Sunday, February 24, 2013

American Idol is back and as usual, some really talented people are stepping up. Check out this song by Angela Miller. She is a classic example of someone overcoming adversity. She 40% deaf in her right ear and 20% deaf in her left ear. Still, she can sing so well. Use this link ANGELA MILLER



Paul Livius

The Paul Livius Report BY PAUL LIVIUS
Raytown Board of Aldermen Meeting – February 19, 2013

Rex Block with the Raytown Baha’i gave the invocation.

Police Chief Jim Lynch told the Board Pat Ertz and Richard Tush donated the Drug Take Back Box.  It is located in the lobby of the Raytown police station and is only for unwanted prescription medications.  Pat Ertz told the Board there will be a Drug Take Back day on April 27, 2013.  Residents can safely dispose of their unwanted prescription drugs.  Locations will be at the Apple Market on Raytown Road and 350 Highway and one at City Hall. 

Janet Emerson went before the Board to say she opposes TIF’s for any new construction in Raytown.  They take away from the fire department, the police department, and the schools.  Because of the store on 350 Highway, we have already lost enough.

Chris Merrill said he thinks the proposed site plan in downtown Raytown is a huge safety concern.  There have been many incidents with Walmart on 350 Highway, such as bomb threats and over 400 arrests for theft, shop lifting, and check fraud last year.  The Board wants to put this across the street from the Senior Living Center and the library and down the street from the high school.  Increased car traffic and increased trucking deliveries will make it dangerous for kids walking to school and the library.  Walmart has a history of bomb threats and that puts the community at risk.

Edward Clark said he has an office in a Raytown shopping center.  He told the Board there will be 165 car spaces for Walmart store and only 3 exits.  None of these exits enter onto 63rd street.  Two of the exits will be next to the Raytown Plaza.  He said Raytown is selling the land for $675,000 and the city paid $500,000 for the land, then had to tear down the church building.

Elisa Breitenbach told the Board that after recent denials and cover ups by Raytown officials, along with the Raytown Times Newspaper, the people of Raytown now know the truth.  Walmart is trying to come into the heart of downtown Raytown.  The whole process is shameful in how it has played out.  She was devastated to know our public officials and our local newspaper conspired to conceal this Walmart from the public.  As recently as February 10, the Mayor assured her that Raytown had not received plans from JMC Realty or from Walmart.  He also said nothing he had seen had the Walmart name on it.  Yet the Raytown City website said on February 8 that JMC Realty had the site for a new Walmart Neighborhood Market.

Sandy Worley said we can go down Sterling and come to a Walmart at 40 Highway.  We can go down 350 Highway and come to another Walmart.  Raytown has several Apple Market stores, and The Store on Raytown Road, all of which are locally owned.  There is no reason to put another Walmart in Raytown.

Teresa Swisher said her mother used to live over by the Hyper-mart.  There used to be horse farms and residences that were bought up and tore down for the Hyper-Mart.  Now when you drive by on I-435, it’s an eyesore with the empty buildings and unkempt property.  She is concerned that we already have two Walmarts close together and she feels Walmart is trying to monopolize businesses in Raytown.  She thinks the pharmacy at Walmart will put Fox’s Drugs, who have been in Raytown 70 years, out of business. 

Jeanette Gentry said the comprehensive plan for the City addresses the fact that downtown Raytown is historic.  The Raytown Report “Reaching for Tomorrow” has many ideas on ways to grow downtown Raytown.  Numerous plans from high paid consultants have indicated that people need to feel safe.  A 40,000 square foot box store with a high crime rate will not accomplish that.  There are three facilities that are large enough to hold a grocery store.  In fact, she told the Board, all of them have been grocery stores in the past.  They are within ½ mile of the green space.  Raytown deserves better.

Mayor Bower told the residents who attended the meeting that the city has received 2 illustrations representing a pre-application for a site plan.  There has not been an official submission to the staff for this project.  The developer has not asked for a TIF or any incentives for this project.  This is good.  The Staff has worked hard so Raytown doesn’t have to give away the profits anymore.

Andy Noll told the Board Batliner will no longer pick up the recyclables after the end of March.  The volume is too small.

The Board appointed Michelle Williams to the Special Sales Tax Review Committee.

The Board authorized an agreement with Slide Care LLC for the 2013 waterslide maintenance and repair project.  This agreement cover the repair and maintenance of the fiberglass water slides at Super Splash that is required to ensure safe pool equipment, proper maintenance and extend their useful life.  The equipment maintenance is required to meet ASTM standards.  Two of the three large slides are over 20 years old and show signs of age including leaking joints, gel coat chips, and oxidation.  The scope of work involves a visual inspection report, slide joint leak repair, gel coat repair, removal, and replacement of damaged or rusted hardware, buffing and cleaning of slide riding surfaces and recoating the exterior of the slides.

The Board authorized an agreement with McConnell & Associates for the 2012 Colman Tennis court project.  The Colman Park tennis courts have been closed to the public since 2010 due to poor asphalt playing surface conditions.  The last asphalt court overlay was in 1996.  A 45% Federal grant administered through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Conservation Fund was awarded in 2011 to renovate the four courts.  Additional grant funding requests have been submitted to the United States Tennis Association Facility Assistance program.  The project scope includes asphalt milling, fence removal, and replacement, installation of reinforced perimeter curb, court regarding, aggregate base installation, asphalt overlay, color coating, court striping, net posts, center anchors and nets, and ADA access ramps.  To lower costs, City Staff will remove and replace fencing and complete grading and reseeding.

The Board passed an ordinance amending Chapter 13, offenses and miscellaneous provisions, Article IV, offenses against Persons, section 13-37, regarding endangering the welfare of a minor.

The Board moved into closed session. The Mayor did not disclose the topic of the closed session.



Greg Walters
All Wrong BY GREG WALTERS

Randy Battagler, owner/editor of the Raytown Times, has is all wrong.

In an article he published this week he takes to task the Raytown citizens who filled Raytown City Hall at the last Board of Aldermen meeting. He starts out by calling them names (nay sayers). He then goes on a trip into fantasy land praising the wise and noble steps taken by Mayor David Bower and members of his Board of Aldermen.

I attended the meeting, as did Randy, last Tuesday night. But I am beginning to wonder if he was really in attendance. His article reads more like the talking points of a commercial developer than a newspaper writer.

A quick head count showed that over 75 people were in attendance at the meeting. They were well mannered. They were polite. Seven of their number spoke publicly with reasonable arguments against a yet to be announced Walmart in Downtown Raytown (see The Paul Livius Report).*

I recognized a number of small business owners in the crowd last Tuesday. Randy should have recognized them too. Some of them used to advertise in one of his newspapers.

The people spoke.  They had valid arguments.  They exercised their First Amendment right.

They were witness to the increase in crime around the first Walmart built in Raytown at 67th and Blue Ridge Boulevard. They are familiar with reports from the Raytown Police Department that identifies the new Walmart on 350 Highway as the highest crime location in Raytown.

They are also familiar with the economic havoc created by the tax abatement and TIF schemes out of city hall that has lowered the city’s real income.

Randy Battagler has it very wrong.

The speakers spoke in favor of economic development.

They spoke in favor of economic development that improves the Downtown landscape.
Sources at City Hall now tell us the plans call for development behind the buildings on 63rd Street -- with few, if any improvements on the Downtown’s main thoroughfare.

Former Mayor Sue Frank, who pulled together a group of business and civic leaders to set standards for improvement in Downtown Raytown during her time as Mayor, spoke ill of what was going on.

“If you had told the people that our vision was to build a 40,000 square foot box store behind the row of buildings on 63rd Street and called it a Downtown Raytown Plan they would have laughed at us and walked away.”

Sounds like good advice.

The Board of Aldermen should listen to what the people in Raytown are saying. They should turn back any proposal that does NOT improve Downtown Raytown.

Building a 40,000 square foot box and calling it economic development simply does not fill the bill.

Raytown deserves much better.

PUBLIC FIGURES IN ATTENDANCE: A number of candidates for Aldermen were in attendance at the meeting. They were – Jason Greene, Josh Greene, Janet Emerson, Chris Merrill and Richard Tush. Nine of the Board of Aldermen were in attendance. Mayor Bower said that Ward 3 Alderman Christine White had been “excused” from attending the meeting.



Citizens at Tuesday BOA meeting.
DOWN
MEMORY
LANE



Former Mayor Sue Frank reminisced about the original plans for Downtown Raytown.

She told the Raytown Rep0rt:

 “In 2003 we had over 100 stake holders participate in creating a vision for Downtown Raytown.”

“They included the School District, Chamber of Commerce, local business owners, and private citizens working together to create a plan for a “small business friendly” environment with three walkable design options.”

The city hired the same firm that had been used to design Gateway intersections that had been built in Raytown to create a design plan for the Downtown. The end result was not one, but three separate concepts. None of the plans included a box store with a 40,000 square footprint.  

About the Cost of the First Baptist Church.

The City paid $500,000 for the property owned by the First Baptist Church. At the time the appraised price of the property was 1.2 million dollars.

In the beginning, the purchase was funded through payments over a four year period. At the insistence of some Aldermen on the Board at the time the entire debt was paid off to save the cost of interest payments on the remaining debt.

The city later pursued and received a grant through the effort of 5th District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver that paid approximately $500,000 for demolition and clearing of the property.

What is being proposed for Walmart may not have any TIF’s or tax abatements attached to it. But if the selling price is below 1.2 million dollars paid out for purchase and demolition of the site then Walmart will be getting the bargain of the century.


Drug Take Back Event
Raytown Police to operate two locations

The Raytown Police Department is conducting a Drug Take Back event on April 27th, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at two locations:

Apple Market /75th and Raytown Road

Raytown City Hall Parking Lot /10000 East 59th Street



Public Water Supply District No. 2 Donates Prescription Drug Take Back Box

Raytown has instituted a local “Drug take back program”.  The purpose of such a program is to allow for safe, legal and environmentally friendly disposal of extra drugs that patients have not used.

The program serves two purposes:

First, it reduces the risk of prescription drugs entering the water, potentially harming aquatic life or getting into the human water supply.  In the past, people were advised to flush unused drugs down the toilet – but that option can lead to questionable contaminants ultimately going into the water supply.

Second and perhaps more importantly, take back programs reduce the risk of prescription drugs being consumed inappropriately – either by accident or through illegal sale.  Wide spread evidence indicates that a huge portion of illegal prescription drug use occurs when people raid friends’ and relatives’ medicine cabinets.

Public Water Supply District No. 2 has provided the City of Raytown’s Police Department with a prescription drug take back box, located in the lobby of the Raytown Police Department.  It is for the disposal of over the counter and prescription drugs.
     
No questions asked.


FIT BOTTOMED GIRLS
Don't Panic BY KRISTEN

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a serious planner. I like knowing what’s on my schedule tomorrow, next week and a month from then, if possible. I get a thrill out of making spreadsheets for my vacations. It might make me a geek, but at least I’m a well-prepared geek. This turns out to be a good thing when it comes... Continue reading

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


33 comments:

Anonymous said...

I heard a person with the last name of Genry talk about Reaching for Tomorrow. Just what was this and what did they do? The best I could figure out was it was a bunch of people that Sue Frank wanted to give a job to and get them out of her hair, the same with the tax review committee. If I'm wrong tell me.

Anonymous said...

I was taking with Jim Aziere this past summer and understand that the tax review committee is a big joke.

He said they never look at the expenses to see if we really need the item and never check if we are getting the best price for the item.

What a smoke screen act.

I hope Jim Aziere runs for Mayor as we need to end this stuff.

Pat Casady said...

Raytown gathered to have coffee and donuts and
paid for their products. Along with their coffee
and donuts he bought their votes for anything he
wanted passed. This was the start of RRFT.
This wasn't the only group of people he influenced.
There were several. All to help get certain people
and projects elected and passed. He even managed to get
several people voted onto the Charter commission.
These people voted on every item in the Charter then
when it came time for the people to vote for the new
Charter they sabotaged it. Mr. Wenson was a sharp
politician. He knew how to manipulate people.
He actually divided this town then left for
greener pastures in Liberty MO.
He was also the reason for most of the businesses leaving
Raytown. Along with the new Wal-Mart going in at 350hwy.
Oh yes, he also wanted to install a grocery store in
the green space. This before it was a green space.
The only difference is he was going to try and use
eminent domain or condemnation on surrounding businesses.
My question is, Where were all of you people that are against
this new grocery store when they were trying FORCE us
out of our property? Now somebody wants to come in and treat
us fairly you want to fight them.

Anonymous said...

Greg, The BOA meeting is on Tuesday while the Raytown Post comes out on Thursday. The BOA meeting is past the deadline for Thusday's paper, hence news of the meeting can't appear until NEXT week. What you read is a week old when the paper is delivered. Possibly Randy heard people talking or interviewed people in advance of the meeting. I can't speak for him, but in my opinion the Raytown Post is slanted towards reporting "good news" only and mainly editorial. I have always read it and its predecessor as editorial material. Maybe there should be a name change to "Happy Times."

Conspiracty was mentioned. If consiracy can be proven, it is a criminal activity.

I am glad I moved. Not only am I away from the miserable climate, but I am fearful that downtown and nearyby neighborhooda will become a high crime area! Property values till really drop.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

I read the waste of a paper and to no surprise the owner is still talking highly about Wal-Mart. I don't understand what he is missing about the cost and negative impact that Wal-Mart has had on our city.

Greg Walters said...

Andy brings up a very good point about the timeline of The Raytown Times.

I am looking at the front page of the paper. It was published on February 20th. It says so in the masthead.

The City Council meeting was Tuesday, February 19th.

At that meeting Mayor Bower told the people in attendance that there had been no official application with staff from Walmart.

That means that Randy had to have found out that "the cat out of the bag" (his words, not mine)until after the official announcement that Walmart was the applicant the city was considering for Downtown Raytown.

The Mayor spoke his denial around 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday night.

Is it possible that Randy found out about the "official" application after the meeting, around 9:00 p.m. and had time to write his story so the printer could go to press on the 20th.

Possible, yes. Likely, no.

I have been in the printing business for most of my adult life.

The type of printing that Battagler uses to publish his paper is web offset. It is usually printed on a production basis. That means that job is lined up and slotted for a particular time to be printed.

The schedule is not easily disrupted.

My point of view from what I know after reading the report from Randy and the comments from the Mayor.

"You boys ought to get your story straight before you go to print.
You lose credibility when you are less than honest when dealing with the public."

Anonymous said...

Aziere is a joke and part of the problem....the lack of oversight is on his hands as well. Its time for him to move on. I really hope he doesn't run for election again in two years.

Anonymous said...

Raytown Reaching for Tomorrow was a well intentioned group who wanted to move Raytown forward.

They came up with some good ideas.

One was a re-development of Downtown Raytown. They helped set standards for development of the Downtown that were people friendly and aimed at making Downtown Raytown a destination.

It included beautification of the main drag on 63rd Street.

Believe me when I tell you that a 40,000 sq. ft. building was not part of their plans.

Anonymous said...

My husband and I were also at that council meeting and Bower put his foot in his mouth several times and contradicted himself each time. He said that no one new who ir was that was coming into the green space then he said that they did ask for a TIF. If "they" did not ask for a TIF then who is "they". We also heard some discussion between some people and several alderman even they knew who is wanting to come to the green space.

Bower doesn't care what the people in Raytown want. He doesn't listen to the residents and their opinions and wants. He is only in this position of mayor for his own goals which is to go higher in politics. God for bid that doesn't happen.

Elisa Breitenbach said...

To each and everyone who reads this. Truly the choice of Walmart going into downtown Raytown is yours if you live in Raytown. The city leaders need to hear from you. If you want Walmart or don't want Walmart you need to let your voice be heard. I am thankful for this blog site and a chance to hear everyones comments.

Anonymous said...

If Walmart builds a grocery store on the green space, they are actually competing against themselves. There is a Walmart to the sounth on 350 HWY AND A Walmart on 40 HWY that both sell groceries. Why would anyone go to a Walmart grocery on the once previously green space except maybe they are in walking distance and want only groceries?

Maybes no business sense at all except to get a TIF and let the taxpayers pay.

Maybe a name change is in order for Raytown. How about Waltown, Wally's Town, Marttown, or Bentontown? Aparently Raytown is controlled by Walmart. How much is under the table? Our elected officials are no making an intelligent decision!

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Channel 9 news just showed an aerial view of Overland Park, Not only are the major streets plowed, but all the residential streets have been plowed too. We pay higher taxes in Raytown than they do in Overland Park. Why aren't our side streets plowed yet?

Anonymous said...

Amen to that last comment. A lot of streets in Raytown have not been plowed. Many of the streets that were plowed they just made on pass down the middle.

And this is not the inner city where people park on the street. So please don't tell me that is the reason.

I called city hall to talk to the public works department about getting our street plowed and all I got was recording saying that city hall was closed because of the emergency.

Guess it was too far of a drive for Mahesh Sharma to drive all the way from Raymore to check up on the terrible job of snow removal they did in this storm.

Anonymous said...


Perhaps some of you should try plowing snow, after all you think it is so easy. As I see it, Raytown does not have as many trucks as other cities. On the last storm, our street was not plowed for a while -- and we live on a Snow Route (James A Reed), and one of them was on the left side of the street. But do you know what? I do not care. They have a hard enough job to do, working 12 on and 12 off. JUST GIVE THEM TIME, and it will get done. Oh -- and people do park on the street here as well, often on both sides of the street, again making it harder to get a plow thought. So quit your belly aching, and get a life. It usually takes several days to get everything moped out and cleaned up, if your street is not cleared by Thursday, then you can get upset.

Anonymous said...

Reaching For Tomorrow was the biggest joke I have ever seen a bunch of people who wanted to think they were really important. They would get up at all the BOA meetings and try to push their stupis ideas on us. They didn't have a clue about what they were doing.

Anonymous said...

Kudos to our Public Works Department,I know they are working as hard as they can to clear the streets. I hae not seen a plow on my street yet but I know they Mayor's cul-de-sac has been plowed a couple of times. Something is wrong with that picture.

Anonymous said...

Raytown has never done as good a job as other cities at plowing snow. One reason is they don't pay their employees enough, so they are constantly training new employees. I also find the comment about not having enough trucks interesting. If this is true then who's fault is that? Yes, it starts with the "DO NOTHING ALDERMEN" and goes on down to Mr. Wonderful, that city administrator that got the $30,000 raise that dosen't even have the decency to live here. Vote these bunch of clowns out in April and maybe we can get something done.

Anonymous said...

6:12 PM, Another reason for the CA to live in Raytown!

8:50 PM, We are totally in agreement! Raytown public works people are dedicated and work long, hard hours with little pay. I appreciate their work! From what I heard this was a really big storm. I-40 east of Albuquerque was closed for 2 days at the request of the State of Texas becaused Texas couldn't clear
I-40. During a storm such as this only so much can be humanally accomplished.

Andy Whiteman

PS The miserably weather conditions are the main reason I left Raytown.

Anonymous said...

If cars are on the street in this mess and Bower has said we have such professionals then why is the police not ticketing and towing like in KCMO.

Maybe because KCMO makes their people live in the city and they would then know the mess that is created by those who park on the streets.

Maybe it is just another sign it is time we appoint our chief of police!

Anonymous said...

There is something the City Council should really consider before they decide to tie themselves any closer to Walmart. I watch most of the meetings at home on television. I have yet to see one meeting where people have come up and said, "this is a great idea. Bring more Walmart magic to Raytown.

I hope I am wrong, but the Board seems to clinging to some sort of notion that they are part of an elite club that knows better.

I have watched them vote a $30,000 raise for their out of town city administrator, adopt a policy of hiring only out of towners as their department heads and now I see they are setting the stage to close down the recycling program.

The most amazing thing I see is what looks like a loyalty to David Bower that is hard to understand.

Any one of them the disagrees publicly with the Mayor pays a price. The rule seems to be follow my script or else.

If I were on the Board I would give serious thought to placing distance between me and the bad decisions of the past.

Pat Casady said...

OK, so most of you don't want a new
grocery store in "Green Space."
I personally would like to see it happen.
I think the few businesses left in the
downtown area would prosper from the traffic.
I know this city would make a lot of tax income
from a new store....that is if no T.I.F's and
or tax breaks were given.
All of you that don't want this to happen. All
of you that have complained on this blog and at
City Hall, haven't come up with a better idea.
I just learned that this developer will probably
NOT be buying my property but, I will still welcome
the new traffic. I know for a fact the Raytown
Plaza will welcome it too.
I haven't heard one good reason for this store not
to happen other than the possible tax breaks and I agree
with that reason. GROCERY stores Don't bring the kind of
crime with them that a full blown Wal-Mart brings with it.
No matter if the new store sells donuts, I will still
shop at Doughboy's for my donuts.
This is how stupid people get about this, the other day
one of the guys putting in the new water lines in the downtown
area was confronted by a man that told him "If he was
going to dig a footing for a new Wal-Mart it would be the
last footing he ever digs."
I wonder what fired this guy up?
I guess we all know the answer to that one.

Anonymous said...

Any business in the so called Green Space would be an improvement to Raytown as long as it is funded entirely by the business with venture capitol and NOT via a TIF.

8:51PM, I believe vehicles may be ticketed and towed ONLY if the park on snow routes or no parking zones. Anyone who leaves their car on the street during a snow emergency is a complete idiot.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

as stated at the BOA - the tax-payers of Raytown has paid numerous high paid consultants to develope a plan for downtown Raytown. To my knowledge none of them identifed a 40k sq ft box store as being the best option.

Raytown Goverment and staff are not looking for alternatives to the big box store.

The question is why?

Why does Wal-Mart want to grocery store within 2.2 miles for the 40hwy store and 2.6 from the Raytown Store???

Do you think the Rock Island line may be in play? Raytown has been identified as a HUB stop.

Do you think the RFP for 63rd street improvements are a factor?
Do you think the LED street lighting in downtown are a factor

Have they committed keeping the 350 store open? Have they committed 90 new full-time (with benefit) employees for the grovery store? What hours will the store be open?

Do you think America has just had enough of Wal-Mart????

Do you think Raytown tax-payers does not trust the elected officials to do what is best for Raytown?

Yes we would all like a solid business that generates taxes to become a part of our community. However we have already paid enough for all the slight of hand that is common pratice within Raytown Goverment.

I hope a candidates Q&A is scheduled before the election. as long as this project goes thru "normal process" the time line indicates a new BOA will vote on the future of the Raytown green space.

Anonymous said...

Here is a good link to a supporting opinion on Wal Mart and local economies.

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2405-real-cost-walmart.html

Marjain Breitenbach said...

The benefits of a walmart at best would be a transfer of revenue and jobs from other businesses in town. I have already heard the mention of using tax breaks, But that is probably just a rumour like the last one.

Anonymous said...

I vowed to never, ever post on this blog ever again but I felt compelled to do so anyway.

Do you want to see something interesting? Look at the southwest corner of 67th and Raytown Road. What is there? a vacant parking lot and pad site. Does anyone know what used to be there some 30 to 40 years ago? A Dunkin Donuts Store. Gee, this is like the predecessor of the Wal Mart thing. Lets build it, let it get run down, close it up, let it become run down, tear it down.

Wal Mart is far more harmful to this town than some may believe. People fall for this "Lets run up and get something cheap from Wal Mart" only to find out later that it was cheap, poorly made, usually from inferior materials, sometimes from harmful products or chemicals... usually imported from some 3rd world country or China sweatshop using child or slave labor..... instead of buying made in USA products from a local Mom and Pop store....

I think that we have seen what Wal Mart can and has done to this and other communities. This is not the same Wal Mart that Sam Walton created... this is instead a corporate monster that has the ultimate goal of monopolizing no matter what the cost or collateral damage might be. We certainly do not need another Wal Mart within the city limits of Raytown. We have the one on 350 Hiway, and the one at the old Blue Ridge Mall area, basically we are over saturated with Wal Marts here. I understand this is supposed to be different, a neighborhood market. Okay, then if we really need a neighborhood market, why didnt Thriftway in Raytown Plaza, United Super or IGA at Center 63, United Super at 51st and Blue Ridge continue to thrive and operate? We still have The Store, two Apple Markets, a HyVee, a Price Chopper, and I believe a Cosentinos Thriftway by the old Blue Ridge Tower at 43rd and Blue Ridge..... it could be argued why do we need another grocery store in Raytown? Raytown is over saturated with grocery stores anyway, and it is proven that it cannot support more stores in this area over time, historically speaking. Leave the green space alone, redevelopment will happen, as it is in the downtown district right now, without Wal Mart.

Anonymous said...

I heard something on KMBZ 980/98.1 this afternoon that made me a little upset and amazed. It appears that some of our "residents" are actually flipping off and throwing snow shovels at the ones who are plowing the streets. Hey -- guess what the snow has to go somewhere, and unless you want to pay even more taxes for them to get out and shovel out your driveway for you,

There is a simple way they plow the streets. Major streets like Blue Ridge, Raytown Rd, 63rd St, get done first. Then primary and collectors get done next, and then residential. Here is a map of snow removal -- http://www.raytown.mo.us/vertical/sites/%7B418C71C3-E397-4C87-B464-C498EC8900F9%7D/uploads/%7B3743AE29-E10A-498D-A48F-50610B222969%7D.PDF

There is a lot of lane miles out there, and it simply just takes time. There is also a way to keep snow out of your driveway -- http://www.modot.org/road_conditions/keepdrivewayclear.htm. This does work, although it does take a little work and is best for those who do not have curb and gutter.

Anonymous said...

I've talked to a lot of my friends about the Downtown Walmart. Most of them are against it. They are not against development downtown. They re against Walmart downtown.

Can't say that I blame them. Another 24 hour grocery store in a town already serviced by six grocery stores seems a little much.

24 hour stores cause a lot of trouble. They become hangouts for people who cause trouble at night.

That's why they close down the quick trip at 63rd and Blue Ridge every night.

When it was a 24 hour operation the police were constantly being called there.

By closing at night it the ones who want to cruise all night and cause trouble went away.

Anonymous said...

I hear Randy Battagler is telling some tall tales in his weekly rag. Trying to ignore the wishes of so many people is a mistake. Makes as much sense a spitting it the wind. All you get for the effort is wet.

Elisa Breitenbach said...

Randy Battagler reported that there were about 30 residents who attended the Raytown Board of Aldermen meeting on Feb. 19th to express their displeasure with the Aldermen for selling the "Green Space" property to Walmart. The problem with that story is Ed Clark (who is an local accountant here in Raytown) counted 90 different people who attended the meeting that night. Ed did not count any of the city officials in the front or back of the room. Bob Phillips may not have the slightest idea why this has raised such a "hub-bub" about a Walmart grocery store, but then again he doesnt even live in Raytown! Raytowners are not as naive as Randy Battagler thinks. As an owner of an official newspaper, Randy knows it is unethical to write falsehoods and publish them. Many people who read his paper know the truth. Randy is making himself look unprofessional, and frankly very ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

Elisa, What is an "official" newspaper? I never heard of that classification. I have heard of "legal" newspapers which have a 2nd class mailing permit from the USPS. There is a certain paid circulation requirement to get the permit. There is also a a classification of "in general circulation in the county." To my knowledge, Randy has not achieved either of these categories.

I class the Raytown Times as a weekly advertising paper with editorial comment. As for circulation, either you pay to have it mailed to you or you must pick it up yourself. I don't consider this to be general circulation.

Andy Whiteman

Unknown said...

Andy Whiteman:
The Raytwons Times must be a legal newspaper because the Jackson County Board of Election Commissioners advertises the OFFICIAL Election Ballot in this paper. If its not legal, under Missouri statutes, then somebody is engaged in FRAUD. Please notify the Jackson County Prosecutor.

Anonymous said...

Marjain Breitenbach: There is much happening in Jackson County and esoecially Raytown government that is NOT legal; therefore, I can't agree with your assumption.

Do you actually think the Jackson County Prosecuter would prosecute wrongdoings of elected offficials?

Andy Whiteman