RAYTOWN'S LEADING NEWS SOURCE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Raytown Fire Protection District will hold a public meeting on the
status of the 350 Live (Walmart) TIF and its implications for Raytown’s future. The Mayor and Raytown
Board of Aldermen have been invited to this public meeting.
The Fire District
wishes to extend an invitation to any Raytowner who wishes to attend the
meeting.
This meeting is a public forum. Questions and discussion from the public
is encouraged and will be allowed.
7:00 PM
Monday,
June 6, 2016
Raytown Fire District Headquarters
6020 Raytown Trafficway
 |
| BY GREG WALTERS |
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
Raytown to
Come Together
Those
who travel 63rd Street have a ringside seat to view construction
underway in Downtown Raytown. The long awaited City Streetscape upgrade in
Downtown Raytown is moving along pretty much as scheduled.
With
the new streetscape, the Raytown Main Street Association is hoping to upgrade
their Annual Holiday Lighting event by installing low energy LED Christmas
lights on the new trees, landscaping, pillars and the bridges leading into the
Downtown. Their goal is to create a display worthy of a trip by Christmas
Holilday enthusiasts to visit Downtown Raytown and to return the Downtown’s
status as a nice showcase for local residents to enjoy.
LED
low energy commercial lighting is quite expense. To help fund the cost of
purchasing and installing the holiday decorations the Main Street Association
is planning a Fundraising Auction on July 9th to pay for the new lighting.
"Our target
is to raise $20,000 "from this event," said campaign chair
former mayor Sue Frank. "We've had
a wonderful response, people seem to really like the idea and it's something
positive we can get behind together as a community."
The
plan would also take advantage of the longevity of LED lighting by utilizing the
lights for future events such as a summer festival.
To
help raise the needed funds, Chris Payne, owner of the Raytown Plaza and many
other properties in Raytown, has offered the group the former United Super /
Sav-A-Lot grocery store space behind Wendy's at 63rd Street and
Raytown Trafficway to help in providing a venue for the fundraiser.
The
Raytown Main Street Association is selling 100 tickets for the evening of July
8th for a dinner at which time participants can have a sneak peak at
the offerings of the benefit auction. Salvatore’s
Italian Restaurant will be catering the event and Crane Brewery will be on hand to share their parings.
Tickets
for the event cost $35.00 per person.
To learn more about
the Dinner on Friday and the Auction on Saturday please call Sue Frank at 353-4400, April Harrington at 353-5700 or Pam Clark at 356-0515.
To donate items for the auction use this link AUCTION DONATION |
| BY PAUL LIVIUS |
The Mouth that Roared
They were at it again this week. The
three amigos fired another broadside at Michael McDonough and his Board of Aldermen.
Like an All Star Wrestling Event on
television, this week’s tag went to Ward 2 Alderman Jim Aziere. He did not
disappoint with his ramblings of horrific actions of the Mayor and the Raytown
Board of Aldermen.
In the space of 8 1/4 column inches,
Aziere continued the trip through a fantasyland of unfounded accusations and
fibs that are the trademark of the Amigos. A sampling of which follows:
FIB #1: A plan to convert public works
vehicles from gasoline to propane fuel is micro-managed by the Board.
THE TRUTH: Not so! The Public Works Department wanted to convert ALL vehicles to propane. Board members
suggested not changing out vehicles slated to be retired within two years.
Public Works agreed. The compromise position of outfitting only new vehicles
for propane use was adopted.
FIB #2: The Board recommended cutting
the Park Board Budget by 40%.
THE TRUTH: This is really an outrageous
lie. Coming from Aziere makes it even more ridiculous. It was Jim Aziere who,
in 2010, spearheaded the effort to divert tax dollars originally targeted for
the Park Department towards Storm Sewer maintenance. The Mayor appointed a
committee to review the situation. The committee, of which two members of the Board
of Aldermen were appointed (Karen Black and Eric Teeman) recommended the Park
Board receive over half of the funds collected from the sales tax to be
earmarked for the Park Board.
FIB #3: Aziere wrote, “Staff members
have been accused of lying, and have been treated as though they are not
trustworthy and incapable of leaving their jobs”.
THE TRUTH: Okay Jim, you have proven you can talk the talk. Now
walk the walk. Who accused who of lying? Who treated someone as though they
were not trustworthy? Name the scoundrels – because such words and actions
deserve to be punished. However, painting an entire city government with such a
broad brush is a craven act. Pick up the fine brush and give us the details.
Without any specifics the mouth that roared is nothing more
than the noise of unsubstantiated accusations.The public should accept Aziere’s thinly veiled
attempt at character assassination for what it is . . . the ramblings of
extreme partisanship.
The Mouth that Roared (part 2)
Another letter to find its way into the
Raytown Times last week was from Allan Thompson. Mr. Thompson joins the three
amigos (Randy Battagler, Joe Creamer and Jim Aziere) in their peculiar mix of
sour grapes and politics.
Thompson wrote of the virtues of hiring
a City Administrator and requiring him (or her) to NOT live within the city
limits of the town they serve.
No point in selling Thompson’s
argument, most of which is pure hyperbole and nonsense when compared to reality.
The fact remains that all of the cities within the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan
area require their Administrator or City Manager to live within the city they
serve.
Raytown’s city ordinance specifically
requires residency. The Bower administration, took the route often used by
President Obama. If you do not like a law, or a rule, ignore it. Make a
proclamation through word or deed to nullify it.
Thompson’s argument for allowing a City
Administrator or Manager to live outside the community reminds me of a story.
There once was a very proud mother
watching her son marching in a parade. “Oh look!” she exclaimed, beaming with
pride, “they are all out of step except for my Johnny!”
Comments
Back in early 2015, he just couldn't contain himself on why we didn't need a charter form of government.
Now he is acting more like we have a charter form of government with his demands around us having a city administrator and the corresponding requirements he wants.
The truth of the matter is in April of 2015 Mr. Allan Thompson and his good friend Jim Aziere got their wish and Raytown remains a 4th class city and under a 4th class city a city administrator is NOT required.
Unlike Mr. Allan Thompson or his friend Jim Aziere I support this with sections 77.042 to 77.048 of the MO state statues that doesn't mention anything about being required.
77.044. 2 brings into question if Jim Aziere and fellow uneducated fools on the Board of Alderman ever, put into or updated by ordnance the salary for this unneeded and extremely costly position.
The best part of 77.44.2 is and shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. To me this means his contract and the piece about couldn't be removed accept for cause was illegal as it CANNOT supersede state law, which is what the state statues are.
With that said Jim Aziere and his board wonder why "We the People" question all the actions at city hall and believe the only way to the truth is supporting those who WANT a state audit.
FIB #4. Jim Aziere once again was incorrect in his letter and stated that the Alderman booted a Bobcat Skid Steer "purchase" plan last summer and ORDERED the Public Works Dept to pursue a Lease as the mode of paying for the equipment. Aziere goes on to "state" the lease plan was "thwarted" and the new board was once again micro managing. Well after checking my "facts" last week not only did the Public Works lease that piece of equipment, they are submitting a new request for another Bobcat with the lease plan as the financing tool. Recently in the Municipal Committee meeting (Aziere was once again absent) Katie Horner Gonzalez and Tony Mesa from Public Works made a presentation assisted with Enterprise Leasing detailing a long range truck and vehicle replacement cycle plan. Hey Jim Aziere guess what the mode of "payment" was proposed and recommended by the Finance Dept?.LEASING...
FIB #5 Questionable and consistent FICTION once again surfaced in Alderman Aziere's most recent letter ramblings that during the presentation of a temporary office space rental contract to house some of the police staff while the headquarters was undergoing some extensive renovations, these micro managers (Alderman) once again used their bully pulpit and ordered the contract to be restructured before approving. Seems the Board according to Aziere needlessly questioned lease contract items like financial responsibility for the pro rata portion of the property taxes, and possible obligatory exposure for expensive maintenance (HVAC) and other costly repair items occurred during occupancy. He goes on to state that all that was done by this of "out of control group" was just a delay in the eventual contract and no amendments were accomplished. Well you can probably guess how this tall tale turns out... YEP sorry to report Alderman Aziere it seems that contract was MODIFIED to remove items that the Alderman originally questioned that "Seemed to not be prevalent in similar short term lease/rental contracts" and thus created needless financial exposure to the City's budget and project expense.
Those darn pesky micro managing Board of Alderman!!!!!!
Steve Meyers
Alderman Ward 4
I know from speaking with an attorney who has done work for government entities for over 30 years said a contract can be more restrictive than the law, but not less.
It sounds like under 77.44.2 the Board of Alderman could have fired the city administrator years ago and even with the language in his contract he was just out of luck under the laws of MO.
With all the news from Lee Summit School District and their lawyer and superintendent sleeping arrangements and the great contract for the superintendent one has to wonder if this was going on with our city administrator based on the crazy things talked about in his contract.
Thanks for bringing more light to the darkness at city hall and the things they are working so hard to hide.
You do know that same lawyer works for the Raytown School District.
I don't know about you, but I hope the Raytown School Board movers her on as we don't need our district tied to her behavior.
Really today is June 1st and it is just being posted.
I got my poles and tackle ready.
However, today I drove down to check out the lake and was very disappointed with the amount of moss.
After watching the news about the the downfall in Raytown, with services like EMS and is clear there are multiple departments who are leaving the residence with a bitter taste and questioning where are our tax dollars going.
I have spoke with several friends about the issues in Raytown and they all tell me until we have a complete overturn of department heads we will continue to ask what is going on.
I also understand the Direct of Parks is having all of us subsidize the parks (shelter houses) and super splash (pool) for the residence of Kansas City because he for years has refused to change non-residence more. This is after several folks have mentioned that other cities change non-residence more for these same services, so it can be done if our employees would start earning the paycheck they enjoy.
Wait maybe that is why they enjoy their paycheck as they don't have to work to get it!
Join me voicing concerns about the condition of our parks and that we shouldn't be subsidizing by calling Kevin Boji at 358-4100
If more of us would vote, and actually think about why/what they vote for, we'd be much better off. Case in point, 1:03:45 of the video. Can anyone tell me why "two crows are the smartest people in the world" or why two crows fighting over a paper bag are cute?
Maybe you don't think it's cute because you can't think outside the box.
Andy Whiteman
I did not think that it was secret as the rag man from the times was there.
By the way he left the meeting many times I guess to smoke another cigarette.
I think the meeting was open to the public for one big reason, the press and the
Fire District heads could be at the meeting even though the audience could not comment.
I think that the discussion between the members of the board was very open so that the fire district heads
would know their logic on the TIF with all the discussion going on.
I really wonder now if the fire district will maybe cancell their meeting on the 6th.
Now maybe the fire district will answer the board of aldermen and resolve the issues.
I do not think that the board had any intention of yesterdays meeting meeting
the requirements of the regulations governing the TIF.
Too many persons have an axe to grind, maybe the people with so much book learning
should be a little more careful how they condemn others.
It is a shame that so much taxpayers money had to go to pay lawyers that were at the meeting yesterday.
City staff is dwindling and there's apparently no rush to backfill these positions. Meanwhile, virtually nothing is being accomplished in town. For a bit, we were on a roll bringing in a few new businesses and changing the look of some pretty ill intersections and properties. What is the key difference between the improvements we aaw over the past 5 or so years and the nothing we're seeing today?
Who is going to lead this charge without constantly pandering to the loudest voice in the room and simply make solid well developed decisions?
We need neww businesses. We need a street plan. And...we need someone who can craft a vision and implement it in this community. Otherwise, we'll continue our decline into metro insignificance.
Seriously though...we got Sutherlands, Chipotle, Jimmy Johns, Gamestop, Aldi, Dunkin Donuts, Xtreme Carting, IHOP and a bunch of other little things that really spruced this place up...then the pipeline of new stuff came to a grinding halt. What the heck happened and how do we renew that energy????
Heard Aziere asking why they were there and thought that was pretty funny. Poor man ain't got a clue
I don't know where to start other than it is a mess!
I walked all the way around the lake and regardless of where I was there was at least 6 feet wide of moss. At some places the moss was more of 12 to 15 feet wide.
The once present float is MIA, which would help keep the water moving and prevent the moss from growing.
Oddly they make rakes for removing moss.
However, I am sure the fine folks in the parks office are too good to clean up the lake, which as the rest of us know is part of the parks.
http://www.pondalgaesolutions.com/pondweedrakes.html
The website link about provide information on a company with several rakes that will do the job. I am sure there are even local vendors.
What upsets me more is the fact that self appointed great reporters like Randy will be at the event and write a story about how great everything was including the condition of the lake.
We all know that Randy is a great writer of fiction and fantasy.
The lake looks the way it does and the grass is as high as it is on purpose. The purpose? To be able to point to these problems and tell the voting public they need a sales tax increase to fix these problems because the big, bad city council took some of their money away to pay for storm water.
There is progress and renewal going on everywhere in this town!
Wow what some things the nay sayers will do to detract from the progress just because they lost the elections!
Change is painful but necessary
Mayor Bower=Mayor Mike
Previous BOA < Newer BOA
This town needs some changes and push forward, not excuses and double speak from a mayor.
I understand it will be eye opening and they will share actual findings Vs. the just smile and listen hide the true facts circus put on by the board of alderman and their excuse of a lawyer.
If the board of alderman are going to really have transparency why will they not have an open dialog with the citizens and/fire department.
I don't know what the alderman fear or are trying to hide, but they sure act like they are hiding something!
The notice of the meeting that you blog about; that you did not know about till you read about it in a newspaper. It was listed on This blog prior . Oh and it also was on the city web site.