The City of Raymore learned March 8 that it has been awarded a grant of $111,150 from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to install decorative, high-energy efficiency LED street lighting in the Original Town neighborhood. The grant funds come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also known as the Economic Stimulus plan approved last year by Congress.

The DNR received 86 total applications requesting more than $18 million in projects for Missouri cities and counties. In its award letter DNR said, “We applaud your initiative and offer congratulations on developing a strong project that will result in improved energy savings and economic benefits for the citizens of our State.”

The project is for the installation of streetlights on S. Madison, Washington Street, Jefferson, Adams and Franklin. It will provide uniform lighting throughout the neighborhood and improve the aesthetics and safety of the area. Decorative street lighting with historic character and pedestrian scale will reflect the history of the area and help create a streetscape oriented to pedestrian use. A decorative style of lighting will also help balance concerns about the streetlights being too intrusive, but provide sufficient lighting for safety. The use of the new high efficiency LED lighting will provide better light, lower energy usage, and lower the carbon footprint.

The project is currently in the City Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and is currently slated to take place in two phases, the first phase in 2010 and the second phase in 2013. The grant requires a City match, which has already been budgeted, of $37,050. The grant may allow for acceleration of the project.

[Map of proposed street lamp locations]

The 2010 U.S. Census forms have started arriving in mailboxes. To encourage all Raymore residents to complete and return the census, Mayor Juan Alonzo has filmed a public service announcement video for Channel 7, airing immediately before and after the televised rebroadcasts of the City Council Meeting.

The PSA video can also be viewed on the City's Web site at http://raymoreftp.com/raymore2/mayor.wmv.

April 1, 2010 has been declared Census Day in the U.S. as a target date for citizens to return their completed forms to the government for counting. Responses should include everyone who will be living at your residence on April 1.

Anyone with questions about the 2010 Census can confidentially visit the Questionaire Assistance Center that will be established at Raymore City Hall beginning on or about March 29.
[Census PSA video link]

At the March 8 Raymore City Council meeting, Mayor Juan Alonzo signed a Proclamation declaring March 14-20 as the 1st Annual Sunshine Week in Raymore.

Sunshine Week is a nationally recognized event meant to promote open government by bringing awareness to the Freedom of Information Act, Open Records Act and each citizen’s right to request information.

In Raymore, the week will include providing information to citizens on requesting information from the City and trainings for employees — including a speaker from the Attorney General’s office.

City Clerk Jeanie Woerner stated the idea started when the City decided to update its Sunshine Law administrative policy, and saw it as an opportunity to provide information to City staff and raise awareness with Raymore citizens.

Effective April 7, Raymore Emergency Management will begin testing the City’s outdoor warning siren system at 11 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. Previously, Raymore’s warning sirens were tested on Saturday afternoon.

“The City is changing the siren testing day and time to comply with a Metro guideline that is being established for the Kansas City Metropolitan Area,” said Mike Boos, Raymore Emergency Management Coordinator.

This modification is one of several discussed amongst metro area emergency managers, along with the National Weather Service, the past year. The final draft of their recommendations will go before the Mid-America Regional Council’s Metropolitan Emergency Managers Committee for approval in early March.

“We have tested our system on the weekend for a number of years, due in large part to size and activity of the community,” said Boos. “As the city has grown and more businesses and members of the community are present during the day, the need to change the testing of the system makes sense. It is also good to make changes periodically to provide new awareness and promote interest in the community.”

The National Weather Service and the American Red Cross have amended safety instructions concerning what to do if caught in a vehicle during a tornado warning or tornadic event.

Previous safety instructions emphasized travelers should never attempt to outrun a tornado in a vehicle, and would be safer abandoning the vehicle and seeking shelter or a low-lying area. However, this advice has been revised, and it is now recommended the following steps be observed when faced with the threat of a tornado while traveling:

1) If you can drive away from the tornado, do so. On average, tornados move from one location to another between 35 to 45 miles per hour, so driving away should be the first course of action.

2) If you can't drive away from the tornado — traveling directly toward the tornado on a divided highway, stuck in slow-moving traffic, etc. — abandon the vehicle and seek shelter in a nearby, sturdy structure or building.

3) If no buildings are available, the best options have been exhausted. At this point, individuals must decide whether to remain in the car with seatbelts fastened, leaning down to get below the window line, or to abandon the vehicle to take shelter in a culvert or to lay flat, facedown, in a ditch or other low spot.

“Emergency Management leaders want to make sure the public is aware of this major change from long-standing tornado safety rules,” said Mike Boos, Raymore Emergency Management Coordinator. “The options are minimal in these kinds of situations. The best course of action is to avoid travel, if possible, during inclement weather, and to stay informed via broadcast stations of potentially dangerous weather events.”

Tiffany Klassen, Director of the Cass County Health Department, has been working with the Parks and Recreation departments in Belton, Raymore and Pleasant Hill to create a wellness challenge encouraging residents to become more active. The resulting countywide partnership is a new program called “Get Fit – Cass County.”

“Although this is the first year for the program, we hope to continue it annually,” Klassen said. “We have chosen to spotlight the Katy Trail System by naming this year’s challenge the ‘Katy Trail Wellness Challenge.’ Participants can track their mileage and log it to walk across the Katy Trail. It combines the idea of promoting activity and enjoying the beauty of the parks system.”

Interested participants should register at their local Parks and Recreation office or the Cass County Health Department. Each participant will undergo a pre-assessment for tracking purposes throughout the program and to gain eligibility for the incentive and post-assessment prizes. This free program will run for a six-week period running from April 1 through May 12. Registrations begin on March 8. The first 100 registrations will receive a packet that includes a pedometer to assist in tracking mileage for the program.

Although the program is designed for walking or running with the pedometer, other forms of working out can translate into mileage for this program, as well. The whole goal is to get moving to increase better health for all our residents. Weekly motivation and wellness tips will be sent out to participants who have registered on the www.DailyMile.com Web site.

Interested participants seeking more information are encouraged to contact their local office:

Cass County Health Department: 380-8425 - www.casscountyhealth.com
Raymore Parks & Recreation: 322-2791 - www.raymore.com
Belton Parks & Recreation: 348-7400 - www.beltonparks.org
Pleasant Hill Parks & Recreation: 540-3135 - www.pleasanthill.com

Because of a shortage of nursing staff due to layoffs, the Cass County Health Department has revised its schedule of walk-in immunization clinics. The following clinics will be the last walk-in immunizations offered by the Cass County Health Department until further notice.

* March 5, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Harrisonville (Health Department)
* March 8, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Belton (Christian Church, Airway and Westover)
* March 10, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Harrisonville (Health Department)
* March 16, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Harrisonville (Health Department)
* March 19, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Harrisonville (Health Department)
* March 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Harrisonville (Health Department)

Effective April 1, immunization clinics will no longer be provided on a walk-in basis by the CCHD. Instead, they will be by appointment only. Significant personnel cuts have forced the health department to make these changes.

If patients have private medical insurance that covers the cost of vaccines, they will be expected to receive them from their provider. If a child is participating in Mo HealthNet (formerly MC+) and sees a private provider for vaccines, please continue to do so. The clinic appointments will be targeted at those who are uninsured, those on Mo HealthNet without a private provider and those with insurance that does not cover the cost of the vaccines.

For this last group, there will be a $5 per child charge for vaccines. Payment should be made by check or exact change. Vaccinations for those 19 years or older will continue to incur a charge based on the particular vaccine that is given. Appointments can be made by calling 816-380-8431/8432.

For more information, call the Cass County Health Department at 816-380-8433 or visit 300 S. Main St. in Harrisonville, Mo.

The City of Raymore, under the guidance of the Raymore Parks and Recreation Board, recently relaunched its Volunteers in Action program. Originally kicked-off in late 2008, this volunteer initiative seeks to match people looking to volunteer their time and resources with charitable organizations in need of a few helping hands.

While potential volunteers were eager to register for the program, the opportunities to place them were slow in materializing. By fall 2009, only two requests for volunteer assistance had been received through the matching program. Concerned by the lack of registered opportunities for participants to donate their time and efforts, the Volunteer Committee met to brainstorm and discuss options to increase awareness about the program.

From that session came a December luncheon for area non-profit agencies to hear a presentation on the Volunteers in Action program and register their organization. The event was deemed a success as attendees were receptive to the program and offered valuable insight into their organizations’ needs to the Volunteer Committee.

At present, nearly two-dozen people or groups have signed-up through the program as volunteers and nine organizations that utilize volunteer service have registered. Since the December meeting with area agencies, four volunteer connections have been made through the program:

• Web site work for the Cass County Health Department
• Hospice work for Omega and Sunflower Health Care
• Donation of knitted items to local agencies
• A special Christmas visit to a local family requested by out-of-state relatives

“If someone is looking to donate their time and skills but doesn’t know what local opportunities are out there, that willingness to help has been wasted,” said Dan Mapes, Raymore Park Board and Volunteer Committee member. “Our program serves as a match-maker, of sorts, to provide would-be volunteers with some direction to agencies and organizations in need of their assistance.”

The Volunteers in Action matching program can be found on the City’s Web site under the Community Outreach section or directly at www.raymore.com/volunteer.

Cass County is a member of the National Association of Counties (NACo), which offers residents of member counties a prescription discount card to help with prescription drug costs. Any Cass County resident can use the program (a member benefit of NACo) by printing a card at www.caremark.com/naco — look for the prominent link at the top of the page. It's easy, convenient and effective. As of December, consumers have saved $248 million in 1,285 participating counties. The average savings is 24% on more than $20 million prescriptions filled.

The NACo card can help residents save an average of 24% of the full retail cost of prescription medication. There are no enrollment fees, no forms to fill out, no age or income requirements and no medical condition restrictions. The entire family is covered with just one card and virtually all commonly prescribed medicine is covered. Citizens will save:

• An average of 24% compared to regular retail prices
• An average of 14% off brand-name medicine and an average savings of 30% off generic medicine compared to regular retail prices
• An average of 22% off brand-name medicine and an average savings of 50% on select generics through mail service

Cass County would remind citizens that the NACo Prescription Discount Drug Card program is not insurance and that discounts are only available at participating pharmacies. NACo does state that, on average, nine out of 10 pharmacies participate in the program. [Additional info...]

The Foxwood Springs Residents’ Association will sponsor and conduct a community forum at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 19, for the upcoming April 6 city election.

This forum will be held in Holmes Hall, located at Campbell and North Jenkins boulevards on the Foxwood Springs campus, and is ground level accessible.

Street parking is permitted on the south side of Campbell Blvd., except where reserved for disabled patrons. Auxiliary visitor parking is located adjacent to the Community Building on the north end of Mott Drive at Foxwood Springs.

Invitees to participate in this community forum include three candidates for the office of Mayor of Raymore, two candidates for a Ward 1 councilmember seat, and four candidates for two seats on the Raymore-Peculiar Board of Education. The forum is open to interested citizens of Raymore, the Ray-Pec School District and the local media.

Immediately following the forum, the Foxwood Springs Management Team of Brookdale Living, Inc will provide light refreshments and an opportunity to visit with the candidates.

The Raymore Chamber of Commerce will host a public candidate forum at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24, in the council chambers of City Hall. The purpose of this event is to introduce the April 6 municipal election candidates and their platforms to Raymore voters.

Chamber board member Brent Ewert will moderate the forum, posing questions compiled by Laurie Basset and Allen Edmonds, local reporters for The Journal and The Star-Herald newspapers, respectively.

"Public officials are elected to represent the citizens,” said Ewert. “A televised, public forum is a great way for the citizens to see all of the candidates side-by-side answering tough questions. More than anything, we want the voters to feel like they have had the opportunity to gather the information they need to cast their vote with confidence."

All official candidates for the positions of mayor and councilmembers will be invited to attend and participate in the forum. Candidates on the April ballot include:

Mayor - Juan Alonzo, Nathan Hughes, Sam DeMeo

Ward 1 - John Seimears, Jeffrey Stevens

Ward 2 - Jeff Cox, Jerry Dudley, Jr.

Ward 3 - Monique Lewis, Dutch Becker

Ward 4 - Jonathan Seeley, Charlene Hubach

Only registered voters may cast ballots in the election. The cutoff date for voter registration is Wednesday, March 10. To register, visit the Cass County Clerk’s Web site at www.casscounty.com/clerk/clerk.html.

Anyone with questions about the candidate forum should call the Raymore Chamber of Commerce office at 816-322-0599.

With filing for Raymore’s upcoming municipal election now closed, the following candidates will appear on the April 6, 2010 ballot:

Mayor - Juan Alonzo, Nathan Hughes, Sam DeMeo

Ward 1 - John Seimears, Jeffrey Stevens

Ward 2 - Jeff Cox, Jerry Dudley, Jr.

Ward 3 - Monique Lewis, Dutch Becker

Ward 4* - Jonathan Seeley, Charlene Hubach

Only registered voters may cast ballots in the election. The cutoff date for voter registration is Wednesday, March 10. To register, visit the Cass County Clerk’s Web site at www.casscounty.com/clerk/clerk.html.

*Note: Kandi Allen, who filed as a candidate for City Council from Ward 4, was found not to meet all of the requirements for a candidate for City Council, and was disqualified by the City Clerk.

During the winter, fire hydrants can become buried by snow during a storm. If you have a hydrant near your home, the Fire Marshal’s Office requests your assistance by keeping it free of snow down to the caps.

This helps make it visible and accessible for use in an emergency. Precious seconds can be lost searching for the hydrant or removing snow to gain access to it.

Please be aware that it poses a major fire safety hazard to bury a fire hydrant by shoveling, plowing or snow blowing. Help make your neighborhood safe for everyone!

If you have any questions, please call the Fire Marshall’s Office at 816-331-3008.

The City of Raymore announced on Monday, Oct. 26, that it is suspending the South Madison Street/Hubach Hill Road Construction project for the 2009 construction season. Miles Excavating, the contractor for the South Madison reconstruction project, anticipates placing the final lift of asphalt and striping on South Madison Street from Lucy Webb Road to just south of Magnolia Street next week. The road will then be re-opened to traffic.

The last phase of the project involves the reconstruction of the South Madison Street/Hubach Hill Road intersection. This work will involve removing the existing pavement, excavating the sub-grade to accommodate a thicker pavement section and adding turn lanes. It was hoped that this work would be completed before the end of the construction season. However, the wet weather that has occurred so far this construction season, along with the prospect of more wet weather and cold temperatures, required that the work be suspended at this time. The work at the intersection will occur next year, after the conclusion of the school year, and should take about a month.

“It is conceivable that the weather will be dry enough and warm enough to allow this work to be completed, but we do not believe this is a gamble we should take,” said City Manager Eric Berlin. “Rather than take the risk of initiating this work and not being able to complete it for reasons beyond our control, and potentially having the intersection closed over the winter, we intend to delay initiating this last stage of the work until next spring.”

Berlin said that the City would work with the contractor to either complete the contract work under agreed-upon terms, or, if necessary, the City will re-bid the work, possibly in concert with the other Madison Street work between 58 Highway and Lucy Webb that is scheduled to occur next year.