Sunday, October 19, 2014

RAYTOWN'S LEADING NEWS SOURCE


Gnome Sweet Home? 
It could happen. Gnomes are magical and good luck in the garden. Kauffman Stadium is one big garden!

Take part in our poll with your prediction of who will win the World Series. (POLL FOLLOWS GREG'S STORY, "HOW ABOUT THEM ROYALS!"




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BY PAUL LIVIUS
Why Raytown’s 
Street Program is Failing

The Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Institute, an organization promoting the use of the product on roadways cited the following reason(s) for use of Light Aggregate Seal in place of asphalt for road repair.

Wet or dry, road surfaces of lightweight chip seal provide superior skid resistance that is maintained throughout the surface life. Lightweight aggregate does not polish as it wears. Because it is light in weight there are trucking and handling cost advantages to the contractor.  Also, windshield damage and damage to headlights, and paint caused by "flying" stones is virtually eliminated with structural lightweight aggregate, thus avoiding costly insurance claims and motorist complaints.

The reader should note the accolades of the surface material used fit more into a rural setting, on high speed highways, than residential neighborhoods.

We found three cities using Light Aggregate Seal on roadways in the metropolitan area. Lee’s Summit has used the surface repair on some four lane highway-type roadways in rural areas of the city. Overland Park, Kansas, Light Aggregate Seal was used on road surfaces in the Corporate Woods business park.

Raytown is the third community using the material. Unlike Lee’s Summit and Overland Park, Raytown has used the material in developed residential neighborhoods.

Another important fact is evident to anyone who rides on the surfaces or has a view of the finished product. In Overland Park and Lee’s Summit extensive repair work has been used to correct streets degraded by wear tear before the light aggregate surface was applied to the surface.

In Raytown repairs are made, but not to the extent as are done in Lee’s Summit or Overland Park.

The two pictures at left show a residential street in Raytown.  As the cracks in the newly covered road attest, inadequate preparation of the road surface has a cost. The result is the scarred and rough surface shown in the two pictures of streets recently covered with tar and aggregate seal.

The people of Raytown deserve much better than this for their tax dollars.

The use of alternative roadway surface material on Raytown’s residential streets is not new. Greg tells me in the 1980’s the city used a process called slurry seal on residential streets. The Board of Aldermen finally instructed the Public Works Director at the time At one time slurry seal, a mixture of oil and gravel was used to resurface residential streets. The practice was stopped when the Board of Aldermen instructed the Public Works Director to quit using slurry seal on Raytown Streets.





BY GREG WALTERS
How About 
Them Royals!!!


Now that the Kansas City Royals  are the American League Champions I'd like to see the Royals trounce the San Francisco Giants next week in four games. And I want the world to see the can win it with instant replay and without the help of Don Denkinger at first base.

Remember Denkinger?

He was the umpire at first base in Game Six who blew a call which many credited opening the door to a rally by the Royals to win the game.

The aftermath in Game 7 was evident.

As crew chief of the 1985 World Series umpiring unit, Denkinger was scheduled to work behind home plate in Game 7, a fact that further upset the Cardinals and manager Whitey Herzog. Some observers suggested that the presence of Denkinger behind the plate affected the Cardinals' gameplay, as ace pitcher John Tudor got off to a terrible start, giving up five earned runs and four walks in only 2 1⁄3 innings. Tudor was so disgusted by his performance, that he subsequently punched an electrical fan with his pitching hand. Todd Worrell (while being interviewed on ESPN Classic's The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame... about Don Denkinger's involvement in the 1985 World Series) would later compare the idea of Don Denkinger working behind home plate to putting a stick of dynamite back there and lighting it.

The Cardinals made their frustrations clear throughout the game. ABC television cameras caught Herzog screaming and belittling Denkinger from the Cardinals' dugout throughout the contest. Pitcher Joaquín Andújar exploded twice over Denkinger's calls at the plate during the 5th inning, finally being ejected with Herzog after a heated argument over Denkinger's strike zone. Herzog even went so far as to directly tell Denkinger that had he gotten "the call" right in Game 6, the Cardinals would not have been subjected to a seventh game in the first place. (Denkinger then replied that if the Cardinals were batting better than .120 in the Series, there would have been no need for a Game 7 either.) In the immediate aftermath of his meltdown, Andújar smashed a toilet in the Cardinals' clubhouse. The Cardinals were completely demolished by the Royals as Kansas City would go on to win Game 7 in an 11–0 blowout, taking home their first and only World Series Trophy.

That was then. This is now.

The Royals are making baseball history. Their eight game post season winning streak is proof of their pitching and defensive strength. Their run production may be low -- but they have shown an uncanny knack of scoring just enough to win the contests they are in.

Their confidence is growing . . . my prediction . . . the Royals in six . . . Just you watch!





Charter Commission 
Makes Bold Move for Change
Last Monday evening the Raytown Charter Commission spent close to two hours debating changes in the structure of how Raytown Parks and Recreation is governed.

In a unanimous recommendation Commissioners voted to change how the Executive Director is appointed. Currently the Park Director is chosen by the Park Board. In the new Charter under consideration, the responsibility of the appointment will be that of the Raytown Board of Aldermen.

Another change recommended by the Commission would be to codify the Parks Department Rules and Regulations. Commissioner Greg Walters that by codifying the Parks Department Rules and Regulations into the Code of Ordinances the Raytown Police Department would have the proper tools to enforce rules.

Walters explained the change would put teeth into the Park Board rules for conduct of the public in Raytown’s parks. As it is currently enforced, Police officers can only request that rules be followed. Once the rules become part of the city’s code, Police officers would be able to cite violations of Park Rules leaving judgment to the Municipal Court. Violators of rules would have to appear in Court. If they do not appear in Court, a bench warrant would be posted for their arrest.

Commissioners also addressed a restriction on showing favoritism to one utility provider over another. Last year the Raytown Board of Aldermen waived easement fees for Google. Under provisions approved by a majority of the Commissioners favoritism of one business over another would not be allowed in Raytown.

Recognizing the need to proceed at a quicker pace to meet a mid-January deadline to be placed on the April ballot, Commissioners agreed to double the amount of meetings to be held in the months of November and December to finish the Charter on time.

The next meeting of the Raytown Charter Commission is scheduled for Monday, October 20th. The meeting has been moved to the Raytown Fire District Headquarters at Fire Station Number 1 on Raytown Trafficway. The meetings are open to the public. Anyone wishing to address the Commission may do so at the beginning of the meeting during a time set aside for Public Comments.



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21 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Walmart deal is signed and done. Tenants of the shopping center behind Wendy's have been given the news. Their leases will not be renewed. They have been told by their landlord Walmart is taking their place.

Why is the Mayor and his city officials acting like they know nothing about this?

I have nothing against a new store coming to Raytown.

But I resent city officials who hold back information from all of us. I resent them so much that I will jump a the opportunity to vote against them next April.

I am so sick of their games and "we are better than you" attitude at City Hall. Aziere, Creamer, Melson, Ertz and Lightfoot, not a single one of them deserves our votes.

Anonymous said...

I work in Lee's Summit, and have seen several of the two lane, residential streets, and commercial areas as well, so it is just not the four lane rural roads where the chip seal is being used. (Market to Jefferson, on the south end of town. Scherer Rd, from Jefferson to Ward Rd, some of the streets that are off "old town/downtown" Lee's Summit, just to name a few.) In fact, the company that does this (every year) sets up across the highway from my location. Also, yes MoDot also uses chip seal on local highways, mostly farm to market roads.

Paul Livius said...

I only mentioned the roads I was aware of in the article. Can you answer this question for me?

Do they do as poor a job of resurfacing the roads in Lee's Summit as has been done in Raytown?

Look at the pictures in my article. Do you see that type of neglect in the repairs made in Lee's Summit?

No one would complain if the job was done correctly.

I really doubt the light aggregate seal work done in Raytown will make into a promotional spot for the industry.

Pat Casady said...

First off, the voters of Raytown passed an “Overlay tax!”
NOT a “Chip & Seal tax”
This was supposed to be no less than an inch of asphalt.
This after the holes and dips were corrected.
Now, all the taxpayers have gotten is in essence brown streets
with brown holes and cracks. Really no improvement,
and a huge waste of taxpayer money. The streets are
no smoother or better than they there were before the chip &
seal.

Anonymous said...

The Royals have more than doubled the parking fee for the World Series games to $25.00 per game! During the regular season they charge $11.00.

How do you spell GREED! Not sure, but I think it has six letters and starts with an R!

Pat Casady said...

Greed is an understatement!!!!
David Glass received ten million dollars a playoff
Game. I can’t even imagine what he will get for the series.
Yet, when the ushers worked free hat day
they were told to give them back!

Steve said...

Somebody at city hall has decided that baseball is more important than city business. The city council meeting has been postponed until Thursday. Really? Doesn't anybody do their job now a days?

Susan said...

Steve, I'm glad you said something. I would have gone up to city hall tonight and found nobody there. Nothing is on the city's website about the meeting being cancelled. What a bunch of clowns.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone tell me if Raytown has a common fence ordinances? My neighbor dogs have completely destroyed the fence between our properties and I want to replace it, but the neighbors should incur equal costs. Problem is, their filthy renters and their landlord is out of state.

Anonymous said...

good luck on getting an answer out of city hall. When you call there you will go straight to voice mail hell. The recorded message will tell you to call 911 if it is an emergency and then starts rattling off numbers to state offices instead of city offices!

I bet they will run you around about how it is a civil matter and they will not get involved.

Let me explain. At city hall their job is to hide from real people and ignore problems that take effort to resolve.

Here is there phone number 737-6000. Ask for code enforcement. Don't be surprised if they end up citing you for having a fence that is need of repair!

Anonymous said...

Take back our country! VOTE 11/4/14

Anonymous said...

A lesson from last night's game was taught in the sixth inning. Want to get your message across and make it stick? Be successful at what you are doing.

It has been a long time since the KC area has had this much pride and excitement.

Go Royals!

Anonymous said...

I turned on the television to watch the Council meeting tonight. Much to my surprise there was no meeting. Just a message on the screen saying the city is doing upgrades to the broadcasting equipment. Why do I get the feeling they will use this as an excuse not to broadcast for many meetings to come?

Peter said...

When we bought our house in Raytown in 1952 an individual paid to have their yard fenced . You may be able to tell if the fence belongs to the house you live in by where the fence post are set. Inside means it belongs to that house.

Betty said...

I check the city's website again and there still is no information about the delayed meeting or when the meeting will be on the website or on the channel 7. They seem to forget that not every one can afford Comcast.

Anonymous said...

I would have to admit that the streets in Lee's Summit that have had the overlay look good, and the job was done well. I thinkg it mostly depends on the company that is hired to do it. But, yes, the streets in Lee's Summit are done right.

Anonymous said...

October 21, 2014 at 4:39 PM, A lot depends on where the fence is located. Is it on the property line or actually inside the neighbor's or your property? When I lived in California, the neighbor wanted a new fence and "knowing" that I would refuse to pay for 1/2 located it inside his property. As a courtesy he asked for permission to wreck out the fence on my property.

When I moved to Raytown, I contacted my neighbor because the fence was only 4' and would not contain my dog. He had no objection to my putting in a 6' fence but he didn't like the fact I was putting in chain link. He suggested wood but I didn't want to maintain it (wood rot, painting, etc.) while chain link requires no maintenance . Consequently I contacted an attorney and located the fence 4" inside my property and asked if he would like my contractor to remove his short fence which he agreed to.

I think you either need an attorney or you could simply construct a new fence inside your property leaving the other property owner to deal with their own fence.

Andy Whiteman

GADSDEN said...

I hope that I am wrong with this info. I was just informed that the Community America Credit Union that is located in Wal-Mart at 350 will be closed on Jan 30, 2015. I hope that this does not mean that Wal-Mart is also closing. It would fit that they would close a store to open a new grocery store. HOPE I AM WRONG.

GADSDEN said...

I forgot to write that the Credit Union is going to open in Hi-V on 2 Feb 2015.

Anonymous said...

Normally a tenant is required to give notice to a landlord when terminating a rental agreement. Does the TIF require Walmart to give notice to the city or to anyone of intent to vacate?

The mini grocery store at 63rd and Raytown Rd. had press releases and sales ads in the paper when they closed. Walmart's notice may be when and if they post an ad for a sale in the paper.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Community American Credit Union used to be in the HY-VEE in Kansas