I've got nothing against Will Ferrell, but...
Posted 5/9/08
All alone with my occasionally-frightening thoughts, a laptop computer and a much needed caffeine-filled can of Mountain Dew, I will fearlessly crank out a column so the oldest continually operating newspaper in this fine state can have another issue hit the streets.
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Are you wondering if Tom Pryor wishes he had remained in the race for first district county commissioner?
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I’m wondering if the Platte City Board of Aldermen is ready to get down to business. Due to the nostalgia found in the final days of Mayor Dave’s reign, the subsequent election and the pomp and circumstance of a new administration being sworn in, the aldermen haven’t really held a meaningful session since March.
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Memo to Platte City aldermen: It’s time to get serious about finding a new city administrator. Keith Moody was fired in January. This is now mid-May. Of course I realize Moody--in one of the most bizarre management decisions you’ll ever see--has been allowed to remain on the job, so it’s not like the office is sitting empty, but it’s time to pick up the pace a bit and let this ship sail forward with new leadership.
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Going above and beyond the headlines, as we like to do here at The Landmark, be sure to check out the fascinatingly-detailed story with quotes from the major players on the history of Parkville’s ethics ordinance on our front page. Reporter Alan McArthur dug into city records, including memos, minutes and quotes from the year 2005 when the now-controversial law was crafted to bring you the most comprehensive look at the topic you’ll find anywhere in the media.
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A newcomer to the Platte County business community approached me this week and in the process of an introductory conversation paid The Landmark quite a compliment. The businessman said he has heard from numerous people that The Landmark is the “most important” media outlet in Platte County.
In the course of the weekly hustle and bustle to meet those always-present deadlines and taking phone calls from public officials whose feathers have been ruffled, I don’t often stop to think about such things. But I took that remark as one of the most flattering comments ever to be bestowed upon this journalistic juggernaut.
Thanks for reading.
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Matthew Silber, a North Platte High School grad and a 1999 graduate of Central Missouri State University, has come on board as an opinion page cartoonist for The Landmark. You saw his first submission dealing with Weston’s dog defecation ordinance last week.
Silber has been in graphic arts for about eight years. He says he has always enjoyed drawing and making things. He and his wife, Dawn, have a three-year-old son. They enjoy reading, discussing political and theological issues, playing X-Box 360 and are avid sci-fi geeks. They attend Northland Baptist Church.
Got a suggestion for a future cartoon topic for Silber? Send it to news@plattecountylandmark.com and it will get passed on to him.
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Platte City police officers might be watching too many movies.
While scanning the police blotter, we came across a police report of vandalism at a city park/ball field. Local police listed the scene of the crime as Will Ferrell Park.
There’s no doubting Will Ferrell is a fine comedic actor and a lot of us loved him on Saturday Night Live, but Platte City has yet to name any parks after him. The correct name of the park is Herrel Ferrel Park, named after a civic contributor to the Platte City community years ago.
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We’re proud to announce this week the presentation of the annual Landmark English Award, given to a top writing student at Platte County R-3 High School. The winner is selected by a faculty panel at the school. It’s the 27th year we have given the award, which includes a $250 cash prize from The Landmark and an award certificate containing my nearly legible autograph. This larger-than-large program was created to help foster an interest in the English language among R-3 high school students.
This year’s winner is Peter Rasmussen. He was set to receive the award Wednesday evening as this issue of The Landmark headed to press.
Watch for more--including a list of all previous winners--in future issues of your Landmark.
(Email the publisher at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Here's what Sarah Steelman should be talking about
Posted 5/2/08
I loved the picture on page B-6 in last week’s Landmark of new Platte City Mayor Frank Offutt greeting Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon in Jefferson City. Talk about a contrast in physical appearance. It looked like one of the Keebler elves shaking hands with the Jolly Green Giant.
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Jay Nixon is a big guy. Of course they say the camera adds 10 pounds. There must have been 15 cameras on him.
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Just wanted to take a minute to say that I’m proud of Platte County Presiding Commissioner Betty Knight for her vote to uphold denial of the Beverly Plaza preliminary plat, despite the threat of a lawsuit by the developer, whose legal counsel just happens to be a friend/supporter of Knight. Nice job, Betty Knight.
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The Republicans’ best choice for Missouri governor was in Platte County on Tuesday afternoon, in an appearance exclusively and quite happily covered by your Landmark. Sarah Steelman gave a talk about illegal immigrants before a small gathering in the Platte County Administration Building.
I don’t know how far talking about illegal workers will take her in her effort to defeat Congressman Ken Hulshoff for the GOP nomination for governor. Since Hulshoff is a member of the least popular governmental body in our nation’s history, there are several ways to attack him. I wrote in this space 18 months ago that eventually somebody is going to take a political bath over the high price of gasoline in this country. I think the political bath is going to be taken by many incumbent members of Congress (though let it be known I believe Sam Graves has the rural strength to overcome it in his race against Kay Barnes). If I were Steelman, in every stump speech I would tie/blame Hulshoff and Congress for the soon-to-be $4 per gallon price at the pump. Common folks will respond to that. Everybody is paying it. Nobody is liking it. Somebody has to take the fall for it. Hulshoff could be the first casualty, no matter how little he has to do with the anger motorists feel when they fill their tanks.
If she hammers Hulshoff and Washington’s inability to effectively deal with this energy issue every day from now till August, Steelman will capture the Republican nod.
Hell, she’ll probably capture it anyway. Who the heck is Ken Hulshoff? I wouldn’t know him if he walked in the front door. He may be a Congressman but outside his district, how many people know anything about him? I don’t, and I’m allegedly in the news biz.
Steelman’s statewide name recognition and her opportunity to tie Hulshoff to Washington’s failed policies will be two major strengths in her effort to win the nomination. I think she takes him out.
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By the way, I like to claim The Landmark long ago was the first media outlet to notice Steelman was an attractive candidate. There have been some late comers to the party, particularly Guy Speckman, normally sharp-eyed and sharp-witted publisher of the Savannah Reporter. In his weekly column, Speckman recently noted the positive aspects Steelman brings to the governor’s race, as if he was the first journalist to note said attributes. Au contraire, Mr. Speckman. Over the past four years Steelman has visited The Landmark office a few times. We broke this scoop. Find your own.
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By the way, Steelman gave me one of those quick friendship-type hugs on Tuesday. Will this prevent me from providing unbiased coverage of her future campaign stops here? Maybe, but I refuse to be ashamed. Take that, Guy Speckman.
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A penny for your thoughts?
After putting forth a major propaganda effort and spending what has to be thousands of dollars in legal fees and lobbying time, the Platte County R-3 School Board can boast that it has twisted the City of Kansas City into upping the ante on the KCI tax deal.
Yes, the offer from the city of KC has climbed all the way from eight cents per square foot of a building’s footprint in the abated area up to nine cents per square foot. That’s still less than the 10 cents per square foot that Park Hill--without the drama and the legal bills--will be getting.
Was it really worth all the histrionics, money spent in legal fees and lobbying time by the superintendent, and some unflattering attention to gain one cent per square foot? I don’t see how.
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Kansas City’s original offer was eight cents per square foot. The R-3 superintendent said this would be “devastating” to the school district. The school board president said lawmakers owed the school district an apology after the superintendent was publicly criticized for what some critics claimed was over-the-top testimony against the proposal in Jefferson City.
So eight cents was insulting and devastating but nine cents brings an agreement in principle? What’s up with that?
Propagandists and cheerleaders may try to spin it, but no way R-3 can claim victory in this one. In fact they come off looking a bit silly.
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Stanton is a leader on the right track;
R-3 power play to fail?
Posted 4/25/08
It’s been kind of ugly around the ol’ Landmark office this week.
Ace reporter Alan McArthur was under the weather and out of the office on Monday. He was back at the grindstone on Tuesday, but then the flu bug hit your publisher Tuesday morning in a big way. At one point Tuesday I was sure I would have to get better before I could die.
Is it just me or does the flu feel more powerful when it strikes you in the spring or summer months rather than in the dead of winter? This thing literally knocked me off my feet most of the day Tuesday, kept me basically comatose in a pool of sweat through the night and I’m still battling a fever and body aches as I try to crank out a column Wednesday morning. I’m taking a break every few minutes to apply a cold cloth to my forehead in hopes my thoughts can stay somewhat sane. When I’m running a fever, I have a habit of mindlessly repeating lines from old movies. I think I do it as a way of trying to convince myself I really don’t feel so bad. Or maybe it’s just because I can’t carry on a normal conversation so I end up talking only to me, myself and I.
Anyway, I caught myself speaking lines from the goofball comedies Mr. Deeds, Dodge Ball and The Ladies Man as I tossed and turned throughout the night. Weird.
I apologize if anything inappropriate makes its way into the column this week. But then I guess it wouldn’t be the first time.
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Be sure to check out the four-page section in this issue of The Landmark devoted to the attractions, amenities and restaurants of Parkville. The Parkville News, as the paid advertisment section is called, is put together by some hard-working merchants in the quaint southern Platte County town and is available exclusively though The Landmark. It will be a regular feature and will serve as Section C in your Landmark.
The production shows excellent foresight by a group of merchants in expanding the visibility and market area for their services and products. These folks are on the ball.
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Andy Stanton, a Platte City businessman and alderman whose $500 donation to Platte Countians for Tax Relief funded a day-before-election post card mailing urging opposition to the Platte County R-3 bond issue, is rightfully proud of his efforts. Stanton told me this week he has received nothing but “atta boys” from people on the street applauding his move.
Demanding accountability for spending decisions is nothing to be ashamed of. Stanton is on the right track. Give the man credit. He has more stones than any other local elected official in recent memory.
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Platte County R-3 may be the lone soldier still actively trying to oppose State Rep. Jason Brown’s House Bill 1836, which would allow tax breaks to encourage development on Kansas City-owned property surrounding KCI Airport. Park Hill’s school board last week voted to table a resolution outlining the district’s concerns with the proposed legislation. While R-3 officials have made comments to the effect this legislation “would have a devastating effect” on the district and even claimed the R-3 district “deserves an apology” from lawmakers, Park Hill officials are saying, hey, this might not be so bad after all. A lot has changed in the past couple of weeks, including tying some language in the proposal to the proposed Bombardier Aerospace aircraft assembly plant.
Dennis Fisher, the Park Hill superintendent, told the Kansas City Star this week “We’re conceding that development of the airport needs some kind of economic incentive. We just want it to be fair.”
Excellent comment. Very fairly worded. The Bombardier proposal would mean $2 million a year in taxes for Park Hill and would spark economic activity and residential growth in the district.
From here, it appears R-3 isn’t going to win this battle. With much of the language of the bill cleaned up to ease the school district’s concerns, Park Hill is putting off vibes that it may accept 10 cents per square ft. of a building’s footprint through the lease agreements from Kansas City. R-3 has been offered eight cents. If indeed Park Hill is willing to accept 10 cents it would make sense for R-3 to grab the offer of eight cents while it’s still on the table.
You never say never in politics, but R-3 could very well have lost its attempted power play. Looks like eight cents is their best hope.
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It was pretty easy to see the fix was in when the R-3 school board went to elect “new” officers at its reorganizational meeting. Bob Shaw, president for the past year, obviously had nailed down the details of his reelection with certain board members prior to Thursday’s meeting. In previous years, Shaw has told fellow board members he doesn’t want to even be nominated for president unless he knows he has the votes to get it. Nothing like a fighter, huh?
So when Shaw was immediately nominated by Mary Temperelli--who last year voted against Shaw and was previously on the opposite side of him on some issues, at least back in the days before Shaw became board president and went through the neutering process that comes with it--you knew it was a done deal. The backdoor conversations had been held.
Shaw no doubt was reelected on his record of accomplishments over the past year. That record includes a 14% tax increase and a 10% drop in bond issue approval rating.
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Fallout and follow-up to the local spring elections
Posted 4/18/08
Time for some spring election follow-up and fallout. If you’re not into local politics, be patient. Things will slow down for a bit real soon. I think.
But man I love this stuff.
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I read in the KC Star over the weekend that Mayor Dave Brooks, soon to be former Mayor Dave, will be attending Platte City aldermen meetings along with a new “watchdog group” that will monitor new mayor Frank Offutt’s administration.
Well, there you go. Just what any city needs. . . a former public official who the courts ruled violated the state’s open meetings law now serving as a watchdog for the people.
I envision great things, don’t you?
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Will neutered cats play a role in Mayor Dave’s watchdog group?
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The good news about Mayor Dave insisting on continuing to play a public role despite the fact voters overwhelmingly rejected him is that our Dave’s Diary feature can be dusted off from time to time.
Thank you, Dave.
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Will new mayor Gerry Richardson at Parkville work to improve that city’s reputation for being CIA-like secretive? Richardson and I had a phone conversation Wednesday morning in which I told him I hope that will be the case. It would sure improve the city’s image.
Our conversation came on the heels of a somewhat strange telephone encounter I had with the Parkville city clerk earlier this week. I called her to ask for the names of the folks serving on the Parkville ethics commission. She stammered a bit and then asked that I put my request for said information in writing.
Huh? I didn’t realize this was sensitive stuff. I’ve been covering cities in Platte County for more than 25 years and can tell you this is the first time I’ve been asked to put a request for routine public information into written form. It’s not like I was asking for altered time sheets, DNA, or medical records. Though make no mistake, I get the impression the next time I ask for routine information the clerk will at minimum ask me to submit a urine sample.
Instead of the matter being handled in a simple 30 second phone call between the clerk and myself, this thing took on all the drama of an act of Congress. It featured a written email exchange, and at my request all city officials were carbon copied. Did it really need to turn into a public display in which the city clerk ends up being dressed in a clown suit?
Later when he called our office, even the Parkville city attorney told our staff he thought the clerk’s request was a bit over the top. Maybe the clerk simply misunderstood my question. Heck, I would have been glad to repeat it if that was the case.
At any rate, this episode further fuels the impression that Parkville city hall has an atmosphere more like that of a private club than a taxpayer-funded institution. Hopefully Richardson will work to improve the city’s impression of openness. Right now they don’t even try to fake it.
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Are you getting a kick out of watching the R-3 public cheerleading squad being outraged at the fact a last-minute opposition group sent out a last-minute opposition post card (How dare they? Do they really have the First Amendment right to do that?) against the school’s bond issue proposal. As you read in The Landmark last week, the bond issue passed with 68% of the vote. Impressive at first blush, but not so impressive when you consider last year’s bond issue passed with 78% approval. That’s a drop of 10% in one year. And all the opposition apparently did was a last minute low-budget post card.
Hmm. I’m guessing that--more than anything else--is why the cheerleading squad is in a tizzy.
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Of course it is worth mentioning that the group who sent the mailer was late in filing an eight-day out campaign report and didn’t declare in advance it would be active in the R-3 election. This prompted a complaint letter from the Platte County Board of Elections to the Missouri Ethics Commission. I acquired a copy of the letter and with all due respect to the fine directors of the board of elections, their complaint reads like it was written by an offended president of the PTA rather than one penned by an election official. I asked Wendy Flanigan, one of the directors, when was the last time the board of elections wrote such a complaint letter. She said she couldn’t tell me, indicating it had been a long time. Perhaps never? Draw your own conclusions.
At any rate, shame on the group’s organizers for not handling their paperwork the right way. That wasn’t cool.
Jail time? Death penalty? Public neutering?
Nah. But at minimum they could be kicked out of the Quarterback Club. Or they could be forced to apply the cocoa butter prior to R-3 administrators’ tanning bed sessions. Or forced to carry the clubs for the superintendent on his next golf outing.
(For multiple reasons, Between the Lines is always penned sans a cheerleading skirt. Thank the columnist via email to ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
War hero Jason Brown drops a bomb aimed at Jason Grill
Posted 4/10/08
You might think the spring election results--with some analysis-- would lead off the column this week. It won’t. Instead I’ll lead with a bomb dropped by local war hero Jason Brown.
Yes, leading off the column are a couple of news nuggets I picked up by dropping in on the Platte County Republicans’ March to Victory event Thursday night at O’Dowd’s in Zona Rosa.
Nugget No. 1: State Rep. Jason Brown, Republican serving District 30, is going after State Rep. Jason Grill, Democrat serving District 32 in southern Platte County. Going after him very aggressively, I might add.
Speaking in a tone bordering on angry, Brown held up a copy of a newspaper from December of 2006 that contained an article detailing a police report filed by a young woman who accused Grill of rape on the same night Grill had won election to his state post. After filing the police report, the woman later declined to pursue charges against Grill.
Brown said Republicans need to work to get Grill defeated. “Not because he’s a Democrat. But because he’s not a good person.”
Wow. Even allowing for party differences, those are some mighty strong words being tossed by one state representative at another. I put in a call to Grill seeking comment but had not yet heard back at deadline.
Brown said it’s not whether Grill did or did not commit sexual assault on that night. “He shouldn’t have put himself in a position where those accusations could have been made,” Brown remarked, further adding he intends to be active in helping any Republican candidate who steps forward against Grill. “I will do anything and everything necessary. He doesn’t represent our values here in Platte County.”
Brown asked how many in the crowd of about 70 Republicans live in the 32nd district. About half the folks raised hands. “I need your help in the 32nd district. If you raised your hand you are responsible for what you get in November,” Brown told them.
Wow. Talk about a speech that went for the jugular. There was no verbal reaction from the crowd while Brown spoke, so it was tough to judge the overall reception to his fiery words. The room included a few Republicans who I feel comfortable in saying have been closet supporters of Grill.
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Nugget No. 2: The Republicans do have an opponent in the race against Grill. Well, sort of. That candidate--Abby Olson, a former Republican Central Committee member in Clay County who moved to Platte County in June--spoke Thursday night and let another bomb drop when she announced she simply filed to hold a spot on the ballot. She would prefer to step aside and let another Republican be selected to run in her place. That decision will have to be made by May 18. “I’m in a fight to support whoever chooses to run,” Olson said.
Olson would happily withdraw as soon as possible, which would allow the 32nd district Republican legislative committee to select a replacement candidate to put in against Grill. The search is on for that replacement candidate.
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I don’t want to pile on during his time of mourning so will avoid the temptation to do a post-election Dave’s Diary. I do wonder, however, what Dave Brooks will now do with all those “Mayor” hats he owns.
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I think the only person surprised by the outcome of Tuesday’s mayor’s race in Platte City was the mayor himself.
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Hats off to Mary Ann Brooks, Dave’s wife and frankly his best asset, for the tireless work she put in supporting her husband during the closing days of the campaign. She could be seen going door-to-door, without Dave, over the weekend. It also looked like her handwriting on some of those last-minute homemade yard signs that cropped up around town in the closing hours of the campaign.
She is a special person and is to be commended for the way she conducted herself as the First Lady of Platte City the past six years. She, in fact, would have made a stronger candidate for mayor than her husband.
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Dropped in at the residence of Frank and Mrs. Offutt late in the evening Tuesday for our first post-election conversation. The new/old mayor looked exhausted after a long day of working the polling site but touched on a couple of topics, not the least of which is the continuing search for a city administrator to replace the supposedly-fired Keith Moody. Of course the mayor only has verbal influence in such matters, which are determined by the majority of the six member board.
And speaking of the board of aldermen, looks like Andy Stanton will continue to have some like-minded company on the panel. Tony Paolillo is of the same political ilk as Stanton, and my best guess is that we will find Debbie Kirkpatrick will be the winner over Jim Palmer when write-in votes are counted in Ward 3. Kirkpatrick also is politically in tune with Stanton’s conservative way of thinking, based on candidate interviews conducted by The Landmark.
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Voters did the right thing by overwhelmingly re-electing Trish Stinnett to a seat on the Platte County R-3 Board of Education. Stinnett is the lead--and often lone--fighter on the board and her continuing service is essential for proper taxpayer representation.
Meanwhile at the city of Parkville, based on the way voters rejected the candidacy of Tom Hutsler, residents will continue to get the status quo. That means a lot of executive sessions, secret investigations, and strange and unexplained personnel situations.
In America, we have the right to decide upon our leaders, which means in the end we get the government we deserve. The Parkville voters have spoken. They have no problem with secrecy. Dangerous.
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Some predictions, some endorsements
for Tuesday's vote
Posted 4/7/08
Spring Election Day 2008 is just hours away. Time for a quick Between the Lines rundown of some of the candidates in the higher-profile races.
PLATTE CITY MAYOR: From a columnist’s point of view, the last six years have been a great ride. Dave Brooks’ self-absorbed performance as mayor—with an ego that prevents him from seeing the many mistakes he has made—has created some effective Between the Lines copy since 2002. Mayor Dave and his close friends despise your favorite columnist for exposing the emperor. Unknowingly, Mayor Dave has been my best subscription salesmen since he stepped into the mayor’s office in 2002. Truthfully, I will miss him for the ease with which his presence afforded me many last-minute column topics.
My feeling is it’s all about to end, and if so somebody please keep Mayor Dave away from sharp objects and tall buildings Tuesday night. Brooks’ opponent has stepped forward with a well-organized campaign this time. Frank Offutt's yard signs are everywhere and his newspaper ads were eye-catching and straightforward. Brooks has tried hard in recent days to catch up, going so far as sticking up some hand-written signs in some areas around town--on the city’s right of way, of course, which is against city code. Dave’s signs look like ransom notes. Somebody call the local police department and let them know it appears there have been multiple kidnappings in town.
At any rate, if and when he pulls off the victory, Offutt’s next challenge will be to stay humble and bring open public communication to city hall.
PARKVILLE MAYOR: Effective government needs a system of checks and balances. Parkville’s city hall right now does not have that. Tom Hutsler would bring that to the table if he is elected mayor. Folks inside city hall view Hutsler as an outsider. The sitting aldermen—including Hutsler’s opponent Gerry Richardson—are way too comfy in running what some view as a private club. The city ordered an investigation into an employee, hired a human resources firm after incorrect timesheet allegations surfaced, then refused to tell the public the results of that investigation. Instead, the employee, the city administrator and the mayor have all headed for the door. The folks financing the investigation are left with no knowledge of what kind of funny stuff was going on. Misdeeds on the taxpayers’ time and dime are generally not well accepted by a public that is paying attention. Let’s see if enough people in Parkville are paying attention to their city government. If so, Hutsler will be the next mayor. If not, super-secret executive sessions and investigations will continue to be the norm.
TRACY MAYOR: Brenda Ferguson has been a good mayor for this tiny little city just across the Platte River from Platte City. She deserves reelection over a write-in challenge from Rita Rhoads, current alderman. Ferguson has worked tirelessly to promote progress, especially in the form of friendly annexation.
PLATTE CITY ALDERMEN:
Ward One: This is the position drawing the least attention of the Platte City aldermen races. Why? Neither candidate is strong. Marsha Clark has proven to be basically a puppet for Mayor Dave in her short time on the board. Marquis is a former local police officer whose main campaign theme has been to propose to build a skate park for kids. Whoopee. Take your pick, neither likely to ever be an effective officeholder.
WARD TWO: Tony Paolillo, Mike Walsh and Ron Porter are in the running for this spot to replace Ken Brown, who chose not to seek re-election. Paolillo, the youngest of the three, has been saying all the right things for the anti-Dave crowd, which should work to his advantage. Mike Walsh sought the mayor’s spot two years ago and describes himself as “just a regular guy.” Walsh is also a confessed fan of the Dave’s Diary series that has appeared in Between the Lines, which scores him some brownie points here. Ron Porter helped lead the disastrously unsuccessful and expensive involuntary annexation effort, which is enough for most folks to look elsewhere for leadership. Paolillo might be the odds-on-favorite to win but he and Walsh may split the anti-Dave votes and give Porter a chance to sneak in.
WARD THREE: Jim Palmer and Debbie Kirkpatrick are the announced write-in candidates with no names on the ballot for this spot being vacated by Aaron Jung. Kirkpatrick is by far the better choice. She has the business experience and is in touch with the younger crowd as opposed to the retired Palmer. “I am not one to step back, I like to get into issues,” Kirkpatrick told The Landmark. Palmer, a former alderman who like Porter supported that disastrous involuntary effort, was nothing more than a rubber stamp for Mayor Dave.
PLATTE COUNTY R-3 SCHOOL BOARD: There are five candidates for three open spots. It is imperative that Patricia Stinnett be reelected. She is the only true watchdog on the current seven member board of education. Others seem to be content to place blind faith in a lot of issues and personalities—Stinnett does her homework and asks the right questions. Deanna Hon, a newcomer, seems to have the potential to step onto the board and give Stinnett some help in the watchdog department.
PLATTE COUNTY R-3 BOND ISSUE: This has been a lukewarm issue. Most folks either don’t know about it or don’t care. R-3’s advertisements promoting it featured endorsements mainly from school board members, teachers and PTA parents. Kinda goes without saying those folks would support it, doesn’t it? Last year’s bond issue passed with 78% of the vote. Prediction: Despite the lack of bang-the-drum support, it’s impossible to envision this one not passing with the Music Parents Association and PTA moms getting out to vote, as it needs only 57% majority.
NORTH PLATTE R-1 SCHOOL BOARD: Best candidates in my opinion? Jon McLaughlin has attended most of the board meetings over the past two years. He supports implementation of the A+ program, an excellent program that would give something back to the R-1 taxpayers and serve its successful students well. George Hoeffner also seems to be a solid candidate. He serves on the Platte County Planning and Zoning Commission. He says he would focus on the district’s aging facilities and the need to keep up with technology.
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Dave's Diary displays pre-election jitters
Posted 4/4/08
Time once again for our fictional update into the mind of Platte City Mayor Dave Brooks, my favorite third-person candidate for reelection. Once again, enter at your own risk.
Friday, April 4: Dear Diary: Hello, it’s me. Dave Brooks. The mayor. You can call me Dave Brooks or you can call me The Mayor. Just don’t call me Mr. Brooks. That guy was a killer in a Kevin Costner movie. Dave Brooks doesn’t kill. I’m a doer of good deeds. I’m a people person. Just ask me, I’ll tell you. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
Diary, I’m as nervous as a stray cat in a back alley in Dave’s Town. Election Day is just a few days away. I’ve been busy putting up my yard signs. I’ve issued myself executive privilege that allows me to place my signs in the right of way on city streets. I noticed Frank Offutt is obeying the rules of ethics and that kind of stuff by only putting his signs on private property, off of the right of way. I don’t have to obey that kind of stuff cuz I’m the full-time mayor of Platte City and the part-time voice of God. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
Time for me to start thinking about what might happen if Frank Offutt actually wins this election. Dave Brooks will be out of a job. Dave Brooks will need something to occupy my time during the normal 169 hours per week. My mind could go stale. I wonder if Offutt will start some kind of Adopt-a-Former-Mayor program? I could be his co-mayor. Note to self: Ask Keith Moody if this is allowed under city code.
I had a guy tell me the other day that if I lose I should move to another town. He suggested Dave Brooks drive to Peculiar and run for office there. I don’t know why he picked that town. But this does have a certain ring to it: “Dave Brooks—Your Peculiar Mayor.” Yeah. I kinda like that. But the commute would be expensive with gas at $3 per gallon. God doesn’t even want to drive to Barry Road at those prices.
It’s not easy being Dave Brooks, let me tell you. Diary, my mind is kind of wandering here. If I do get beat as mayor of Platte City, am I still the official Mayor of Earth? I don’t know the answer to that. Note to self: Ask Keith Moody.
I don’t know why the people would want to vote me out. Look at all the projects I have taken credit for? How can these be ignored? Plus, I’ve neutered more cats than any mayor in the history of Platte City. There should be a plaque installed on a Main Street sidewalk to that effect. It’s the least this town could do for me. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
I’m really hoping Ron Porter and Jim Palmer win back seats on the board of aldermen. I love those guys. Can I annex them onto the board? Note to self: Ask Keith Moody.
Wouldn’t it be great if Ron and Jim and Dave Brooks are all elected? We could have the Mayor Dave and the Sunshine Boys Reunion Tour! Yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ about. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
Till next time, remember to vote for Dave Brooks because when I win, we all win.
Hutsler's attitude needed; The dark of Knight; Bye bye PRA
Posted 4/2/08
Like it or not, you’ll get more Between the Lines goodness than normal this week. Check out our website at plattecountylandmark.com and click on the Between the Lines tab on Friday of this week and Monday of next week. I’ll have the newest episode of Dave’s Diary posted there on Friday. Then on Monday I’ll give you some final editorial comments on the upcoming city and school board candidates before voters go to the polls next Tuesday.
And by the way, get our updated basketball bracket contest standings to the right of this column.
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Tom Hutsler is the better choice in Parkville’s race for mayor. City hall at Parkville needs some new blood, a personality not afraid to shake things up a bit and let the sun shine in. Parkville has more closed sessions than any city of its size that I can ever recall. Some folks close to the situation claim there is a good ol’ boy--and girl--network in place there and Hutsler is pledging he will step into open things up. The way the city paid for a human resources firm to investigate time sheet allegations against a former employee--and then declined to publicly disclose the results of that investigation--is inexcusable and embarrassing. The employee in question, the city administrator, and the mayor at the time are--or soon will be–gone, as apparently is the taxpayer money used to pay for that super-secret investigation.
It’s time to clean things up a bit. Staying the course by electing a current alderman who sat through the secret sessions without publicly pressing for openness won’t get it done. Hutsler’s presence would be a start to better protecting the public’s right to know at Parkville.
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Platte County Presiding Commissioner Betty Knight gave a dramatic performance Tuesday morning. I sat in on the county planning and zoning staff monthly meeting with county commissioners that day. It was the third time this year I’ve been to one. It was the first time Knight has actually been present.
During discussion about the proposed Beverly Plaza development, which was given a thumbs down by the county planning and zoning board a few weeks ago and awaits final action by the county commission, Knight pretended to be scared out of her gourd by a threat made by legal counsel for the applicant. Attorney Jim Bowers has been hinting lawsuit against the county ever since the planning and zoning board made its recommendation. Bowers maintains that as long as an applicant has the necessary zoning and has met all other requirements on a county checklist, requests by a developer to use the ground in compliance with the existing zoning must be approved. I’m not sure it’s quite that simple, but Bowers is claiming it is and Knight seems ready to cave. “I want our attorney to review the case law (mentioned by Bowers) very carefully. Because Bowers is asserting that plat application has to be approved” based on the fact necessary zoning is in place and a checklist of county subdivision requirement has been met.
Wow. Knight normally has a very strong-willed “ain’t nobody gonna tell me what to do” attitude. Remember, this is the same officeholder who with one “yea” vote gave herself a significant pay raise a couple years ago while one commissioner was out of town and the other was voting against. Knight normally doesn’t back down easily, but she seems ready to throw in the towel on this. Why? In my opinion, a couple things are coming into play here. I checked her list of past campaign donations. Jim Bowers is on it. So is a female who shares the same last name and address as Bowers. Does Knight feel obligated? Possibly.
But also coming into play is Knight laying the groundwork for a future vote in favor of the controversial Lake at Tomahawke Ridge proposal east of Platte City. Knight has many friends and contributors involved in that one. Also in that case, the developer already has the existing zoning and is asking for an overlay that would allow smaller lot sizes and more flexible setback requirements. So if Knight goes on record for overturning the Beverly Plaza decision by saying she feels bound by the legal threat made against the county, she then has laid the groundwork for voting to allow her friends’ Tomahawke proposal to go through without it looking like she is playing favorites.
Funny thing, though, is that both Beverly Plaza and Tomahawke go against Knight’s much-loved county land use plan. She’ll have trouble explaining that one away with a straight face. And if Knight, previously the land use plan’s greatest defender, starts favoring projects that run afoul of that document, she’ll have trouble defending a decision to spend thousands of dollars to update the land use plan, which is something county officials have indicated they are considering. Why update the thing if the county commission isn’t dedicated to following it? And why have a seven member planning and zoning staff on the payroll if all a developer has to do is have existing zoning and meet a checklist of requirements? Hell, let’s save some tax dollars and eliminate 80% of the zoning staff. And why have a planning and zoning board comprised of dedicated volunteers who unselfishly give hours of their time contemplating development applications? These are questions Knight is going to have to answer.
Knight is being overly transparent on this one. She has two years to go on what might be her final term in office. She is in danger of leaving a legacy as being a county commissioner who worked for her contributors at the cost of the good of the common folk.
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The Platte Republican Association--home of First Fridays for the past many years--is disbanding. At least that was initial word I received and confirmed it with a call to Josh Linville, president of the organization. Linville then called me back a couple days later--in fact right before deadline this morning--to say some club leaders had a quick change of heart and the PRA intends to only disband temporarily through the election season.
I’m not buying it. . .call me shocked if the PRA ever returns in its current form. PRA members will begin meeting with the larger Republican group in the county, the Platte County Pachyderm Club. “We’re going to be one big group again. I’m thrilled,” said Linville in our initial conversation. “I’m tired of the divisiveness. We all stand for the same thing.” Linville said the parties who “caused” the perceived split in the Republican party about four years ago “may have moved on.”
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Political stunts; busy summer ahead; bracket standings
Posted 3/26/08
Warning, I may seem even more disoriented than normal. My laptop computer--the mother ship of everything Landmark--basically crashed Tuesday afternoon. Short of the office burning to the ground, that’s as bad as things could get at deadline.
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It’s 10:30 Wednesday morning. I think the pomp and circumstance of Dave Brooks’ mayor’s report, which started at 7 p.m. Tuesday, should be wrapping up about now.
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Of course if you weren’t at the Platte City Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday night you don’t know what I’m talking about. Let’s just say that Mayor Dave was overly full of himself and his alleged accomplishments on Tuesday, which not coincidentally was the final meeting before folks head to the polls on April 8.
Mayor Dave’s report featured an appearance in the meeting room by Dave’s motorcycle riding friends and reps from Fort Riley who have become fans of the mayor’s Adopt-a-Soldier program. Brooks did everything but wrap himself in an American flag in his “mayor’s report” that ran from 7 p.m. until 8:20. I’m not kidding--he took the stage for that long.
Ridiculous. I was somewhat surprised the aldermen let him get by with that without calling him out for wasting everybody’s time on an extremely weak and pointless political stunt.
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I guess if Freedom Riders and Fort Riley soldiers suddenly become Platte City registered voters Mayor Dave will have a great shot at winning reelection.
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I’m here to tell you it’s going to be an extremely busy summer and fall around your ol’ Landmark. I’m basing that statement on the fact there will be so many contested county and state political races for us to stay abreast of.
There will be two August primaries--one for the Dems and one for the GOP--both dealing with the first district county commission seat being vacated by Tom Pryor.
Then in November we’ll have contested races for the first district commission seat, the second district commission post, assessor, and treasurer. And let’s not forget about the state representative races, where both Jason Brown in district 30 and Jason Grill in district 32 will have opponents in November.
I can’t wait for the posturing to begin. It won’t take long, trust me. As always, The Landmark will be your best source to break the campaign war stories.
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Next week we’ll have features on the important spring elections featuring city and school board candidates. You won’t want to miss the pre-game show prior to the April 8 vote.
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Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock and missed all the publicity, by now you know the story of how the daughter of Susan Brown, The Landmark’s favorite tree hugger, was first denied the right to compete in the National Spelling Bee after a registration glitch by folks at North Platte but now--after help from folks ranging from Congressman Sam Graves to talk show host Ellen Degeneres (never thought I’d use those two names in the same sentence) the young Brown girl will be allowed to compete in the National Bee in May. All I can say is that when you’ve pissed off both Sam Graves and Ellen Degeneres, you know you’ve screwed things up.
There’s really no coherent thought here I just wanted you to know I was aware of it. Reminds me of my days as a spelling bee contestant. I was a frequent winner at the county level, and in eighth grade advanced to the Kansas State Spelling Bee in Topeka. In the first round, I misunderstood the word pronounced to me by a mush-mouthed gentleman announcer and spelled a word that--I quickly learned--wasn’t the one he had pronounced.
I was forced to take a seat. Didn’t get a second chance. I’m thinking Morgan Brown will take full advantage of her second chance--a chance that is well-deserved, by the way.
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First two rounds of the NCAA Tourney are in the books and trusty Landmark facilities manager Kurt Foley has completed the grading of the more than 100 entries in our annual bracket contest. Here are the top 10 or so at this point:
Daryl Grame, Irvin Reineke, Katherine Mick and defending champ Lori Meyer have 96 points; Steve Manville, L. Whitmore and Linda Foley have 94 points; Deana Anderson, Charles Glotzbach, Jory Mick, Steve Sampsell, Ed Highlander and Sue Palm have 92 apiece.
Don’t see your name in the leader board? Don’t be discouraged. These contests are won or lost in the later rounds when correct picks count for many more points than they did in the early rounds.
Remember, everybody who finishes with a higher score than your publisher gets two years worth of free subscriptions to your Landmark.
Your handsome publisher--who picks UCLA to beat North Carolina in the final--right now has 86 points. All four of my Final Four teams are still alive and I have 11 of the Sweet 16.
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Normally I do a min-rant like a fourth grade teacher about folks not putting names on their bracket contest entries. This year I have a new complaint: sloppy penmanship, kids. If you want us to print your name in the paper correctly, please write your name neatly on your entry. If we can’t read your handwriting, all bets are off.
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Tomahawke has obstacles;
Bracket bustin' time
Posted 3/19/08
Will the proposed high density housing development known as Lake at Tomahawke Ridge make it to the table for the Platte County Planning and Zoning Commission next month?
It’s still on the agenda for the April 15 meeting at this writing, but it does have some obstacles to overcome in order to be heard. Last week, Daniel Erickson, director of Platte County Planning and Zoning, sent a letter to Sam Aylett of Sam’s Survey Company, who is working for the developer, detailing a list of 31 changes that need to be made to the preliminary plat before the zoning board will hear the application. Those changes need to be made and a revised plan submitted by noon on March 31 before the application can be heard on April 15.
Results of last week’s planning and zoning commission meeting--during which two development proposals were recommended for denial by the board--may not have been encouraging to the Tomahawke developers, who are asking for a much higher density development in a rural area than either of the two that were rebuked by the board last week.
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If you’re reading this before 11 a.m. Thursday, hurry and fax your NCAA basketball bracket to 816-858-2313, because it’s time for our annual Bracket Battle, with the winner getting $100. Please remember to put your name on your entry--you have no idea how many folks fax me a bracket without identifying who is making the picks. It’s tough for you to win that way because those things go in the trash.
Anybody finishing with a better score than your strikingly handsome publisher wins a two-year subscription to The Landmark. Watch the standings for our contest each week in this column space.
Here’s what you’re up against. My predicted winners:
FIRST ROUND
East Regional--North Carolina, Arkansas, Notre Dame, Winthrop, St. Joseph’s, Louisville, Butler, Tennessee.
Midwest Regional: Kansas, Kent State, Clemson, Vanderbilt, USC, Wisconsin, Davidson, Georgetown.
South: Memphis, Oregon, Temple, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Stanford, St. Mary’s Texas.
West: UCLA, Texas A&M, Drake, Connecticut, Purdue, Xavier, West Virgina, Duke.
SWEET 16
North Carolina, Notre Dame, Louisville, Tennessee, Kansas, Clemson, Wisconsin, Georgetown, Memphis, Temple, Stanford, Texas, UCLA, Connecticut, Xavier, West Virginia.
ELITE 8
North Carolina, Tennessee, Kansas, Georgetown, Memphis, Texas, UCLA, West Virginia.
FINAL FOUR
North Carolina, Kansas, Texas, UCLA.
CHAMPIONSHIP
UCLA 77, North Carolina 73.
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After taking a dramatic pause, our almost-weekly, barely fictional feature known as Dave's Diary, starring the never dull thoughts of Dave Brooks, barely mayor of Platte City, returns with renewed vigor. I’m channeling inside the mind of Mayor Dave at this very instant. Time to let the emperor take the stage.
THURSDAY, MARCH 20: Hello, Diary. Dave Brooks here. Perhaps you've heard of me. I'm kind of a big deal. People know me. You wanna know why? I’ll tell you why. I'm the full time mayor of Platte City, part-time voice of God.
I had a talk with Keith Moody today. Keith and I talk often. That's how stuff gets done around here. Keith must have been joking with me. I asked him what day it was and he said “Dave Brooks, today is Maundy Thursday.” I like how he calls me Dave Brooks. But I had to ask him, 'Well which is it Keith, is it Monday or is it Thursday? You're confusing the hell out of me.' Then he explained to me that Maundy Thursday has something to do with Easter. I think he said it's the Easter Bunny's birthday. I dunno, Keith kinda talks over my head sometimes. That guy is so smart. We should double his severance package. I'm sure sorry the aldermen almost fired him. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
In addition to the 169 hours a week I work as mayor, I’ve been busy on the homefront. I've cleaned the heavy brush/small forest out of my yard. I like to do that every couple years. Spruce things up before Election Day, if you know what I'm saying. Hey, I heard that ass from The Landmark went to Las Vegas last week. Haven't heard how he did but I hope he lost a lot of money, his pride, his self-respect and his left testicle. He never does Dave Brooks any favors. That's why Dave Brooks often glares at him when he's sitting in the audience at Dave Brooks’ meetings. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
Diary, I vetoed the trash ordinance but those crazy aldermen overrode my veto. I’ll show them. This week I’m going to veto Spring. That will hurt Aaron Jung’s landscaping business. Next I’m going to veto the use of foreign cars in Platte City. That will hurt Andy Stanton’s business. Then I’m going to ask our fine city attorney--man, I love that guy--if he can draft an ordinance that allows only one hardware store in Dave’s Town. Boom, there goes Rick Clark! Then I’m going to ask our fine city attorney if he can draft an ordinance that allows only one newspaper in Dave’s Town. Boom, there goes that ass from The Landmark! Then I’m going to ask our fine city attorney to draft an ordinance saying if you don’t live in Plate City you can’t own a business in Platte City. Boom, there goes 75% of our business community. Whew, Dave Brooks carries a mighty sword. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
All this deep thinking has worn me out. I need a nap. It’s Easter weekend so a lot of the little people are headed off to church. But Dave Brooks will avoid that hornet’s nest. Sometimes God gets upset when he thinks Dave Brooks is trying to compete.
Till next time, I’m outta here. Gotta pick up a present for the Easter Bunny. Remember, vote for me because when I win, we all win!
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Planning and zoning board brings it strong on Tuesday night
Posted 3/12/08
Mandated pre-pay at the pump could be coming soon to a small city near you.
At least one City of Tracy aldermen is pushing for the mandated pre-pay to be instituted at all gas stations within the city limits--that would be the KCL Trex Mart store in Tracy. The topic is scheduled to come up at the city board meeting later this month.
Patricia Neville, manager at the KCL Trex Mart in town, says the store adamantly opposes the proposal. She said the store prefers to be able to continue to give customers the option of pumping before they pay. She says the alderman pushing the proposal has indicated he would rather have Tracy’s police department focusing on other things than taking reports of gas drive-offs.
But is it really a problem for Tracy police? Neville says she has record of calling police to report a drive-off only 10 times in 2007. Less than once a month. She claims the Tracy police department doesn’t feel that ratio causes a burden on officers. Neville says store officials intend to show up at the city meeting to express their displeasure with the idea.
Many convenience stores in larger markets have gone to mandatory pre-pay. Some large municipalities require it. Tracy hardly qualifies as a large market or a large municipality. I’ve written in this column space previously about my dislike for mandated pre-pay, and specifically mentioned my habit of purchasing gas at the store in Tracy because of their current policy of allowing pump before you pay.
Many convenience store owners will tell you going only pay-at-the-pump is cost-prohibitive in the competitive gasoline market, a market that in large part is driven by convenience.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the metropolis of Tracy.
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Don’t forget to get your NCAA Basketball bracket to us by next Thursday, March 20 at 11 a.m. The Landmark hosts the biggest, best and longest-running public bracket battle in Platte County. You know the drill. Clip a bracket out of the daily papers or snatch one off the Internet and fax it to us at 816-858-2313 or email it to me at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com by deadline.
The bracket will be announced this Sunday evening on CBS Television.
Check out Brian Kubicki’s column for his predictions on the Big 12 tournament being played this week in Kansas City. Kubicki seems to be running a practice lap for your Landmark columnists’ bracket battle.
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Interesting news to come out of the meeting of Hoover area residents last Thursday night as they did their bi-weekly gathering to oppose the proposed 680 home development known as Lake at Tomahawke Ridge. Several pieces of new information, most from the mouth of MoDOT’s cocky cowboy Norm Beeman, came forth. Here are a couple of highlights (for more see front page story):
•MoDOT has a long-range plan to widen Hwy. 92, basically to three lanes (a center turn lane). Of course, Beeman basically admitted it could be another 20 years before that happens. It’s not in the department’s five year financial plan, and as Beeman pointed out, the agency prefers to spend its money “where people are getting slaughtered.”
Not enough slaughtering yet going on along Hwy. 92, apparently.
•Beeman says the average home with the average number of children generates about 10 traffic trips per day. Wow. That would mean this development would create increased traffic in that area of 6,800 cars per day. That’s an increase of 6,800. . .don’t forget that’s in addition to the traffic already traveling that area. That’s an overwhelming amount for an already dangerous roadway with rolling hills, limited sight distances, and far too narrow pavement.
“It’s an issue of safety, first and foremost,” said attorney Rob Willard, who along with Miller Leonard has been retained as legal counsel by neighbors opposing the development. “As a former prosecutor, I can tell you the number of cases dealing with traffic fatalities would increase. I’m not with the prosecutor’s office anymore, but with my training and experience I know what they would have to go through. This is just a nightmare waiting to happen. We would wake up from that nightmare when it was far too late to do anything about it,” Willard told me this week.
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I sat in on more than three hours of the five-hour Platte County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Tuesday night. It was interesting. Two controversial developments were voted down (recommended for denial) by the commission and will now be passed on to the county commission. Find more details on an inside page.
Eight planning and zoning commission members were present for Tuesday’s meeting. I was impressed with the level of questions the board members asked. Member David Picco particularly had a very strong evening, asking pointed questions and making some interesting remarks in the process. Some of Piccos’ best moments I noted as being:
•On the Beverly Plaza proposal, where a developer is non-specific about what types of businesses might go in his plan, Picco asked: “How can they do a traffic study without knowing what the uses are?”
•When told MoDOT had signed off on the traffic study for Beverly Plaza, Picco noted: “MoDOT approves a lot of stuff that seems dumb.”
•In another pointed remark about traffic studies (and what a joke those developer-funded things have become), Picco said: “For the audience, it seems like these guys with these traffic studies don’t know what they’re doing.” He said the county is in the process of trying to tighten the guidelines on traffic studies. “We intend to make them study things other than ‘how quickly can I get through an intersection?’” In other words, safety needs to become a priority for studies, not just convenience.
Amen. Nice job by Picco and his fellow board members Tuesday night.
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Mayor Dave’s Diary takes a week off but comes back next week with an extended episode.
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
It's tough to sympathize
with R-3 on this one
Posted 3/5/08
Can you believe it? It’s March. Ranks right up there on my list of favorite months of the year. Longtime readers know I have a college basketball fetish that gets fed this time every year. Check out the story on the front page to get the inside skinny on this year’s Landmark Bracket Contest, Platte County’s original, biggest and most fun public pick ‘em event. Win the deal and you get $100. Or simply beat my score and win two years worth of subscriptions to Platte County’s only county-wide newspaper. Yeah, I’m questioning your fanhood.
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Here’s your update on the State Rep. Jason Brown vs. Platte County R-3 Superintendent Dr. Mark Harpst verbal wrestling match. They continue to spat over Brown’s proposal to abate a warehousing development on City of KC-owned property at KCI. Brown says it’s about job creation, as 50 new jobs would be gained for the area under the first building phase. In the spirit of hyperbole and over-the-top dramatics, Harpst last week actually said the proposal would have “a devastating effect” on the district and its patrons.
Watching this argument play out has been quite entertaining to me. So I asked an outside observer to chime in. Judge Mills Lane (Let’s get it on!) was unavailable, so I put in a call to State Sen. Charlie Shields and asked him to weigh in. Shields agrees with Brown on the side of tax abatement and job creation. And remember, Shields is known as one of the most education-friendly politicians in the state. He is a past member of the Mid-Buchanan School Board. “From my viewpoint, I’ve always talked about the area around the airport and the I-29 corridor as a big priority for me. This is one little piece of that and is a step in the right direction. It’s all about job creation. I’m as pro-education as they come, I’ve been involved in schools all of my political life but at some point you have to do what’s right for all citizens and move an issue like this forward.” Shields says he believes R-3 can negotiate payments in lieu of taxes that would be fair. Chris Byrd, attorney for the city of KC, told me that both R-3 and Park Hill have made counter-offers to the city’s initial offer of 8 cents per square foot. The city is contemplating the offers at this time, Byrd said Tuesday.
But back to Shields. “The ability to grow the entire region and area will be beneficial. If you can develop ground around KCI it should contribute to the growth of the region. Secondary businesses on private ground in that area will go in and will pay property taxes, which ultimately would benefit the school district,” Shields explained. “If it was a residential development with 100 new houses, that would be different.”
I must side with Brown and Shields on this one. The school is getting zero tax dollars from this property right now. That’s zero as in nothing. As the state convincingly argues, you can’t lose what you don’t have. And the 50 new jobs created by the first building will actually be located within the Park Hill School District, not R-3. “I don’t see any way this could be devastating to the district. It will have no impact on the number of students,” Shields told me Tuesday.
As a general rule, I’m opposed to tax abatements. But if you’re ever going to do one, the place to do it is on ground that was purchased with Federal Aviation Administration money and therefore is not allowed to be sold to private interests. The developer in this case would only lease--not own--the property, even the above-ground improvements. And on Harpst’s comment that this would be financially devastating? Please.
It’s tough for a lot of taxpayers to shed a tear for R-3 right now. The school board over the past few years has made some questionable spending decisions. The district has spent millions in the toy department for fake grass on the football field. The district is spending millions to buy and rehab a building into a bus barn and an early childhood center (which will compete with private enterprise). The district is significantly overpaying its superintendent compared to schools of similar size. The school district failed to significantly roll back its tax levy in a reassessment year last summer, hitting taxpayers up for a 14% backdoor tax increase in a move the board president claimed was a “tax cut.”
Ouch. And yet school officials want to dramatically sniffle about this relatively insignificant proposal? They’re fighting for what they believe in. But don’t expect many taxpayers to be rushing for a box of Kleenex.
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Time once again for Dave’s Diary. It’s a weekly fictional look into the busy mind of Mr. Brooks, mayor of Platte City. Enter at your own risk.
Wednesday, March 5: Dear Diary. Hello darkness, my old friend. Dave Brooks has come to talk with you again. Spring is in the air. That's not necessarily good. You wanna know why? I'll tell you why. It means Dave Brooks is closer to having the reign of his kingdom challenged by Frank Offutt. It also means it will soon be mowing season, and my neighbors will be screaming about the height of my grass again. So I keep my grass several inches taller than anybody else, what's the big deal? It helps prevent water runoff and soil erosion. I like to think of it as Dave Brooks’ personal rain garden program. I am the environmentally-friendly mayor of Earth. And that's all I've got to say about that.
Dave Brooks' campaign picked up a big-time endorsement this week. Keith Moody and I were able to have a meeting with the spirit of Evel Knievel. I hadn't spoken with him since he stumbled through my Harley rally a few years ago. This week we got together and through frequent gulps of Budweiser (by him, not me, as Dave Brooks doesn't drink), Evel said he heartily supports the Dave Brooks for Mayor campaign. He said my campaign is going beautifully. But I suppose beauty is in the eyes of the beer holder. Evel said if I win the election I should jump the Platte River in my old pickup. The one with the Nebraska plates. Evel jumped on his Harley and revved his engine, but I warned him never to do that in Dave's Town because my police now have a decibel meter. That decibel meter is so sensitive it picks up the sound of my heart pounding when Aaron Jung and I argue at public works committee meetings. And that's all I've got to say about that.
That ass at The Landmark says it is time for March Madness. What does he mean? I'm mad at him 12 months out of the year. I don't need a special month for that. And madness? Hah. I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.
Till next time, Diary, remember to vote for Dave Brooks because when I win, we all win. Now let’s go neuter some cats.
(Abate Ivan’s taxes and neuter his cats via email to ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Brown-Harpst relationship tested; Zoning vs. land use
Posted 2/27/08
I’ve said before it’s often cheap entertainment watching public officials get into spats. We have one brewing between local State Rep. Jason Brown and the leadership at the Platte County R-3 School District.
Check out Alan McArthur’s front page story about Brown co-sponsoring a bill that would bring tax abated development within the boundaries of the R-3 district near KCI. Brown wants it to pass in the name of job creation. R-3 wants what it believes is fair payment from the proposed development to help fund operations necessary to educate new students who might be brought to the area by the development. Board members are upset, among other things, because Brown proceeded with this without a little forewarning. Also, behind the scenes some apparently hard feelings have emerged between Brown and Superintendent Dr. Mark Harpst over R-3’s decision in the past to negotiate and accepting cash payments in lieu of taxes to the district on other projects. Brown reportedly told one school board member in a phone conversation that Harpst negotiating such payments for the district is “evil and hypocritical.” I’m assuming he means he believes it is evil and hypocritical to the process of promoting economic development incentives.
Hmm. In the past Brown and Harpst have put forth a front that they genuinely are fond of each other. Harpst, as we all know, views himself as a master at public relations and takes pride in his ability to get along with anyone and everyone. While that’s an admirable goal for Harpst, most of us realize it’s only possible in fairy tales.
Anyway, this behind-the-scenes disagreement between the two might be fun to watch. Harpst, a.k.a. Dr. Evil, is in Jefferson City this week testifying in opposition to Brown’s bill.
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There seems to be a whole lot of confusion about Platte County’s Land Use Plan. The land use plan, as many readers know, spells out suggested uses for land areas throughout the county. The problem is the land use plan doesn’t always agree with how particular tracts of land are zoned. For instance, a tract could be designated as a rural area by the land use plan yet be zoned for multiple family residences.
This conflict between the plan and zoning is coming to the public forefront right now because a proposed 680 home development planned at Hwy. 92 and Winan Rd. about four miles east of Platte City would be a major step away from the suggested plan.
In a recent telephone interview with Presiding Commissioner Betty Knight, I asked her in general terms about the land use plan.
“It has seemed to work well. It isn’t something that I feel strongly about. We need to look to see if good things have happened or if it’s something we’ve had trouble with.”
Hmm. Time for some analysis. What I have witnessed while sitting in public meetings goes against Betty’s claim in her second sentence. She is the one commissioner who, during zoning discussions, almost always asks the question: “How does this fit into the Land Use Plan?”
Interesting that Knight seems to be shying away from her previous track record as this controversial development proposed by some of her campaign contributors looms on the horizon. Knight went on to say: “People didn’t want the county going in and rezoning their property. The land use plan is a concept, not something that we were going to go in and make you rezone property to fit that land use.”
I’m confused. If zoning isn’t going to conform to the land use plan, why spend thousands and thousands of dollars and waste hours of staff time developing a plan? Let’s be honest, the reason the county doesn’t go in and rezone property to fit the land plan is because it would create political pressure on people like Knight.
Doing the right thing isn’t easy. The right thing to do would be to take steps to have zoning match your land plan. If you don’t, you end up with areas of what is known as “spot zoning,” where a 680 home development on only 300 acres can actually be proposed in an area designated for 10-acre lots. Current county commissioners should develop some intestinal fortitude and do what’s right for neighborhoods instead of always doing what’s right for the deep pockets of developers.
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Here’s the newest entry in our weekly feature known as Dave’s Diary. It’s a barely fictional look at what’s going on inside the noggin of Dave Brooks, barely mayor of Platte City, in advance of his April 8 reelection effort.
Wednesday, Feb. 27: Dear Diary. Me again, Dave Brooks, writing notes to my best friend, Dave Brooks. I'm a little down today. We had a meeting last night. Aldermen voted to do away with the city's commercial trash dumpster service. It was due to some kind of ugly rumor that private haulers could do it a lot cheaper than my city could. Does it really matter? Don't people realize that trash service provided by Dave's Town is worth a lot more than trash service provided by somebody else? Why can't people understand that? God must love stupid people. He made so many. And what's up with these aldermen? Sometimes I think the gene pool could use a little chlorine. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
Listen, Diary, I've heard my opponent Frank Offutt does not keep a diary. This is another reason to vote for Dave Brooks. I think Offutt is jealous because the voices only talk to me. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
So yeah, Diary, I'm a little down right now, but it won't last long. Dave Brooks will put on his orange “Mayor” ball cap. Dave Brooks will then jump in his old pickup, the one with Nebraska license plates, and cruise down streets normally reserved for the little people in Dave's Town. I'll feel like a common man again, like I did before I started this six-year reign over my kingdom. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
I need to focus on the bright side right now because I’m hearing there are three, maybe four people who are considering voting against me in April. My Adopt-a-Soldier program is going very well. It’s going so well that I think I’ll adopt a highway and maybe two Russian orphans. Let’s see Offutt try to match that act of human kindness and compassion for which Dave Brooks is widely known! Whew! I still got it. Sometimes I have to force myself to go to sleep just so these ideas will stop flashing in my head. Good night, Diary. Remember, vote for me because when I win, we all win! And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Hot ‘n’ juicy
nuggets on the local
political scene
Posted 2/20/08
Here’s your local political scoopage for the week, the kind of inside skinny you always get first in The Landmark:
•The rumor mill says Marcena Fulton, for the past several years an assistant under Sandy Krohne in the county clerk’s office, will run for Platte County Assessor against incumbent Lisa Pope. If in fact she chooses to run, an announcement could come as soon as tonight (Wednesday) at the Democrats’ Project Change event in Parkville. Fulton was on her way back to Platte County from a trip to Florida when I tried to reach her for comment Wednesday morning.
•Alderman Todd Sloan seems to have gladly accepted the role of being Mayor Dave Brooks’ top henchman on the Platte City Board of Aldermen. Recently, one of Sloan’s roles has been to deliver messages from Mayor Dave to various aldermen. Instead of picking up the phone and giving his words of wisdom and attempted intimidation himself, Brooks’ new tactic is to have Sloan deliver the words.
•Word on the street is that Brooks did pick up the phone and call the division manager from Quik Trip after he appeared at last week’s session about trash rates in Platte City. Tone of the conversation from the mayor is said to have been less than cordial. Apparently Mayor Dave just can’t understand why a businessman would complain about paying three times more for trash service in Dave’s Town than he’s paying in other locales. That’s not hard for most of us to figure out. It is hard for Mayor Dave to comprehend. Mayor Dave likes to promote himself as a friend to business. When the mayor tries to intimidate businessmen into swallowing their tongues about high trash rates, is that considered business-friendly?
•Will he or won’t he? It appears no resume has been submitted yet from State Rep. Jason Brown in the pool of applicants to be Platte City’s next city administrator.
•We exposed recently that developers proposing the destined-to-be controversial 680-home “neighborhood” along Hwy. 92 and Winan Road are campaign contributors to incumbent first district county commissioner candidate Tom Pryor. The same developers have also given to Betty Knight, presiding commissioner, in her previous campaigns.
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Hope you’re enjoying the work each week of The Landmark’s two newest columnists, Democrat diehard Russ Purvis and Republican right guard James Thomas. Next week the pair will square off in their first point/counterpoint session. The topic? The Missouri Court Plan, which is the current process used for selecting judges in Missouri courts. Catch the boys each week on page 3.
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Missing her byline? Stacy Wiedmaier, on-the-rise reporter for your Landmark the past couple of years, has been recruited to join the staff of the Desert Sun, a daily newspaper in Palm Springs, Calif. Stacy, who has already moved to the left coast, will graduate from Park University in May with a double major in journalism and broadcasting. We’ll miss her.
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Time for the latest episode of Dave’s Diary, a clear look at the often times not-so-clear thought process of Dave Brooks, mayor of Platte City. Remember, this diary is fictional. Much like Dave’s recall of his time in office.
Wednesday, Feb. 20: Hello, Diary, it’s me, Dave Brooks. Part-time voice of God, full time mayor of Platte City. You wanna know why Dave Brooks should be reelected? I'll tell you why. In fact today seems a good day to remind the little people of all the good things Dave Brooks has done as mayor. No. 1: Dave Brooks has cleared City Hall of arrogance. I've done a mighty fine job of this. Nobody helped me. Did it all on my own. No. 2: I attracted a new library to Platte City. Dave Brooks did this all on his own. Sure, I know Mid-Continent Library has its own tax levy and its own board of directors who make these kind of decisions, but this new library just wouldn't have been built in Platte City if it weren't for Dave Brooks. Don't ask me how I know this, I just do. No. 3: Heartland Clinic never would have come to Platte City if it weren't for me. Just ask me. I did this. I went to the folks at Heartland and I said 'Look, gentlemen (I always say gentlemen even when there are ladies in the room), despite my best efforts, people are still getting sick in Platte City. We need a clinic. Please will you build one in Dave's Town?' They agreed with my forethought. They said without me they never would have realized illnesses occur in Platte City. Credit to me, Dave Brooks. No. 4: I'm bringing a new Price Chopper to town. Yes, I did this. Forget AWG or Paul Bresette (I always thought his name was Leo), this idea was totally mine. Well, mine and Keith Moody's. Nobody would have got the ball rolling if Keith and I hadn't held meetings and talked about food. Without Dave Brooks, those guys at AWG never would have realized that people in Platte City need to buy groceries. Credit Dave Brooks for making this happen. No. 5: Dave Brooks is responsible for development of a pocket park at the end of Main Street. Never mind that the Main Street Association and Olin Miller have been the driving forces behind this. Clearly it wouldn't be happening without Dave Brooks. Again, don't ask me how I know this. I just do. No. 6: I am working with Senator Sam Graves (I always refer to him as Senator, though somebody else told me he is a Congressman. Whatever, I'm Dave Brooks and I'll call him whatever I want) to secure federal funding to fix a sewer problem at the Platte River. I like to say it's a potential sewer problem. Though I guess the EPA saw it as more than potential when they wrote us a letter a few years ago telling us to stop allowing poopoo to flow into the river. God bless Sam Graves. Sam and I could really be buds but I think some of his people are tight with that ass at The Landmark. No. 7: I have continued the capital improvements program (CIP). I'm sure it will be pointed out that the CIP was started by my opponent Frank Offutt back in 1998. But as I like to say, it's not who started the job, it's who's finishing it. That would be Dave Brooks.
Yes, I'm Dave Brooks and I'm running for mayor. Vote for Dave Brooks because when I win, we all win. Unfortunately that includes that ass at The Landmark.
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
Character, safety of rural area placed in jeopardy
Posted 2/13/08
If you get a few moments, jump in your car and drive to Winan Road and Hwy. 92, about four and a half miles east of Platte City.
Please, carefully drive that tight, shoulder-less, hilly stretch of roadway with a couple of already dangerous intersections in place. After you’ve done so, answer this question: Would you pop over one of those hills, look down upon the Winan Road intersection, glance to the north and exclaim to yourself: “Hey, this looks like a great place to build 680 homes!”
Apparently developer Tim Dougherty would. Apparently property owner Hal Swaney would. But my guess is a majority of the rest of us won’t think it looks or sounds like a grand--or safe--idea.
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Notice the results of the Platte Profile survey found on your Landmark’s front page. Top concerns by respondents are road and bridge safety and traffic flow. Approval of a 680-home development in an area designed by the county’s land use plan as a rural policy area would only add to those problems.
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Also as the proposed 680-home development known as Lake at Tomahawke Ridge relates to it, note in the results of the Platte Profile survey that county residents really aren’t seeing a need for more affordable housing. This goes against what developer Tim Dougherty has been promoting as he touts his Tomahawke Ridge idea.
Dougherty is painting himself as sort of the Robin Hood of local developers, a guy willing to do one for the little people. “These are homes for young families, not rich people,” he has said.
This begs a couple of questions. Homes will start at $160,000. Number 1, as a letter-writer this week points out, is that considered affordable housing for a young family? And No. 2, is there a need or desire for more of this type housing? According to the county survey, there doesn’t appear to be.
I’m hearing more cries for preserving the rural landscape of the county than I am for crowding 680 “affordable” homes on 300 acres (actually more like 150 acres when area designated for green space within the development is subtracted).
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Speaking of green space inside of developments, another development in which Dougherty is involved is having trouble keeping its green space used for the purpose it was designed. This week, Gale Cantu, codes coordinator for Platte County, sent a letter to the Hills of Oakmont Homes Association, Inc.--of which Dougherty is a board member, according to papers on file with the secretary of state’s office--requesting that debris, junk and parked vehicles be removed from a green space area within 30 days. “Or we will be forced to send a violation notice,” the letter from Cantu states.
Cantu explained that if after 30 days the area has not been cleaned up, the association will get another 10-day window to take care of the problem. After that 10-day period, the codes coordinator will take pictures of the scene and present the information to the prosecutor’s office if the problem has not been properly handled. Violators can be charged with a misdemeanor, she says. “It would be a violation of the zoning order,” Cantu told me this week.
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What follows is the second installment of Dave's Diary, a barely fictional look at the thoughts of Dave Brooks, barely mayor of Platte City.
Thursday, Feb. 14:
Hey there, Diary, it's me, Dave Brooks. Finally, a moment away from all the nut bags. It’s so great to be alone with me, myself and I.
I'm excited because I want to share a special Valentine's poem I've written. Here it is: 'Roses are red, violets are blue, I love Dave Brooks, and Dave Brooks does too.'
I wanna tell you, poetry is hard stuff. It took me six hours to write that. But I can't take all the credit. Keith Moody actually wrote the first two lines. He said he was glad to help and only asked for another $36,000 in his severance package for doing it. God bless Keith Moody. I fear this city will crumble when he's gone. Thank God the city will still have Dave Brooks.
Anyway, the extra work on my Valentine message means I will spend 86 hours on the job as mayor this week. That’s the kind of work load that would drive a lesser man to drink. This is why I tell people you can't have a full time job and be mayor. In fact, I suggest we make that a city ordinance. . . you got a job, you can't be mayor. Period. End of story. This would forever limit my field of potential opponents to retired folks and homeless people.
We will have to talk more about this later because right now I need to get to work on some unfinished projects before Frank Offutt tries to steal my throne. Number 1, I propose that the city spend $30,000 or $50,000 or whatever it takes to build a really nice “Welcome to Dave's Town” sign as you come into the city from the east. I suggest a life-sized sculpture of Dave Brooks. Marsha Clark says she wants a cannon. Maybe we could combine Marsha's idea with mine. Maybe place a Dave Brooks sculpture alongside a cannon aimed at the testicles of a statue of an un-neutered cat.
Brilliant! You gotta admit it would send a message about what is important in life: Dave Brooks and sterile cats. Another problem solved by Dave Brooks. I am an idea machine. I've got lightning in my brain. It’s no wonder I am the official Mayor of Earth!
Hey Diary, I just came up with a cheer to use in my reelection campaign. Maybe the Kitty Cat ladies will chant this at all my rallies. It goes like this: “Don't mess with the best cuz the best don't mess, don't fool with the cool cuz the cool don't fool. GO DAVE BROOKS!!”
Whew! Till next time, remember to vote for Dave Brooks, because when I win, we all win! Love, Me.
(Email Ivan at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
First installment of Dave's Diary;
Bad timing for Pryor
Posted 2/6/08
In a Between the Lines exclusive, I have been able to use my extensive mind-reading powers to obtain entries into the diary being kept by Platte City Mayor Dave Brooks as he embarks on his campaign for reelection. Each week from now till Election Day, somewhere on this opinion page I’ll bring you the latest entry in the barely fictional feature known as Dave’s Diary. Here we go:
Saturday, Feb. 2, 9 a.m.:
Dear Diary: Hello, it's me, Dave Brooks. I've come to talk with me again. You wanna know why? I'll tell you why. Because Dave Brooks is the only one smart enough to understand Dave Brooks. Well, Keith Moody understands Dave Brooks, because he's smart like Dave Brooks. But soon Keith and I won't be talking as frequently so it's just gonna be Dave Brooks talking to Dave Brooks on these teardrop-stained pages.
I can't wait to step outside today, Diary, you know why? I'll tell you why. Because today is Groundhog Day, which means if Dave Brooks sees his shadow the people of Platte City get six more weeks of outstanding governmental leadership.
If I don't see my shadow I bet that guy at The Landmark will say I violated the Sunshine Law again.
This whole seeing your shadow thing is so easy for me. I guess some people don't realize that Dave Brooks is the decider on whether or not the sun shines in Platte City. On the days Dave Brooks wants sunshine, Dave Brooks just gets up really early and places the sun in the sky. That's all there is to it. Really, who do people think puts the sun in the sky? OK, some folks might say God but Dave Brooks thinks God is too worried about avoiding traffic on Barry Road and paying $3 a gallon for gasoline. Dave Brooks knows that if God rode a Harley he would save money on gas. Dave Brooks will mention this to God in our next conversation.
But enough talk about religion, Diary, it is distracting me from my primary goal. Today Dave Brooks is kicking off his campaign for reelection as mayor of Platte City. That guy at The Landmark is such an ass. He says I consider myself the official Mayor of Earth. So wrong. I just want to be mayor of Platte City and several miles beyond. It is my calling. The people need me. I'm confident. I'm smart. I'm confident that I'm smart. I could sell an ice box to an Eskimo. And gosh darn it, people like me. I know they do because I told me so.
Anyway, my old political nemesis Frank Offutt wants to steal this job from me. Frankly, Offutt (Hah! See what I did there? Dave Brooks just made a joke. Did you get it? Frankly Offutt. . . as in Frank Offutt? I kill me!) doesn't stand a chance. I beat Offutt in 2002 because people were tired of arrogance at City Hall. If there's one thing Dave Brooks can say it is that Dave Brooks has cleared City Hall of arrogance. And Dave Brooks did that all on his own. Dave Brooks. . .the eliminator of arrogance! That should be my campaign slogan.
No, here is a better campaign slogan. “
