Friday, August 31, 2012



Lucie - a Welsh Wonder? Check out this video from the X-Factor of a young woman trying her best to step up to the big time . . . Lucie



To all of our readers -- have a relaxing and restful Labor Day Weekend!

Greg Walters
Paul Livius


Bits and Pieces . . . BY GREG WALTERS

A series of mis-steps by the powers that be at Raytown City Hall seems to have continued  unabated since the weather turned hot. Consider the following:

Life Guards and parents of Life Guards at Super Splash USA crowded into Raytown City Hall for three consecutive meetings early this summer to protest working conditions at Super Splash, USA. The complaints were many. But most could be traced to poor management practices and a lack of oversight by the Park Department at Raytown’s premier water park.

Nothing new has been heard from that sector of City Hall for a couple of months. Some place the quiet on a general exodus of employees from the Water Park operation. The jury is still out on whether or not making the move to private management of the pool made fiscal sense – the city’s audit will not be completed until early next year.

The blow-up over the extraordinary 30% pay increase handed out to City Administrator Mahesh Sharma continues to have repercussions. 

The Board’s action also broke a formal agreement between City Administrator Mahesh Sharma, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen that had (twice) set deadlines for Sharma to move to Raytown.

City employees packed a City Council meeting to protest the Board’s decision. At that meeting the Mayor admonished people in the audience for applauding the words of a guest speaker during public comments.

Collateral damage from Sharma’s 30% raise is manifesting itself in the race for the 28th District Missouri Legislative seat. Alderman Jim Aziere’s strong support of the Sharma pay increase is said to be hurting his campaign. 

Apparently people are asking why he voted to give Sharma a 30% pay increase instead of talking about state based issues.

No doubt his opponent in the race, Tom McDonald, will use the issue to cut into Aziere’s base of support.

Judge Traci Fann was the only city department head to complain of the unfair and unequal treatment of city employees. 

Her outspoken stand may cost her. 

Sources at City Hall tell us that Mayor Bower is trying to drum up support with members of the BOA to make the Municipal Judge’s position appointive. One Alderman is said to have accused the Mayor of conducting a vendetta against Judge Fann.

Given Bower’s temperament, watch for this issue to come forward before next year’s municipal election. 

One alderman is already known to have decided not to run for re-election. Another is said to be considering stepping down once his term his up. Two of the Board members have been in office so long that local pundits jokingly refer to them as poster children for term limits!

Most telling of the change in the political landscape is the “stepping up” of political leaders who have condemned his administration’s actions. Most notable among these is former Mayor Sue Frank.  The former Mayor published a letter in both the Raytown Times and Raytown Report critical of the Sharma pay increase.

Frank was a big supporter of Bower in his initial run for Mayor six years ago. 

Bower is not up for election next Spring, but half of the Board of Aldermen will be. It will be interesting to see how much of the Mayor’s baggage Board members seeking re-election will be willing to carry in their campaigns.



Fit Bottomed Girls
Magic Morning Runs BY TISH

When Jenn and I were training for that marathon (oh-so-long ago), we followed the same training schedule. The only difference was she’d wake up at the butt crack of dawn to get in her runs, and I’d wait until after work.

Every day I’d sit in my work cube and moan and groan, dreading the hard work ahead while Jenn would perky around me (yes, I turned that into a verb specifically for her. I dabble in magic as you’ll read later on), loving her complete and active day. I never could do what she did though. I need so much fuel (I told myself) to get through a morning run. ... Continue reading


Prescription Drug Take Back Event
The Raytown Police Department in conjunction with the Missouri Rural Water Association will be conducting a Prescription Drug Take Back Event. 

Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 29th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The event will be held at two locations:

Apple Market
350 Highway and Raytown Road

Raytown Plaza
63rd Street and Blue Ridge Boulevard

All of us have unused or unwanted prescription medications. Let’s all do our part in properly disposing of these drugs. Proper disposal of these medications will prevent possible misuse and will also keep them from harming the environment in which we live.


Of Local Interest . . .
13th Annual St. Bernadette Fall Festival
Celebrating a Baker’s Dozen!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
5-9 pm.

BBQ Rib/brisket dinner, Raffle (top prize of $1,000), Games for all ages, Silent Auction, Country Store, Car Smash, Live Music, Fun.

Come join us at the 4 p.m. Mass and stay for the festival.

St. Bernadette Church, 9020 E 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
For more information call (816) 356-3700.


October 20, 2012
11:00 am - 6:00 pm
C. Lee Kenagy Park
79th St. & Raytown Rd


RAYTOWN ARTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL

Save the Date! Support Local Artists

Come hear some of the best music talent in the region. 

From the top reigning Blues band in KC, Linda Shell & Blues Thang, to Jah Lion's Jamaican Reggae to KC Kelsey's AFU Blues band. Enjoy the fresh new sound of Algo de Nova's classical guitar and percussion influenced by Afro-Cuban rhythms, Turkish doubek and traditional Spanish guitar. Our repertoire includes folk music featuring the Celtic tunes of Don Brauner and Jim McGraw and the dulcimers of Hammers North. You will be delighted with the firey dancers of the Vesuvius Tribe and the rhythm of KC Drum Tribe's drum circle.

For more information go to Raytown Arts and Music Festival

To post a comment on this blog click on the word comments on the line directly below this sentence.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

It appears the extream heat has fried the brains of Raytown's governing body.

I don't recall Traci Fann commenting on unfair or unequal treatment of city employees. Is there a transcript or link to a video?

I wish my friends a safe holiday. Please drive carefully.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

What makes Sue Frank think she did such a hot job as Mayor and why would we want her on the council? Not me I won't vote for her.

Anonymous said...

What makes a big difference is that Sue Frank, as mayor, would talk to and listen to people.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

It is time Dems and Reps come together and tell these welfare mothers that it is not the job of the taxpayers to provide for a roof over your head, food on the table or any of the other things you feel we as taxpayers owe you.

Get a job and learn about birth control!

Anonymous said...

7:50PM, Some people breed like rabbits! They need to stop and think if they can afford a child and if they are willing to be a responsible parent before they breed.

All need to work together for the welfare of this country, not just on this one issue. There are many issues negatively impacting our country.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

That is interestng about Judge Fann. I know she is not either the Mayor's or the City Administrator's list of favorite people.

Word of advice for you Judge. Keep speaking out against the wrong being done to us at City Hall. We are behind you. But you need to talk to others than just those in your comfort zone.

Let the public know what is going on up here and it will make a difference.

Anonymous said...

Check out the fire tribe link on the Raytown arts and music festival. Looks like something left over from the Fringe Festival!

Pat Casady said...

In this country there is a right
to free speech. If Mayor Bower
doesn't like what Judge Fran said
then maybe he needs to realize that
this right is in place. If our city
leaders can't take a little heat
maybe they should stop building the
asinine fires they build.
I can't believe, or maybe I can,
that our leaders didn't think there
would be a problem with giving such
a huge raise and not making the CA keep
his promise to move here. Especially
after telling all other city employees
their pay would have to be frozen
and have been for three years.
This is no way to run a city, a
business or a community. This is
a way to divide the workers from the
department heads and to build hate
among the ranks. It's simple human
nature. I once said "you'll be OK
if you treat people the way you want
to be treated." I guess it fell on deaf
ears.

Anonymous said...

There has been much on the news about Raytown's daytime curfew for children. Talk show hosts are questioning what is wrong in Raytown that a daytime curfew is needed for children?

It is my understanding that the curfew was asked for by school district to enforce school attendance. In my opinion, they are going about it the wrong way. An ordinance will cost the city money and is unnecessary. The problem lies with both the parents and schools. The School District should hire Truant Officers and not expect the city to do their job!

Pat, In my opinion, everything said to the board has a good chance of falling on deaf ears depending on who the board member is. There are a few who will listen and even ask my opinion if we happen to meet in a store.

Andy Whiteman
(on a declining but not fixed income)

Anonymous said...

It is a sad commentary of the times when you have so much truancy that laws are considered as a solution to the problem.

The school district is paying the price of turning its collective head away from its problems and acting like there is no problem.

Talk to any high schooler at Raytown or Raytown South and they will tell you who really runs the schools in Raytown.

Anonymous said...

No need to wait for an audit, you could ask the Parks Department for a listing of all revenues and all expenses relative to supersplash, do a little math and have your answer now!

Anonymous said...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Supervalu Inc (SVU) said it would close about 60 stores as it works to turn around its grocery business, which lags that of rivals Kroger Co (KR) and Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT).

Supervalu on Wednesday said it would close the majority of the "underperforming or non-strategic stores" before the end of its fiscal third quarter ending December 1.

The stores slated to be shuttered include 27 Albertsons supermarkets located in Southern California and the Intermountain West region as well as 22 Save-A-Lot locations.

Supervalu expects to record a pre-tax charge of $80 million to $90 million in fiscal 2013 related to the closures, with all but $3 million in estimated severance costs being non-cash.

Over the next three years, the company estimates that closing the stores will generate between $80 million and $90 million in cash through real estate transactions, eliminating cash operating losses and selling departmental assets.

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Gary Hill)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/supervalu-close-60-stores-204047159.html

Anonymous said...

Thats ok Andy, we will have another grocery store to take its place. Never fear the folks at city hall know whats best for you...

Anonymous said...

1:46PM, The article didn't say which Sav-A-Lots were closing. Hopefully it won't be the one here.

I just wanted to call attention to their financial condition. SureValu was suggested as a good dividend stock. Within 3 days they had cancelled the dividend and the stock had dropped by 50%!

Gas prices have just jumped to $3.72 but the Conoco station hasn't gone up as of just before 8PM. If Greg publishes this tonight and you get there PDQ, you may save on gas!

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Greg and Paul,
Thanks for posting your status. I was wondering if you were OK. You aren't the only one with trouble. My WiFi ISP lost one or more towers in Raytown. Then I had trouble connecting the laptop via WiFi to the modem and then no connection to the laptop at all. After a lot of argument, they are sending me a new WiFi modem.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

From the agenda for Tuesday night's meeting:

4. Public Hearing: A public hearing to establish the 2011 Property Tax Levies.
4a. SECOND Reading: Amended Bill No. 6298-12, Section VIII. AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE ANNUAL PROPERTY TAX LEVY RATE FOR THE CITY OF RAYTOWN GENERAL OPERATING FUND AND THE PARK FUND FOR THE YEAR
2012. Point of Contact: Mark Loughry, Finance Director.

5. First Reading: Bill No. 6299-12, Section XVII. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 18 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF RAYTOWN, MISSOURI REGARDING THE MUNICIPAL COURT AND JUDGE. Point of
Contact: Joe Willerth, City Attorney.

From the Ordinance:
Sec. 18-2. Municipal Judge.
There shall be a Municipal Judge in and for the City of Raytown to be appointed
by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Board of Aldermen who shall
have original jurisdiction to hear and determine all offenses against the
Ordinances of the City of Raytown.

So now the Mayor wants to choose the Judge for us??????

Anonymous said...

On the agenda for Tuesday's meeting:

1. Amend Section 18.2 to provide that a Municipal Judge shall be appointed
by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Board of Aldermen rather
than elected;

2. Amend Section 18.3 to provide that a Municipal Judge shall be appointed
by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Board of Aldermen for a
two (2) year term......
This is too lengthy to publish in its entirety. Please see the City web site for the entire bill.