Last Tuesday’s meeting . . .

BY GREG WALTERS

of the Raytown Board of Aldermen was a keeper. The discussion and debate was crisp. The Board approved legislation bringing the city into compliance with the State of Missouri’s new Medical Marijuana laws. Some general housekeeping was accomplished as the Board approved purchases of salt for next winter’s icy conditions. The early purchase will pay dividends in savings fro the city. Another step forward was the approval of a new business opening at 5270 Blue Ridge Boulevard. Formerly the location of a Goodyear franchise in Raytown, the approval of the zoning mans one less vacant commercial building in Raytown.

Two Committees are Better Than One

The most interesting debate took place at the end of the meeting. The discussion was over the formation of a Park Improvement Committee (PIC). The “PIC” Committee is the brainchild of Ward 1 Alderman Greg Walters. He has structured a ten member Committee made up of representatives from the Board of Aldermen, Police and Fire Departments, Park Board and private citizens to make recommendations to ways Raytown Parks can be improved.

The meeting, which included some interesting back and forth from nearly every member of the Board and Mayor, was a good example of how much can be accomplished by honest debate. At the end of the meeting the Board voted YES (6 yea /3 no/1 abstention) to approve the Committee.

Mayor Michael McDonough has also created a committee he has named “The Community Inspired Violence Reduction Ad Hoc Committee.”  The purpose of the Mayor’s committee is “to identify ways to help reduce violent crime throughout our city and employing other resources to educate citizens on detecting and reporting suspicious behavior to the Police.”

The purpose of Alderman Walter’s “PIC” Committee is to find ways to make improvements within the Raytown Park system by enhancing parks with safety features. The Parks Department has already taken some steps in that direction. They are purchasing a high definition monitors for the police to keep an eye on activity at Colman Park located at 59^th and Lane Streets. The current system requires dispatchers to sign in on the web to check out complaints. This new purchase will have the monitors on in real time at the police dispatcher’s desk.

“It is my belief the two committees complement each other,” said Walters . . . “we are not in a competition. Our goal is the same . . . to make Raytown a more viable and safe community to call home.”

To view the video of last Tuesday’s meeting, use the following link. Go to Item No. 6. 

USE THIS LINK . . .Video of Board Meeting

Three New Police Officers Hired by City

The Raytown Board of Aldermen approved the hiring of three new police officers to the Raytown Police Department at the beginning of the meeting.

Police Officers Dustin Christina, John Doubledee and Frank Wallace were presented to the Board by acting Chief of Police Randy Hudspeth. City Clerk Teresa Henry swore the three new officers into service.

The Paul Livius Report

Raytown Board of Aldermen Meeting – July2, 2019

BY PAUL LIVIUS

The Board approved a resolution approving the appointment of Jason Hull to the Board of Trustees for the Police Officers’ Retirement Fund Pension Plan.
City Clerk, Teresa Henry, administered the oath to Police Officers John Christina, Dustin Doubledee, and Clint Wallace.

Mayor McDonough announced the formation of the Community Inspired Violence Reduction Ad Hoc Committee.  He said this committee will work to identify ways to help reduce violent crime throughout all of Raytown.  The committee will consist of Mayor McDonough, Alderman Jason Green, Alderman Frank Hunt, Robbie Tubbs and Mike Hanna with the Park Board, Raytown Captain Dion Harper, one School Board member, Beth Plank, two private citizens of Raytown, Marcia Lacey, and William Dodd, and two members of C.O.M.B.A.T., Carolyn Whitney and Tammy Jordon.

The Board passed an ordinance amending chapter 50 (zoning) of the code of ordinances in order to add Article XI and add Article XII, Medical Marijuana.  In November, 2018, Missouri voters approved an amendment to the Missouri Constitution that legalized the growing, manufacturing, transportation, consumption and sale of Marijuana for medicinal purposes only. Those regulations were finalized by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on May 24, 2019, providing staff fairly solid regulatory guidelines to go by in preparing this Ordinance.

This same state agency plans to begin considerations of applications for Medical Marijuana Facilities statewide on August 3, 2019, necessitating this Ordinance to give the City some control over their siting and operations. This Ordinance, designed to be consistent with state law while also protecting Raytown neighborhoods and residents from the undesirable impacts of Medical Marijuana operations, is an entirely new Article XII addition to Chapter 50 of the Raytown Municipal Code. Included in the Ordinance are new medical marijuana-specific definitions, detailed requirements for siting the various types of facilities and types of approval methods required, and basic regulations for residential based medical marijuana operations.

Article XI of Chapter 50 is also amended to add reserved sections for future code amendments and contains no other changes. Staff worked closely with legal counsel, reviewed similar Ordinances passed by other Missouri cities, and considered other related codes such as Building and Fire Codes as this Ordinance was being drafted. An open-to-the-public informational meeting was held by the Planning Commission on May 7, 2019, at which Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services representatives and legal counsel representing the City provided presentations and answered citizen questions after the meeting. The Planning Commission held a properly advertised public hearing on June 6, 2019, and upon conclusion of the public hearing, recommended approval of the Ordinance with a few minor changes.Alderman Green moved to remove the section of the ordinance referring to enclosures around the marijuana plants.

If someone wants to grow marijuana plants lives on flat ground and their neighbors can’t see into their yard, there is no problem.  If, however, someone lives on a hill and their neighbors can see into their yard, they are prohibited under the current ordinance.  He said it isn’t fair or equitable.  He moved to remove that section.  Alderman Bill Van Buskirk said he can see into his neighbors’ yards.  He said he didn’t want to have to look at the marijuana plants.  The Board passed the ordinance.

The Board heard the first and second readings, then passed an ordinance approving a Conditional Use Permit authorizing a Vehicle Repair use with limited auto sales at 5270 Blue Ridge Blvd. in a Neighborhood Commercial zoning district.  In 2017, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber business at 5270 Blue Ridge Blvd. closed and the building has remained vacant since.

Javaid Chaudhri has purchased the building and applied for a Conditional Use Permit to operate a Vehicle Repair (General) business doing all forms of automotive maintenance and repair on the property with limited vehicle sales as an accessory use. The building was originally designed and built for this use in 1989 and the requested use would be very similar in nature to the activities previously performed on the site by Goodyear Tire and Rubber. Several conditions of approval were attached to the Conditional Use by staff and the Planning Commission relating to required property maintenance and upgrades to bring the property up to current code requirements.

The Board hear the first reading of an ordinance establishing a procedure to disclose potential conflicts of interest and substantial interests for certain municipal officials.  In 1991, the Missouri General Assembly adopted an ethics and personal financial disclosure law, which applied to all municipalities with an annual operating budget in excess of $1 million. Under the law, municipalities were allowed to adopt their own simplified personal financial disclosure requirements by ordinance (commonly known as “short form” reporting).

The financial disclosure reporting requirements apply to each elected official, the City Administrator (as the Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Purchasing Officer), the Director of Finance (as the Chief Financial Officer), the City Clerk, the full-time General Counsel, the Park Board, and the Parks and Recreation Director. Each political subdivision desiring to use the “short form” is required to readopt the ordinance authorizing “short form” reporting every two years. However, in order to avoid the significant consequences of the failure to readopt the ordinance the recommended best practice is to adopt the ordinance annually. The ordinance must be adopted by September 15 and a copy must be provided to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

The Board passed a resolution authorizing an agreement with Independent Salt Co. for future purchase of 700 tons of salt at the rate of $61.75 per ton.  The City of Raytown staff advertised salt supply bids for the upcoming 2019-2020 winter season. Salt bids must be put out in the spring due to supply allocation procedures practiced throughout the industry. The bid was advertised in the newspaper, on our web page, and via e-mail and phone correspondence with known salt companies in the Midwest area. Bid information was sent to 7 companies and 5 submitted responses including 4 no-bids. Bids were opened on May 30, 2019, and the low bid was from Independent Salt Co. in the amount of $43,225.00 at a unit price of $61.75 per ton. Purchases will not occur until the beginning of the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Purchasing authority will be requested prior to placing the salt order and is pending the approval of the fiscal year 2019-2020 budget in which the Public Works Department plans to budget $60,000.00 for salt.

Alderman Greg Walters moved he be allowed to form a committee to investigate safety in the parks. The Board approved the motion.

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