RAYTOWN'S LEADING NEWS SOURCE
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| BY GREG WALTERS |
at Charter Forum
The Raytown Charter Commission held the first of two public forums last
Tuesday at Raytown City Hall. The event was attended by about 30 people. Commissioners decided early on to allow a give and take between Commissioners
and the public. The free-wheeling format made for an interesting exchange of
ideas and comments from both the public and Charter Commissioners.
Various topics were discussed during the meeting which lasted close to
three hours. Mayoral candidate Pat Ertz and Ward 2 candidate Chris Rathbone
questioned the number of signatures required for the public to force a public
vote through the petition process. Greg Walters responded 1,350 signatures were
required. He added that gathering that number of petitions is no small task. It
was also explained that the “recall” (of elected officials) outlined in the
Charter required 2951signatures city wide or 590 in the case of an Alderman’s
ward. Steve Guenther pointed out that under the city’s Fourth Class status,
neither “petition” or “recall“ is allowed.
By far the most contentious portion of the debate came over a residency
requirement for the position of City Administrator. Allen Thompson and Witty
Whitman spoke in opposition to a residency requirement for the position of City
Administrator. Commissioners were quick to point out all Charter cities in Missouri
have this requirement. Eric Teeman, Ward 5 candidate for Alderman, reminded
those
opposed to the residency requirement it could be changed or eliminated through initiative process . . . which, he reminded the audience, is not available to the public under the current Fourth Class form of government.
opposed to the residency requirement it could be changed or eliminated through initiative process . . . which, he reminded the audience, is not available to the public under the current Fourth Class form of government.
Dick Cole spoke in favor of the proposed Charter. He compared it to a
Constitution for our city. Barbara Klemme asked if there was any portion of the
Charter that would affect how the police and fire departments would be
operated. The answer given was no. Kathy West asked for a clarification how the
Charter changed city government from its current form. She was referred to a
series of frequently asked questions found on the last four pages of the
Charter book.
Other individuals who spoke up at the meeting included Mary O’Leary and
Rhoda Ertyl. Mrs. Ertyl asked if it would be possible for the next charter forum
to be broadcast live on the city’s government channel. Charter Commissioner
Steve Guenther said he would approach the city about the possibility. The City
of Raytown has not broadcast any of the Charter meetings since the Commission
was formed last April.
Members of the Charter Commission in attendance also included Sandy
Hartwell, Ted Bowman, Janet and Lisa Emerson, Mark Moore and Mary Jane VanBuskirk. It was
also noted that the newly elected Jackson County Legislator for the Raytown
area, Theresa Galvin, was in attendance at the meeting.
Charter Books to be Mailed
If you are a regular voter in Raytown City Elections watch for a copy
of the proposed Raytown Charter in your mailbox this week. If you do not
receive a copy of the Charter and would like to have one, please email Greg
Walters at gregtwalters@sbcglobal.net
or call him at 816-358-1930 and he will make arrangements for one to be
delivered to you.
Upcoming Public Forums
Two public forums will be held between now and the April 7th
Election. One of them is a second Raytown Charter Forum. The other is a
Candidate Meet and Greet Event sponsored by the League of Women Voters. At this
time, the City does not plan to televise either event. Meeting place and times
follow:
RAYTOWN CHARTER FORUM
Raytown City Hall 10000
East 59th Street
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
6:30p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
Candidate Meet and Greet*
Raytown City Hall 10000 East 59th Street
Raytown City Hall 10000 East 59th Street
Tuesday, March 31, 2015 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
*Mayoral candidates will be held 6:30 to 7:15. Aldermen will speak for up to five minutes each on the following topic: What would you like to achieve in four year term as an Alderman of the
City of Raytown?
Paul’s Rant
From all accounts I have heard the Public Forum held last Tuesday was
interesting, even exciting at some points during the discussion. This was
especially true during those times when differing ideas clashed.
My concern is the upcoming do called Candidate Meet and Greet scheduled
to be held on March 31st. The program calls for some sort of face
off by the two Mayoral candidates. Not much in detail is given on that portion
of the planned meeting. If they follow old formats, each candidate will
probably be asked the same question and given a chance to respond.
Which seems like a fair and sound plan for the Mayoral portion of the
debate.
However the Meet and Greet portion scheduled for the Board of
Aldermen candidates is deeply flawed. Each candidate will be given five minutes to answer the
following question: “What would you like to achieve in a four year term as an
Alderman of the City of Raytown?”
Which means the audience will be subjected to a five minutes of very
forgettable speeches from 13 candidates lasting over one hour. If they
follow the outlined schedule there will be less than half an hour for the 15
candidates (remember the Mayor candidates!) to meet and greet the public.
It does not seem like a whole lot of time is left for the “greeting”
portion of the meeting.
Five minutes is a long time to speak continuously on any topic. Not all
of the candidates at the Meet and Greet will be practiced at public speaking. Which
gives an unfair advantage those who are naturally glib and comfortable in the
spotlight.
Mix it all together and you have what will undoubtedly be a very boring event.
How about this idea. Follow the formula used the Charter Commission. That
event was a model of how a public forum should be run. There was lots of give
and take . . . an honest exchange of ideas. It was successful because concerned
citizens were allowed to step up and ask the questions important to them. Give
the candidates a chance to reply – answers given off the cuff are always better
than a speech that has been memorized or read.
Here is a little secret most people do not
know. The League of Women Voters is showcasing the event, but they are doing so
at the invitation of the Raytown Chamber of Commerce. If you know someone in
the Raytown Chamber, give them a call and let them know how you feel.
How to reach the Chamber? Here’s the number 353-8500.
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| BY JENN |
17 St. Patrick’s
Day Recipes
Well, hey there lads and lassies! St. Patrick’s Day may still be a
couple weeks away, but we like to make sure we have plenty of time to
celebrate. After all, there are SO many fun and healthy St. Patrick’s Day
recipes to try. Here are 17 (yep, we picked that number on purpose!) we’re
pretty psyched about. So put on those green aprons and get to cooking! READ MORE
The following guest article is by Ryan Myers, candidate for Alderman in
Ward 3. All Raytown candidates are invited to send an article to the Raytown
Report for publication. Candidate reports will be posted in the order of which
they are received. Five candidates have posted on the Raytown Report. They are
Greg Walters, Mike McDonough, Pat Ertz, Mary Jane VanBuskirk and Ryan Myers.
Ryan Myers, Ward 3 Candidate BY RYAN MYERS
My name is Ryan Myers, and I am running for Ward 3
Alderman. I have been a part of the Raytown community for 26 years and I am a
third-generation graduate of Raytown High School.
Raytown is a great community with great schools
that make it a wonderful place to live. I graduated in 2007 from Raytown High
School, and hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Kansas State University.
I currently work at Shaner Appraisals, a local commercial real estate
appraising firm, in which I consult and value commercial real estate. I would
like to use my professional background to help revitalize parts of Ward 3,
along with the entirety of Raytown. I look forward to implementing a plan for
new infrastructure coupled with rejuvenation of existing infrastructure systems
within the community.
The average age of Ward 3 voters is 64. Family and
community are big parts of my life, and I would like to focus on helping older
adults in Raytown by providing transportation and activities for those who may
not have any family in the area. I have been blessed to have a very close
family that supports me. My grandparents, Paul and Naomi Houk and Robert and
Dorotha Myers, have lived six houses apart since the early 1960s in Raytown.
Given the aging Raytown population, I believe that the support of our older
adults should be coupled with positioning the city to appeal to young
professionals and young families to facilitate redevelopment within the
community.
I would appreciate your support
on April 7th to serve the community of Raytown.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the Raytown community, or if you would like to know more about myself, feel free to contact me at Ryan.Myers816@gmail.com or at (816) 215-8847. Thank you in advance for your support, as together we can look forward to a brighter future for Raytown.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the Raytown community, or if you would like to know more about myself, feel free to contact me at Ryan.Myers816@gmail.com or at (816) 215-8847. Thank you in advance for your support, as together we can look forward to a brighter future for Raytown.
Comments
started lying about the Charter. He wanted to on the
commission for one reason and one reason only,
TO SABATOGE IT!!!!!!!!! As was a couple of others.
Friends and or relatives of people at City Hall as well
as some of the other aldermen on the commission
will speak out against it as well.
Aziere was telling lies about the Charter.
I have heard he was telling people the Charter
Commissioners can fire anybody at City Hall.
That is 100% fabrication! Jim knows better but,
his friends at City Hall want the Charter to fail.
Last September, we decided to leave...no more listening to the bickering politics, the self-serving members of a City in a steady decline. We now live in a metro city in Kansas..sure we still have some of the local bickering & self serving people, but the place we moved to seems to know what they are about.
We all have an ideal/idea on how to make things better, but before we can decide on the HOW, the main thing lacking is consensus on the WHAT.
IMO, WHAT Raytown needs are several things...
1st Active Residents who care about the City they call home, not talking about the same 15 that show up to a monthly meeting or get on this board to vent.
2nd Agreement on a Direction, what should Raytown look like in 1 year, 3 years, 5 years...I am not talking some grandiose plan that costs a lot of money...just simple things e.g. Revitalize the Downtown, very unique buildings & businesses, along with a green space. With the age of the residents still don't understand why we don't have several antique shops to draw in those type of customers.
3rd Once the WHAT is determined, get behind it and forge through with the specific HOW's.
Raytown will ALWAYS be a small town in size...just because your small doesn't mean you have to let it affect the way you behave.
Do not spread false rumors, please check it out. Come to the next meeting at city hall on the 24th of March and ask your questions.
It could be you are Aziere we know where he stands on the charter.
Letter to the Editor,
I would like to commend the Charter Commission for a fine job drafting this proposed Charter. There are some things I would have written differently, but I doubt anyone who reads it would agree with everything in it 100%. That is why we had a charter commission, so we get the views of a group of citizens rather than just one person. No two people will agree on exactly the same thing, so we end up with a compromise that everyone hopefully can live with. If that is not the case, then there are provisions written into it to be able to change it in the future.
I have heard supporters and opponents all say that Raytown needs a Charter and it is long overdue. I believe this is the 5th attempt at a Charter in Raytown. Every opponent I have heard speak out against this Charter says they agree with over 99% of what is in this Charter but they seem to have two points of contention with this Charter:
1: Removing the ability of the Board of Alderman to override the current ordinance requiring the City Administrator to live in Raytown. (There is some question whether the BOA really had the authority to override that in the first place).
2: They perceive the threshold for petition signatures is too low for initiative, referendum, and recall.
They are once again using scare tactics to make sure this Charter fails, just like they tried to stop the formation of the Charter Commission in the first place. They say the expense of citizens being able to place questions on the ballot could cripple the city. It sounds a lot like when they said the cost to write a charter could cost the city over $150,000, when the actual cost appears that it will come in well under $14,000. They have resorted to name calling people who would gather signatures, referring to them as a “goofball bunch of people”, and calling citizens who would sign these petitions “uninformed”. If it weren’t for those goofballs, and uninformed voters we wouldn’t even be talking about a Charter right now.
Their other argument is that we will be scrapping the bottom of the barrel for people who apply for the City Administrator position in the future. They don’t seem to think that anyone would want to move here. Their view of Raytown seems to be much different than mine. I moved here and I was not raised in Raytown, although my Mom was, and my Grandpa lived here until he passed away a few years ago. I love Raytown’s proximity to just about everything in the metro area and I see a lot of potential, but it all starts with a Charter.
If the opponents of this Charter really, truly believe Raytown needs a Charter, then they would vote yes. They wouldn’t let these two issues keep Raytown from moving forward. If you really think about it, their problems really aren’t that problematic. If they really think the thresholds for petitions are really too low, then it should be no problem for them to try and get the CA requirement removed from the Charter in the next city election. Would it take some work? Of course, but is it worth it? I guess it depends on if they really do want a Charter, or if they are just blowing smoke to appease their constituents.
Like I said before, I would have changed some things if I had written the Charter, but this Charter will never be set in stone. It is designed to be changed as needed. I will be voting yes for the Charter and urge everyone else to do the same.
Sincerely,
Chris Rathbone
What you heard is pretty accurate. Mr. Aziere came through our neighborhood over the weekend campaigning(we live in his ward) and was telling people that the charter is bad and we shouldn't vote for it. He said he is on the commission, but he didn't really have anything to do with what is on it. It was mainly written by the "libertarians," etc.
Truth is the Charter was written, by Republicans, Democrats and Independents. If Aziere actually showed up to most metings, maybe he would know.
.... Mr. Aziere voted for almost everything in the Charter, but the residence requirements for city administrator.
Therefore the question is why would he tell us to vote NO on something he actually voted YES on.
Is this the early sign of medical issues? The same time of issues that should keep him off the Board of Alderman!
If anyone running for office knocks on my door, I will ask them if they support it or not, that will help determine my vote.
The next open meeting is next Wednesday at the office. They also have a web site but you will probably benefit more from going to an open meeting
I have heard he is gone more than he is there. I also understand that he had been appointed head of some committees but never showed at any of the meetings.
Do the Alderman get paid even if they miss meetings?
I know if I miss work I don't get paid.
I don’t take calling names lightly but in this I stand
behind what I say. He is what makes the word
“politics” a bad word.
Shame on him for lying to the people that really
want this town to move forward and out of the hands
of the likes of him and his low life political buddies at
City Hall.
Don't forget there are taxes that must be paid on that $30,000.
While talking about that city administrator we have to look at the number of positions created since he took office that were for duties that were expected to be done by him.
I hate to think what he has truly cost us, but clearly he is one major expense impacting the ability to improve our city and any elected official that thinks otherwise needs to not be re-elected.
I mean it has to be someone out of touch with reality and your statements at doors while seeking re-election clearly show you are out of touch with how you have been voting.
To whoever it is why not come forward with the proof and that you keep writing about or is this only things that appear to be truth when you have had one too many drinks with some individuals tied to city hall at one of our local bars.
That is right some of use know as we have seen with our own eyes too many folks tied to city hall have too many drink events at the local watering wholes.
I cant stand him either, he literally will say anything to make him look good. Remember the Walmart debates, he said NOTHING but positive things about it, then passed on the vote to vote last. When the vote was already decided in favor, he voted no. Shameless promoter who stands for nothing but himself.
Again they are elected by the people in the subdistrict. You must not be in one of the sub districts for that water company or you would not of asked. Knowing that you had a question that you wanted knowledge about ; the blogger answered and also gave you two other official means by which you could varifiy the answer.
It is sad that you are unable to vote in this election in Raytown ; even tho you live elsewhere yes you have done a great deal of campaigning. Take care
I have been a Raytown resident 22 years and I have never missed voting in ANY election. This year, I will not only vote, I will work hard to defeat anyone currently sitting on the Board, including Mr. Ertz. Mrs. Vanbuskirk seems like a nice woman, but she is married to someone sitting on the Board, so I will work to keep her from getting elected. I'm tired of the men and women on the City Council talking about how bad it is here and then doing absolutely nothing to make it better.
The last election at the Water District was quite a few years ago when Jerry Briggs and Mike Carpino, challenged two of the Board members. Briggs won and was on the Board for a while. When he had to resign due to moving to Lee's summit Pat got his friend, Jimmy McClanahan, the man defeated by Briggs, back on the Board. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck.
Pat is a good man and you do him a disservice by using such underhanded attacks.
Both men running for mayor work in Raytown ( Mike recently retired) live in Raytown and shop in Raytown. Both very good men