"Agendas" and "Special Interests" - Revisited...........Again!!!!!!

Any long term reader of this blog (or anybody who wants to use the search tool) will realize that I have addressed the use of the above two phrases numerous times.

Any individual, who claims that a political candidate is not qualified because they have an "agenda" or are backed by "special interests" is an idiot for saying that.  Huh?   Yepper.  They are probably the two most abused comments in any political contest.

Agenda:  What is an agenda?  It's an action plan.  It's what a candidate wants to accomplish if elected.  If a candidate does not have an agenda then they are dumb.  If they don't have an agenda how does a voter know what they stand for?  All candidates need to have an agenda so voters can choose which ones have similar thoughts on issues that they, the voters do.  The only "bad" agenda, is if it does not agree with your views. 

Special interests;  Another misused term.  Every candidate is backed by special interests.  Try this, candidate A wants to paint traffic stripes purple.  Folks that agree with that will support that candidate to include donations.  Candidate B wants to paint traffic stripes brown.  Folks that agree with that will support that candidate to include donations.  See, supporters of a candidate's position(s) then become "special interests".  Again, like with an agenda, the only bad special interests are those that do not have similar thoughts that you do.  Good special interests agree with your point of view.  Very misused and abused terminology.  Already had to take candidate Stephanie Meyer to task for using that term against the incumbent Mayor Distler.  The reverse would be true if someone reviewed her financial statements.  Bet I could pick out a bunch of special interests.

Is Rattan for Real?

Dawn Rattan, candidate for City Council in Ward 3 posted the info below on social media.  My guess is that it had something to do with my blog post about an in kind contribution to her campaign.  That blog post can be read by clicking here.

Anyway, here is what she posted:  (if you click on it, it should pop up larger)

Anyway, it's interesting that she claims that being a newbie was the reason for the mistake.  Quite possible.  Newbies do make mistakes.  Then again, some newbies go out of their way to read the rules completely so as not to make mistakes.  Of, absent that, they consult with an attorney.  Oh, forgot, she's married to one. 

Now, it's nice that she says the problem was corrected with the government Ethics Commission.  Only problem is she didn't say how it was corrected.  Did they give her a slap  on the wrist and call her a naughty candidate?  Did they issue a fine?  Did they direct a refund of the overage amount?  Usually the GEC issues a letter on things like this, with the resolution.  Haven't seen it at JoCo Election web site, yet.

Is she really fit to be a member of the city council?  A review of public records indicates that on 7/11/2019 property taxes for her residence were paid for 2018, 2016 & 2015.  Was that a newbie mistake?  Or that on 2/26/16 property taxes for 2014, 2013 and the 2d half of 2012 were paid.
Should she be sitting on a council that makes decisions regarding taxes?  Guess that's for the voters of Ward 3 to decide.

Stephanie Meyer - Liar Extraordinaire

In a recent blog post on her candidate web site Stephanie Meyer posted this:

"Join me to say that a candidate, like me, who receives much of her funding from individual donors and residents, rather than from a small handful of large and special-interest donors........."

Well Stephanie, apparently is incapable of reading campaign finance reports.  That is why the statement above is a bunch of malarkey.  Nahhh, it's BS.  Let's look at the donations, by amounts for the two mayoral candidates.............Michelle Distler and Stephanie Meyer:

Contribution amount                              Distler                         Meyer

$500 (maximum)                                        9                                  13
$250-$499                                                  2                                   10
$100-$249                                                 17                                  26
$51-$99                                                     0                                      1
$1 - $50                                                     28                                  19

Hmmmm, which candidate has relied on "big money donors"?  Also, Meyer has used the expression "special-interest donors" as if that is bad.  Heck, she has special interest donors.  All candidates get donations from special interest persons.  Apparently Meyer has not read my various posts about that term.  Take any subject where two candidates disagree.  Their donors are "special interests" if they support them.  Both sides.  Let's take the subject of abortion.  If you are against it, you will be supported by special interests who think like you.  If you are in favor of it you will be supported by special interests who think like you.  To use that term as a negative is unscrupulous to say the least, and highly misleading.  But then Stephanie Meyer has a habit of misleading. Is that why the voters of her ward, ward 3, rejected her in the recent primary?

And now she again regales us with her impoverished upbringing.  But she forgets that there are still folks that are in that situation in Shawnee. But that didn't stop her from trying to push the proposed community center down their throats. Check this out.   Or this one.

So, if you want someone who has a history of misleading folks as your mayor then maybe you should vote for Meyer.  I know I don't.

Remembering 9/11/2001

Today is Patriot Day.

There is only one thing I can say, and it has been said by many others...................never forget.

Ward 3 Rejected Stephanie Meyer

In my post yesterday I briefly touched on how Stephanie Meyer could not even carry her council ward in her bid to become Shawnee's mayor.  OK, she got creamed in the primary.  She did come in second which allows her to go into the general election.  But, wow, she got her tail end kicked.

Picture this, a 4 way primary, current mayor, Michelle Distler racks up 57% of the vote citywide.  Stephanie Meyer shows up with a weak second place finish at approximately 26% citywide.  Over the years I have witnessed various primary elections.  Usually, when it is a 4 way race, the top dog winds up with a figure in the high 30's % to low 40's %, but 57% is unheard of.

But, let's get back to the topic at hand.  Stephanie Meyer is a current Ward 3 representative and president of the city council.  One would think that she would persevere in Ward 3.  Wrong!!!!
She literally got her butt kicked.  Don't believe me?  Here are the figures and you can double check them yourself at http://www.jocoelection.org.

Ward 3 Results Mayoral Primary 2019

Distler         1004      51.38%
Meyer           639       32.70%
Tubbesing     277       14.18%
 Sood               34         1.74%

Why would the voters in a council rep's own ward reject them for mayor?  The reasons can be numerous.  Maybe they don't trust her?  Maybe they don't think she is truthful?  Maybe they think she hides things?

I asked it yesterday and I'll ask it again: are the citizens of Ward 3 trying to tell the rest of the city something?   BTW, she (Meyer) really got hammered in the other three wards.

Shawnee does not need, not can it afford to have someone like Meyer as its Mayor.

Stephanie Meyer - Bad for Shawnee

My personal belief is that if this individual is elected mayor of Shawnee it would be a terrible mistake.  A train wreck waiting to happen.

She was the major driving force and cheerleader to get the council to pass the recent NDO, (Non Discrimination Ordinance).  Here is the ironic thing about that.  The item was on the Council Committee agenda 8/13/19 and then moved to the Council 8/26/19.  In all the years that I have been following the council I cannot remember any time that an item went from committee to council in 2 weeks.

So, I got to thinking as to why that may have happened.  This is strictly a theory, but in many ways it makes sense.  It goes back to the proposed community center vote.  You may remember that Meyer (currently Ward 3 rep and council president) was also the lead cheerleader for that one.  You may also remember that the same council members who supported the NDO also marched in lockstep with her on the community center.  You may also remember that there were many reasons not to vote yes for that center.  Reasons which she and her acolytes failed to mention and kept hidden.  (More on her acolytes on the council and what needs to be done at the upcoming election regarding them in a future post).

So what happened?  A citizen group was formed and got the truth out there (contrary to Councilmember Sandifer's rant that that group lied).  The measure failed at the ballot box 72%-28%.  So, my thoughts are that Meyer pushed this item through quickly so that the citizens of Shawnee could not mount a well organized and justifiable opposition to the proposed NDO.  She does not respect citizen input.  During the community center debacle she kept mentioning how many folks wanted it. She and her acolytes failed to mention that the same survey that showed that, also showed a majority of Shawnee citizens did not want an increase in property taxes to pay for it.  So, that is why I think this NDO was ramrodded through the process.

Now here are some interesting facts.  In the recent mayoral primary Stephanie Meyer only got 25% of the vote.  In Ward 3, her ward as a council person, she lost her own ward.  Take it a step further, she lost the precinct (her neighborhood) where she lives in that ward.  That has to be a message to the rest of the city.  Her own ward rejected her.  Her own precinct rejected her.  Are the people that she represents trying to tell the rest of the city something?  Are they saying don't be deceived by her dolce voce, rather that she is no good for the city.  Now, for those folks who are wondering how she got to be a council rep, be advised, she never was truly elected to the position.  She was appointed to fill an unexpired term and then when she ran for the office she ran unopposed.  She has a problem when running against an opponent.  In a previous election she lost 2-1 against Charles Macheers.

I implore you.  Do not sit out this election.  Vote, and reelect the current mayor, Michelle Distler.

Who Is Don Cawby?

Until a few weeks ago he was the city manager in Osawatomie Kansas.  It's been all over Miami County that he is moving north to become finance director here in Shawnee.

Wonder when the official announcement will be made?  Oh well.  Mr. Cawby has a pretty impressive resumé, which can be viewed on Linked In

He will be replacing Maureen Rogers who retired after 7 years with Shawnee.  That does bring up some questions.  While Ms. Rogers was with Shawnee the city received various awards and accolades for its financial reports, departmental audits etc.  Her retirement seemed to come rather suddenly without much notice.  Usually a department director gives a substantial amount of notice.  Also, it does not appear that the usual retirement party was held at city hall.  What happened here?  Was Ms. Rogers forced into an early retirement?  It all seems strange, again, in view of the various positive reports and items of recognition the department received while she was here.  Maybe someday we'll find out.



 

Potential Property Tax Problems With Big Box Retailers

Below is an email I sent to the governing body of Shawnee today.  The actions (or inactions) of the city manager are IMHO, inexcusable.

Good afternoon,

Some of you may recall that I addressed the council in July about this problem.  At the time it was learned that Wal Mart had won an appeal of their property tax based on what they contended was an erroneous method of calculating their taxes by JoCo

It was indicated that if their appeal is upheld it could have severe consequences on taxes received by the city and county by not just Wal Mart but other retailers that were taxed the same way (Lowes, Home Depot, Walgreens etc.)  This could also involve the refunding of substantial sums of money to these businesses.  For those that are not aware of what this entailed, apparently JoCo had been basing property taxes on sales as opposed to actual property valuations.

The more I have thought about this issue, the more upset I have become with staff, particularly the city manager.  When queried, he responded that the situation was being watched closely.

 The situation has been ongoing apparently for quite some time.  So, that now begs answers to the following questions:

1.  Why weren’t the citizens of Shawnee told of this situation prior to the vote on the community center?  Was it because that would have been just one more reason for the voters not to approve it?

2.  Why wasn’t the information presented in the open council budget sessions so that the public could know about it.  Presentations about this item were made to the council in OP.  Presentation about this item was made to the BOCC in open session.

 This low key approach and not keeping the citizens informed of this item, is IMHO an act of misfeasance on the part of the city manager.  Now, before anybody on the council starts to declare that “we have the greatest staff in the metro”, realize that by doing so you would be condoning the withholding of this information from the public.  This is outrageous.

I proposed in July some actions that it was felt were necessary to keep the citizens of Shawnee properly informed on this matter.  I will reiterate those proposals at this time:

1.  The city council must, in open session, direct the city manager to provide in January after the beginning of the new council session and at the beginning of the budget process an outline of the current status of the item as what the courts have decided up to that time.

2.  Utilizing the same time line as above the city manager needs to prepare various “what if” scenarios.  Even though specific dollar amounts are not currently available, there should be enough raw data available to project various possibilities.  It is done for other items all the time.  Heck, the budget is one big “what if” scenario.

3.  The council needs to admonish the city manager that keeping this info from the citizens is not good government, nor is it transparent government.

 

Dawn Rattan - $1000 Campaign Contribution - For Make Up

I've seen some strange listings on campaign finance reports, but this one takes the cake.  Or is that pancake makeup?

We are talking about Dawn Rattan, candidate for the Ward 3 full term council seat.  In her financial report filed 7/29/19 she listed an in kind contribution from Smash Glam at 3941 Troost Ave KCMO for $1000 for "makeup for pictures".  That must have been some makeup job.

Anyway, let's talk about the legalities of in kind contributions.  According to Kansas state law the maximum amount of an in kind contribution for a candidate in a Shawnee city council race is $500 per reporting period (primary/general)  Same as an actual cash contribution.  Also, if a party gives both an in kind and an actual cash contribution during a reporting period the total cannot exceed the $500 maximum (example $200 in kind and $300 cash).  Additionally, according to State law a candidate cannot take an overage contribution in one period and split it over multiple reporting periods.  That means that the $1000 in kind from Smash glam cannot be split $500/primary and $500/general.  Now, the state Government Ethics Commission reviews these filings.  Wonder what they are going to do?  Will she have to refund $500 to the contributor?  Will she have to wash off the make up?  Which begs the question:  How long does a $1000 make up job stay on one's face?  How much did her appearance need changing?

Sign Sign Everywhere a Sign - Stephanie Meyer Pick Up Your Signs

Well, the primaries are over.

With regards to the mayoral candidates:

Mayor Michelle Signs - Signs have been removed
Dawn Tubbesing - Signs have been removed
Ajay Sood - Signs have been removed

Stephanie Meyer - Still has a bunch sitting in various rights of way.  Hmmmm, why haven't they been picked up?  Is Miss "I'm Entitled to Everything" waiting for city employees to pull them for code violations, bring them to a central location and then she (or someone) can pick them up all at once?  Misuse of city personnel.

Hope the city manager doesn't let this happen

Non-Discrimination Ordinance Discussion

The Council Committee will discuss the possibility of a Non-Discrimination Ordinance (sometimes referred to as Sexual Orientation Sexual Identity) at it next meeting Tuesday August 13, 2019 at 7:00PM.  The meeting is held in the council chambers at city hall at 11110 Johnson Drive, Shawnee Kansas 66203    Map info here

City staff will be presenting various options for the committee to review.  To read exactly what is being presented please click here

There is quite a bit of conversation going on not only here in Johnson County but all across the country.  Some cities have enacted NDOs, others have opted not to saying it is the responsibility of state and federal governments. Some of the enacted ordinances have been challenged in the courts and are still going through the process, quite possibly all the way to SCOTUS.

This is one of those topics that regardless of the outcome there will be folks who ask how did this happen (or not happen).  Simple, folks did not attend the various meetings of the various governing bodies.

My personal opinion:  This is something that is covered by current state and federal statutes.  And if those statutes do need tweaking, it is the responsibility of the state and federal governments to do the tweaking.  We do not need a mishmash checkerboard layout of differing city laws.  Also, enough cases are in the court systems that it becomes, IMHO a situation where the final outcome of those cases becomes known before Shawnee proceeds any further.

Primary Election Unofficial Results - 8/6/19

For those that haven't heard, here are the results for the Shawnee primary election yesterday.  Commentary to follow in the next day or two.

Mayor:
Michelle Distler – 3,847 or 57.22%
Stephanie Meyer – 1,736 or 25.82%
Dawn Tubbesing – 1,010 or 15.02%
Ajay Sood – 130 or 1.93%

One overvote and 71 undervotes for a total vote of 6,795.

Ward 3:
Kurt Knappen – 911 or 47.37%
Dawn Rattan – 690 or 35.88%
Nick Reed – 322 or 16.74%

39 undervotes for a total vote of 1,962

Ward 3 – Special Election:
Kevin Straub – 879 or 46.36%
Lisa Larson-Bunnell – 825 or 43.51%
Greg Sitzmann – 192 or 10.13%

66 undervotes for a total vote of 1,962

Ward 4:
Jill Chalfie – 848 or 50.45%
Kris Durbin – 527 or 31.35%
Matt Shaw – 306 or 18.20%

59 undervotes for a total vote of 1,740

The top two in each race will now go on to the general election November 5, 2019

Stephanie Meyer-Talking Out of Both Sides of Her Mouth-Again

Stephanie Meyer, candidate for mayor in Shawnee is again talking out of both sides of her mouth.  She's a cute piece of work, that definitely does not deserve to be mayor of Shawnee.

Don't believe me?  Try these statements concerning the consideration of an NDO (non-discrimination ordinance) for Shawnee.  OK, I will not comment at this point on the pros or cons of such a thing.  Just want to point out how Meyer plays both sides.

From the questionnaire she answered for the Citizens for a Better Shawnee:

Q4 Are there areas you feel the city government should not be involved with?
I believe that government should play as limited a role as possible in our residents' lives, while providing for their safety, welfare, and the overall stability of our community. Regarding city government, this includes many social issues that are most appropriately dealt with at the state or federal levels.
From a recent article in the Shawnee Mission Post:

As policy makers, it is our job to be sure that our actions and decisions follow legal precedent, statute, and authority. Often times, in local government, that means waiting on clarification from a higher jurisdiction. What cannot be lost in that process, however, is the more important question of "Is this the right thing to do?"

Many months in the making, I’m happy to announce that at our August 13 Council Committee meeting, we will take up the discussion of a non-discrimination ordinance. We cannot continue to wait for others to act.

I have a question for her:  Don/t your jaws hurt when you talk out of both sides of your mouth?

Citizens For A Better Shawnee

The former "Vote NO" committee has transitioned to the "Citizens For A Better Shawnee".
They are on the web at https://www.citizensforabettershawnee.org/

Who are they?  From their web site on the about page:

"Citizens for a Better Shawnee is a non-partisan, citizen-run committee founded by the members of the "Vote No - There's a Better Way" Committee that opposed the 2019 Mail Ballot question that would have raised the property tax rate to fund a proposed community center in Shawnee. 

Our efforts were successful, as the measure failed by a decisive margin, with 72% voting against it in a high-turnout election.

Members of that committee, in response to many requests to remain engaged in city government, including city elections, decided to form "Citizens for a Better Shawnee" with the purpose of focusing on fiscal responsibility, common-sense policy, and good government in Shawnee, Kansas."

 

If you click on their endorsements tab you will see their endorsements for the upcoming primary election and info on the questionnaires they sent out to the candidates.  Interesting to note is which candidates failed to return the questionnaire.

Primary Election - Tuesday 8/6/19 - My Choices

OK.............this is going to be a short post.

These are my choices for the four Shawnee primary election contests next Tuesday, 8/6/19

Mayor:  Michelle Distler

Council Ward 3 Full Term:  Kurt Knappen

Council Ward 3 Unexpired Term:  Kevin Straub

Council Ward 4:  Kris Durbin

Why Does Stephanie Meyer Lie About Menard's?

Unbeknownst to me that it would happen, another member of the community addressed the council this past Monday regarding Stephanie Meyer's misrepresentation of why Menard's did not build in Shawnee.  Instead Menard's went to KCK.

I was already looking into this because at the recent mayoral candidate's forum Stephanie Meyer stated that Menard's didn't build here because a city engineer couldn't go out to the site when they wanted him.  Sounds to me like a slap in the face to staff.  Ironically she jumps on anybody who says anything that could be construed as a negative about staff.  Do I see a little two faced action on her part?

Anyway, at one of the "Third Thursdays With the Mayor" former City Manager Gonzales had stated when asked that Menard's was not building in Shawnee because utilities were not available at the location.

An inquiry to the current city manager did produce the following:

I am in a little bit of a difficult spot to speculate on the conversation between Carol and Menard's representatives as well as a conversation Stephanie may have had with Menard's representatives.  However, the information that was shared at Third Thursday's is what I am aware of in regards to the Kansas City, Kansas location being more "shovel-ready" in regards to a quicker project.  I believe sewer access was a concern-

So, KCK had land that was more shovel ready.  Hmmmm, yet it is my understanding that Meyer still is telling folks the "engineer" story.  Stephanie Meyer, a natural born liar, IMHO. 

Stay tuned for more on her phoniness.

Side bar question:  City Managers are not supposed to get involved in the political process.  But, why hasn't the current city manager defended his staff against Ms. Meyer's comment.

The Irrelevant Arrogant One

I have received various text messages from individuals on the west side of town.

Apparently his royal arrogance (Jeff Vaught) is causing quite a stir on Next Door.  He even went so far as to single out other folks' association with me.  Gotta love it.

OK, I can’t post on the west side Next Door but I can supply info  below for anyone who chooses to use it

Let’s look at his royal arrogance (Jeff Vaught).  The first thing we will mention is that he is NOT a fan of transparency in government.  That can be verified from when the council, with his prodding changed the method of delivering council minutes from full to summary.  Only problem with that is that the former city manager chose to ignore the written directive of the council and gave the city action minutes.  Those are even more abbreviated.  Long story short, the council voted to bring back full minutes, with no help from Mr. I Know Everything.

He constantly belittled other council members and members of the public.  One of his favorite comments is “I don’t remember seeing you at any council meetings”.  That is how he attempts to shut down critics.  What a jacka$$  Very few folks go to these meetings (personally I wish more did).  But, they can listen to the audio and read the minutes

So, what happens?  He runs for mayor in 2015.  There was a 4 person primary.  He didn’t make it out of the primary (only the top 2 do)

What was the final result of the mayoral primary/

Michelle Distler   28.08%

Dan Pflumm         30.40%
John Segale          18.32%
Jeff Vaught          23.19%

More telling is how did the mayoral primary vote go in Ward 3?  The ward he represented on the council.
Michelle Distler  26.29%
Dan Pflumm         24.80%
John Segale          16.65%
Jeff Vaught          32.26%

Translation……….67.74%  (2/3) of the Ward 3 voters said they wanted anybody but Jeff Vaught as their mayor.  Apparently they learned their lesson from having him represent them on the council.

But, Vaught still thought he was relevant.  Not realizing that after winning his first term and then one reelection to the council , that the voters in Ward 3 were getting tired of his bombastic bullying buffoonery which combined to create a highly arrogant atmosphere about him.  And it created a toxic atmosphere on the council.

So, in 2017 there was a three way primary for council in Ward 3.

What happened?

Justin Adrian  38.94%

Dave Myres   39.82%
Jeff Vaught    21.24%

So now the voters of Ward 3 (78.76%, roughly 8 out of 10) made it real clear that they did not want an arrogant buffoon to represent them on the council.

And yet, he still thinks that what he says about city elections has relevancy.  It does not.  Witness his strong comments of being in favor of the proposed  Shawnee Community Center.  His bullying approach and inability to read the electorate was almost laughable.  And, like Hillary Clinton, he apparently cannot accept defeat.  He has come up with more excuses as to why the measure was defeated.  Instead of looking to see what was wrong with the plan he’d rather blame the folks who put out the effort to get the truth about the project in front of the voters.  Such arrogance.

Again, he hasn’t learned that his commentary is irrelevant.  Or maybe it is reverse relevant?  Maybe it makes folks go the opposite way of his stand on an item?  Hmmmm, remember, he supports Stephanie Meyer for mayor and Nick Reed for Ward 3 council rep. 

Has Stephanie Meyer Gone Totally Bonkers?

IMHO, the answer to that question is yes.  Big time.  The current council president and mayoral candidate posted this on her FB page at https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemeyerforshawnee/

This is what she posted:

As policy makers, it is our job to be sure that our actions and decisions follow legal precedent, statute, and authority. Often times, in local government, that means waiting on clarification from a higher jurisdiction. What cannot be lost in that process, however, is the more important question of “Is this the right thing to do?”

Many months in the making, I’m happy to announce that at our August 13 Council Committee meeting, we will take up the discussion of a non-discrimination ordinance. We cannot continue to wait for others to act.

In my experience, the residents of Shawnee are warm, welcoming, and compassionate people, and we should want that spirit to echo through all that we do. I hope you’ll participate in this important conversation.

This push for cities in Kansas to adopt non-discriminatory ordinances is absolutely ridiculous.  How many of them are still being challenged in the courts?

Laws against discrimination belong at the state and/or federal level.  For various reasons.  A hodgepodge  of these ordinances means that folks traveling from city to city would need a book of ordinances for all cities.  But, even more important are cities really the best entities to judge and evaluate what some may or may not perceive as discrimination?  Do cities have the resources?  Do cities have the funding?

This is a "feel good" act looking for a problem. 

Now, let's take a look at state law.  K.S.A 44-1009 has a pretty good handle on this subject, and if it needs amending, expanding or anything along those lines then encourage the state legislature to make those changes.  Keep it uniform across the whole State of Kansas.  Keep it uniform so that violations of the statute can be handled in a judicious manner.  Not in a helter skelter willy nilly fashion.  Keep in mind that this item is being championed by the same cheerleader who wanted to saddle Shawnee residents with an enormous tax burden to finance a community center. 

The council committee will be discussing this item at its meeting on Tuesday Aug 13, 2019 at 7PM at Shawnee City Hall, 11110 Johnson Drive.  Let her and any other members of the council that support this know that this is an item best left to the State of Kansas.

Stephanie Meyer and the Gang of Six Have No Confidence in Shawnee Citizens

Wow, that is a heck of a headline, isn't it?

So, are you asking why I say that?  Actually, it is pretty easy to explain.  First let's define the "Gang of Six".  That includes Meyer, and Councilmembers Zimmerman, Neighbor, Larson-Bunnell, Sandifer and Constance.

Now for what happened.  It is a matter of record.  At the last Council Committee meeting members Jenkins and Kemmling brought forth some proposals regarding the budget process.  One of these was to establish a citizen task force to review the budgets going forward and if needed recommend adjustments by looking for ways to possibly reduce or move allocations.  The task force would consist of 2 members appointed by each councilmember and two from the council itself.

The "Gang of Six" did everything they could to shoot down that idea, and unfortunately they succeeded.  Among the reasons given were the high quality of our staff and the fact that we use priority based budgeting. 

We probably do have a very high quality staff.  But, they are human.  And sometimes humans can make mistakes, errors, or not see certain things etc. etc. etc.  They are not perfect.  A task force as proposed by Jenkins and Kemmling would utilize the other advantage we have here in Shawnee.  To wit, a very diverse, intelligent community with folks from all career backgrounds.  The task force would not be decision making but advising.  Folks outside of the budget process might just see some things that could prove to be beneficial.  So, what is the gang of six afraid of?

We have boards and commissions made up of citizens already.  And some of them are in a position where they virtually do make the decision (Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Commission).

So again, why would the "Gang of Six" be against utilizing the wealth of experience and knowledge that our residents could bring to the table?  I have my opinions, you can formulate your own

Happy Birthday USA

Happy birthday to the USA.

A special note to those who are objecting to President Trump's inclusion of the military in a special July 4th celebration, get over it!  It was the military that secured our independence, and it has been the military that has insured that independence, and it is the military that will continue to make sure that we remain a free and independent nation by protecting all of us from aggressive enemies.

To include a military display in the 4th of July celebration is right, justified, and fitting.  God bless the USA.

Kevin Straub - Ward III Special Election

Kevin Straub has tossed his hat into the ring for the Ward III special election (primary) to fill the unexpired 2 years of the term by former council member Justin Adrian.

Kevin will be facing Lisa Larson-Bunnell who was appointed to temporarily fill the position until this election and Greg Sitzman.  The top two vote getters in this election on August 6th will move on to the  general election November 5th.

You might want to visit Kevin's web site at  Kevin Straub for Shawnee City Council | Ward 3 Special Election  

Kevin will help to get the city council set on going down the right road for Shawnee's future.  Vote for Kevin.

Jenkins/Kemmling Proposal for Storm Water Pipes

The condition of Shawnee's storm water pipes has been a subject of discussion since the recent presentation that pipe failures could cost as much as $140 million over the next 10 years.

Councilmembers Eric Jenkins and Mike Kemmling have prepared a proposal and resolution to address this item. It can be read at https://cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/24449?preview=24451

This item is going to be discussed at the Council Committee meeting on Tuesday June 18, 2019 at city hall beginning at 7:00PM

The proposal makes sense.  Citizens are encouraged to attend the meeting and to support this important concept.

Stephanie Meyer - Talks From Both Sides of Her Mouth

Well it looks like I missed some fun and games at city hall Monday night.  Not gonna get into much of what was said.  I do want to discuss procedures.

Seems like some citizens had a few things to say and then Councilmember Mickey Sandifer decided to wait until "Miscellaneous Council Items" to get real down and dirty with a member of the public.  Based on eyewitness accounts and audio files this is basically what happened next.

A citizen got up to rebut what he was saying.  Stephanie Meyer and Mickey Sandifer shouted out you can't do that it is not allowed.  City manager Nolan Sunderman whispered into the mayor's ear with what was probably an interpretation of the council procedures and the mayor said that the citizen couldn't say anything.  It was not allowed.  Former Councilmember Jeff Vaught yelled out to that citizen to sit down and that it was not allowed for them to speak during that part of the meeting.

Well, that was bad information.  On Oct 26, 2015 Policy Statement 7 was modified in Section IV(D)(2) to give citizens the right to speak during miscellaneous council items.  And if anybody is interested the Shawnee Dispatch had a nice article about that change and it is still available on line at http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2015/oct/29/council-approves-additional-public-comment-meeting/

What is really interesting is Stephanie Meyer's quote in the above referenced article.  "Anytime we can increase public participation at meetings, I'm for it."  Looks like she became a little two faced on that subject.  Guess citizen participation is only good if she feels the same as they do.  And this individual, who apparently now wants to restrict citizen input after saying how great it was, wants to be mayor of our city.  Which side of her mouth will she be talking from tomorrow?  She'll say just about anything to get elected. 

Now as for Vaught.....what gives him the right to tell another citizen to sit down?  What gives him the right to say it is not allowed for them to speak at that time?  Go back to various on line articles and previous meetings before Oct 26, 2015.  Jeff The Bully Vaught was the major impetus for getting that part of the policy statement changed.  He had a nasty habit of using Miscellaneous Council items to say some negative things about citizens and they couldn't, until the change, rebut what he said.

As for the City Manager, Nolan Sunderman, if he did in fact advise the mayor that citizen input was not allowed at that time he was way off base. 

 

We Steal a Good One From Lenexa

I think it has finally happened.  Last week Hayward's Pit BBQ relocated to 10901 W. 75th St in Shawnee (two blocks east of Nieman).  That is the building that has seen a revolving door effect with restaurants.

Well, it looks like we finally have a winner in that building.  Went there Friday night.  Wait time was about 45 minutes.  They were jammed.  Parking lot was full.  Fantastic.  Friend of mine told me that parking lot was also jammed at lunch.

Enjoyed dinner.  Food was good.  Wait staff was friendly, upbeat and checked back which, considering how crowded they were could have  taken a hit.  Kudos to the wait staff.  Kudos to the kitchen staff. 

Even with all the previous owners it had been a long time since the interior was remodeled.  It finally happened now. 

Looks like we finally have a keeper at that location.

The Longest Day

In 1962 the film "The Longest Day" was released.  It was a portrayal of the Normandy landings on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

Tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of that momentous occasion.  Below is the theme song from that movie with lyrics.  Listen to the lyrics, please.  And if you get a chance, watch the movie. 

Who Is Running?

Today was the last day to file and/or withdraw from the local city elections.

So, what is happening now:

Primary Election:  August 6, 2019.  The top two finishers in each contest will advance to the General Election November 5, 2019

Mayor

Michelle Distler (Incumbent)
Dawn Tubbesing
Ajay Sood
Stephanie Meyer

Council Member Ward 3 Full Term Four Years

Kurt Knappen
Nick Reed
Dawn Rattan

Council Member Ward 3 Unexpired Two Year Term

Kevin Straub
Lisa Larson-Bunnell (Incumbent)
Greg Sitzmann

Council Member Ward 4 Full Term Four Years

Kris Durbin
Matthew Shaw
Jill Chalfie

General Election:  November 5, 2019  These individuals will run in November as they do not have any primary challengers in August

Council Member Ward 1 Full Term Four Years

Tammy Thomas
Jim Neighbor (Incumbent)

Council Member Ward 2 Full Term Four Years

Eric Jenkins (Incumbent)
Andy Rondon

Does Stephanie Meyer Really Care?

Below is a screen capture from her FB page.  The sentiments are really nice.  I would even agree with them.  But, does she mean them?

 

 

 

Why do I ask if she really means what she wrote?  Easy.  Apparently, prior to the council meeting a citizen had done some research and discovered the names of five Shawnee folks who gave their lives in Vietnam.  While Mayor Distler read those names aloud for as a tribute, Ms. Meyer could be seen pecking away on her cell phone.  Gosh Stephanie, couldn't those texts have waited just a few minutes so you could really pay tribute.  Or are you all lip service?  Maybe.  Do you ever pay attention to what is happening at any council meeting or are you always pecking away on your cell phone?  

 

 

 

Mayoral and Ward 3 Primary

With everything going on recently about that proposed community center there were same changes in the upcoming primary election to be held August 6, 2019.  Will cover the non-primary elections in a separate post as they are to be held November 5, 2019.

Mayor's Primary: 

Michelle Distler has filed for reelection
Ajay Sood has filed
Dawn Tubbesing (served on council as Kuhn) has filed
Stephanie Meyer has filed - withdrew from running for her Ward 3 council seat to run for mayor

Ward 3 Council Seat:

Dawn Rattan has filed
Kurt Knappen withdrew from the 2 year unexpired seat to run for the full four year seat
Nick Reed has filed

Interesting item.  Nick Reed apparently filed for the Ward 3 seat at about the same time that Stephanie Meyer switched over to running for mayor.  Hmmmmm, was he her hand picked "replacement"?  If so, the only thing I can say is that he might want to visit Gall's at 9200 Marshall Drive, yes, in Lenexa.  They have a full range of LEO gear.  He might want to pay particular attention to the items listed at https://www.galls.com/stab-armor#products_scroll as these items could protect against being stabbed in the back.  Just a thought.

The Crying Has Started

Wow, looks like Hillary Clinton syndrome has spread to Shawnee.  The crying by some current and former elected officials about the failure of the bond issue for the proposed community center has started.

First, let's look at some numbers:

Turn out for the mail ballot election:  19,951 of 43,019 registered voters 46.38%  This is a significant number for two reasons.  First, mail ballots in other JoCo cities have in the past pulled 30-35% of the registered voters.  In most previous Shawnee local elections (council/mayor) only between 10-15% of the voters actually vote.  The final vote of 72% against to 28% for was a wipe out.  Next week we should see the breakdown by wards.  With only 5,559 voters voting yes, it seems incomprehensible that any ward showed a majority of folks voting to approve.  I would be willing to bet that the item was even voted down in Ward 3, the home of the numero uno cheerleader for this project, Councilmember Stephanie Meyer. 

Failure of the proponents of the item to fully comprehend Question 35 contributed, IMHO, to the lopsided victory.  We have heard about how 67% of the folks wanted a new community center. But question 35, in the same survey indicated that 52.5% of those surveyed were unwilling to pay increased property taxes to finance its construction.  This item is/was on the city's web site but one had to dig to find it.  Also, in the city's literature pushing the project and their info tours, no mention of this item was made, until a citizen brought it up.  This was like asking somebody if they wanted a new Mercedes.  They would probably say yes.  Ask them if they would be willing to take on the payment for it would probably result in a negative response.

The surveys, studies, hiring of the consultants, cost of the election, etc. probably came close to a half million dollars.  The only positive to come out of that expenditure is that the people have spoken.  Take that back, the people have shouted at the top of their lungs.  Now, let's put this item to rest.

The original concept for the land which was purchased over a decade ago was to build a third swimming pool.  It then morphed into this monstrosity.  This property has been off the tax rolls for too long.  Let's sell it to a developer who is willing to build something that would bring in money to the city. 

No New Community Center or Property Taxes - Vote NO! Destroys The Vote Yes at the Ballot Box

The unofficial results are in regarding the $38 million bond issue to build a new community center in Shawnee.

NO...............14,380     72.12%

Yes.................5,559     27.88%

46.38% of the registered voters responded.  Usually in a mail ballot election the number is 30% to 35%
Tremendous outpouring.

This was a total, unequivocal repudiation of this boondoggle, and of those high profile individuals who supported it.  But more on that after the official certification.  I definitely want to see the breakdown by ward.

One thing that has come out of this election is that the people of Shawnee have shown that they will not allow the few to control the many.  No longer will you hear, "it doesn't matter what I think, it will happen anyway"

There is a new dynamic in Shawnee....................

Right now, I am extremely euphoric.  More to come after the certification.

It's Not Too Late To Vote

Have you voted in the mail ballot election concerning the proposed Shawnee Community
Center?  Well, if you haven't, there is still time to vote.  It is too late to mail it in, but you can hand deliver it, anytime (yep, even at midnight) between now and Tuesday 5/21/19 at 12 noon. They have very functional drive up drop off boxes

The election office  is located at 2101 E. Kansas City Rd. Olathe, KS 66061, just a couple of blocks south of Bass Pro Shops.  And with all of those American Flags outside of the building it is hard to miss.  Anyway, to make it easier for you spot, there are some pix below.       
We can stop this boondoggle and waste of taxpayer money.

                                          

It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over

The mail ballot election for the proposed Shawnee Community Center is what we are referring to.

All ballots have to be in to the JoCo Election office by noon next Tuesday, 5/21/19. Postage has been prepaid. If not mailed by Friday 5/17 we'd like to suggest that they then be hand delivered to the election office 2101 East Kansas City Rd, Olathe. Just a couple of blocks south of Bass Pro. There is a convenient drive up lane where you do not even have to get out of your car.

Let's all pull together to defeat this "want" because our city has many more important "needs".

Our city needs better infrastructure in many neighborhoods. We are talking sidewalks, street repairs, storm water drainage, curbs, etc.

Our city needs a replacement for fire station 71 and a new squad 75 station.

Our city needs our public safety departments to be fully staffed. At all times.

Check with your friends, family, neighbors and see if they have voted yet. If they haven't, please remind them that there is no in person voting on this election. The only way to make your voice heard is by voting.

Watch the Highway Signs

The city council’s move to create a “new Shawnee” west of 435 diverts critical resources away from the heart of Shawnee.  Let’s keep Shawnee one community working for all of us. Vote No!

 

 

 

 

If you haven't mailed back your ballot time is getting short.  The ballots need to be received at the JoCo Election office NLT Tuesday 5/21/19 at noon (not postmarked).  To be on the safe side, if you do not mail them back by Friday 5/17/19 please hand deliver them 24/7 to the election office.  There is a drive up lane with a drop box.  You do not even have to get out of your car. It is located just a few blocks south of Bass Pro at:

 

2101 East Kansas City Road
Olathe, Kansas 66061   

 

 

Why Shawnee Can't Compete With Lenexa

Many folks want the proposed community center to be approved. One reason heard often is because "Lenexa has one". So what? Lenexa has a commercial tax base that is close to double that of Shawnee. If a person has time they can drive all over Lenexa and see the commercial buildings (that pay twice what a residential owner pays). 

We won't even talk about how Lenexa planned theirs for 20 years and saved towards it. For those who don't believe me about the commercial tax base please view the image below. This is from a presentation that the Shawnee Finance Director gave to the Council Committee three days ago (5/6/19)

It shows Shawnee's commercial base as 25.6% and Lenexa's as 47.1% In Shawnee the burden will always mostly fall on residential owners. I think if you click on the image you might be able to view it larger.

Uncle Alan - In the Spotlight - Again

Remember Alan (former mayor Jeff Meyers' uncle by marriage) Willoughby?
Remember how his appointment to fill an open seat on the city council ended up with a KOMA investigation and the JoCo DA issuing a letter of rebuke?
Remember how he wound up back on the Planning Commission?  How his nephew(by marriage) broke a tie vote to appoint him to that position.

Well, it looks like Uncle Alan found a way to get back in the spotlight.  And, IMHO, not in a good way.  Remember, he is a sitting member of the Shawnee Planning Commission.  What did he do?  He sat on the dais, at the PC meeting on Monday 5/6/19 wearing a "Vote Yes" t-shirt in support of the proposed community center ballot initiative.

This is so wrong.  If he wants to wear that t-shirt outside of city hall fine.  If he wants to wear it while grocery shopping or elbow bending at a local pub that is fine.  But to wear it while performing his duties as a PC member is out of line.    I am calling for either his resignation or his removal by the city council.

Now for those who may doubt that it happened here is a picture of it.  Click to view a larger version.

Shawnee vs Lenexa Rec Center Salaries

Now this is absolutely amazing.  At last Monday's informational meeting the salaries for the proposed community center were again brought up.  it was noted that Shawnee proposes a variety of positions, of which 12 full time employees will earn in excess of $52K per year.  The top dog would get $70K.  These are amounts that are substantially higher than what we pay our starting PD & FD personnel.  The reason for these high salaries we were told was because these are degreed positions.

Well, I guess then that we must higher substantially more qualified personnel than Lenexa does (keeping in mind that Lenexa is the Jones certain folks are trying to keep up with).  How can I say that?  Easy.  Gotta love KORA requests. Lenexa only has 3 full time positions that pay over $50K per year at their center.  And their top dog is at $64K.

The charts are shown below.  Click on them to see larger size images.  The first one is the Ballard* King proposal for Shawnee and the second one is from the City of Lenexa..

BTW, since the mail ballots just arrived, remember please to vote NO

Chamber President Responds - And I Reply To that

On May1 I posted a copy of an email I sent to Ann Smith-Tate, President of the Shawnee
Chamber of Commerce.  Just scroll down to see that.  Ms. Smith-Tate did reply and her reply (unedited) is shown below.  Her responses (in red) were interleaved with the original email, as such the complete item is posted.

I have also replied to her response.  That item is listed at the bottom of this post.

Original Email with Ms. Smith-Tate's response:

Ray,

Please see my responses to your questions below.

Regards,

Ann

From: Ray Erlichman
Sent: Wednesday, May 1, 2019 4:23 AM
To: Ann Smith-Tate
Subject: Chamber endorsement of proposed community center

Good morning Ann,

I  have a few questions concerning the recent endorsement of the chamber board for the proposed community center.

1.  In view of the money that the chamber receives from the city (actually that is taxpayer money, the city has no funds of its own) do you think it is ethically correct for the chamber to actually take sides on this issue?

Additionally, do you feel it is proper for the chamber to be a distributor of Vote Yes t-shirts and signs?

To be clear the Chamber of Commerce or its divisions do not receive any general fund allocations.  The EDC contract with the City is solely funded through the impact fees paid by Waste Management to the City of Shawnee for the express purposes of supporting economic development and infrastructure improvements in the city.  Visit Shawnee receives its funding from the transient guest tax which is fully paid by visitors staying in our hotels and is legislatively restricted by the state to be used to promote tourism.

Our board, which is comprised of community and business leaders, fully recognizes that ultimately the voters of Shawnee will determine the fate of this proposal, however they made the decision to endorse the measure because they felt it was important to address needs that have been identified through citizen surveys and provide a venue where citizens can access a variety of fitness and wellness activities such as the pool, indoor turf and court, classes, track and playgrounds.   Additionally it was discussed that the development of this community center aligns with the overall strategies of the board to enhance community development.  As such, the board of the chamber has historically weighed in on issues it felt were important to the future development of the community. This instance is no different.  

2.  What explanation does the chamber board have for its members who will wind up in a competitive situation with the proposed community center and would be funding that competition?

The chamber has members from a variety of industries including fitness and health. I’ve reached out to any members who have expressed concern from the Board’s endorsement and we’re working with them directly to address their challenges, that said it is important to note we also have members who fully support the initiative and see it as a compliment to their services.   As with all members, we will to strive provide the best value for their investment in our organization.

3.  The chamber board indicated that it thought the proposed community center would have a positive effect on neighboring businesses.  Which businesses do they feel will be positively affected?  Would the board support the addition of new businesses like Lenexa has, within close proximity to the community center?  Such businesses to include a major hotel, restaurants, retail and also the construction of modern upscale apartment complexes.  Many of those apartments have rental rates equal to or higher than many mortgages.  What would be the reaction of the residents of that area to that type of additional development?  Would the chamber support that?

We can’t speak specifically to future business developments or discuss current projects that are confidential in nature , however my years of experience in economic development have shown that an investment such as this  would have a major positive impact in any community.   It is believed that this amenity in our community will move Shawnee forward, especially in terms of the long-term vision for the “Valley of Champions.” The board will always be supportive of additional development and business expansion as that is the primary mission of our organization.

Since this item is of major importance to many residents of the city a copy of this email will be posted on my blog.  In all fairness, your reply will also be posted there.

Thank you for your time,

Ray

 

My Response this morning, 5/5/19

 

Ann,

First, let me say thank you for your response.

It is noted that you did not answer the question about the Chamber distributing signs and t-shirts.

Now, let’s get to the meat of what I find to be a troubling comment of yours.  Your comment that no general fund allocations were used.  That is a  dance around the fact that any funds that come into the city’s coffers belong to the taxpayers, not the government.

So, let’s take it step by step.  The monies received from the hotel task have to be spent to attract tourism.  But those funds do NOT have to be spent with Visit Shawnee.  Shawnee can choose to enter into an agreement with virtually any organization that can provide the same services.

Now, let’s go to the impact fee paid by Waste Management.  I think it is time you got a true history lesson on that item.  I was there when it first came up, you were not.  Initially, the former city manager, Carol Gonzales wanted the entire impact fee to go to “Economic Development”.  Fortunately there was enough pushback at the time from the council where the monies were split 50/50 (approximately $1.5 million each) towards economic development and for street improvements.  Even with that split, the city still needed a designated sales tax increase for our streets.  There have been various suggestions over the years to change the split with more going to streets.  Ironically, that would be very easy to do.  How?  There is no ordinance, policy etc. setting the split.  The split was decided at a budget session of the council as a “will of the council”.  As such, the split can be changed at any time without having to go through any long drawn out processes.  There were many who voiced concerns that the “economic development” portion of the split would become a “slush fund”.  Did this concern become reality when monies from that fund were used to finance the various changes regarding the train whistle situations out west?  For the record, I did speak favorably at the council to using those funds for the B&B Theater project. 

The economic development funds do NOT have to be spent with the SEDC.  They can be spent with any organization that could provide the same services.  Maybe it is time to again push for a change in the split of the impact fee so that more can be accomplished for our street problems.

And maybe it is time to look for organizations to replace both the SEDC and Visit Shawnee to handle those functions.

Again, just because the monies paid to the Chamber do not come from the general fund does not mean that they are not city (taxpayer) monies.

I will keep my word, and your response will be posted without editing, on my blog.  Additionally, so will this reply to you

Ray

 

Why Was City Staff Notified of Advocacy Social Media Pages Being Ready?

My favorite four letter word is.................KORA.  For those not familiar with that, it is the Kansas Open Records Act.  Basically, it is the Kansas equivalent of the federal Freedom of Information Act.

Something was bothering me about whether city staff was really educating the public or were they participating as advocates of one side of the community center issue.  I had previously advised the city manager that it was my opinion that staff was acting as advocates, especially with the snail mailed brochure which highlighted only the good and left out the bad and the ugly.

So, I submitted a KORA request for certain emails.  One of which is shown below.  Click on it to see a larger version.  My question now is why did the company that is handling the Shawnee Community Center Advocacy Project (that is how it is listed on their web site) notify certain city staff that two social media sites promoting the project were ready?  Also, there appears to be coordination with the contractor for the project regarding this matter.  Is the city assisting in coordinating for an approval of the project?  Doesn't the contractor stand to make millions if the voters approve the project?  Does the contractor's front man stand to get a special bonus if the project is approved by the voters?

Who are the players in the email shown below?:

Jayne Siemens, President, Venice Communications, a firm specializing in media relations
Julie Breithaupt, City Communications Manager
Tonya Lecuru, Deputy Parks Director
Eric Danielson, Business Development, Science and Technology, J E Dunn
Stephanie Meyer, Ward 3 Councilmember, City of Shawnee

Email to Shawnee Chamber Regarding Its Endorsement of Proposed Community Center

The following email was sent this morning to Ann Smith-Tate, President and CEO of the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce.  As stated, I will be happy to post her reply here.

Good morning Ann,

 I have a few questions concerning the recent endorsement of the chamber board for the proposed community center.

1.  In view of the money that the chamber receives from the city (actually that is taxpayer money, the city has no funds of its own) do you think it is ethically correct for the chamber to actually take sides on this issue?

Additionally, do you feel it is proper for the chamber to be a distributor of Vote Yes t-shirts and signs?

2.  What explanation does the chamber board have for its members who will wind up in a competitive situation with the proposed community center and would be funding that competition?

3.  The chamber board indicated that it thought the proposed community center would have a positive effect on neighboring businesses.  Which businesses do they feel will be positively affected?  Would the board support the addition of new businesses like Lenexa has, within close proximity to the community center?  Such businesses to include a major hotel, restaurants, retail and also the construction of modern upscale apartment complexes.  Many of those apartments have rental rates equal to or higher than many mortgages.  What would be the reaction of the residents of that area to that type of additional development?  Would the chamber support that?

Since this item is of major importance to many residents of the city a copy of this email will be posted on my blog.  In all fairness, your reply will also be posted there.

Thank you for your time,

Ray