Heard on the Street

Since I am on the City Council – I sometimes am privileged to hear information about future plans for our city before they are publicly known. But it is also true that often times I am the last person on the Council to find out those plans. Sometimes, I also receive information from sources outside of city hall. Some of those sources have a very good track record of being right. I don’t know who gives them their information – and I am most certainly not going divulge who they are – but I will share with you the following that was “Heard on the Street”. Charter . . . Anyone?!? Apparently, some individuals have been discreetly making inquiries about the possibility of another run at passing a Charter in Raytown. For those who are keeping count, this will make the fifth such effort since the city was incorporated. Some say that the last Charter election was so divisive, that it is too soon to try another. I am not so sure. A lot of the bad actors, Sue Frank in particular, has since departed her position of power. She was the impetus behind efforts to manipulate the ballot, keep the charter off the ballot, and subsequent lawsuits and other nasty actions (like stealing charter books from the library) that drug the whole election into the toilet. With her gone from the scene, it may create a better atmosphere. It would probably be a good idea for those who are making the inquiries to go public. After all, we don’t want the impression of people sneaking around to get an advantage in an election, do we? Bond Issue to Fund Downtown Redevelopment? This “heard on the street” is a lot more ambiguous than the Charter one. But, apparently some are talking about creating a bond issue to jump-start Downtown Raytown Redevelopment. Details are scarce. But this much is certain. IF such a bond package were crafted for Downtown Redevelopment purposes it would undoubtedly require a tax increase. Given the fact that the city is already on the hook for 23 years of a guaranteed tax increase and funding for the walmart gods on 350 Highway, I see it has a hard sell at best. Crisis, What Crisis? There is some fancy footwork going on at City Hall these days. The financial statements are looking pretty gloomy and, true to the course of past City Councils, the street overlay has been gutted to make up some of the shortfall. City officials are quick to point out that the money from street overlay is being used to pay off bonds used for street overlay -- leaving very little behind for the 2008 budget. Raytown voters recently voted to extend a sales tax for transportation purposes that was earmarked specifically for street overlay. It is true that the street overlay tax dollars are being used to payoff street overlay debt. But I wonder how many voters would have voted "yes" had the known that the street overlay would be nearly eliminated from the 2008 budget. Where is Garth Bare? One of the contributors to this blog has asked where is Garth Bare? For those who are unaware of who Garth Bare is (yes, he is still alive) – Garth was the co-editor of the Raytown Reporter. The Raytown Reporter has since been replaced by the Raytown Report – which you are now reading. As for Garth – I had not spoken to him for a while. So, I gave him a call. He is doing well. He is making plans to go to the City by the Bay, but not San Francisco. Instead, he is going to Oakland, California – which, Garth told me, “is a much nicer place than San Francisco.”

Random Thoughts

New City Logo: It appears that many people are very unimpressed with the proposed city logo. I happen to be one of them. The proposed logo is bland – it has a cookie cutter look to that would fit ANY area city. But what I find most disturbing is the political overtone of the “Reaching for Tomorrow” language affixed at the bottom. Like it or not, the simple fact is that “reaching for tomorrow” is synonymous with a political faction in Raytown. That is the truth. And any thinking person who votes in Raytown is well aware of it. It would be the same as if Lee’s Summit created a logo that with at tag line that read, “Lee’s Summit . . . a Republican stronghold east of Kansas City. Or, if Wyandotte County in Kansas had one that read, Wyandotte County . . . the most Democratic County in Kansas. City logos should speak for all the community – not just to those of a political club or faction. How about a contest? I’ve received calls this past week from individuals within the community who believe that Raytown should conduct a contest of local artists to design a logo that reflects the heritage of the Raytown area. It is not a bad idea. The large mural at the back of the Raytown City Council Chambers is the result of just such a contest. The mural depicts Raytown’s past and present. Hundreds of local artists vied for the honor of creating the work of art. Local historians tell me that a non-partisan commission chose the winner of the contest. The mural can be viewed anytime city hall is open. I’ve also heard it said that it may be too late to conduct such a contest – because so much time and effort has already been spent on the “new” design. Time spent does not especially mean that we must accept the result. The new design will be another straw on the camel’s back that would further divide our community. There is room for compromise here. But compromise is not defined as a political faction flexing its muscle on the City Council. Other area cities have been down this road before. We should learn from their mistakes. Years ago the City of Kansas City, Missouri dumped their logo for a design that looked like four paper clips stacked on top of each other. The public reaction was so negative that the design was scrapped in less than two years. The current design was created by an ad agency that ballyhooed the number of fountains in K.C. being greater than that of Rome or Paris. Hence, the tag line, the city of fountains. Last year an article in the Kansas City Star exposed the claim was bogus. But the lesson learned is that simply adopting a poorly designed logo (such as the paper clips) was not and is not a wise move. Trying to create an image that does not fit is also a bad idea. Some marketing analyst at an ad agency probably thought the “city of fountains” tag line was clever. It was also untrue. The end result is a logo that does not fit the city it represents. Ultimately the effect was just the opposite, by leaving the city open to ridicule. The Raytown area is rich with history and people who want the City of Raytown to succeed. Many want to help in that endeavor. Open the creation of a new logo up to the citizenry – give the people of Raytown a chance to prove themselves. Hold a contest to learn what the people of Raytown have in mind for a city logo. The City Council is scheduled to vote on this item at its next meeting, Tuesday, August 21st at Raytown City Hall (meeting begins at 7:00 p.m.). The meeting is open to the public. Any interested Raytowner may address the City Council at a time set aside for public comments at the beginning of the meeting.

The Little Guy with the Hammer

The Mayor and five members of the Raytown Board of Aldermen (Schlapia, Hamilton, Riehle, Creamer, Ertz) have sponsored a bill to replace the city’s logo with a new design. Most people will not get too excited about that event one way or another. But the way they are going about it – and what they have designed to replace the black smith pounding an anvil with his hammer leaves a lot to be desired. To be fair, the readers should know that I am partial on this debate. I like the little guy with the hammer logo. It speaks to a small part of history in Raytown that harkens back to the days of the Santa Fe Trail and a blacksmith shop owned by a man named William Ray. The location of that shop is commemorated by a plaque located at 63rd Street and Old Raytown Road, the geographic center of what is now Downtown Raytown. It is also at the center of the city when it was first incorporated. (Raytown annexed additional land in later years to reach its current size) True, the logo is old fashioned and it could use some updating. But what the sponsors of the bill have endorsed is a step in the wrong direction. The new design looks dated. It is typical of artwork done in the 1990’s that followed the corporate lead of the Nike swoosh developed to sell tennis shoes. It does not address anything about Raytown. The new design is as bland as white toast and sends a negative message. It literally screams that Raytown is ashamed of what it is by ignoring the area’s rich history. Raytown is so much more than a suburb of strip malls. We should brag about our past, not hide it. The Raytown area is rich with history. The Santa Fe Trail ran like a spider web through present day Raytown. The area also played an integral part in our nation’s civil war. The Battle of Westport, which was the high water mark for the southern forces in Missouri, was literally fought on Raytown’s western boundary. The hilly area just east of Raytown was used as a base by rebel bushwhackers. In fact, four unmarked gravesites of rebel irregulars have been found on property just east of Raytown. Between these two forces of north and south, people lived in present day Raytown. In an effort to repel outlawed rebel sympathizers an executive order was issued by a Union general empowering forces under him to seize property owned by Raytown area residents. Soldiers forcefully removed the property owners from their land. Private cemeteries in the area date back to those historic times. The people of Raytown deserve a logo that welds the past to the present. What has been offered looks more like something to be used as a corporate symbol devoid any heart or soul without any connection to our community.

Follow the Money!

The Missouri Ethics Commission Website has some interesting reading for those who follow the intrigues of those who dominate the Raytown political scene. Most recently, Raytown’s most powerful political club, Continue Raytown’s Progress, was fined by the Missouri Ethics Commission for not filing its financial statements on time. On closer examination, timely filing of reports is not the only problem on Continue Raytown's Progress plate. Here is a short run-down recent reports filed by former Mayor Sue Frank's political club: QUARTERLY REPORT – January 7, 2007: Twenty-two cents of income and $150 expenses paid to Belt Financial Services for bookkeeping. 8 DAY BEFORE ELECTION REPORT: $1, 715.00 income. ($250.00 from Dick Smith Ford and $300 each from three employees of Bartlett and West plus a smattering of smaller donors. Bartlett and West is the engineering firm that the city used in its multi-million dollar sanitary sewer improvement project currently going on in Raytown. QUARTERLY REPORT – April 15, 2007: This is the quarterly report that was filed late on April 26, 2007. The Ethics Commission fined Continue Raytown’s Progress for the late report. The report listed $250.05 income for the period - $50 from William Esrey and $200 from former Mayor Sue Frank’s mother, Bessie Frank. Claudette Price becomes the new Treasurer. This leads to speculation as to who really holds the check book in the group. The balance on hand at this report is $2,311.48. QUARTERLY REPORT – July 15, 2007: Expenses mount to $2,055.37. The breakdown on the expenses is interesting. $1,605.37 is paid to former Mayor Sue Frank for reimbursement of supplies. There is no breakdown of supplies in the report. Even though Belt Financial is not serving as the Treasurer, $350.00 is paid to the firm for additional bookkeeping. $100.00 is paid to the Missouri Ethics Commission. The fine was levied against the club for late filing of the April 15th Report. FOLLOW THE MONEY . . . Politics is a cash business. By that we mean that vendors expect to be paid up front for their work in supplying candidates with the tools of the trade. The yard signs, brochures, and other campaign paraphernalia usually taps dry most campaigns by election day. Not so with Continue Raytown’s Progress. Debts are being paid with little documentation three months after the campaign is over. The contributions from Bartlett and West employees, fines from the Missouri Ethics Commission and the “reimbursement” of the former Mayor in the four-digit range for unspecified supplies should be read as a warning to voters in the future. Questionable campaign finance tactics are not new in Missouri. That is why the Missouri Ethics Commission was established. The Missouri Supreme Court has placed a lid on campaign contributions recently. If the games being played by Continue Raytown’s Progress is any indication, it is a sign that we need even tougher ethics laws in Missouri when it comes to local politics.