Please join us in welcoming a new member to the Electronic Media serving the Raytown area. 

Nexus Raytown has joined the growing number of web based news outlets serving Raytown. Nexus Raytown is published by Cave Spring Park Association. The Association is publishing this electronic newspaper as a "thank you" to the Raytown Community that has supported the park for the last 42 years. 

To visit Raytown’s newest member of its website family use the following link.

nexus raytown

BY GREG WALTERS

Should Raytown
be Audited?

Tony Jacob is a young man who actively campaigned in the August 7^th Election in which three tax proposals from City Hall were soundly rejected by Raytown voters.*

He campaigned the old-fashioned way. Slowly going door to door, he visited with thousands of homeowners in Raytown.

And he listened.

He found out many of the people he visited with shared his concern that City Hall was not really functioning well.

Tony told us, “Many residents are concerned with how money has been spent and where it is all going. Many are concerned with the policies and procedures for good governance not being followed.”

So he went to work. He asked for detailed information from the city through the Missouri Sunshine Law and through the Freedom of Information Act.

He also found the answers and possibly the solutions to Raytown City Hall problems can be found with the help of the Missouri State Auditor’s Department.

The Missouri State Auditor's office performs audits of governmental agencies in the State of Missouri. It is currently conducting 68 audits in Missouri.

The Auditor may conduct an audit upon request by the voters or upon the Governor's request.

It has been over 38 years since the City of Raytown has been audited by the State of Missouri. That particular audit was made through a request by Raytown voters in the early 1980’s. The petition effort was led by John Colt, who, at the time of the audit, was the owner/publisher of the Raytown Post.

Mr. Jacob said, “To instill confidence in our local governance and to bolster the City of Raytown’s reputation it is necessary and time for a full Audit according to GAO principals and best practices.”

Those interested in signing the audit petition or learning more about the petition drive can contact Tony Jacob via the following website www.auditraytown.com

Or . . . Stop by Doughboy’s Doughnuts located at 63^rd and Woodson to pickup petition forms or to sign a petition (11559 East 63^rd Street, Raytown, MO 64133).

*ALL THREE TAXES WERE DEFEATED BY LOPSIDED MARGINS. THE LARGEST BEING THE INTERNET TAX WHICH FELL 70% (no) to 30% (yes)

CLICK ON AD TO MAKE LARGER

The Raytown Kiwanis Club's

2018 Annual Pumpkins on Parade!

For some good family fun bring all of those special to you to the 9th  annual Pumpkins on Parade held at Cave Spring Park.

BY PAUL LIVIUS

The Paul Livius Report
Raytown Board of Aldermen Meeting
September 4, 2018
The Board certified the election results for the special election held on August 7, 2018.

The Board passed an ordinance rescinding the voluntary tax rate ceiling reduction taken in the year 2012 to be applied to future years. The City of Raytown can undo past voluntary reductions that were taken in any even numbered year in 2008 and going forward, in which the reduced rate has followed them forward. In this case both the General Revenue and Parks and Recreation levies can have their voluntary reductions undone. Once this is approved, the Missouri State Tax Auditor’s Office will revert the ceiling back to what it would have been, had no voluntary reductions been taken.

The Board heard the first reading and voted to have a second reading of an ordinance granting a conditional use permit subject to certain conditions to allow a vehicle/equipment rental establishment at 6301 Raytown Road. The Board then voted to deny the application.  David Housh is requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit for vehicle/equipment rentals. 6301 Raytown Road is zoned neighborhood commercial, which does not allow vehicle/equipment rentals. Therefore, a Conditional Use Permit is required to have this land use at this property. The application first went to the Planning & Zoning Commission in April, where city staff recommended denial. The case was continued to the May meeting. The applicant revised his application and stated he would need to obtain the property owner’s approval before accepting the city’s recommendations. The case was then continued to the June meeting that was cancelled due to the applicant’s inability to obtain said approval. City staff attempted to contact Mr. Housh several times before the July meeting to determine whether or not to place him on the July 12, 2018 Planning & Zoning Commission agenda. Mr. Housh did not respond.

The Board heard the first reading and voted to have a second reading of an ordinanceapproving the 2018 zoning map amendment.  The Board then passed the ordinance.  After years of consistently releasing an updated zoning map throughout the 2000’s, and after careful considerations, city staff saw the need to update and amend the zoning map. The online version of the zoning map (GIS), which can be found on the city’s website, has been more recently updated but still has a few inaccuracies. The proposed zoning map update uses the online zoning map as a base and changes the zoning of several properties that were found to be inaccurate by City Staff. City Staff found that there were few inaccuracies; that some properties have been rezoned through ordinances that have yet to be updated. The Staff Report includes detailed information about each property that is proposed to be changed.

The Board heard the first reading and voted to have a second reading of an ordinanceapproving the final plat of Crescent Creek. The Board then passed the ordinance. Judd Claussen P.E., Phelps Engineering, Inc., is requesting approval of a final plat for Crescent Creek, Second Plat. Mr. Claussen is working on behalf of Kirk Miles with Crescent Creek Revitalization LLC, to consolidate the existing eleven lots into eight lots to allow for the construction of larger single-family homes as opposed to the townhomes originally envisioned for the site. In the original plat of Crescent Creek in 2003, a private, ‘L’-shaped drive was planned to connect 57th Street and Crescent Avenue. However, in this replat, the private drive in now planned to connect 57th Street and 57th Terrace.

The Board passed a resolution authorizing the expenditure of funds with key equipment for the purchase of parts and repairs related to the maintenance and operation of city-owned equipment in an amount not to exceed $26,000.  The City of Raytown recently entered into an agreement to purchase an Elgin street sweeper from Key Equipment and a PO for $250,000.00 has been subsequently issued; additionally, the City has incurred $7,143.35 in expenses since the beginning of FY 2018. The staff anticipates the need for replacement parts for the CCTV camera and certain consumables for the Vactor sewer truck that are only available from Key Equipment. The staff has identified an immediate need for the replacement of the cabling for the CCTV camera system in an amount of an additional $7,044.

The Board passed a resolution approving the expenditure of funds with Double Check Company for maintenance and operation of the city-owned underground storage tanks and fueling equipment in excess of $15,000.The City of Raytown recently entered into an agreement to purchase a replacement underground storage tank and dispenser system from Double Check and a PO for $353,000 has been subsequently issued; additionally, the City has incurred $1,792.90 in expenses since the beginning of FY 2018. The staff has identified the immediate need to replace the tank monitor for the underground storage tank at City Hall in an amount of $7,503.00 with the possibility of additional needs for repairs to other sites and general maintenance supplies that require additional purchasing authority per purchasing policy. The tank monitor is considered an immediate need to meet our MO Dept. of Natural Resources and tank insurance requirements.

The Board passed a resolution authorizing the repair services of wastewater and storm water infrastructure.  During routine CCTV work, the condition of these pipes was determined to have extensive longitudinal and radial cracking with considerable crush and loss of pieces of pipe in places. The condition of these segments is such that it requires complete replacement. The general conditions in these areas pushed these projects toward pipe bursting due to substantial amounts of buildings and other improvements that would interfere with open cut. Each of these projects will still need to excavate to replace each manhole & each private sewer service connection.

The city received 3 construction estimates from Wiedenmann, Inc. based off of the Lee’s Summit Cooperative contract.

·        Wiedenmann estimated cost of 6720 to 6808 Raytown Road to be $60,360.00 + 10% ($6,036.00) = $66,396.00

·        Wiedenmann estimated cost of 8923 to 9007 E. 79th Street to be $59,931.00 + 10% ($5,993.10) = $65,924.10

·        Wiedenmann estimated cost of 9805 E. 350 Highway to be $20,300.00 + 10% ($2,030.00) = $22,330.00.

This is from a utility company bore that went through the City main, but the staff is not able to figure out which company made the hole years ago. These 3 sanitary sewer repair projects total $154,650.10. This includes $14,059.10 of contingency money to cover unforeseen circumstances that may arise with this work.

There was a Board discussion about the 2018-2019 budget.  To watch the discussion, go to

https://raytownmo.swagit.com/play/09042018-1737 It is the last item on the meeting index.