Some people have to overcome obstacles in their life. A recent contestant on American Idol shows what determination and the right attitude can accomplish. You will be amazed by . . . Lazaro
My wife, Jeannette Thomas Merrill, is a paraprofessional for students with special needs in the Raytown School District, and my son attends school at a Raytown Elementary School. I am a member of the Union Sportsmen's Alliance. I also like to coach my son’s sports teams. I have coached baseball at Kansas City Baptist Temple and now at Raytown Sports Association. I am also a youth wrestling coach for Mat Rat Wrestling Club overseen by O'Hara High School.
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| Paul Livius |
The Paul Livius Report BY PAUL LIVIUS
Raytown Board of Aldermen Meeting January
15, 2013
Mayor Bower proclaimed January 21, 2013 to be the
Dr. Martin Luther King day in Raytown.
Brenda Gustafson, the new Public Information
Officer, gave a short study session to the Board, informing them of the duties
of the Public Information Officer. She
said her goal was to increase communications, encourage informed participation,
foster community pride and satisfaction, and encourage growth. There are many ways to achieve these
goals. She plans to use the media, i.e.
internet, television, and the newspaper.
After her presentation, Alderman Aziere said he has had several requests
to broadcast the Board meetings on the ATT U-verse provider. The meetings are already being broadcast on
Comcast TV. He asked if she has looked
into broadcasting with ATT also. Mayor
Bower said the City looked into ATT a couple of years ago and the cost was
$15,000. The Mayor told Mr. Aziere that
they could talk more after the meeting, and called for the first item on the
agenda to be read.
The Board passed a resolution approving an
annual maintenance agreement with Harris Computer-Global Software in an amount
of $36,480.00. This is for maintenance
of records management and computer aided dispatch system for the Police Department.
The Board passed a resolution approving the
purchase of Digital p25 capable/compliant mobile and portable radios and
equipment from Motorola Solutions in the amount of $18,699 for the Police
Department.
The Board passed a resolution approving the
purchase of a 2013 Ford F-550 truck from Dick Smith Ford. They also approved the purchase of aerial
equipment from Altec Industries in the amount of $85,717.00. This bucket truck will be used by the Public
Works department.
The
Board heard the second reading of an ordinance to grant a conditional use
permit to operate a vehicle sales business at 8910 E. 350 Highway. Greg Wagner was seeking approval of a
conditional use permit application that proposes to operate a vehicle sale and
display business at 8910 Highway 350. The property is owned by Robert Gear and
would be leased and/or sold to the applicant, Greg Wagner, upon approval of the
conditional use permit application. Mr. Wagner said he understood there are
several requirements of the Zoning Board and agreed he would have to complete
all items before opening his business.
Those
requirements are:
1.
The vehicle sales and display business shall only be owned and operated by Greg
Wagner
2.
The vehicle sales and display business shall be operated on the property and
may not move to a different location or expand to another property without
first obtaining approval from the City.
3.
The vehicle sales and display business shall be in compliance with all
applicable City and State ordinances and codes.
4.
The conditional use permit shall be valid for a period of ten (10) years from
the date of approval.
5.
Light fixtures, poles and bases shall be repaired and repainted so that they
match in appearance, color and show no signs of rust or disrepair. In addition,
Mr. Wagner will remove two existing driveways on Highway 350, the driveway on
Lane Avenue will be relocated further to the north on Lane Avenue, the shoulder
along Highway 350 abutting the property will be removed, and seeded with grass,
the curbing will be constructed along portions of Highway 350 and Lane Avenue
next to the property, storm water improvements will be constructed along Lane,
and a sidewalk with a minimum width of five (5) feet will be constructed along
Highway 350 and Lane Avenue.
6.
Additional landscaping will be installed by May 1, 2013 on the property
consisting of trees and shrubs along the property next to Highway 350 and Lane
Avenue.
The
Board amended the ordinance and added the requirement that Mr. Wagner remove
the trailer from the premises immediately.
Board discussion included requiring Mr. Wagner to have all conditions
met before conducting business on the property.
Mr. Wagner told the Board he had spoken with the City and was led to
believe the property would be grandfathered to the code requirements at the
time the current property owner, Robert Gear, opened business. He was told he did not have to meet the other
requirements until he had actually purchased the property. Mr. Wagner told the Board the property was in
foreclosure and currently being managed by GMAC. Due to Mr. Gear’s legal problems, no one was
sure when the actual sale would take place.
He also told the Board he cannot afford to spend the money necessary to
meet the City’s conditions until he is sure he will be able to purchase the
property. All he wants to do is run his
business until the purchase can take place.
The property owner should be responsible for clearing any code
violations. Since Mr. Gear seems
unwilling or unable to do so, the City is now forcing him (Mr. Wagner) to take
that responsibility. If the City didn’t
want his business here in Raytown, he wished they would have told him that
before he signed the lease. After more
discussion, some of which took place during a ten minute break in the meeting,
the Board passed a resolution allowing Mr. Wagner six months to have his
business up and running, or he would have to remove his cars from the car lot.
Transparent or Opaque? BY PAUL LIVIUS
At
the January 15 meeting, the new Public Information Officer, Benda Gustafson,
gave the Board an overview of the responsibilities and plans for her
office. One plan, she said, was to
increase the City’s transparency. She
wanted more residents to know about more events and services provided by the
City.
She
said she plans to use the media more. By
the media, she means the internet, television, and newspapers. She wants to improve the City’s website. She wants to make it fresher, with more and
news photos of happenings around town.
She wants more advertising on local television, and she wants the Kansas
City Star’s Community Page to have more information about Raytown and photos of
Raytown citizens.
At
the conclusion of her presentation, Alderman Aziere said he has had numerous
requests from residents to show the Board meetings on ATT U-verse, as well as
Comcast. He can appreciate her efforts
to improve the website, but he said many of the elderly residents are unable to
navigate the internet. They do, however,
watch television, and many want to be able to watch the meetings. He asked Ms. Gustafson if she had looked into
broadcasting with ATT.
Mayor
Bower interrupted the conversation by saying the City looked into ATT U-verse
two years ago and the cost was $15,000.
He then ended the conversation by telling Mr. Aziere they could discuss
the subject after the meeting.
Really,
Mr. Mayor? Is there some reason you
didn’t want to discuss it out in the open?
Could it be you were afraid the other aldermen would agree with Mr.
Aziere?
We,
the residents of Raytown would like to know why you are against spending
$15,000 to broadcast the meetings to more people. After all, you were willing to spend $56,000
to renovate City Hall. You were willing
to spend $15,000 on new carpet at City Hall.
And, of course, you were willing to give a $30,000 pay raise to one
person.
We
would like to know why you are willing to spend money on things that only
benefit you and your friends, but you are unwilling to spend money to increase
the transparency of the City.
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| Greg Walters |
Annual Financial Report Paints Bleak Picture BY GREG WALTERS
Sales
tax revenue figures for the past nine years show that the City of Raytown has
not experienced the growth one would anticipate from new construction over the
same time period.
In
fact, once the annual payment for what is commonly known as the Walmart TIF is
taken out, city sales tax revenues are actually in decline.
In
2012 the City of Raytown collected $663,996.00 in sales tax revenue. However,
an estimated annual payment for the Walmart TIF for 2012 only, based on actual
average, is expected to take back $69,406.00 of that revenue.
That
means $69,406.00 for street improvements, police protection, and other city services,
will not be spent on those needs. Instead, the money will be used to pay
bondholders interest and debt retirement for the construction of the Walmart
development.
Subtract
the Walmart payment from the total sales tax collected in 2012. The “real”
sales tax total drops to $594,590.00.
That
total shows a decrease of real sales tax revenue below the 2004 benchmark of
$610,486.00.
Dedicated Sales Taxes Captured by
Walmart TIF
It
is a little known fact that special use sales taxes are also captured by the
Walmart TIF in Raytown. Missouri state statutes require that ALL sales tax
revenues within a TIF District are collectable for debt retirement.
The
last two sales taxes passed by Raytown taxpayers, one named the “Transportation
Sales Tax” and the other the “Public Safety Sales Tax” are two such taxes.
Voters
were told that if they supported the two sales tax increases (1/2 cent on each
tax), that the revenue would be used specifically for street improvements and increased
police protection.
What
they were not told was that the sales tax collected within the Walmart TIF
District would be used for debt retirement of bonds held by private investors
of the Walmart TIF.
Even
if the tax was passed after the Walmart TIF was created – as was the case with
the Public Safety Sales Tax – it is still used to pay down the debt.
Walmart
is estimated to produce close to 20% of the city’s sales tax revenue. That
means 20% of the sales tax dollars collected for street improvements and public
safety are not being used for those purposes.
Next Week . . . Promises Made, Promises Broken
Firefighters Rescue Dog From Frozen
Lake BY MATT MACE
On Tuesday
January 15, 2013 members of the Raytown Fire Department rescued a four year old
dog from Wildwood Lake. Local residents, who had alerted Raytown’s 911 Dispatch
Center, spotted the dog on the ice. The Fire Departmetn was called and Raytown
Engine #1 made the rescue and transported the dog to the Raytown Animal
Hospital for treatment. The Raytown Animal Hospital has advised the Fire
Department the dog’s owner claimed the dog later that same day.
Fire Marshal Matt Mace said, “Both of our trucks
are equipped with cold water suits which allow us to safely effect a rescue
from icy lakes and ponds. While we certainly do not want to rescue anyone or
anything from icy water, events such as this are valuable training exercises.”
For more information on safety and rescue tips on
iced over ponds and lakes contact Raytown Fire Marshal Matt Mace at
816-737-6034 or email at mattm@raytownfire.com
 |
| Chris, Jeannette and Garrett Merrill |
Chris Merrill Files for City Council in Ward 3
My name is Chris Merrill and I am running for
Alderman in Raytown Ward 3. I am 36, been married for 14 years with 1 child,
and lived at my current address for 15 years. I started attending Raytown
schools in first grade and graduated from Raytown South High School in 1994.
I have been a member of the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (I.B.E.W.) Local #124 for 17 years. At the end
of my 5 year apprenticeship I passed my masters exam to recieve my Masters
Licence. Since that time I have recieved many other certifications. I am a very
active member of my union, volunteering my time for DADs day (dollars for
diabetes), Christmas in October, Local #124's Childrens Christmas party, and
delivering Christmas baskets to the widows of deceased members of Local #124.
My wife, Jeannette Thomas Merrill, is a paraprofessional for students with special needs in the Raytown School District, and my son attends school at a Raytown Elementary School. I am a member of the Union Sportsmen's Alliance. I also like to coach my son’s sports teams. I have coached baseball at Kansas City Baptist Temple and now at Raytown Sports Association. I am also a youth wrestling coach for Mat Rat Wrestling Club overseen by O'Hara High School.
I would like to have the opportunity to be
the voice of my ward. I am a very good listener and would work to correct
the concerns of the people of my ward. The best way to contact me would be
email, chrism7280@yahoo.com.
FIT BOTTOMED GIRLS
Workout
I Did! A Little of This, A Little of That BY ERIN
My
workouts are notoriously interrupted these days, but that doesn’t mean I
don’t try. It’s a good thing every little bit counts, right? And actually, the
good thing about not knowing how long I’ll have to exercise before I get interrupted
by the gym daycare is that I do my best to work my hardest and make
every... Continue
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Comments
More than likely the answer is "No".
This is a shame because so few take the Star. No subscribing means potential readers missed an interesting story in the Saturday, January 12, 2013 edition.
That day's paper carried a front page report about a Prairie Village councilman who is apparently going to be removed from office.
He is being kicked out on his behind for trying to help a fellow human in trouble.
David Morrison, about to be ex-councilman of Prairie, did the unthinkable. He tried to help someone who obviously needed it.
Here is what took place.
Morrison, a husky fellow gave his friend a warm corner of the public building in which to get some rest and come out of the cold.
More specifically, he gave this unfortunate a key to city hall; told him to find a corner to snooze in.
That's all. But "Not All" to his fellow councilmen.
From their reaction one might think Morrison had invited Jack the Ripper, Jesse James, or perhaps Charles Manson to enter the sacred confines of legislation -- City Hall.
After all, this taxpayer built and paid for structure is where the PV City council meets in their unceasing efforts to give residents of their city better and safer government.
When Morrison's mis-deed became known, ugly talk surfaced. Some on the council wanted him impeached. Others wanted the city attorney to have him immediately removed. Still, others spoke darkly of calling in the FBI or any number of the other myriad groups of "initial" bureaucrats whose sole goal in life is to protect us from ourselves.
Mr. Morrison, to his credit, says all he was trying to do was give a bit of solace and comfort to a fellow person with a problem. It should be pointed out, to his credit, that Morrison took his friend to a local church for assistance. He was offered some grocery store coupons.
Morrison claims he tried to contact the PV chief of police. To no avail. The chief could not be located. There is speculation the chief of police had been made aware of the problem of unauthorized entrance and that he was out of the office, purchasing additional rolls of tape which read, "Police line, do not cross."
Understandable. After all, the scene of a crime as horrible as letting an unfortunate find a warm place to spend the night must be cordoned off, protecting all evidence to such a heinous occurrence.
That is it. Nothing else happened. Nothing at City Hall was damaged or disturbed. No one was hurt.
Some may inquire: "What is all the hell-raising about? Why are they persecuting a fellow councilman for performing a simple act of charity?"
Read on for what may be a clue. According to the Star:
"....Morrison thinks the vote to remove him is political. He is considered the swing vote in the controversial development of the Mission
Valley Middle School which was sold to a developer by the Shawnee Mission School District. He also takes credit for successfully leading
a plan to block development at Meadowbrook Country Club."
Morrison's getting all this flack for trying to help someone in need reminds the Salamander of a memorable scene from the movie "The Magnificent Seven."
In this epic the bandit, Calverra, opines:
"You will be called to account for every good deed you perform."
Mr. Morrison should tell his fellow councilmen to take their greedy, uncharitable attitude and shove it where the sun does not shine.
Hey BOA -- do the right thing. Broadcast your meetings on U-Verse
When I moved, I had a couple of weeks left, called the Star and cancelled effective at expiration, then told my neighbor she could have the paper out of my paper tube.
Andy Whiteman
I saw on our blog where someone wrote they paid the same franchise fee as Comcast subscribers. I did some checking, and the ATT U-verse franchise fee is a little over $3.50 per month. That works out to about $42 per year. If only 500 people in Raytown have ATT U-verse, that is $21,000 per year in franchise fees from these fine folks.
Now, please explain to us why the City can’t afford to broadcast the City Council meetings on ATT U-verse if the cost is only $15,000.
Mayor, do you not see a problem here, or are you really that out of touch with the people who live in Raytown?
C'mon Man!!!
8:09PM You may pay $3.50 in franchise fees but I am sure it varies higher or lower depending on what service you have subscribed to. Add on a few premium channels and it will go up.
Andy Whiteman
With no newspapers left that give honest coverage of news at city hall the internet is out best way to learn what is going on.
Take advantage of it.
The Mayor and his buddies are counting on apathy to keep them in office.
Don't let them win.
Check it out in the last paragraph of the Paul Livius Report.
"After more discussion, some of which took place during a ten minute break in the meeting, the Board passed a resolution allowing Mr. Wagner six months to have his business up and running, or he would have to remove his cars from the car lot."
I read that the city council actually stopped the meeting and went into the hallway to hash out their decision rather than discuss something in public.
Sad, typical, maddening!
How's the weather out there in Raymore Mr. CA? I bet it's nice out there.
I hear gunshots and police sirens all over. Just another night in the hood (Raytown)
Spending is so out of control that stupid is the new common sense at Cityhall.
Andy Whiteman
Andy Whiteman