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| BY GREG WALTERS |
Dollar General Robbed
63RD STREET STORE NEXTTO BLUE RIDGE ELEMENTARY
Just before noon on Saturday, July
1, 2017, two black men entered the Dollar General located in the 9100 block of
63rd Street with guns demanding money from the two store clerks. After getting
an unknown amount of money the men ran out the store. There were no reported
injuries.
The men were described as black males in their early 20’s, one was approximately 6’00” tall and the other was between 5’06”-5”08” with shoulder length curly black dreadlocks. It is unknown if they left on foot or by vehicle.
The men were described as black males in their early 20’s, one was approximately 6’00” tall and the other was between 5’06”-5”08” with shoulder length curly black dreadlocks. It is unknown if they left on foot or by vehicle.
The store opened earlier this summer
despite the objections of surrounding home owners. One of their complaints was
that the isolated location of the store, which is surrounded on three sides by
residential properties, made it a soft target for burglaries.The majority of the Board approved the spot zoning of the property allowing the owner to build the store in the middle of a residential zoned area.
Cuts to be Repaired this Week
The Raytown Water Company plans to
have numerous street cuts from broken water mains at 59th and Elm Street will
be repaired shortly after the Fourth of July Holiday. Damage to 59th Street
east of Elm Street is being reviewed by the insurance company to assess needed
repairs and the cost split between the city and the water company for the
repair work.
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47 comments:
Well we are know as the city of Dollar stores, maybe our mayor and aldermen will pub a few more in the city.
Yiu can't make any business come to the city. You all complain about TIF's etc. a business is successful for a reason. And box stores are dying out due to online shopping. Seems like people on this blog won't be happy unless things are done like the 60's and 70's. There could be no new businesssa, like Freddy's etc. Grow with the times people.
Regarding This Doller General, I'm curious to ask if the neighbors were all properly notified about this rezoning meeting before the vote so they could voice their concerns? Also, which BOA voted in favor to rezone this residential property?
I think Family Dollar has better selections than Dollar General anyway.
You have the power to remove the "dollar" stores, if you don't like them. Don't give them your money. If enough of your neighbors do the same, they will leave. If they stay and succeed, I guess your neighbors don't agree with you.
I moved to Raytown 20+ years ago. Totally different demographics.
My once beautiful neighborhood is now filled with broken down cars setting in driveways, on side of the road. Trashing yards and homes that are run down. Thugs driving by with music so loud that is rattles the windows. I could go on and on about the demise of our once beautiful community, but I think you all know what I'm getting at. Too old and broke to move to start over so here I reside, in the hood... Thanks to our government, and the greedy bankers on wall street, for breaking the backs of the working class.
I understand the city is looking to outsource some departments.
Why don't they start with the out of control sending department, which would solve many of the city's financial issues.
As I recall, the only member on the Board to cast a NO vote on the 63rd Street Dollare General Store was Karen Black. Josh Greene was absent the night the vote was taken. The rest of the Board voted for the spot zoning that allowed the Dollar General Store to be built. The applicant had been denied on two previous attempts to change the zoning. As to the question of notification, many of the neighbors around the area that was rezoned said they were not notified of Planning and Zoning meeting which recommended the land be rezoned from residential to commercial use. Zoning applications in Raytown are at two meeting process. First, it goes before the Planning and Zoning Commission. They hold a public hearing and then make recommendations to the Board of Alderman on the zoning. However, the Board of Aldermen are not bound by the recommendation. There was a request by some area residents for the rezoning to be on hold so they could properly present their case. The Board of Aldermen did not approve the request.
The residents within a two block radius of the 63rd Street Dollar General Store were notified. There was also a sign placed on the property telling about the P&Z meeting. It was put up 10 days before the meeting. That is what city code says has to happen. The developer did everything legally. The people who were upset are those who live outside the 2 block radius. Instead of whining and complaining about it now, they should be working to get the cods changed so more people are notified about the code changes.
Greg,
I understand and appreciate your thoughts and passion as well as others regarding this project. You and I have even discussed the project in a healthy and respectful manner while it was being implemented. You were sitting on the Board I would assume when Mr. Strevino first started attempting to develop that parcel many years ago. The size of the project and store at that time would have been one I could not have supported as well at the Planning and Zoning level which was required then as well as now since the project required a zoning change. A scaled down project and store with additional CBD (Central Business Design) standards were made mandatory as well as site modifications that required at times testy negotiations and legal representation by developer. Mr. Strevino also had in site plans 3 homes in the south portion and rear of the project. This by no means was an easy slam dunk process for him and one he would even agree with did not happen.
The obligated citizen and resident notification distance to residents was legally met as previous writer noted. Add to the Social media buzz that was created and truthfully far serves a greater communication tool along with extensive neighbor to neighbor soliciting that took place occurred. But I will point out that while there were a few well spoken residents that took the microphone in the BOA Mtg public comments as well as during the open hearing process and they fairly presented their objections to the project, Alderman Black was advised and prepared for a very large turnout of nearby residents in her Ward and that failed to occur. But I do respect her voting decision regardless of the expected turnout of residents since the project is in her Ward and I told her so.
While the project has been completed and certainly will continue to have varied opinions of worth on both sides, I can highlight that a notification modification ordinance and an improved resident notification and town hall mtg process that was long overdue has been implemented. The notification range has been increased to nearby residents of a Zoning Change proposal as well as increased and much more visible and legible signage indicating proposed Zoning Changes affecting the project site. Also revised changes that were implemented was a Mandatory Meeting with developer proposing the Zoning changes with legal notices sent out to the amended and extended range of residents. The larger signs will also advertise this meeting. All concerned citizens are welcome to attend the meeting as well. Hopefully positive interaction with an open and well informed dialogue will assist both parties to understand the project and answer any objections in a much better forum than even a Council mtg can present.
Happy and Safe 4th of July Folks!
Steve Meyers,
Alderman Ward 4
10:30 Sounds like you are a person with a lot of inside into the above problem, wonder what your interest is, interested citizen or a political person.
I agree w/ the comments made by 12:48pm. There are too many rental properties in Raytown. Can rental houses be section 8? Also, a lot of renters and home owners don't care what their yards look like. A house on my street (renting I think) has 2 parents plus 2 teenagers who all seem healthy enough to mow yet they pay for someone to mow every 3 weeks. Their yard looks terrible by then. I started mowing when I was 13 and I'm female.
People--if your trash pickup comes on a Tuesday, don't leave your trash bin at the end of the driveway until Saturday. If you are too lazy or too busy or too disabled to bring it back up to your house, put your trash BAGS out in the morning of your trash day then you won't have anything to bring back in. I do that and have never had any problems w/ animals getting into the trash.
I believe there are several departments that could be outsourced. One is the police department and the other is codes codes then we might start seeing some things change for the better.
Happy 20th anniversary RAYTOWN REPORT!! I am glad you are here!
12:52 I watched the BOA meeting on the internet. It's something anyone, regardless of where they live, can do. I'm merely an informed citizen.
Happy 20th anniversary Raytown Report!!!
Woo Hoo!!!
I am not sure how the police dept could be outsourced.
I agree with the earlier post. I have lived in Raytown 50+ years and it use to be a GREAT town, but not any more. It looks like the hood, Wayne Minor East as someone refereed to Raytown. Streets crumbling, property violations not being addressed, loud music, the list goes on and on. Even in KC, they pave the streets. I travel 27th street in KC every morning to work. 27th intersects with Askew, Walrond, Prospect, Paseo, Troost just to name a few dangerous areas and the streets are paved, no chip & seal.
I think it is time to let KC take over the Raytown's 11 square miles. I don't think it could be any worse.................
Outsource your police department??
Really?? Dumbest idea I've ever heard! So would outsource of codes Enforcement !
How would one empower a private entity to make arrests or write citations for breaking the law or code violation? Dumb Dumb Dumb
5:12pm
Thanks, mom
11:10 pm
You're right, the idea of outsourcing the police and codes departments is a really stupid idea. What I find interesting is that no one would even consider making such a post on Facebook where they have to sign their names. They only do it here where they can be anonymous. That says a lot about the writer.
12:48 & 7:45 if Raytown is so bad why don't you move and take all your negative with you. I for one still like Raytown as does 6 of our relatives that live in Raytown in their own homes.
Oh Jim,
You are getting to sound like a broken record.
Why not post some of your thoughts or ideas for Raytown instead of attacking the anonymous posts you don't agree with?
Actually, some communities choose to disband their PDs in favor of paying a neighboring city to do the policing.
Not happening here but it sometimes does occur.
10:43 Why are you afraid to sign your name?
To 9:56,
The earlier post, which you ripped, indicated that money was the reason why they do not move out of Raytown. It is not unreasonable to dislike the changes that this community is experiencing unless of course you enjoy increase crime, lower property value, higher rates for utility, trash, water, section 8 housing, etc.
Hey, let's look at the positive side! at least we don't live in East Kansas City. Maybe city hall needs a data driven code-enforcement strategy to address properties, which are not maintained.
2:44 who said anything about money? not me.
I guess you thought so.
My question is do you live in Raytown? if so why don't you leave if Raytown is so bad. If not stay out of this blog.
Property values have gone up here over the last year according to all the real estate sources.
Don't know where you all have been
Why not out source the PD? The City of was fully prepared to outsource EMS to a for profit company till the new City Administration had an issue with it. I worked for the City of Raytown for 7 years and loved my job, but hated the people at City Hall. The people in charge are reactionary and only have memories as long as their last election. We all met we Jason Green for three hours and outlined page after page of hostile workplace complaints against the Director of EMS and once again nothing happens. We all paid our dues to the firefighters union just in case by some turn of good fortune the fire district would take us over and once again nothing happened. EMS is the lowest paid in the entire metro and we are forced to beg the council for enough of a raise to make us tied for the second lowest in the metro. So if you ask me Raytown should outsource PD,EMS, and Public Works. Everyone would be better off... Former Raytown EMS Employee
10:15 - That is just flat wrong! You met with Jason Green and he went to the Board and recommended a pay raise across the board. It wasn't as much as you wanted but it was better than nothing. It happened about three months before the new budget started. The city finance director warned the BOA that when they gave the EMS a pay raise, they couldn't take it away. He also told the BOA that the extra money they gave to the EMS was less money spent elsewhere. The BOA still voted to give the pay raise. BTW - no other department received pay raises as high as EMS.
Hey 8:15 You don't have right to tell anyone what blog they should be in. If someone's blog differs from yours and you don't like it, perhaps you should get on your high horse and leave the blog.
From what I hear the Fire Union wanted to bring the EMS department in but the employee's at the ambulance actively worked against the Fire Union and wanted nothing to do with it or at least a portion of them that don't belong to the Union. What say you Doc?
Former EMS employee yet you're not Raven up put your name? Besides that EMS is far different than the police department or public works. Oh and the board of alderman gave EMS a very large raise recently
Why is someone bad mouthing raytown so much. Even if they don't live in raytown
8:37 oops
Your confusing having the fire department take over ems with employees joining the union. Yes the fire department tried to get it done, but the ems employees did everything they could to stop it because of personal agendas and scare tactics. As for the union about half of the ems employees are members of the union, the rest are scabs
Yes EMS did get a double digit raise, a raise that increased the pay from the worst in the metro to tied with the second worst. It is so bad that the sign at Hyvee posting for a doughnut fryer is three dollars an hour more than a Raytown EMT makes. Why do you think the turnover rate at EMS off the charts? With the exception of one employee who is not physically able to leave because of medical issues, the other 12 employees turn over every 24 months.
So you think out sourcing the pd and codes is stupid. How would they write tickets you say. My answer is do they write them now? They have a little guy sitting at a computer drawing circles around the high crime areas and sends patrolmen there for fifteen minutes each shift. Really and this is going to help. Why 't you get some of those high paid chair warmers up out of their chairs strap on a gun give them a bullet and sent them out to patrol for eight hours. This might do some good. Now how easy was that to figure out. My goodness you guys are really stupid!!
I do not have the authority to speak on matters related to the attempted merger of the EMS department into the Fire Department.
It has been talked about even when I was in Union office and that was over ten plus years ago.
I am no longer in office and cant answer the question posed to me.
The Union president would be the one to ask that question to.
He is the one along with our executive board that worked for years to get that pay raise for the current EMS employees.
I would contact Fire Headquarters on Monday or Tuesday and ask for the Union President. He will be there as he is the FAO/Driver for our crew.
Thanks and please check your batteries and smoke detectors!!
Have a Great Day
Capt. Doc Summers
P-51 B Shift
6:39
EMS pay is NOT second worst, it is close to the middle of the pack with that raise. This is a fact! The problem with EMS is mainly poor managment and the need for additional employees to man another ambulance.
EMS obviously needs a top notch administrator such as Matt Cushman!
From the sounds of it EMS and all their complaints needs to go away. Sorry your pay sucks, you knew what it was when you took the job,. Sorry your boss is a jerk, who's isn't. Sorry a politician made promises to you then failed to deliver, that's what they do. Now grow up, shut up, and just do your job. If they city cannot staff as was suggested above, then I for one say get rid of EMS and pay someone else to run it.
Matt Cushman is the last person needed. He is the one who got EMS in the mess it is in right now. Poor management from him
Really Andy ????
There's probably a reason he is not still there
Andy, I couldn't agree more, I spoke with him about that very thing a few months ago. He was very complimentary if the new Fire Chief and said that's who should be running EMS. I guess he worked for EMS first and according to Matt ihe is a great paranedic and leader. I know the Chief has said he's not interested in running EMS, but that was before Tom Cole so maybe he could be persuaded. The City has been failing at running an Ambulance since Matt left 7 years ago and its only a mattter of time before they implode complete. That only leaves two options, Hire a for profit company like AMR to come in and run the cheapest service the law will allow or come up with a plan that is acceptable to have the Fire Department run it. I don't know how many times I have voted over my 35 years here for issues that I was told would provide "X" amount of money to support EMS, but I know it's been a bunch. Especially over they past 15 or so years. Seems to me if the voters approved that for EMS it should stay with EMS, if you did that I bet that might move the needle for the fire department. Just my 2 cents, Raytona Beach Bum
Just plain wrong, Matt Cushman left because he couldn't work for the previous city administrator any longer, as did most of the department heads. The fact remains that the last two years of Matt Cushman's term as director Raytown EMS was chosen as the top ENS service in the State of Missouri. Each year since his departure has marked a steadiy decline of service delivery, professionalism and most importantly commitment to our community.
Finally someone says it, thank you I couldn't have said it better myself. Sorry for a harsh dose of reality former EMS Employee but the world doesn't owe you a thing and it's about time the employees of the City learn that. I read that the EMS workers are the lowest paid in the area. Answer me this doesn't every other city combine the fire department and EMS? So if Raytown EMS is only doing 50% of what the others do isn't it appropriate that they are paid less?
I have discovered that in Raytown when voters approve a tax it usually does not go towards what was stated in the ballot! A true ripoff and action should be taken against that administration. I see the voters finally took action and elected a new mayor as well as several new alderpeople!
Andy Whiteman
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