Wipes Out

This was reported in the KC Star and other media outlets.  Our little sewer system that could...can't if you decide to wipe and flush...ask George, especially for the grinder folks.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/09/23/environment/moist-towelettes-are-a-bane-to-sewer-systems

Tomorrow...unfinished business.  I've been delinquent in finishing up the Official Unofficial minutes.  An interesting Paul Harvey moment...tomorrow.

Related articles

• Popular Bathroom Wipes Blamed for US Sewer Clogs - ABC News



rince-doigts HD (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

• Wet Wipes Not Passing Plumbers' Flushability Test

City Council Approves Google Deal

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
Sept 3

Actually that would be the Council in Mission Hills, KS (as well as Fairway). Google announced the deals Monday.  Don't despair, neither Independence nor Overland Park have inked agreements...yet.

"Us retired guys don't care"

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
Sept 3

Quote from the Mayor in regards to scheduling of meetings.  It has been an issue from time to time, especially when a working citizen from WL wants to observe the the BOA or a Committee in action.  The early morning meeting of the EAG last week is an example, and the discussion about a work session to discuss 2014 budget to be held at 1:30 PM on the 25th.  Forget about scrutiny from the public, Jerry is just fine with the vale of anonymity obtained by meetings during the work day...but then again, as he says, "us retired guys don't care".  

Weekend, Sept 8

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
Sept 3

Police
A new part time officer was presented (and approved) before the BOA.  Candace Shamps (sp?) is a Police Academy Grad who is now joing the force.  Questions from the aldermen included, "Is this the first female on the force" (No), "Have we had part time officers before" (Yes), "Would she immediately begin duties on her own" (No, there is a ride along period).  Interestingly, none of the aldermen asked or included her starting salary in the motion to hire her.

From the Peanut Gallery/Public Comments
Jacob Chambers and Gina Chambers had a number of questions regarding the use of golf carts in the City.  (Really folks, I am not making this up).  They are not quite sure they can be banned based on the wording of state statute, both the City Attorney and Chief assured them that our City ordinances do not allow for golf carts on City Streets.  Jerry did advise them the city had spent "a lot of time on the issue" (way too much in my opinion) and in the end the sentiment of the BOA and public was not in favor of allowing GC.  Nonetheless, Jerry allowed the City might consider the issue again if warranted...giving the hope to the Chamabers to zoom down EastSide Drive on their cart.

"Sand in the Clams"

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the Special Board Meeting
Sept 6

You would have to been present to understand the quote from Mayor/President Jerry Bos.  And because some of his sayings don't make much sense or pertain to the subject at hand...I will spare you the details.

The subject of the Special Board Meeting was the request by the President of the Entrance Advisory Group Committee, Jerry Bos, to approve an expenditure of up to $4,000 of money set aside for monuments to build a test pylon @ Kerns & 76th.

I know my keen readers will pick up the detail of the current EAG President being Jerry Bos.  The previous leader Jim Miller has resigned and somewhere along the line Mayor Bos was elected the new President/Chair of the EAG.  When this happened is unknown, possibly this past Tuesday morning at an early morning meeting of the EAG.  In any event, Jerry did not inform the Aldermen (or the public) at Tuesday's BOA.  He did discuss the aspects of Tuesday morning's meeting in regard to spending $.  It was only by the direct question from an alderman on the composition of the EAG did Jerry inform the BOA of his new position as President.  Odd.  Transparency isn't one of Jerry's strengths.

Because of the relative newness of three of the aldermen (with the exception of Finn) a fair amount of time was spent going over the history of the EAG (rather painful since this spans about 5 years).

Bottom line is this, the EAG has around $22,000 in the bank.  The $70,000 of pledges outstanding are "soft", the target to complete the monument project is around $110,000.  Obviously "the community has to bring money in" (Bos).  Despite this issue, the EAG has decided to forge ahead.  They have identified a vendor in St Joe who says he can make pre-cast cement pylons for around $4,000, compared to the current pylons which cost about $11,000.  The idea is to build a demonstration pylon @ Kerns and 76th, with the possibility of doing the same at the last three monument site (Potomac, WestSide, Kerns/73rd Terr.

Lots of questions regarding the cost of maintenance of the monuments to the Mayor/President.  He says the goal is to have zero maintenance planning for the sites, which means lighting and water for the most part not being incorporated in the sites to be built.

So the vote was to spend the $4,000 for the test pylon (Clark voted no).            

Related articles

• Gluten Free Clam Chowder
• Happy as a Clam Cookie

DOA?

The Official Unofficial Minutes of WL BOA
Sept 3

Tonight @ 6PM, a Special Board Meeting will take place, Topic...EAG Committee Decision.  Apparently, the Committee or at least the Executive portion of the Committee met Tuesday morning.  The meeting was not posted on the Web site, I am assuming it was properly posted on the bulletin board @ City Hall.

Jerry mentioned the EAG wants to move forward and spend $3,000 to $4,000 to build a mock pilon, similar to the previous one built @ City Hall.  Apparently there is a different method that will be less expensive, but have the same appearance as the new monuments (?).  Jerry will be asking the alderman this evening to authorize the expenditure of the money.

Fund raising (Bos/Surma) continues to be stagnant, with only one of the outstanding pledges being contacted in the last three months...not exactly what one would call aggressive.  The whole project lost steam some time ago, and the appetite for the EAG to complete the project has been lost.

Did they bite off more than they could chew?  Take a look at the old monument @  Kerns by the dam ( and the lack of even basic weed trimming), that might be the answer.

Thin Skinned

pick up your marbles (and go home/leave)
to suddenly leave an activity you have been involved in with other people, because you do not like what is happening.
The Free Dictionary

English: Picture of marbles from my collection (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
Sept 3

Ok, guilty as charged, continued AWOL from the blog...but I did attend last night's BOA meeting which had its share of highlights/lowlights.

It has been pointed out to me recently the City has stopped publishing official notices in The Landmark (http://www.plattecountylandmark.com/) and switched to The Citizen
(http://new.plattecountycitizen.com/wordpress/?cat=314).  For the casual observer, no biggie.  But inquiring minds want to know, so I posed the question to the Mayor at Open Comments.  After a bit of hemming/hawing and obfuscation the truth came out.  It seems the editor of the Landmark, Ivan Foley, printed remarks about Jerry some time back that offended Jerry.  What's a Mayor to do?  Payback in the form of pulling the publishing of notices in the Landmark and going to the Citizen.  That will show him.  (Also interesting that Commissioner Bev Roper has taken her lumps from Foley as well).

A bit about political persuasion.  I think it is fair to say Mr Foley has a conservative bent, and certainly Jerry has made comments in the past that align to the right.  I think it is also correct to put Mr Stubbs, editor of the Citizen, a good tad to the left of center.  Is Jerry joining up with the libs?

How would you know about the switch?  Nothing about it on the City Web site.  Not noted in Jerry's recent column in the WLL.  It was obvious the aldermen were unaware of the switch as well.

For the most part, there is never anybody from the press attending our public meetings, at least not from my observation the last eleven years.  It gives City officials the opportunity to bask in anonymity not afforded even to their County counterparts.  Thick skinned?  Nah.