BY GREG WALTERS
Random Thoughts . . . Like many of you I have spent time watching the progress of the campaigns for President.
Two flawed men present themselves for our consideration. It all comes down to this.
One party
wishes to re-write our history, expand federal powers and defund police
departments. They say, “Let’s change everything in America.”
The other party says, “Let’s not.”
November 3 will be upon us soon. We all have some important decisions to make. Voting is one duty every American over 18 years of age shares. Do not waste it by staying home that day.
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The McDonough Administration is pretty heavy handed in how it
handles business. Individual effort is not encouraged. Despite
that, I have had some success in moving an agenda forward. Halfway through the
second year of my term on the City Council I paused to look back and take stock.
Three items I sponsored have received Board approval. A fourth item was tabled
at the last meeting of the Board of Aldermen (see following story). All items
are part of my agenda to make Raytown safer and City Hall more accountable and
transparent.
The McDonough Administration is pretty heavy handed in how it
handles business. Individual effort is not encouraged. Despite
that, I have had some success in moving an agenda forward. Halfway through the
second year of my term on the City Council I paused to look back and take stock.
Three items I sponsored have received Board approval. A fourth item was tabled
at the last meeting of the Board of Aldermen (see following story). All items
are part of my agenda to make Raytown safer and City Hall more accountable and
transparent.
Creation of a Parks Improvement Committee: The Board approved my request to form a
Parks Improvement Committee (PIC). The end result has
been nightly patrols of all city parks to stop curfew violations. Members of
the PIC Committee and I have continued to work with the Chief of Police Jim
Kuehl and Park Board Director Dave Turner to amp up enforcement of city
ordinances relating to noise pollution and an effort to keep motorized vehicles
off of greens space in our city parks. This second phase of enforcement is a
work in progress and is showing promise of success.
Elimination of the Late Fee on Sanitary Sewer
Billings. This item was approved unanimously
by the Board. It was used earlier this year and did help clean up old debts to
taxpayers without having to pay late fee penalties over a one month
period.
Successfully sponsored a requirement that all
Mayoral appointees to City Boards and Commissions must have their taxes paid in
full before they are considered by the Board of Aldermen
for appointment. Under
Missouri’s Fourth Class Statutes the Mayor makes appointments to Boards and
Commissions subject to approval by the Board of Aldermen. All new applicants
are required to attest on their application form that all city and county taxes
are paid in full.
Language Change to Zoning Application
Procedure: This would have changed
the notification procedure used to alert
property owners within 185 feet of their property of the proposed
zoning change. The Board of Aldermen tabled the bill by a vote of 3 yes, 5
no, 2 absent.
_____________________
AMBUSHED!* At last Tuesday’s meeting the Language Change to Zoning Application Procedures met an untimely end when the Board voted to table the item. The proposed ordinance would have required Applicants for Zoning changes to notify all property owners within a 185’ of pending zoning change applications by certified mail. Current City Ordinances require a courtesy notice be mailed by first class mail.
The problem with the current ordinance is that there have been complaints by property owners of not being notified of changes as required by city ordinance. In other words, neighboring property owners had not received the mailed “courtesy notice”. Despite a unanimous recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission and an assurance from City Staff that there was not any economic impact on taxpayer dollars to make the change – the proposal was tabled.
*FOR MORE INFORMATION USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO VIEW THE MEETING. IT IS AN INTERESTING ONE. (go to item 3)
Use this link . . . ZONING DISCUSSION
_________________
The motion to table was made by Alderman Ryan Myers. The second was by Alderman Bonnaye Mims. At a previous meeting the Board had unanimously approved a motion to move forward with the discussion. Neither Myers nor Mims spoke at that meeting.
The motion to table effectively ended debate. Walters asked the Mayor to carry the item over to the next agenda since two Aldermen were absent (Jason Greene and Derek Ward). The Mayor did not grant the request and ruled Myers motion to table was in order.
The motion and second by Myers and Mims is highly unusual. There was still a public hearing to be held before the Board would have voted on the question. As it turned out, that hearing was never closed by the Mayor. Since the majority of the Board by a 5 to 3 vote (two members, Greene and Ward) were absent, the item was removed before the Mayor closed the public hearing.
It is a shame.
Greg’s proposal had merit. It would have cost taxpayers and city absolutely nothing. It had the full endorsement of the Raytown Planning and Zoning Commission. It served to protect our residential neighborhoods. It raised the bar for accountability and enforcement of our zoning codes.
I wondered if this was the end of Greg’s attempt at reform of the notification process.
Walters said, “Not at this time. Given the hostility exhibited by some members of the Board, now would not be the best time to bring it back.”
Walters continued, “There is not much commercial development going on at this time in Raytown due to the Covid19 Pandemic. We will have to see what the future holds.”
HOW THEY VOTED: YES: Walters, Bill VanBuskirk, Aziere
NO: Myers, Mims, MJ VanBuskirk, Hunt, Emerson
ABSENT: Greene,
Ward
Crime and Police Report
• On September 12th, at approx. 4:40 pm, officers responded to the 7000 block of Blue Ridge Blvd regarding a bicyclist who had been struck by a car. The victim reported that he has been in an ongoing dispute with a family member and believes he was struck in retaliation. The striking vehicle fled the scene before officers arrived. The victim was transported to the hospital and the investigation is ongoing.
• On September 12th, at approx. 9:20 pm,
officers responded to the 9300 block of 82 Terrace regarding shots fired.
Multiple shots had been fired into an unoccupied residence. The homeowner
reported that the shooting is the result of a domestic disturbance involving a
family member and that person’s significant other. No one was injured. A
suspect has been identified and the investigation is ongoing.
• Two suspects in the murder of Lucas
Jester on August 10th were charged this week by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s
Office. Xzaveion King, of Lee’s Summit, was charged with 2nd Degree Murder on
September 9 th. Deterice Doss, of Raytown, was also charged with 2nd Degree
Murder and Armed Criminal Action on September 11th. King is 17 and Doss is 18.
USE THIS LINK TO COMMENT . . . COMMENTS
El Gato has
returned!
He is a neighborhood cat who helps keep the rodent population down on our street. Midnight (aka El Gato) is especially fond of our bird bath. It is his favorite watering hole.
12 comments:
IMHO the person requesting a zoning change should be REQUIRED to provide proof of delivery of the notice to neighboring properties! The correct price of Certified Mail is
Postage $0.55 up to one ounce
Certified Fee $3.55
Return Receipt (Hard Copy Form PS3811) $2.85 or $1.70 electronic
Total $6.95
Assuming 12 properties are notified, the total cost is $83.40 assuming the notices weighs 1 ounce each or less.
Someone stated at the BOA meeting that too much time is required waiting in line the Post Office. It is NOT necessary to wait in line. A person may obtain the necessary forms, fill them out, apply them to mailing then apply postage using either stamps or postage meter, and then mailing the letters. Self mailing will not provide the Post Office date stamp that the item was mailed. The mailer may follow the tracking of the letter(s) on the USPS website if he/she wants to.
If the property owner is not in this area that is more reason to require notification because the owner has no way of seeing posted signs.
Andy Whiteman
Janet Emerson had a great idea. Have the developer provide the city with photocopies of the envelopes mailed to the residents. 99% of the time, if the residents say they didn't get it, it's because they didn't know what it was and threw it away as junk mail.
It's my understanding the board was able to have a private meeting on the Raytown Audit just last night. I find it shocking in a town as small as Raytown the Audit has not already been made public. For the record our tiny little donut shop brings people in from all across the metro. We enjoy what we do and we truly love our Donut Family we have created right here in Raytown. We have always through out our lives stood up for what we believe in. My husband and I both hate crime. We also don't believe it should ever be kept a secret. It's the main reason we worked so hard on trying to get an Audit. We even shut our shop completely down to get signatures for it on election day. I know Raytown benefited from our work already by some of the changes that took place immediately afterwards. The first being the chief immediately resigned. I for one am thrilled with our new Chief. I have no idea what this secret little audit will show the public. What I do know is one of our family members was raped by a family member of this police department. It was covered up. One of our dear friends was going through a divorce from a daughter of one of the heads of the police department. They had our friend tossed into a hospital saying they may kill their selves. All just to be able to go into the house and take whatever they wanted. Secrets should never be kept. Secrets Only create more victims. I believe the public needs to know the truth about crime and they deserve to know what to look for to be able to help stay safe. To the Anonymous person who asked if we will be apologizing for what he or she feels like we have wasted the city's money if the Audit shows no malfeasance on the part of the city. From what we know and from what we have seen and experienced it's save for us to say don't look for that to happen.
"Successfully sponsored a requirement that all Mayoral appointees to City Boards and Commissions must have their taxes paid in full before they are considered by the Board of Aldermen for appointment....All new applicants are required to attest on their application form that all city and county taxes are paid in full."
Agree wholeheartedly with this requirement. Solid common sense.
However.
Should this measure not also apply to senior City staff?
Check out of county to the North, please. In Ascend. Public information. This individual is currently or was recently significantly behind in payment with their personal property taxes. Noteably, they have a history of neglecting to pay in a timely manner. In a previous year, it appears that they brought their delinquent taxes up to date only after County foreclosure proceedings were initiated.
This city employee more than likely conducts performance reviews of subordinate Staff. They routinely spoon feed a myriad of rules, requirements and policies to Staff and our citizens.
This consistent lack of management of such a basic civic responsibility doesn't bode well, in our opinion.
Interesting meeting. Thanks for the link. I think it should be required viewing by your readers. It tells a lot about how business is conducted at city hall.
The only time anyone should care about unpaid taxes is if the taxes are owed to Raytown or Jackson County. Anything else is just being an obsessive control freak. Unpaid taxes "up North" is between the taxpayer and the taxing authority, not the citizens of Raytown.
September 21, 2020 at 6:31 PM, Photocopies of the envelope are NOT proof of mailing! A person/company could photo copy envelopes and NEVER mail them. A certificate of mailing may be obtained for as fee by waiting in line at the Post Office, but that does not provide proof of delivery.
Andy Whiteman, USPO Retired
"Unpaid taxes "up North" is between the taxpayer and the taxing authority, not the citizens of Raytown. "
Nope. Good try. If city sets policy that affects potential board members, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Good idea all around.
"Do as I say, not as I do" sets a poor precedent.
Probably even more important to require UTD and a solid history of responsibly maintained taxes of city employees. Some of them are in control of the purse strings, while others are in charge of both finance and policy.
Paid, UTD taxes, although they of course should be merely considered a minor, elemental evaluative component, are a quick snapshot of who we have behind the wheel at city hall. Encouraging sometimes. Other times not so much.
Andy - you retired from the USPS back when it was delivered by Pony Express. Lots of things have changed. My mail is delivered faster and more accurately than any other time in history. Why would someone go to all the trouble of addressing and stamping an envelope, then making a photo copy, taking that copy to City Hall, then not dropping it in the mail? That makes absolutely no sense. Unless, of course, you believe in conspiracy theories and little green men.
Do not pay too much attention to the last post Andy. The mail delivery service to my home is slow and unreliable. It is accurate to say the Covid Pandemic is the main reason. The post office is currently putting on a BIG drive to hire more postal workers. If you are looking for a job you may want to check it out. The pay starts at $17.85 per hour, includes benefits and health insurance.
As for the person who attacked you in their post. Pay them no mind. Small minded people will use any excuse in their attempt to belittle another. I know what you wrote is accurate and timely. keep up with your observations. They are appreciated.
"I find it shocking in a town as small as Raytown the Audit has not already been made public." It's not shocking at all, it's the law.
From a previous post on Raytown Report:
THE STATE AUDIT is anticipated to be released by the end of September. Representatives of the Missouri State Auditor are expected to meet on September 22, 2020 for a closed meeting with the Board of Aldermen.
Missouri State Statutes require the Board to review the State Audit before it is released to the public. Sources at City Hall place the release date to the public to be September 29th or 30th.
Well we have major work done not once but twice around our property and we were told by City officials that the contractors would be in touch with us to let us know what the final plan was, yea that never ever happened. Our City doesn't believe in being honest with their residents nor do they think it is necessary to even have plans and stick with them. I was told " we are winging it " no plans on this project . I do believe this happens a lot in this town, that is very unfortunate and not a good way to run a City. Take responsibility City of Raytown and be honest with your residents and stop putting band aids on projects that need major work done !!!!!
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