tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post6059141146959314563..comments2024-03-27T13:12:00.821-05:00Comments on RAYTOWN REPORT: From Luke and Dickens - Merry Christmas to All!Greg Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02133276387013984873noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-30175776247627826822008-12-29T11:28:00.000-06:002008-12-29T11:28:00.000-06:00Sorry, I meant District 1. I have difficulty reme...Sorry, I meant District 1. I have difficulty remembering names. Maybe they should use an easy to remember name such as "Raytown Water District"<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-24812559415909598572008-12-29T04:00:00.000-06:002008-12-29T04:00:00.000-06:00District #1 ??? What is that? There is Raytown Wat...District #1 ??? What is that? There is Raytown Water Company which is a family owned company, and then there is Jackson County Public Water Supply District #2, which has a board of directors. What is this District #1 that you talk about???Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-16387768253593118412008-12-28T20:47:00.000-06:002008-12-28T20:47:00.000-06:00Anon 4:15 PM, The BOA is paid next to nothing con...Anon 4:15 PM, The BOA is paid next to nothing considering the amount of time required. You may think it is only 2 meetings a month, but here are committees, research required, and listening to citizen complaints to name a few. One blogger wrote that the pay is only about $450 per month. I have no clue on what Water District #1 pays its directors.<BR/><BR/>How can you say it is double dipping? These are too different governmental bodies with seperate payrolls. Raytown is lucky to have Mr. Ertz service. Not only that, he has a full time job. Following your logic this is triple dipping and no person should be allowed to work more than one job since many of our city employees work 2 jobs since the city doesn't pay a living wage except to upper management.<BR/><BR/>When I was on the fire board in Colorado, none of us was paid, not even the firefighters and EMTs. Actually we received 25 cents per responce which might reach between $0.25 up to $20 per year!<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-86545416833640340832008-12-28T16:15:00.000-06:002008-12-28T16:15:00.000-06:00Check out what Public Water District #2 is chargin...Check out what Public Water District #2 is charging you. It is outrageous. Then when you go in to pay your bill they are all gone for the holidays. Their needs to be some investigation into who is running this place and how we can change some board members. I see a lot of waste and why is Mr. Ertz allowed to work for two different governmental bodies? Works for the city and district #2, sounds like double dipping to me. This place probably needs a state audit too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-16403241320648977902008-12-28T16:14:00.000-06:002008-12-28T16:14:00.000-06:00good god i was just wishing you all a merry christ...good god i was just wishing you all a merry christmas...here we go with the sacred cow stuff again...grow up <BR/>and i see you cant sign your name.. <BR/><BR/>doc summersAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-15588488786929461512008-12-27T22:01:00.000-06:002008-12-27T22:01:00.000-06:00Has anyone checked their Raytown Water Company bil...Has anyone checked their Raytown Water Company bill today? Mine was estimated due to cold weather and snow. I don't blame them for doing estimating, but I sure wonder how they estimate? They estimated what I would use in the summer which is twice my winter usage.<BR/><BR/>My concern is that since sewer bills are based on winter usage, if the city thinks I use 2100 gallons of water in December, my sewer bill is going up! You all might want to watch that. This may be a windfall for the city.<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-55049469588482642862008-12-27T16:16:00.000-06:002008-12-27T16:16:00.000-06:00No doubt we would be lost without their unselfish ...No doubt we would be lost without their unselfish desire to serve their fellow man in these difficult times.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-79540624442067412892008-12-27T16:15:00.000-06:002008-12-27T16:15:00.000-06:00Yes, Yes, YES!!!Thank heaven that Doc and his frie...Yes, Yes, YES!!!<BR/><BR/>Thank heaven that Doc and his friends are there keeping the streets safe for our wives and children.<BR/><BR/>Oh what would we do with out them?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-43578176094890338742008-12-25T15:38:00.000-06:002008-12-25T15:38:00.000-06:00TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,HE LIVED ALL ALONE...<B>TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,</B><BR/>HE LIVED ALL ALONE,<BR/>IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF<BR/>PLASTER AND STONE.<BR/><BR/>I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY<BR/>WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,<BR/>AND TO SEE JUST WHO<BR/>IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.<BR/><BR/>I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,<BR/>A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,<BR/>NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,<BR/>NOT EVEN A TREE.<BR/><BR/>NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,<BR/>JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,<BR/>ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES<BR/>OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.<BR/><BR/>WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,<BR/>AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,<BR/>A SOBER THOUGHT<BR/>CAME THROUGH MY MIND.<BR/><BR/>FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,<BR/>IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,<BR/>I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,<BR/>ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.<BR/><BR/>THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,<BR/>SILENT, ALONE,<BR/>CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR<BR/>IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.<BR/><BR/>THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,<BR/>THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,<BR/>NOT HOW I PICTURED<BR/>A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.<BR/><BR/>WAS THIS THE HERO<BR/>OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?<BR/>CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,<BR/>THE FLOOR FOR A BED?<BR/><BR/>I REALIZED THE FAMILIES<BR/>THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,<BR/>OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS<BR/>WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.<BR/><BR/>SOON ROUND THE WORLD,<BR/>THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,<BR/>AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE<BR/>A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.<BR/><BR/>THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM<BR/>EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,<BR/>BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,<BR/>LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.<BR/><BR/>I COULDN'T HELP WONDER<BR/>HOW MANY LAY ALONE,<BR/>ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE<BR/>IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.<BR/><BR/>THE VERY THOUGHT<BR/>BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,<BR/>I DROPPED TO MY KNEES<BR/>AND STARTED TO CRY.<BR/><BR/>THE SOLDIER AWAKENED<BR/>AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,<BR/>'SANTA DON'T CRY,<BR/>THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;<BR/><BR/>I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,<BR/>I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,<BR/>MY LIFE IS MY GOD,<BR/>MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'<BR/><BR/>THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER<BR/>AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,<BR/>I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,<BR/>I CONTINUED TO WEEP.<BR/><BR/>I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,<BR/>SO SILENT AND STILL<BR/>AND WE BOTH SHIVERED<BR/>FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.<BR/><BR/>I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE<BR/>ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,<BR/>THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR<BR/>SO WILLING TO FIGHT.<BR/><BR/>THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,<BR/>WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,<BR/>WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,<BR/>IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'<BR/><BR/>ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,<BR/>AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.<BR/>'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,<BR/>AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'<BR/><BR/>This poem was written by a Marine.<BR/><BR/>The following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....<BR/><BR/>PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people<BR/>as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our<BR/>U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these<BR/>festivities.<BR/><BR/>Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make<BR/>people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed<BR/>themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.Andy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-21172391604884169892008-12-24T23:13:00.000-06:002008-12-24T23:13:00.000-06:00Doc, I thank you and others in the emergency servi...Doc, I thank you and others in the emergency services jobs who work 24/7 including holidays and weekends.<BR/><BR/>Merry Christmas to all.<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-80022967719261154632008-12-24T18:20:00.000-06:002008-12-24T18:20:00.000-06:00Merry Christmas to all from your Firefighters and ...Merry Christmas to all from your Firefighters and Paramedicss Local 1730...<BR/>Capt Doc Summers<BR/>Raytown Fire Rescue<BR/><BR/>and yes i will be on duty tommorrow...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-57063221235879698262008-12-24T11:02:00.000-06:002008-12-24T11:02:00.000-06:00I am glad we aren't in Chicago, but KCMO politics ...I am glad we aren't in Chicago, but KCMO politics is a close 2nd.<BR/><BR/>Maybe anyone who contributed to an elected official's campaign should not be allowed any benefits such as a TIF.<BR/><BR/>There sure have been a lot of ripoffs here with Schnucks, developers collecting $$$ but not performing, and Walmart getting a 23 year tax break!<BR/><BR/>Now, how do I get my tax break????<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-36696753411856629552008-12-24T09:29:00.000-06:002008-12-24T09:29:00.000-06:00You are right about Knabe. He will do anything to...You are right about Knabe. He will do anything to take advantage of the taxpayers of our city. Again, the "good ole boy system" is alive and well at city hall. Wonder how many of these aldermen got contributions from Mr. Knabe. I know for a fact that he was a big supporter of Mayor Bowers. Mayor Bower should live in Chicago, since he is practicing their style of politics.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-43065512169619249882008-12-24T06:25:00.000-06:002008-12-24T06:25:00.000-06:00Andy,Check again.If what I saw and heard on the te...Andy,<BR/><BR/>Check again.<BR/><BR/>If what I saw and heard on the televised meeting of the city council is correct, Gary Knabe will not pay any property taxes on his new building for the next 15 years.<BR/><BR/>Staff? Knabe doesn't have any staff. Maybe a couple of realtors. But they don't spend their time in downtown raytown.<BR/><BR/>I still don't see how their is an upside to this deal for the city or taxpayers.<BR/><BR/>The only winner is Gary Knabe.<BR/><BR/>Guess he deserves some credit for being clever enough to fool the stooges on the city council. But it does not do much for the rest of us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-49246584739433608122008-12-23T11:13:00.000-06:002008-12-23T11:13:00.000-06:00While Real Estate offices don't generate sales tax...While Real Estate offices don't generate sales taxes, they generate employment (Realtors and staff), pays property taxes, as well as finding buyers for homes and businesses so that these property taxes are paid preventing a vacant, blighted area.<BR/><BR/>But I wonder, is it possible to prevent a blighted area when our city allows blighted streets? If I had seen the streets in this condition when I bought my home, I wouldn't have bought in Raytown! Hopefully I will be able to sell my house after I move.<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-61406719507609539872008-12-23T10:26:00.000-06:002008-12-23T10:26:00.000-06:00I read the story about the three tax abatements in...I read the story about the three tax abatements in Downtown Raytown. <BR/><BR/>Two of the businesses are retail operations and will create sales taxes for the city.<BR/><BR/>But I cannot see how a real estate office creates any tax revenue for the city. There is not sales tax on the property. The sales force is generally not in the building.<BR/><BR/>It looks like the city is underwriting a Knabe scheme to make money at the taxpayers expense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-75731578056207134592008-12-23T03:59:00.000-06:002008-12-23T03:59:00.000-06:00May God Bless us everyone! Merry Christmas!May God Bless us everyone! Merry Christmas!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-4583837466000204202008-12-23T00:03:00.000-06:002008-12-23T00:03:00.000-06:00Strange things can happen with electronics, especi...Strange things can happen with electronics, especially wireless electronics. I have a wireless doorbell that sometimes will sound for no reason. Today it went off several times. I was looking outside to make sure no one was around. While I was checking, a pick-up drove by and set off the door bell. There was obviously some electronics in the truck the same frequency as my door bell.<BR/><BR/>I previously mentioned my garage door opening by itself. I asked Chief Lynch about that and he knows of no device that can do that. Obviously some stray signal is also activating my garage door. <BR/><BR/>We have a pretty good Police Force when they notice a garage door open at night. Red Dogg had to alert me to the Police presence because I am deaf in one ear and sleep on my good ear to have quiet.<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-43760107001555318982008-12-22T16:40:00.000-06:002008-12-22T16:40:00.000-06:00Regarding the car key fob story, I checked with a ...Regarding the car key fob story, I checked with a couple of my clients that are police officers and they tell me that there are no devises that they are aware of that are capable of stealing your key fob security code when it is pressed. The story sounds plausible but is apparently like many other things circulating on the internet, just not true! These officers also told me of another story going around that says if you lock your car accidently you can call home, have someone press the spare key fob next to your their cell phone while you hold yours next to the locked car and it will open. This is also an internet falsehood as it won't work! That's Greg for the Biblical and fictional Christmas stories.Merry Christmas everyone!<BR/><BR/>Tom Rigot, SrAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-83545535892513523412008-12-22T12:26:00.001-06:002008-12-22T12:26:00.001-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Andy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-23643403092869319212008-12-22T12:26:00.000-06:002008-12-22T12:26:00.000-06:00I became suspicious when I received an email about...I became suspicious when I received an email about car security cloning so I checked Truth or Fiction. This is fiction but it seems to me that the technology is possible similiar to cell phones being cloned. Check:<BR/><BR/><B>http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/c/carlock.htm</B><BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-64525862301944422062008-12-22T11:12:00.000-06:002008-12-22T11:12:00.000-06:00Thanks for the warning. It is probably something ...Thanks for the warning. It is probably something like cell phones being cloned.<BR/><BR/>2 Police officers got me up at 5AM one night because my garage door was open. At the time I thought that may be because I didn't watch it close and the safety mechanism opened it. I have had spider wenbs or leaves cause it to re-open because they were in the safety beam. I started watching it close completely each time. I watched it close completely one afternoon then when I went out several hours later it was open. Makes me wonder if someone has a device to open garage doors or maybe a random radio signal is opening it? My opener is a newer model that resets to an unique code for each opener I add to the system.<BR/><BR/>So everyone, please watch your garage door close completely each time.<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-4918542403186736192008-12-22T09:05:00.000-06:002008-12-22T09:05:00.000-06:00Received this from a regular contributor to the bl...Received this from a regular contributor to the blog. Very interesting.<BR/><BR/>Anyone else have any comment on it?<BR/><BR/>Ever heard this before? <BR/>(snopes approved)<BR/> <BR/>I locked my car --- as I walked away I heard my car door unlock I went back and locked my car again three times. I looked around and there were two guys sitting in a car in the fire lane next to the store. When I looked straight at them they did not unlock my car again.<BR/> <BR/>How to lock your car safely.<BR/> <BR/>While traveling my son stopped at a roadside park. He came out to his car less than 4-5 minutes later and found someone had gotten into his car, and stolen his cell phone, laptop computer, GPS navigator briefcase.....you name it ... called the police and since there were no signs of his car being broken into - the police told him that there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using your key-chain locking device.. They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are going inside of the store, restaurant, or bathroom and have a few minutes to steal and run. The police officer said ...to be sure to manually lock your car door-by hitting the lock button inside the car, that way if there is someone sitting in a parking lot watching for<BR/> their next victim it will not be you. When you hit the lock button on your car upon exiting...it does not send the security code, but if you walk away and use the door lock on your key chain- it sends the code through the airwaves<BR/> where it can be stolen, something totally new to us...and real ... be aware of this and please pass this note on..look how many times we all lock our doors with our keys...just to be sure we remembered to lock them....and bingo someone have our code...and whatever was in the car...can be gone.<BR/> <BR/>Keep safe everyoneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-87877143305635122722008-12-22T08:30:00.000-06:002008-12-22T08:30:00.000-06:00If you have presents under the tree make sure you ...If you have presents under the tree make sure you lock your house each and every time you leave and if you have an alarm system don't forget to turn it on. I have seen alot of suspicious cars in my neighborhood driving around just checking things out. So plese be careful and Merry Christman to all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-67900264377803505252008-12-21T21:25:00.000-06:002008-12-21T21:25:00.000-06:00Merry Christmas to all!Merry Christmas to all!Andy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.com