This is the first part of the May 21st Board of Aldermen meeting. It covers from the beginning up until the rezoning of the Green Space is addressed. From 20 into the video to about 35 minutes into the video are remarks by the public that are about Wal-Mart. The official part addressing the zoning issue covers almost 7 more hours. Future parts will be posted in 1 hour blocks.
At almost 3 am, after 8 hours, a vote was held and the Wal-Mart zoning changes were approved. The Greene brothers, Emerson and Aziere voted against approval. The allowed hours of operation were shortened from midnight to 10 pm.
Wal-Mart will be building a grocery store on the area known as the Green Space, unless other factors interfere. At present there are a couple items that may derail the process.
1. The last minute change from the agreed upon 6 am to midnight operational hours being changed to 6 am to 10 pm by the Board of Aldermen may be a deal breaker for Wal_Mart.
2. There may be a challenge to the vote requirements. Alderman Jason Greene contended that it takes a 2/3 majority to override the BZA vote. The city’s attorney read the law as requiring only a simple majority. There are no attorneys on the staff of RaytownOnline.com so we are not going to speculate on who is correct in this matter or how it could be appealed.
This video was taken with a smart phone. In the course of 8 hours 2 camcorder batteries ran out, and 32G of memory was used. The smart phone had to be taken to the van to be recharged twice. about 5 hours of high quality video was captured, along with about an hour of smart phone video. All of the meeting was captured (up until the Wal-Mart issue was resolved) on a backup audio recorder. Putting all the parts together, cleaning them up, rendering and then uploading them to the video server involves days of work for something this big. It would take weeks if the video and audio were to be cleaned up to the normal degree RaytownOnline.com usually does. Be advised there may be pops, clicks, hiss, rumble and shakes that are not up to the normal standards.
Harlem Globetrotter Woody, nicknamed “Mr. Carter”, visited Raytown Middle School on May 14 to address students about what it takes to be successful in life as part of the 21st century workplace.
His message was clear, “Take the words ‘I can’t’ out of your vocabulary and use it as a challenge to succeed. Tell yourself—YES I CAN—and I am going to prove it.”
Mr. Carter explained how he was injured during a varsity football game his junior year of high school. He was told that he may never play sports again. He was told, “You can’t.”
During the assembly, Woody demonstrated some traditional Globetrotter moves, including the famous spinning basketball and invited student and faculty volunteers to participate in the assembly. He placed emphasis on reminding students to ask for help when needed and always working hard—”You can play ball, but the books come first.”
Woody Carter grew up in Topeka, Kansas. He graduated from TopekaHigh School in 1998 and went on to play basketball on a scholarship to BenedictineCollege. He has been a Harlem Globetrotter for 10 years and wants to inspire people of all ages.
The 2nd meeting of the Raytown Board of Aldermen has a long agenda. Part of the reason is that the public comment at the last meeting (available on RaytownOnlinie.com) ran for almost 2 hours. The result of this was that the meeting lasted till almost 1 am and a lot of agenda items were not taken care of.
The upcoming meeting will have the second reading of the Google agreement, the second reading of the proposed zoning changes to allow Wal-Mart to put a store in the Green Space in the manner the want, first readings of changes to licensing of businesses and craftsmen in Raytown (with a staff recommendation that the rules be suspended, which probably means the want voted on at this meeting), the second reading of two conditional use permit, and a discussion on the location of Pawnshops, Short-Term Loan Stores and Tattoo Parlors.
The public is expected to turn out in force on the question of altering the zoning regulations to suit Wal-Marts needs/requests.
Click on the link below to read the latest version of the agenda.
Raytown Police closed the streets around 71st Terrace and Blue Ridge Blvd. in the Gregory Heights neighborhood while Raytown Firefighters began door-to-door evacuations in response to broken gas main. The call to the 911 Center came in at about 1:44 p.m. reporting that someone in the neighborhood had broken through a gas main while trying to work on a sewer pipe. The sound and smell of escaping natural gas filled the air as the first officers arrived at the scene. Workers from the gas company have already arrived to begin work on the leak, while the Fire and Police Departments divert traffic from the area. The cause of the accident has not been determined and the caller’s report to the 911 Center has not yet been confirmed. The roads, including Blue Ridge Blvd., remain closed as of 2:15 p.m.
Raytown Central Middle School 7th graders Dylan Finch, Elizabeth Kujath, and Sam Miles qualified for State Recognition in the Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP).
Elizabeth Kujath met the requirements to receive Grand Recognition at the annual ceremony at Duke University in North Carolina. To qualify for Grand Recognition, students must receive a composite score of 27 or higher on the ACT or 1850 on the SAT.
Duke TIPis a nonprofit organization that provides rigorous and advance resources to academically gifted students. Students as young as 4th grade can apply to participate in the program.
Each year, a number of Raytown students are selected to participate in the Duke Tip, and this year nine 7th graders at Raytown Central Middle were selected to participate in the 7th-8th Grade Talent Search.
City Administrator’s ReportFROM: Mahesh Sharma, City Administrator
Public Works
The first cleanup coupon was issued Wednesday. The coupons are available for the public to obtain at the Public Works window at City Hall. A resident wishing to obtain a coupon no longer must provide a recent utility bill as the information can be verified at the Public Works window. A picture ID is still required. The coupons will cost $5 and will provide $25 of value at two vendors. One vendor is Material Recovery & Transfer located at 4020 Winchester Avenue which is just west of 435 on Raytown Road. The vendor is a drop-off site only and information about fees and location can be found on the website at www.materialrecoveryandtransferkc.com; the information will also be provided to the resident when obtaining the coupon. The second vendor is Flynn’s Raytown Disposal and is primarily a pick-up service. The resident will have to contact Flynn’s at 816-358-1211 to coordinate services and determine a fee. The fees will vary depending upon the size and weight of the material to be disposed.
The annual concrete repair program has started and the contractor has made great progress. The contractor will be removing and replacing sidewalk, handicap ramps and curbing. The contractor is A&A Concrete Company and the work is expected to be completed in July.
Raytown Water Company has finished 99% of the roadway and sidewalk restoration work in the downtown area as part of the water line replacement project. There are a few sidewalks and curbs that still need repair.
Public Works crews completed two sanitary sewer line point repairs this week. The point repairs were located at 5918 Raytown Road and 6513 Blue Ridge Boulevard; pipe offsets that could cause sewer backups were repaired at both locations. Board, Committee and Commission Meetings, and Events
May 20 – Parks Board Meeting 7:00 p.m.
May 21 – Drive Up/ Drive Thru Car Seat Event – EMS 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
May 21 – Board of Aldermen Meeting 7:00 p.m.
May 22 – Community Blood Drive – EMS 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
May 24 – Raytown Night at the Royals 7:00 p.m.
May 26 – Super Splash Opens for the Memorial Weekend only (May 25-27)
Community Blood Center blood drive to be held at Raytown EMS in the training room, 10020 E. 66th Terr., on Wednesday, May 22nd from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. To make an appointment online go to www.savealifenow.org and use Sponsor Code raytownems. You may also contact Kim at (816) 737-6030 with questions or to schedule an appointment. Buy-one-get-one free Schlitterbahn vouchers will be offered to anyone coming in to donate blood. Take the opportunity to help save lives in your community!
Suspects attempt to strike an Officer with their vehicle leaving the scene
Officers were called to a larceny in progress in the 5400 block of Blue Ridge Cutoff around 11:00p.m., on Monday, May 13th, 2013. When the first officer arrived and approached the suspect vehicle, the vehicle attempted to strike the Officer as it was fleeing the scene. Shots were fired and the suspect vehicle fled crashing into another vehicle in the area of Sni-a-bar and Blue Ridge Cutoff. At this time police do not believe anyone was struck in the shooting. The suspects are believed to be two black males, and were able to get away on foot. It’s unknown if there were any injuries from the crash at this time. This incident is still under investigation
The Raytown High School Debate and Forensics Squad honored student achievement at their annual awards banquet.
Freshman Yermeya Bagunu was awarded Best Newcomer to the squad. Best Novice Debater went to Freshman Katelyn McAlister, and Junior Magdalan Dorsey won Best Novice Forensic Student. Junior Deja Bolton took home both the Most Improved Debater and Most Improved Forensic Student.
The highest awards were presented to Junior Paige Keeton for Debater of the Year, Junior Emma Givens for Outstanding Forensic Student, and Senior Antonio Albor was awarded Top Trooper for his overall team contributions.
“All of the winners, along with the entire debate and forensics squad, represented Raytown High with pride,” Raytown High Debate Teacher Mark Harris said
In celebration of EMS Week, Raytown EMS employees will be holding several community service and education events. On May 21st from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m, at the Raytown EMS building, located at 10020 E. 66th Terr., Raytown EMS staff will be hosting a drive-up/drive-thru car seat event. Nationally certified Child Passenger Seat Technicians will be conducting inspections and installations of child safety seats. No appointment is necessary during this event, but it is recommended that caregivers know the weight and height of the children if they are not present. It is also recommended to bring the vehicle manual and child safety seat manual. Questions can also be answered regarding the proper seat for a child’s size and when they are able to use a booster seat or seatbelt only. Please join us to keep our children and community safe!
Spacious Ranch House on nice corner lot, with furniture.
Real Estate sells at 7:00 p.m. day of auction
Real Estate: Spacious ranch house with 2,000 plus square feet of living space on a large 20,000 plus square foot corner lot. The house was constructed in the mid 1950’s and has updated vinyl lap siding with brick veneer and new windows. The house contains living room with fireplace, dining room, kitchen, family room with built in bookcases, three bedrooms and two baths.
Additionally there is a large deck, fenced yard with a storage shed, and a two-car garage. There is a full basement with a bedroom & bath, woodshop, lots of storage with an outside entrance.
The house has a combination of hardwood, carpet and vinyl flooring with the original hardwoods covered by carpet. The 2012 property taxes were $ 2,177.92. The house will include kitchen appliances plus washer & dryer downstairs and stackable washer & dryer upstairs, bedroom set, desk, nightstands, dresser & vanity, dining table & chairs, nightstands, and a pool table.
Property open house and inspection Sunday May 19th / 1:00 to 3:00 p.m..
Real Estate Terms: 10% down day of auction balance due upon closing, not to exceed 30 days. Continental Title Company to handle closing. Title insurance cost split 50%/ 50% buyer–seller. Property sells subject to easements, restrictions, and covenants if any of record. Auction is subject to estate confirmation. Auctioneer Webb and Associates are agents of seller only. Property sells as is where is without warranty expressed or implied. Possession is at closing. All information is from sources deemed reliable, however accuracy is not guaranteed. Each bidder is responsible for conducting their own independent due diligence concerning the property.
Auctioneers Note: This is a property on a corner lot with great landscaping. This spacious ranch house is furnished and ready for your ownership. Come to the auction and plan to purchase this house.
The Board of Aldermen heard the 1st reading of requested zoning changes requested by Wal-Mart. These changes are for a Wal-Mart grocery store to be located North of downtown 63rd Street in an area commonly known are the Green Space. This zoning change comes out of the Planning and Zoning Commission with a 5 to 4 vote recommending to deny the requested changes. Video of the public comments on the request are below. Due to the extensive amount of comments, the video portion is cut short due to exhausted batteries. Photos of the last few members of the public are show with the audio from a separate source overlaid.
City Administrator’s ReportFROM: Mahesh Sharma, City Administrator
Public Works
The cleanup coupons have arrived. The coupons will be available for the public to purchase on Wednesday May 15th at the Public Works window at City Hall. Residents wishing to obtain a coupon must prove residency by providing a utility bill that is no more than two months old and must provide a picture ID that matches the name on the account. The coupons will cost $5 and will provide $25 of value at two vendors. One vendor is Material Recovery & Transfer located at 4020 Winchester Avenue which is just West of I-435 on Raytown Road. The vendor is a drop-off site only and information about fees and location can be found on the website at www.materialrecoveryandtransferkc.com; this information will also be provided to residents when obtaining their coupon. The second vendor is Flynn’s Raytown Disposal and is primarily a pick-up service. The resident will have to contact Flynn’s at 816-358-1211 to coordinate services and determine a fee. The fees will vary depending upon the size and weight of the material to be disposed.
The annual concrete repair program will start with construction next week. The construction will start in the project Area A that is in the Northwest part of the city. The contractor will be removing and replacing sidewalks, handicap ramps and curbing. The contractor is A&A Concrete Company and the work is expected to be completed in July.
Public Works storm crew regarded approximately 200 feet of ditch line at Gregory Boulevard and Evanston Avenue. The crew also installed an erosion control mat to prevent erosion and allow the grass a chance to grow.
Development & Public Affairs
The Development & Public Affairs Department is pleased to announce that June Van Loo joined the department as a Permit Technician. June previously worked for Jackson County Public Works Department dealing with county permitting and environmental health regulations. If you are in City Hall, please stop by to welcome June to the City.
Board, Committee and Commission Meetings, and Events
One year ago (05-13-2012) this Mother’s Day (05-12-2013) Harry Stone set out for a routine run along the streets of Raytown, however it would turn out to be anything but routine. When Stone turned the corner at 67th Street onto Blue Ridge Boulevard he was struck with gunfire that ultimately resulted in his death. The family and friends of Stone have collected a substantial amount of money ($20,000.00) to offer to anyone who has information leading to the arrest of Stone’s killer. This Saturday (05-11-2013) at 8:00 a.m. Stone’s family and friends will be organizing a gathering at 67th Street and Blue Ridge Boulevard to bring awareness to Stone’s murder. They are hoping that their presence may help to empower anyone who knows anything about this homicide to come forward.
Police are asking anyone with information about this incident to call Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at (816) 474-TIPS (8477) . The Raytown Police continue to investigate this case.
The Raytown High School Football Team will welcome Kansas City Chiefs Cornerback Brandon Flowers to Chittwood Stadium for Train with a Pro Day to the team’s practice on May 10, 2013 from 3:00-5:00 p.m.
During the practice Flowers will serve as a coach, rotating through groups to give insight and run drills such as the 40 yard dash and the 3 cone tournament.
“I want to make sure that each player gets a chance to learn something from Flowers,” Raytown High Head Coach Kevin Page said. “The players are very excited to train with a professional athlete, and it’s a great way to motivate them to do well in the upcoming season.”
In college, Flowers played for Virginia Tech where he earned All-American and All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors during his sophomore and junior seasons. In 2008, he was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2nd round (#35 overall). During his NFL career, he has played in 75 games, accumulating over 300 tackles, 90 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles, 16 interceptions, and 3 touchdowns.
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