Jerome Barnes Charter Commission Candidate

My name is Jerome Barnes… I am married, and have been a resident of Raytown since 1986. I served in the military for 6 years, and retired from the United States Postal Service after 30 years as a Labor Relations Specialists. I served on the School Advisory Board and Volunteered as an Athletic Director for 5 years at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School here in Raytown. Currently serving on the Raytown C-2 School Board and was recently elected to my second three-year term. I am a member of the Raytown Retired Teachers and School Personnel Association.   I am placing my name on the ballot for Charter Commissioner because I want to take an active part in the local decision-making process. If elected, I will work with the charter commission members and other community leaders to produce a charter for Raytown…a charter that is written clearly and in plain language that the citizens of Raytown can understand.

Like many others, I believe that Raytown is at a crossroad. We all want to see the great City of Raytown making the right decisions and headed in the right direction. I believe the charter, if written correctly, can be a tool to aid Raytown in recognizing problems and avoid some of the potential pitfalls our community faces. In Missouri, a town without a charter operates under state rules. That means Raytown is now governed by state statute due to not having a charter. A charter serves as a town’s constitution and will outline the structure of town government and the distribution of powers within that government under the Missouri State Constitution and state laws. For me, the charter is a defining document. It defines the structure of the city’s organization, describes the process by which important tasks are accomplished, clarifies the roles of individuals and groups who play a part in the governance process, and identifies who is accountable.

There will be two questions on the ballot for the Tuesday, April 8, 2014 election concerning Raytown Charter. The first question would establish a charter commission. Secondly, the voters are also asked to choose a thirteen-member charter commission. The commissioners (when elected) will write a document that will enhance the city way of doing business for the next 10 to 20 years. I encourage you to support the development of a charter for Raytown, and would appreciate your vote to include me as a member of the commission. I can be reached at smile4jerome@yahoo.com

Jerome made a donation to REAP. This is a prerequisite for placing an ad on RaytownOnline.com When he responds to the questionnaire,  it will also be posted.