I am Back
Hello everyone. As regular readers have probably guessed by now, I have been on an extended vacation for the last couple of week. As a practical matter, I do not make public announcements of when my home will be vacant for extended periods of time.
For the curious, my wife and I toured the Northeast to watch leaves change color. We also spent some time in Boston. It is a magnificent city.
While in Boston I learned to use their transportation system. For instance, we took a day trip to Salem, Massachusetts (where the infamous witch trials were held). It is about a 50 mile trip through heavily populated areas near the seacoast. To get there, we walked one block from our hotel, took the subway (with one change in trains), to the commuter rail station, and then rode the train to Salem.
Incidentally, Boston does not have light rail. But what they do have is extremely efficient, economical and a pleasant way to move about their city. The round trip cost us $8.00 in subway fares and $10.50 for the commuter rail. That is a combined total of $18.50. Sure beats taking a cab or renting a car.
Back to Business . . .
Before I left for vacation I had not received any reports from the Finance Committee about the budget they were working on. I have had discussions with our City Administrator of the need for getting back on track with regards to our street maintenance, increasing the number of streetlights, and my thoughts on how the city should best manage its assets.
From what I have read on this blog, the Finance Committee has recommended that police personnel be given free memberships to a health club. I am also very curious as to how much has been set aside for street improvements. It has been two years since the city did any serious street overlay. We have a lot of catching up to do.
I am sending the City Administrator an email to find out the particulars on these and other issues and will share them with you as soon as he replies. Of course, I will jump in with my thoughts on those and other budgetary items at that time.
On a more personal note . . .
A writer who identifies himself as “Jack” has written that I am the cause of the city’s budgetary woes.
This is precious.
I have requested of both the present and Mayor and his predecessor to place me on the Finance Committee. Neither of them did so. In fact, former Mayor Sue Frank, switched both myself and former City Councilwoman Sandy Hartwell against our wishes (Hartwell to Finance, Walters to Municipal).
As anyone reading this blog can tell you, I am not part of the majority holding the reins of power at city hall. Though I have had some success in areas, such as recycling, reversing the city’s policy on new street lights, neighborhood zoning, etc.
Jack, I don’t know who you are, but I doubt you would vote for me if I were the only name on the ballot. If you want to point fingers at who is to blame for the mess at city hall I suggest you start with your friends on the city council. They have had their way for many years – do not even think about saddling me with their record.
I agree with regular contributors like Pat Casady and “Doc” Summers. You should crawl out from under that rock where you are hiding. Make your statement. Sign your name. If it has some substance it will cast a shadow. If it does not, the light of day will make it disappear.
To my regular readers, check this page by Wednesday evening. I should have answers to your budgetary questions at that time.
In closing I believe that vacations were created to make you appreciate your home. It is good to be back!
Comments
I said on the last thread that our lives are unmanageable. Actually the city of Raytown is unmanageable! It is to big to manage efficiently but also small enough that one group has control. There is no way that Greg can be the proplem. I think he puts forth what he thinks is best for the people (except we will never agree on animals). I have seen times at the BOA when Greg was not allowed to speak or interrupted by someone with an opposing view. At the last meeting Jim Aziere was not allowed to discuss the smoking ban. I don't know if it was because of disagreement or the fact we listened to almost an hour of Mahesh reading his resume under the guise for accomplishments of last years budget. Actually it sounded like his resume. Totally irrevalent: We all know what had NOT been accomplished. The only significant input was from Jeremy Wilmoth.
I liked the way Jeremy presented the budget in an easy to understand manner. That is basically the same format that I used when I managed the budget of a fire district.
How to fix Raytown? I doubt that is possible the way 7 or 8 aldermen spend money like they can charge it and never pay it back. When I was treasurer of a fire district since we were on a cash basis, I could make a statement, "There is no money for this item," which would end the discussion unless there was a decision to start budgeting for it the next year.
The Finance Administrator should be a board member if someone with that skill is willing to donate their time. I suggest that at the next election each ward evaluate who is running for reelection and find a frugal person with common sense to be the opposition.
The logical solution is to unincorporate and let the county manage city services or be annexed. I don't know who would want to annex Raytown. KCMO is much worse especially with the conflict over the mayor's wife. As far as I know KCMO rarely repairs streets, has no snow removal in resenditial areas, and needs an almost complete replacement of their sewers since many date back to the early 1900s or before. I know knowthing about Independence and Lees Summit except Lees Summit seems to be only for rich people.
Andy Whiteman
As an example. Greg, Jeff Kniman and I all voted NO to refinancing the First Baptist Church more than 3 years ago. The rest of the BOA would not hear of that because that was what the powers that be wanted. Look where we are now more than a million dollars later and still growning with the cost of removing the building. It is your tax money are you happy now with how it is being spent?
I could list many more, enough to fill this blog, that Greg has tried to stop that have turned out to be a shameful lose to the tax payers. Greg cares about this city and how your money is spent. He wants to know that every penny is spent for the betterment of all it,s citizens. I know that sometimes he does it in a way that makes some of you mad but I'ed rather have him on my side when they are spending my tax money than not to have him.
Sandy Hartwell
You flip flop on issues. In one of your commentary you wrote censorship: never. Now you delete the comments that you don’t like.
Let’s not make statements like you should crawl out from under that rock where you are hiding. Make your statement. Sign your name.
Let’s fix it and don’t allow the anonymous to write whatever they want to write. I can write my name, which may not be real. If there is no point to give out identity then let people express whatever they want. By having anonymous post their comments on this blog makes it bogus.
I respect Pat Casady and his thoughts. Andy Whiteman is a different story. Lot of people thinks he represents a true Raytown image. The fact is he wants to get out from here. So why we care what he writes? Welcome back and fix this anonymous thing. To make my point, Yes, I am not signing it either.
Greg has never been a big picture thinker. How many time he ran for the Mayor and lost?
He throws around terms like "big picture thinker". Blames everything wrong on one Alderman and then slithers back into the hole from where he came.
His belly aching is liking blaming Obama for the Bush administrations failings!
He has been watching city politics for he last 27 years? What a coincidence! That's the same time Greg first ran for office. I guess one day he woke up and decided to track Greg's political career in Raytown.
At least Greg filed and ran for Mayor. I don't think Mr. Big Picture will. Unless, of course, they change the law and allow people to run for public office annonymously.
Go slither back under the rock from where you came.
The value of my stocks has dropped dramatically. But the dividends are still being paid.
If Obama gets into office he has said he will raise those tax rates. Does anyone know how much he plans to raise them?
until they started talking about stealing my property and putting
all of us out of business on our block a number of years ago.
That's when I started going to the City Council meetings.
That's when I found out that Greg was a friend of the people and cared what and where our tax dollars were spent.
Only one or two others were concerned about how the businesses
and people were being treated over the years and I learned to respect Greg.
In all the times I attended these meetings it was basically the right side of the room was always against anything Greg suggested. Even if it was a great idea they shut him down. Nothing has changed. Maybe a few
faces have changed but the attitudes haven't.
Frankly, I don't know why Greg still tries. I would have given up along time ago and just let them take the town down more than they have.
I'm not saying Greg is all knowing but one thing I can guarantee, the rest of them sure as Hell aren't! There isn't a one of them that should be re-elected. But I know there are people out there that think just like you do,
and then there are the rest of us just waiting for the rest of it to hit the fan so we can tell you, we told you so. But that won't help fix Raytown's problems will it?
So "Anonymous" you can blame Greg for all of Raytown's problems.
It just shows you are the one without a clue. In fact you are probably one of those others on the board. You seem to think just like them.
Yes, I want out of this State of Misery. I have been looking for a house for 6 years. I may never find one. So since I may be trapped in this State of Misery for quite awhile. Nevertheless I would like to see Raytown improve.
If a writer wants to be credible, he/she needs to sign their name. The newspapers do NOT publish unsigned letters. I can understand reasons for not signing such as being a city or school district employee. Some employers don't allow posting. (When I worked in one Post Office, a new clerk wrote a weekly article about people in the village in the county paper. She was told she could no longer write the article due to conflict of interest.)
Actually this blog is difficult to follow with the unsigned writers commenting back and forth. They seem to recognize each other but I am unable to tell it if it is the same or a different writer. It would be nice if the anonymouse writers would each pick a pseudonym. I don't know who the Salamander is, but I recognized him as an identified writer. (By the way, where is the Salamander?)
I just read in the KC Red Star the latest blogging issue is writers are being sued including blog masters who delete articles! That is another reason for not signing. But I still feel that if I want anyone to pay attention to my comment, I should sign my name.
Andy Whiteman
makes me wanna tow the union line and vote for a dem....naaaa
doc summers
Andy Whiteman
doc summers
The Walmart on Hillcrest had a KCPD mini-station on site. I suggest the new Walmart have a Raytown PD office on site. Officers could use it to fill out forms, public contact, and to cut down on response time.
I forsee Walmart as a problem in both law enforcement and sales tax collection.
Andy Whiteman
doc summers
i also want to reply to the germany 1930s....today the federal govt bought stock in most of the big banks(bank of new york was the first to sell the stock)..we will have federal govt with hand in the banking system,next year we will have govt envolved in the health care system and a redistrubution of wealth...now what does that sound like..?
i have come to the conclusion and after discussing it with several people that entering into barb trading contest does not serve any greater good....so if there are any questions related to the service the firefighters provide..i will answer them...i will no longer share my political opinion or choices with anybody....
i enjoy posting here and i enjoy answering good questions related to my job.......Andy,Pat you both seem like really good people with big hearts and the real desire to see some change in the city....i hope it does.....and i want to thank you for the support that you have expressed for myself and my colleages including the police and ems services....and i would like to say hi to lee gray and thank him for his service to the community and more for the service to his country...i wish i would have known that 15 years ago i would have thanked you then...
thanks
doc summers
Don't know what prompted that, Doc, but you're welcome. Thanking me is unnecessary. I come from a family where you weren't thanked for doing what you were suppose to. You were thanked for going way above and beyond that.
It's like director Spike Lee's movie: "Do the right thing (only because it's the right thing to do)."
Of course there are a lot of gradations about what is "right" based on the intelligence and moral fiber of each individual.
Whatever source your counsel was --- advising you to keep your political opinions to yourself --- was wise. Especially here...and because of your job.
There's so much ignorance and intolerance expressed here (see the above comment about Obama and Marxism), that I --- like I said a week or so ago --- am pretty much determined to just ignore this blog.
But, I'm as susceptible to human nature as everyone else. Desiderata: "...even the dull and ignorant have their stories too."
To Greg's credit, providing this site is an historical Raytown media exercise: It's a combination of The Tribune's Tapes and The Raytown Post's editorials of twenty years ago. Too bad it doesn't result in more positive results. But since there is no worthwhile local media, it is what we have.
People, generally speaking, didn't care much for what I had to write/say back then. And I was okay with that.
On this blog, the same has been true most times. And that bothers me --- not one bit.
Whatever impact or influence I've had over my 21 years here has pretty much been temporary. And, that too, does not bother me at all.
Spike Lee had it right.
Lee
My father told me NEVER to discuss politics or religion because the other person already had his mind made up hence it is an arguement not a discussion. I, also, will not address national or state politics here because this is a local Blog and Democrat/Republican doesn't apply to city government. True a city official may belong to any party he/she wants, but that is noone's business since the city ballot is not divided by political party.
Andy Whiteman
Lee, now thats some "worth while media."
Thanks. Checked it out. Boy do I stand corrected! ha ha
By the way...I spent over 30 years in the newspaper business... even taught college journalism for several years...but I need someone else's vast knowledge of the field: What is a publishing editor?
El Maguey was on TV (or maybe it was the Red Star) too. From what I understand Walmart is in much the same situation; however, it has not gone to the point of contempt.
Andy Whiteman
www.raytownradius.com
click on El Maguey under business. That is what I am talking about. I also saw it somewhere else. I can't remember if it was TV or the KC Red Star.
Andy Whiteman
I assume by your comment above you truly do not believe in opinions or free speech unless they fit your own personal views?
Remark I am referring to is "obama is a marxist" which I believe you responded was ignorant & intolerant...when in fact it is an opinion you do not share, correct?
As for the person putting the blame on the Republicans/ Democrats/ Independents...AREN'T WE ALL TO BLAME?
I think it is about time we all took a good look in the mirror and did a check of consciousness....I did this morning and could only come up with me and the rest of us are too blame....
As I see it..........
ward 2
I was only there for about half an hour, but it was painfully clear that no one is minding the store at city hall.
S.B.
Go back to.........
Everyone the next time there is a school tax election, PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR TAX BILL WHEN YOU GO TO THE POLLS!
Andy Whiteman
doc summers
doc summers
Fact is that Obama is not a Marxist. Any opinion that he is is ignorant.
Now...hope about the opinion that George W. is a socialist? I can support that opinion starting out with the "bailout" and the "stimulus checks."
Please bring your political science degree to the discussion. I have mine.
And I've noticed that Mark whatshisname, who argued with me a couple of months ago about what constitutes a recession, has certainly been quiet of late.
Lee Gray
Your premise that one needs a poly sci degree to hold an opinion on someone who holds 'marxist' views is irrelevant. How can you prove it is a fact he is not a Marxist? The opinion is he is a marxist, since I made the assertion and you claim it is not a fact, prove it.
As for George W, in my opinion, nothing separates the president from the presidential candidates in terms they are all pushing to the same socialistic/marxist end, some are just more overt then others. With time we will all become one.
Now for you personally Lee. What I find interesting is you were a newspaper man. Newspapers, along with other reporters, were/are supposed to be objective according to their own, it appears to me that on this blog your opinion may have affected your objectivity...of course your newspaper years were a few years ago, but I find most leopards cannot change their spots...just curious did you?
as i see it.....
Andy
Do you agree on this?
I have complained to the Post for not stating rate increses per unit. They quote for an "average user" which I am not. I don't understand why they can't or wont publish the real rate not a rate for an "average" user. This is not an accurate story when they do that. I think that is how the School Tax got passed. People saw that it was only a few dollars but didn't consider what they are paying now.
I read in Money Magazine that property taxes went up over 50% from 2000-2007.
I view the blog as mostly opinion. Per Lew Tice (New Age Thinking), "truth is reality AS WE PERCEIVE it." Maybe be have different perceptions. I am sure Greg writes an article as he perceives it. Since I didn't witness what happened, I can't confirm or deny a twist by Greg. One thing I will say is that Greg puts things in this blog you would never see in the paper. If it wasn't for this blog, much would be in secret at and by City Hall.
Greg is on the inside and obviously has more knowledge of happenings at City Hall that is not available to the media or general public.
All the Post will have is Media releases, minutes of meetings, etc. unless a reporter goes to the meetings or does an investigative report.
I can't say one is more accurate or reliable than the other. I really think it depends on which source you want to listen to.
Andy Whiteman
First you state "Obama is a Marxist."
Now you say, he's someone "who holds Marxist views." Big difference. But you offer no proof of that either.
Of course you don't need a poly sci degree to express "uninformed" opinions. And "ignorance," by definition, is a lack of knowledge.
I'm not going to waste a lot of the other readers' time here, but bottomline: You make a statement and then ask me to prove you wrong when you've never provided any information to prove your point. Apparently you've also never taken debate.
Regards my "objectivity," and view of free speech...the only thing that has changed is my tolerance for ignorant, uninformed opinions.
Read Karl Marxist's "five theorems" and at least then you'll know what Marxism is. Or do I need to read them for you...and then tell you what you think? (And I'm being generous with the word "think.")
Lee Gray
Sorry...I've become a grumpy old man --- ha ha
newspaper you are misinformed." -Mark Twain.
Talk about a negative press.
I used to think Andy was exagerating when he referred to them as the KC Red Star. Maybe they deserve the nickname.
Their editorial board should be ashamed for what they are doing.
Hasn't changed my plans to show my support for her candidacy.
As for her countepart, Joe Biden, his plan for divding Iraq into three countries sounds like some real deep thinking that belongs in a comic book.
I wonder how he would have handled our own Civil War? Divide the country between north and south?