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Bits and Pieces . . . BY GREG WALTERS

A Rollback of Credit Card Fees for payments made on sanitary sewer bills was put in motion by the Board of Aldermen at its last meeting. This will be the second time the city has forgiven credit cards fees for payment of sanitary sewer bills. Last April the Board approved a plan by Alderman Greg Walters to forgive late fee penalties on sewer bills for a one money period during the Covid19 Pandemic shutdown.

At the time the City Administration also rolled back credit card fees for those paying their sewer bills by credit or debit card.

In his presentation to the Board, City Administrator Hodges told Board members the Sewer Billing Department to waive credit card fees for the Sewer Bills dated August 24th through October 13th.

Raytowners who pay their sewer bills with a credit or debit card will not be charged a bank fee for payments made during their payment during this time period. 

Those Raytowners who pay sewer bills by check or cash are not charged bank fees for any transactions.

A Plague of Ugly Signs has been noted with the words “we buy houses” along with a phone number going up on telephone poles, street sign poles and stuck in the city’s right of way.

The one pictured on the left is hanging on a stop sign! It is located at the north intersection of 63rd and Kentucky, just east of Raytown's largest gateway to the city. (sorry guys, your phone number will not be shown on this page)

There is a proper way to advertise a business. But those signs are illegal and blight on our community. I do not suggest that people take the law into their own hands, but it would be proper to call City Hall and let the Codes Department know where to find the illegal signs. 

The main line for City Hall is 737-6000. The extension for the Codes Department is “4”.


Colman “Parking on the Grass” Issue Addressed: Last week we ran a story with a number of pictures of people parking their cars and driving on the grass at Colman Park. Mr. Jim Delong brought the issue to our attention and provided a number of photographs for publication. 

No less than four vehicles were photographed in violation of park rules and City Code. 

The City Administrator, Park Department and Police Department have worked out new protocol for the handling of such violations. 

According to Park Board Director Dave Turner, when a violation is observed, people are urged to call the Police. The police will then contact Mr. Turner who has retained a private service to respond immediately to such situations. 

It did not take long for the new plan to be tested. 

On Sunday night someone parked their SUV alongside Shelter House No. 2 at Colman Park. A call was made, and the violation reported. Within 15 minutes three private security personnel arrived, as did a Raytown Police Officer. The situation was quickly resolved. 

The Park Department has also begun the process of placing new signage informing park users that parking on the grass is illegal and will be enforced.

Crime / Police Report . . .

On August 10th, at approx. 9:23 pm, officers were called to the 8400 block of Lane Drive regarding the sound of gunshots. They discovered a vehicle with a person inside who had been shot and killed. The victim was identified as Lucas Jester, 19 years old. On Thursday, August 13th, Aaron Hays was charged with second degree murder and delivery of a controlled substance for his role in the homicide. Both Jester and Hays were Kansas City residents. The investigation is still ongoing. This is the third homicide of 2020. 


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Comments

Anonymous said…
When Steve Mock, Karen Black, Steve Meyers, and Mark Moore were on the Board of Aldermen, the would remove illegal signs in their wards. The companies were contacted about the illegal signs and the signs were trashed. It's too bad none of the current Aldermen care enough to do the same.
August 25, 2020 at 9:11 AM
Greg Walters said…
You are so wrong about that. I care. I have one of the illegal signs in my trash. The people who owned the property gave me permission to take. They had no idea who put it there. Bill and MJ VanBuskirk are known to take down illegal signage as well.
August 25, 2020 at 10:25 AM
Anonymous said…
Why should the Aldermen have to pull down the signs? You are obviously a concerned citizen who could be doing it yourself. Also, I don't consider removing an illegal sign "taking the law into your own hands". It is just picking up trash.
August 26, 2020 at 8:45 AM
Andy Whiteman said…
IMHO theses illegal signs are unsightly, a nuisance, and in some cases a traffic hazard blocking drivers' views. Why isn't the owner of that business cited into court for numerous continuing violations? Each sign constitutes a violation.

Andy Whiteman
(Not a robot)
August 27, 2020 at 10:53 AM
Anonymous said…
Imagine a world In which peaceful people are parking In a public park is cause for concern. Oh wait...we don’t have to imagine.
August 29, 2020 at 2:25 AM
Anonymous said…
Last night there was a dj blasting away with music so loud that it could be heard three blocks away. You did not have to go outside to hear noise. Even with AC running full blast and television on, the sound could be heard in homes.

I've been told two calls were made to the police department about the noise. One from a neighbor with property on the park and another from someone living a city block away. Also understand the Director of the Park Board was contacted as well. Finally, around 9:00 the music was turned down, but not nearly enough to those living around the park.

Around 10 o'clock the noise mercifully ended.

Yes, it is a sad situation when people are so insensitive to others that their behavior causes the police to be called. What is even worse is that it is against the law to play amplified music in Raytown Parks. Check it out!

Sec. 28-172. - Noise disturbance.
(a)Prohibited. A person commits the offense of noise disturbance if he willfully makes or continues, or causes to be made or continued, any loud and raucous noise, which term shall mean any sound which, because of its volume level, duration and character, annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, health, peace or safety of reasonable persons of ordinary sensibilities within the limits of the city. The term includes the kinds of noise generated by the activities enumerated in subsection (b) of this section. The terms shall be limited to loud and raucous noise heard upon the public streets,

IN ANY PUBLIC PARK,

in any school or public building or upon the grounds thereof while in use, in any church or hospital or upon the grounds thereof while in use, upon any parking lot open to members of the public as invitees or licensees, or in any occupied residential unit which is not the source of the noise or upon the grounds thereof, and in any event from a location not less than 50 feet from the source of the noise, measured in a straight line from the radio, loudspeaker, motor, horn or other noise source.
August 29, 2020 at 2:08 PM
Raytown Newbie said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
August 30, 2020 at 11:43 AM
Andy Whiteman said…
August 29, 2020 at 2:08 PM, I agree that this type of noise needs to cease. If RPD would cite the perpetrators into court each time, it might stop. "Please turn off your noise," doesn't work. I suspect there is an underlying cause such as drug dealing/drinking/parties. I suspect this because I once lived next door to a drug dealer and was aware of what was happening. Where was the private security hired by the Parks Dept?

When I buy a house, I refuse to buy across from a park or even within what I consider to be hearing distance from a park. I suggest you do the same if you ever move.

Andy Whiteman
August 30, 2020 at 12:08 PM
Anonymous said…
Could someone with some common sense tell me why we are not having school but the football teams are having practice? It's time for a new school board and a new superintendent of schools. They have been here for far to long.
August 30, 2020 at 12:31 PM
Raytown Newbie said…
Hey there 2:08,

When I started reading your post I thought you were talking about the noise (music??) emanating from the Raytown Highschool football field before the game Friday night.

To be clear, it does not bother me. I remember a time when the loud music I played wasn't always enjoyed by old timers.

Have a nice day Raytowners, and be careful out there.
August 31, 2020 at 9:57 AM
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