RAYTOWN'S LEADING NEWS SOURCE

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BY GREG WALTERS

Wanted:  

A Few Good Men and Women

The days are getting shorter, the nights are longer and cold. An odd numbered year is rushing towards us on the calendar . . . in the world of Raytown politics that can mean only one thing. There is a city election on the horizon set for next Spring.

It has been awhile since we published the list of qualifications for the different offices up for election. Next April the positions of Mayor and City Collector are up for election. So is one-half of the City Council.

So, for those who have a passing interest in running for public office, here is a short review of requirements:

REQUIREMENTS: You must be a registered voter, a resident of the Ward or City in which you live and have all of your taxes paid in full to run for office in Raytown. The elections are non-partisan, so political parties really do not play into the campaigns in Raytown.

Here are the salaries and other benefits for elected officials in Raytown:

MAYOR:

Salary: $1,000.00 per month

Car Allowance: $250 per month

Health Insurance: Eligible to participate in city health insurance plan

BOARD OF ALDERMEN:

Salary:  $200.00 per month

Car Allowance: $50.00 per month

Health Insurance: Eligible to participate in city health insurance plan

CITY COLLECTOR:

Salary: $100.00 per month

Eligible to participate in city health insurance

Filing for office in Raytown opens in early January and closes in early February. For more information contact the City Clerk Teresa Henry at Raytown City Hall. Her telephone number is 737-6000 Extension 9.

The Paul Livius Report

Raytown Board of Aldermen Meeting

November 11, 2014

The Board passed a resolution authorizing the continuation of an existing agreement with Cochran Head Vick & Co. for the professional audit services for Fiscal year 2014-2015 in an amount not to exceed $43,000.00. They will audit the Financial Statements as required by the Government Accounting Standards Board.

The Board passed a resolution the purchase of salt for roads and bridges in inclement weather from Holliday Sand & Gravel and Independent Salt Company in an amount not to exceed $42,000.00. Jim Melvin, Interim Public Works director said the Public Works Department received 2 bids.  Holliday Sand & Gravel Company provided a bid of $85.00/ton, with no guarantee of any quantity. Independent Salt initially declined to bid, but did quote $65.17/ton, with no guarantee of any quantity. In addition, we have a contract with Kansas City, MO to purchase 1000 tons of salt as needed. The price from Kansas City, MO, with loading and hauling costs included, is $58.77. Staff recommends that the contract be awarded to Holliday Sand & Gravel Company for $85.00/ton and to Independent Salt for $65.17/ton, for up to 400 tons, and that we purchase 1000 tons of salt later in the season from Kansas City, MO, when it is needed. Public Works is concerned that our current supply of salt may not be enough for the entire winter season. Therefore we are requesting authorization to purchase up to 400 tons utilizing current fiscal year funds.

The Board passed a resolution approving the purchase of fuel from Maher Oil Company.  Jim Melvin told the Board the City of Raytown is presently purchasing fuel from Maher Oil Company utilizing a cooperative purchasing contract administered by Kansas City, MO. This contract provides the City of Raytown favorable pricing associated with the combined purchasing power of the City of Kansas City, City of Independence, City of Lee’s Summit, Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Little Blue Valley Sewer District. The current contract has been extended several times, with the most recent extension being from November 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015. A new cooperative contract is planned for Kansas City, MO purchasing group beginning February 1, 2015. Total expenditures with Maher Oil Company in the previous fiscal year were $285,017.00 and staff anticipates a similar expense this year. Fiscal Year 2014 - 2015 budgeted amounts for all City Departments and the Fire Department totals $301,719.00. The Fire Department is budgeted for an expense of $28,000.00 which the Fire Department reimburses the City for the expense; therefore, the actual City budgeted expenses are $273,719.00.

The Board passed a resolution approving final payment to Vance Brothers, Inc. for the 2014 light weight aggregate seal project, accepting all work performed under the contract and authorizing final payment in the Amount of $155,426.35.  Jim Melvin said the work was complete.

The Board passed a resolution approving Change Order no. 2 to the agreement with A & A Concrete Company for the 2014 concrete repair project, and authorizing final payment in the amount of $182,220.00. Jim Melvin said the work was complete.

The Board passed a resolution approving the expenditure of funds with MDL Technology for Information Technology-related services for $122,880.00. Jim Lynch said this is a three-year agreement guaranteeing service pricing with MDL Technology to manage the IT services of the Police Department. The agreed upon service plan is a monthly fee of $80.00 per workstation and $400.00 per server. The amount budgeted for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 is $122,880.00.

The Board passed an ordinance establishing the compensation for the office of mayor for the term beginning April 2015.  The Elected Officials Compensation Committee was established by the Board of Aldermen to review the compensation for elected officials and make recommendations for adjustment. An elected official’s compensation must be set prior to a person taking office and compensation cannot change during the term of office, unless additional duties are added. Accordingly, any adjustment the Board of Aldermen deems appropriate must be made prior to the April 7, 2015 election. The recommendation of the Commission relative to the Mayor was to keep the monthly compensation at the current rate of $1,000.00 per month and increase the monthly car allowance from $200 per month to $250.00 per month.

The Board passed an ordinance establishing the compensation for the office of city collector for the term beginning April, 2015. The Elected Officials Compensation Committee was established by the Board of Aldermen to review the Compensation for elected officials and make recommendations for adjustment. An elected official’s compensation must be set prior to a person taking office and compensation cannot change during the term of office, unless additional duties are added.  Accordingly, any adjustment the Board of Aldermen deems appropriate must be made prior to the April 7, 2015 election. The recommendation of the Commission relative to the City Collector was to keep the monthly compensation at the current rate of $100.00 per month.

The Board passed an ordinance establishing the compensation for the office of board of aldermen for the term beginning April 2015.  The Elected Officials Compensation Committee was established by the Board of Aldermen to review the compensation for elected officials and make recommendations for adjustment. An elected official’s compensation must be set prior to a person taking office and compensation cannot change during the term of office, unless additional duties are added. Accordingly, any adjustment the Board of Aldermen deems appropriate must be made prior to the April 7, 2015 election. The recommendation of the Commission relative to the Board of Aldermen was to keep the monthly compensation at the current rate of $400.00 per month and to keep the monthly car allowance at the current rate of $50.00 per month.

The Board heard the first reading of an ordinance approving the first Amendment to the redevelopment contract between the Raytown Community Betterment Redevelopment Corporation and the City of Raytown for The Partners Stark assisted living redevelopment project as adopted by Ordinance no. 4193-96. John Benson told the Board the City of Raytown entered into a contract with the Raytown Community Betterment Redevelopment Corporation on May 9, 1997 for the development of Partners Stark Assisted Living Redevelopment Project, which is more commonly known as Elliott Place. The Contract, provides for tax abatement of the redevelopment of the property which the Contract identified was to occur in three phases.  Phase 1 provides for construction of 96 assisted living apartment units; a service building to house kitchen, laundry and cleaning services; and landscape improvements. In addition, Phase 1 provides for the construction of Maple Avenue as a private street through the development. 

Extension of utilities to the property; payment of up to $100,000.00 for acquisition of and construction of right-of-way to extend Maple Avenue to the redevelopment area; and payment of $118,000.00 to the City of Raytown for improvements to the existing Maple Avenue located south of Highway 350 that the City undertook to accommodate the traffic generated by the development.  Phase 2 provides for construction of 48 assisted living apartment units to be located directly west of the Phase 1 assisted living apartment units. Phase 3 provides for construction of 24 assisted living apartment units to be located west of Phase 2 near the northwest corner of the property. A bed and breakfast large enough to accommodate five or fewer families as well as a storage area for the use of residents were also approved as part of Phase 3.  Phase 1 and the corresponding improvements to Maple Avenue were constructed in accordance with the Redevelopment Contract. As a result Phase 1 is currently receiving 25 years of tax abatement that will extend through 2022. Phase 2 and Phase 3, however, have not yet been constructed. The Redevelopment Contract stipulates that Phase 2 was to be constructed within 30 months of May 9, 1997 (i.e. November 9, 1999) and Phase 3 was to have been completed within 42 months from May 9, 1997 (i.e. November 9, 2000). Construction on Phase 2 and Phase 3 have yet to begin. Though construction on Phase 2 and Phase 3 has yet to begin, the City has not declared the Redevelopment Contract to be in default. As such, Phase 2 and Phase 3 are still eligible to receive tax abatement for the remaining years of the tax abatement. 

Paul’s Rant BY PAUL LIVIUS

LIP READER NEEDED . . . EXPERIENCE PREFERRED

Regular readers of my Paul Livius Report column may have noticed there are not any quotations from the Mayor, Board of Aldermen or public in this week’s report. There is a reason. Last week’s broadcast of the BOA meeting was supposed to be the return of the city broadcast of our city government in action.

The meeting before was not broadcast because “upgrades” were be put in place. Well, at least that is what the message on Raytown’s Government Channel 7.  So, I waited anxiously to view the upgrades.

What a surprise! The picture did seem to be crisper. But there was a problem . . . no sound!

My lip reading skills are not what they used to be so I called Greg to find out what could be done. He called the Raytown Police Department (their offices are in the basement of City Hall) to send word up to Council Chambers so the problem could be corrected.

For whatever reason, the problem was not corrected.

If you want more participation in your local government you should make it easier for people see and understand what is going on. That would entail expanding the number of ways people can view City Council meetings. Comcast is the only provider that allows Raytown to broadcast its meetings.

The city should be looking at ways to expand that capability to the other two providers in Raytown (ATT and Google).

The last two weeks is not good news. The city seems to be retreating from the free and open flow of information at Raytown City Hall.

Last time I checked, it was the 21^st Century. The technology is inexpensive and available to broadcast meetings of the Board of Aldermen and the other events at City Hall. It is high time our leaders at City Hall corrected this unacceptable situation at City Hall.
 

BY JENN

FIT B0TTOMED EATS

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Merlot Chili Recipe

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