Homeless in Raytown PART 2 BY GREG WALTERS
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| PHOTO TAKEN FEB. 13TH |
Three
weeks ago we featured the picture at left in a story we published about the
homeless in Raytown. In that story we were able to ascertain the tent and its
contents had been abandoned.
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| PHOTO TAKEN MARCH 6TH |
This
weekend, we took another picture (shown on the
right) of the same tent. As you
can see from the photo, the contents of the tent are strewn across the
property. From out investigation we could clearly see the tent has not been
occupied in the past three weeks.
Which
begs the question . . . Why is it still there?
If you
look more closely at the picture you will see a radio tower in the back ground.
We have been told by sources inside the Raytown Fire Department that the tent and tower are sitting on city
owned property. No doubt, the city would also receive rental money for the use
of the property by the tower owners.
If this
were private property the city would have sent inspectors to the location and
warned the property owner to clean up the mess or face fines and possibly
criminal prosecution.
Last
week we ran a letter from a private citizen decrying the excess of litter in
Raytown. A lively discussion from the public followed on the Raytown Report. It is fair to say that no
one can deny people in Raytown want a modern and clean city in which to live. Judging from comments on the blog portion of the Raytown Report, many of them are doing their part to make it so.
This is
a situation in which the city can lead by example. Clean up the mess left on city
owned property. Show the people of Raytown that you share their concern of a
situation where litter is reaching an embarrassing level in our town.
4 comments:
I was wondering why that mess next door to aldi has been allowed to stay for so long. Now I know. Very disappointed because of the inaction. I hope some one at city hall finds it soon and takes care of the mess. It degrades our city. Which means it degrades us.
Don't hold you breath waiting for City Hall to Identify and resolve a problem (on their Own) they prefer to look the other way.
I think somewhere way back the mind set was we don't do anything unless we receive a complaint. That mindset is still very much in practice at Raytown City Hall today
When you notify city hall and ask to be communicated with on the resolution that is not fourth coming
Follow-up is not part of the SOP at city hall.
You have to report the same problem multiple times -
then call your alderman and they agree with you and will follow up.
Several days past and you contact the city administrator yourself - which is the ONLY PERSON AT CITY HALL OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE ALLOWED TO SPEAK WITH don't waste your time calling the department that is responsible for the resolution you will only get the "Dumb Dora Response" They are not allowed to communicate with you without first getting the blessing from the city administrator (even if its a very high paid department head)
Finally after you call the administrator back you may get generic information about the "study plan" to resolve the problem or the "our hands are tied" due to ...... (fill in the blank)standard response is revenue we have have the piece of equipment or need another body to work on that - we are short people -
Least not forget that apparently some full-time well paid city hall position have morphed into a permanent work from home position
Wake up Raytown - We should have enough of the "dog-waggin the tail"
If you see a problem report it using the form on the city's web page - at least then its documented in a data base - We paid over $100k for that data base - wonder if anyone has been trained to use it??
The mess next to Aldi's just proves the lack of professionals at city hall.
There is no reason that public works has not be assigned to clean up the city owned property.
Several events need to take place at this point.
1.) Publicly works needs to clean it up as soon as weather allows.
2.) The director of public works needs a week off without pay or choice to find other opportunities other than those with the city.
3.) The public needs to VOTE NO on any future tax questions until the city starts spending money wisely and transparently. Trash all over the streets and nothing being done is not one of the ways to promote Raytown or the need for additional funds.
I recall one of the Alderman campaign promises was to improve property maintenance violations.
I have wondered why as out spoken as this person is that property maintenance has only gotten worse in Raytown.
It must be because the city knows when they don't maintain their own property they cannot force others to take care of their property without the courts and outside agencies coming down hard on the city.
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