RAYTOWN'S LEADING NEWS SOURCE
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WHAT WENT
WRONG?
Ambulance/Fire Department Merger BY GREG WALTERS
A
merger between the Ambulance and Fire Department that was predicted to save the
city $300,000 annually is now in the dustbin of failed proposals.
In
retrospect, it never had a chance.
Initially,
the Fire Department received a letter from Mayor David Bower to the
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) asking the IAFF to conduct a
feasibility study from the City concerning a merger of the two services.
A
meeting was held at the Mayor’s office between City and Fire officials. City
officials included in the meeting were City Administrator Mahesh Sharma, Mayor David
Bower, and Ward 3 Alderman Charlotte Melson. Fire officials included Fire Board
members Bob Palmer and Barb Schlapia, Fire Marshal Matt Mace and Battalion
Chief Mike Hunley
Goals
and guidelines were set as to what was needed in the proposal. Matt Mace and
Mike Hunley were assigned the task of putting the package together.
One
month later, Hunley and Mace presented their 87 page report to the Raytown Fire
Board. The proposal was passed on to Raytown City Hall.
As
Chairman of the review committee, Alderman Melson called a meeting of her
committee to review the document.
However,
prior to the meeting, Mayor Bower took the unusual step of contacting Fire
Board members to tell them that even though the Committee meeting was a public
event, he would prefer Fire Department officials not attend.
Despite
the Mayor’s request, Fire Chief Rick Mawhirter, Matt Mace, Mike Hunley, Bob
Palmer and Barb Schlapia attended the meeting.
Fire
Board member Barb Schlapia, who also serves as liaison to the City of Raytown,
was specifically singled out as not welcome.
So,
on July 21st, Alderman Charlotte Melson convened the first (and only meeting)
between the two governing bodies.
At
the outset of the meeting, Melson announced that any questions to the Fire
Board would be written down and passed back to the Fire Department for
clarifications and answers after the meeting.
One
hour into the meeting, when it became very obvious that city personnel were
ill-equipped to provide answers, Fire Marshal Matt Mace asked that he and other
members of the Fire Department be allowed to answer the questions. After
similar requests from member of her own committee, Melson finally relented and
allowed limited cross talk between members of the Committee and Fire Officials.
On
October 5th, members of the Fire Board received an email from Melson
to hold another meeting. Fire Board members agreed tentatively to an October 28th
meeting date.
Then
at the October 15th meeting of the Raytown Board of Aldermen, Melson
surprised everyone by abruptly announcing that her Committee had rejected the
Fire District’s proposal.
Committee
members have since said there was no formal vote on the decision. In fact, a
number of them did not find out about Melson’s announcement until the night of
the Board meeting.
Members
of the Fire Board were not informed of the decision until after the fact via a
Facebook post.
To
view responses from the Fire Board to Melson’s announcement and subsequent
letters from the Mayor to the Fire Board visit last week’s post.
AN
ANALYSIS . . .
The
City of Raytown has every right to reject a proposal from the Raytown Fire
Board. But the clumsy and indelicate way in which Mayor David Bower and Alderman
Melson handled the event is shameful.
The
Mayor’s attempt to stifle public debate about the proposal appears to be a
continuation of a policy of secrets held back from the public. Alderman Melson’s
high handed way of running a meeting and blindsiding even members of her own
committee with an announcement that is, to say the least, less than accurate,
is just plain wrong.
Fire
officials are rightfully angry for the way they were treated. It is
understandable that they would be reluctant to pursue future discussion with
the city. The saddest part of this story is that Raytown could have received
improved service along with a sizable savings. Money that could have gone into
increased security in our neighborhoods in the way of street lights or used to
make improvements on residential streets.
City
officials have stated that it is not in the city’s “best interest” to pursue a
merger. That is a decision which should have been decided by the Board of
Aldermen. After the dust has settled it appears the real decision was made
by Mayor David Bower and Alderman Charlotte Melson.
Board
members are remiss to not ask some very tough questions as to their roll in
governing. As the events above show, their participation was minimal at best.
More transparency and participation by Board members would go a long way to
clean up Raytown’s battered image. Board members should step up and do so.
Raytown
Farmer’s Market One Step Closer to Reality
The Raytown Main Street Association has
been asked by the Board of Access Farmer’s Market to take on the role of
developing a Farmer’s Market in Downtown Raytown.
Steve Guenther, President of Raytown Main
Street Association, said he was recently contacted by representatives of the of
Board of Access Farmer’s Market.
“We will be spearheading and directing the
effort,” said Guenther.
Ward 3 Alderman Janet Emerson, who has
been a driving force on the Raytown Board of Aldermen for the creation of a
Farmer’s Market, views the effort as a step forward.
“This gives local control to the City
Market . . . it looks like things are beginning to come together”, said
Emerson.
The location of the proposed market will
be just west of The Green Space in Downtown Raytown. The surface is paved with
plenty of space for customer parking. The market is scheduled to open in the
first week of May, 2014.
DATE OF PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCED
A public meeting has been scheduled for
input from anyone interested to share their thoughts on the proposed Farmer’s
Market. All interested individuals are encouraged to attend and say their piece
regarding the proposed market. Time and date of the meeting is:
Farmer’s
Market Public Meeting
Raytown
City Hall
(10000
East 59th Street)
Monday,
November 18, 2013
7:00
p.m.
The
public is encouraged to attend and share their thoughts
about the proposed City
Market.
FIT
BOTTOMED EATS
 |
| KAREN |
Bread
Therapy: How
to Make Focaccia BY KAREN
Americans
love to see how much they can cram into one day. We rush around at the speed of
light, multitasking like madmen. Instant gratification is the name of the game,
but not when it comes to bread baking — that is a beast we have yet to
conquer. Of course, we’ve tried to move things along with “quick-rise” yeast,
but even that will only take you so far. Yeast breads cannot be rushed — unlike
everything else in this world — one simply must slow down and wait. Read More
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Comments
Residents know what's right/wrong or outright ridiculous for our city and have demonstrated that. Just give us a well-written Charter that doesn't micro-manage, gives us back our muscle and protects our interests and I'll vote for it!
Then we'll be able to clean house.
What surprises me is how the Mayor can manipulate
people into believing anything he says. Asking the
Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) asking the IAFF
to conduct a feasibility study for the City, concerning
a merger of the two services and them doing so in good faith.
Then the mayor completely ignoring the study is a
slap in the face of the hard work done by the IAFF.
Putting Melson in charge was the same as nominating
himself to the position. She one of most elected
Officials that can’t or won’t think for themselves.
They only do what the City Administrator, City Lawyer
or the Mayor tell them to do.
It is plain to see that the unelected officials Fire Board
members Bob Palmer and Barb Schlapia, Fire
Marshal Matt Mace and Battalion Chief Mike Hunley
were thinking of the people of Raytown, trying to save
$300,000.00 of taxpayer money. Let’s face it, this goes
against the grain of our elected officials who, enjoy spending
and wasting taxpayer dollars.
I think our elected officials have forgotten the meaning of
their position, PUBLIC SERVICE. This means working for
the public not your own beliefs or agendas.
When was the last time any elected official has come
around and asked you what you think? Trust me, if they
come around it is every four years to lie to you for your vote.
On the agenda
Approval of an Economic Development Policy to provide guidance regarding the use of Economic Development Incentives in Raytown, Missouri.
what is this all about?
where else can you get charter applications and applications to file for an elected position other than the city clerk?
I maybe interested in both however I don't want the city to know that I am considering either.
Also what elected positions will be voted on in 2014???
thanks for the help
I wish there was a farmers market in Raytown when I was there. There was one individual gardener who had a stand on a feeder street. There should be a requirement that the farmers market be open in the evenings. Being disabled, I have been unable to go to a farmers market anywhere because they are usually open only during very early hours.
Andy Whiteman
Hours will be form 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Amateur Radio testing will begin at 9:00.
Admittance is free, however tickets can be purchased for the door prizes.
http://k0gq.com/Raytown_2013_Hamfest.pdf
everybody seems to over think this merger.
doc
After there was so much uproar about the huge raise
the City Administrator received and the fact that other
city employee pay had been frozen for a couple of years,
the city thought it might be a good idea to give token
pay increases to other city employees. Something like
a 2% increase. Far and away from a thirty thousand a
year increase like for the CA. Granted Raytown could
not afford to give out those kind of raises to everybody
in fact, that thirty thousand shouldn’t even been given
to an employee that agreed to move to Raytown then,
did not honor his promise. But, that’s Raytown City
Hall taking care of their friends. Let’s face it, in City Hall
the only friends they have is each other.
RULES FOR MISSOURI
Forth-Class Cities
This online .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) file is a published booklet for our the operation of our current City government.
Expand your knowledge by downloading it to your computer and study it.
For example, regarding Closed Meetings you'll read:
"Violations and penalties
Any person can challenge a public governmental body with violating this
law. Once the challenger demonstrates to a court that the body is covered,
it becomes the task of the public governmental body to prove it did not
violate the law’s requirements. If the board is found to have knowingly
held an improper closed meeting, each member who voted to close and
who participated in the meeting is subject to a fine of up to $1,000, plus
court costs and attorney fees for the challenger. If the closed meeting was
purposely held, the penalty is $5,000 per participant, plus court costs and
attorney fees. In addition, the court usually nullifies any decisions made at
the improperly closed meeting, leaving the board to conduct the meeting
again."
You can read and download it from this web address:
http://www.municipalfirm.com/documents/RulesforMissouriFourthClassCitiesSecondEditionNovember2008.pdf
1) Will personnel have the same duties or be forced to cross train? (Some may want to work EMS only and not cross train as a firefighter or vice-versa.)
2) Will salaries remain the same?
3) What about pensions and other benefits?
4) Seniority issues?
As I remember it the merge of MAST and KCFD brought up numerous issues. All of this needs to be addressed before it turns into a fiasco.
Andy Whiteman
http://www.moga.mo.gov/STATUTES/C079.HTM
If the city doesn't need to have $300,000. by Mayor Bower's own response.
Clearly the city doesn't need the tax renewals they are asking for this coming April.
Join me and others who know it is past time to stop the wasteful spending and vote "NO" on any tax issues!!!
You should check out this web site from the State of Missouri.
Clearly our local elected official have not
https://www.ago.mo.gov/cgi-bin/quizzes/SunshineLaw.cgi
The issues KCFD had with bringing MAST in are different.
You merged a ALS provider with a BLS provider.
And merged 800 plus people together.
Hell the city council cant even agree on best course of action for the city. There are what twelve of them.
So yea they have had some difficulty.
doc
Andy-The items you bring up were addressed as a part of the Proposal to the City. Please read the document so you will be educated on what you are writing about.
Andy Whiteman
I am aware that those ICLEI 'visioning' studies roll in at around $100,000. each and sincerely hope this is not another of them.
With all the ICLEI 'toolkits' you'd think our local socialists could figure out how to give our money away (redistribute our wealth) via development incentives without having to have a vote for 'Policy' on the matter.
.... smelling another rat.
Maybe JC Penney is taking a play from Ford addressing the issue with the Pinto
I didn't know employees are allowed to tell a business what they will and will not do as in the case of cross training.
Are those employees not quickly known as the unemployed, which is how the real world works.
However this is Raytown were our elected officials give one guy a $30,000 raise because he says he will leave.
Anyone who really cared about the city would have called the chief of police into that individuals office and after retrieving the keys and other city property walk that individual to his car.
And also, the cross training issue turned out to be not nearly as clear as we initially were told. EMS personnel were initial told that everyone would be required to pass Fire 1 & 2 and a physical, but NO ONE would be required to fight fire if they did not want to. I had no problem with those conditions. I made a purposeful decision to go into EMS, not fire. However, when addressed during the meeting, Mace then stated that perhaps in severe circumstances, EMS personnel would have to leave the ambulance (leaving no stand by ambulance!) to go fight fire. Wha????!!! THEN Palmer said, "Well, if they just absolutely positively do NOT want to fight fire, I guess that's just what you call a 'day job'. They can just come in and work 9-5".
Salaries would remain the same even though we would be cross trained, but we would be plugged into the fire dept's pay plan and have the same retirement and medical benefits.
9:09, I'm not really sure what to make of your comment. Are you being snarky or is this a legit question?
Megan
After witnessing that I would not trust City Hall in negotiations, period.
The Fire Department is probably better off without having a deal with as many hidden agendas as has city hall.
You wrote "However this is Raytown were our elected officials give one guy a $30,000 raise because he says he will leave.
Anyone who really cared about the city would have called the chief of police into that individuals office and after retrieving the keys and other city property walk that individual to his car."
Jim Aziere explained it at the time. He said that if Sharma left, the City would have to start another search for another CA. He went on to say that takes a lot of work. In other words, he admitted they are too lazy to do the jobs they are elected to do.
Do you not have any friends who work in the private sector and been impacted by a merge and / or acquisition?
I am taking it that you do not or you would know there are always changes. One can hope for the best, but not always. It is called life!
I have several friends that through some merges had to go through the process of a new hire and yes loss their seniority. By the grace of God, when that company was merged with the next company the new company decided to go back and re-activate all prior service with any of the prior companies. However, this tends to be the exception.
Other friends have had to accept new duties and total changes within a business to remain employed so do to the changing times and increase abilities of technology some do to cost saving measure to move duties to other locations where cost of living is less. It is call life!
We no longer live in the world that our grandparents did where someone starts with a company right out of high school or college and retire from that same company when they reach retirement age. It is called life!
Don’t get me wrong I am not saying I agree with the way the world works today, but until we decide to put trust back in God and not the all mighty dollar we will only see more things towards employees that we all know in our hearts is not right.
Let us understand. Public service is a career choice, choice being the operative word.
I stand in awe that you feel you're in a position to state, "I for one greatly respect you and so should other citizens". I am free to respect whomever I want without your directive of what you deem I should do. Further, I find it difficult to respect this particular individual who whines about their lack of a raise while MILLIONS of people in this country (through no fault of their own) have lost their jobs and healthcare, are homeless and going hungry.
This individual, who expresses such disdain for his/her contrived perceptions of the public's attitude and contempt regarding his/her lack of a pya raiseis likely not the person who would provide the best 'lifesaving' care.
It's been said Gratitude is an Attitude and in the case of this particular individual, who expresses so much malcontent, we'd probably be better off without them performing work where lives are at stake. This person said that just because he/she has a job it is a bunch of bunk that the public feels they owe us something. Well, if this person is going to continue to take OUR money to do THEIR job, they better get busy on a change in attitude or get a job (if they can) elsewhere.
This person doesn't have my respect or my sympathies.
I recall the tax and spend leadership at city hall giving 5% raises across the board when other cities were freezing salaries and / or laying their folks off.
To think all of this was just a few years ago.
8:55 AM I could not agree with you more.
Sharma's threat to leave sounds like extortion...pay up or I walk. He should have been told to walk.
What could he possibly have possessed that was worth that kind of money? Was it the people and/or organzations he's connected to? Was it something he knew that City Hall didn't want us to know?
We, obviously, don't have that kind of money to be tossing around and for all the VALUE he's delivered, he certainly wasn't worth it to us.
If we had a City Charter with provision for Misfeasance (when a Public Official takes inappropriate action) a suit could have been filed, naming he who approved the salary increase in the face of Sharma's threat to leave.
Here is a wake up call and one of many that you too can find if you take the time to actually look at reality and not your magic eight ball.
http://www.californiacitynews.org/2013/03/adelanto-lays-city-employees-cost-cutting-measure.html