needle rust, blights.



So you can see that this product is very valuable and it can be sprayed from day one of your garden on a 7-14 day schedule as a preventive measure.  The product is”Monterey 70% Neem Oil”.  Just mix an ounce in a gallon of water and soak your plants.



There is another product that one should have on the shelf for unwanted insects.  This product is called ‘D.E.’ or Diatomaceous Earth.  This product is considered so safe that when used in grain bins to keep out unwanted pests, the government does not required it too be removed before using in food products.  You may have ate this product when eating a piece of bread.  In fact, some even take this as a supplement to their food.



This product can be used around the house for insects such as ants, cockroaches, crickets, fleas, ticks, and yes, even bed bugs.



I had a gentleman drop by our shop at 5900 Raytown Trwy asking why his radishes were not making a bulb.  Some of my radishes are doing the same thing.  Probably the soil where there were planted was to rich causing all the energy to go into the top.  You should not add nitrogen to radishes. 


Some times the problem will be that the temperature is to warm as radishes are a cool weather crop that needs to be planted very early or late fall.

Health and Fitness Conference by Jenn Walters 

5 Comments
Ya’ll partied out from our three-year birthday? Don’t be quite yet! We have one final big giveaway to share: A free registration to the Fitness & Health Bloggers Conference in Boulder, Colo.!

If you have a fitness- or health-related blog and can get to Boulder (like, the coolest city ever) June 24-26, this giveaway is for you. Your free registration will get you access to all the amazing seminars and workshops that will help you to do everything, from becoming a better writer to becoming an SEO master to becoming a social-media A-lister (Ahem, you might recognize one of the panelists on that one…) to networking with some of the coolest bloggers on the block (just look at the speakers’ line-up!).

It’s a can’t-miss event!

For the rest of this story use this link Fit Bottomed Girls


Five Celtics Qualify for State in Track by Brother Richard Geimer

Every O'Hara athlete that qualified from the Track District and went on to the Sectionals advanced on Saturday May 21 to compete in the State Meet!

The five were Cydnee Reese (discus), Skyler Young (shotput), Jasper Greeson (400 meters), Tanner Hull (pole vault), and Dakota Waggerman (pole vault).

Reese was First in her event with a throw of 122'3.5". Greeson and Hull took third places and Young and Waggerman had fourths.

The State Meet is scheduled for May 28 & 29 in Jefferson City. 


To post a comment on this blog click on the word comments below:


32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Public comments are for any comment affecting the city governed by the Board Of Aldermen.

True, the Town Marshall is an elected office not controlled by the BOA, but funding is via the BOA. Any perception of how the police department handles a citizen report of a possible crime affects the city as a whole and the citizen is entitled to make her comment. Even though the BOA can't officially address it, the complaint is heard. Board members are then able to speak with Chief Lynch personally if they feel it is appropriate.

If I had an issue the the Police, I would address it through the police department. I did have a question I wish I could have asked. The lady stated she was followed by white vehicles. White vehicles seemed curious to me and I would have liked more information.

Andy Whiteman

Pat Casady said...

There are very few towns and cities that have a bike trail
running beside a major highway like our 350hwy.
This would be a huge waste of taxpayer dollars.
You can count on one hand the number of people
crazy enough to ride on this busy highway.
If this town is so dead set on having a bike trail
it should be on Raytown Road and traffic way.
Towns that do install bike trails leave at least
six feet of green between the streets and the bike
riders.

Anonymous said...

Pat's right. Also, other cities that have bike trails have them landscaped so they are pretty. With all the commercial buildings on 350 highway, what's going to be pretty about that?

If they put a bike trail on 350 between Blue Ridge and Maple, who has the right of way, the bikes or the cars wanting to turn into the businesses? How long before there is a car vs bike accident?

Andy Whiteman said...

I don't ever recall seeing a bike trail on a major highway. I think bike paths are a great idea but this location is idiotic! There was once a proposal to put a bike/walking trail on the abandoned RR tracks. I support that. I would also support a bike trail to downtown, library, and city hall. More people are needed to support downtown. That is one way to get them there.

Andy Whiteman

Greg Walters said...

i think everyone has an opinion on bicycle and walking trails. Generally speaking most everyone would agree that they are a good thing when they make sense. The bicycle and walking trails in our local parks are used on a daily basis by people enjoying a stroll without the congestion of traffic.

The BOA has spoken. There will be a 7/10ths of a mile trail along 350 Highway from the city's western border to Maple Street.

Let's hope they use some common sense in designing and building it.

Common sense thoughts like connecting the trails to the new sidewalks on Blue Ridge Cutoff would be a start.

Instead of running a straight line trail along side the highway, why not go up the side of the right away and do it with some class?

Check out the new sidewalks built by the Brywood Shopping Center owners on 63rd Street.

Please, please, plant some trees. No one wants to walk or ride a bike along a dusty, clogged 350 Highway. Trees would be a welcome site. The would cut the noise pollution and block out the dubious beauty of a line of cars clogging the highway for a far as the eye can see.

Check out some of the results along Interstate 70 if you want to know how much better the roadway will look with a little foresight and intelligent planting of trees, shrubs and other foliage.

Who knows, with the right kind of foliage the ugly pole signs the city has allowed to blight our skyline may be blocked out by them!

Anonymous said...

I still cannot belive anyone would have voted for Jim Aziere based on his past record of doing nothing for the city.

Now his actions as Mayor Protem shows what I have heard for years that not only has he done nothing for Raytown he doens't understand what he was elected to do.

I think it is important to remind others that he used to teach our children, which has me wondering what anyone learned from him.

Anonymous said...

This just in!
The city of Raytown has no common sense.
Otherwise this city would not have given away so much
money to billoin dollar corporations, and be the joke
of the rich corporate world.
Now we will get a bike trail along 350why. that goes to
nowhere and gives drivers a free shot at bike riders.
Common sence.....I don't think so.

Anonymous said...

The BOA has NOT spoken! The discussion was only the first reading. There will be more discussion and the vote at the June 7 meeting. Some of the Aldermen had reservations about the bike path. Others are opposed to it, as it has been proposed to the Board. Let's hope common sense prevails.

Anonymous said...

Jim Aziere,

Sure sounds like you believe we are in Rusia and not the US.

What is with you not understanding that people should have the right to speak up for or against how their tax dollars are spent, which for the record Mr. Aziere is what MS. Gray was wanting to do.

Your actions demand that you step down not only as Mayor Portem, but as Alderman as it is clear you are out of touch with the country in which you live.

I think MS Gray and the rest of us need to call your supporters and let them knwo who the real Jim Aziere is and his lack of respect to the citizens of Raytown.

Greg Walters said...

Andy,

You are correct. The Board has not yet voted on the bike/walking trail on 350 Highway.

My apologies for jumping the gun.

I still think that if they do create the trail that they do so with beautifying that section of the roadway in mind.

Anonymous said...

Went to UHaul in Noland Rd. to buy boxes. They don't tell you unless you ask, but there is a bin of FREE used boxes. Since they believe in recycling, if someone brings in used boxes, they are FREE. Please recycle your boxes.

Anonymous said...

Greg, You didn't jump the gun. You brought attention to an issue before it was too late. I urge all concerned to speak their opinion(s) at the next BOA. I will address this issue but I don't want to be the only speaker. I have basically retired from commenting, unless it is in reply to a previous comment, because each one takes over an hour to draft.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

People approach me at the Post Office, bank, or Hy-Vee and say they saw me on TV. I would like to see these same people at the next meeting. If you consider this issue important, you will be there. Remember it is your tax money!

Is the next meeting Tuesday June 7th? Just finished my comments but that seems like a long time between meetings so want to verify the correct date. Hope to see you all there.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:23

Is someone following you around too? Aziere gives plenty of chances to take shots at him. If you wait a week or two you might have a better one than him not wanting a discussion with a crazy women about who is following her.

Rebecca said...

Thoughts and prayers to the citizens of Joplin, Reading, Sedalia, and any other community I have forgotten.

Anonymous said...

You will see me there Andy--June 7 seems like a good day. Maybe I'll bring my neighborhood to the meeting----on second thought I will bring the neighborhood. You know when I was a kid I remember dreaming about that wonderful bike trail along 350 hiway...seems like yesterday, the smell of exhaust fumes in the air aaaahhhh, the wonderful road noise in my ears..nicer than Roseanne Barr's Star Spangled Banner, yes I know, it was wonderful, while the honking of the vehicles passing by created that wonderful breeze on those hot summer days as I weaved expertly dodging those pesky little Mickey D's lunch bags. What fun I am having, what a triumph as FREEDOM RINGS.
The BOA is the greatest_______________ <fill in blank here.

Anonymous said...

9:18 PM ROLF!! I would like to see your whole neighborhood at the meeting. We the people need to be heard and have attention given to our desires.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Crazy woman?

Is it crazy for a woman to ask a police officer a question? Is it crazy for a woman to ask a city councilman a question?

Is it crazy for a city councilman to say we have nothing to do with the police?

Pat Casady said...

A number of years back, when this town
was talking about using eminent domain on us
downtown property owners, Jim Aziere spoke to a group
of us business owners, he said he was the go between
with the developer and us. Of course we all
saw right through that but, I think it's
funny that when a citizen asks our so called
representatives for a little help they push them
away basically saying "that's not my job."
It's the same was they treated all of us business
owners when we had trouble with a developer.
Even though they hired that developer.
As it turned out that developer ended up hosing
City Hall out of over sixty thousand dollars
of your money. I guess nothing has changed.

Max said...

BOA should reject this bike path on 350 HWY. plan and spend the money downtown. Raytown is not defined by 350 HWY. A thriving downtown draws people, city hall has done nothing to help those small business owners that operate downtown. Groups like Main Street are making a difference, but without funding what can they do as a grass roots organization? Downtown used to a happening place, $600,000 would go a long way.

Anonymous said...

Is not crazy an unkind way of saying someone is mentally disabled?

If someone is disabled would they not fall under the protect of the Justice Department?

I recall not that many years ago our fine City Marshal and an Alderman got the city into some very hot water with some outside group or agency for going down the wrong path.

I hope we are not headed that way again with our fine Alderman from Ward 2 and those on this blog calling a citizen crazy and stating that is why she was not allowed to speak at a Board of Alderman meeting.

Anonymous said...

My prayers have been answered and Beth Linn has a new job outside of Raytown.

Now if our elected officials will do the right thing and eleminate her position as codes have never under her watch been pro-actively enfoced.

So why sould we waste the money on a departement the does not pro-actively make sure Raytown is safe and clean!!!

Anonymous said...

WOW, WHAT GREAT NEWS BETH LINN HAS RESIGNED TO BAD SHE ISN'T LEAVING TODAY!!!!!!!!!!

I feel sorry for the city she's going to if she can't even handle the codes dept. here in Raytown how is she ever going to handle an entire city. Raytown has gone downhill faster in the last 4 years with Mayor Bower and Beth Linn than ever before and I've lived here long enough to know.

We have lost so many people because of how the city looks and the way people are NOT taking care of the property. It's pretty bad when you can go to your phyical therpist and they ask you where you live and you tell them them and they say "OH we have a lot of patients who lived there but they said they moved because of the crime and a non-existent codes dept. and a Mayor who apparently
doesn't seem to care."

I could think of at least a handful of people who live right here in Raytown would do a better job than Linn has done. But in all fairness to Linn no one is going to be able to do the job if the Mayor isn't going to let the dept. head do the job they were hired for.
What a waste of taxpayers money to have paid over a hundred thousand dollars a year for a dept. head and not let them do their job. I think anyone of those people who I metioned could have done a whole lot better job for a whole lot less money or maybe even none at all.

Anonymous said...

Pat,

Aziere's attitude is not funny. It is sad.

Anonymous said...

I am sorry to see Beth Linn leave. She has accomplished much while employed by the City of Raytown. She and her department were responsible for the Vacant Properties Ordinance and bringing several new businesses into Raytown. I am sure she will do a top notch job for the city of Edgerton. I wish her success in her new job.
***************
As I have said in the past, when Department Heads leave the city should look at downsizing because the city is top heavy with management. Over $100,000 per year could be saved. My assumption from Post Office figures is that $150,000 would be saved per year because benefits represent 50% of salary. What could $150,000 per year do?
1) Install more streetlights in dark hoods!
2) Repair and/or maintain the streets.
3) Add 2 Police Officers or 3 city workers (non-management).

If the position is retained, her replacement should be REQUIRED TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF RAYTOWN AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT!
***********
Since out tax dollars provided the Walmart parking lot instead of street maintenance, I suggest that the City install parking meters on the Walmart parking lot. If Walmart objects, they should pay rental for the pavement.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

I feel the same about Beth Lynn. She did an okay job. I think that the Mayor is toblame for our lax code enforcement.

But I thought it was Joe Creamer who wrote teh vacant properties ordinance. At least that's what he told me when he ran for alderman!

Anonymous said...

On Joe Creamer's first term as Alderman he proposed a rental ordinance. Beth Linn recognized vacant properties as impeding code enforcement. Joe introduced the bill but I credit Beth with recognizing the need, research, and presentation to the BOA. She did an outstanding job! Even though I am against high pay for tie wearing chair warmers, she earned every cent of it. I hope Edgerton is paying her much more. She deserves it.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Do we have a target year on when Aldi's is going to open in Raytown?

I as being my understanding on that loan to build it, which was a good thing as the city was not going to get 6% on our money any other place right now, is replayment on the only is tied to sales tax.

The longer it takes to get it open the longer it takes to repay us taxpers and truely see a 6% return on our money.

I question why the developer was not give a drop dead date the if the building was not open they had to start repaying the loan.

Secondly replayment should have be based on a set ammount each month not a we hope it generates enough to pay back in a set ammount of time.

In other words and just as an example. If the sales tax to repay each month eas to be $1,000 and one month the sales only generated $900.00 the developer would be responsable for $100.

Until we end the fly by night deals at city hall our streets will countinue to go down hill as have the conditions in which we have been force to live in a city that doesn't pro-actively enforece codes.

Anonymous said...

I also agree. Beth did a great job for Raytown. She was well qualified. Edgerton found a talent in her. Raytown loss is their gain. Sometime you get what you wish for. I am sure Edgerton is getting one of the top notch Raytown employee. She deserve much more respect than this town has given to her. I wish her the best and hopefully she will make us proud while working for Edgerton.

Anonymous said...

Raytown should watch and learn from Edgerton which is not requiring Ms. Linn to be a resident of that town. More and more cities are moving in that direction and Raytown should not make this as an issue. We should be welcoming talent to work here rather than where they live. This is 21st Century and there are plenty of ways and means available to communicate.

Anonymous said...

9:51 AM, The BOA sure made a blunder on Walmart!!!! Then it appears they did the same with Aldi. I am sure if you called Tom Cole he could give you a proposed date.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

I heard some time ago that the KATY trail was interested in expanding even into Raytown and having the old tracks paved into a bike trail. I think it would be nice to have that as recreation and so maybe we could get around town a bit on bikes without the fear of having our children on the streets, even in a bike lane.