Sunday, December 7, 2014

RAYTOWN'S LEADING NEWS SOURCE

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BREAKING NEWS
Ward Four Alderman to Run for Mayor

Ward Four Alderman Pat Ertz announced his intention to run for mayor today. He is the second candidate to announce he will run for the office of Mayor. Michael McDonough announced over one month ago his intention to run for Mayor.

The incumbent Mayor, David Bower, has announced he will not seek a third term.

Mr. Ertz said he will publish a press release later this week officially announcing his candidacy. 



Paul’s Rant  BY PAUL LIVIUS
Ward 5 Alderman Steve Mock did something interesting last week. He publicly criticized cost of over-runs of a sanitary sewer project in his Ward.
He was right to do so.

What is unfortunate is that none of his fellow seatmates joined him in his complaint.

How much of an over-run? According to the report, a 4% over-run was experienced on the project.

Talk about a classic case of percentages being used to gloss over reality. In this case the reality was $130,738.50.

To put that number into perspective consider this . . .  it is more money than was budgeted for street overlay improvements in residential neighborhoods. Why, it is almost as much as City Administrator Mahesh Sharma takes home with him to Raymore each year!

Alderman Mock is correct to criticize the over-runs. And quite frankly, he did not mince words about it. He makes his living in the construction business and knows the importance of completing projects on time and on budget.

The story told by the numbers in this week’s Paul Livius Report pretty much tells it all. Check out the highlighted section of my report to see what 4% measures up to in real dollars and cents.
Good job, Mr. Mock. It is refreshing to know that one of our Aldermen is willing to stand up and speak out!



BY GREG WALTERS
Making a Difference: To read the comments on the blog portion of the Raytown Report one would think the air is rife with a call for change in Raytown.

Recent developments at Raytown City Hall suggest the thought would be accurate.The most telling development came last week when Mayor David Bower announced he would not seek a third term as Mayor.

It is a decision the Mayor did not dwell upon, instead he focused on his version of accomplishments in the eight years he served as Mayor.

The most important part of his press release was contained in the first paragraph when he wrote he would not run.Yet to be seen is whether or not the open seat attracts more candidates.

It will also be interesting to see if the open seat at the top attracts more candidates for the Board of Aldermen.

Of the five incumbent aldermen running, three of them are getting long in the tooth. Translated that means they have been there a very long time (collectively over 100 years!). Those three are Aziere, Melson and Ertz. Controversial Ward 1 incumbent Joe Creamer, is known to have lived outside of the ward he represents for over one year. Incumbent Michael Lightfoot is finishing his second term as Alderman in Ward 5.

A recent blogger wrote asking when filing opens and closes at City Hall. Another writer replied giving direction where to go to at City Hall to find out the information. For those who are wondering, the answer is the City Clerk’s office.

Here is something you will not see in the other news sources in Raytown. Many of who have taken the posture of “Oh! Is there an election next April?” 

Yes there is and Raytown is ripe for political change.

So if you feel, as I do, that Raytown City Hall has lost its sense of direction. If you feel the city’s economic development plans are over-shadowing the needs of our neighborhoods, our public safety, and our quality of life. Then read the following information and consider how you can step up to make Raytown a better place.
FILING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE IN RAYTOWN OPENS ON DECEMBER 16TH AND CLOSES ON JANUARY 20TH.
REQUIREMENTS: You must be a registered voter, a resident of the Ward or City in which you live and have all of taxes and fees (such as sewer bills, dog licenses, etc.)  paid in full to run for office in Raytown. The elections are non-partisan, so political parties really do not play into the campaigns in Raytown.

Here are the salaries and other benefits for elected officials in Raytown:
MAYOR:
Salary: $1,000.00 per month
Car Allowance: $250 per month
Health Insurance: Eligible to participate in city health
insurance plan
BOARD OF ALDERMEN:
Salary:  $400.00 per month
Car Allowance: $50.00 per month
Health Insurance: Eligible to participate in city health
insurance plan
CITY COLLECTOR:
Salary: $100.00 per month
Eligible to participate in city health insurance

Filing for office in Raytown opens in early January and closes in early February. For more information contact the City Clerk Teresa Henry at Raytown City Hall. Her telephone number is 737-6004. Her email address is thenry@raytown.mo.us
 

The Paul Livius Report BY PAUL LIVIUS
Raytown Board of Aldermen Meeting
December 2, 2014
Jim Melvin, Interim Public Works Director, gave the Board the update on the City’s winter weather plan.  To view the map for street clearing, please go to page 9 at


The Board reappointed Pat Jackson to the Jackson County Board of Equalization to represent the city.

The Board passed resolution to accept a community grant from Wal-Mart in the amount of $500.00 to further the city’s community education programs through the Emergency Medical Services Department.  Doug Jonesi told the Board the Department of Emergency Medical Services, along with the entire EMS industry views the education of the general public as a critical component to their mission.
The American Heart Association views community-based CPR programs as a vital link in the “chain of survival” for those patients suffering heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac arrest.  Education and training are an integral part of the mission.  Community programs such as CPR and AED initiatives as well as the advocacy Raytown EMS has shown in the area of protecting children while riding in automobiles have been proven to save lives.

The Board passed resolution to accept a community grant from Truman Heartland Community Foundation in the amount of $2,500.00 to further the city’s Community education programs through the emergency medical services.  Doug Jonesi said Raytown’s Department of Emergency Medical Services has become well known in the Kansas City area for our Child Safety Seat program.  Parents and caregivers have become familiar with the round-the-clock availability, the skills, and the professionalism of the certified Child Safety Seat technicians at Raytown EMS.  The certified Child Safety Seat technicians of Raytown EMS are passionate about community outreach and education of parents and caregivers regarding the safe transportation of infants and children as well as other safety issues, such as safe sleeping practices.  Raytown EMS is also focused on going beyond mandated requirements for transporting infant and children patients in the safest manner possible.

The Board passed resolution to change our authorized representative for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources State Revolving Fund from Tom Cole to Martha Mundt Smartt.

The Board passed resolution to appoint Director of Finance Martha Mundt Smartt as the representative on the Raytown 350 Community Improvement District Board of Directors. The Raytown 350 CID is governed by a five (5) member Board of Directors consisting of three members who represent the Developer, one member who represents the School District and one member who represents the City. The Developer is currently represented by David Block, Becky Goodman and Reuben Pate. The School District is

currently represented by Brad Blevins. Director of Finance Martha Mundt Smartt is recommended as the City representative due to her knowledge of the tax increment financing procedures in the State of Missouri and the financial implications of the Raytown 350 CID connected to the Raytown Live 350 TIF District.  The members of the Board of Directors are nominated from a slate of officers submitted to the District and subsequently appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Board of Aldermen.  The CID Board has requested that the City submit the name of a City representative for approval.  To be qualified to serve on the Board of Directors the person must be at least 18 years of age and be either:

·         an owner of real property within the District,

·         an owner of a business operating within the District, or

·         a registered voter residing in the District.

The City owns the strip of land between Westlake Hardware and the Wal-Mart property, thus continues to meet the necessary qualifications for designation of a representative from the City to serve on the Board of Directors.

The Board passed resolution approving the White Oak West Line A sanitary sewer project Change Order #3-Final with Linaweaver Construction, Inc. for an increase of $64,698.00, acceptance of the work performed under the contract, and authorization of final payment under the contract.  This change order #3-Final will modify 5 existing line items to bring them up to field measured amounts, and add 4 line items for extra work needed to repair existing facilities within the project limits of the White Oak West Line A sanitary sewer project. The original contract amount was $3,091,952.00, Change Order #1 added an additional $12,910.00, and Change Order #2 added an additional $53,130.50. This Change Order #3-Final will add an additional $64,698.00, and this will make the final contract amount $3,222,690.50. The three change orders combined represent a 4.2% increase over the original contract price.

-- Existing line item 6 (Full Width 2" Cold Mill) overran to perform more milling on the east and west ends of the project to pave further each direction to get to better pavement to match with the new overlay. The side streets were also milled a little further to the north and south to get to a better stopping spot.

-- Existing line item 8 (Concrete Curb) overran by 840 feet. We added 815 feet to extend the new curb & gutter on the east & west ends of the project to get to better existing curbing to match with the new overlay. The side streets were also curbed a little further to the north and south to get to a better stopping spot. We added 25 feet of curbing that removed & replaced a section of curbing for a new inlet that was added (new line item #42).

-- Existing line item 9 (Concrete Driveway Rem/Rep) underran by 150.06 square yards. This will make the final quantity paid equal to the final measured amount.

-- Existing line item 11 (Concrete Sidewalk ADA Ramp) underran by 1 each. Only 14 ADA ramps were constructed instead of the plan quantity of 15. This will make the final quantity paid equal to the final measured amount.

-- Existing line item 31 (Pavement Striping) overran by $10,263. This was for additional bike

lane 4" striping, bike lane symbols, 12" crosswalks, 24" stop bars, and yield triangles. City staff walked the project with the contractor to determine the exact location and quantity of each that were necessary. This will make the final quantity paid equal to the final measured amount.

-- New line item 41 (Additional Pavement Demo) was needed to remove more of the south side of 83rd Street at 5 locations to get a better slope from the middle of the road to the new curb and gutter along the south side. The plans laid out the curbing much too low.

-- New line item 42 (Add. Grate Inlet at 9051 E. 83rd St) was added to help collect runoff at a low point of the curb and gutter.

-- New line item 43 (Reconstruct Curbs/Drive to match new road between Kentucky & Hunter)

The curb and gutter that was constructed per plan was much too low and had to be removed and replaced at a better elevation to match the existing street.

-- New line item 44 (Reconstruct Curbs/Drive to match new road between 9417 and 9513 E. 83rd Street).The curb and gutter that was constructed per plan was much too low and had to be removed and replaced at a better elevation to match the existing street.

Alderman Mock said there was a traffic cone at 83rd and Elm that had been there for several weeks.  He asked if he should pick it up and take it to city hall.  He also said he was tired of all the over-runs.  The job is bid and the bid approved and the contract signed, then the city is told it will cost more because of some unanticipated problem.

The Board heard the first reading of an ordinance to grant a conditional use permit to operate an auto repair business on property located 8910 East Highway 350.  Jason Barton on behalf of H&H 350, LLC is seeking approval of a Conditional Use Permit application that proposes to allow tire and wheel installation and service (i.e. auto repair) in conjunction with a tire and wheel retail business. The subject property is located at 8910 Highway 350 which is on the northwest corner of the intersection of Highway 350 and Lane Avenue. The applicant is proposing to make improvements to the existing building and property, which include:

• Renovations to the existing building;

• Construction of an addition onto the front of the existing building;

• Repaving the parking lot;

• Removal of one entrance on Highway 350 and construction of new entrances;

• Removal of a portion of the shoulder on Highway 350 and construction curb and gutter;

• Construction of a sidewalk along Highway 350;

• Design of sidewalk, curb and gutter improvements along Lane Avenue and placement of construction funds in an escrow account with the City for cost share of storm drainage improvements that City will be making in the future with which the applicant’s improvements will connect;

• Installation of landscaping.



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21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish that 9:29 from two weeks ago would explain about the racist reputation that we are suppose to have in Raytown. You go around making statements and can not back them up as I said long gone are the Beeler days. Com on fess up.'

I think that the above person should put up or shut up on remarks such as he makes.

Anonymous said...

I would like to take a moment and express my disappointment when I heard that the Police department was losing more officers again. I found out through a source, which as I will remain anonymous, that the police department as lost another 3 bodies this year and due to possibly lose more. With the hiring not being able to catch up. I also was told that they are going to be leaving a few key positions which were funded by the Public Safety sales tax unfilled. The drug unit and the traffic enforcement unit are under staffed. With the drug unit going completely unmanned. This is horrible. Our tax hicks that we, the city placed to help out public safety are now not even going to fund bodies to for two programs that are essential to proactive public safety. What’s next is the police department going to start cutting detectives and maybe patrol. Seems like the taxes we voted for and the chief we voted for are not giving us our money’s worth. Now a police official wants to take over the mayor’s office. I believe we should strongly consider what we are getting ourselves into before allowing the police department to control city hall.

Pat Casady said...

I’m not sure what 9:29 was talking about but, about
forty five to fifty years ago Raytown was allegedly on the racist
side. But, like I said forty five to fifty years ago. This was
common in all cities in the US back then. Not a nice time
for everybody. However times change and so
has Raytown.
I would suggest that “Anonymous” 9:29 step out of the past.
Raytown has a variety of good people living within it’s
City lines and along with them a great Police Department.

Denise said...

6:48 - So you don't want anyone from the police department running for mayor. Are you going to run? Can you fix the problems? If not, sit down and shut up.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 425 not sure where you got your information but the City Administrator took 3 to 4 officer positions away several years ago
Officers have left but I would bet it has nothing to do with the Chief. People leave fot lots of reasons including lack of pay range and benefits. Not sure why anyone would want to be a police officer nowadays. As for the Police official taking over City Hall? That Police official is retiring according to the paper, well ahead of the election so not sure how your argument stands up.

Pat Casady said...

Anonymous 6:48.
First of all the Police Department will NOT CONTROL
City Hall. Mike McDonough is retiring from the Police
Department and with his well over thirty years living
in Raytown has seen the good and the bad about this
City and I don’t just mean the bad people. Mike has
worked with the budgeting of the Police Department
so he knows a little more than most others on how to
Handle the finance of the city and each department.
He has driven on every street in this city. That’s more than
our elected officials we have now.
By the way don’t blame the Police Department for “not
getting your money’s worth.” Your mayor and aldermen
used that money where is wasn’t supposed to go.
Safety tax was NOT supposed to go into the general fund.
Guess where it went. The street overlay tax was for our
streets. That money for a big part went to the parking lot
and the street in front of this administrations holy building,
WalMart.
The Police we are fortunate enough to have are hard working
good people. They are working twelve hour shifts.
The problem is almost any other small or
larger town pays more for starting policemen and women.
If the money wasn’t taken away our Police Department
might have had enough to raise the starting pay.
Even our veteran officers, at least most of them have
To work part time jobs to make it. They didn’t get
A thirty thousand plus dollar a year like Raytown’s CA.
It’s all in the numbers and this administration has always
been against the Police in every way.
Maybe it’s time for someone that has seen for over thirty years
the wrong way to run a city.

Anonymous said...

50 years ago the entire KC area was racist. Not just Raytown. Times have changed and so has Raytown.

Raytowners, quit this nonsense of walking around saying "we're not worthy".

You are worthy. And your city is a good place to live. Realize it and enjoy life.

Anonymous said...

Be careful when you blindly follow the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.

Anonymous said...

I truly don't believe Mike can separate himself from the police department if elected mayor. You don't work somewhere for some forty years and just walkaway without ever giving that department or its officers another thought again. We were told by the chief when he pushed for the safety sales tax they would add seven more policemen to the force. That never happened instead they have gotten lots of "NEW TOYS." Let's be honest we were lied to by the chief!!!! Just call me Gloria

Anonymous said...

Mike is blue blood. Citizens of Raytown are not. He will protect PD interests (PD pay, pension, benefits, Toys, etc.) over all other interests.

Anonymous said...

Hey Gloria and Anon 11:15,
So what "toys' do your refer to? Are you inferring that the officers are child like and need to be amused with toys? What do you know about what the officers actually do? I'm sure you know exactly doodly squat. Ever done a ride along? Probably not. Do you personally know any cops? Didn't think so. Ever been shot at? Exposed to people with infectious diseases? Have your life or the lives of your family threatened because of what you do for a living? Confronted people with weapons? Told to find people with weapons? Worked around stinking dead bodies? Didn't think so. Those officers need tools to do their jobs. The SUV's which I am sure you are referring to in part, are all weather vehicles that allow them to get in and out of places in bad weather more efficiently. In fact, these are becoming more prevalent nationally among PD's in areas that experience snow, ice, and difficult terrain. Hey, you'll be the ones calling 911 not them. Think about that. As far as protecting pay, pension and benefits Anon 11:15, if you think you can hack it step up there stud. Otherwise let those with hardier souls than yours handle the dirty and dangerous work. How about that hot shot? Neither of you have a remote idea of how our city is governed do you? I didn't think so. Mike has not only 40 years of public service but he has given selflessly to other worthwhile civic causes as well. I'm sure neither of you can say that. Here's some advice for both of you. Put up or shut up.

Pat Casady said...

I’m getting tired of people that write about others
and take cheap shots at them and don’t have the guts
to back-up what they say with their damn name.
Like “Anonymous” 6:58 and 11:15. Shame on you!
You’re the kind of people that is the problem with
this town. All bark and hide behind someone else
or under the “Anonymous” name.
You would probably vote for Pat Ertz after he has
promised NOT TO RUN for mayor more than once
and has crawfished back at least twice.
Mark my words, I have a feeling Mayor Bower will
help this man run for mayor. Even though he has been
said to, behind Bowers back dislike Bower. Ertz will
probably receive funds from Bower to help him.
Here’s another thing I will predict, Bower will be on
some board after he leaves the mayors office and will
still try to influence the new mayor if he helps them win.
You people that seem to want to bash Mike
McDonough don’t understand that he is a good man
and being a great police officer and the man he has been
for so many years out of uniform is a plus in honesty
and integrity. Can you really say that about any other
elected official after the last eight years?
If you people of Raytown elect any incumbent official,
this means you want more of the same old Raytown
politics, lies, closed door meetings and deceiving the
people.

Gene said...

I'd rather vote for Mike McDonough knowing he will help the police keep our city safe than vote for someone that is in Bower's hip pocket. Or someone that voted to bring Walmart to town. Or someone that stood by while the "Y" closed and did nothing. Or someone that voted to give a $30,000 "salary adjustment" to one employee while giving nothing to all the others. Or voted to put oil and gravel on our streets instead of asphalt.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I wonder if Ertz will campaign on the $30,000 raise he gave the City Administrator while not requiring him to move to Raytown? Maybe he will brag about the wonderful street overlay program. LOL

Anonymous said...

Wow! Someone sure does not like Pat Ertz. Does this mean Mike McDonough will take away the Amdinistrators $30k pay raise? Does it mean Mike McDonough will do away with the slurry seal program?

Your turn.

Pat Casady said...


Here’s an idea………
ASK HIM!!!

Pat Casady said...


Congratulations to Mike McDonough!
Today December 12, is his last day on the police force.
HAPPY RETIREMENT MIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Pat Ertz has no business running for mayor with the job he holds as manager of Public Water District #2. I see nothing but problems as to conflict of interests arising. If I were on the board of directors for the water district I would tell him that he needs to make a choice, either resign as manager to play in politics or come back and run the water company. By the way he is paid very well. It's public record.

Anonymous said...

3:09 PM, Isn't there also a conflict with Pay Ertz being manager of PWD#3 and serving as an Alderman? Maybe he wants to serve and to improve the city of Raytown. Anyone running for Mayor needs a good paying job since the Mayor's salary is a pittance.

Andy Whiteman
PS Having computer issues. Hope this posed only once.

Anonymous said...

I agree Andy. Some of these comments are way over the top. Why not just say that nobody can run against Mike McDoungh becuase he is such a nice guy!

Makes as much sense.

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