The Case of the Missing Appointment

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
1 Sept Meeting

Travels this week interfered with my blogging so here is the last of the BOA. BTW, where are Mary's notes from the meeting?

As documented here previously, the water line on 77th Street needs to be replaced. Part of the process is to have the engineering done for the project. Seems in the process it was discovered very little documentation is available on the appointment and ordinance of our City Engineer. Where did it go and why is a mystery although it happened a number of administrations and City Clerks ago...chalk it up to sloppy record keeping at best. In any event the BOA was forced to adopt a legislative fix. (It was also discovered our ordinance requires MO residency, our current Engineer lives in KS but is licensed in MO). Fixes in place, the engineering will cost around $9,500. The BOA intends to conduct interviews for City Engineer in the future, although the current Engineer may be retained.

From the "It's Your Money" arena, it was reported the cost of the City Wide Cleanup was $5,000 which includes the cost of dumpsters and Benny. Just to stoke the pay raise issue again, we seem to be able to find money for most projects around the City. This is another example. I have never been a fan of the city sponsored cleanups, especially when they are "free". At one time we were doing two a year, fall and spring, and we did collect a modest fee (at times) to subsidize the cost. I pay for yard waste and have paid to have trees removed and hauled away...should I pay for your yard waste as well? Don't think so. The City keeping the right of way in good shape is one thing. Your yard is different. It's your property, take care of it. Put the $5,000 in the City Kitty for something that benefits all the tax payers...like City Employees.