RAYTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT TAX RATE HEARING
Monday, August 31st 6:00 p.m.
Raytown School District Headquarters
6608 Raytown Road
This meeting is a Public Hearing. Anyone in attendance will be allowed to address the Raytown School Board regarding a proposed tax levy increase for the Raytown School District. Plan to attend and be heard.
Chalk One Up For the Good Guys…
By Greg Walters
The lawsuit enjoined by the Raytown School District to force the Jackson County Assessment Department to use out-dated property values for the assessment of property taxes has been thrown out by the Jackson County Circuit Court. In its ruling the Court declared that the lawsuit was without merit because the school district had no standing to contest decisions by the Jackson County Assessor.
Since it is unlikely that any individual taxpayer will sue to have his property tax increased, it is almost certain that the assessments by Jackson County will stand.
The ruling means that most property owners in Raytown will see a decrease in their property tax bills on their homes, cars and recreational vehicles this year. The decrease is the direct result of the current recession, which has driven down the value of property within Jackson County.
The Jackson County Assessment Department is responsible for assessing property values in Jackson County every two years. It is their responsibility to make certain that property values are assessed in a fair and equitable manner.
The Assessment Department used the same methodology in the 2009 assessment as it has in previous year assessments. It is important to point out that the Raytown School District did not find any fault with that method in previous years when property values were steadily increased.
The Kansas City metropolitan area has been hit especially hard by the current recession. Raytown homeowners are no exception. Families have had to cut back to make ends meet. Our local governments should do so as well. The days of "fat, dumb and happy" expenses like artificial turf for football fields, million dollar entryways into school buildings, etc., are behind us.
The month of June/July, 2009 saw a 34% increase in home foreclosures in this area. Increasing the property tax levy by any means would be an economic disaster for those living on fixed incomes.
Like the rest of us, the Raytown School District should live within its means.
Even though the Court has found the assessment question in favor of Jackson County, some school board members (but not all) wish to increase the property tax levy in the Raytown School District.
A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, August 31st at 6:00 p.m. at the Raytown School District offices at 6608 Raytown Road for public input on the issue.
The public is urged to attend and speak out on the proposed tax levy increase.
Progress as Promised!
By Greg Walters and Richard Tush
We had to laugh when we read one bloger who posted that the city codes department does not respond to complaints turned in via a website.
We’ve had an on-going one on one conversation with city codes department personnel over many of the problem sites shown on our "Fix This Eyesore" column. They have never told us that they would not address any particular problem. In fact, a good number of eyesores have been addressed because of cooperation from the city.
We have received a personal "thank you" from the park department for exposing the mess left behind by sanitary sewer workers at Minor Smith Park. The landmark pothole at the gasoline station in front of Wal-Mart at 67th Street and Blue Ridge Boulevard has been repaired. Graffiti has been removed from city property. Signs have been straightened and private property owners been told to clean up their act by the city or face fines in municipal court. A neighborhood "swamp" has been drained and noxious weeds have been cut down.
This does not mean that ALL the problems have been solved. But it does mean we are pointed in the right direction.
We stand firm on our belief that the first step in problem solving is admitting you have a problem.
Tax Dollars At Work…
By Richard Tush
It is not often that we as taxpayers find an open invitation to see how our tax dollars are spent. However, though conversations with those at city hall and with Sheriff Mike Sharp, I learned that both our police department and the sheriff patrol offer a ride along program. Programs like these provide a great opportunity not only for how our tax dollars are spent, but also an understanding of the duties and changes facing these two law enforcement agencies.
While participating in the local program the officer I was assigned was called out to address issues like public disturbance and attempting to locate for another jurisdiction. These events lacked the excitement of television pretrial of activities. It did make it clear these activities could normally be found in any officer’s daily routine. When there were no calls for service we patrolled the district the offer was assigned creating a visible impression of the departments ongoing presence.
The highlight of the evening for me was during the last 30 minutes when after maniple license checks on questionable tags. A vehicle was identified with a tag that was expired for over a year. Even though the clever individual had manifested a look a like year sticker. The stop for the sticker resulted in learning that the driver had other issues, which lead to an arrest.
The officer I was assigned was working with another assigned to the special car with the license plate checking system. This is the unit the news media did a story on several months ago, and demonstrated its ability to capture and process multiple license plates simatanulous. Although the presentation on the news was impressive there is nothing like the first hand opportunity to witness the capabilities of this system.
The highlight of the evening was finding myself within Raytown checking tags as we drove down the street. Although the two alerts detected while within Raytown didn’t result in the individuals being in the vehicles that were identified. It defiantly sent the message that law enforcement has a new tool to help find those without standing warrants. The night was not a total loss two arrest where made while we were within Kansas City.
I would encourage others to contact our police department or the Jackson County Sheriff Department about these programs. The Sheriff Department also offers a citizen police academy, which covers multiple functions of the department over several weeks.
What Our Readers Thought…
Last week we ask if in this economy should Raytown move forward with hiring an Economic Development Department Head. The results were 72% of our readers believe that Raytown should not move forward at this time with hiring an Economic Development Department Head.
Fix This Eyesore…
DAY 71 – 84th Street Sanitary Sewer Project: The mess left behind by the city after sanitary sewer improvements remain
Day 71 - Time to Get Serious About Cleaning up Raytown: The proliferation of large trucks using our city as a parking lot. It is especially noticeable along 350 Highway.
Day 71 – Green Space: The grass areas that were damaged by the chamber event still remain unrepaired. At a BOA meeting prior to the SummerFest event Alderman Charlotte Melson said the Chamber would repair damage to the grass.
Day 57 – Minor Smith Park: The mess left behind by the city after sanitary sewer improvements remain.
Day 50 – Crescent Creek: Wires still dangle from the pole.
Day 43 – Former Religious Store: Allowed to decay.
Day 22 – The burned home at 8510 Stark: Remains a nuisance to the neighborhood
NOTE: Click on any of the picture to enlarge it.
Local Meetings and Events: Aug 17th – First Day of School Aug 17th – Park Board meeting 7:00 PM at park administrative office Aug 18th – Early Childhood Preschool Begins Aug 18th – Finance Committee meeting 5:30 PM at city hall Aug 18th – Board of Alderman meeting 7:00 PM at city hall Aug 20th – Finance Committee meeting 6:00 PM at city hall Aug 20th – Human Relations Commission meeting 6:00 PM at city hall Aug 25th – Municipal Committee meeting 6:00 PM at city hall
Aug 31st – Board of Education Tax Rate Hearing Meeting 6:00 PM at school district office Sept 1st – Board of Alderman meeting 7:00 PM at city hall Sept 3rd – Planning & Zoning Commission meeting 7:00 PM at city hall Note: call the day of the meeting to make sure it has not be canceled due to no items being brought before the commission.
155 comments:
Watch out you guys who voted in the poll aganist an EDD. Mayor Bower will have the secret police after you or he will talk down to you the next time he sees you. After all, don't you want to see Raytown move forward? As for our household we think it's a bad time and after all mayor we have Wal Mart. Isn't this going to save the city?(lol)
Can anyone tell me what kind of credentials Beth Linn has? From what I have observed I think she must have gotten them from one of those classes you take on line. If that is so soneone else must have done the work for her. She sure doesn't impress me. I think she draws a BIG check from the city and does very little work if any at all. Come on Beth the concept of a job is YOU MUST WORK to get a paycheck, you get the check but put out very little work.
Why doesn't the Dysfunctional School District schedule their meetings at a decent time so the public may attend if they want. Of course it is impossible to find a time that will suit all people, but a time that is dinner time for most people is ridiculous.
It seems obvious that this board doesn't want public comments. The people may comment, but will this board actually listen or will the public be talking to a brick wall? I think the decision has already been made.
Andy Whiteman
The city is also plans to raise our property taxes. The first reading is tonight.
To our elected officials. Just because it is legal for you to raise the taxes does not make it right.
I live on a fixed income. My "nest egg" is not what it used to be because of the bad economy. I have friends who are afraid they will lose their homes due to increased property taxes.
Have a heart. Remember, you represent more than just the 150 or so people employed at city hall.
There are 30,000 more us out there as well. We cannot simply raise a tax to bring more money it.
We cannot afford to pay it our either.
To Mr. Thode, and others,
I don't think people on this blog are so much negative as
they are tired of tax increase after tax increase with little
or no tangible results.
We see code violations going on for days into months and
probably into years at the rate this town is moving. But, bring
up some kind of a tax increase and the school district or city
council can't move on it fast enough. I think people are just tired
of elected people that clearly, for the most part, don't know what
they are doing.
I believe that the people of Raytown would truly do what is best for this
town and school district if they could see some kind of spending
restraint being self imposed instead of these two tax dollar spending
monsters trying to outdo each other as to how much money they can suck
out of the taxpaying public.
Most of the people are feeling the recession. We all have had to cut back
on our spending. But, it seems this is not the way the city or school district has
chosen to go. They want more money so they can keep on spending.
The people are tired of this. If you go before the boards they look at
you like you don't know what you are talking about. So this form of venting, this blog is all we have.
It's really kind of sad. We elect people to represent us on each of these boards.
We expect them to spend our tax dollars as we would wish them to do. Instead
they spend our money for everything except the way we wish them to do.
All of a sudden they are smarter than anybody else on the planet and we mean
nothing to them. We are just "Cash Cows" for them to keep milking as they see
fit. Enough is enough! It's time for huge changes in attitudes. Our leaders need
to cut back just like the rest of us. QUIT spending for the sake of spending!
Again if people aren't doing their jobs then get rid of them. Seventy days is
too long for any code violation as is even thirty days.
Andy,
I agree, Raytown is currently not a destination city. What we do have over Waldo/Brookside is Hwy 350. We just need to figure out a way to have the traffic re-route for a reason through other parts of Raytown. One of the things I have always admired about Waldo/Brookside is they have created the want/need for people who come within their neighborhood to want to stop....all we need in Raytown is understand this and act upon it....
Richard,
It is not only the e-mails that the city does not respond to in the codes dept. I called in 10916 E. 81 Terr. more than 4 months ago regarding a wrecked car. Nothing has been done except for them to put a dead limb infront of it so maybe no one will see it. You seem to have more luck at getting something done than most of us do maybe you should put it on your Fix Eye Sore portion of the blog.
One of our problems with getting codes taken care of is the judge. There are way to many continuations given. These people who are cited and then go to court know they will not have to take care of the problem for a minium of 4-6 months. The city gives them 10 days before they are cited then it takes 2-3 months to get on the court docket then the judge thinks she should give them at least 2 if not more continuances. So how are we ever going to get this city cleaned up if it takes that long to get any thing done?
The other problem is the personnel themselves they are lazy. They are more often than not RUDE to those who call in problems. Then when they go out or not and the problems don't go away without multiple times of having to call the codes dept. we get furstrated and angery. If the problems are not fixed within 10-30 days either by the owner or the city someone needs to be fired. The supervisor for the codes people is David Batson He spends way to much time at Q-Trip, Wood Oil, Phillips, and Conoco buying food etc those are just the places I personnally have seen him. Maybe if he were setting an example we would have a better codes dept. but then we also have a Dept head over Dave Batson so where is she and why is she not out there checking on how things are being taken care of isn't what we should be paying her for?
Sorry about my ranting but I'm just d--- fed up .
Raytown should look at how many other cities are saving money by closing down a day or two each month. All except emergency personnel are required to take this time off without pay. Just think how many thousands of dollars could be saved over a year's time. We're not getting much service anyway, so I doubt if we would even miss them. I bet not one of these aldermen or the mayor have the guts to introduce this type of legislation?
We need to face the facts. Raytown's downtown is not built to be a
"destination." We have little or no store fronts. The Plaza and Center
63's owners are asking too much money for their spaces so, nobody
is willing to take a risk in a dead town. With a supercenter less than
five miles to our north and another one going in less than five miles to
our south, the downtown can never compete. We tried to tell City Hall this
when Wenson sold this plan to our so called representatives. They
would have none of it. We were stupid and didn't know what we were
talking about. They still feel this way.
The only way I can see, and this is a guess, our downtown becoming any
kind of retail area again is to invite small family owned niche stores.
kind of like Weston MO. But then they would have to find lower rent spaces
to start out with in order to survive. Center 63 and The Raytown Plaza
aren't small business friendly.
If anybody with any kind of initiative from City Hall would call these owners and
try to work out some kind of deal where this city would help fill these store
fronts, if these owners would lower the starting rent, at least until the businesses
grew, then the downtown might have a chance. This shouldn't cost the city any
money it should just take a few phone calls and some meetings to try to get together.
This would help the building owners, the city and new small business owners.
There, that's a "positive" thought. Now lets see if anybody will run with it.
I see Good Ole Boy Gary Knabe's lot is still holding water. Looks like he made a lame attempt to help it drain, but as usual Knabe has failed to solve the problem. Why doesn't the codes department just put this guy in jail? After so many chances they should just lock him up until someone solves the problem. What a poor neighbor he is.
Based on the decay I have seen, I doubt any of our newly elected alderman have taken the time to do a ride along with the codes enforcement officers to find out first hand what the delay is with identifying the violators.
Lets be real this would take real effort something lacking from many, but not all of our elected officials.
We also have to note the violations at Shane ParDue’s home from his above par service as well as those on what appears to be the property of Mr. Lightfoot’s car wash.
Maybe the nice lady who is collecting signs in the write away might find some lawn mowers and trimmers in the right away awaiting trash pick up that could be given to these two. Maybe then these young men might finally get the idea to cleanup their properties.
If I recall Gary Knabe had a couple of daughters. Did these two marry them and are now following the father-laws maintenance programs, which was set for alderman.
I just went to Wal-Mart and on my way out of the parking lot was stopped by a white male, who was need money. His said he needed gas and food to return to Nevada, MO. I understand we all have hard look, but question if this is not more the sign of the times for Raytown. I reported the incident to Wal-Mart while still in the parking lot and asked if they would send there off duty Raytown police officer out to check this man out as he was in fact stopping their customers. The lady who answered the phone could have cared less. From they way she acted he could have been doing anything in the parking lot and Wal-Mart wouldn’t have cared.
I guess we can expect a lot more of not caring and questionable activity when the new Wal-Mart opens. I for one can hardly wait for the bus turn around to drop off individuals who plan only to shop in the parking lot either pan handling like this guy or taking cars like at the Wal-Mart on 40 highway. Only the citizens of Raytown have the luck of electing someone like Tower Taxer. Who gives everything away to corporate America including our public safety and the poor people of Raytown get less in public services. I read on this blog that Tower Taxer wants to increase taxes again.
What a nice moral and ethical person Mr. Bower, Tower Taxer, has become!
It seems Raytown citizens are second choice when it comes to appointments to the Council on Aging.
Todd Hembree list the library, Iris Miller is enjoying the accomidations of the Shepherd Center and Carol Rigsby is using the Bickford House. It is at least nice to know that Charlotte Wright doesn’t hide the fact that she is living in KCMO of 75th Ter.
I just can not believe in a population of aging citizens like ours that the Mayor can not find true citizens to appoint to this committee. I guess it is his way of showing he really doesn’t care about Raytown or its future.
It should be noted to the senior members of our community it is you who elected this individual and now me see how he truly treats you.
Boy oh, Boy, this guy Bower sounds like citizen of the year material.
Higher taxes
Disrespect towards seniors
No accomplishments
Greg, I think the School Board tax rate hearing has been moved to 8-31at 6pm. Double check with the School system tomorrow.
Justin, I was thinking today about what makes Raytown a destination point. When we lived in KCMO we came to City Hall to declare our vehicles for personal property tax, the driver's license office, Shanghai Fast Chinese food, and Sonic Burger. The government offices are the main destination point. Shanghai put out a buy one dinner get one free so we kept coming back until a similar place opened near us. I think Sonic Burger was also the drive through Swope Park even thought the one on Bannister was closer (it is no longer there).
Of course people have different interests. Maybe we need a study (not a $50000 city study) as to what will draw people. I tend to think merchants advertising special offers will draw people. Arby's puts out coupons and specials and it seems to bring people. They also have 5 Regular Arby's for $5 with a limit of 250. I asked the manager if he ever sold 250. He said the most he has ever sold was 100 at a time.
Andy Whiteman
Why do we need a tattoo parlor in our city? Where are the churches? Why aren't they protesting this kind of business? This will only lead to more sleazy businesses like juice bars and strip clubs. Boy is Raytown going down hill fast. I've never seen a tattoo parlor improve a community's image. I'm sure Mayor Bower and the chamber have endorsed this or it wouldn't be going forward. WHERE HAVE THESE PEOPLE GOT THEIR HEADS?
The games elected officals play!
Seems the school board is up to something...for weeks the tax meeting was going to be on Aug 24th.
Today on their website:
Tax rate hearing scheduled for Aug. 31
The District will hold a Tax Rate hearing on August 31 at 6:00 p.m. in the Board room. The hearing is a precursor to setting the District's tax levy, which by law must be set by September 1, 2009.
Do they really think at one meeting they are going to understand we cannot in this economy raise taxes.
I don't even see on the website a number to call or email these so called great minds.
I guess they don't want the chewing to start to soon
Let's see,
The city will build "Gateways" with expensive monuments that serve
no purpose.
The city gives away millions in tax income and may even have to throw
in some extra taxpayer cash to make up for the bad Wal-Mart deal.
The school district installs artificial turf at a cost upwards
of a half a million taxpayer dollars.
Spend, spend, spend then spend some more.
If they run out of money, heaven forbid they cut back like the rest of us.
No, they will add more taxes to the already tapped out taxpayers of Raytown.
Personally, I think any city government or school district should think about
where they get their money. It's not just some box to check on a ballot and
the money just comes rolling out like a slot machine.
It comes from hard working people paying their taxes and should be appreciated
instead of just being spent to be spending.
Monuments and turf are great when times are good but you can't keep living like
kings on a welfare check. If you don't have the money don't spend it and quit
asking for more from people that can barely make it themselves.
The people aren't the problem here. They didn't get this town in the mess it's
in and they shouldn't have to bale it out time after time.
The city needs to bring in more businesses and not give away anymore tax income
to do it. More business means more tax income. More tax income means
more services, more money to spend on the turf and monuments that seem
important to some elected people, and less pressure on taxpayers.
I guarantee you, more taxing won't get more money in this economy. It means
more people moving away from high taxes. This in turn will lower property
values even more. Again less money for the school district and city.
I also believe we should close the city down, I say the last Friday of the month and the other Fridays have only half days and adjust the salary according. Maybe then they (city hall) will think twice before they go on a BIG spending spree!!!!
Raytown has got to quit giving salary increases in these bad economic times. Shutting city hall down part of the week is a good start at saving us tax dollars.
The city needs to start pay for performance!
They need to roll the program out starting the codes enforcement and David Batson. Maybe then he will just do the right thing and retire, as his work performance appears to only be part time now.
What was going on this weekend at the Raytown Recycling Center?
The container for the office paper was padlocked and had police tap wrapped all around it.
I suggest cutting back on the tie wearing chair warmers. The chairs don't really need warming. I have been for paying these people LESS money but these same people say Raytown salaries have to be competitive with the metro. There use to be a time when applicants competed for jobs. Now the city is competing for applicants. Ridiculous!
Dictator O'Bomba goes out and spends more money because we are in a recession instead of cutting back. Apparently the City and Disfunctional School District have decided to follow his example.
8:00AM, At the last BOA meeting it was discussed that the county would be late getting their figures out, but the deadline for mill levy notification remains the same. Consequently the BOA moved their 2nd reading to a later date. Apparently the school district is doing the same. They moved it to the LAST day which clearly makes it impossible to have any time to make changes. Maybe there is no intention to alter the budget after the public hearing? Their phone number is in the book, but I doubt they will talk to you, me, or any citizen. We are the endless source of money but not worth talking to.
Andy Whiteman
Dave Batson has more code violations at his house than most of the people he tickets!
The reason for the re cycling center being closed up was a BIG MISTAKE ON I BELIEVE IT WAS THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS PART.
I think the school should charge an enrollment fee for all students, a late fee charge for those enrolling late, and a hefty fee to play sports such as football, basketball and soccer. Maybe even a fee to ride the bus. It is costing a fortune to run the buses half full. Those parents who are divorced should also bring a copy of the divorce decree so the district can make sure their child is going to the right school , when maybe they should be going to KC or another district. I don't think the retired citizens should carry the full load anymore and forget about raising the levy and try this first. Oh it might help if you would also QUIT SPENDING MONEY LIKE IT IS GROWING ON TREES!!!!!!!
I would like for a school board member to tell me (an honest answer PLEASE) just how much did we spend on the new school building and DON'T give me were on budget give me an answer with accurate figures....
If you really want to help the students you should try helping ALL the students not the jocks. You must understand putting down the astro turf is for just a VERY FEW students and by the way does it help their math and reading skills , will it help them land good jobs when they graduate??? How many graduates have played sports here and gone on to play pro???? The board needs to get their heads out of the sand and work for all students. And by the way don't use the students now you have already screwed up!!!!!
Let's hope and pray the school board hasen't taken any advice from Mayor Bower on how to run the district look at what he has done to our city.
The issue at the recycling center was someone with the police department was cleaning out old files, but didn’t take the time or use common sense to shred the files. We should be thankful that someone noticed the documents and ended up calling the city administrator and chief of police down to the center on Saturday. It seems after digging in the bin for sometime that the two masterminds decided to lock the bin and tape it off. The thought was Monday one of the rocky officers would be on duty and they would have the pleasure of retrieving all of the non-shredded documents.
I understand the items were copies of police reports, receipts and canceled checks.
Sounds like we have some training issues that need to be addressed sooner then later. It seems that Mr. Lynch needs to start spending more time with each area of his department so he understands each area and they understand his and the city’s expectations. Until then we will keep being asked to fund additional public safety taxes as the department has not learned to operate as effectively as they could.
pay for performance..wow....if your employer did that would you always get a full check...:)..Shut the city down for a day...and adjust pay...would you do that at your work..dumb idea even less would get done.....somebody spouted of about Knabes girls...i went to high school with one of them....she was very nice she married a Raytown Police officer who now is a FBI agent...Like i said before clean out section eight housing and dont give me that crap about helping families get a fresh start...drive down 55th and ditzler and she what a fresh start does....how stupid...
Whats this man and issues with Ditzler
Why do yous think there are issues with the property at 55th and Ditzler… Hellos… city hall doesn’t cares and doesn’t dos anything all day. If they would yous would stop the complaining about this one area and notice the whole city is going to hells. Why because yous beloved city employees are lazy… when was the last time yous saw codes out doing anything others then racings to the bank and cashs their checks.
Wakes up and stop point yous fingers at a specific neighborhood. Start with yous trashy past aldermans like yous friend Knabe and cleans up this town.
Only a city employee wouldn’t want pay for performance. I suggest that you expand your horizons and do some research; as you will learn more and more business base raises or continued employment on performance. Now with the recession many companies are going to mandatory layoffs to help address funding issues.
Again city employees lack the energy to do anything, but complain that everyone expects so much of them.
If these are proven success story of capitalism in America and the private sector it should be good enough for government employees.
I bet we will find we are about 25% to 50% over staffed across the board if we could hire some motivated energetic self starters and stop hiring family and friends at city hall.
Greg and Richard:
Sounds like you have some bloggers that are into race profiling. Sad in this age we are faced with simple minded people like this.
While on the subject of simple minded and neighborhoods in need of repair one might want to drive around the area between Blue Ridge Cut Off on the West, Elm on the East, 63rd on the North and 350 on the South. From what I have seen this area has more homes needing painting then any other. This came as no surprise to me as Alderman Simple Joe and his faithful side kicks Alderman Above Par Service both live.
I hope the too of you encourage individuals to stop with the simple ways of picking on those who don’t have it as good as the rest of us.
I would like to say that work proformance is what this city needs in this time and age, but like some you may know the GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM will not allow this to stand.
If anyone cares the Green Light at Kansas Church at 55th and Blue Ridge Cutoff has been out for 4 days, also the Green Light at 55th and Blue Ridge Cutoff eastbound has a crack lens and the green light southbound needs to be fix as well.
These are some of the things i see wrong in the city. You should think if i see this why not city employee.
If we paid city employees for their performance Mayor Bower wouldn't get a check!!!!!
i work in a field that is pay for preformance..I run a successful construction buisness that has continued to stay busy during the rough times..in fact we have hired two people due to work load.
I am not race profiling or picking on any social class..The townhomes and duplexes are owned by a gentlemen that lives in arizona..do you think he cares who lives there or what condition the property is in..he wants the check..section eight makes his life easy..those areas you bring up are choc full of elderly and rental homes...Why dont you stop in on some of the elderly and offer your help in fixing this ,maybe offer to mow a yard or help them move or haul away things..i have been in this town over twenty five years..i went to high school here and i raise my family here...I am friends with teachers,store owners,cops and fireman...i know more about this town than you think....they gripe about the same things...If your answer is to get on here and slam a couple alderman you need to come up with a better plan and calling me a race baiter and or hater is just as stupid....as i am a african/american...
Again tonight it looks like the cat has gotten the tounge of Lightfoot and Mock. Chris does a tattoo shop fit in with your cocept of creating quality places?? Please enlighten me on this kind of thinking. It appears to me like the big guy will be sporting a new tattoo. Two bad most of this board is just like P&Z absolutely spineless (The way it looks now we may have only one alderman who doesn't have his nose up the mayors you know what) Just look out and keep your eyes open for the new juice and strip clubs to open and of course the gentlemans club is on the way. So keep up the good work and we will have a city that will be #1 in the metro with smut!!!!!
The best thing about having a tattoo parlor is the tax it will not generate. When is the Board of Alderman and mayor going to wake up that what we need is business that generates sales tax revenue? To think Christine White announced at “Reaching for Tomorrow” that she wanted to be the Economical Development Department Head, but she can not even figure out that we gain nothing from business like this.
By cutting down hours of city employees we wouldn't get less service. How can you get less when you don't have any to start with. Is it really that hard to figure out?????
9:22 PM, But we may not be the ash tray of KC!
There were 3 very important issues as the BOA tonight that people on this blog are bitching about: Taxes, Tattoo Pallor, and smoking. Why don't youse people turn out and voice your views where they count? You won't be anonymous. Maybe some can only state their views anonymously. Tonight only 2 people spoke about smoking, 1 about taxes, and 1 about tattoo pallors. With all of the post on this blog, I expected to see several speak on each issue. It was the same as the vote in Raytown--apathy.
12:55 PM, I agree with you completely. I hope you will voice this to the Dysfunctional School District.
Jeremy Willmoth and the city put a spin on the mill levy. He used a strange term. I think it was "run out" and then said but taxes won't go up. When I questioned him, he admitted that mill levy will go up but taxes won't increase. It was also stated that if the mill levy was decreased, the city would never be able to recover this money. Due the Hancock amendment taxes cannot increase over a certain percentage a year. So if the mill levy was to be lowered, it can't be raised when property values go up without a vote of the people. There was an effort not to state the facts in plain English. To me, this is a bunch of nonsense but we are in the Show Me state. I suspect the same is happening over at the Dysfunctional School District.
I have heard on the news of dissatisfied people in other districts complaining because they have to pay for things at schools that they never paid for. The schools should furnish only what is required or a diploma. Sports, band, orchestra, art, chorus, any teams, etc., should be on a per fee basis so the tax payers aren't burdened.
Andy Whiteman
I have been reading about the tattoo shop deal and although
I may, agree with some of you on this, I have to tell you that
if a business, any kind of legal business, applies for a license
the city has to consider it. The city can't discriminate against one
business just because some think the business doesn't fit their values.
Personally, I think it's a big jump from a tattoo place to strip bars and
gentlemen's clubs. Besides tattoo places don't carry the stigma
they used to. Today they are regulated by the health department and
in some cases are cleaner than some doctors offices.
These days people from all walks of life get tattoos.
This is just my opinion but, I think we need to
focus more on how to beat the taxing, spending monsters than
worry about a small business that may come to town.
I agree with you Andy, this school district has gotten away from the basics that are required to educate and graduate. Sports, band and other non-essential classes are fine but, the participants should be paying for these and not the taxpayers.
Pat, You voiced the same opinion as some others at the meeting. I will correct myself and say that there were 2 speaking about the tattoo pallor other than the applicatant. The landord said that at first that he rejected the new tennant but asked his elderly mother who had no objection. So he rethought his opinion, checked out the applicant and found it to be clean well run bussiness not the stereotyped thing from the past. Society is changing and there is a national chain of tattoo pallors opening in malls.
I object to Title Loans on an ethical basis, but we have one here. It is a business. A tattoo pallor is a business and destination point.
One member of the board questioned that it will be open to 11PM. What is wrong with that? My issue with Raytown is that businesses close too early. Will the BOA start requiring businesses to close at a certain time? I can just wee them trying to tell Hy-Vee or Walmart they must close by 9PM.
Andy Whiteman
How much tax revenue will a tattoo parlor generate? I doubt any. Also will it create badly needed jobs? Again the answer is probably no. I still believe that a juice bar or gentlemen's club would do both. Sales tax from drinks served and jobs for dancers, bar tenders and waitress. When will this board of aldermen finally wake up and try to recruit these type of businesses?
You mean to tell us Bower had the opportunity to help us senior and turned on us? Someone needs to get whoever talked to Bower to come to a Thursday morning meeting at the ROC and provide his root supports on what he dined to them and our city.
I know that I no longer admit I voted for this man…. What a disappointment he has proven to be!
I feel so sorry for his wife, I don’t know how she can face their friends living in Raytown.
It seems there is more elementary name calling on this site than constructive suggestions. I hate reading the term, "Dysfunctional School District" in the entries. I do not work for the district, but have had good experiences with teachers and staff in regard to my child. I do agree that more money should be spent on academics instead of sports. It would be interesting to spin off the sports section of the district and make them self-sufficient - businesses do it all the time. If the football team brings in enough money to pay for the space they use at the school, uniforms, coaches, insurance, equipment, transportation, etc., then they can continue. If not, then they cease to exist. We must start educating our students better. I would like to see more teachers with smaller classes than additional aides and tutors. I know all students learn better in smaller classes and the discipline problems are vastly reduced. We need to be supportive of our schools with constructive criticism and innovative ideas and not by name-calling. Years ago our great school district brought families to Raytown; let's strive for that day again by strongly supporting academics with the tax money we have. A 1975 Raytown South graduate.
Many bloggers have requested that our bloggers, and we, at the Raytown Reporter, start providing positive tangible solutions to the issues facing our city. I therefore would like to offer up an idea for the Eastside of Raytown Road and 350 Highway, which is now completely vacate with the closing of the Dodge dealership. Wouldn’t it be great to once again seeing this space occupied and generating tax dollars? I believe the answer for the best usage of this property has been present throughout the city for sometime, but no one has taken the initiative to address it even those of us who maintain this blog.
After careful consideration of what type of business would not only address the need increase tax revenue, but also any ordinance violations that continue to not be resolved, it is clear a successful truck stop with overnight parking is needed. From reviewing a couple of programs presented on the “Discovery Channel”, I have learned that Travel Centers of America, TA. Provides a full arrange of services catering to the needs of truckers. When one drives around the city and see the number of rigs parked that are in violation of the city ordinances it is clear there is a need for this type of service within the city. As well we are at a good crossroads to provide this service to others passing through thanks to our closeness to I70, I435 and I470. How simple for them to make the connection and come on down 350 Highway.
This location would be within walking distance to several local restaurants as well as the new Wal-Mart, which adds to the convenience to these over the road travelers. As well as TA would provide an additional restaurant. The only downside would be closing the 75th street cross over to allow the properties to be joined together and maximize their usage.
Other benefits would be the residence around Blockbuster not having to deal with the noise from the units running all night in their back yards as 350 Highway would be on either side of the recommended location and serve as a natural noise break.
What is “normal” and what is “dysfunctional”?
Oddly enough both words may result in someone either yelling at your or agreeing with you. I know to me that it seems odd one might be upset with the term “normal”. However, there are some parents who believe their children are the exemption, good or bad, to the rule of what most see as normal. Therefore to them “normal” is an insult.
Dysfunctional is a term most commonly associated on this blog with the school district and I can offer the normal reason why I believe it is done. However, my definition of the normal reason poster on this blog reference the school district in this manor may not agree with all of those with the dysfunctional perception of the school district.
The accumulated reasons as I recall from posting on this blog or my own knowledge:
1.) Over spending
2.) Enrollment – Miss understandings from associates as what documents and forms are needed as well as were enrollment is actually to take place based on the specific situation.
3.) Over taxing
4.) Think boxes – Closets to put disruptive students in until they decided to comply with the perception of normal as defined by the teacher and / or principal. NOTE: I only know that this was a practice used at the alternative school, which I hope has ended as it was not productive.
5.) No Home Work – Even though students are out sick or placed in the think boxes they are not sent home with their class work to ensure they stay caught up with the class. When they continue to fall further behind they become more disruptive. NOTE: I only know that this was a practice used at the alternative school, which I hope has ended as it was not productive.
6.) Sports before basics
7.) School Board Members – Lacking the understanding the economy is having on taxpayers and not understanding how the district functions.
I am sure that others can add to this list, but I believe I have done a good job of capturing most of the concerns that leads many of us to see the school district as dysfunctional.
We can only hope those on the school board will see this and similar list as areas needing improvement and not just a group of individuals trying to find fault.
Simple Joe has been on the board over two years and what has he done for our city?
Two things come to my mind
1 -Allowing property owners to turn their front yards into an auto repair zone
Thank god the rest of the board decided this was BAD FOR RAYTOWN!
2 – Attack rental property owners
Blessed be us that this has not moved forward as any of us with a code violation Joe would want us to pay an annual fee because he has been told by codes only rental property owners have violations.
BAD IDEAS… BAD FOR RAYTOWN!
SIMPLE MINDED…. SIMPLE JOE!
I see the Board of Education has moved their public hearing to August 31st at 6:00 p.m.
Why so early? Don't they want to hear from their constituency on whether or not to raise our taxes?
Please, please, please take your thoughts to that meeting and make a difference.
Andy wrote that the Raytown City Council is playing the same game.
Shouldn't our governments live within their means?
I feel like I am being sold out by Bower, Simple Joe and Below Par Expectations. Increasing our taxes will only make matters worse for my family.
How about yours?
Richard, I (and maybe others) did suggest a truck parking area. It doesn't matter who gets credit as long as it is accomplished. I see the positive sides of the location you suggested but I wonder if it is too close to a residential area? No matter where it is, Raytown would be a destination area that is trucker friendly if it moves forward. I have stopped at the TA stops for fuel or meals. I find them to be clean and of high quality.
**********
Why do people question how much sales tax a new business will generate? Is that the criteria? How much will Walmart generate. It is actually a negative sales tax with the city paying interest on the bonds as well as no sales tax revenue for something like 23 years.
The tattoo pallor, if approved, will have 5 employees plus the owner=6. Sales tax was said to me minimal with some items sold. Since they also will do piercing, I assume they may sell the items that people insert into piercings.
1975 Grad, I apologize if you were offended by the term "Dysfunctional School District." While I can't speak for others, my reference is towards the board, out of control spending, and outrageous taxes. I mean no disrespect to the teachers, staff, or employees. I also refer to the Fascist Fief of Raytown which refers to the government of this city and has no reference to any city employee.
Richard, I am offended by the expectation of "normal" because I am disabled. What about "Normal School?" I haven't heard that term in many years. I also an offended by the term "handicapped" because it is a Civil War term referring to amputees on the street with cap in had. In my entire life, I can recall only one person in that situation. The correct term is "person with a disability." I went to a diversity class and it is amazing what can offend someone. The instructor objected to the terms "black" and "white" because my skin is not white and his was not black. He also objected to "African American" because he is American. We was not from Africa and had never been to Africa.
Andy Whiteman
Why must we continue to have those who post negative things about our fine mayor? I for one can not think of any mayor that since our city was incorporated has been able to reduce our property taxes. His plan to not address the properties in this city with maintenance issues was a genius. I know that as long as the school district doesn’t increase the mil level I will save several hundreds of dollars this December on my property taxes, which I can then use to help stimulate the Raytown economy. Look at all of the fine business he has worked so hard to deliver to us like the soon to open tattoo parlor. I can hardly wait to get “Raytown Up and Coming” tattooed on my forehead for all to see. If the school district does raise the mil and I don't have as much cash around the holidays the mayor has that covered with so many new and exciting opportunities for title loans, pawn shops or payday loans that have opened long 350 Highway. I am glad that he has learned will from HOK that we all need Help to Our Kash, which I am sure is why the extra attention was given to the loan and pawn shops. The celebration of our diversity has never before been seen by any other elected official in our city with appoint Mr. Sargeon to the board of Alderman. As well just last week, days before trash pickup in his neighborhood whom, but our mayor had trash already down to the curb. To thing we have those on this website complaining about section eight housing and the trash they level laying around and here our mayor is “Saying All are Welcome” by setting his our days early. The transparency he has show through his own actions like this show the great character this gentleman brings to the office he holds. We can now only hope his search for an econmic development department head will be as successful as the work he himself brought to us with the Wal-Mart deal. Our city will shine for at least a good 20 years with the great bargaining he was able to do.
I also can not understand why others say they have trouble reaching him. I seem to find him at all the local civic events, I just don’t know were he finds the time. I do good to make one a week. I must find out what keeps him so young and energetic. It seems that if he is not at one of the events he is always patronizing one of the local restaurants. I do understand with all the events and so many restaurants in our city it might seem that he is never around.
Who can complain about a moral individual like him that has done so much to put a stop to smoking in Raytown and the harm it causes? I don’t think we could have ever came up with a plan like the one that was presented last night. The insight he had to appoint several bar owners to the clean air committee and make sure they got the word out to their customers by posting notices in the restrooms. What a great idea! We all know when your drink a lot you are going to the bathroom a lot and providing something to read so you don’t have to search for a magazine, brilliant. I just wish more meeting notices would be posted and in more business restrooms so those of us that don’t drink could keep up on the happenings in our town.
I am sure he will just delight me and impressive me more in the remaining time he has left in his first term. I am also glad our city doesn’t have term limits as he proven success can only continue to bring brighter days to Raytown for years to come.
You can't please all the people all of the time. I agree about not running down our Mayor, Below Par, Simple Joe, or anyone. If you want to criticize anyone, I feel it is appropriate but the reason should be stated. It may or may not be valid. The readers can decide. Actually, I don't agree with the simple Joe nickname. I have spoken with Joe and he is NOT simple.
As for Mayor Bower, he has taken on a big task. It can't be resolved on a day, week, month or year. It will take a long, long time to undo past wrongs. I respect and back our mayor even though I may find fault with particular things he does.
To the 2nd post: If you check the City Website, clicked on appointed officials, you may find an individual's qualifications.
Andy Whiteman
To Raytown 75 grad. The school is not the same as when you were there. The student body was totally differant. They didn't wear their pants down to their knees and if they did adminisration wasn't afarid to call them and their parents in for a conference. Teachers were backed by administration. Now teachers are leaving at an alarming rate because they have no backing from administration. All they want to do is spend money and forget about making our schools a place where kids learn.
Andy,
Are you sure we are talking about the same Joe Creamer?
On one hand he wants to make it legal for people to tear down cars in their front yard and on the other hand he wants to crack down on rental property owners for the same practice! At the same time he leaves unfinished building material laying around his own house all summer long.
Perhaps you are right. Maybe we should call him hypocrite Joe instead of simple Joe.
To Anonymous 9:55,
That was the funniest thing I have read in a long time!
It was great! It's good to know there are still people with a great
since of humor out there.
But, you should have signed it.
Thank you!
Bower has been a terrible Mayor. Even worse than Jack Nesbitt!
Under his watch the city quit doing street repair on a regular basis. They even quit striping the streets!
He killed any chance for Raytown to move forward with a recycling program.
He brought in Walmart. Now we will see $800,000 of the taxpayers money disappear this December because of his inexperience and ignorance of how the real world works.
If it every opens, it will siphon off about 16% of the city's sales tax revenue to pay Walmart for the next 23 years.
That 16% represents taxes we were promised would be used to improve our city's streets.
Yeah, he's a real good mayor.
If you think he is such a good deal. Take him with you when you move.
As for Creamer. He and his side- kick Pardue have done nothing since being sworn in. They collect their $450 a month for keeping two chairs warm at city hall. Calling Creamer simple Joe is an insult to simpletons.
A lot of the problems that we are having today stems from the dumbing down of society. Most, not all of the administrators within our school district lack the basic common sense that should be a basic building block within our children's curriculum. They also do not realize the concept to live within your means. This is a concept that the city and the BOA forget about as well. The school district should teach a course in financial responsibility in order to help break the vicious cycle. They should make it a required course. All members of the school board should be required to take such a course within 6 months of taking office. Parents should also reinforce and instill good morals and common sense with the upbringing of their children. The school district should not undermine the parents work either. With that, you would think that the BOA would have the common sense and forethought to lookout and prevent things like tatoo parlors and body piercing businesses from becoming reality in this city. I don't care if someone calls it freedom of expression, I for one sure dont like to be waited on at a resturaunt by someone that cannot speak clearly because of a pierced swollen tounge, or has visible tatoos all over their arms and body. How is the city's health department going to deal with this, if we still have a health department? What about the pants falling down off of the wanna be gangsta's? What about ebonics and the failure of schools and the immigration service to force english as the language in this country instead of the native language of all of these immigrants, legal or illegal?
People need to wake up!
What is this I am hearing on the street Pardue and Van Buskirk are against this smoking ban. Where have these two been? When at the candidate forum these to say they believed the business owners should decide the smoking rules. Well time to make up… who do you think Bower had on the committee and whom do you think put out the notices in the restrooms. The same business that would be impacted by the ban the most… THE BARs.
Now the bars have actually come up with a workable plan for all, which basically means if you don’t like smoke don’t visit Raytown bars other then that business are going to trash the trash small of smoke.
Now these two have taken the position not to even listen to the business owners… What is next are they going to require all business to allow smoking. If these two along with the others on the board that smoke want to keep smoking fine, but do it in your own home so the rest of us don’t have to breath in your second hand smoke.
What I would really like is those on the board that smoke get together and drive around and notice all the code violations, but again this might be hard with a vehicle full of smoke. Maybe this is why our code enforcement officers miss so much as their heads is in a cloud of cancer causing tar.
My city hall sources tell me that the smoking ordinance is NOT going to pass. My question is why did we spend so much time and money to propose an ordinance that will be voted down? Bower and his cronies just keep looking dumber and dumber. Wasting my tax dollars is the only thing that they seem to be good at.
If Pardue and Van Buskirk are against this smoking ban do they at least support national health care to address the cancer faced by second hand smoking?
I thought both these guy where Baptist, which doesn’t view drinking or smoking very highly. Makes me wonder if they are the main supports of the tattoo parlor and juice bar I keep reading about on here.
What happened to morality within the teachings of the Baptist Church!
Let me guess being Creamer goes to church with Pardue I bet he too is against the smoking ordinance.
This is too much… 30 years ago the Baptist keep tax generating business out of Raytown because of the morality of the business and the fact the business want to serve liquor. Now members of these same churches want to be the deciding factor that drives a continuing downward spiral for our city.
It is a sinful shame that Greg Walters and Sandy Hartwell didn’t get elected. I guess we are all going to pay for this for sometime.
I'm not crazy about the way things are being done in
Raytown either but, the Wal-Mart deal was done starting back
in 2004. I've been told Mayor Bower may have been able to stop
it after he was elected but, I really doubt that too.
Back then, as now, our elected officials had no clue how business
was done. They were sold a bill of goods by Wal-Mart and Wenson
along with Block. Remember when Block said they had seven stores
ready to move in on the south side of 350hwy. They fell for that one
too. So did the Raytown Post.
I really doubt if it would be done any different today. If the lawyer and City
Administrator said the deal sounded good to them, it would pass again
without any questions asked. Just like last time.
Mayor Bower COULD have stopped Walmart. He told me so himself, but he didn't have the gumption to kill Walmart and to go after something GOOD for Raytown. Wouldn't we have loved to have the new J C Penney's, the Macy's or some of the other more upscale shopping establishments. You can bet you will never see Mary Bower shopping at our new Walmart.
Something that I don’t like about those that smoke, which I have not heard, brought up is all of the cigarette butts laying around the streets, parking lot and entrances to buildings. If you are going to smoke and don’t want society to dictate where you can start cleaning up after yourselves. Until then maybe the nice lady we all read about on the blog that is cleaning up signs in the right away can start cleaning up the butts. I would recommend she take half of what she collects to Alderman Pardue and the other half to Alderman Van Buskirk. Maybe then these two elected officials will see the mess smokers leave behind.
6:57 AM, Yes, We are speaking about the same Joe Creamer. We may not like with the way he lives his life and the leglislation he proposes to inact. That is a difference of opinion, not mentality.
Pat, I too am glad to see a sense of humor. I am in an email depate with a friend in Phoenix and her complaint is that there is violence over the Dictator Health Care Plan. If there was humor, there may not be violance.
To the writer stating the health care plan would be needed for those smokers who get cancer. I believe there is a possibility thet care will be denied because of life style. Why waste money curing people who continue to smoke and not help themselves? One of the requirements for an alcholic to receive a liver transplant is one (1) year clean and sober.
Back when the smoking ban was dropped a couble of years ago, Jim Aziere said that he wanted the opportunity to present it. If it was voted down, at least he gave the people the choice.
To me posting in restrooms is not proper notice and should be challenged. Restrooms are not a public location!
I noticed posts on the last string because it is difficult for me to find the present string. People may want to take a look at it.
Justin, I agree we need a Waldo/Brookside type of area. Both have through traffic and are walking distance from neighborhoods. 350 HWY is difficult for pedestrians to cross. Maybe 350 HWY with some area to one direction would be good. Why not develope the old
Hy-Vee/Walmart area into a a Brookside type area. The gas station and Denny's is already there.
Andy Whiteman
7:10 you are correct about striping the lanes. It seem to take this group of over energetic individuals for ever to get the lanes painted back on 63rd where they resurfaced the streets. I almost had heartache when I noticed the improvement to the street. What I can not understand is they didn’t paint back the cross walks going North and South at Blue Ridge and 63rd where Bank of America is. I know I have seen kids walking to Raytown High School, so I would think this would be a primary crossing point being the school are just down the street.
I take this as just an additional example of how the safety of the public really is the mayor’s concern like he sold to everyone this past April with the Lynching we got on the “Safety Sales Tax”. He really needs to be honest and call it what it really was “Wal-Mart Cleanup To General Fund”. That is right boys and girls the tax can only be used for public safety issues, which includes police officers salary. Look at the budget over the last several years and this is one of the biggest expenses. If the funding can come now from a special tax we can put the original funds back into the general account to cover the $800,000 blunder.
Good for you… Good for Raytown… Mayor Bower!
Mary Bower shop Raytown get real!
David has one more then one occasion made it clear the dine in Lee Summit so I am sure Mary does her shopping there too. I mean where is she going to shop in Raytown expect for one of the loan shops on 350 highway.
Please David had not brought us any business that a large percentage of people are going to shop. Keep in mind Wal-Mart and Hy-Vee don’t count folks as they were already in Raytown. From my count we are actually down many business. The good kind that generated sales tax revenue, but why care about that when the city and school district can bleed us dry on our property taxes.
Andy:
You have yet to tell us who the mastermind at city hall is that told you submission of complains by email are not acceptable. I think it would only be fitting to know so the few aldermen who too are tired of the increasing code violations could question the person.
I for one take anything city hall tells me with a grain of salt as they have a tendency to provide very misleading information even when they consult with our city attorney.
What happened to the individual that hates those living down at 55th & Ditzeler? I know I have been waiting to hear the response on how to cleanup our city. It must be this person is just like Joe Creamer and can not come up with any ideas. What a sad individual that complains, but has no ideas to fix the issue.
Well maybe one of these days this individual can fix all the property violations until then we will just have to keep ignoring issues like this that face the city. I this is call “transparency”, which is the leading project for our project manager mayor.
What good have any of the new alderman done?
Four months have passed and I am not sure I have seen any changes.
Pardue promised above par expectations and indicated addition features to the city website, but I sure have not seen anything.
Never heard Mock campaigned so I guess him not doing anything fits with his method of campaigning.
Lightfoot might understand running a business, but has brought no new business to our city
Van Buskirk was going to be the voice of doing the right thing and giving the people what they wanted, but is failing short with the smoking band.
Being a Baptist has nothing to do with a smoking ban or not. It has to do with a persons freedom. One day you will wake and find out all of your freedoms are gone. It will be to late then. You had better wake up and figure out what is really going on.
I have taken down signs, picked up cig butts, trash, bottles and numerous other items. Have YOU? And by the way I have been in church and come to think of it I haven't seen you either!!!!!
You are missing the point that Raytown First Baptist Church held this city back for years. All in the name of morality now when we start talking about a smoke band the member from this church as well as the two from Baptist Temple are the ones not wanting to protect the safety of children and others. This doesn’t sound like good Christian thinking to me.
Are these three also supporting the tattoo parlor? I have heard on the street at least one is against it, sorry good men you can not pick and choice your morality.
1:32 what is next the Baptist not interfering with a woman’s right to decide to have an abortion. I would have to see this to believe it… Last time I heard you all don’t believe in pro-choice.
Don’t give me that smoking and pro-choice are not the same… both are personal freedoms.
I really like the idea of the area around 350 and Raytown Rd. becoming a place where truck drivers could stop over. From my understanding the real estate company Block, who is selling the property has it too over priced and that the normal Joe could never by it. That Amoco station I can tell you they wanted well over a million for the property and that didn't include the car wash behind the station. So my question would be who would be able to purchase the properties?
The comment about Pardue and Van Buskirk on the stand they are taking on the smoking ban. I will have to commend them, that they realize that state and church do not mix,or as it's refereed to, separation of church and state. So their religion has nothing to do with their decisions. Any elected official needs to keep his/her political view separate from their religious views.
As far as the rental properties, yes, I feel they need to be control by someone. I have several in my neighborhood that are in disrepair or the tenants have no respect for the other neighbors. The conditions of these houses are an eyesore. Tall grass, trash all over, and if a dog is allowed. It's left tethered in the yard 24 seven, which is another ordinance violation.
I could go on about how many of us homeowners have had the police out because fist fights,loud parties and foul language. My daughter and I were leaving the house and the new renters were moving in, there were several young men helping with the move having a few beers while doing it, I would drink a few myself when moving, so that isn't the issue. The thing that is should never have been seen ;by a 12 year old, one of the young men was urinating along the side of the house and my daughter having a full view. This is the landlords responsibility to background check who he's renting to and to keep the property up to livable standard.
With as many foreclosures we have had, how many do you think are going to fall into investors hands that live out of town or live here and don't give a crap? The house I'm speaking of is owned by the brother of a known politician. We have had issues since he had acquired the property and the nightmare has been going on for years. In fact the neighbors say the house is jinxed.
They need to have some department to answer to, I think it's a wonderful idea. At least I wouldn't have to put up with the fist fights in the front yard or the peeling paint, or the dog barking all night. We will at least be able to have the owner either speak to the tenants or have them removed, and require basic maintenance and the property will not be such an eyesore, The landlord is required to take care of the property and just not collect revenues.
One choice involves an unborn baby the other does not. Do you understan it yet?
You make a good point about smoking is a personal freedom, but a woman's right to choose is not. How about it you Baptists, you can't have it both ways. A little hypocrisy?
If any of you attented the question and answer form that the Three Trails Key Club had before the election you will remember that the question was asked, are you infavor of a smoking ban? Mr. Van Buskirk answer the question and the answer was no. So he has stood by his convictions. Next time before you spout off you might want to check out your facts. He made is position on the ban known that night. Weren't you listening or didn't you atend? By the way ban is spelled ban not band.
So the mind set for the religious right is it is okay as long as it is okay for me.
Does this mean you approve additional bars, tattoo parlors and gentleman’s club? It should be noted the bars and gentleman’s club could bring in sales tax dollars from food and drink sales.
I real think we all need to understand were the morality begins and ends.
So many one here real don’t know anything about any of the aldermen. If you did you would know how hard Van Buskirk works for us all. If the others would even have half the true interest in our city as him we would eliminate a lot of the issues we are facing. The only other one that is pro-active is Ertz. I have talked to many people who he has taken the time to call and look into issues regardless of what ward they live in. At the same time I have heard that Creamer doesn’t seem to understand that he needs to return calls to our citizens that call him. Simple answer is to follow the actions of Pat and Bill and we would have a strong and successful board or they can continue down the Joe Creamer path and simply do nothing.
Maybe those at RFB need to find out what their fine boy Will does after hours in Jeff City. They might not then what to tell us how to live our lifes.
I beleive all the citizens want the samething for Raytown. Good schools, a clean city and business. Let's all work for the same thing and help each other to achieve this. If a neighbor needs help with yard work,ect. pitch in and help you will be happier in the end. Most of all our city will look great again and the business will come. What do you say let's give it a try we have nothing to loose.
Mr. VanBuskirk is letting his petty Republican party valves interfere with what is good for Raytown. He knows that a smoking ban is good for Raytown but his views are clouded by the Republican National Committee. If it's so bad then why have all the other progressive, thriving, communities around us come on board?
I truly do believe this has nothing to do with Democrat or Republican. And if you don't like how things are being done I can suggest two things, you can move to one of these progressive, thriving communites or the next time there is an election file for office and let's see how good of job you do!!!!
Did you watch the BOA on television Tuesday night. Mr. Van Buskirk or Par Due weren't the only ones voiting aganist the ban.. STUPID!!!!!
I would really like to understand why we are getting (the city) into the real estate business. If these houses are owned by a bank or another finical institution why are we fixing them up? Shouldn't that be their job? Once they are sold who gets the money---the institution who ownes them or do they now belong to the city and we get the money? This makes no sense to me at all. Unfornately Beth Linn couldn't really answer the questions either. So who really knows what is going on here!!! It just sounds fishy to me.
55th and ditzler...my wifes car was broken into while the family was at super splash..we lost a phone,car /house keys,some cds and a window...police said they have a group of teen thugs living at 54th nd ditzler who make it a regular walk through the parking lot to look in vehicles..they even have a path between the houses and small woods...ask the police that area is home to rival gang members (crips and bloods)...i asked couple of fireman at the new hyvee and they said they have had shootings and violent assults there and they say they like when the police respond with them...this problem is not only attached to the 55th and ditzler area...open your eyes when you drive around the city....look at 59th and farley where the rental duplexs are..look at apartments on 87th street all three of them...drive through the apartments next to raytown high...every street in town has rental property with blankets hanging in the windows,trash cans in front of the house,tall weeds or newspapers in the driveway from sometime last year....no wonder no real stores want to come here...i mean lets not be pc here...the younger people that call these areas home are the people that you will find outside the stores smokin...getting tattoos(while on food stamps and other aid)...and fighting in the parking lots of the bars...You want to fix this town try cleaning it up first...im meen are you stupid..people wont shop in a place they dont feel safe...remember bannister mall...
1) Run the thugs and wanna bes,gang members and everybody else that is a wart on the ass of society 2)reduce rental property and section eight housing and slum lords..3)Start fixing the streets and put in some dam curbs and sidewalks4)put more dam cops on the street and give them buford pusser type authorty..and no truck parking lot at 350 hiway and raytown road...yes the truckers need a place to park....but do you want drugs being peddled out of there not to mention the lot lizards workin the sex game.....i mean do you people even think before you put stuff out.....when i drive through the city which i have for 25 years the cleanest and nicest buildings i see are the new fire stations....raytown is a dead city and soon will be overun by thugs and rental houses,tatoo parloors and strip joints..after 25 years..Lees Summit here we come
Dennis
A Code of Conduct was approved at the last BOA meeting. The word "citizen" was changed to "resident" for some reason I couldn't understand.
The code deals with elected officials conduct with residents.
This IRKS me because of terminology. What is a resident? What about business owners or other property owners who do not live in Raytown? Are they excluded from this Code of Conduct? Jim Aziere made a point that an Alderman by stating he will vote a certain way and not following through could be in conflict of other vague language.
Most companies and organizations have a Code of Conduct so obviously one is necessary. I and apparently Jim Aziere find fault with wording and think it should be studied.
Andy Whiteman
I wondered if I was the only one who noticed.
Creamer does not return phone calls. Pardue is not even in the phone book!
How can they know what people think if they shut themselves off from us?
Silly Greg!
The meeting is being held early because it makes it a little bit easier on our hardworking out of town department heads to make it home to start their weekend.
Let's see, the city attorney has to drive all the way back to Gladstone. The city administrator all the way to the Belton area. The city finance director to east Lee's Summit.
Did I miss anyone? Oh yeah, our city public works director has a long drive north of the river as well.
That's o.k. They really did not want to hear what we had to say about anything anyway.
Greg, Seems like the School Board, apparently they don't want people there. 6PM is dinner time for most people. I thought I heard Mayor Bower announce the smoking issue for Sept 8th.
Meetings have constantly been changed around for various reasons since the 1st cancellation. Keep the public confused so they can't speak. Aug 28th was set for the budget long ago.
The attitude from our elected leaders has been, "The public be damned." I wish we could have a recall, but only those who elected them in the first place would vote. Lets change the name of Raytown to Apathytown.
Andy Whiteman
Hey! Bring on the juice bars, strip clubs, young pole dancers, tatoo parlors and sex novelty item shops... seems this is the 'new' direction that Raytown is headed. Property management companies and real estate management groups like Block and others are part of the problem. They did it with the old malls like Blue Ridge and Bannister and others. They get in there and come up with ridiculously high prices for rent and properties that seem to keep the average person with a small business out of the properties, so it is easy for them to say that no one will rent from them, and the properties can go through an 'accelerated blighting process' to give them the excuse to tear it down and build new shops. It is happening all around us. The pawn shops and title loan shops were the ones to start the degredation here. We had better get out while we still can!
When will VanBuskirk start representing HIS constitutes and get off his REPUBLICAN partisan agenda? I was afraid that he would not be able to separate the two. Now it is really coming out that he thinks more of the RNC's agenda than his neighborhood's needs.
By allowing smoking in bars to continue in Raytown we are encouraging the seedy type of businesses to locate here. Strip clubs, juice bars, and other type of unwanted businesses are just waiting to see if the smoking ban is defeated. White, Melson, VanBuskirk, and the others that vote to kill this will be the ones responsible for our continued decline. Wonder where Mayor Bower's church stands on these type of businesses?
On the smoking ban I see the aldermen caving in to the Special Interest, (bar owners and tobacco companies). Watch how many of them get political contributions if this goes in favor of the special interests. They seem to forget that this is really a health and safety issue and it's not just for the children, it's about all of us.
I hear one of Bower’s ministers like to be a contributor of articles for the Raytown Post. She, Dawn Weaks, likes to talk about how her husband, co-minister, and her decided to move here to celebrate our diverse community. What I have not heard or read is does this include the fact we are one of a very few cities in the metropolitan area that have not gone smoke free. I will say from conversation with several of the members from their church as well as those I have seen at their summerfest booth that the two ministers are not very active in outreach programs. I guess this is why I have not met either of them out and about in our community so I am left to wonder how either of them is celebrating our diversity. I would tend to agree this could play into the lack of attention we see from Bower as it relates to our city’s diversity.
It should be noted I hear that Joe Weaks is on the human resource committee that Bower has formed, but I have yet to see or hear the committee do anything productive. I point this out, as I understand this is very typical of Mr. Weaks. He seems to like ideas, but not like jumping in and getting the job done. Again… sounds a lot like what we all are seeing from Bower.
Please understand I am not trying to pick on their church or members as a whole, but I believe many of the ministers these days talk a good game without putting their words into action. I believe that is called do as I say not as I do. Again…. sounds a lot like the message from those at city hall under Bower’s administration.
If only the Rev. Truman Dollar and John Caylor were still around, a lot of Bower's silliness wouldn't be happening.
Could the meeting times be dependent on the football games of Friday night football? The Chiefs play tonight and V's Italiano emailed out discount coupons. Last week for the game they gave $5 off dinner with coupon. I asked the manager because restrauant seats are hard to get on Friday nights in KC. He said that buusiness would drop to nothing at 7PM because fo the game.
Better watch your gas bills. My bill felt a little thick. There was a card-like insert to send to the Public Service Commission for appealing the rate hike!
They want to raise the monthly charge for service (the meter charge whether or not you use gas). Better watch this and send your comments. By the way, the city also gets Franchise tax and sales tax on the raise! More $$$$$ for MO Gas Energy--more $$$$$$ for the city of Apathytown.
Anyd Whiteman
How can elected official live with themselves after running their mouths off about what great Christians they are and how they help people then for them to turn and want to increase taxes in economical times like this.
My point is don’t tell me what a good and great Christian you are show me by doing the right thing and stop asking for more money right now. Then get out of that chair you seat in, which makes you feel superior to those that elected you and start to cut the waste within the area your were elected.
If you can not find the fat that needs trimmed from the budgets you approve then you best get back to church and start praying for guidance as you can seem to see the day of light for yourself.
For those that can not do the right thing remember all of us will be accountable to GOD one day and I sure would like to see you explain your action then.
I want recognize Christine White for once again holding Raytown back. It seems like it was just last year that see received this same award for not moving curbside recycling forward. That is right she and she alone is the main reason we do not have curbside recycling as well as why the city has not gone to a single trash hauled. Both would have saved us money, but she doesn’t care about that only what she wants.
Now being she is a SMOKER she wants to keep Raytown a flame. No respect to others or their children! At the rate we are moving forward thanks to her backward thinking we will be the only city in the Greater Kansas City Area that still allows smoking.
She spits her hate towards an ordinance like this as a king cobra sprays its toxic venom. The justification in her mind is to compare the smoking issue to obesity. The difference be clear that even in restaurants that provide a smoking and non-smoking section to often one must cross through the smoking section to get to the restrooms as is the case with Fun House Pizza or the smoking room is in the back like at Las Chill’s. These forces all to breathe in the second had smoke or in her mind create fewer customers for this business.
When are these simple educated individuals going to learn this type of mindset is costing Raytown sales tax revenue? They also need to visit Lee Summit and they will quickly learn places with a smoking ordinance actually gain customers. The only exemption to that rule is some bars that have complained the are way down on customers, but also admit they have had few problems with customers anymore as the trouble makers have moved on to communities that still allow smoking. Guess where these type of people are going, but to Raytown. Yet again she is putting our children at risk!
We can only hope the mayor too will see her miss guidance and publicly recognize her, as he likes to do towards other alderman.
more of the same...mayor bower bad, church bad, smokers bad,blah blah blah such and such is not a christian..baptists are holding back raytown blah,blah,blah...i meen really what good does it do to come here and complain like that...most of you complain about the same things your coworkers gripe about you....something to think about....i like dennis take on the problem. I think he is closer than you think to the solution,however the pc crowd wont accept it. On a side not i had lunch in Brookside today it was ok no place to park crowded and just as dirty as antwhere else..and most of the peole were stuck up and not vey friendly...
If you dont like it here in Raytown, then move to Brookside!
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!
I would love to move, but can't sell my house.
I wonder who are the 2 individuals who voted on the Poll to increase taxes? I bet they are elected officials of upper city management.
12:24 PM, I agree with you. The will meet their maker.
5:22PM, why not make it better and completely move away from the State of Misery? Brookside has the same miserable climate and high utility bills.
I don't think anyone knows it, but moving is NOT a simple matter. It took me 6 years to find a house and so far it has been 9 months remodeling and is nowhere near completed. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes over a year.
Andy Whiteman
blah blah blah fool read the post..been in raytown 25 years..everybody braggin about brookside...not that nice...but yes i soon will be moving got my eye on property out east of lees summit..trees,grass,pond...so until i move i will continue to post...i have earned that right..see i have been in raytown long enough to remember Arthur treachers fish and chips and the building next to raytown high was a kfc..what about the belle star saloon and no tell motel where aquila is now and the wagon wheel resturant which is now mcdonalds on 350...pick up your yard,keep crying about the mayor and the church...me ill be fishin
Have you talked with the mayor about buying your house. It sure seems like he like to speend money so why not buy some houses. It would be something new for him to do for the little guy and not his corporate friends.
Greg:
What is going on with the blog? It seems some postings are dropping off or are they being deleted. At first I thought I was seeing things, but after checking with a couple of others that read your blog on a daily base they too noticed missing postings. When we compared notes we agreed all were those directed at a spouse of an alderman, so are these individuals now off limits. If so wouldn’t this alderman’s spouse fit into their own category I mean I never heard complaints form city hall about you wife having the perception she was the elected official. It is my understanding from the mayor, several alderman and those at city hall that this is not the case.
I think it is great this spouse is taking a stand for what they believe in and we all need to do a better job of holding those tied to city hall accountable. Yet, this also means taking some criticism too. Andy is one of our citizens who does a great job of speaking his mind and right at the board meetings. He also has paid the price for doing this several times on this very blog. Therefore when a spouse of an alderman does the same thing shouldn’t they to take the heat from others in our community?
9:55PM, Maybe you have a point. The lords of the fief run it like a Monopoly Game. Lets see, when you have 4 houses, you can buy a hotel. But how many hotels to buy a gentlemen's club?
Dennis, since this blog posts on a delayed basis, I just saw your post of 2 days ago. First off, NO ONE and I mean NO ONE, should leave a cell phone, keys or anything of value or with your address in a car. Theives are looking for these. I suggest you rekey your house locks. If the thieves have your address, I know where their next visit will be and they won't have to break in. It happened a few years ago over on Harris in the 6300 or 6400 block. By the way, did they also get your garage door opener? If so, best to change the code on the opener.
I agree we need to keep unsuitable people out of Raytown, but how? All landlords look at is the color of the money, not the backround of the renters. When I sell my house, the lender will do a credit check on the buyer. If it is a cash offer, I will verify that the cash really does exist. I won't check backround. All I will check is funding.
Johnny, is a common name. Are you a former city employee? I hope you enjoy your new home. But watch out Lees Summit is expanding and so is Lake Latowana.
Andy Whiteman
Little Johnny sounds like a coward to me.
Run and hide little Johnny. I know lots of folks who thought the grass was greener in Lee's Summit and then moved back or wish they could.
Raytown, like any community has its problems. Ignoring them does not solve them. Running and hiding like little Johnny says he plans to do is even less of a solution.
Clean up city hall and you will take the first BIG step to solving Raytown's problems.
Wouldn't it be nice if your aldermen returned phone calls? It city departments actually tried to solve problems rather than find excuses?
you say run and hide i say retirement..you think i want to stay around and listen to you whinners gripe about the mayor, hell we were doing that around town when nesbitt was here..i want some grass and a pond where i can lit a bonfire in my back yard,ride the three wheeler to the pond spend the early evening hours catchin small mouth bass and crappie...hell maybe shoot me guns at some targets instead of having them loaded next to my bed...is funny i used to buy my food at raytown plaza grocery store, my kids bought there ballcards there, we used the bowling ally on hadley...and even ate at Georges Restaurant, my kids played video games at cosmos in the center 63 shopping center and foozeball on blue ridge where the Insurance place used to be..we rented our movies from the guy that had the small video rental place by what is now godfathers...so think what you want to think of my descion to move i have been here a long time and to watch this town turn to a ghetto is just a shame...so with that i bid a fond farewell...i close on new place on aug 25th..so good luck to all as little johnny is goin fishin and tendin to the 15 acres...i know you will still be here bitchin about the church and whoever is in office at the time
Johnny, Good for you deciding to improve your lifestyle. I decided to do that while I was being forced to move here because I knew how miserable the climate is. For some reason, people on this blog tell people to move and then criticize those who do move. Doesn't make sense. Sometimes a move has no reflection on Raytown. If I wasn't disabled, I would want a few hundred acres so there would be quiet with no neighbors and no infernel government to tell me what kind of fence I can have.
By the way, what grocery store was in Raytown Plaza? The architecture resembles an old Safeway.
I hope Lees Summit doesn't encroach on you.
Andy Whiteman
Hi Little Johnny. Here is right back at you!
I know and frequented all those places you took us down memory lane. What you don't seem to get is why we are in the mess we are in.
You see, Little Johnny, we have had a real bad run of Mayors. It started with Nesbitt, got worse under Frank and is horrendous under Bower.
Unless you think that paying $800,000 of your tax money to pay a debt Walmart is supposed to be covering is a good thing.
Whining about the Mayor?
Go read the Raytown Post if all you want to read is that the days are sunny in Raytown and it only rains after nine p.m.
To fix this city we need a new dirction. Staying the course is not the answer. And your answer of running away is pure cowardice.
Here's a thought. You and Andy could start a club. It could be called those who hate where they are but will not leave.
Don't look for too many to join up.
If Bower is push the idea of neighbors helping neighbors instead of calling codes on property maintenance issues then why did we even bother hiring Beth Linn.
Beth has done nothing for the city but take her paychecks. We don’t need her type in Raytown… Wait she doesn’t live in Raytown.
Does Bower ever answer his phone?
Ever time I call or others I know we get his answering machine. She like he really is not in touch with Raytown like he wanted to believe two years ago.
I also noticed Melson and Hamilton list the city halls phone number as they way to contact them. I know Melson had issues in the past, but didn’t know she had moved into city hall. Maybe this is why we are running out of space like Bower keeps saying. Does this also mean Melson and Hamilton are now an item being they are sharing the same number.
Sounds like Little Johnnie and Andy would feel more comfortable in Wyoming.
Sounds like Little Johnnie and Andy would feel more comfortable in Wyoming.
10:25 PM,
You say that I am one of those who hate Raytown but won't move. You must be one of those who think moving is easy. Well, it ain't. Not only is it time consuming but very expensive! If you have been following the blog, it took me 6 years to find a house. I am very picky because this is the last move I can afford for the rest of my life. I have been waiting 8 months for remodeling of the house, probably have another 6 months of packing, as well as 2 house payments and 2 sets of utility bills until the house in Raytown is sold.
Do you have a clue how much it cost to move? I don't think you comprehend what is involved.
Why are people like you complaining that people should move and then criticize them when they say they are moving? People on this blog don't make sense. I may be confused with several writers having the same name (Anonymous). Lee Gray said he was moving to the FL Keys and it was no big deal. He said he likes it there and that was fine with everyone.
As a thought, maybe Raytown should be domed like Atlantis on Stargate Atlantis. That would control the climate and keep the criminal element out. (If someone says that is nonsense, they are correct. Much of what on this blog is nonsense.)
9:29 AM, Due to this blog not being live, I just saw your post. Thanks for your comment. As for the heat, I ignore the anonymous writers unless they can state facts. 10:35PM obviously doesn't know what he/she is talking about since he/she thinks moving is easy.
Andy Whiteman
Lee still lives in Raytown. Saw him yesterday walking up the street.
The Raytown Post does our community a real disservice by not reporting all the facts about city hall. I remember when the Colts owned the paper they exposed all the corruption that was going on at city hall and the people actually ran some of these elected officials out of office. WE NEED A REAL NEWSPAPER in this town. Can you hear us LEE GRAY?
im to old to fight we have not had a good mayor since willard ross..nice to se he is still around..beat on me all you want makes no difference to me at all, my kids are gone, i want some piece and quiet,im not running away and when we used to sit up at foxs people said back then that we needed a plan to fix problems...here is something to think about there is no plan...because nobody will ever agree on what to do,you cant build anything because to many people want a say in how it looks or what it sells,there will be pickets by unions if non union labor is used,or minority groups if not enough minorities contractors are used or just flat out people crying about what color the building is...i will be suprised if anything ever comes of downtown..i would like to see a small movie theather in raytown...i could go on and on but you really dont want to exchange any ideas call me a coward or a friend of andys or whatever you want as you have spelled out no plan just more venom....as i said my kids are grown and on there own both my sons are police officers for kcpd and my daughter is a nurse and is engaged to a fireman from lees summit so you see i dont really care what goes on here anymore it has been wrong for so many years and the stigma outside the borders are that it is the new ghetto..have you ver searched the sex offender website there are over 150 in raytown alone and thats the ones that still report and thats in 10 square miles...got to go headed out to clear some brush from the pond but first im going to first baptist and give thanks for what i have...good luck....poor little johnny
Lee Gray said he was moving. So maybe he changed his mind.
Johnny, What you said about meeting at Fox's Drugs brings something to mind. When I lived in Littleton Colorado, Abe's Cafe had a large round table that would seat up to about 12. During breakfast, lunch, and anytime other than dinner; it was a community table. Businessmen or anyone who wanted to could sit there and join in on the conversation. I guess that was a blog before there was an internet. I think that the businessman should pick a restaurant or coffee house where the could come and go at will and shoot the breeze. Maybe get some ideas going. Bout of course we can't offend anyone.
Andy Whiteman
I agree Willard Ross was a GOOD mayor, Grissom wasn't bad either, but the last run of mayors have really been duds. They can't even run their own business, let alone a city. I too agree with little Johnny, I'm getting too old to care about Raytown, it's just easier to move somewhere more comfortable. I don't even mind paying more taxes as long as I can see I'm getting something for it. We have become the NEW GHETTO and it ain't gonna get any better soon. I like Johnny won't live long enough to see Raytown turned around. I feel bad, but sometimes the truth hurts.
Hello Johnny!
No more Blah, blah, blah, blah?
Oh, that's only when you are not talking. Let's talk solutions. I note your sons work for the KCPD. They have rule in that town that if you work for the city, you live in the city.
Think that's a good idea for Raytown?
There are close to 200 souls working for the city of Raytown. Some live here. Most do not. Only one of our appointed department heads lives here. The rest are out of towners.
Do you think that if they lived here they might at least know which way the streets run?
All of this has happened since Nesbitt. Frank continued it and so has Frank the Second (aka David Bower).
That is part of what wrong with Raytown. I think it can be fixed. But it is very, very clear that the ones at city hall (with the exception of two of the newbies) will not even discuss it.
You see Johnny. It's more than just blah, blah, blah.
I agree ALL city employees should live in the city. I think the problem is they can't find people here who are qualified or want the jobs.
As I said before, moving is not cheap. If the city is paying someone $7 per hour or even $14 per hour, it is not worth the cost of moving to get the job.
One way would be to give preference to applicants living in the city of Raytown. Definitely all upper management should be required to live in the city so they realize what it like to live here after hitting a few potholes, tripping on cracked pavement when walking down the streets, living in a hood where street light are over a block from each other. One couple looking at my house commented on how dark the street is at night.
Andy Whiteman
To Anonymous 8:01 and others,
I'm sorry but I don't understand your logic.
People have been smoking in Raytown bars forever.
I've been in town for over thirty years and I haven't seen one
strip club, juice bar or any other "seedy" business locate here.
I get it, you and some others don't like smoking.
I suggest when you go into a place that allows smoking you
turn around and walk out.
I have know a lot of good people that have smoked or still smoke
and not one of them is a bad person. Just because they smoke
they don't hop in their cars and say, let's go find a strip bar, I'm
feeling a little "seedy" this evening.
Yes, smoking is bad for you. We all get that now. So is drinking, fast
food and many other things people seem to like.
Contrary to, as it seems, what many people think, smoking isn't the root
of all evil. Abortions and religion have no place in the smoking debate.
You all can fight about these things all you want but, while you are
fighting about your individual beliefs the school board and city are
scheming on how to get deeper into your wallet.
The city is falling apart, City Hall has given away a huge part of it's income,our school board spends our money like it grows on trees, codes may or may not be being enforced, the 63rd St bridge is in bad shape,
Raytown is losing businesses, neighborhoods are in trouble and we
are fighting over smoking in a few bars.
As I started out, I don't get the logic.
I don't get the logic either. People are making wild assumptions and treating them like fact. There are too many "what if?" assumptions coming up that are not reality. As one writer would say, it is nonsense.
Andy Whiteman
Does Little Johnny really thing life anywhere else is really any better? Gee, I wish moving was the anser to solving all my issues. I think you will find that you will have new concerns and a new group of complainers. Please note I don’t think we have complaining on here. We have a lot of taxpayers including myself that are tired of the city and school district asking for more and all of us getting less. If the city would do their job on eyesore then Greg and Richard wouldn’t need to remind them. By the way we are paying 6 associates to address the eyesores, but have no positive results shows we have a problem with this department. Sad that good old Bower can not address the real issues in Raytown like the codes department. The one thing I can say is he is the best example of what a mayor should not be!
I think we should stop picking on Bower on this blog and help him with campaign slogans.
Taxes – Higher for you… Higher for me
Property Maintenance – Transparency at its finest
TIFs – Supporting corporate welfare with your tax dollars
Street Maintenance – Pothole speed determinants
Green space – Returning us to our grass roots
All possible today by those still “Reaching for Tommarrow”
I think many of us would agree it is always nice when politicians reach out to those they represent. However, I don’t think any of us had the idea it would be deeper into our pockets for their unjustified expenses.
What a true sign of compassion we have received during these hard economic times from both our mayor and school board.
I heard a rumor that new seasonal business is coming to Raytown and wondered if anyone could validate it. As I understand the business will be open late spring through early fall at the Southwest corner of 79th and Spring Valley. There will be late afternoon and early evening mud wrestling with the owner of the property donating half the proceeds the city’s deficit.
Seems we have at least one alderman want to help lessen the tax burden on the hard working citizens of Raytown. To think so many of you have been complaining about this very lot, not knowing of the great plan for this water basin.
I am so please to see at least one former elected official come up with a plan to brighten our future.
I don't buy tht hogwash that qualified people for Raytown city jobs will not live here.
They have qualified people living in every other community around here. Including Grandview, Kansas City, Independence, Blue Springs. Check it out. They require the higher ups to live in the town.
City hall sources confirm that a massage parlor has applied to move into Raytown. This will fit right in with the tattoo parlor, the pit bulls, pot bellied pigs, fireworks and the growing number of bars in downtown. That Chamber of Commerce is really filling up those empty buildings. Thank God for RED-NECKED RAYTOWN.
I just saw the phone number post.
How many people live at city hall? It is not zoned as residential.
It came up at a previous BOA meeting where at least one Alderman decided that he wanted is address listed as the City's address for privacy reasons. Mahesh asked all alderpeople to notify him how they wanted their address and phone number listed.
I can sure see valid reason for not disclosing phone numbers and addresses. I don't give my phone number out but it is in the phone book for those not too lazy to look it up. I tell businesses that I pay my phone bill. If they want the number they can start paying my phone bill.
Andy Whiteman
These are elected officials… elected at the city level to represent us and therefore need to be able to be reached. Based on the number of message I have left for one city official at city hall who doesn’t return phone call I expect to be able to reach them at home. If when they are campaigning and I catch their material without a contact phone number on it. I don’t vote for then and normally find the time to work against them as they must have something to hide.
That is a good point about elected officials and knowing their number and where they live. I have on good source that one of our state representatives representing part of Raytown doesn’t actually live within his district. Andy this is why it is very important to know more about our elected officials. Sad that we have a state attorney and ethics commission and they have done nothing, but a case was filed at one point. Think I might be wrong…. Well, do the homework on http\\case.net This guy thinks he is so sharp he hasn’t paid taxes in years. He actually makes our mayor look good, which is very sad to say.
How can the Alderman from ward two be using the city hall address. This would make him living in Ward 3. Is he going to resign. I know Justin reads the blog and I think he needs to get hold of Bower and ask to be appoint to the position being he still lives in the ward.
You all, I agree as a public official there should be a way to contact an Alderperson and they should return calls. That doesn't necessarily mean a home phone number. Several of you have mentioned calling city officials during the middle of the night. That is good reason not to disclose a phone number. Since I am disabled and sleep most of the day, that is my reason for not giving out my phone number. People seem to think I am up because they are which ain't true.
Andy Whiteman
We need an appointed chief of police, which would mean a charter form of government and not being a 4th class city like we are now. If we had an appointed chief and a board of alderman with a backbone they could order him to be out on patrol and not warming a chair. It seems ours actually enjoys warming the barstools at either Applebee’s or Bickering House. I wonder why he would be spending so much time in those places do they both have high amounts of crime he is investigating.
You guys don't understand why our elected officials don't
want to list their addresses and phone numbers for us to view.
I thought you were all sharper than that.
If you had made such a mess of your town, spent the taxpayers money badly, made some very serious bonehead decisions and have taken this town down the path to disaster, would you want the people that you
were supposed to be representing knowing where you live and your
phone number?
Hiding their information just confirms the fact that are in over their heads
and don't have a clue what they are doing, and they don't want to here
from us.
I guarantee if things were different and our elected officials were working
for the people and the betterment of this town, they wouldn't hesitate to
let you know their address and phone numbers. Heck they might even talk to us. Well, maybe that's taking it a little too far.
I was doing my catch up on postings and those on Aug 20th never seemed to explain why abortion is not a woman’s choice, but smoking is. I know I sure would like the answer, but not for the reason you might think. You see the person saying this are two different things and one is an unborn baby. I wonder of those that are born, but never wanted how many the have helped take care of. Just a thought… I am friends with many good old Christen thinking individuals who don’t support abortion and don’t give a rat about the baby needless to say I don’t go around them to much as I don’t want to get mislabeled a good old Christen. Doesn’t seem Christ like to me.
A bigger concern for me is the children that are born because of the good old thinking, but the people for whatever reason don’t take care of their kids. This can be providing them the love and understanding they crave or educating them to be the most they can be. What is even worst is the dead beat parents who claim they love their children and would do anything for them, but expect others to pickup the tab. If you are going to actually have the kid then take care of it and if not think about adoption if this doesn’t work for you then get fixed and when oops happens then get the abortion. The one thing is society needs to stop raising kids of those that will not take care of them without holding these parents (egg and sperm donners) responsible. We need to build tent cities and make life so hard that others will think twice about abusing their kids, by not supporting them including supporting their education (making sure they act right in school and do their school work).
little johnny says, yes kcpd has a live in city policy...im not sure how that fixs anything. I would bet tha if you made them live in the city they would quit or not apply at all.
Yes, I believe moving will fix some of my problems ie: crappy neighbors,loud music inept city council.
I believe that alot of the people who moved from raytown to greenwood,lee summit,liberty,lone jack did so to make things better for the families and the lifestyle that they want.
Me i want my grandkids to be able to come out and fish and maybe hunt a little,Then when im long gone they can have the property and do the same thing....yesterday i caught a real nice three pound bass....do you think i would trade that for anything in raytown...please...so with this i sign off you see im closin in about two hours got to get the rest of the stuff moved...signed poor scared,cowardly little johnny....blah,blah,blah.
and a side note if you are so right how bout signing your name
I live in Raytown in a nice neighborhood with wonderful neighbors. I don't have a pond in my yard. Would not want the mosquitos that come with it either. Never had cared much for fishing, but to each his own.
I guess what I am trying to say that is despite our very poor and inept city council and mayor, I still like my hometown. It is close in to everything that I enjoy about a large metropolitan area.
The thought of living further out in the slumburbs does not really exciting.
Like I said my neighborhood and neighbors are nice. Why should I trade it in?
By the way, I agree with you guys who think our city department heads should live within the city. What we have now is a clannish bunch of technocrats who have their resume's out.
Such a simple solution would be to put a requirement that new hires live within the city.
To Anon720,
Hello my name is Elisa Bedsworth, the proud owner of Natural Health Connection a Licensed Massage Therapist at 6520 Raytown Road. I graduate from BMSI Institute in Overland Park Kansas and am certified through the NCTMB after passing the national certification exam. I am licensed with the state of Missouri and also with the city of Raytown. My services are for theraputic massage, Swedish, deep tissue, prenatal, postnatal, sports and reflexology. I am certified as an infant massage instructor. Massage is benificial for relaxation, myofascial release, detoxification, stress relief, sciatic pain relief, insomnia, depression, fibromyalgia,arthritis, and is one of many holistic healthcare modalities. Come on in and take a look at my establishment it does not resemble a massage parlor.
I welcome anyone who is interested in learning more about the health benifits of massage to come and check us out. Have a wonderful and blessed day. Sincerely, Elisa Bedsworth LMT, CIMI, EMT
Good for you Elisa, I'm glad that you have shown that it takes an education to do your chosen profession, something a few here do not have...an education.
I will be sure to make a visit to your practice.
We should all at least thank little johnny as he has not been on here for over two years reminding us weekly that he his moving.
Johnny I hope the city doesn’t get to close or you will be force to put you guns away just like many I know in other areas that woke up one day and found a housing addition going in either next to their land or to the gun club which they belonged.
I do hear there is a nice pond down on Troost and fire arms are always welcome in KCMO, but with your sons on their department I am sure you already know this.
Elisa,
I feel I need to apologize to you for some who write on this blog.
Some feel they have to overstate to make a point.
Just because the city might let smoking go on in bars they have
said that this will bring into Raytown juice bars, strip joints and
who knows what just to try and make others believe their point of
view
The days of labeling "Tattoo parlors" and "Massage parlors"
are long gone and so should the stigma they used to bring to mind.
Today these are honorable honest clean businesses run by professionals
that should be treated as professionals.
My doctor recommended I see a masseuse fourteen years ago and I have
gone every week for as long. My doctor also said I probably wouldn't even
be walking now without this treatment.
So let those that go after people just because they don't know any other
way to make a point babble on, most people know the truth and don't pay them
any attention.
Pat is correct. The many accusations are nonsense. Writers use stereotyped ideas with no proof or reason. The fact they don't approve doesn't make that profession bad. I spoke for the tattoo pallor at the BOA and plan to speak at the second reading. I saw an article today (I believe in the entertainment section of the Red Star) where tattoos were referred to as "Body Art." Not my choice of art, but others like it. That is their choice.
12:42 PM, Apparently Little Johnny's move was sudden. Maybe he happened to find the right property. He had good luck. I have been wanting to move even before I moved to this State of Misery. I don't think you comprehend how difficult and expensive a move is. I have been looking for a house for 6 years and have been waiting 9 months for remodeling. Still a lot of packing left which could take many months. I will be glad when I am away from here. The weather has been horrible the last 2 days. Yuck!
Andy Whiteman
Did anybody see the City Council meeting last night?
I heard it only lasted fifteen minuets and the mayor wasn't there.
I also heard Simple Joe Creamer showed his intelligence or the
lack there of again.
I guess since it only lasted a few minuets everything is great in
Raytown
So what did simple joe do?
From what I understand he asked some really dumb questions.
you know, he was just being Simple Joe.
7:27AM, DUH? Yesterday was the 4th Tuesday. No BOA meeting was scheduled. Maybe it was a committee meeting. The next meeting is the mill levy Friday at 6PM. Early to keep the public from coming.
Andy Whiteman
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