Park Board Votes to Hire Private
Security to Enforce Park Curfews

BY GREG WALTERS

At its monthly Monday night meeting the Raytown Park Board voted to hire a private security firm to enforce curfew laws at Raytown City Parks.

Park Board Director Dave Turner laid out a plan by which all Raytown city parks within the city limits will be patrolled when curfew begins at 11:00 p.m.

The two largest parks, Colman and Kenagy Park, will have nightly patrols every day of the week. Smaller Raytown parks, Southwood, Minor Smith and Kritser will also be patrolled. All patrolling of parks will begin at curfew and then at unspecified times throughout the night.

The decision by the Park Board comes in the wake of recommendations by the Raytown Parks Improvement Committee (PIC).

The PIC Committee had recommended a three part plan for consideration by the Park Board for improving safety in Raytown parks. The first goal set was for immediate implementation of nightly patrols to enforce curfew laws in Raytown City Parks.

The second recommendation was for the use of bollards or large rocks, similar to those used at Royals Stadium and the Starlight Theatre, to dissuade vehicles from being driven on grassy areas of city parks.

The third recommendation was to consider the use of gates to close city parks to vehicular traffic after curfew begins. The city’s legal counsel researched the question of closing a city street that has no residential or commercial entrances. She settled the debate by clarifying the city had the right to close streets and parks during curfew hours.

Park Board Director Turner proposed the Park Board adopt the use of nightly patrols for a two to three month period and then evaluate the results to see if any additional steps need to be taken.

Ward 1 Alderman Greg Walters, who served as Chairman of the PIC Committee, said he was pleased with the Park Board’s decision.

Walters praised the Park Board and the members of the PIC Committee in coming up with a solution.

“Not everyone got all they wanted,” said Walters. “I see it as a healthy compromise and what can be accomplished when we join together to reach a common goal.”

Other Park News . . . 

NEW LIGHTS TO BE INSTALLED AT CITY PARKS: The Raytown Parks Board has approved the installation of additional lighting at four Raytown Parks. The new lights are solar powered LED lights. The lights are to be used at areas of the park identified as too dark for cameras to detect motion.

FREE INTERNET SERVICE TO BEGIN OPERATION AT CITY PARKS: Raytown Parks has also adopted a plan to provide free WIFI service at city parks in Raytown. According to Park Board Director Dave Turner, “The service plan we were offered was so inexpensive, we decided to take advantage of the opportunity for the people of Raytown.

ACCORDING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS there is a plus side to the WIFI option most are unaware of. When anybody is in range for free WIFI service, they can be automatically tracked as long as their cell phone is on. All the user has to do is make sure their cell phone has its WIFI receiver “on” to enable the tracking. If a person does not wish to be covered by the WIFI service they need only to turn off the option on their cell phone.

THE WIFI OPTION also opens the possibility of adding additional wireless surveillance cameras at low cost to the parks security system.  

Board of Aldermen Poised

to Raise Sanitary Sewer Bills

The Raytown Board of Aldermen is considering increasing the rate Raytown taxpayers pay for their sanitary sewer bills for a third consecutive year. 

The Board, which has the option to reduce or not increase the sewer billing rate, brought some interesting debate to the table.

Ward 1 Alderman Greg Walters reminded the Board that taxpayers are feeling pummeled by tax increases. He pointed out that most Raytown taxpayers will see large increases in their property tax this coming year due to unprecedented property tax valuation from Jackson County Executive Frank White’s administration.

Walters pointed out the fund has a reserve of over $500,000 and suggested it be tapped for any increase in sewer rates this year.

Not all members of the Board shared Walters position on the sewer tax increase.

Ward 5 Alderman Bonnaye Mims attempted to set aside the regular rules of business by suspending the rules to allow for a vote on the measure just 15 minutes after it had been read into the record.

The City Attorney reminded the Board that such rate increases are required to have a public hearing before being voted upon. 

The tax increase question was carried over for consideration at the September 3, 2019 meeting of the Board.

At that meeting a Public Hearing will be held for members of the public to voice their opinion on the proposed sanitary sewer tax increase. The meeting is open to the public and any Raytown citizen will be allowed up to five minutes to voice their support or objection to the rate increase.

For more information about the rate increase contact the office of the City Administrator or the City Clerk at Raytown City Hall.

BY PAUL LIVIUS

The Paul Livius Report

Raytown Board of Aldermen Meeting

August 20, 2019

The Board tabled until September 17, 2019, an ordinance approving a conditional use permit for MohamedAlsiyouhi to operate a vehicle repair use at 9100 E. 350 Highway.  Mohamed Alsiyouhi, the applicant, has a lease agreement with the property owner, Henry Machauf, tooperate a tire and minor auto repair shop in the former Auto Cool building which has been vacant since 2016.

The 2-bay building was originally designed and built for minor automotive work in the 1960s or 1970s and the requested use would be consistent with the original purpose of the building and consistent with automotive work previously performed on the site. The building was continuously occupied by the most recent business, Auto Cool, from 1998 until 2016. Several conditions of approval were attached to the Conditional Use by staff and concurred with by the Planning Commission relating to required property maintenance and upgrades to bring the property up to current code requirements.

The Board heard the first and second readings, then passed the ordinance repealing Ordinance No. 5603-19 and enacting a new ordinance to clarify the ballot language authorizing and approving the extension of the one-eighth of one percent parks/storm water control sales tax. More specifically, the ballot language is being amended to include the division of funds between parks and storm water control.

The Parks Sales tax was first approved by voters in November 2003 as a Local Parks sales tax. In May of 2010, staff was directed to draft a renewal that was consistent with statutory language to include Storm Water Control.
At the May 21, 2019 Board of Aldermen meeting, the Board adopted Ordinance 5603-19 authorizing and supporting the submission of ballot language to renew the Parks/Storm Water Control Sales Tax for a five-year term. Should that Ordinance be rescinded per the request of the Sponsoring Alderman, a replacement ordinance would need to be approved immediately if the Board desires to place the measure on the November 5, 2019 the ballot.

While Ordinance 5603-19 stated the current Board’s direction for the division of the funds between local parks and storm water control (75% of the monies received from the tax would be dedicated to local parks and 25% of the monies received would be dedicated to storm water control), the ballot language did not clearly state for the voter such division. If the division of funds language is not included in the ballot language, the intent in Ordinance 5603-19 could be subject to change by future Board of Aldermen during the five (5) year term. The proposed ordinance clarifies in the ballot language the division of sales tax proceeds and protects such intent from being changed without the vote of qualified voters in the City of Raytown during the five-year term.

The Board heard the first reading of an ordinance amending chapter 44, of the code of ordinances of the City of Raytown.  Over the past several years, sewer treatment costs have risen for treatment services provided by Kansas City Missouri (KCMO) and Little Blue Valley Sewer District (LBVSD).

For several years, City staff was able to maintain the City rate through the implementation of numerous cost-saving programs. In order to be compliant with funding requirements associated with debt issued for the sewer fund, the sewer rate will need to be increased approximately 7% across the board. This will ensure sustainability of the fund. Based on historical increases from KCMO and LBVSD there will be additional increases needed in future years. Due to rising costs in treatment, maintenance, and operations, staff is recommending the following adjustments to Chapter 44:

1)   Amend c (4) to read Base Rate - the Base Rate shall be $[16.00] 17.12 [Sixteen dollars] Seventeen dollars and Twelve cents per month.

2)   Amend c (9) to read Variable rate. The revenue charge expressed in per 1,000 gallons that is derived when the annual variable rate revenue requirement is divided by the customer volumes, estimated to be $[9.84] 10.53 [Nine dollars and Eighty-four] Ten dollars and Fifty-three cents (See Attached) per 1,000 gallons, in excess of 1,000 gallons. 

To leave a comment use this link
POST A COMMENT