Free complimentary copy July 1, 2016 • Volume 3, No. 36
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Dozens attend ‘wet-down’ ceremony for new fire trucks
Photo by Kris Collins Raytown Fire Protection District Board of Directors President Bob Palmer sprays down Pumper 52, one of two new trucks the district recently bought, June 18 at Fire Station No. 1. The “wet-down” ritual is symbolic of the 1800s practice of washing horses and pumpers when they arrived at new fire houses for service.
Raytown Fire Protection District personnel push the two new pumpers into Station No. 1. Handpushing the apparatus dates back to firefighter practices in the 19th century when horse-drawn pumpers were used.
By Kris Collins
century practice of hand-pushing pumpers. The trucks, from Ferrara Fire Apparatus, cost the district $1,025,000. The district is financing the purchase through Blue Ridge Bank & Trust at a 1.75 percent interest rate. In April, the board decided, as a result of the good interest rate and working relationship, to move its assets to the bank. Alderwoman Janet Emerson,
Dozens of people were at the Raytown Fire Protection District’s Station No. 1 Friday evening for the unveiling of two new fire trucks and the traditional “wet-down” ceremony practiced by many departments around the country to bring new fire apparatus into service. Fire board directors Richard Tush, Bob Palmer and Barb Schlapia
anointed the new trucks with water sprayed from the retiring pumper’s tank, a ritual that dates back to the 1800s when fire departments used horse-drawn pumpers. When a new horse was commissioned for service it would be washed with the pumper at its newly assigned fire house. Raytown fire personnel then pushed the new trucks, Pumper 51 and Pumper 52, into the station, again symbolizing the early 19th
mayor pro tem, briefly spoke at the event in place of Mayor Mike McDonough, who could not attend. Emerson thanked the fire district for its crucial emergency service and congratulated the district on the addition of the pumpers. Aldermen Steve Meyers, Steve Mock, Mark Moore, Bill VanBuskirk and Alderwoman Karen Black also attended the event.
Park board considers $4.7M Super Splash renovation
By Kris Collins The Raytown Parks Board is considering if it should pursue a $4.75 million renovation project to Super Splash USA, and how the flagship park fits into the parks department’s future. Consultants Jeff Bartley and Jeff Bransford met with the board June 20 to discuss the master plan, the umbrella document that guides parks services and operations, and present funding options for a renovation of Super Splash. The parks board has been discussing for some time what to do with the water park. Some board members have suggested the park stay open because it has been a part of the community since its construction in the ‘60s. Renovations and improvements are costly, but most board members agree the park cannot remain in its current state because of high maintenance costs and declining attendance over the years (It should be noted attendance was, as of June 20, up to 10,850 from 3,605 during the same time frame in 2015). The renovation plan would leave the standing buildings intact and have them renovated. Catalina Cove would
Sales Tax Revenue Analysis Scenario
Amount
Remaining After $325,000 (3-yr avg; no pool reno.)
Remaining After $610,000 (“Fully Funded” incl. pool reno.)
1/8 cent (current)
$280,000
n/a
n/a
1/4 cent
$560,000
$235,000
n/a
3/8 cent
$840,000
$515,000
$230,000
1/2 cent
$1,120,000
$795,000
$510,000
Current Stormwater Assessment = $80,000
be untouched. Pebble Beach would be demolished and replaced with a wet deck and an accompanying play structure. The wet deck plans also include a large bucket that would fill and eventually tip, dumping water onto the play structure and kids below. The design calls for the main pool and lap pool to be downsized. The plunge pools would remain in place for the slides. Barley, of Water’s Edge Aquatic Design, said construction could be completed in the off-season and the new features would be open for the following season. The plan did not include the avalanche water slide. Bartley said he left it out because he was unsure of how popular the slide was, and because it has a high maintenance cost. Phase 2
of the project includes a lazy river and a diving basin. The renovation would decrease total water feature squarefootage from 24,000 to 20,000. Though opinions have been split on the complex issue, the one fact each board member agrees on is that the renovation will not be paid for out of pocket. The future of Super Splash and the master plan become inseparable in consideration of the park’s future because the waterpark is not only obviously under a park system guided by the master plan but the decision to renovate Super Splash could affect the level to which the parks department’s capital improvement plan is funded in the coming years, or the level of a potential tax increase.
The three moving pieces are: the Super Splash renovation, a fully funded parks system and maintaining the current and underfunded parks system. The board spent an average of $325,000 in capital expenditures from 2012 to 2014. Bransford said a fully funded capital improvement plan would cost the department $549,000 annually until 2021. Bransford, of PROS Consulting, recommended the board pursue an increase from the current 1/8-cent sales tax to a 3/8-cent tax, which would generate approximately $840,000 annually, and take out a $4 million general obligation bond if the board wished to renovate Super Splash. Bear in mind part of the sales tax revenue goes toward the city’s stormwater needs. An increase to a 3/8-cent sales tax, Bransford said, would allow the board to operate a fully funded parks system with slightly more than $500,000 at its disposal. Renovating Super Splash and operating a fully funded park system would leave $230,000 remaining. Chris Rathbone, park board member, expressed serious doubt about the board’s ability to pass such a tax increase. The final draft of the master plan is expected to be ready for review by the board’s July meeting.
Following the February fire at Somerset Village Apartments that killed two Raytowners, the Raytown Fire Protection District has been looking into ways to improve fire safety at residential buildings in town. The obstacle, fire personnel say, is that the city of Raytown, as fourth-class city, cannot under state law require business licensing for apartment complexes, which has essentially declawed the city and fire district in codes enforcement. “The biggest enforcement authority we have for businesses to comply with fire code is the threat of pulling the business license,” said Raytown Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Mike Hunley. “If
we go into these apartments and do inspections and tell them they’ve got to fix all these things and spend money, we have nothing to say we’re going to do if they don’t.” Many of the 23 apartment complexes in town were built in the 1960s and lack proper contemporary fire safety features, like interconnected alarm systems or top-tobottom sprinkler systems. Somerset Village Apartments didn’t have either, Hunley said. A fire at the complex on Feb. 7 killed 4-year-old Jeremiah Roberts and his grandmother, 59-year-old Cherri Roberts. Though state statute does not prohibit fourth-class cities from implementing such licensing, it does not grant them permission to do so, according to the Missouri House of Representatives research depart-
Refurbishing Trails Page 2
ment. The state and county do not perform inspections on multi-unit residential buildings. The county’s environmental health division inspects hotels and motels but not apartment complexes. A Missouri statute exists that gives fire districts the authority to pass ordinances for all things fire safety, but the fire district’s attorney, Christine Waldschmidt, said it may not be the best option for the district to adopt and enforce an ordinance requiring business licenses for the complexes. “It’s kind of like if the school board was trying to regulate the behavior of a business,” she said. “It’s a bit questionable. I think it’s much more meaningful and appropriate for that legislation to come from the city in which that entity is doing
National Debaters Page 2
Jackson County is hosting its fifth Annual Fourth of July Celebration at Longview Lake Shelter No. 13 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. on Monday. More than 15,000 people attended last year’s event. The event includes two free concerts featuring The Romantics, perhaps best known for the hit “What I Like About You,” and local country rock group Barbwire Revolt. There will be food trucks, a kids’ play area with inflatables and games, and a military salute leading up to the fireworks show. There is no charge for admission. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and fireworks are scheduled to begin at 9:45 p.m. More information on the event is available at www.MakeYourDayHere.com. In preparation for the event, Longview Lake Beach will be closed July 4. No grills, pets or coolers will be allowed into the event. Jackson County offices and courthouses will also be closed in observation of Independence Day. Longview Lake Shelter No. 13 is located at 9890 Longview Road, Kansas City.
Mid-Continent Public Library seeking levy increase
business.” Furthermore, Waldschmit said, the city’s ability to enforce codes is greater than that of the fire district. “If the fire department shows up, we’re going to get told to get the hell out,” she said. She suggested the city could adopt an ordinance requiring all apartment complexes to comply with the fire district’s fire codes. Mark Loughry, finance director and main point of contact as City Administrator Mahesh Sharma leaves the city on Friday, said the city has discussed the issue. “We’d like to do it, but so far haven’t found an avenue that allows us to,” he said. “That was something John Benson (former
The Mid-Continent Public Library is seeking an eight-cent levy increase in the November 8 election to replace aging libraries and renovate other branches. The library board of director voted July 21 to raise the tax for the first time in 33 years. “Our 30-plus libraries offer lifetime learning opportunities for all ages and all interests,” said library board member Brent Schondelmeyer. “We have an outstanding library system that has grown, adapted to technology, and responded to new community needs, and has done so without a tax increase in 33 years. This levy increase will allow us to continue what we do, improve our aging existing facilities, build new libraries in high-growth areas and increase high-demand services.” The current library levy is 32 cents. Since the last levy increase in 1983, the library’s district has increased in population by 60 percent and is predicted to increase an additional 25 percent over the next 15 years. Jim Staley, community relations and planning director for the library system, said the Raytown branch of the library would be renovated and services expanded should the
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Raytown fire, city consider safety requirements for apartment complexes
By Kris Collins
Jackson County Fourth of July celebration Monday
Kid-approved Mini Pizzas Page 7