Free complimentary copy September 25, 2015 • Volume 2, No. 48
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Lack of transportation funding could hurt Raytown in long run
By Kris Collins
The chairman of the Missouri Highways & Transportation Commission, Stephen Miller, was at the Raytown Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday to speak about the state’s transportation system and how it’s folding under inadequate funding. “One of the challenges we face, while we’ve been blessed with the seventh largest transportation system in the country, is that we are not taking care of it,” said Miller, who has been chairman of the commission for seven years. “We are woefully neglecting it.” Funding has declined for the Missouri Department of Transportation recently and Missouri’s fuel tax, one of MoDOT’s funding mechanisms, hasn’t been updated since 1992. MoDOT currently gets approximately 50 percent of its funding through the federal government’s Highway Trust Fund, which is currently insolvent and being subsidized by other federal funds. The remaining funding comes from within the state in the form of licensing fees, a sales tax on new and used vehicles, and the fuel tax, which is 17 cents per gallon, one of the lowest in the country. (Kansas’ fuel tax is 24 cents per gallon and Iowa’s is 30 cents per gallon.) At $2.1 billion dollars, MoDOT’s budget is $1 billion less than it was seven years ago, and unable to fund improvements and maintenance on Missouri’s 34,000 lane miles of road, the seventh largest system in the U.S. “What would your lives be right now if you were attempting to support your household, whatever that may be — If you’re raising children or trying to put them through college or if you’re retired trying to live on savings,” Miller said. “What would it be, though, if what you
Photo by Kris Collins Stephen Miller, chairman of the Missouri Highways & Transportation Commission, speaks about Missouri’s transportation system funding to the Raytown Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon crowd Wednesday. were limited to what you were earning in 1992? Most of us couldn’t feed our kids, clothe them, educate them and even come close to that based upon 1992 dollars. That’s what we’ve been asked to do in Missouri in trying to maintain a system with 1992 revenue dollars to care for a 2015 transportation system.” Missourians voted down Amendment 7, which would have provided 10 year’s worth of revenue from a 3/4-cent sales tax, in 2014.
Photo from MoDot Stadium Bridge Inadequate funding moved MoDOT to implement a maintenance-only budget. The available funding will go to the primary system, a road system MoDOT chose based on connectivity throughout the state, rather than traffic volume. The secondary system, which includes Missouri 350, will only receive money after the primary system is funded. Kati Horner Gonzalez, assistant director of the Raytown Public Works Department, said the immediate impact of MoDOT’s funding deficiency likely won’t have a large effect on the city. “Fortunately for us, 350 was just repaved last summer, so they went through and they did a mill and overlay from 63rd Street to Nolan Road,” she said. “Really, that project was perfectly timed for us. This year is pretty much
the last chance for Raytown to have any projects done that are MoDOT funded.” Missouri 350, because it’s in the secondary system, won’t be maintained as the primary system roads are. However, Gonzalez said, that doesn’t mean roads won’t be repaired. “If there is a big pothole they won’t say, ‘Well, too bad,’” she said. “It will rely on the maintenance person at MoDOT to fix those things instead of actual construction on those things.” Gonzalez said if transportation funding isn’t eventually secured, Raytown will feel the impact. “We are definitely keeping our eye on the situation and a big part of what we do is not only fixing what we need to fix in the here and now but planning in the future as well,” she said. “It’s some-
thing we’ll definitely be keeping in mind moving forward.” Miller, also looking into the future, said Missouri’s transportation system funding, which is ranked 47th in the U.S., could impact the state’s ability to compete against surrounding states in becoming the chief Midwest transportation hub, thereby squandering any chance at benefiting from any resulting economic development. “We can’t keep the roads in the condition that we would like to keep them in, and we’re just going to face that reality, but I tell people, as difficult a problem as this is, it’s something that’s completely within our control,” Miller said. “This investment in ourselves, and in our future and in our state is something we all control.”
Man charged in death of teens, infant
A Kansas City man was charged this past week in the Sept. 8 shooting and deaths of two teens and an infant boy. Joseph L. Nelson, 22, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action and one count of first-degree burglary in the deaths of 19-year-old Shannon Rollins, 17-year-old Bianca R. Fletcher and Fletcher’s infant son. Rollins was a student at Raytown High School until 2013 but did not graduate and would’ve turned 19 this month. Fletcher was a senior at Raytown South High School. According to police documents, police found the three victims deceased in a home in the 5900 block of E. 84th Street at approximately 9:25 p.m. Sept. 8. No shell casings were found at the
Joseph L. Nelson
scene. Fletcher’s younger brother reportedly found the bodies. Witnesses, according to police documents, came forward with testimony about Nelson’s involvement in the shootings. One witness told police Nelson came to the witness’s residence and said he “did something bad. I did something I don’t think I can live with.” He later said,” I killed them.” Another witness told police he was with Nelson at the time of the shooting and witnessed the shootings and helped Nelson pick up shell casings. Police documents state Nelson later gave the bag of bullet 14 casings to the witness and told the witness to get rid of them. Nelson also reportedly burned his clothing on a grill and showered several times after the shooting.
Nelson reported to a police station the next day and reported two firearms, magazines and ammunition stolen from his white 1999 four-door Buick. A witness told police the report was false and the murder weapon was sold the same day as the shooting. “I want to thank police for their quick action to bring justice to all,” said Richard Fletcher, Bianca Fletcher’s father. “That’s what I can say. This is for all. Not just my family. My daughter and grandson were precious. We are hurting and angry but we are grateful justice is being sought for my daughter and grandson. Regarding Shannon, as a father, I approved of Shannon – he was a very good influence on my daughter. We will miss him. I praise God that the police acted so quickly.”
The parents of Shannon Rollins issued the following statement: “Shannon was our heart. Our child was a wonderful young man, full of life. He loved everyone. He tried help those he could. Each of us needs to teach our kids how to solve problems without senseless violence, without resorting to a gun. Shannon was determined, he was talented – he wanted to be a dancer. The loss is unbearable for us, but we will find strength in God. And the light of the world is just a little more dim because Shannon’s light no longer burns. “ During police interviews, Nelson said he was asleep most of the day and only left his residence to pick up and relative. He denied any involvement in the shooting. He is being held on a $1 million bond.
Two new offices officially open in Raytown
Photos courtesy of Raytown Area Chamber of Commerce Raytown elected officials, Raytown Area Chamber of Commerce staff and Best Security staff gathered at Best Security, located at 10110 E. 63rd St., for a ribboncutting ceremony Sept. 18.
Producer’s Corner Page 4
Community leaders, Raytown Area Chamber of Commerce staff and board members, Mayor Mike McDonough and staff at Shepherd’s Center of Raytown gathered at the business’s new office, at 5110 Westridge Circle, Sept. 22 for a ribbon cutting.
Sweet Memories Page 7
Raytown South Victory Page 8