You have to watch this! The art form is called Shadow Dancing. The name of this performance is "Love Story". 

USE THIS LINK: LOVE STORY 



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Planning and Zoning Defer Final Decision on Walmart Until May 2nd 

Planning and Zoning Commissioners listen to Citizen input at Thursday night's meeting.

The Raytown Planning and Zoning Commission has carried over its final recommendation on the controversial Walmart Grocery Store planed for Downtown Raytown until a meeting scheduled for May 2nd.

Over 100 people packed the Raytown City Council Chambers to participate in five hours of testimony and discussion between the public, city officials and representatives of the retail giant. Seventeen speakers from the public came forward. All were in opposition to allowing design standards to be changed in Downtown Raytown.

Prior to its decision to carry over the issue, the eight members of the Planning and Voting Commission deadlocked on a motion to deny the application from Walmart in a four to four tie vote. Raytown P and Z rules allow the Chairman to vote on all issues.

In its motion to carry the item over until February 2nd the Commission included three stipulations for Walmart representatives to take back to Bentonville (Walmart's world headquarters) for an answer.

Those stipulations are:

•  24 hour operation would not be allowed

• Design plans for three ten foot monument signs must be scaled back to meet city regulations (about half the size of those suggested by Walmart)

• A planned parking area on 63rd Street that would replace approximately one-third of the street with a parking lot would be scrapped

The Planning and Zoning Commission is expected to make its final decision at the Thursday, May 2nd meeting. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. and is open to the public.

The Planning and  Zonging Commission final recommendation will be forwarded to the Raytown City Council for review. The City Council will consider the issue at two separate meetings. Public comment will be taken at both meetings.

The City Council is not bound by the Planning and Zoning recommendation.

SCHEDULE OF WALMART MEETINGS:

All meetings are held at Raytown City Hall. The meetings are open to the public and public comment will be allowed.

• PLANNING AND ZONING, Thursday, May 2nd, 7:00 p.m.
• RAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL, Tuesday, May 7th, 7:00 p.m.
• RAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL, Tuesday, May 21st, 7:00 p.m.

To learn more details about the proposed Walmart Store in Downtown Raytown use this link Downtown Raytown

 

“Smoking Gun” Letter BY GREG WALTERS

Opponents to a 40,000 square foot Walmart grocery store in Downtown Raytown have uncovered a “smoking gun” letter that shows how long city officials have been negotiating with Walmart representatives.

In a four page letter dated February 7^th, Mark S. Bryant, an attorney with the law firm of White Goss BowersMarch Schultz and Weisnfels wrote:

“As a result, Wal-Mart prepared multiple revise sketch plans in an effort to incorporate the initial comments and, on December 7, 2012, Jeff Clayton, Rick Rohlfing (via teleconference) and I met with you and Mayor Bower to discuss alternatives. During this meeting, Rick Rohlfing and BFA, Inc. explained in detail, the pros and cons of 6 different plans prepared since the November 28th meeting." 

TO VIEW A COPY OF THE LETTER USE THIS LINK: LETTER

The letter was obtained by Elisa Breitenbach, owner of Doughboys Donut Shop.

The significance of the letter is that Mayor Bower participated in a meeting on December 7th to discuss design plans for Walmart. Yet, as late as mid-February Mayor Bower and other city officials routinely denied that the retail giant could be identified as the party interested in the green space.

In fairness to all of the Board of Aldermen it is possible that some were unaware of Mayor Bower’s participation in the December 7^th meeting. If that is the case, if some members were left out of the loop of information at City Hall, then there are some serious problems with the politics at City Hall.

Such a scenario suggests that on a Board of equals, some members are more equal than other members.

Which brings us to this point: How can elected officials be trusted to put the public’s concerns first if they are not privilege to all the information on an issue?

For instance, many Raytowners are concerned about the possibility of a 24 hour operation if Walmart were to open a grocery store Downtown. Yet in the four page letter from Mark Bryant to the City, the subject is not even broached.

Though topics such as the size of the parking lot, the type of lighting to be used, how much space is needed for tractor trailer trucks to make deliveries, which trees will be allowed to be remain standing, how rooftops air conditioners will be screened from view, the status of a proposed drive-thru pharmacy and so forth are covered. 

Everything except the hours of operation is addressed. Yet, this is a subject that the public has brought to members of the Board of Aldermen as a serious concern.

The viewpoint of Walmart is very clear. In his closing sentence Mr. Bryant wrote:

“Further, since a Walmart Neighborhood Market is not compatible with the duly adopted Town Overlay District or the Central Business District Design Guidelines, Walmart requests that the Planning Commission and Board of Aldermen adopt a Planned Zoning Overlay District so your professional staff, Planning Commission and Board of Aldermen have latitude and flexibility with respect to location of buildings, structures, roads, drives, open spaces and uses.” 

Translated that means Walmart will be exempted from the design standards adopted by the City for Downtown Raytown. Those standards were our guarantee that we would have a pedestrian and user-friendly environment in Downtown Raytown. 

To exempt a retail giant from those rules is a mistake. It is a betrayal of the trust the public established when the Board of Aldermen  adopted design standards for Downtown Raytown. 

It is a promise that should not be broken.

Thursday, April 25th, at 7:00 p.m. at Raytown City Hall the first of three public meetings on this topic will be held at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The public is invited to testify at this meeting. So come prepared to have your say on this important subject about the future of Downtown Raytown.

Greg Walters

How Can You Help?
Walmart is a worldwide corporation that is used to getting its way. The final say on whether or not Downtown Raytown will exist as a sensible, planned, user-friendly environment Raytowners can enjoy rests with the Raytown Board of Aldermen.  

The Raytown Main Street Association has come out in opposition to the Walmart plan for Downtown Raytown. To learn more about this important organization of local business owners and why they are opposed to the development use the following link:

Use this link MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION

To learn more about how you can help local businesses and your neighbors in this important issue for Downtown Raytown use the following link:

Use this link HELP DOWNTOWN RAYTOWN

Paul Livius

The Paul Livius Report

Raytown Board of Aldermen Meeting – April 16, 2013

The invocation was given by Michael Stephens of the Southwood United Church of Christ.

The Mayor thanked Michael Lightfoot for his service as Mayor Pro Tem.

The city clerk administered the oath to Thomas Greer, a newly hired Police Officer.  Chief Jim Lynch said Officer Greer was a graduate of Raytown South High School.

Phyllis Goforth and Pam Clark thanked the Board for their support in making the Raytown Egg Extravaganza a success this year.

Richard Tush told the Board it is important for them to move Raytown forward and bring about businesses that provide additional stability to our community, not only with increases in sales tax, but also strengthen the values of a family oriented community.  The issues of family values and moving Raytown forward in a positive manner doesn’t end with the closing of the YMCA.  It goes to the discussions of the Board regarding the addition of a pawn shop and tattoo parlor in Raytown.  He asked the Board to take a step back and reflect on the type of community they want their own families to grow up in.  He requested they put the two resolutions on hold and review what other cities in Jackson County have done for family values by limiting distances between pawn shops and tattoo parlors as well as the overall number in the community, based on the population of the community.  Lee’s Summit requires 5,280 feet between these businesses.  Blue Springs limits the business to one for every 4,500 people.

The Board passed a resolution amending the schedule of fees and charges for the City of Raytown.  Alderman Van Buskirk said he was concerned that the EMS fees for both residents and non-residents had increased from the previous week.  He said there was still a severe problem with bad debt in the EMS department.  He has been told for several years they were working on the problem and it continues to get worse.  He was not in favor of the large fee increases.

The Board passed an ordinance granting a conditional use permit to operate a pawn shop at 8834 East Highway 350.  Jon Michael Tyson on behalf of the property owner Marilyn Kay Green is seeking approval of a conditional use permit application.  Alderman Ertz asked if Raytown had limits for pawn shops by population.  Mr. Benson said there are currently no limits.  Alderman Lightfoot asked if the owner of the pawn shop still agreed to not deal in payday loans, title loans, and sell firearms.  Mr. Benson said that was correct.  Alderman Van Buskirk said the Grand Prix Go Cart would be opening close to the pawn shop.  The Grand Prix will be attracting young people and he was concerned about the pawn shop being so close.

The Board passed an ordinance granting a conditional use permit to operate a tattoo business at 8910 East 63rd.  During the public hearing, Chris Rathbone said he had no concerns about a tattoo parlor being in Raytown.  Khadijah Hardaway said she was the owner of Lasting Impressions Salon and she was against a tattoo parlor being in the proposed location.  She has many elderly and young clients.  The building has to use common bathroom facilities.  She is also concerned about increased crime and drug activity that will be in the area, drawn by the tattoo parlor.

The Board passed a resolution authorizing an agreement with A and A Concrete Company for the 2013 concrete repair project in the amount of $110,000. Alderman Emerson said she had been up and down a lot of streets in Ward 3 lately.  Hunter Terrace is the worst street in her district.  She said it was like a washboard.  She also said Willow has a sink hole in it.  She wanted to know why the majority of the work was being done on the south side of Raytown and the rest of the city was ignored.  Mr. Noll said the south side has the most curbs and sidewalks, so that area gets the majority of the concrete work.

The Board passed a resolution authorizing the repair of the wastewater and storm water infrastructure in Raytown, in the amount of $62,337.00.

A full house greeted new Board.

The Board heard a resolution appointing Christine White to a vacant term on the Board of Zoning Adjustment. Alderman Mock said there were three new members on the Board and they hadn’t had time to know what was going on with the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA).  Alderman Ertz reminded the Board that Ms. White had been on the BZA before, and she stepped down because she thought other people should be given a chance to serve.   

Alderman Josh Greene said they would like time to review the information before voting.  He suggested the vote be delayed until May 7.  The Mayor said there was no reason to delay the vote.  He indicated the majority of the Board members knew Ms. White and could make the decision.  Alderman Jason Green cited the city ordinance that stated Aldermen have the right to conduct interviews with applicants.  He moved the vote be delayed until May 7.  That motion passed by a vote of eight to two. Alderman Pat Ertz and Alderman Charlotte Melson voted against the motion.

The meeting was adjourned.

New Aldermen Take Oath of Office
A Council Chamber packed to over-flowing were on hand last Tuesday night when three new Aldermen took their oath of office. Pictured at left at Ward 1 Alderman Josh Greene, Ward 2 Alderman Jason Greene, and Ward 3 Alderman Janet  Emerson.


Prescription Drug Take Back Event 
Public Water Supply District No. 2 of Jackson County and the Raytown Police Department are sponsoring a Prescription Drug Take-Back Event on April 27, 2013, at Apple Market on 75^th & Raytown Road and the City Hall Parking Lot at 10000 E 59^th Street. The public may drop off outdated prescription drugs from 10:00 AM to  2:00 PM.

FIT BOTTOMED GIRLS
Six Life Lessons I Learned From My Dogs BY KRISTEN

This week in celebration of Fit Bottomed Pets’ Week, each FBG is writing about her experience with pets and how they make us healthier, happier and generally more awesome.  My dogs, Rudi and Hollie, didn’t exactly pass their obedience classes with flying colors, but when it comes to living life to the fullest, well, they… Continue reading

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