Mayor Jeff Meyers has filed to run for reelection.
Of the five incumbents, that brings to four those who have filed (besides the mayor, council members Sawyer, Sandifer and Neighbor have filed).
Council member Kuhn hasn't as yet filed for reelection, even though she has sent out letters seeking donations for her campaign.
So far, no challengers have filed.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Mayor's Christmas Tree
Went to city hall last night to observe the lighting of the Mayor's Christmas Tree.
Wonderful time.............the groups that participated were lovely. Listening to the Christmas Carols and other holiday songs was an enjoyable experience.
The monies collected for charity were uplifting.
The activities at Shawnee Town 1929 seemed to be well thought out.
Kudos to city staff and all who worked to make it an enjoyable evening.
Wonderful time.............the groups that participated were lovely. Listening to the Christmas Carols and other holiday songs was an enjoyable experience.
The monies collected for charity were uplifting.
The activities at Shawnee Town 1929 seemed to be well thought out.
Kudos to city staff and all who worked to make it an enjoyable evening.
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Three Filed Today
OK, three of the council incumbents have filed to run for reelection:
Neighbor Ward 1
Sawyer Ward 2
Sandifer Ward 4
Neighbor Ward 1
Sawyer Ward 2
Sandifer Ward 4
It Starts Today
What starts today? Today is the first day that a person can file to be a candidate in Shawnee's April 3rd municipal election. Which could also involve a Feb 28th primary if more than two individuals file to run for the same office.
OK Shawnee, let's make this the year that folks in this town finally get involved in their local government.
Let's get some good candidates to run for local office. I don't know how many, if any, of the five incumbents are going to run.
Those incumbents are:
Jeff Meyers, Mayor
Jim Neighbor, Ward 1 Councilperson
Neal Sawyer, Ward 2 Councilperson
Dawn Kuhn, Ward 3 Councilperson
Mickey Sandifer, Ward 4 Councilperson
Let's look for a minute at two of the above..............Kuhn and Sandifer. IMHO, if these two choose to run for reelection we definitely need to see some fresh blood in their places. These two definitely need to become "former councilpersons", and every attempt must be made to see that they are not reelected, should they choose to run again. As a matter of fact neither of these two should, again IMHO, ever be elected to any governmental office whatsoever.
Jim Neighbor is also not high on my list for being returned to office.
More to come as the time draws closer. Meanwhile, let's see who files to run for what.
OK Shawnee, let's make this the year that folks in this town finally get involved in their local government.
Let's get some good candidates to run for local office. I don't know how many, if any, of the five incumbents are going to run.
Those incumbents are:
Jeff Meyers, Mayor
Jim Neighbor, Ward 1 Councilperson
Neal Sawyer, Ward 2 Councilperson
Dawn Kuhn, Ward 3 Councilperson
Mickey Sandifer, Ward 4 Councilperson
Let's look for a minute at two of the above..............Kuhn and Sandifer. IMHO, if these two choose to run for reelection we definitely need to see some fresh blood in their places. These two definitely need to become "former councilpersons", and every attempt must be made to see that they are not reelected, should they choose to run again. As a matter of fact neither of these two should, again IMHO, ever be elected to any governmental office whatsoever.
Jim Neighbor is also not high on my list for being returned to office.
More to come as the time draws closer. Meanwhile, let's see who files to run for what.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Council & Planning Commission Workshop
Last Monday, 11/21/11 the City Council and the City Planning Commission held a workshop primarily focused on economic development.
It was a somewhat interesting evening.
One of the few intelligent comments of the evening came from Commissioner Tom Beckenbaugh when he said that Shawnee needed a magnet to draw people to it. Hmmmmmm, I liked that, and as any reader of this blog would know, that is something I've been saying.
Much time was devoted to the proposed business/industrial park at 43d and K-7. But, will a business/industrial park be a magnet? It can bring tax paying businesses to Shawnee, but is it a magent that brings tourism and strong economic injections to the city? Is it a magnet that will draw folks down from the Village West complex after their races, concerts and other mass public gatherings.
Granted, when those events occur the 200 or so hotel rooms fill up and some restaurants see a slight uptick in business. But we don't get the heavy influx that a magnet attraction would bring...........from those events and year round.
Most of the discussions were monopolized by council reps Jeff (I'm in commercial real estate) Vaught and Dawn (motormouth) Kuhn.. Vaught never misses the opportunity to tell us what he does for a living, and usually multiple times in the same evening. Ironically, if one goes back they will see that for a commercial development real estate person his knowledge of the International Building Code was very limited (as to what it covers). And Kuhn was sounding more like a candidate on the stump than a council person.
Curiously Vaught seemed to be pushing, among other things, redevelopment. This was ironic since at a committee meeting I could swear I heard him tell another council rep that redevelopment was not economic development.
There was an exciting moment when council member Sandifer took offense (quite angrily too) at a comment by Vaught that seemed to be a nasty reference to how/where Sandifer was raised. Funny also, because Vaught was critical in the past of former council member Straub's actions/comments at council meetings.
It was a somewhat interesting evening.
One of the few intelligent comments of the evening came from Commissioner Tom Beckenbaugh when he said that Shawnee needed a magnet to draw people to it. Hmmmmmm, I liked that, and as any reader of this blog would know, that is something I've been saying.
Much time was devoted to the proposed business/industrial park at 43d and K-7. But, will a business/industrial park be a magnet? It can bring tax paying businesses to Shawnee, but is it a magent that brings tourism and strong economic injections to the city? Is it a magnet that will draw folks down from the Village West complex after their races, concerts and other mass public gatherings.
Granted, when those events occur the 200 or so hotel rooms fill up and some restaurants see a slight uptick in business. But we don't get the heavy influx that a magnet attraction would bring...........from those events and year round.
Most of the discussions were monopolized by council reps Jeff (I'm in commercial real estate) Vaught and Dawn (motormouth) Kuhn.. Vaught never misses the opportunity to tell us what he does for a living, and usually multiple times in the same evening. Ironically, if one goes back they will see that for a commercial development real estate person his knowledge of the International Building Code was very limited (as to what it covers). And Kuhn was sounding more like a candidate on the stump than a council person.
Curiously Vaught seemed to be pushing, among other things, redevelopment. This was ironic since at a committee meeting I could swear I heard him tell another council rep that redevelopment was not economic development.
There was an exciting moment when council member Sandifer took offense (quite angrily too) at a comment by Vaught that seemed to be a nasty reference to how/where Sandifer was raised. Funny also, because Vaught was critical in the past of former council member Straub's actions/comments at council meetings.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Pictures From Shawnee Veterans Day Ceremony
A few weeks ago I told a good friend of mine, Bill Nichols (a retired professional photographer) about the Shawnee Veterans Day ceremony.
He came by and took some pictures, created a slide show of them and that is available for viewing below. He will also be posting individual still shots if anybody wants to download those. Thanks Bill.
He came by and took some pictures, created a slide show of them and that is available for viewing below. He will also be posting individual still shots if anybody wants to download those. Thanks Bill.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Veteran's Day 2011
In 2002 I wrote and placed the below poem (or at least I consider it a poem, many English teachers would probably disagree) on another web site. I'd like to repost it here:
The GI in the foxhole
The sailor out to sea
The leatherneck standing guard
The pilot flying free
These are the brave men
And yes the women too
Standing guard to protect us
'Neath the old red, white and blue
They haven't asked for much
To them it's not a chore
Staying ready in peacetime
Just in case they go to war
Proudly they do serve
Like thousands gone before
Duty, honor and country
Be it peace or be it war
Our sons and our daughters
It is them that we do love
And proudly do they serve us
With guidance from above
At that time, I dedicated it as follows:
Dedicated to two special veterans......to me.....Abraham Erlichman, USAAF, WWII and the grandson he never knew Ashly Clayton Erlichman, 1/34 Armor, 1st Inf Div, SW Asia
If you can spare about 3-1/2 minutes, watch and listen to the video below. Thank you.
The GI in the foxhole
The sailor out to sea
The leatherneck standing guard
The pilot flying free
These are the brave men
And yes the women too
Standing guard to protect us
'Neath the old red, white and blue
They haven't asked for much
To them it's not a chore
Staying ready in peacetime
Just in case they go to war
Proudly they do serve
Like thousands gone before
Duty, honor and country
Be it peace or be it war
Our sons and our daughters
It is them that we do love
And proudly do they serve us
With guidance from above
At that time, I dedicated it as follows:
Dedicated to two special veterans......to me.....Abraham Erlichman, USAAF, WWII and the grandson he never knew Ashly Clayton Erlichman, 1/34 Armor, 1st Inf Div, SW Asia
If you can spare about 3-1/2 minutes, watch and listen to the video below. Thank you.
Monday, November 07, 2011
Info for Veterans
With Veteran's Day coming up I'd like to post about a change in the law concerning rendering honors to the flag and during the playing of the National Anthem.
The Defense Authorization Acts of 2008 and 2009 had some interesting changes.
Veterans, and active duty military in civilian clothing now have the option of rendering the military style hand salute instead of the civilian hand over the chest salute. This applies to the raising, lowering or passing of the colors as well as during the playing of the National Anthem.
Those individuals who are wearing cover (hats/caps for the uninformed civilians) may keep the cover on while rendering the hand salute. If they choose to perform the civilian hand over the chest then they should remove their cover, and hold it over their chest.
The Defense Authorization Acts of 2008 and 2009 had some interesting changes.
Veterans, and active duty military in civilian clothing now have the option of rendering the military style hand salute instead of the civilian hand over the chest salute. This applies to the raising, lowering or passing of the colors as well as during the playing of the National Anthem.
Those individuals who are wearing cover (hats/caps for the uninformed civilians) may keep the cover on while rendering the hand salute. If they choose to perform the civilian hand over the chest then they should remove their cover, and hold it over their chest.
Friday, November 04, 2011
Riding With the PD
Last April, and again last month I spent some time in a ride along with a member of the Shawnee PD. The April ride was the evening shift, and the October ride was the midnight shift (and I made it all night until 6AM)
Both times I saw various things that both impressed me and made me feel good about our PD.
First, it is obvious that the police officer of today is better educated than in years past. Even more important, I was able to witness various actions which showed that the officers also used alot of common sense. That is a trait that is becoming scarce in many other professions. And part of that probably has to do with their job related training.
One thing that became obvious on a couple of the calls is that we are definitely, IMHO, short handed. There were calls that required two officers (primary and back up) for the safety of the officer and the public. When this happens, based on the number of officers on duty there are holes in the coverage. As an example, one of the calls was a complaint about a party at an apartment clubhouse, and we know liquor was involved. There could have been problems if only one officer responded. Another call was a commercial burglar alarm at a restaurant. It's after midnight, closer to 1AM........you don't know what you are walking into. Again, two officers have to respond. Fortunately, neither incident resulted in a negative situation. But until the officers got there, and investigated, they didn't know what they could be getting themselves into.
Anyway, as stated above, I personally think we have some really good people on the PD.
I would like to see the number of officers on the street increased...........and that can only happen if the department is expanded. And that requires action by the council and the city manager.
BTW, if anybody else is interested in doing a ride along, there are forms available at the PD that you have to fill out, submit and get approved. It can be a learning experience.
Both times I saw various things that both impressed me and made me feel good about our PD.
First, it is obvious that the police officer of today is better educated than in years past. Even more important, I was able to witness various actions which showed that the officers also used alot of common sense. That is a trait that is becoming scarce in many other professions. And part of that probably has to do with their job related training.
One thing that became obvious on a couple of the calls is that we are definitely, IMHO, short handed. There were calls that required two officers (primary and back up) for the safety of the officer and the public. When this happens, based on the number of officers on duty there are holes in the coverage. As an example, one of the calls was a complaint about a party at an apartment clubhouse, and we know liquor was involved. There could have been problems if only one officer responded. Another call was a commercial burglar alarm at a restaurant. It's after midnight, closer to 1AM........you don't know what you are walking into. Again, two officers have to respond. Fortunately, neither incident resulted in a negative situation. But until the officers got there, and investigated, they didn't know what they could be getting themselves into.
Anyway, as stated above, I personally think we have some really good people on the PD.
I would like to see the number of officers on the street increased...........and that can only happen if the department is expanded. And that requires action by the council and the city manager.
BTW, if anybody else is interested in doing a ride along, there are forms available at the PD that you have to fill out, submit and get approved. It can be a learning experience.
Thursday, November 03, 2011
Dan Pflumm Invests in Downtown Shawnee
After sitting vacant since Commerce Bank left, the building at the corner of Johnson Drive and Nieman is now owned by a Pflumm again. Dan Pflumm, owner and president of DanCo Systems, Inc., a company he established in Shawnee in 1995, recently purchased the building.
The building on Johnson Drive and Nieman once housed Shawnee State Bank, and more recently Commerce Bank. Shawnee State Savings Bank, which occupied that corner since 1908, was owned by the Pflumm family. The building’s ownership changed when they sold their interests in Shawnee State Bank to Commerce Bank in the mid 1990s.
Dan plans to renovate the hundred plus year old, 10,000 sq ft. building. The future layout will consist of a suite of offices for lease, as well as become the new headquarters for DanCo Systems.
Dan who is also a Shawnee councilman, has been involved in projects to revitalize the downtown area. The updating of this corner lot will bring more commerce to the area. Current renovation plans include exposing the original interior limestone walls of the historic building.
His company, DanCo Systems, specializes in instrumentation and control systems for the process control industry, as well as sales, support, engineering and consulting. In addition to their Shawnee location, DanCo also has an office in St Louis.
The building on Johnson Drive and Nieman once housed Shawnee State Bank, and more recently Commerce Bank. Shawnee State Savings Bank, which occupied that corner since 1908, was owned by the Pflumm family. The building’s ownership changed when they sold their interests in Shawnee State Bank to Commerce Bank in the mid 1990s.
Dan plans to renovate the hundred plus year old, 10,000 sq ft. building. The future layout will consist of a suite of offices for lease, as well as become the new headquarters for DanCo Systems.
Dan who is also a Shawnee councilman, has been involved in projects to revitalize the downtown area. The updating of this corner lot will bring more commerce to the area. Current renovation plans include exposing the original interior limestone walls of the historic building.
His company, DanCo Systems, specializes in instrumentation and control systems for the process control industry, as well as sales, support, engineering and consulting. In addition to their Shawnee location, DanCo also has an office in St Louis.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Has It Finally Happened?
Well, has it? Has the City Council wised up?
OK, for the long term readers of this blog (and anybody that wants to research previous posts) I have been on the council's case for a long time regarding trips to various conferences.
My comments have always been that these conferences can be helpful, we just did not need to send 4, 5 or 6 people to them. One or two would suffice and they in turn can brief the others upon their return.
Well, the National League of Cities is having a conference Nov 9 - 12. That is next week in Phoenix, Arizona.
According to the information I received today only one person is going to represent Shawnee at the conference. That is great, and that individual can then report what they saw and heard to all the others.
And guess who that person is that is going? Yes, the one and only. Mr Trip Taker himself: Mickey Sandifer.
Maybe, just maybe, my constant harping on this issue has had the desired effect. Nahhhhh, the council (certain members anyway) will probably say they did it on their own to save money. Yeah, right.
OK, for the long term readers of this blog (and anybody that wants to research previous posts) I have been on the council's case for a long time regarding trips to various conferences.
My comments have always been that these conferences can be helpful, we just did not need to send 4, 5 or 6 people to them. One or two would suffice and they in turn can brief the others upon their return.
Well, the National League of Cities is having a conference Nov 9 - 12. That is next week in Phoenix, Arizona.
According to the information I received today only one person is going to represent Shawnee at the conference. That is great, and that individual can then report what they saw and heard to all the others.
And guess who that person is that is going? Yes, the one and only. Mr Trip Taker himself: Mickey Sandifer.
Maybe, just maybe, my constant harping on this issue has had the desired effect. Nahhhhh, the council (certain members anyway) will probably say they did it on their own to save money. Yeah, right.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
More Indicators of Apathy in Shawnee
Just did a little quick research. This is another example how apathy about local government is rampant in Shawnee. What I refer to as the "intelligent idiots" of Shawnee. Those folks who do nothing about our local government but make sure they get involved with national politics.
Below is a listing from August 3 until last Wed, October 26 indicatiing what kind of letters have been submitted to the Shawnee Dispatch:
In 13 issues of the Dispatch there were a total of 4 letters commenting on local governmental items. Seven issues of the Dispatch had no letters of any kind and three issues had letters that were not on topic about local issues.
10/26/11 Illinois school seeking local items
10/19/11 NOTHING
10/12/11 NOTHING
10/5/11 Self serving letter from the Kansas Press Association
9/28/11 NOTHING
9/21/11 NOTHING
9/14/11 Thank you for return of lost item
9/7/11 Local commentary/opinion
8/31/11 NOTHING
8/24/11 Local commentary/opinion
8/17/11 NOTHING
8/10/11 NOTHING
8/3/11 (1) Local commentary/opinion
(2) Local commentary/opinion
C'mon folks...............get involved with your local government. Don't be one of the folks that complain after the fact when something happens.
Below is a listing from August 3 until last Wed, October 26 indicatiing what kind of letters have been submitted to the Shawnee Dispatch:
In 13 issues of the Dispatch there were a total of 4 letters commenting on local governmental items. Seven issues of the Dispatch had no letters of any kind and three issues had letters that were not on topic about local issues.
10/26/11 Illinois school seeking local items
10/19/11 NOTHING
10/12/11 NOTHING
10/5/11 Self serving letter from the Kansas Press Association
9/28/11 NOTHING
9/21/11 NOTHING
9/14/11 Thank you for return of lost item
9/7/11 Local commentary/opinion
8/31/11 NOTHING
8/24/11 Local commentary/opinion
8/17/11 NOTHING
8/10/11 NOTHING
8/3/11 (1) Local commentary/opinion
(2) Local commentary/opinion
C'mon folks...............get involved with your local government. Don't be one of the folks that complain after the fact when something happens.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Hoopla Is Directed The Wrong Way
The political season is heating up. Eyes are on the Republican debates. Battles over the dates of the Presidential primaries have begun.
And Shawnee is just a little over five motnhs away from a municipal election. Whooops.........how did that sneak in there?
That's right, on April 3, 2012 Shawnee voters (well at least 10% of them) will go to the polls and make decisions concerning 4 council seats and the mayor. And 90% of them will sit on their butts and do nothing.
But watch what happens in the Presidential election. Almost 80% of Shawnee's voters will vote.
I'm not saying don't vote in the Presidential election. I'm saying get out there and vote for your local government. The President does not control your property taxes, sales taxes, street repairs, emergency services (police and fire), parks etc. When was the last time a President plowed snow? Or filled a chuck hole? Or got out in the parks to keep them functional? Never.
Citizen participation in local governement in Shawnee sucks. And the local government has more of an effect on your daily lives than any other government level.
Anyway, back to the upcomig elections on April 3, 2012. Mark your calendars, as that is just a little over 5 months away.
The five people up for reelection are:
Jeff Meyers, Mayor
Jim Neighbor, Ward 1 council (election for him, he was appointed to fill an unexpired term)
Neal Sawyer, Ward 2 council
Dawn Kuhn, Ward 3 council
Mickey Sandifer, Ward 4 council
Right now I can think of 3 of the above who definitely should not be returned to office, and I have mixed emotions on the other two. More on that later.
And Shawnee is just a little over five motnhs away from a municipal election. Whooops.........how did that sneak in there?
That's right, on April 3, 2012 Shawnee voters (well at least 10% of them) will go to the polls and make decisions concerning 4 council seats and the mayor. And 90% of them will sit on their butts and do nothing.
But watch what happens in the Presidential election. Almost 80% of Shawnee's voters will vote.
I'm not saying don't vote in the Presidential election. I'm saying get out there and vote for your local government. The President does not control your property taxes, sales taxes, street repairs, emergency services (police and fire), parks etc. When was the last time a President plowed snow? Or filled a chuck hole? Or got out in the parks to keep them functional? Never.
Citizen participation in local governement in Shawnee sucks. And the local government has more of an effect on your daily lives than any other government level.
Anyway, back to the upcomig elections on April 3, 2012. Mark your calendars, as that is just a little over 5 months away.
The five people up for reelection are:
Jeff Meyers, Mayor
Jim Neighbor, Ward 1 council (election for him, he was appointed to fill an unexpired term)
Neal Sawyer, Ward 2 council
Dawn Kuhn, Ward 3 council
Mickey Sandifer, Ward 4 council
Right now I can think of 3 of the above who definitely should not be returned to office, and I have mixed emotions on the other two. More on that later.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Hmmm, Guess I've Been Quiet
Yes, I've been quiet for almost a month. Why?
Well, there was a committee meeting of the Finance and Administration Committee a few weeks ago. There were two items on the agenda and I could not believe that nobody from the community showed up.
One item was the redrawing of the ward boundaries. Don't the people of Shawnee care which ward they live in? Don't they care who their reps on the council are? Don't they care who they might be voting for, for council (if they ever get off their lazy butts, since voter turn out stinks)?
The other item concerned hunting regulations within the city limits.
Regardless of what a person's opinon is, the fact that folks in Shawnee continue to show as much apathy as they do about their local government never ceases to amaze me.
I am continuoulsy getting emails and phone calls with suggestions of causes and situations that people think would be good to get involved with. My answer to them...............why don't you get involved?
By the way, the two items mentioned above will be on tonight's city council agenda. Will you be there or will you be crying after the fact?
Well, there was a committee meeting of the Finance and Administration Committee a few weeks ago. There were two items on the agenda and I could not believe that nobody from the community showed up.
One item was the redrawing of the ward boundaries. Don't the people of Shawnee care which ward they live in? Don't they care who their reps on the council are? Don't they care who they might be voting for, for council (if they ever get off their lazy butts, since voter turn out stinks)?
The other item concerned hunting regulations within the city limits.
Regardless of what a person's opinon is, the fact that folks in Shawnee continue to show as much apathy as they do about their local government never ceases to amaze me.
I am continuoulsy getting emails and phone calls with suggestions of causes and situations that people think would be good to get involved with. My answer to them...............why don't you get involved?
By the way, the two items mentioned above will be on tonight's city council agenda. Will you be there or will you be crying after the fact?
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Missed Opportunities - Again
While some city council members keep screaming that we need economic development (commercial development), what is being done to get it?
Fast food resturants are not the answer, see the post at
http://shawneeray.blogspot.com/2011/03/king-is-coming.html Oh, and by the way, where is it?
The recent Kanrocksas concert at Village West pulled in about 60,000 people for 2 days. A bit short of their original prediction of 100,000, but then this was the first of what is supposed to be an annual event. Willie Nelson's Farm Aid pulled in over 18,000 shortly after.
What did we in Shawnee get from those two events?
We are approximately 7 minutes south of the Village West complex. A complex that was started approximately 10 years ago.The casino going in up there is moving along quite nicely. There will also be a major hotel to go with it. With the right type of development along the I-35 corridor we could receive some benefits from this. Will we ever see it? I doubt it
Fast food resturants are not the answer, see the post at
http://shawneeray.blogspot.com/2011/03/king-is-coming.html Oh, and by the way, where is it?
The recent Kanrocksas concert at Village West pulled in about 60,000 people for 2 days. A bit short of their original prediction of 100,000, but then this was the first of what is supposed to be an annual event. Willie Nelson's Farm Aid pulled in over 18,000 shortly after.
What did we in Shawnee get from those two events?
We are approximately 7 minutes south of the Village West complex. A complex that was started approximately 10 years ago.The casino going in up there is moving along quite nicely. There will also be a major hotel to go with it. With the right type of development along the I-35 corridor we could receive some benefits from this. Will we ever see it? I doubt it
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Is It a Hotel or Pie In The Sky
Let's use the article in today's Shawnee Dispatch as a reference point:
http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2011/aug/24/city-moves-abate-unsafe-buildings-hotel-site/
The hotel project began in 2008. Basically very little has been done since then. Some structures that were on the property and are still there have deteriorated to the point that they are safety hazards. Not to mention eyesores.
So, what is happening? The city is going to hold a public hearing to make a determination. If the items are determined to be hazards and the owners do not take them down the city will demolish them. Then the city will have to bill the owners for that action.
Now, in the above referenced article appears this, from city manager Carol Gonzales:
"Gonzales said the city wanted to maintain a positive relationship with the hotel group and looked forward to the new development. However, she said, the blighted structures have reached the point where they are unsafe."
Duhhhhh!!!!!!! What kind of relationship does the developer want to maintain with the city? Why after receiving various notices about this problem have they failed to act? Why are they willing to let the city go to the expense of demolishing the structures? If the city has to do it, will the developers repay the city? Or will legal action have to be taken to recoup the funds?
The cost of demolition is about $20K...............a drop in the bucket of the budget for the construction of a hotel of this size. Kinda makes a person wanna ask how committed is the developer to this project.
http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2011/aug/24/city-moves-abate-unsafe-buildings-hotel-site/
The hotel project began in 2008. Basically very little has been done since then. Some structures that were on the property and are still there have deteriorated to the point that they are safety hazards. Not to mention eyesores.
So, what is happening? The city is going to hold a public hearing to make a determination. If the items are determined to be hazards and the owners do not take them down the city will demolish them. Then the city will have to bill the owners for that action.
Now, in the above referenced article appears this, from city manager Carol Gonzales:
"Gonzales said the city wanted to maintain a positive relationship with the hotel group and looked forward to the new development. However, she said, the blighted structures have reached the point where they are unsafe."
Duhhhhh!!!!!!! What kind of relationship does the developer want to maintain with the city? Why after receiving various notices about this problem have they failed to act? Why are they willing to let the city go to the expense of demolishing the structures? If the city has to do it, will the developers repay the city? Or will legal action have to be taken to recoup the funds?
The cost of demolition is about $20K...............a drop in the bucket of the budget for the construction of a hotel of this size. Kinda makes a person wanna ask how committed is the developer to this project.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sellin' Gold
A little over a week ago I decided to take advantage of the price on gold and sell off two pieces that I don't need anymore.
One was a man's bracelet that I bought over 30 years ago in San Diego and the other was a company ring with a diamond from a company that I no longer work for.
Learned some interesting things, that I'd like to pass on. First, the price that you hear in the media is for 24k gold. Second, you're not going to get that since whoever buys it from you has to have room to make a profit. Because of that I had a price in mind of $650-$750.
With that in mind I took the 2 pieces (both were 14k) to a pawn shop on 87th Street that says they buy gold. The gentleman there offered me $400. Something just told me not to even bother trying to negotiate.
Then I went to this place over on 76th St and Metcalf that gold buying is their business. Nicely decorated, coffee available , kinda trying to make ya feel at home. The young man there, after going through some gyrations offered me $300. Told him he was crazy. His place was supposed to be a "gold buying store" and a pawn shop just offered me $400. He went through some more gyrations and called "one of the owners". Came back to me with an offer of $500. Told him he was too short and I didn't appreciate his feeble attempt at low balling me.
Then I went to a pawn shop on 75th Street. He was pretty close. He offered me $500 right off the bat, and when I went to negotiate for what I wanted he countered with $575, as the best he could do (gettin' closer) but if I came back the next day the boss might be able to do better. I liked his demeanor.
My next stop was Thompson's Jewelry at 6642 Nieman Rd. Beautiful..........John offered me $600 from the start. Then I asked if he had looked at the diamond (about 1/3 carat). He admitted he had not, he thought I might want it to do something else. When he looked at it, he said he could bump the price another $50. Now he was right in line with what my original self estimate was. We made the deal.
Moral of the story...........do business with local merchants, especially when selling gold. Remember, the prices I was given were as low as $300 to what I finally got, $650 (well, $600 for the gold) . That's a spread.
One was a man's bracelet that I bought over 30 years ago in San Diego and the other was a company ring with a diamond from a company that I no longer work for.
Learned some interesting things, that I'd like to pass on. First, the price that you hear in the media is for 24k gold. Second, you're not going to get that since whoever buys it from you has to have room to make a profit. Because of that I had a price in mind of $650-$750.
With that in mind I took the 2 pieces (both were 14k) to a pawn shop on 87th Street that says they buy gold. The gentleman there offered me $400. Something just told me not to even bother trying to negotiate.
Then I went to this place over on 76th St and Metcalf that gold buying is their business. Nicely decorated, coffee available , kinda trying to make ya feel at home. The young man there, after going through some gyrations offered me $300. Told him he was crazy. His place was supposed to be a "gold buying store" and a pawn shop just offered me $400. He went through some more gyrations and called "one of the owners". Came back to me with an offer of $500. Told him he was too short and I didn't appreciate his feeble attempt at low balling me.
Then I went to a pawn shop on 75th Street. He was pretty close. He offered me $500 right off the bat, and when I went to negotiate for what I wanted he countered with $575, as the best he could do (gettin' closer) but if I came back the next day the boss might be able to do better. I liked his demeanor.
My next stop was Thompson's Jewelry at 6642 Nieman Rd. Beautiful..........John offered me $600 from the start. Then I asked if he had looked at the diamond (about 1/3 carat). He admitted he had not, he thought I might want it to do something else. When he looked at it, he said he could bump the price another $50. Now he was right in line with what my original self estimate was. We made the deal.
Moral of the story...........do business with local merchants, especially when selling gold. Remember, the prices I was given were as low as $300 to what I finally got, $650 (well, $600 for the gold) . That's a spread.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Vaught's Comparison of Shawnee to Liberty (MO) Faulty
Prior to voting on the CID for 10 Quivira Plaza 3rd ward council rep Jeff Vaught attempted to compare Shawnee with Liberty, MO.
One of the arguments against the CID was that it would increase the sales tax paid on food, since the primary retailer in that shopping center is a grocery store.
Well Mr. Vaught brought out some info that Liberty had multiple CIDs and that two of them had grocery stores.
Something didn't seem right, but I did not have the info at hand. Now I do. Liberty officials were contacted and the information received is very interesting.
In Liberty, when one shops at a grocery store the sales tax on groceries is 3% LESS than non-grocery items. OK, let's break that down. In the two shopping centers he was talking about, the sales tax (with the 1% for their CID) is 8.6%, but on grocery items it is only 5.6%. Prior to the CID the sales taxes would have been 7.6% and 4.6%. So, in Liberty the tax did go up on grocery items, but the total tax paid on them is still quite a bit less than on non-grocery items.
So as to make sure everyone knows what qualifies as a grocery item, Missouri uses the federal guidelines for SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program, formerly food stamps). If it is an item that can be purchased with SNAP it qualifies as a grocery item for the reduced sales tax rate. The reduced sales tax rate applies to all individuals not just SNAP recipients.
How come Mr Vaught did not mention the bi-level sales tax in grocery stores there? Curious, did he do his own research or was he spoon fed the info?
One of the arguments against the CID was that it would increase the sales tax paid on food, since the primary retailer in that shopping center is a grocery store.
Well Mr. Vaught brought out some info that Liberty had multiple CIDs and that two of them had grocery stores.
Something didn't seem right, but I did not have the info at hand. Now I do. Liberty officials were contacted and the information received is very interesting.
In Liberty, when one shops at a grocery store the sales tax on groceries is 3% LESS than non-grocery items. OK, let's break that down. In the two shopping centers he was talking about, the sales tax (with the 1% for their CID) is 8.6%, but on grocery items it is only 5.6%. Prior to the CID the sales taxes would have been 7.6% and 4.6%. So, in Liberty the tax did go up on grocery items, but the total tax paid on them is still quite a bit less than on non-grocery items.
So as to make sure everyone knows what qualifies as a grocery item, Missouri uses the federal guidelines for SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program, formerly food stamps). If it is an item that can be purchased with SNAP it qualifies as a grocery item for the reduced sales tax rate. The reduced sales tax rate applies to all individuals not just SNAP recipients.
How come Mr Vaught did not mention the bi-level sales tax in grocery stores there? Curious, did he do his own research or was he spoon fed the info?
Sunday, August 14, 2011
CID Approval
This past Monday the city council approved a CID (Community Improvement District) for 10 Quivira Plaza.
My opinion still stands that this is a bad precedent to use this type of financing tool for a neighborhood shopping center. The increased 1/2% sales tax will go to helping the ownership revitalize the center. Others might now apply for the same type of financing which could result in shopping center specific tax increases of up to 2%.
In this case the ownership will be spending $2.8 million and the sales tax is being used to obtain an additional $1.4 million for the revitalization. I applaud the ownership for their willingness to secure the $2.8 million. That is the American way. I criticize them for using the citizens of Shawnee (especially Ward 2) to finance the balance.
One of the arguments used by some on the council to support the tax increase was that if the ownership had to finance the improvements then they would raise the rents and the citizens would still be paying more. Duhhhhh.................they are using $2.8 million of their own (or secured). Won't they still raise rents? Leaving the merchants to pass that on to the citizens? Maybe not on stores that have existing leases, but what about at renewal time? What about when the empty stores are filled? Won't the revitalization be a selling tool for setting their rental rates higher?
Now, another argument for approving the CID was that by improving the shopping center it will be assessed at a higher value, bringing in more property tax dollars to the city. Duhhhhhhhhhhhh.............is the ownership going to absorb those property tax increases? Of course not. Rents will still be set higher.
Then, when the ownership sells the center, for a profit which they are entitled to, the new ownership would have to also adjust rents............which means the merchants will still have to increase their prices.
So, what does that mean? It means that the arguments that without the CID the rents would go up and prices also, are/were bogus arguments. Prices are still going to go up. The sales tax increase will just be
on a higher retail price, ergo, a larger dollar amount.
Three of the five council reps who voted for this increase are up for reelection in 8 months (April 2012).
I strongly urge folks to work against their reelection. Even if you are not in their ward, there is nothing to stop you from working against their reelection.
These are:
Mickey Sandifer.............ward 4...........talks about caring about senior citizens but I don't see that
Dawn Kuhn..........ward 3.............also was a strong supporter of the 5% franchise fee..........send her packing
Jim Neighbor..........ward 1............wasn't even elected......appointed to fill Cheryl Scott's remaining time............nice guy, but a review of the resumés of the others who applied for the position was not, IMHO the best qualified.
My opinion still stands that this is a bad precedent to use this type of financing tool for a neighborhood shopping center. The increased 1/2% sales tax will go to helping the ownership revitalize the center. Others might now apply for the same type of financing which could result in shopping center specific tax increases of up to 2%.
In this case the ownership will be spending $2.8 million and the sales tax is being used to obtain an additional $1.4 million for the revitalization. I applaud the ownership for their willingness to secure the $2.8 million. That is the American way. I criticize them for using the citizens of Shawnee (especially Ward 2) to finance the balance.
One of the arguments used by some on the council to support the tax increase was that if the ownership had to finance the improvements then they would raise the rents and the citizens would still be paying more. Duhhhhh.................they are using $2.8 million of their own (or secured). Won't they still raise rents? Leaving the merchants to pass that on to the citizens? Maybe not on stores that have existing leases, but what about at renewal time? What about when the empty stores are filled? Won't the revitalization be a selling tool for setting their rental rates higher?
Now, another argument for approving the CID was that by improving the shopping center it will be assessed at a higher value, bringing in more property tax dollars to the city. Duhhhhhhhhhhhh.............is the ownership going to absorb those property tax increases? Of course not. Rents will still be set higher.
Then, when the ownership sells the center, for a profit which they are entitled to, the new ownership would have to also adjust rents............which means the merchants will still have to increase their prices.
So, what does that mean? It means that the arguments that without the CID the rents would go up and prices also, are/were bogus arguments. Prices are still going to go up. The sales tax increase will just be
on a higher retail price, ergo, a larger dollar amount.
Three of the five council reps who voted for this increase are up for reelection in 8 months (April 2012).
I strongly urge folks to work against their reelection. Even if you are not in their ward, there is nothing to stop you from working against their reelection.
These are:
Mickey Sandifer.............ward 4...........talks about caring about senior citizens but I don't see that
Dawn Kuhn..........ward 3.............also was a strong supporter of the 5% franchise fee..........send her packing
Jim Neighbor..........ward 1............wasn't even elected......appointed to fill Cheryl Scott's remaining time............nice guy, but a review of the resumés of the others who applied for the position was not, IMHO the best qualified.
Monday, August 08, 2011
I'll Be There............Will You?
Tonight, the public hearing for the proposed Community Improvement District at 10 Quivira Plaza (Quivira Rd & Shawnee Mission Parkway).
This would include a 1/2% sales tax increase, just for that shopping center, which would include the Price Chopper Supermarket.
Shawnee City Hall, Nieman Rd & Johnson Dr at 7:30PM
Be there..........get involved.........voice your opinions.
This would include a 1/2% sales tax increase, just for that shopping center, which would include the Price Chopper Supermarket.
Shawnee City Hall, Nieman Rd & Johnson Dr at 7:30PM
Be there..........get involved.........voice your opinions.
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