Coming Soon, to A Computer Near You

In the not too distant future there will be videos of the city council and committee meetings posted on line.

If you remember, certain members of the city council voted to do away with the detailed council minutes.  The audio versions of council meetings are nice, but unless one knows who is speaking it is sometimes hard to tell who it is.  Granted, the mayor is supposed to reognize council members and folks that come to the podium usually identify themselves, but sometimes there are cross conversations.

Anyway, some cities already provide videos of council meetings and some even provide live web streaming.

Shawnee is not going to do either, so a group of individuals have gotten together and will be doing it. 

Now for the laugh of the week.......last week one of the councilmembers was overheard to say something to the effect that folks who sit around taking videos of council meetings must lead pathetic lives.  Gee, if the city would do it, then folks would not have to get together on their own to do it.  Making disparaging comments about folks who are willing to, on their own, provide a service that the city won't provide should be commended, not ridiculed.  Wonder if the taking of these videos would count towards the city's new volunteer program?  Just kidding

Anyway, down the road, once this really gets going, the folks involved will be providing their time and some funds for this civic endeavor.  Just hope that the rest of the city finds the info helpful and useful.

After The Smoke Has Cleared

Well, it’s been almost three weeks since the Shawnee city elections.


Sometimes, certain things are best said after the election when people aren’t so hung up on emotions and can think.

During the campaign, Jeff Vaught, 3d Ward councilmember accused State Rep. John Rubin of meddling in city elections. Apparently we have another instance in which Vaught needs a refresher course (that is if he ever took the original) on civics 101.

Representative Rubin has every right to speak out on Shawnee elections. He is a resident of the city, and as such who gets elected to what positions concerns him. Additionally, by claiming that Mr. Rubin is meddling Vaught is contradicting some of his own previous statements. Remember he (Vaught) said I didn’t have a stake in Shawnee because I rented, and unlike him (Vaught) I didn’t have a property tax statement. Guess what? Mister Rubin does own a residence in Shawnee, and he does have a property tax statement. So he is entitled to speak out on candidates running for office in Shawnee. And, he has done a lot more to preserve and protect our rights as citizens to speak out than Vaught has ever done. Individuals such as Mr. Rubin who have served in the military are the ones who have protected those rights.

Sidebar: Another updated civics lesson for Vaught……..people who rent are still entitled to vote, and to voice their opinion. Reminder: they pay property taxes included in their rent, they pay property taxes on their vehicles, sales taxes, franchise fees, etc., of which the city gets its share. Unless Mr. Vaught would like to support exempting renters from these taxes? Additionally there are many renters who have served this country to protect those voting and free speech rights.

New Budget Process Starts

The new budget process begins with some presentations to the Council Committee tomorrow, Tue, 4/17/12 at 7:00PM

For a schedule of the meetings that will have budget items/reviews etc go to
http://www.cityofshawnee.org/WEB/ShawneeCMS.nsf/vwContent/2013BudgetCalendar?OpenDocument

Missing Girl

Received information about a girl missing in Merriam, KS

For the press release and photo from the Meriam PD please click here

http://savemission.net/Documents/04-09-2012%20Keely%20Alder-Merriam%20PD.pdf

Riding the Circuit

Yesterday, Saturday, I did another ride along with the Shawnee PD.  This was a day shift ride along (6:30AM-2:30PM), so I have now ridden all three shifts.

I observed a variety of field situations including an arrest on a burglary charge.  As a result of that item, and the officer being involved in a procedural action that was going to take time, I actually had the opportunity to ride with a different officer.  The arrested individual appeared to have a medical problem, possibly drug related.  It was imperative that a medical exam be performed in a hospital environment, prior to transport to JoCo Detention.

I found yesterday's experience to be very informative.  The officers appear to be educated and well trained.  And, IMHO, something that is just as important is that they seem to possess a high degree of common sense.  In many jobs today folks seem to have let common sense go out the window.  I personally think that when it comes to law enforcement and dealing with the public that common sense becomes important, and these officers exhibited that.

My previous rides were the midnight shift from 10:30PM to 6:30AM, and an evening shift from 6:30pm to 10:30pm.  Because of time constraints on my part I couldn't start at 2:30PM.  Six months from now I will probably request another ride with the evening shift.

A Reader's Comment

Received this yesterday from a reader of this blog:


"I'm really disappointed in turnout and voting standards of Shawnee voters. Returning ALL the incumbents just shows how apathetic voter knowledge has become. I read both the post cards from the Coalition for Better Cities and the retort presented by Anonymous. The Coalition's cases were well documented and easy for anyone to follow up on to determine the accuracy of the information they presented. On the other hand, the followup post card just stated they these were lies with no real facts to back up their claims. It was obvious by the polls that voters are making their decisions based on the latest information they receive regardless of whether it is true or not. Of course this isn't new in American politics, which would explain the "flavor of the week" Republican Primary over the past year. It is really sad that with all the modern conveniences we have to access information today, that most American would rather use it to learn more about Kim Kardashian's divorce than the wasteful spending that is occurring in their own city government.

A B, Shawnee, KS"

Yesterday's Election

Looks like all Shawnee incumbents were returned to office.

Congratulations are in order.

Endorsements by the Shawnee Mission Times

The Shawnee Mission Times has endorsed:

Mayor Eric Jenkins

Ward 1 Charles Macheers

Ward 2 Mike Kemmling

Ward 3 James Ferris

Ward 4 Dylan McAfee


To view the endorsement, go here:

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=m9gaaniab&v=001PAHSyKgq2IqRkeM0IiCtlLMqlU-ZLsH6hQGAMcnsHJwUrsthoy4Mw4P0R6SAzqy6jP6TH9QuhKw-icpDFQfcz__8TWBZYSOPsPXNqt0X48A%3D

If you haven't read the previous post, "Tomorrow's the Day" please scroll down to read it.  Thank you.

Tomorrow's The Day

Election day 2012.  In the post immediately preceding this one is the press release about the CBC filing campaign ethics complaints.  I sincerely hope that folks of intelligence don't buy into the garbage mailer that the CBC is filing against.

Can you believe?  Somebody, sends out a mailer accusing the challengers for city office of lying.  Yet, the challengers all cite dates of votes that the incumbents made.  Verifiable by city meeting minutes. How can those be lies?  The incumbents have not once defended their council voting record.  And then that mailer goes out with nobody saying who paid for it.  Gee, an anonymous hit piece.  With no verifiable facts stated.

What do we have for incumbents?  A councilmember who gets her paycheck under an entirely different name, but her expenses reimbursed under her known name. And voting for various burdens to be placed on the population and to eliminate tranparency. A councilmember who has no problem in taking many, many trips at the taxpayer's expense. And voting for various burdens to be placed on the population and eliminating tranparency. An appointed councilmember who apparently was rewarded for his previous losing election campaign.  And voting for burdens to be placed on the population and eliminating tranparency.  And he wasn't even elected to represent his ward.  And then a councilmember who has voted for  various tax increases and a reduction in transparency.  The mayor, has broken many tie votes, to cause the citizens of the city to get hit with additional tax and fee burdens.

It's time that the people took back the city:

Eric Jenkins for Mayor
Charles Macheers for Council Ward I
Mike Kemmling for Council Ward II
Jim Ferris for Council Ward III
Dylan McAfee for Council Ward IV

Press Release - Coalition For Better Cities To File Ethics Complaints

This afternoon the Coalition for Better Cities issued a press release regarding  the recent undocumented mailers sent out in Shawnee and Mission KS.  The press release speaks for itself and does not necessitate any editorializing on my part.
The text of the press release follows:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2012
Contact: Jacob Swisher
Phone: (913) 575-2759


Coalition for Better Cities Files Campaign Ethics Charges Against Opponents


Local elections in the cities of Shawnee and Mission in Johnson County, Kansas, are upon us. But now the heat of these elections may have produced violations in Kansas election law.


In the races for Shawnee mayor and city council as well as for city council seats in Mission, there has been plenty of passion on the issues that matter most to voters. On Tuesday, April 3, citizens will have the opportunity to select their preference for mayor in Shawnee, and for city council seats there, while residents of Mission will vote on positions for their city council.


This week, certain election activities in both these cities very well may have crossed the line to possible violations of Kansas governmental ethics rules. Therefore, a formal filing of three separate complaints will be lodged with Carol Williams, Executive Director of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission tomorrow, Monday, April 2, 2012, as well as with Brian Newby, Johnson County Election Commissioner.


Coalition for Better Cities (CBC) is filing these complaints of possible violations of Kansas election law, two from within the current city of Shawnee political establishment and one from the city of Mission.


These complaints are as follows: 1) the use of governmental resources going to campaigns of incumbents, using time during a Shawnee city council meeting to campaign, by current Councilman Jeff Vaught; 2) the improper distribution of electioneering materials via the U.S. mail to voters in the City of Shawnee; and 3) a similar mailing to voters in the City of Mission.


The mailings in question did not state the organization which sent the mailings, itself a clear violation of Kansas law. As for the allegations in these mailings, the issues which they reference were clearly stated in Shawnee city council minutes and are dully notated on the respective mailers. Evidently, these parties have enough finances to conduct mailings, but at no time have they utilized any of their mailings to respond on the actual issues CBC has publicly brought forward, but only to try and smear those who oppose them.


The group in favor of the status quo in Mission and Shawnee city governments blatantly lied. It falsely asserted that outside organizations were involved in the funding of previous CBC mailings and activities, basing these false accusations on what they admit in the Shawnee mailing were mere rumors.


CBC finds it ironic that the questionable mailings from our opponents bear a return address from a Kansas City, Missouri post office box. And therefore, we believe it is appropriate to ask the question of why the citizens of the cities of Shawnee and Mission should allow parties from across the state line to try to tell them how matters should be handled?


Coalition for Better Cities
Currie Myers – Chairman
Michael Swisher, CPA - Treasurer

A Disgusting Mailer

Yesterday (Saturday) I received a mailer stating that recent mailers expressing dissatisfaction with the current council members and mayor contained lies.


Well, maybe because of my zip code I had received two of those dissatisfaction mailers. The ones about Sandifer and Sawyer.

Looking at those two mailers they mention votes that the council members made on various issues. How are those lies? One of the mailers mentioned Sandifer’s trips at the city’s expense. Heck, I’ve actually documented many of them here.

Anyway, what concerns me the most about the one received yesterday, the one that claims the others contained lies, is that whoever sent them does not have the intestinal fortitude to say who they are.

They are mailed with a post office box number as a return address but no name to go with it. At the bottom of the mailer it says “Not paid for by any candidate or campaign committee” Well if they feel so strongly about their views why can’t they tell us who they are? Why are they being so secretive?

Anyway, I checked with some friends and they had not received the mailer, yet. I’m guessing they might receive it Monday. If you have received it, or if you do receive it, look at it. There is no way to tell who sent it. Kind of cowardly if you ask me, and makes the veracity of their statements questionable.

My opinion: The original mailers sent out expressing dissatisfaction with the current incumbents states verifiable facts. The item received yesterday is even more reason to vote out the incumbents.