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!"
To leave a comment use this link POST A COMMENT
Take part in our poll with your prediction of who will win the World Series. (POLL FOLLOWS GREG'S STORY, "HOW ABOUT THEM ROYALS!"
To leave a comment use this link POST A COMMENT |
| 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 |
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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Comments
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.
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.
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.
How do you spell GREED! Not sure, but I think it has six letters and starts with an R!
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!
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!
It has been a long time since the KC area has had this much pride and excitement.
Go Royals!
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
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