 |
| GREG WALTERS |
PRIMARY ELECTION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7TH
Races
to Watch in Raytown BY GREG WALTERS
Raytown has its fair share of Primary Election
contests next Tuesday.
On the Democratic Ballot voters will choose in
two State Representative Districts. In District 28 Pat Riehle is facing Tom
McDonald to determine who will challenge the lone Republican candidate, Jim Aziere.
In District 27 Bonnaye Mimms will be facing Bill
Clinton Young for the Democratic nomination. There is not a Republican
candidate so the winner of the primary election will be unchallenged in the
November General Election.
On the Republican Ballot there has been a
spirited fight between four candidates to face to be the Republican candidate
in Missouri’s Fifth District in the November 7th General Election. Jerry Nolte, Jacob Turk, Jason Greene and Ron Shawd. The winner will fact
incumbent Emanuel Cleaver, who is
unopposed in the Democratic Primary.
Raytown Voters will also be voting on
Constitutional Amendment 2 which would re-affirm the right to prayer in public
and private sectors.
Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.
on Tuesday, August 7th.
THE
CONTROVERSIAL DECISION BY THE RAYTOWN BOARD OF ALDERMEN TO GIVE THE CITY
ADMINISTRATOR A $30,000 PAY INCREASE, AND THE ELIMINATION OF THIS RESIDENCY
REQUIREMENT HAS GRABBED THE HEADLINES THESE LAST TWO WEEKS. WE RECEIVED
COMMENTARIES ON THE BOARD’S DECISION. IN PLACE OF OUR REGULAR EDITORIAL COMMENT
WE ARE PRINTING THE FOLLOWING TO “GUEST EDITORIALS”. – GREG WALTERS
 |
| SUE FRANK |
Poor
Decision by Mayor and Board of Aldermen BY SUE FRANK
Last week The Raytown Times reported a 17.6%
wage increase for the City Administrator.
In fact it was a 28% pay increase.
Wages for the administrator had been $107,000 and were taken to
$137,000, and the residency requirement was waived. He will not ever have to
live with the impact of his decisions.
This decision is shameful on the part of the
mayor and nine aldermen and is a slap in the face to the citizens of
Raytown. Many people in Raytown,
including city employees, don’t make $30,000 a year and are struggling with
fixed incomes, layoffs, rising prices and foreclosures. Most city employees
have seen no raises in the last years and some have seen wages decline due to
the higher shared costs of benefits.
To justify this enormous raise it was stated the
City Administrator had no assistant.
Administration is now posting a job for a Public Information Officer
(public relations) with starting wages between $45,000 and $65,000. As a former
mayor I know that support staff has always lacked at City Hall. It seems though
that administration would rather hire a spin doctor to help justify these bad
decisions rather than supply the services we actually need.
Undoubtedly budget cuts will be made –further
cutting services to citizens- to afford these and other wastes of
resources. In a bad economy these poor
decisions could threaten the renewal of upcoming sales taxes and negatively
impact the lives of the taxpayers that want to live, do business and spend
their incomes in Raytown.
 |
| THE SALAMANDER |
The
Salamander Returns!
Try this scenario.
You hire an employee to help run your business.
He does his job -- shows up on time; doesn't
call in sick too often -- a decent investment.
There were a few caveats discussed when you
hired the individual. More than likely you gave the new man a handbook on
company policy laid out rules by which the firm operates.
The hireling agreed to your terms. He attested
he understood terms of employment.
The preceding is how the world of private
business operates.
NOT
AT CITY HALL IN RAYTOWN.
NOT BY A DAMN SIGHT!
The following is apparently how it works when
the City of Raytown employs a City Administrator.
When hired for the job, City Administrator
Mahesh Sharma was given a window of three years in which to move to and
establish residence in Raytown. This was a condition of his employment.
Requiring that you move where you hold a high
position as administrator is not at all unusual. It is common throughout the
area; for that matter, the United States. Why not? If a top executive is going
to live off the taxpayers whose lives he affects by his decisions he should have
to live under those same rules.
In the case of Mahesh Sharma the three years
went by. Mr. Sharma did not, as he agreed, move to Raytown. He asked the Alderman
for more time to make the move. Being more than reasonable the City Council
agreed to extend the deadline and gave him more time to establish residence in
the town.
The fourth year went by.
Did the City Administrator move to Raytown?
No. He did not.
When informed about Mr. Sharma's reluctance to
move to Raytown the City Council sprang
into action.
Showing the spine of a squashed amoeba the Council
Members did the following:
- THEY RAISED THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S SALARY BY AN ASTOUNDING $30,000.00 A YEAR.
- THEN, THEY WAIVED THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT (IN HIS CASE) ENTIRELY.
When the dust had settled, defense of this
action by City Council members ran amok.
They lined up to, one-after-another, to
gushingly defend their action as "Keeping pace with the pay people in like
positions in other cities."
We were actually lectured by the Mayor that Mr.
Sharma's talent was something unparalleled in the annals of public service. The
Mayor waxed rapturously how -- this is a direct quotation:
"We have elevated the city to a point most
did not think we could."
To which the Salamander says. "Where is the
violin music? There surely should be background music while people are
hallucinating."
Speaking of Sharma, Jim Aziere gushed:
"...We have seen grant money leap from
thousands to millions of dollars."
Sounds great Mr. Aziere. Would you mind telling
us where all these millions have gone. Certainly not in reduced taxes or street
repair. Most of the city's handful of street repair was paid for by stimulus
money from Obama and the United States Congress. The City Administrator had
nothing to do with that waste of taxpayer dollars.
Mr. Aziere is running for State Legislature.
Hang onto your wallets if he gets in.
We were also lectured that Mr. Sharma has brought in "business after business to Raytown." The fact is there are fewer businesses in Raytown now than there were when Mr. Sharma took the position of City Administrator.
The sight of a group of pathetic mumblers
falling over themselves justifying the $30,000.00 annual pay increase to a man
who refuses to keep his word -- thinks so little of Raytown that he won't even
move into the community which is feeding him -- is disgusting.
The Salamander would like to hear from any
reader who believes they can come up with instances of where someone who would
not honor a commitment managed to get the statute and law changed to fit his
personal whims.
If those on the Council who are employed refused
to conform to the work requirements of their employers how many do readers
think would be able to hold onto their jobs?
What it boils down to is this.
The Mayor and City Council did not have the
backbone required to enforce their own statutes. Statutes they took an oath to
enforce.
If those people had any sense of responsibility
they would, from the Mayor down to the lowest, sniveling mealy-mouth Councilperson
resign.
What do some readers speculate the next step
will be? Hiring employees for life? It could happen. It almost did happen in
the 70's.
When Marion Beeler held sway and literally ruled
the city with an iron hand there were individuals on the city council who
proposed he be appointed Chief of Police for life. Fortunately several City
Councilmen stood up to Beeler and the surrender never came to fruition.
A few years later, Beeler was soundly defeated
at the polls. Shortly thereafter he moved out of the area.
The Council's action is not just wrong. It is
cowardly. It spits in the face of loyal city employees who have endured the
current recession without any, or minimal at best, raises in pay.
Caving in to the refusal of the City Administrator
and then rewarding him with a monumental pay increase for his arrogance is out
of the bounds of reality.
Our City Administrator, the highest paid
employees, in the city, has aptly demonstrated he feels there are no
residences in Raytown for him.
Of Local Interest . . .
13th Annual St. Bernadette
Fall Festival
Celebrating a Baker’s
Dozen!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
5-9 pm.
BBQ Rib/brisket dinner,
Raffle (top prize of $1,000), Games for all ages, Silent Auction, Country
Store, Car Smash, Live Music, Fun.
Come join us at the 4 p.m.
Mass and stay for the festival.
St. Bernadette Church, 9020
E 51 Terrace
Kansas City, MO (816)
356-3700.
Fit Bottomed Girls
Kristen’s Fitness Bucket List, Part 2 BY KRISTEN
Our most recent Question of
the Week, What’s on Your Fitness Bucket List?, might’ve been my favorite ever.
It inspired me and made me think. Actually, I haven’t stopped thinking about
it. There are just so many cool things out there; how can I be expected to keep
my list to only five? I can’t. So, I figured I’d... Continue
reading
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To post a comment on this blog click on the word comments on the line directly below this sentence.
72 comments:
Who is Sue Frank to complain. Her administration did NOTHING to help Raytown. We go the big and wonderful Wal Mart which has resulted in nothing but trouble. We got stuck with the Old First Baptist Church and the golden egg for the Chief of Police. So Sue if you were so wonderful you would still be Mayor.
Andy,
I saw your question about candidates no living in the District where they are running. This year, because of re-districting, candidates are allowed to run in a district in which they live. In fact, two of the candidates running this year for office are do not live in the district they want to represent.
One of them is Tom McDonald. He lives somewhere in Independence. The other one is Jacob Turk. He does not live in the Fifth District!
The law allows them to run provided them move to the District once elected.
I doubt the law can be ignored like Bower and Company are doing at City Hall.
Remember those clowns next April. They ALL have to go.
The Salamander said about Mahesh, "he feels there are no residences in Raytown for him."
I wonder why? Has Mahesh driven around? I am unable to count how many FOR SALE or FOR RENT signs are posted. There are plenty of houses (almost at least one every block) available in Raytown but maybe not suitable for him. In fact, he could buy a house now VERY CHEAP!, almost at give away prices. I am asking less for mine than I paid for it. Maybe no houses in Raytown are suitable for him.
Also, the property and franchise taxes in Raytown are very high so maybe he can't afford to live here! I have said many times that one must be rich to afford to live in Raytown. Raytown is too rich for my blood.
I don't know about residency requirements in the city I am moving to but the CA recently resigned and moved home because he couldn't sell his house somewhere in Oklahoma. Somehow he received a buy out for leaving early. The buy out made no sense to me.
Andy Whiteman
If there is someone who deserves the fool of the year award it has to be Jim Aziere. He is running for State Rep and then does this idiotic vote on the City Council that is indefensible.
Jim, you lost a vote here, buddy. The only way you can redeem yourself is to undo what the City has done to its employees. Reverse your decision at the next meeting. Don't be a fool for Bower and Sharma.
Talk about the pot calling the skillet black! X-Mayor Sue Frank was at the helm when the City mis-managed the Wal-Mart deal costing the City Millions. She campaigned against Chief Overfield, to hire her friend Jim Lynch, and getting her husband promoted to Captain rank, raise a public safety sales tax, which was a lie, and shooting down actions to make Raytown more professional by making it a 4th class community.
The 30,000 for a raise pales in comparison to her selfish agenda and millions in squandered tax payer dollars her administration produced.
12:47 PM, Sue Frank wasn't voted out. She decided not to run.
Andy Whiteman
Your comments attacking former Mayor Sue Frank do not diminish the wrong that was done by Bower and his cronies.
How long would you stay working at a place where they passed you by for pay increases year after year and then gave a 30% pay increase totaling $30,000 to your boss who refuses to move to the town you work in.
Focus on the now. Forget about the past.
You can do somehting about the present. not the past.
This blog needs a LIKE button like Face Book sas.
I agree with 8:34PM! We live in the present and in the future! The past can't be changed. We must move forward, but we must remember history when it comes time to vote in ANY election, Federal, State, or City.
The last BOA snafu was in the past and can't be undone, but we MUST remember it when these people come up for reelection!
BTW, If I was mayor I would not renew Mahesh's contract when it expires, allow a break in service of one week, and renegotiate it with a clause that he actually live in Raytown within 3 months after the effective date.
Andy Whiteman
I don't know why some of you are beating up on our former Mayor. At least she has the strength to to stand up by signing her name. Can't say that about her detractors.
Maybe its time some of you man up!
Only you residents of Raytown can
change things. Only you can vote out
the people that have decided to write
their own rules on how to defy the past
requirements. Only the voters of this
great town can get rid of the people
that won't listen to the citizens of
Raytown and do what they were elected
to do...represent them the people.
It's time to get rid of as many elected
officials as possible next election.
It's time to try to find people that
will do what is right for this town.
It is time for the people to let City Hall
know that the buddy system has got to go!
Most of all it is time for our elected
officials to enforce the rules this town has
had in place for ever!
In the past when employees lied, they were fired.
Now they are rewarded with a thirty thousand
dollar raise. I have lost all respect for
our elected officials.
Remember, when you are driving to the voting stations
and your teeth are rattling out of your head
from bad streets who is responsible and let them know
how you feel.
I couldn't agree with Sue Frank any more!
Secodly, I notice we have a very own Raytown teacher running for Congress in Jason Greene. I had a chance to meet this young man a few months back when he knocked on my door. He seems to be very intelligent and passionate. He has my vote on the 7th.
I agree with many of the comments here that ex mayor Frank must share some of the blame for the outrageous spending for salaries for people at the top. This really started under mayor Jack Nesbitt, accelerated under Frank and now has gone completely out of control under Bower. The real reason for this total mismanagement of city hall is that none of these three ever learned that a mayor does more that just preside over a council meeting every two weeks. TOO MUCH CONTROL was relinquished to the city administrators under these inexperienced mayors and you can see what is has gotten us. A lot of high paid people at the top and very few people doing the work on the streets. Actual service to the taxpayers is at an all time low. Why do you think our neighborhoods look so trashy? Why are the police so over tasked? We can throw money to the people at the top while the real workers are suffering. SOMETHING IS SO WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE.
City Administratos all the way back to Curt Winston have wanted an Assistant but they were not given one because we could not afford it and if things are as bad as I keep hearing we can't afford one now either. You don't see the CA driving around town but if you go to city hall you don't see him doing much there either.
We don't need a CA that refuses to live in Raytown either. He knew when he signed the contract that he had to live here. He didn't want to do that he should not have taken the job. His wife did not want to move to St. Louis when he worked there either from what he told me. He took this job to get closer to home. He moved here and guess what. she didn't want to moved here either and 3 years later then it was his daughter was just about to graduate and he wanted to stay where he is until she did. I would like to know just what his excuses are this time and why should we care? He has had enough time to make good on his contract. He knew what the requirements were, he does it or we find someone else and there is always someone else that can do the job as well or better.
As for the raise, I find it hard to justify that when we keep losing our police officers to cities that pay more and now that they did not get any raise at all they are very unhappy. The CA doesn't do a fourth of job our officers do and he dosen't lay his life on the line if it's needed does he? NO there is NO justification for the raise, none what so ever.
He needs to GO NOW.!!!! AS well as anyone who voted for his raise and his being able not to move here.
The problem. as I see it, is that Raytown doesn't have a full time Mayor. The Mayor has to work his real job and is an evening/weekend mayor and presides a meeting every 2 weeks plus maybe some other events. Hence, city business is turned over to the CA simply because the mayor isn't available to run things. We need to abolish the CA position and have a full time elected Mayor who is really required to live in Raytown.
Pat, You have a great, logical idea; but the real problem in Raytown in people don't drive to the polls as you mentioned. They don't even think about voting in city elections! How can we elect good people when those who are there are reelected by their friends, church groups, etc?
Andy Whiteman
Andy,
You are wrong that what the City Council has done cannot be undone.
If a member of the Council, who is on the prevailing side of a vote, wishes to re-visit a question he (or she) can make a motion at the next Council meeting to re-visit the question.
That means that nine of the ten members of the Board of Aldermen could make a motion, with a second from another member the entire Board could rescind the previous vote.
There a couple of members on the Board who are clever enough to figure out how to do this.
In the process, they would have to buck the Mayor, who would undoubtedly pull his hair out if they were successful.
I've seen it done in Raytown before when Willard Ross was Mayor (remember, I was on the Board for 27 years -- and saw much in those years).
It is not a question of if it can be done. It is a question of if it will be done.
Most of the Board are pretty hard-headed and will not bend once they have set their position.
That's unfortunate for some. Jim Aziere is probably throwing away what was a good shot at being elected to the State Legislature because of his vote.
I predict that you see a good number of incumbents decide not to run again next April.
They know they have failed at their job. They know the public will be reminded of it.
It is time for a new broom to sweep city hall clean.
If any of you reading this page have ever wanted to run for the City Council, your window of opportunity is coming.
Don't let it pass you by.
Andy, Sue didn't run again because she knew she would have gotten beaten. The dirty tricks she did when we voted on a charter did not speak well of her and her honesty. Just sayin she is not all she wants you to believe she is
The real question is will we get an alternative for whom to vote for mayor. In the last election, I didn't see the mayor's opponent as a viable option. I can't run because I work 75 hours a week to pay the government and have some change left over to feed my family. I hope someone who is able is willing to step up.
If there is one thing I have
learned in my more than 35 years
of being in Raytown is, our elected
officials will never admit they made
a mistake. You have all witnessed what
I am talking about.
Our board members have said, "the pay increase
was to bring our CA in line with other
same sized towns." My favorite is "he could go
to another town if we didn't increase his pay."
Or "how many government grants he has gotten
this town." Excuse me but that is his job!
He also promised to move here after three years
and didn't. He lied and the board let him!
It doesn't matter. BS is still BS no matter how you
shovel it. It still stinks for the real workers of
this town and the residents that don't have a
say in any of this. This money is your money!
The taxpayers of Raytown entrust the elected
officials to do the right thing with their
tax dollars and so far they haven't seen it.
They expected to see money go towards their
streets but most went to the Wal-Mart street and
parkin lot. Don't forget the safety tax. Remember
that was all to go to the police dept. only,
it all didn't. Now, do you know who is really at
fault here? It's the voters. That's right, every
time you re-elect these people you are telling them
thank you for the swat in my bilfold sir,
may I have another one!
Greg,
True the board may re-visit a question. My thought was that if both barties have already signed the Mahesh's contract then he has a binding contract of employment. He sure would have a legal issue if the board rewrote it. It may be possible to negoiate but as I see it the only way to rewrite the contract is to fire him for cause or for him to resign. It is pretty obvious the board doesn't want to lose Mahesh as CA so I doubt any action will be taken. I would like the residency requirement be brought into his contract but as I said, I think it is a done deal.
Andy Whiteman
Perhaps the new Public Information Officer, that the City will be hiring is another way to get the City Aministrator an assistant. Really, a PIO for 10 squares miles, more money wasted.
It is nonsense to think the CA needs an assistant, or a $30,000 raise. Why? Look at all the other quirks the CA receives. $400 month car allowance, cell phone allowance, takes off six weeks a year for vacation plus days off for sick days, Go's to golf tournaments, banquets, out of town seminars, lake side conferences, on and on and on. It all adds up and for what do we get? He does not live in Raytown, his department heads and staff do all the work, yet he will tell the Board and Mayor about all the millions in grant money that now pours into the coffer under his watch. What a bunch of BS. If I was PD, or city staff, I would mutiny under such tyranny.
Raytown is top heavy in high paid tie wearing chair warmers! We need to cut their salaries any pay real wages to those who do physical work (clerks, public works, police, EMS, etc.)
Pat you are correct the elected officials never make a mistake. But the people keep making the same mistake of reelecting them! Fool me once shame on you..Fool me twice shame one me.
Andy Whiteman
One thing is obvious. Sources ininside city hall tell me. Someone
one on the council was putting
the heat on Mayor Bower to force
sharma to move to Raytown. Sharmatold Bower what he could dowith
his demands. Sharma threatened
to quit. In a panic, the gutless
s council decided to give in to
his demands re moving and gave
him the 30 grand raise. These
gutless wonders actually thought
giving Sharma an obscene pay
raise would take the heat off
for their not being man enough
to make him live to his agreement
t to move to Raytown.
The Salamander and others are
right. If those people who show
ed just how weak they are had any
spine at all they would resign.
e
7:50PM, If your source is correct and I was the mayor, I would say, "Mahesh, sorry to see you go but you agreed to the requirements when you accepted the job. Where should be send your final check?"
It sounds as if the cart is leading the horse in this case.
Andy Whiteman
Mahesh Sharma's actions and words are an insult to Raytown. I am surprised the Board allows themselves to be used this way. You would think some of them would show some pride and backbone.
They are all bad representatives of the people.
When was the last time you talked to your
alderman? When was the last time your alderman
asked for your opinion? When was the last time
your so called representative did anything good
for the citizens of this town. Now ask yourself
what they have done for big business? This just
about sums it up. By the way underpaid employees
of Raytown, I here Raymore and Belton are hiring.
Mahesh had absolutely NO EXPERIENCE as a City Administrator when the City offered him the opportunity. What does Mahesh do in return? Does not move to Raytown, and strong arms the Mayor and BOA for a year raise even when PD and EMS does not get a raise to cover rising health care cost, cost of living increase, etc.
This is just plain wrong and should not stand.
I was never Sue Frank's biggest fan, but she has absolutely nailed the true situation with her comments this week.
Apparently this blog is the only place that people can publish anti- city hall opinions. You can bet her letter would never appear in the cheerleading Raytown Times rag.
I wonder how much money Battaglier still owed Lee Gray when he bankrupted the Raytown POST?
Who is the boss? Contracted staff or elected officials? It was my understanding that staff received "direction" from the board not the other way around. I don't recall ever seeing Mahesh's name on the ballot.
As I said the cart seems to be leading the horse. TIME FOR REDIRECTION of city government.
To those elected officials at city hall who think we have professional city employees, must be fools if they don’t understand there is nothing professional about a city employee who demands a raise or threatens to leave.
We this happens in corporate America we thank them for their service and let them know we accept this as there verbal resignation.
The problem is we don’t have free thinkers on our Board of Alderman that will standup and do the right thing by those that actually live here and pay taxes here!
I work for the City. While a mutiny may not be possible I will tell you this. I take great pride in the work I do and I do it well. From now on I will not do anything extra for this regime, no going the extra mile, no coming in early or staying late. I am done being a "company man".
The guys and gals of the Raytown police force need to back to drivers education school. I have seen some "bone headed" stunts pulled by our police force and they were not even going to any calls. I am sitting on a side street waiting to pull out in traffic and an officer pulls up to the end of Auto Zones driveway facing Raytown road and proceeds to pull out in front of me. I do believe I had the "right of way" since I was there first and on a public street. Second I watched a cop turn right in front of a truck going North on Raytown Road into a side street. Where are the cops learning to drive?
2:08 PM, Sue Frank's letter appeared last week in the Raytown Times. Do you read the Raytown Times?
7:39 PM, I agree. Don't work off the clock. Just work your shift, take your scheduled breaks and lunch, and nothing extra unless overtime is offered. That is all anyone should do.
******
Is Raymore looking for a CA? Ours lives there and would have no problem with a residency requirement. Maybe they can't or won't offer him as much.
Someone mentioned that the CA received $400/month car allowance. That more than pays for the cost of commuting. No wonder he refuses to move. Discontinue the car allowance and maybe he will move to Raytown. The car allowance should be rewritten to allow compensation for actual mileage driven on city business or the City could provide a car to be shared among department heads for city business.
Andy Whiteman
It is not really surprising to hear the Mayor and City Council resort to a long string adjectives to explain why they gave Mahesh Sharma a $30,000 pay increase when the rest of the city hall employees got NOTHING.
No real facts. More money from grants than ever before? Guess what? That's true of area city in the metropolitan area. Did they already forget that Obama pumped trillions of dollars of so-called "stimulus" money into local economies? The plan failed.
Just like the mayor's plan(?) to attract mega stores to Raytown by committing the shoppers to pay extra sales tax to use them.
Raytowners pay the highest sales tax in the K.C. area. Our streets should be paved with gold. Instead we get slurry seal instead of asphalt. Our City Administrator is paid extra to "visit" our town five days a week except for over one month of taxpayer paid vacation and sick leave each year. Not to mention holidays enjoyed only by government employees.
Wake up people! Your mayor and city council have sold you out.
It is time to throw them out.
Grants? How much did they cost the taxpayers? Grants are funded by tax dollars from the whole state of country. They are not give a ways. Besides that the grants require some FUNDING from the city meaning that Raytown tax dollars are really funding them. GRANTS ARE NOT FREE MONEY!
Some grants are a total waste of money such as the Gateway Projects. Looks nice but totally useless with no function. Besides being useless the Gateway Projets waste more tax $$$ on maintenance.
Andy Whiteman
How can I a property owner and resident of Raytown have pride in my city.
The City Administrator has no pride or he would move himself to Raytown
The City Administrator has taken no pro-active approach to get those that have turned our city into a ghetto to clean up their property.
The City Administrator has done nothing to address Block & Co failure to bring the business to Raytown as agreed
The City Administrator has done nothing about police officers using city cars to work security at Wal-Mart or Hy-Vee. Both of which just also happen to be TIF projects.
The City Administrator has done a great job to bring more section 8 housing to our town, which brings our property values down.
Yes we should be so thankful for people like our City Administrator who demand fater checks while the real work force of the city gets about as much attention as our city streets.
My air conditioner ran 261 hours and 35 minutes last month due to the excessive heat in the State of Misery. My electric bills was $222 of which close to 10% went as taxes to the Socialist Fascist Fief of Raytown. As I have previously stated one needs to be rich to afford to live in Raytown! I can't afford it here.
How can the city hope to attract business and new home owners with high taxes and poor to non-existent city services?
Andy Whiteman
The Raytown Times is a joke. It does not report anything unless Battagler gets permission from the Mayor first.
The only writer they have (bob phillips) lives further away from here than Mahesh Sharma!
It makes me appreciate the Raytown Report more and more. Timely news stories and we get to throw in our thoughts as well.
Keep up the good work!
I couldn't agree more about "Randy's Rag". This is NOT a newspaper, not even a good shopper. I can't imagine anyone paying good money to advertise in it. (NO CIRCULATION) He continues to try to make you believe that there are really good things happening at city hall. We all know the truth that the mayor and board continue to mismanage our tax dollars, the Super Splash fiasco, the outrageous raise for the city administrator and I could go on and on. This Blog is where the real news for Raytown is coming from. Keep up the good work, Greg.
You got that right I too have not seen anything better for Raytown with our current city administrator running the show.
Poperty values are down of which part has something to do with the overall market down, but a large part in Raytown is the fact our city administrator doesn't live in Raytown so doesn't see how the ghetto has moved in and that he is spending too much time driving back in forth to his home to take the take to drive around our city and see the mess he has allowed by not doing the job we are paying him to do.
I also agree there is nothing to brag about getting grants when they bring more section 8 housing to our city.
I saw it all tonight! The manager was directing traffic to get a car out of the Hy-Vee automatic door. The car was in the store backing out. A witness said that the lady was trying to park inside the store! I guess it takes all kinds. I would have taken a photo on my cell but don't know how to save it off the cell.
Andy Whiteman
In all of the 13 years I have lived in Raytown, I have considered that paper, under various names, to be mainly editorial content. It seems as if every article written about a city official whether paid or elected is written in a positive manner which I view as an editorial. The news stories about new businesses and actual events I consider to be news.
I can't judge the value of advertising because obviously the advertisers pay for it hence they must feel they are receiving value. I save my Raytown Times and when I need someone to do work for me, that is the first place I look for local businesses. I have used several of the advertisers and it is much easier to find an HVAC person in the Raytown Times! The only other option is the phone book but you can't find a miscellaneous handyman for odd jobs in the phone book.
Andy Whiteman
If you take away the stimulus money from the Obama Administration you will find that the city is not really getting more in grants than in previous years.
Sure, they built some sidewalks on Blue Ridge Cutoff and some repairs were made on Woodson Road. But that was all stimulus money from Washington, DC.
When compared to what other cities received we did not get very much.
Pay close attention to the stories that come out of City Hall. They are almost always long on adjectives but very very short on facts.
Ask for some details and they become evasive and sometimes downright ugly in their anger.
I for one look forward to what news each week will be reported in the Raytown Report.
I have only been able to find that paper by that Randy Brag-A-Lot a few times.
I call his paper the Randy Brag-A-Lot as it has very little news and what it does have appears to come only from what city hall wants printed. True news tells both sides.
"Don't forget the safety tax. Remember
that was all to go to the police dept. only,
it all didn't." - Pat C.
Pat, please show me in the audit that is published on the City's website where this statement you made is true.
It was my understanding that the Public Safety Sales Tax was to go to EMS and Police, not just police. (Dispatch also falls under the public safety title.) I don't recall if Fire was included because they are separate from the city's budget.
7:11 AM makes a good point. When Section 8 housing is implemented you are inviting those people from the ghetto. That is especially true when the Section 8 housing is cramped miniature homes.
Andy Whiteman
You got that right the printed paper should be called Brag-A-Lot
Last one I read had Randy bragging about some woman he had meet.
I don't know about the rest of you, but what does that have to do with anything of value related to our city.
Then he has some Bob writing about this in that as a third party being good old Bob doesn't even live in Rayown. So being his stuff is all coming 2nd hand how do I know what is truth and what is just full of it.
It sure is sad to see these to guys help destroy our city by agree with everything they do at city hall.
Maybe we should ask Bob if he got a 30% raise this year
Why has our elected city marshal not spoken up against the 30% raise for the city administrator?
I guess he does not care that his officers didn't get a raise!
A few questions to think about. How upset are you about the way codes are being handled? How important is it to see that things change? If there was a way for you to help make the those changes would you be willing to do it? I DO NOT mean going and doing the work yourself or talking to your neighbors.
I just had to turn in one of my neighbors to day so I know how that makes you feel but it was obvious that it was never going to get cleaned up if someone didn't do it. However, it should NOT have been me that did the dirty deed of turning them, in it should have been the codes dept. who saw it when they were driving by but of course, they would have had to be doing that driving by thing wouldn't they.
If you are interested in finding out more please send an e-mail to Sandy at smtnair@aol.com. Also think about this, how can we complain if we aren't willing to step up to the plate and try to help solve the problem.
Andy. You have forgotten that when the so-called "safety tax" was voted in that the Mayor had his staff leave a large chunk of it unallocated. It made at least three councilmen so angry that they voted against the Mayor's budget that year.
Enough of the sheep on the City Council agreed to lamely follow the Mayor in the name of everyone getting along.
The bottom line is that not all of the Safety tax goes to safety.
There is so much that goes on behind the scenes up here at city hall that it makes you sick.
We really need to clean house next election. Please help do so. There are better people in this town than those that are leading us.
Good point about Lynch!
Maybe one of the officers will step up and run agaist Lynch.
Ted Bowmen has my support.
Ted Bowmen has the expirance
Ted Bowmen has the support of the officers
It is time for a "Professional" police chief...It is time for Bowmen!
8:26 AM, How do we clean house the next election?
First, we need good candidates who are willing to devote their time to serve the people.
Second, we need more than a 20% turnout at the polls. People will take the time to bitch here, but they won't take the time to vote! What is wrong with these people. Nothing will change if they don't vote and the same officials are reelected time after time!
The second requirement is unlikely to happen.
Andy Whiteman
Sandy - Should others also contact you about running for the Board of Alderman this coming April?
Most of the comments on this blog, which are actually from just a handful of people, sound like a stuck record. Your continuous negative rhetoric and whining is getting more than annoying, makes one want to gag. Move on to something else, maybe try something positive for a change, everything in our city is not bad as you want everyone to believe. Some of you people must lead a pretty miserable life!
August 27th 1:27pm
Been there done that as you probably already know. I'm not sure I want to do it again. It's very upsetting when you can't get anything done because the board isn't willing to look at both sides of an issue. I am also don't like the changes that have been put into effect that doesn't give the public all of the information they need to know. I Also don't like the consensus votes. I know it makes the meetings shorter but It doesn't take that long to get a yes or no from 10 people. But thanks for asking.
But if you are looking for a candidate you need to start now because filing starts in December.
Sandy
Romney and Ryan sweet music to my ears.
If I am not mistaken Sandy was on the board when they voted for the big box store on 350 hwy.
2:03PM, What is positive about Raytown? Please provide a list as long as you don't list that there is no tax on the air we breathe.
The only positive things I can list are
1) professional, top notch Police, EMS, and Fire Departments
2) An alderwoman who considers the citizen taxpayers when voting rather than following commands issued by other elected officials.
As an FYI anything positive does not stand out, hence people are more likely to notice and write about the negative which really stands out!
Andy Whiteman
I don't think they from just a few. If they are such small and petty problems why doesn't the city fix them?
No need to answer. You don't see any problems do you?
In your world it is common for one man to receive a $30,000 pay increase while the rest go with nothing.
Maybe we should pretend that the complaints about the lack of code enforcement are really just a bad dream and not a reality.
Pull your pathetic head out of the sand, open your eyes and look around.
For what the people in this town pay in taxes the streets should be paved with gold. But instead we pay it to investors who make money off of Raytown's biggest crime problem, Walmart.
All of this has been made possible by our Mayor and City Council.
Please tell me I am wrong. Tell me I am mistaken. But do it convincingly -- because the reality is very hard to ignore.
I agree. Ryan is an excellent pick.
9:54 AM, I have no issues with Chief Lynch and I don't know Ted Bowman, but look at reality: If Ted Bowman runs for Marshall, he is immediately in conflict with his boss! How can an officer in the same department run for Marshall and not jeopardize his job and functionality of the department? That is why it would be better to have an appointed chief rather than an elected Marshall.
Andy Whiteman
How soon we forget, city employees got two (2) salary bonuses over the past year that was approved by our Board of Aldermen. But as usual don’t let the truth get in the way of your constant misstatements and outright falsehoods. In addition the police department got rather large increases by misuse of promotions, shift differentials, and overtime. If you really don't have the facts maybe you should just cool it!
What was that u said about code enforcement? Oh, that's right. You didn't! Why not? Because it is not practiced in Raytown. The Mayor and Board refuse to have the codes enforced.
By the way. Did you get a $30,000 pay increase this year?
Andy, I bet you would complain if you were in heaven. Not that Raytown is heaven, but I would bet you will have the same complaints wherever you are!
10:22 PM, Maybe those who don't have the facts should get the facts or cool it.
Andy Whiteman
Poor Decision by Mayor and Board of Aldermen BY SUE FRANK.
Sue, the worst decision that has ever been made by a Mayor and Board of Aldermen was the huge Wal-Mart mistake! We will be paying through the nose for that one for many years to come. It is really shameful for you to criticize the current Mayor and board! If it wasn't for some of the good decisions they have made this city would be in really bad shape because of your huge mistake! Oh wait, your husband is a very high ranking officer on the Raytown Police Department, which happened under your watch. I’m sure that isn’t in any way a conflict of interest, and probably has nothing to do with your current rant.
If you remember Alderman Van buskirk battled with the board about the concent adgenda. He was not in favor of it. He numerous times has taken items off the concent because he felt it was wrong, the taxpayers needed to know how the money was being spent. He also has fought the lack of codes. I have gone to him with codes problems and he has gotten results. I know the codes violations are something that is a constant battle,for him and several other alderman. I have seen him out several times pulling up signs that our code department refused to pull. I have never seen ParDue,Creamer,Melson,White,Hamilton or Aziere doing this. I have been told that Ertz,Mock and Lightfoot have also pulled signs. I don't remenber any alderman in the past doing thing like this
10:22 PM, I meant to say, you should have restated the facts rather than "reminding" people with vague statements.
Nothing wrong with shift differentials and overtime. That is the only way to make a living wage. Since city wages are so low, workers need to work differential shifts and overtime to make enough to live on.
When I worked, I worked all of the overtime I could get. It took at least one day of overtime per month to pay the very high gas and electric bills here in Raytown. After I was fired due to disability, the differentials and overtime increased my pittance of a pension and Social Security.
Andy Whiteman
You guys don't get it. We do not elect Aldermen to pull signs out of yards. We elect them to make sure that city hall works well enough to have those signs removed by people who are on the payroll. When it does not get done there is one word that fits. Let me spell if for you.
I N E F F E C T I V E.
City Hall is dysfunctional. They cannot get illegal signs pulled. But they can all join together (minus one - thank you Charlotte) when it comes to handing out a 30% pay increase.
I do remember one time they pulled a lot signs. Me and my neighbors saw a public works truck pulling Greg Walters signs when he ran for the County Legislature. They were all well out of the right of way but they were pull anyway.
I wonder if Republican Dave Bower was giving a little help to Republican Bob Spence that year?
In other words they can pull signs "when they want to". The problem is the Board of Aldermen has not been able to figure out how to get their message across.
Next time they have a love fest when giving out a $30,000 raise to an out of town bureaucrat maybe they can ask how codes enforcement is being handled.
I doubt the raise would be given out then.
A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him,
"Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.
She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a Republican.
"I am," replied the man. "How did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."
The man smiled and responded, "You must be an Obama-Democrat."
"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"
"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are -- or where you are going. You've risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it's my fault."
Andy, they have misused the system that is the point. Legitimate shilf premiums, promotions, and overtime are okay. But when you misuse those things to get what you want it is wrong. Unfortunately, I'm not sure you or most people understand the truth or even care. Have you ever wondered why a city our size needs such a huge number of detectives? This is just one example.
Mr.Staples,
I was told that a lot of the "Safety tax" went into the
general fund. This after we were promised by elected
officials it would not go there!
I was told this by three aldermen that
were not happy with this decision.
They lied to you voters. Plain and simple.
Look into to the "audit" and see if it tells you where
the street over-lay money went. It pronbably won't.
But, the aldermen know where it went. It went for the
Wal-Mart street and the W-M parking lot.
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