Jeff Vaught Insults Another Councilmember

There was a very interesting exchange, 3/5/13 at the city council meeting, between councilmembers Jeff Vaught and Neal Sawyer.

During a discussion on an item, Mr Sawyer made reference to how the council had sold the idea of the CID at 10 Quivira Plaza to the public (a previous incentive package). Apparently Vaught took exception to the the expression "sold".  This is ironic, since "selling" is Vaught's business. He never misses an opportunity to publicly announce at a council meeting that "I am in commercial real estate". Heck, everything that comes before the council is an item that is being sold. People are always trying to "sell" the idea of approving or disapproving something. I guess this is just another simple word that Vaught has a problem understanding. 

Anyway, view the video clip below. Listen carefully and you will hear Vaught refer to Sawyer as being juvenile And then Sawyer saying that with Vaught everything is juvenile. Vaught's belittling of Sawyer is uncalled for, yet he belittles many people from his position on the dais, including members of the public. Ironically, he used to accuse his predecessor of impolite behavior towards other members of the council. Vaught does not, IMHO, present a positive image for the city council. He presents himself as a self effacing bully, intent on belittling people. With his constant reminders to us of what he does for a living I've often wondered, does Vaught want to be on the council to serve Shawnee and its citizens, or is he in it for his own personal aggrandizement?

This is a good reason to vote Vaught out and vote for his opponent, Gordon Herron on the April 2, election for council member in Ward III.


DTJVSD

Last Night's Forum Kemmling/Willoughby

Last night there was a forum in downtown Shawnee which was organized by former councilmember David Morris and Hartman Hardware owner Mike Unterreiner.  Attorney Kevin Bennett served as moderator.  This was the first attempt at something like this in Ward II and these three are to be congratulated for even taking on the task.

So, what happened?  Well, you had to be there to appreciate it.  Mike Kemmling , for the most part gave specific answers to questions.  Remember, the questions were basically asking these two what their thoughts/positions were on a variety of topics.  Most of the time Alan Willoughby referred to a manila folder he had (complete with tabbed pages) and rather than his ideas, thoughts and positions rattled off inconsequential statistics.  Wonder who put that together for him?

Anyway, he did answer some of the questions directly.  One of them pertained to the mayor not permitting public input at the council meeting where he was appointed to the council.  He apparently thought it was OK for no public input to be allowed.  Ironically, he made the statement a number of times that the council "elected" him.  Oh boy, another person that does not understand the way local government works.  The council did not "elect" him, it appointed him to fill an unexpired term caused by a resignation.  Maybe he doesn't realize that he is NOT running for reelection, but for election to a full term.  Kemmling thought it was not right for the mayor to prohibit citizen input and cited precedences of citizen input, to include the appointment of Jim Neighbor a few years ago.

There was one topic of discussion where Willoughby was not sure of the expiration of the parks and pipes tax.  What did he do when he wasn't sure of that date?  He shouted out to councilmember Sawyer who was in the back of the room for verification.  Hey, Uncle Alan (he is the mayor's uncle by marriage) this was supposed to be between you and Mike Kemmling.  If you don't know an answer say so.  Do not shout out for third party assistance.  Going forward, if something like this happens again I would expect the moderator not to permit the person in the audience to answer (learning curve time).

When the question csme up concerning the city recently sending 8 people to Boston for a National League of Cities conference, Mike Kemmling thought that two people would have been enough, and that those two could bring back the info to the others.  Alan Willoughby thought that sending eight people was ok (6 council members, he was one of them, the city manager and the mayor).

I sincerely hope that the citizens of Ward II send a message to city hall that they no longer want cronyism in city government.  One way to do that is to vote for Mike Kemmling.

Ward 3 Herron vs Vaught

I sincerely hope that the voters of Ward 3 in Shawnee elect Gordon Herron to replace Jeff Vaught as their council member. Eventhough it is the voters of that ward that determine the councilmember, it is important to remember that when any council member sits on the council and acts, he or she is acting on behalf of the entire city, not just one ward. It is my opinion that Jeff Vaught is not qualified to act on behalf of the City of Shawnee.

Let's look at just 3 reasons right now:

1. Jeff Vaught was highly complicit in the appointment of Alan Willoughby (the mayor's uncle by marriage) to replace David Morris. This whole thing was, as the District Attorney said, "the result of backroom deals". Ironically, if you read the DA's letter, Vaught actually was inclined to vote for Kemmling who garnered almost 50% of the vote in a previous election. Why did he change and vote for Uncle Alan? Was it arm twisting by the mayor (the "ringleader" according to the DA)? See and hear Jeff Vaught's ridiculous reason for not voting for Kemmling and the hypocrisy of that reasoning by clicking here: http://shawneeray.blogspot.com/2012/07/vaughts-food-for-thought-hypocrisy.html

2. How about the fact that Jeff Vaught does not even understand his job? In his arrogant, self effacing bravado he feels that other council members have to go through him. Want proof? Read this: http://shawneeray.blogspot.com/2013/01/proof-jeff-vaught-does-not-understand.html

3. Jeff Vaught's support of the CID for 10 Quivira Plaza showed little caring for the people most affected, the folks in Ward 2. This plan, increases the sales tax in that shopping center so the owner can make improvements. Problem is, the merchant with the largest volume of business is a grocery store and the neighborhood is one of the more modest income areas of the city.

Again I sincerely hope folks support Gordon Herron over Jeff Vaught. Support can be helping to hand out literature, placing yard signs, and yes, making contributions to Gordon's campaign. Regardless of where you live, if you feel like I do that Vaught has to go, please support Gordon Herron. Visit his web site at: http://herronforshawnee.com/

Ward 2 Candidates Forum

Dr Mike Kemmling, winner of the recent Ward 2 primary and Alan Willoughby who came in second will appear at a forum on Tuesday, 3/12/13 at 7:00PM.

The location is 11009, just to the west of Pegah's Restaurant (across the street from Hartman Hardware).

More info is at http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2013/mar/05/ward-2-candidate-forum-set-wednesday-evening/

Shawnee PD Receives Award From AAA

At Tuesday's 3/5/13 the Shawnee PD received the Gold Community Traffic
Safety Award from AAA Kansas.

The purpose of the award is to encourage communities to address local traffic safety issues in a coordinated and cost-effective way. Communities are scored on the success of their efforts in conducting traffic safety enforcement, education and engineering programs.  Examples of these traffic safety programs are Data Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety, “Click It or Ticket” deployments, and sobriety checklanes and saturation patrols to deter impaired driving.

For 2012, Shawnee qualified for a GOLD Award. The GOLD award is given to communities that implement programs and projects that demonstrate SUPERIOR efforts at addressing local traffic safety issues. They accomplished this through expanded traffic safety programming.

The Shawnee Police Department also conducted high-visibility vehicle and motorcycle enforcement to combat aggressive drivers and hazardous driving, Operation Impact and nighttime seat belt enforcement.  They even connected with young drivers through the "Smart Choices" program in the high schools to improve seat belt use, and DUI and texting while driving prevention education.

The award was presented to Sergeant Jim Baker and Traffic Safety Officers Matt Klein, Steve Walsh, Matt Sumpter, and Nate Karlin with the 2012 Kansas Triple A Community Traffic Safety GOLD Award. Congratulations on a job well done.

St Patty's Day & Heroes Pull

Don't forget after the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Sunday March 10th at 2PM there will be a charity event at the Splash Cove parking lot (Johnson Drive and King St in downtown Shawnee)

Various teams have been formed and will attempt to pull a police armored vehicle and a firetruck 50 feet.

This is being done to raise money for Kansas Special Olympics. All money raised stays in Kansas and helps the Special Olympics .

So, what about donating. Each team member is trying to get as many doantions as possible, and there is a little challenge going on to see who can raise the most money.

One of the teams is the City Hall Crusaders and their page is http://heroespull.ksso.org/2013/crusaders/    You can click on the name of an individual team member and make your donation in their name. I chose to make mine on behalf of my Ward 4 councilmember Michelle Distler, and her page can be accessed directly at http://heroespull.ksso.org/2013/crusaders/michelledistler/

Join in..........the donations don't have to be big..............every bit helps............it's for a good cause.........and then turn out on the 10th of March to cheer the team on............I can hardly wait to see them pulling those vehicles.

Side note: If you're bashful, the donation page (since this is a charity) has a box that you can check to be anonymous.

Mike Kemmling's New Web Site

I Like Mike

Mike Kemmling has a new web site as of today:

http://www.mikekemmling.com/index.html

Ward II Primary Election Results

OK, the results are in:

Mike Kemmling.................197
Alan Willoughby................138
Jill Y Reed............................52
Trishelle Miller.....................22

So, now what happens?  Well, Dr. Mike Kemmling and Alan Willoughby will now face off in the general election on April 2, 2013.

Is there a possibility that the citizens of Ward II are thoroughly disgusted with the way that Willoughby, the mayor's uncle by marriage, was appointed to the council to finsih out the term of David Morris who had resigned the seat?

It would be nice if the people in Ward II elected Mike Kemmling in April, and showed that they no longer wanted to put up with "backroom deals" initiated by the mayor as "ringleader", (terms used by JoCo District Attorney Howe in his letter about the KOMA violation investigation).

Primary Voting Times And Location Changes

These changes are for the Ward II Shawnee primary election.  If you live in Ward II please make a note of these changes.  If you know someone who lives in Ward II who may not have heard the news please pass this on.

Early voting has been extended until 7:00PM this evening, Mon 2/25.  This is for in person voting at the JoCo Election Office 2101 E Kansas City Road, Olathe 66061.

Tomorrow, Tue 2/26, because of the weather all Ward II Shawnee primary voting will be held at

Merriam Christian Church 9401 Johnson Drive Merriam, KS from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Voting and Expected Snow Storm

With a possible snow storm coming late Monday, this is a reminder that folks can still vote early, on Monday instead of Tuesday:

From 9 am until 12:00 noon, at the Johnson County Election office located at 2101 East Kansas City Road, Olathe, KS

Less Than 48 Hours To Go

In less than 48 hours, the polls will open in Ward II in Shawnee for the primary election for city council.  The election will narrow a four person field down to two, with the two biggest vote getters going on to the general election on April 2.

Dr. Mike Kemmling is undeniably the best qualified for this position.  He proved it in the last election that he had the confidence of a large number of the Ward's voters since he barly lost to Neal Sawyer by only 11 votes.

When David Morris resigned, and that position came open, instead of appointing an individual that the voters wanted the city council gave the job to the mayor's uncle by marriage, Alan Willoughby.
And that was done, without allowing public input, and according to the JoCo DA, the result of "backroom deals" with the mayor as the "ringleader".

If you'd like to read the back up documentation for that, go here:
http://shawneeray.blogspot.com/2013/01/das-statement-on-shawnee-koma-violation.html

Kemmling for Ward II

About a week and a half ago I stated on this blog why I thought Mike Kemmling deserved the votes of the citizens in the Ward II primary to be held next Tuesday, 2/26/13 http://shawneeray.blogspot.com/2013/02/ward-2-primary-coming-feb-26-2013.html

I still feel that way and hope the readers of this blog agree. 

Check out Mike's page at http://mikekemmling.blogspot.com/

Dealing with a COW

I wrote about this during the last election cycle.  What is a COW?  A COW is a "councilmember from other ward"

OK, let me explain.  We each live in wards in Shawnee.  We vote for councilmembers to represent us.  When the council meets and votes on items they are representing the entire city.

Now let's say that there is a councilmember in another ward that you feel does not vote for what you feel is right.  Well, you cannot vote for that person's opponent.  But, you can help that person's opponent.  You can contribute to the other person's campaign.  You can help distribute flyers.  You can make phone calls for them.  You do NOT have to live in the ward to do those things.

Remember, every coucnilmember represents you.  So, if you are unhappy with the way a COW functions, support their opponent.  The reverse is also true. If you feel that a COW truly represents your feelings and beliefs, then you can do the same things to help them get reelected.

Shawnee Heroes Pull

OK, here's the deal.  After the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Sunday March 10th at 2PM there will be a charity event at the Splash Cove parking lot (Johnson Drive and King St in downtown Shawnee)

Various teams have been formed and will attempt to pull a police armored vehicle and a firetruck 50 feet.

This is being done to raise money for Kansas Special Olympics.  All money raised stays in Kansas and helps the Special Olympics Athletes with physical fitness training and sports programs, health and nuitrition programs, and leadership development. Special Olympics is not just about the sports, but it uses sports to build the athletes' confidence, self esteem, physical well being, and gives them the opportunities to be doing things they normally would not have.

OK, so what about donating.  Each team member is trying to get as many doantions as possible, and there is a little challenge going on to see who can raise the most money.

One of the teams is the City Hall Crusaders and their page is http://heroespull.ksso.org/2013/crusaders/

You can click on the name of an individual team member and make your donation in their name.   I chose to make mine on behalf of my Ward 4 councilmember Michelle Distler, and her page can be accessed directly at http://heroespull.ksso.org/2013/crusaders/michelledistler/

Join in..........the donations don't have to be big..............every bit helps............it's for a good cause.........and then turn out on the 10th of March to cheer the team on............I can hardly wait to see them pulling those vehicles.

Side note:  If you're bashful, the donation page (since this is a charity) has a box that you can check to be anonymous.

Ward 2 Primary Coming Feb 26, 2013

Since four individuals have  filed for the Ward 2 council seat in Shawnee there will be a primary on Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013.  The top two vote getters will move on to the general election on Apr 2, 2013.

Let's see what we have here:

Mike Kemmling ran against Neal Sawyer last April and only lost by 11 votes, 661-650.  Clearly there were many citizens in ward 2 who supported his candidacy.  A very intelligent individual, Dr. Kemmling has his dental office in Shawnee.

A couple of months after that election, David Morris the other ward 2 counilmember at the time resigned because of a conflict with the city manager.  Five individuals, including Mike Kemmling applied to fill the remaining time for the position. The selection was to be made at a special city council meeting.

Alan Willoughby was selected by the council to fill the unexpired portion of Mr. Morris' term.  Ironically four members of the council ignored the strong support that Kemmling had received in the election and chose Willoughby, the uncle by marriage of the mayor.  Additionally, the mayor did not allow public comments/input at the special meeting. 

Subsequent to that selection a complaint was filed that Mr. Willoughby's appointment may have violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) because discussions were held prior to the meeting. 

The JoCo DA stated that "KOMA was enacted to prohibit the 'backroom' deals that were going on in Shawnee."
 
The DA also said " the spirit of KOMA was violated" and that the the actions of the mayor, as ringleader, were found to be "unacceptable".

Jill Y Reed and Trishelle Miller have also filed to run but I can't find much about either one.

Personally, I sincerely hope that the voters of Ward 2 elect Mike Kemmling.

Sidebar:  With regards to citizen input at meetings, by not allowing it at the special council meeting it is my opinion that the mayor violated the oath he took to defend the Constitution of the State of Kansas. 

Section 3, of the Bill of Rights of the Kansas Constitution says:

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.

KC Star Editorial About the KOMA Situation

The KC Star's editorial can be read at http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/31/4042455/wrist-slaps-for-open-meetings.html 

Please read the full editorial at the above link................quoted below are two of the paragraphs:

The latest incident involved Shawnee Mayor Jeff Meyers and the City Council members who basically agreed on a deal in private to elect the mayor’s uncle to the council in 2012, according to Howe. (my note:  the councilmembers were Neighbor, Sandifer, Kuhn and Vaught)

Ultimately, Meyers and all the other politicians who have abused the public trust need to stop bellyaching about the open meetings law and start obeying it.

I'm just wondering if  Councilmember Vaught is going to treat us to a repeat of one of his diatribes about how it's not right for the media to publish negative items about Shawnee.  Hey Vaught, if ya don't want negative items appearing in the media don't do negative things.  Don't appoint someone to the council as the result of a "backroom deal"  (the DA's term, not mine).

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/31/4042455/wrist-slaps-for-open-meetings.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/31/4042455/wrist-slaps-for-open-meetings.html#storylink=cpy

DA's Statement on Shawnee KOMA Violation Complaint

If you would like to read DA Steve Howe's full statement on the KOMA violation complaint filed by a resident of Shawnee against the city council, go here:

http://www.shawneefwiw.com/files/joco_da/2013-01-30-joco-da-shawnee-koma.pdf

KC Star on DA's Findings

From the KC Star:

The Shawnee City Council violated the spirit of the Kansas open meetings law when “backroom deals” were made to elect the mayor’s uncle to a council seat, Johnson County District Attorney Stephen Howe said Wednesday.

Howe’s decision was especially hard on Mayor Jeff Meyers saying he found “Mayor Meyer’s actions unacceptable.” More at:  http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/30/4039545/district-attorney-shawnee-violates.html

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/30/4039545/district-attorney-shawnee-violates.html#storylink=cpy

Willoughby's Appointment Result of Backroom Deals

The District Attorney has issued his ruling on the KOMA invetigation into the appointment of Alan Willoughby, the mayor's uncle by marriage, to the city council.

From the Shawnee Dispatch:

The Johnson County District Attorney’s Office ruled Wednesday that the spirit of the Kansas Open Meetings Act was violated by Mayor Jeff Meyers and most members of the Shawnee City Council last July and that the resulting appointment of Alan Willoughby to a vacant Ward 2 council seat was the result of “backroom deals.”
 Full article at:  http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2013/jan/30/district-attorney-shawnee-officials-violated-spiri/

Note:  Distler & Pflumm did not go along with the backroom deal.

Primary Election Feb 26, 2013

There will be a primary election on Feb 26, 2013 where more than two folks have filed for offices that are scheduled for the spring (April 2nd) election.

Shawnee has one primary as such, in Ward II

The KC Star has an article about this at http://joco913.com/news/primary-season-is-near-for-municipal-races/

More On The Boston Boondoggle

Yesterday I posted info about the number of individuals the city sent to the National League of Cities recent conference in Boston.

Keep in mind that two members of the council did NOT participate in this extravegant behavior (Dan Pflumm and Michelle Distler).

Anyway, as mentioned, 4 people instead of 8 would have been sufficient, and would have saved the city over $7,000.  Another method, to save money, is to have folks that do go to double up in the rooms.  At approximately $270 per night/per room that adds up.

But, people can't double up if some bring guests on the trip.

Who brought guests on this trip?

Mayor Meyers
Councilmember Willoughby (the mayor's uncle by marriage and appointed not elected councilmember)
Councilmember Neighbor
Councilmember Kuhn

Must be nice..............................

The Costs to Visit Beantown

What did it cost to send 6 council reps, the mayor, and the city manager to Boston for the National League of Cities conference this past November? 

Before I post the figures, keep in mind that previously on many occasions, I have said it was not necessary to send more than four people to these conferences, and that for a short period of time the number of people going had been reduced.  See my post of 10/23/12 at http://www.shawneeray.blogspot.com/2012/10/from-shawnee-to-boston.html#links

Then on 10/26/12, I posted info that we were sending more folks than other cities in JoCo http://www.shawneeray.blogspot.com/2012/10/shawnee-is-number-1.html#links

So, what were the costs?  Oh, as predicted, Mickey "Travelin' Man" Sandifer led the field in money spent:

Councilmember Sandifer                     $2,389.42
Councilmember Vaught                         2,358.91
Councilmember Kuhn                            2,162.48
Mayor Meyers                                        1,887.05
City Manager Gonzales                          1,812.99
Councilmember Neighbor                      1,812.51
Councilmember Willoughby                  1,753.00
Councilmember Sawyer                         1,335.99

Total                                                   $15,512.35

Besides reducing the number of folks going, another way to save money on these types of trips is for these city officials to do what corporate America makes its employees do..............double up in the rooms.  We had 6 males and 2 females.................instead of 8 rooms that could have been reduced to 4 rooms/per day.  That could have been a savings of approximately $1,000/night.

But, when participants bring guests along, it is difficult to have them double up.  So, in effect, the bringing of guests (even if the city does not pay for transportation and meals) costs the city by not allowing the city to save on room rates.
                           

The Race Is On

OK, the filing deadline has come and gone, and the election for Shawnee City Council is set.

Let's look at Ward II first, since four people have filed and that has created a primary election which will be held on Feb 26.  The top two vote getters move on to the general election.

Mike Kemmling, the individual who challenged Neal Sawyer last year and received 650 votes to Sawyer's 661.  Talk about close.  Seems like lots of folks in Ward II were impressed with this young professional (he's a dentist, with a practice in Shawnee).

Alan Willoughby, the mayor's uncle by marriage, who was appointed to the position after David Morris resigned.  Amazing that Kemmling, who had just narrowly lost to Sawyer did not get the appointment.  Also of interest, the manner in which it was given to Willoughby, without public comment, and other factors, has resulted in an investigation as a possible violation of the Kansas Open Meetings Act.

Jill Y Reed and Trishelle Miller, two individuals that I do not know much about at this point.  Reed apparantly works for both the US Army Corps of Engineers and Gneral Electric.  Miller works for Kids TLC.

Wards I, III and IV will go direct to the general election on April 2

Ward I incumbent Dan Pflumm is being challenged by John Segale
Ward III incumbent Jeff Vaught is being challenged by Gordon Herron
Ward IV incumbent  Michelle Distler is not being challenged.

More comments by me as we get into this.

Another "Will We Get Anything From This?"

Well, the dates are for Kanrocksas 2013 are set.  June 28-29, 2013.

Again, the question needs to be asked :  "Will we get anything from this?"  We are so close to Village West and what do we have to offer folks who go there for those big events to get some of the bleed off?

Add that music festival to the soccer all star game, the races at the speedway and there so many people coming into a venue 10 minutes away that we have to be losing out on some major revenue.
Do we even want to talk about the large number of athletic tournaments that are held in the spring, summer and fall?  These tournaments bring in large numbers of teams and utilize sports venues all over the area to accomodate them.

We have some members on tghe council who constantly talk about economic development.  Economic development is good.  But there seems to be alot of emphasis on an industrial park that won't even start to come into reality for about ten more years.  What about destination venues to draw from all of the activity that is literally in our backyard?

Shawnee Wins One

The Shawnee Dispatch, in a recent article, went into detail about how E. C. Manufacturing will be moving into a 142,000 sq ft building.  The projection is that within three years they will employ 250 people.  The neat thing:  no giveaways by the city.  Congrats to Andrew Nave, executive director of the Shawnee Economic Development Council.

The full story can be read here:  http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2013/jan/10/manufacturing-startup-bringing-250-jobs-shawnee/

Will This Benefit Us?

What am I talking about?  Aha, maybe I should let you think about it for a minute.

Nahhhhh, I'll tell you.  It has been announced that the 2013 Major League Soccer All Star game will be played at Livestrong Park.  That truly is good news.

Now, how will that affect Shawnee?  In the past, on many occasions I have asked that question regarding races, concerts, and other special events held at the Village Wesr Complex in KCK.  Will we get an appreciable "bleed off" from this event?  Well, we still have only two hotels on the I435 corridor.  The proposed Holiday Inn is still a blank spot.  Some of the restaurants might see an uptick in business.  Especially if residents wind up with out of town friends/relatves staying with them.

But, we still do not have anything resembling a destination venue to attract the folks who will be going to that game.And, some will probably be arriving a few days early and maybe staying a day or two extra.

Another event gone to waste.............for us.

Proof: Jeff Vaught Does Not Understand His Job

 

We knew it would happen someday. We now have documentary evidence that Jeff Vaught does NOT understand his job on the city council. His ego has overtaken his responsibilities.
 

OK, here is what happened. I submitted a KORA request for some emails for an item I was researching. Included in the group were some emails between Vaught and the city manager about adding an item to a meeting agenda Keep in mind that last April Vaught was elected by the rest of the council to be council president (a one year term).
 

Apparently another councilmember (Dan Pflumm) had an item he wanted to add to a meeting agenda. So he requested that to the city manager in accordance with Policy Statement 7:

Agenda

A.      Agendas are set by the City Manager. Any member of the Governing Body can request an item be placed on the agenda by 12:00 (noon) on the Wednesday prior to the meeting.

 

Now here is what happened.  In an email about this to the city manager Vaught said:  "As the council president he should be making the request to me anyway, but I guess he doesn’t know that."

 

Surprise Mr. Vaught...............no council member has to go through you for anything.  Charter Ordinance 40 and Policy Statement 7 are very specific about the duties/responsibilities of the council president.  To preside over council meetings in the absence of the mayor, to become mayor if something happens to the mayor and to be the chairman of the Council Committee.  No where in either document is the council president put in a postiion where the council members have to submit anything to him/her to be passed on.  Now, just in case I missed something, I asked the city manager about this.  Her response:  "You are correct, there isn't any 'published procedural requirement' that states that a councilmember 'has to go through the Council President for anything'"

 

Apparently, egomaniac that he is, Vaught apparently wants to give himself additional authority over his fellow council members.  Maybe he needs to re-read the appropriate documents.  That is, if he can understand them.

Let's Re-Elect Michelle Distler

Michelle Distler, Ward IV council rep is running for re-election.

This is one person who definitely needs to be retained on the city council.

She has shown on more than one occasion that she cares about the residents of her ward, the people of the City of Shawnee, and all of this to the consternation of the "good ole boy network".

There will be some who will go out of their way to besmirch her good name.  Please don't let this happen.

Visit her website at http://www.michelledistler.com  There is a link if you would like to contribute electronically and an address for snail mail contributions.  Remember, you don't have to live in Watd IV to contribute.  If you live anywhere (elsewhere in the city or anywhere in the USA) and would like to see her returned to office please help out.

Please remember campaign contgribution rules.  A max of $500 per contributor per election cycle.  Some have asked about married couples.  Married couples, by law, may contribute the max individually.  The same holds true for businesses and PACs.  Not everyone can donate $500............so remember please, any amount will be helpful.

The Holiday Season

With the holiday season upon us I would like to wish all who read this blog the best.

A Happy Hanukah, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Shawnee's Poor Voter Turn Out

Well, it's poor for local elections, and OK for Presidential elections.  But, Presidents don't plow snow, respond to fires, protect the community, keep our parks functioning, set local property taxes, sales taxes etc.

We have another local election coming up in April 2013.

Look at these figures for the recent (November) Presidential election and the local city election this past April.

Presidential election Nov 2012

Registered voters (total city)  42,344
Total voted     30,718    72.54%

Ward 1   Registered   11,030      Voted   8,297  
Ward 2   Registered   10,256      Voted   7,022  
Ward 3   Registered   10,598      Voted   7,969  
Ward 4   Registered   10,460      Voted   7,430   

City election April 2012

Registered voters (total city)  40,105
Total voted               5,229     13.04%

Ward 1    Registered 10,553    Voted  1,634
Ward 2    Registered   9,713    Voted  1,337
Ward 3    Registered   9,977    Voted     978
Ward 4    Registered   9,862    Voted  1,280

The people of Shawnee ought to be ashamed of themselves, for their lack of voting at the last city election.

Public Hearing for Shawnee Parkway Plaza

There will be a public hearing on January 14, 2013 to consider incentives to revitalize the Shawnee Parkway Plaza.

There is a good article about this at the Shawnee Dispatch's website
http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2012/dec/12/city-council-sets-public-hearing-consider-retail-c/

That shopping center which sits just east of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Pflumm Road is a mess.

As much as I dislike various incentive programs, this just might be an appropriate use of them.

This would be a virtual total makeover.  Currently, there are problems not only with appearance, but with the integrity of the structures.  Revitalizing a shopping center at that location can be beneficial to the city in the future.  Couple that with some of the recent development that has occurred at the northwest section of that intersection and the whole area can become a magnet for increased financial gain for the city.

How The "Good Ole Boy" Network Works

One indication of how the Good Ole Boy Network works is the election of the council president in Shawnee.

Now, why is that position important?  Because, if something happens to the mayor, the council president becomes mayor. Also, with the change from two split function council committees to one full member council committee the president of the council is chairman of that committee.

So, let's see who has been council president, and how long they have been on the council:

Sawyer (on council since 1/2002) president, 2005, 2006 and 2011
Sandifer (on council since 4/2004) president 2007 and 2010
Kuhn (on council since 4/2004) president 2008 and 2009
Vaught (on council since 4/2010) president, current, 2012

So, four folks have held that position in the past 8 years.  We haven't even mentioned those who served during those 8 years who no longer are on the council.

Interesting that Pflumm (4/2002) and Distler (4/2006) have never been president.  Wonder why?  Is it because they don't "toe the line?"

Willoughby, just appointed 7/2012 hasn't been here for a council president election, and Neighbor (appointed 5/2010 and elected 4/2012) also has not been president, but only eligible 2011 (Sawyer) and 2012 (Vaught).

Curious isn't it, that Vaught, in the second year of his first term became president.  Was this a payback for his electioneering from the council dais for the incumbents running for office?

How many of these folks have abrogated their responsibilites and have become subservient to the city manager, forgetting that the city manager works for them, not the other way around?  Think about former council member Morris' resignation and the reasons for it.

Bully, Cry Baby or Know it All?

Is it possible for one person to have all three of those traits?

Well, if your name is Jeff Vaught and you are a Ward III council rep in Shawnee, the answer is yes.

At a recent city council meeting Vaught appeared to be using his position to make bullying statements regarding some recent news articles.  Similar to the way he used bully tactics during the last election, from the council dais.

The comments were also a form of a cry baby attitude.  Seems Vaught really didn't like some of the articles and bemoaned the fact that positive articles were not written about Shawnee.  He proceeded to rattle off a litany of positive and supposed positive items (there might be some issues with some statistics he mentioned).  Well, apparently he doesn't read the local newspaper, the Shawnee Dispatch.  There has been a plethora of positive items in that paper. 

Now, back to the negative items.  If you don't like negative items appearing in the media, then take action to prevent them from happening.  Quit blaming the messenger(s) and start accepting responsibily for creating negative actions. One example has to do with the actions by Mr. Tony Lauer and his neighbors in the Crimson Ridge Subdivision.  Now, the mayor has been critical of some of Mr. Lauer's actions (persistent questions, and KORA requests).  Did the mayor ever think that if the original questions were answered, and completely, there may have been no need to push for more?  When a governmental body either fails to completely and/or honestly answer questions from its citizens, it raises more questions.  Such as what else is being hidden?

We won't even touch on the KOMA investigation regarding the appointment of Uncle Alan to the city council.  Or the partying by five council members and the mayor on election night April 2012.  A quorum of the council, and its presiding officer.  And, proof of this was posted by Jeff Vaught on his blog site.  Don't believe me, here it is:

 



Now, what about the "know it all" aspect?  Well, during a discussion at the last council meeting Council Member Neal Sawyer alluded to the fact that he was hesitant to make a certain point as he was probably going to be challenged by Vaught, and, according to Sawyer, Vaught knows it all. 

Vaught attempted to show his "know it all" attitude at another council meeting a few weeks ago.  Basically, a question came up about a department making a purchase using a vendor on state contract.  When some questioned the price, Vaught, in his know it all mode, said that if the purchase was made using the state contract, it was the best price.  Wrongo.  It was the lowest price that the state had on contract.  That part is true.  But there are many vendors that do not submit pricing for state contracts.  And these vendors have lower pricing than what is on state contract.  That is why state agencies do NOT have to buy on state contract, but can buy off contract if the same or comparable item can be purchased from another source, at the same or lower price. And that does occur. 

KC Star Editorial AND a New Article

Two interesting things showed up in the KC Star's "913" section.

One, is an editorial about some of the recent happenings in Shawnee. That editorial can be read at
http://joco913.com/news/shawnees-fights-are-often-public-demeaning/

The editorial makes some valid points.

The new article concerns Shawnee and other Johnson County cities and their participation the National League of Cities conference in Boston this weekend.  This is a subject that I covered on this blog recently.  The KC Star article can be read at:

http://joco913.com/news/needs-funding-help-area-cities-make-their-conference-call/

Comments are Back

Regarding the KC Star article mentioned in the post below.

Apparently, in a transition from the Star's front page to the 913 section reader comments get lost.

Also, apparently there are two separate links to the article.  This link http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/18/3923019/shawnees-fractious-government.html#disqus_thread
shows the reader comments (as of this posting they are up to 24)

KC Star's Take on Shawnee's Fractious Government

The Kansas City Star just ran an article which should be an eye opener to people who live in Shawnee.

After reading my few comments below, please go to the Star article and read it completely:
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/17/3923019/shawnees-fractious-government.html

The attitude of some of our elected officials borders on arrogance and pomposity.  Such as: People asking questions are “just fishing to stir up some trouble,” Mayor Jeff Meyers says. 

Or, how about his comment as to why he did not allow public input at the council meeting that selected his wife's uncle to fill the position vacated by the resignation of David Morris:  Meyers said he did shut down discussion on the Willoughby appointment because, based on past experience, he thought the public comments were not in the best interest of the council making a decision.

Apparently the mayor has forgotten about Section 3 of the Bill of Rights of the Kansas Constitution, which he swore to uphold.  "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."

Note the part about "instructing their representatives"

And then the article brings up how Cheryl Scott's replacement was also picked.  At the time of her resignation Scott said it would be better for the council to pick her replacement than to let the people do it.

As for arrogance, it is possible that Jeff Vaught of Ward III is the leader in that respect:

But Councilman Jeff Vaught said all the Shawnee antics are small and he’s tired of all the racket from critics.“We are getting hammered,” he said, even though Shawnee is one of the most open and fiscally responsible cities in Johnson County.“In Shawnee we are getting beat up over this crazy stuff. I don’t get it.” Vaught probably forgot that during the appointment process of Willoughby he was critical of Mike Kemmling for interrupting council member, and as such was not qualified to be appointed to the council.  Heck a review of the video of that meeting shows that both he and Kuhn interrupt folks all the time, more than Kemmling. And folks wonder why the DA is investigating the council for their actions. Read the Star's article...........it might just open some eyes.http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/17/3923019/shawnees-fractious-government.html  

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/17/3923019/shawnees-fractious-government.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/17/3923019/shawnees-fractious-government.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/17/3923019/shawnees-fractious-government.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/17/3923019/shawnees-fractious-government.html#storylink=cpy

Mayor Should Thank Kevin Straub

By now many folks have probably heard about  Mayor Jeff Meyers, parking illegally in a handicapped spot.  This occurred this past Tuesday in the city hall parking lot during a city council meeting.

The mayor received a warning  about this infraction, and subsequently chose to donate $135 to the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund. 

Kevin Straub, the former council member, reported the infraction to the authorities.  The mayor should have been thankful to Straub for doing this.  Why?  Because a donation like this one is tax deductible, whereas a traffic fine is not.  Instead the mayor is reported in the Shawnee Dispatch as being upset with Straub: Though Straub no longer resides in Shawnee, Meyers said, “he’s looking for anything and everything (to criticize the city for)." ttp://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2012/nov/15/mayor-not-ticketed-disabled-parking-violation/

Straub also questioned the mayor's explanation, as reported by KCTV 5:

In a statement, Meyers claimed that he knew "a full house was waiting on him because the parking lot was completely filled."

"The disabled spots were the only ones available and I made the decision that I would park there and accept whatever consequences occurred in order to get the meeting started. In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best decision. It won't happen again," Meyers said in his statement posted on the city's website.

Hogwash, according to Straub.

He said he entered the U-shaped parking lot just ahead of Meyers. Straub said Meyers failed to circle around the entire parking lot so it's impossible for him to know that all the parking spots were taken.

"If you don't go all the way around, you don't know if it's full or not," he said. "But he was running late and grabbed the first spot that was available."

The mayor also has access to any number of doors at City Hall and could have parked in the back of the building where ample spaces were available, Straub said.

Straub said City Hall insiders have told him that Meyers actually forgot that the meeting had been moved to Tuesday night because of the Veterans Day holiday. Straub said someone called Meyer to ask where he was and the mayor had to dash to City Hall.  http://www.kctv5.com/story/20111562/tardy-shawnee-mayor-illegally-parks-in-handicapped-spot

Shawnee Citizen's Police Academy

On Wednesday night I felt honored to be one of 23 individuals who have completed the current Shawnee Citizen's Police Academy.

The academy was started again last year after being put on hiatus for many years.

 Before proceeding, allow me to make it clear that it does not qualify anybody to be a law enforcement official.

What it does do though is it makes the average citizen more aware of what the police department does. It also gives a microscopic view of what an individual has to go through to become an officer in Shawnee.

We learned that many officers wear multiple hats and are responsible for a variety of functions.  We also learned how officers are rotated through the various elements of the department to make them more efficient and better equipped to handle a variety of situations.

Watching the K9 officers put their four legged partners through their paces was very interesting.  And it was nice to know that they, along with our traffic accident investigations personnel have been called upon by neighboring cities to assist them where needed. That is indicative of the skill and training these individuals have.

Getting to drive a short course, with lights flashing was fun, and probably fulfilled a few dreams. 
Learning how various officers are always working to help to prevent crime and the various tools available to them for this purpose can be an eye opener for many.  And what type of class like this would be complete without some range time?

A ride along with an officer was also part of the course.  Allow me to say, that those interested can apply for a ride along without going through the academy.  The ride alongs themselves can be very enlightening, as compared to what is seen on TV.  I personally have been on ride alongs prior to the academy and have commented on them here on this blog.  The attitude and professionalism of the officers on patrol is extremely positive.

One of the interesting aspects of the class was the make up of the attendees.  Male, female, young, old, and a broad spectrum of job backgrounds. 

Going forward, the PD will be seeking volunteers from this group to assist in various areas, so as to allow officers and professional staff more time for their primary functions.  A small price, IMHO, to pay for what they give to the community.

Check the city's website for next year's class. I'm guessing that info for the 2013 class will probably be posted sometime in the late spring/early summer of 2013.          http://gsh.cityofshawnee.org/WEB/PoliceCMS.nsf/vwContent/CitizenAcademy?OpenDocument

The Three Rs

Romney, Ryan and Ray

(click to see larger image)

Congrats

Hearty congratulations to:


Mary Pilcher-Cook                     State Sen 10
Greg Smith                                  State Sen 21

Brett Hildabrand                         State Rep  17
John Rubin                                  State Rep  18
Kelly Meigs                                State Rep  23
Charles Macheers                       State Rep 39

Steve Roberts                             State Bd of Ed  2

Another Vet Day Celebration - Sprint

On Thursday, November 8, Sprint will be holding a Veterans Day Celebration at approximately 117 and Nall.  Public is welcome.

 

Veterans Day Celebration on campus

Thursday, Nov. 8

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Aircraft will land at approx. 11 a.m.

Paige Field on the Overland Park Campus

Military and civilian public service displays:

·   US Army helicopters: AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Blackhawk and CH-57 Chinook

·   Coast Guard HU-25 Falcon flyover during the National Anthem

·   US Army Reserve and National Guard ground equipment, Signal Corps, Military Police, Transportation Co.

·   Historical military vehicles - Military Vehicle Preservation Association

·   312^th Army Band

·   Overland Park Police and Fire Departments – SWAT team, bomb squad and K9 demonstrations

·   Johnson County Sheriff’s Office – Crime Lab, weapons display, SWAT armored vehicle

·   Fraternal Military organizations, including the Marine Corps League and Disabled American Veterans (DAV)

·   Department of Veterans Affairs

·   Vietnam Veterans of America Huey display helicopter

·   Military life while deployed will be highlighted with military field gear on display

·   On-site military recruiters to answer questions and provide small mementos

·   Slugger, KC Wolf and KC Comets players

·   Fort Leavenworth, Fort Leonard Wood, Fort Riley and National WW1 Museum hands-on indoor display for visitors to use current and historical military gear in Building 6180 Employee Activity Center

·   Toys-for-Tots collection

·   Employee Resource Group information from Sprint and JPMorgan Chase

·   Lunch is available for purchase while supplies last: Roasterie Coffee, BBQ and chili stations

*Please note that due to last-minute missions, some military equipment or helicopters may be dispatched

Veteran's Day - Sunday 11/11/12

The following is from the City's website: http://www.cityofshawnee.org/WEB/ShawneeCMS.nsf/vwContent/ShawneeSalutesOurVeterans?OpenDocument


Celebrate Veterans Day on Sunday, November 11th at the Shawnee Veterans’ Memorial Park, Johnson Drive and Pflumm at 4:00 p.m. The City of Shawnee, along with VFW Post 10552, American Legion #327, Knights of Columbus, Civil Air Patrol – Kansas City Composite Squadron #034 and the Sons of the American Revolution - Monticello Chapter invite you to join them in honoring all men and women who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces.
Richard Soetaert, VFW All State Commander, will serve as Master of Ceremonies. Jim Allen, Johnson County Commissioner and former Shawnee Mayor will present the keynote address. This year’s ceremony will be dedicated to the men and women who served in the Vietnam War.

Refreshments will be served compliments of the Sweet Life and a reception will follow at Johnny’s Tavern following the ceremony. For more information call 631-5200.
I hope we have a good crowd.

Vote Nov 6, 2012

My choices:

State Reps:

18  John Rubin
39  Charles Macheers
23  Kelly Meigs
17  Brett Hildabrand

State Senator:

10  Mary Pilcher-Cook
21  Greg Smith

State Board of Education:

2  Steve Roberts

Pres & VP:

Romney & Ryan

More Media Updates on KOMA Investigation

As many may already be aware, the JoCo District Attorney, Steve Howe has been conducting an investigation into a possible KOMA (Kansas Open Meetings Act) violation by the City of Shawnee.

Additionally, his office recently conducted a class regarding KOMA.

Two recent articles, one from the Shawnee Dispatch and one from the Kansas City Star have much useful information.

Dispatch:  http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2012/oct/24/da-says-decision-shawnee-open-meetings-case-due-so/

Star:  http://joco913.com/news/getting-the-word-out-on-open-meetings/

Shawnee is Number 1

Contrary to popular belief, and the mindless comments of certain council members, I am thrilled when Shawnee does something that leads other local cities.

I know our city manger loves to compare Shawnee to other cities.  Well here is a comparison, that shows we are number 1..................in the number of folks going to Boston for the National League of Cities event 11/28-12/1/12 (see my post immediately below this one).

Shawnee     8

Lenexa       6  

Olathe       5

Overland Park    2

Merriam     2

Mission     1

Congratulations, for being willing to waste taxpayer's money.  Some of those going had voiced objections (money) to going back to detailed meeting minutes.  And yet, they can be willing to spend money on something like this.  And some, who finally voted to give us back our detailed minutes still made snotty comments about the city spending the money.

Based on previous expense reports that I obtained, I'm going to guesstimate that this little soirée will run between $16K-$18K.  I'm also going to guesstimate that Mickey "Traveling Man" Sandifer spends the most.

The two good things are that Councilmembers Pflumm and Distler are more concerned about saving the taxpayers' money and are not going.  But the others....................wellllllll..........party hearty.

Sidebar:  I wonder how many are going to hang around Boston after the convention for an extended vacation.  Kind of like how Kuhn stayed extra days in Vegas.................

From Shawnee to Boston

The National League of Cities is holding their Congress of Cities and Exposition Nov 28-Dec 1, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Long time readers of this blog know that I have in the past been critical when we sent large delegations to these meetings.  It has been my opinion that the most number of people we need to send to NLC conferences is four (Mayor, City Manager and 2 Council Members).

For awhile, that is what was happening.  The city reduced the number of participants to these NLC conferences to four.

Now, that is changing.  Even though Council is supposed to announce who is taking these trips in advance they very seldom do.  At least not without some prodding.

Last week I obtained the list of those who are planning on attending:

Mayor Jeff Meyers
Jim Neighbor Ward I
Alan Willoughby Ward II
Neal Sawyer Ward II
Dawn Kuhn Ward III
Jeff Vaught Ward III
Mickey Sandifer Ward IV
Carol Gonzales City Manager

The city manager did confirm that tentative travel and hotel arrangements have been made for those listed above.

Eight folks going!!!!!  Unbelievable.  The only two not going are Dan Pflumm, Ward I and Michelle Distler, Ward IV.  Happy to see that they care enough not to add to this waste.

Four people would be sufficient.  They could come back and educate the others, and the city.  As a matter of fact, there was an effort to have the attendees write a synopsis of these meetings, and publish them on the city's web site.  To the best of my memory, that was only done once.

Sidebar:  A cup of coffee says that Mickey Sandifer spends the most for this trip.  In the past, his schedule has usually shown him to arrive before the others and leave after them, resulting in more hotel nights and per diem expenses.

State Senate & Board of Education

Remember, election day is Tuesday, November 6, 2012

My preferences:

State Senate, Dist 10 Mary Pilcher-Cook
For State Board of Education, Dist 2:  Steve Roberts

Can Coincidences Be Created?

To fully understand this, one must read the blog post "Sheddidng Light on Sunshine Review" from 9/14/12 http://www.shawneeray.blogspot.com/2012/09/shedding-light-on-sunshine-review.html#links

Basically we know that on 9/10/12 the city council was to vote on returning the method of recording meeting minutes back to full minutes. One of the arguments for this was that the "action minutes" which were being used were less than transparent. Fortunately the council voted to go back to the older detailed format.

Earlier that day the Sunshine Review gave the city an A+ rating for transparency. As mentioned in the blog post, the info from their web site indicates that their ratings are based on info on the city's web site.  Such as, are there links on the city's site to various sites? If yes, they consider that tranparency. In the case of the meeting minutes, they don't rate the transparency of the minutes style, rather just that they are there.

Something was strange, since the last review by that organization was on Friday, 9/7/12.

So I contacted Sunshine Review and apparently the city had requested the review.

A KORA request indicates that starting Tue, 9/4/12 there was a group of emails back and forth between the city and Sunshine Review. Information was exchanged as to what it would take to raise the city's previous rating from a B. On 9/6/12 the rating was changed to an A- and the Sunshine Review was prepared to issue a press release to that effect. They were asked to hold off while the city made some more adjustments to its website, and finally the city came up with the A+ rating.

After having a B rating for quite some time, it's just wonderful that the city put on a massive drive to raise the rating of the web site. And yes, it's just coincidence that all of this occurred within 6 days (4 if you eliminate Sat & Sun) before the action on the meeting minutes change.

Local Candidates for Nov 6 Election

As to be expected, most folks are focusing on the "top of the ticket", the Presidential election.

Remember though, that what happens in Topeka can have more of an effect on your life than what happens in DC.

With that in mind, I'd like to take the time to mention the following individuals as folks that I hope you will support by voting for them on Nov 6.

State Representative:

Dist  18    John Rubin
Dist  39    Charles Macheers
Dist  23    Kelly Meigs
Dist  17    Brett Hildabrand

State Senator:

Dist 10    Mary Pilcher-Cook

Shawnee Dispatch Poll

We all know that on line polls are not accurate.  But they can be interesting.

Anyway, the Shawnee Dispatch is running a poll on their website at http://www.shawneedispatch.com/ (click on the link to the left and then scroll down to the lower right side of their website)

Here is the question, with the three possible answers:

Note:  You must go to the Dispatch at http://www.shawneedispatch.com to take the poll.  You cannot take it here.

A few people have criticized The Dispatch recently for covering “negative” news regarding local government. What do you believe is the role of a community newspaper?

It should be a cheerleader for the city

It should be a watchdog for the good of the public

It should be a balance of both

My opinion is that a local newspaper is supposed to write about "the good, the bad and the ugly".  Unfortunately the two previous local reporters seemed to be extensions of city hall's PR department, and shied away from anything bordering on the controversial.  It seemed like the paper may have at one time been a tool of certain senior officials of the city.

The people have a right to know what is happening.  Things aren't always rosey.  When someone sees some warts, instead of criticizing them for it, take the necessary action to treat the problem.

When certain individuals say that there are items that need not come to the public's attention because it makes the city look bad, I say balderdash (actaully I say something else but trying to keep this post family oriented).  They are not worried about how the city looks, they are worried about how they look.

When a city grows from small farming town to a component of a major metro area it needs to realize that local media has a responsibility to keep the citizens informed about all aspects of what is happening.  Then the citizens can praise the positives and work to reduce the negatives.

Go to the Dispatch and take the poll................what the heck...................

Training for Kansas Open Meetings Act

Interesting article in the KC Star
http://joco913.com/news/officials-to-be-schooled-in-open-meetings-law/

Apparently, according to the article, the JoCo DA is going to hold a training class regarding the Kansas Open Meetings Act.

This has been prompted by an increase in complaints regarding possible violations of the act.  So far both Gardner and Mission have been found to have violated the act, and there is still an open investigation into whether or not Shawnee violated it.

This training session (Oct 18,  9- 11 AM) is also open to the public.

This is probably a step in the right direction.  The question on my mind is with the number of folks that have been invited to attend, and the training session open, how much can be accomplished in two hours?