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BREAKING NEWS . . . Mayor Michael McDonough has released a memo to the Raytown Board of Aldermen and Raytown Park Board regarding a potential ballot issue for the Parks Sales tax.

The City of Raytown will conduct a combined work session meeting with Board of Aldermen and Parks Board on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers at Raytown City Hall located at 10000 East 59th Street.

During the work session meeting the Parks Department will present their request and the City Finance Department will provide the taxing financial scenarios.

The topic of the meeting is a renewal of the Park Department Sales Tax. The Park Department Sales Tax is set to expire in April of 2026.

The filing deadline for the City to hold the election in the upcoming April 8th City Election has already passed.

The two election dates left open this year are August 5, 2025, and November 4, 2025. There are two election dates tentatively planned for February and April of 2026. But those particular dates will not be set until next year.

The meeting falls under the definition of a Public Meeting under Missouri State Sunshine Law. The public is allowed to attend and record the meeting.

Whether or not individuals from the public will be allowed to speak at the meeting is up to the Mayor, who will be serving as Chairman of the event.

BY GREG WALTERS

Abandoned buildings
cause for concern . . . 
Homeowners near the intersection of Blue Ridge Boulevard and 53rd Street have had to put up with more than their share of drama these past two years.

At first, their efforts met with success. The Raytown Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z Commission) recommended the City reject a planned development on property once operated as the Blue Ridge Nursery.

Unfortunately for the local homeowners, the Board of Aldermen, which has the final say on all zoning questions, voted to approve the zoning application despite P&Z's recommendation.

The final vote by the Board of Aldermen was 7 in favor of the proposal, with three members opposed.

Neighbors of the proposed gasoline station/convenience and liquor store proposal  have reported that squatters have been trespassing at three buildings on the property.

Evidence of a building that has been entered is shown in the following photo. The owner of the property has since  boarded up the points of entry to the building to dissuade trespassers from entering.

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