Larson-Bunnell Dances Around the Issue of Storm Water Pipe Repairs

If you scroll down to my post of 4/6/19 you will see my email to Councilmember Lisa Larson-Bunnell.  I was upset that she had failed to notify her constituents of the pending potential $140 million in storm water pipes over the next 10 years.  She just glossed over the item. 

She did reply to me and also she posted that to her FB page.  What she failed to do was to post my original email in its entirety.  Of course she didn't.  Why, because obviously she wanted to hide the projected $140 million in potential repairs.

Anyway, my policy has been to publish the replies I receive.  Her reply is posted below, and following that is my reply to that.  She was appointed as a placeholder to temporarily fill an open seat.  I hope that the voters in Ward 3 have the common sense not to elect her at the special election.  I know that I would not want a council member hiding very pertinent info from me.  But then, she apparently is a proponent of the proposed new community center and maybe she is afraid that if the storm water pipe repairs came out folks might have second thought about wasting $54 million on that project.

Her reply to my original email:

Good Morning Ray,

Sorry for the delay.  I read your e-mail late last night and wanted to reflect on my post and the meeting before responding.

First, I want to thank you for reaching out.  I also want to thank you for reading my council meeting updates.  As per our previous conversations, it is important to me that I consider all constituent feedback.  As a result of your e-mail, I took the time to listen to the meeting recording this morning and  read the staff memo again.  I wanted to be sure that I did not misunderstand any of the meeting materials.

When I listened to the presentation during the Council Committee meeting, I left with the understanding that we have a long road ahead of us to deal with the corrugated metal pipe system that supports a lot of our storm water traffic.  Simply put, when storm water management comes up in future budget deliberations, this is not the place to try to cut funding.    You are correct that there are many repairs that will need to take place in the future.  These repairs will have a substantial cost.  But, just like any other infrastructure need, those costs will be divided over several budget years.  There was no indication that we will not have the funds in the long term to appropriately deal with the issue.  There was also not a request for emergency funding to address unmet needs.

Based on my previous impression from the meeting, as well as my fresh look at the materials, I stand by my original post.

Thank you again for your feedback.  I am not perfect, and I will readily admit when I have made a mistake and take steps to remedy it.

Have a great weekend.

Lisa


My reply to her reply:

Lisa,

I agonized over the weekend on how to respond to you. 

The only answer I came up with was to be direct.  Your reply was, IMHO, a typical lawyerly Tijuana Two Step.  You said a lot, but said nothing.

Not telling the residents of the ward what the projected repair amounts is, IMHO bordering on ineptness on your part and a form of deception.  What’s the legal term?  Lying by omission?

Tonight it may be a “small” amount but the council will be voting on paying an additional $200K+ on an existing project.

Ray

Is The City of Shawnee Playing Games to Confuse?

If one goes to the Vote Yes FB page https://www.facebook.com/VoteYESShawneeCommunityCenter/ you will see that they are now pushing for a "Shawnee 101" event at the civic centre, the same day and time as what the proposed community center info meeting is scheduled for.  The Shawnee 101 is a program that explains to folks how the city works.  Are there going to be two meetings that night?  Ironically the "Shawnee 101" meeting does not and has not appeared on the city's calendar as recently as about 30 minutes ago.  Is the city getting scared about folks speaking out about the proposed community center?  Are they deliberately trying to confuse folks, or even change the reason for the meeting at the last minute?

First two pix below are screen shots of the Yes FB page.  Third pic is the city's calendar.
Click on the images to see larger views.

Vote NO! Flyers On The Way

Vote NO! on the proposed new community center flyers are on the way.

Below are copies.  Click on the images to see a larger view.  And remember:

1.  Show up at the Shawnee Civic Centre 13817 Johnson Drive (Johnson just west of  Pflumm) 6:00-7:30 presentation starts at 6:30
2.  Be prepared to voice your opinion as a citizen of Shawnee
3.  Do not let city staff attempt to intimidate you to not speaking your mind.  Recently at another meeting Councilmembers Sandifer and Constance tried that.  They were not successful, because they were wrong. Citizens have a right to speak and hear the truth on this issue.  Reference is made to Section 3 of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the State of Kansas and the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.  Interference with those rights can be construed as civil rights violations, subject to both civil and/or criminal penalties

Website:   https://www.betterwayshawnee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BetterShawneeKS
Twitter:     https://twitter.com/BetterShawneeKS

Lisa Larson-Bunnell Hides Info From Ward 3 Constituents

Below you will find a copy of an email I sent to the Ward 3 Councilmember Lisa Larson-Bunnell.
Below that, you will see a copy of the info as presented by the Public Works Director.  Simply stated her Facebook entry basically ignored the future potential costs to the city for storm water pipe repairs.  what is she going to do when the figures come out about street repairs? 

Why was she not more open about this item?  Is she afraid that if folks in her ward knew about these costs they would really be hesitant in supporting the $38 million bond issue (true cost $54 million) to build the proposed community center?  Is she afraid that if her ward residents knew about these costs that it would hurt her election chances in November?  Remember, she was appointed as a place holder for Justin Adrian who is facing criminal charges.  The November special election would be to serve the remaining two years of that term.  Or is she concerned or worried about incurring the wrath of her fellow Ward 3 rep, Stephanie Meyer? 

Anyway, here we go:

Good afternoon....................

I just read your FB post for the third time, since I could not believe what you posted.  This is what I am talking about:

First, we heard a summary of the planned changes from Johnson County for storm water management. That was immediately followed by an update from our Public Works department about our storm water management needs in Shawnee. The take away from that session is that we have significant storm water management work that needs to be done to replace old corrugated metal pipes. The good news is that there is a plan to replace those pipes over time using a reasonable schedule

 Attached to this email is a copy of the slide that the PW director included in his presentation which clearly shows the financial burden the city is facing in the next 10 years because of the poor condition of the storm water pipes.  A condition that is so bad, it is projected that the city will need to spend  $99-$140 million over the next 10 years. Your job is to inform your constituents of this fact, not gloss over it with comments like an “interesting presentation”  Or is it that you are so hung up on pushing for the new community center that you do not want this type of information to be out there?  Remember, not very many people attend these meetings and probably few access the info on line.  It is your job to be up front with your constituents.  IMHO, you have failed miserably in this case.  What was it you said about being open when you were appointed to the council? 
What are you going to do when the new figures for the condition and repair costs come in for our streets?  Are you going to be deceptive about those costs also?

Ray

 

Click on the above image to view it in a larger format.  Also, because of a glitch, the file was not included in the original email to the council member but was sent separately within minutes

 

Informational Meeting Proposed Community Center Wed 4/10/19

City staff will be having an informational meeting about the proposed new community center.

Date:  Wednesday April 10, 2019
Location:  Shawnee Civic Centre 13817 Johnson Drive (just west of Pflumm)
Time:  6:00PM to 7:30 PM (presentation will be at 6:30 PM)

It is very important that as many individuals as possible attend this presentation.  The city has not been totally open about various issues that pertain to this project.  These items need to be brought out to the public. 

It is sincerely hoped that city staff does not attempt to stifle citizen input, like Councilmembers Sandifer and Constance attempted but fortunately failed to do at their "cookies and conversation".

The people have a right to be heard, and they will be heard.   And anyway, why not?  Are there those who are afraid of the truth?

Vote NO - Web Site and Facebook Info

OK, looks like there is a grassroots effort to get the truth out about the proposed new community center and to really educate folks about voting NO to stop it.

The website is https://www.betterwayshawnee.com/

The Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/BetterShawneeKS

If you would like to help stop this boondoggle please visit the above.

Updates: Community Center & Council Members Sandifer and Constance

Here are some updates.

Update #1:  The city has updated its web site to show that the actual cost of the Community Center is $54 million (20 years x $2.7 million to pay back the bonds) and they are also showing the info about the first five years of shortfalls (totaling approximately $1.5 million).  The first item was actually never spelled out and the second item was buried.  They are still buried, but not as bad.  Do you think that maybe the fact that yours truly wrote the city manager and advised that IMHO the city was advocating and not educating and threatening to file a complaint with the DA  had anything to do with the info being posted as it is now?  He answered one email but not the second.  Unfortunately the Quick Reference Guide and the mailer the city is planning on sending have not been changed.  Looks like we might still have to file that complaint with the DA.

Update #2:  Please see the two previous posts about how the councilmembers mentioned above tried to shut down citizen comments.  Constance kept trying to put it off until "the end".  Sure, she wanted to limit the time of input.  Didn't work.  Did either of these two stalwarts of the community read the info that was posted on the city's web site (calendar)?  The notice of their "cookies and conversation" reads as follows (highlights mine, maybe they both need remedial classes in reading for comprehension):

Date and Time	March 26 2019 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Location	Monticello Library at 22435 W. 66th St.
Description	Join Ward 4 Councilmembers Mickey Sandifer and Lindsey Constance for some Shawnee updates as well as an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas. This will be held Tuesday, March 26th at the Monticello Library at 22435 W. 66th St. from 6:30pm-7:3   Check out season 1 episode 2 of the TV show Parks & Rec

Lindsey Constance (Ward IV) Hides the Facts

Received her monthly newsletter the other day.  In it she had this comment:

"On Tuesday March 26th, Council-member Sandifer and I hosted a community conversation for Ward 4 residents at the Monticello Library."

Sooooooooooo, what facts did she hide?

First, that this was probably the largest community conversation that she and Sandifer have hosted.  Can't understand why she would not mention that. That's positive. Possibly it was because, even though she and Sandifer tried to stop it, most of those in attendance were against the proposed new community center.

Guess she didn't want to mention that to those readers of her newsletter who did not attend.

That is sneaky Lindsey, almost deceptive. 

Why doesn't Sandifer publish a monthly newsletter?  Could it be because he can't BS the written word like he can when he is talking to people?

Sandifer & Constance Need A Civics Lesson

First, please read (or re-read) my post immediately below dated March 27, 2019.

It is my firm belief that both council members Mickey Sandifer (15 years on the council) and Lindsey Constance (an educator by profession) need an updated civics lesson. 

So, to help these two folks the following items are submitted:  the first page of the monthly report as published by the city and is available to view on line.  It is the city's organization chart.  Please note who sits on the top level of the hierarchy.  Click on the image to see a larger view.

 

 

Next is something that I have had to remind various council members of from time to time.  It is section 3 of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the State of Kansas (highlighting and bold by me for effect):

 

§ 3. Right of peaceable assembly; petition. The people have the right to assemble, in a peaceable manner, to consult for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to petition the government, or any department thereof, for the redress of grievances.

 

Source reference for above is:  https://kslib.info/826/Kansas-Bill-of-Rights



"This I s Not A Town Hall. This Is Our Show" ....Mickey Sandifer 3/26/19

Let's keep this short and sweet.  Last night councilmembers Mickey Sandifer and Lindsey Constance had a "cookies and conversation" at the Monticello Library.

Naturally, the conversation got around to the proposed new community center.  After various individuals provided some pushback about the project a visibly upset Mickey Sandifer shouted out the quote you see in the title of this blog post.

One of the attendees shouted back that it was not their (Sandifer and Constance's) show but that they worked for us.  I believe Mickey was unnerved by the reaction. 

Methinks that maybe he has been on the council too long and possibly has forgotten who his employers are.  Maybe it's time for a change in Ward IV if he is going to have that attitude.

When one of the attendees pointed out that the cost of the project was actually $54 million (20 years x $2.7million) Lindsey Constance came out with a comment that I found laughable.  She indicated that when she bought her new house she looked at the selling price and not the total cost over the term of the mortgage.  She apparently needed to be reminded that when someone buys something over an extended period of time (be it a house or a car) they are required to be given documentation as to what the total cost is.  But apparently that does not apply to the city when financing projects like this.  Bury that info or make folks figure it out for themselves.  And this is the attitude of someone entrusted with teaching our youth at a very malleable stage of their lives?  Ouch!!!!

Community Meeting Tuesday March 26, 2019

There will be a community meeting on Tuesday 3/26/19 hosted by Ward IV councilmembers Mickey Sandifer and Lindsey Constance.  Remember you don't have to be a resident of Ward IV to attend.  When the council meets as a whole body the members are voting for city items not necessarily individual ward items, so it is imperative that members from all wards converse with the council members on all projects.  Here is your opportunity to speak directly with two of them.

Here is the meeting info for Tuesday night:

Date and Time	March 26 2019 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Location	Monticello Library at 22435 W. 66th St.
Description	Join Ward 4 Councilmembers Mickey Sandifer and Lindsey Constance for some Shawnee updates as well as an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas. This will be held Tuesday, March 26th at the Monticello Library at 22435 W. 66th St. from 6:30pm-7:30pm.

Proposed Community Center To Operate At A Loss

On March3, 2019 I published the below chart which was part of the city's presentation of the proposed community center. 

Click on the image to see an enlarged copy.

Another citizen posted the above to a FB page and justifiably questioned the center running in the red.

These are the comments I posted to that FB page:

Interesting item to note. The negative numbers in the above chart are in black ink instead of red. They show as negative by using parenthesis, but anybody giving them a cursory glance might not realize that they are negative. 

 At the 2/11/19 city council meeting, Mr. Darin Barr of Ballard*King (the company working up all the different numbers) had this to say: "We made sure that the negatives weren't in red, so it's not as jarring" And that is a direct quote from the published minutes of that council meeting. And, to top it off, that chart is not shown on the quick reference guide on the city's web site or in the recent City Line newsletter, nor will it appear in the new "educational mailer". You have to go to the city's web site and dig down to the full presentation to find it.

Deception?  Deceit?  You decide. 

Excessive Salaries for Proposed Community Center

Here is some interesting info regarding the proposed salaries at the proposed community center. 

Ballard & King is the company that the city contracted with to do the financial projections. Click on the image to see a larger view. 

Note the number of positions of $53K/year or more.  Not bad for working in leisure clothes in a temperature controlled facility. Then remember that PD & FD folks start out at around $42K-$43K/year and are expected to place themselves in danger. Something is wrong here.

Ballard & King has already shown that the facility will run in the hole every year, part of which has to be attributed to these excessive salaries.  Wow, so the council will have to dig into the general fund to take away from other areas (yes, possibly PD & FD) to cover the deficits caused by this facility.

Please click on the image below to view a larger rendition.

The ATM Surprise! Or Is It?

A recent article in the Shawnee Mission Post told about Academy Bank putting in two new express banking units (ATMs).  The address of one of them was given as 10820 Shawnee Mission Parkway, in Shawnee.  Knowing the numbering system of the streets in Shawnee, that struck a note.  Hmmm, three blocks east of Nieman.

Guess what that location is?  That is the new office building that developer Kevin Tubbesing put in.  And guess what, his wife Dawn Tubbesing (former Councilmember Dawn Kuhn) is a VP of Academy Bank.  Neat coincidence.

Now Dawn (formerly Kuhn) Tubbesing is running for mayor.  Hmmmm, also interesting.  Why?  Well, Mr. Tubbesing has received various financial incentives over the years for his projects.  Now, if his wife becomes mayor, and if he submits more projects with incentives would she be able to recuse herself from any and all deliberations?  And even if she did, would she stay out of any backroom discussions concerning those projects?  We remember her.  The one who would talk on, and on, and on, and on and on (old motormouth).

So now I ask, is Dawn (formerly Kuhn) Tubbesing really interested in what happens in Shawnee or does she want to work in tandem with her husband to become Shawnee's numero uno power couple?  Personally I hope we never find out because it is my opinion that Dawn (formerly Kuhn) Tubbesing would be a disaster for the city.  A big time disaster.

Sidebar:  What were and who benefited the most from all the work done on the creek to the north of that new building?  Anybody who can supply me with the info, it would be appreciated.

Tax, Tax and More Tax - And The Proposed Community Center

Guess what?  JoCo has sent out the new appraisals that were used to determine property taxes.

Guess what?  Appraisals went up.  Word on the street is that some of the amounts were substantial.

Guess what?  That will apply to business and residential properties

Guess what?  Now add the proposed increase that would come with an approval for the new community center. 

Now, if you are a business or resident who rents instead of owns, you will still get hit by the new appraisals.  Why/  Because when your lease comes up your landlord will raise the rent.  Just like the landlord will raise the rent if the proposed mill levy increase is approved for the community center.

Oh, and let's not forget those folks who not only have residences here, but so are their businesses.  Double whammy, just to build a Taj Mahal in western Shawnee.

Tax, tax and more tax.  Pretty pictures by the city cannot deny the fact that everybody will pay more.



Shawnee Misleads and Misinforms Citizens

The spring edition of the city's City Line news magazine is out.  There is a two page article describing the proposed new community center.  Who actually wrote that article?

One item of important info is nowhere to be found in that article.  The fact that the proposed center is projected to run in the red for the first five years.  That total is in the neighborhood of $1.5 million.  And since many of these types of centers never can cover their operating costs, that would project out to approximately $6 million over 20 years.  Again I ask, which essential city services will be pushed aside for this Taj Mahal.  Why?  Because the deficits in opeations/maintenance are not covered by the $38 million (total payback $54 million).  They have to be covered by the general fund.

The chart below was in some city documents, but one has to drill down to find it.  I mentioned it in last Sunday's post.

Click on the image below to see a larger easier to read version

 

 

 

And don't forget, besides the mill levy increase, there will be membership fees (that don't cover expenses)

 

 

BTW, has anybody ever heard the legal term "lying by omission"?  Just curious.



Proposed Community Center - Will Always Run in the Red

At the 2/11/19 council meeting the chart below was submitted but not listed in the Quick Reference Guide.  Maybe by now it has been.

anyway, what this chart show is that for the first five years the community center is projected to be in the hole for $1.5 million.  These are funds that are not covered by the mill levy increase (the $38 million in bonds).  These are funds that will need to be subsidized by the general fund.  Which city services will be curtailed to account for these funds?  Just projecting forward , that could be as high as $6 million for 20 years.  And that could go up with inflation, salary increases, utility costs, building and equipment maintenance etc.  Membership and program fees will not cover operating costs and expenses.

Click on the image to see a larger version

 

Vote "NO" on the May 2019 mail ballot

Vote "NO" to the Taj Majal on Woodland

 

 



A Bunch of Us "Told ya So" - Let's Learn From This

Well, after only three years in business Nuts and Bolts at the Shawnee Parkway Plaza is closing.  Some folks are going to get upset by what I am about to say.  It was the ownership of this Nuts and Bolts that were the owners/force behind the shopping center's redevelopment.  Tough.

When this project came up for approval there were many folks that were concerned about the amount and number of incentives.  Also did we really need another hardware store to compete with Ace Westlake, Hartman, Lowes, Home Depot, and yes even Wal Mart?  And, why was the council actually paying for this company to compete against existing businesses? 

On a positive note, the shopping center does look better than before the remodeling.  Ironically, Nuts and Bolts was almost the last business to occupy its spot.  Also the two businesses that seem to be the most prolific are Johnny's Tavern who moved from across the Parkway to a larger venue and Savers which was in the shopping center before the center was sold to the current owners.

Now, let's look at two other projects that are still in the works.

Belmont Promenade:  When first presented to the city the developer regaled everyone with tales of how the proposed center would have upscale retail and dining establishments.  He even paraded a group of HS students to the podium who just gushed about how fortunate they would be to have local jobs instead of having to work at Village West/The Legends.  Then the plans change and now the developer wants to make it a multi-use project.  What happened to those upscale retail and dining establishments?  Now it appears that any retail and dining will be common and ordinary.  That is if the council goes along with the massive economic incentives.  And why has the developer never revealed what establishments have committed or expressed an interest in the project.  Ahhh, that's confidential.  Horse patootie.  Other developments in the metro have indicated who they are bringing in ahead of their municipalities' approving funding.

Westbrooke Green:  OK, the positive thing about this project is the potential to redevelop a very large, dormant shopping center at the intersection of two major thoroughfares in Shawnee.  But what has transpired.  Again, we were regaled with overt pomposity about upscale merchants and eating establishments in this proposed multi-use development.  A local citizen even addressed the council saying she could name class restaurants in Overland Park but not Shawnee and this would bring those types of establishments to Shawnee.  I say horse patootie to that one too.  In December 2017 when the project came for a vote before the council, the council was asked to table it for 30 days?  Why?  Because in January the new council would be seated (3 seats were changing) and it was felt by some that those voting on this project (regardless of what that vote was) should be around to be held accountable.  Couldn't be done.  It was important to move forward quickly as that would throw the timetable off.  Couldn't delay 30 days.  Demolition of the existing center was to begin October 2018.  So, what happens?  The developer asks for an extension of the demolition to August 2019.  So much for saving time.  Why the extension?  According to the developer's attorney the financial stack had not been completed.  Interpret that to mean they had not been able to arrange financing.  Strange, since this developer we were told had an extremely positive track record.  And again, there is no indication of who the retail and dining establishments would be.  Anyway, I challenged the council to a bet that demolition would not begin in August and that the developer would be asking for another extension.  Nobody on the council accepted the challenge but the developer's attorney did.  Dinner at the Hereford House is the challenge.

Going forward it has been suggested to council that developers produce letters of commitment or intent from merchants before votes are taken on approving any financial incentives.

Clarifying Misinformation Regarding Council Action For Vote on Proposed New Community Center

Based on correspondence that I have received there is an apparent misunderstanding about the city council's vote on Monday 2/11/19.

The council did NOT vote to approve the new proposed community center.  The council voted to put it on an election ballot and let the citizens of Shawnee make that decision.

There are many who oppose this monstrosity, this Taj Mahal on Woodland.  Efforts must be made to inform the citizens of the realities of how bad this project is.  Efforts must be made to also monitor whatever information city staff puts out as part of the "education" process.  How forthcoming will that info be?

Let's start with this.  The bond amount is $38 million.  The payments are $2.7 million for 20 years.  Where I come from 20 x 2.7 equals 54.  Yepper, $54 million.  But, none of the documents or info sheets presented mentioned that.  How many folks glanced over that without doing the math?

More info on other aspects of this project to come:  Vote "NO" on 5/21/19 for the Taj Mahal on Woodland.  Remember, it is a mail ballot.  Ya don't even have to put a stamp on the return envelope.  Just vote "NO", put it in the envelope and give it to your carrier.

VOTE "NO" On 5/21/19

 

 

 

 





Ballot Question Gets A Revision - Proposed Community Center

Last night at the council meeting the proposed new community center was on the agenda.

The concept of leaving the decision to the voters is good, but, the original question that was proposed to be on the ballot was extremely deceptive.  The original question indicated that the project would cost $38 million and be covered by a bond issue. 

What was disconcerting about the original wording was that it did not say where the money was coming from.  A last minute change to the wording indicated that it would come from a mill levy increase.  That is a more honest approach.

The people of Shawnee need to know the good, the bad and the ugly about this project.

They need to know that if it passes:
1.  There will be a mill levy increase
2.  It is not a free use facility, fees to use it will be charged (on top of the mill levy increase)
3.  It will not be self sufficient as far as continuing operations.  The cost of running the facility will be in the negative in excess of $200K a year.  that money will come from the general fund and take away from needed services.

Sidebar:  The gentleman Eric Danielson who spoke as the representative for a citizen's involvement group could have been more forthcoming.  Even though he is a Shawnee resident, I feel that he should have mentioned that he is an employee of J E Dunn who has an interest in this project.  As a citizen of Shawnee he has every right to speak on this item.  But, being employed by a company with a stake in the project should have been mentioned. 

Taj Mahal Relocates From India to Shawnee

On Monday 2/11/19 the City Council will vote to put an item on a mail ballot election.  This item would be to issue $38 million in bonds to construct a new Community Center in west Shawnee.  The repayment of the bonds plus interest would be covered by a mill levy increase.  Dose Shawnee really need this?  Does Shawnee really need the debt?  Especially since the Community Center is estimated to lose over $200K a year (operating expenses vs revenues).  That means the center would have to be subsidized from the general fund.  Monies which could go to other items that need to be addressed.

Come to the meting at City Hall Monday night 2/11/19.  It starts at 7PM.
And when the item shows up on the ballot................vote NO

Does Shawnee really need this?

Park Board to Preview Presentation of Proposed Community Center

It's really simple, the Park and Recreation Advisory Board will get a preview of what the council will get at the next council meeting.

The Park Board meeting is on Thursday Feb 7 at 5:30PM
The Council meeting will be Monday Feb 11 at 7:00PM
Both meetings are at City Hall 11110 Johnson Drive.

Regardless of your position on this project it might be a good idea to attend these meetings and see what is going on.

The city is looking at a possible mail in election for May to increase the mill levy to finance a potential $34 million dollar project.

Don't put yourself in the position where you wind up asking,  "How did/didn't this happen?"

Show up, pay attention, become informed.  The public will be able to comment at the Council meeting.

Council Meeting Feb 11, 2019 - Proposed New Community Center

As of right now it appears that certain items relative to the new proposed community center will be on the agenda.

These would include:
A.  Final cost factors
B.  Proposed wording of the ballot question for the May mail in ballot regarding the mill levy increase.

Will the ballot wording include the fact that the mill levy increase has no expiration date?  Will it include the information that traditionally facilities like this do not, thru fees and memberships, cover yearly operating expenses?  Just look at those factors for our existing swimming pools.  And that any annual shortfall would have to be covered by the general fund.

Unfortunately we will not find out that info until Feb 7, 2019, four days before the meeting.  That is the statutory requirement for that info to be published to the public.  Is that really enough time for citizens to absorb what is probably going to be a lengthy document(s)?

I urge the city manager and staff to get that info out to the public prior to 2/7.  I doubt if you will be waiting until the last minute to have all of your info together.  Give the public the real time needed to absorb the info and be able to comment intelligently.

Dawn "Kuhn" Tubbesing Running for Mayor-Linked In Profile is Out of Whack

Well Dawn Tubbesing has filed to run for mayor of Shawnee.  Anybody doing a search of the various on-line social sites needs to remember that when she did serve on the city council it was with the surname of Kuhn.  So, to get a true reading search both names.

Now here is a funny one.  She resigned from the city council in August of 2013 to be effective in Ocxtober since she was relocating out of Ward 3 because of her pending marriage at that time.  So far, so good.  Doing things right.

But what did she do?  Or actually not do?  It's been 5-1/2 years since her resignation but she apparently has never modified, or deleted her Linked In web page.  That means that that page still, as of this writing shows her as an active city council person, and supposedly has been one for 14 years 10 months.  I'm sure she'll come up with some kind of bovine scatological reason for not changing that page.  Heaven forbid she would never deliberately leave it up there to mislead local residents who don't follow local elections that closely.  She probably has been too busy over the past 5-1/2 years to take the 10 minutes or so to take care of this.

In case she finally decides to change it the link is
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-kuhn-9a766614/

And here is a screen capture:

We will have more commentary concerning her candidacy as time goes on.  Suffice it to say her election would be disastrous for Shawnee.

Stephanie "The Liar" Meyer Wants to be Council President

It’s on the agenda for Monday’s meeting, 1/14/19.

Calling a sitting city councilmember a liar is a tough thing to do.  Unless as in this case it is true.

First, let’s look at what Ms. Meyer wants.  She wants to be Council President.  The Council President has some clearly defined responsibilities and functions.  One of these is to assume the office of  Mayor if for some reason the mayor is unable to complete his/her term.  The other function is to chair the council committee.

Rather than copy|paste abunch of emails I will provide a synopsis of what transpired and end it with a copy|paste of my last email to her.

This all started with a dialogue about the proposed new community center on the west side.  Ms. Meyer claimed that she know the pulse of her constituents.  I questioned that because she had run unopposed in the last city election.  She came back in a very bullying manner (ala Jeff Vaught who she now seems to be channeling) claiming I did not not know how she handled her campaigning.  She claimed she walked her ward in that last election even though she ran unopposed.

She was asked to produce a copy of her walking card.  What is a walking card?  That is that card that candidates have printed, usually about twice the size of a standard post card.  It contains info on what the candidate stands for.  It is used by candidates to remind citizens who the candidate is.  And, if the citizen is not home, it’s a notice that the candidate stopped by (usually left in the door).

She failed to produce a copy of the walking card and never even responded to the request to see it.  Why?  Because she never had any printed.  I had already pulled her campaign finance reports.  She had no contributions listed and no expenses listed.  Ergo, she never bought and paid for any walking cards.  No candidate is going to walk a ward without this type of card.  So she lied about walking the ward in the last city election.  She did mention that walked the state rep district (which is a larger geography) in 2012.  Ahhh yes, believe that was a primary in which Charles Macheers beat her by almost 2:1.

For the record, Ms Myer has never been challenged  for her position on the city council.  She was originally appointed to fill the seat that became open when Dawn Kuhn resigned and then ran unopposed.  Of course she got votes that year.  There was no other choice.

IMHO, that because of her lying about walking the ward, that any councilmember who votes for her for Council President is morally deficient.

Here’s the copy|paste of my final email to her (which includes some quoting from her email):

===========================

Stephanie,

You have not provided me with a copy of your "walking card" from the last election. Probably because you never had one.  Probably because you never walked the ward, even though you claim you did.

This from you:

First of all, I object to your comment that I have not taken the pulse of my constituents.  You have no idea how I interact with my neighbors and other residents, nor anything about any campaigns I've run, as you've never been involved.  I did in fact walk my ward during my last election, despite being unopposed, because they are still my constituents.  Additionally, when I ran for State Representative in 2012, I walked an even larger area, and this came up at many doors at that time as well

You can object all you want.  Taking an arrogant, sanctimonious, bullying "attack" stance with me will not work.  Do you think I am some kind of fool?  If you do, well then young lady you have alot to learn.  It took less than five minutes to pull up your financials from the last election.  All reports were zero dollars in and zero dollars out.  No funds expended for "walking cards".  Who walks a ward without leaving something behind, especially if no one is home?  Granted, you may have stopped to chat with some neighbors and/or friends, but it would definitely appear that you did not walk the ward.

Maybe I should now consider you as Stephanie "the liar" Meyer.

Ray

 

Will The New Councilmember be More Open Than Four of Her Colleagues?

Recently I have been critical of four of Shawnee's councilmembers for a lack of transparency.  These four are Jim neighbor, Matt Zimmerman, Stephanie Meyer and Mickey Sandifer.

The topic that they refused to answer inquiries about was their votes for Lisa Larson-Bunnell to fill part of the term of Justin Adrian.

So, I decided to ask Ms. Larson-Bunnell about the situation.  The exchange of emails is shown below.  Mine are in blue, hers in red.  If she does what she says she definitely will be more open than her four arrogant fellow councilmembers.  I find her comments to be very interesting, since she won't comment directly on the actions of the others.
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Mornin’ Lisa,

Happy New Year.

If you have followed my blog you will see that I have been critical of 4 of the 5 councilmembers who voted for you for being non-responsive to an inquiry.

It was felt by myself and others that they needed to explain the reason(s) they voted for you over an individual who received in excess of 1000 votes in an election for the seat.  When the council appoints an individual to fill an open seat they are acting on behalf of the ward and the city as a whole.

There is nothing wrong with asking any legislator to explain the reasoning behind their vote.  As a matter of fact, when asked, they have an obligation to respond.

So, as the person who was the beneficiary of their vote I feel it is imperative to ask you the following:  Do you feel it is appropriate or inappropriate for the four councilmembers to ignore the request for the answer to the  question as to why they voted for you?

I await your reply

Ray


Good morning, Ray, and a most Happy New Year to you!

I will not comment on the actions of other council members, but I am happy to have the opportunity to show you what to expect from me.  I hope you have seen through our conversations that your voice and the voice of other community members is important to me.  If you ask me a question about a policy or why I voted a certain way, I will give you an answer.  

I suspect we will not always agree on what course of action to take, but I will always treat you, and others who reach out to me, with respect and dignity.  As I stated in my public interview, I am committed to being engaged and responsive. While I sense that you were disappointed in my selection, I hope to earn your respect over time.  

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.  E-mail is the best way to get ahold of me, but I am also happy to speak by phone, or before/after council meetings.  

Lisa Larson-Bunnell

P.S.  I will be out of town and not responding as quickly as usual to e-mail between January 9th and 13th.  

Hi Lisa,

Thank you for your reply.

I can understand your hesitancy in commenting on the actions/inactions of your fellow councilmembers

So, let’s look at this from your perspective, regarding these statement of yours:  “If you ask me a question about a policy or why I voted a certain way, I will give you an answer.”  “As I stated in my public interview, I am committed to being engaged and responsive.”  “Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.”  

Based on those statements of yours, is it safe to say that as far as you are concerned you feel that you have an obligation and a responsibility to answer any and all citizen inquiries?

Looking forward to your reply.

Thank you

Ray

Good evening, Ray.  Yes, I consider it my responsibility to listen to our citizens and engage in a conversation about the issues facing our city.

To that end, I always welcome your input and will do my best to promptly respond to your questions.

Thanks,

Lisa

 

Open Government??? Transparency??? Not These Four!!!

Before I get into the subject matter let me wish everyone a Happy New Year.  I spent the holiday week out of town with the kids and grandkids and did have a white Christmas.  Also, found out somebody had apparently hacked my email address and sent out some strange emails to my contact list.  Hopefully that has now been corrected.

On to the subject matter.  If you have been following the previous posts then you know that I emailed the five council members who voted for Lisa Larson-Bunnell to fill the seat of Justin Adrian until a fall special election.  When councilmembers vote for an item like this they are substituting their votes for the citizens of a ward and also for the citizens of the entire city.  Since the newly appointed councilmember will take actions that affect the entire city.

I asked them to explain their rationale for voting for Ms. Larson-Bunnell.  Only one responded (Lindsey Constance) and as promised, her answer is posted below.

What about the other four?  Jim Neighbor, Matt Zimmerman, Stephanie Meyer and Mickey Sandifer?  It appears that these four public servants apparently feel that they don't have to answer to the citizenry for their actions.  Apparently they feel they are above it all.  Is it arrogance?  If any of these four ever say they are in favor of open and transparent government we can play the BS card.  Actually, we can play the liar card.  We can also play the arrogance card.  They need to be reminded that they work for the citizens and are accountable to the citizens.  All citizens deserve responses to questions.  Keep that in mind when three of these four (Stephanie Meyer, Jim Neighbor and Mickey Sandifer) come up for reelection in ten months.  And one of these individuals has also told some other whoppers.............more on that in a future post.

BTW, here is Lindsey Constance's reply.  I have a problem with some of what she says, but at least she replied.  Will probably comment on the problems at a future date:

Hi Ray,

Sorry I missed your email last week with the holiday. Regarding my choice to select Lisa, I felt that she did an exceptional job on the questions posed in the application. I was also impressed with her speech at the council meeting as well as her level of preparedness. The other thing that set Lisa apart was that she attended several of the meetings, spoke at one, and introduced herself to each Councilmember, providing them with resumes several weeks ago. 

I also appreciate the experience she brings from a legal perspective and feel that it will be a positive addition to the diverse backgrounds of others on the council.

From her speech as well as her written responses, I felt Lisa would be a person who will seek to bring together people with different ideas, which is a personality trait I appreciate in leaders. 

Thanks for sharing your input. I hope you stay safe and warm this week.

 

Lindsey Constance
Shawnee City Councilmember, Ward 4