Blue Springs Council Blocks Progress

1/8/2009 9:14:28 PM #

Jeff,

Thank you for the positive comments about our development.  As I stated to the council on Monday night, I was truly embarrassed by the political process that took place.  I believe anyone who truly had knowledge of the facts would understand our frustration.  I would point out the following:

1.  Our project was approved by the planning commission.
2.  City staff had recommended approval of our project.
3.  There was always full disclosure with the city about seeking some type of assistance.  That area has ALWAYS been planned to be part of the global TDD, but Adam's Dairy Landing progressed at a different timeframe so it was in the best interest of all parties to have seperate inititaves.  We had always had discussions about having a Chapter 353 on the office portion but decided the political climate would not support it, even the the analysis clearly showed it would benefit all taxing jurisdiction.
4.  This same council approved another C.I.D. unanimiously in the recent past that has the same provisions that we proposed?  I do not believe they were put under the same scrutiny.

I would gladly answer any of your readers questions or concerns either privately or publicly.  The good thing about telling the truth is you never have to worry about your answers.

I also appreciate the phone calls and emails our group has received since the meeting.  I encourage anyone who has an opinion, either pro or con, to let their elected officials know.

Best regards,

Bill Wrisinger

Bill Wrisinger

1/10/2009 7:20:10 AM #

Our City Council is getting as bad as the KC School board and are the main reason that Blue Springs is not advancing and growing while Independence and Lees Summit is getting all the good businesses.  I think it is time for all Blue Spring Residents to get together and get the people who are against progress (and their voting record shows it) out of office and get people in there that has Blue Springs interest as their highest priority and not their own.  It is politician like that that give politics a bad name.

At least this time it looks like Mayor Ross looked like he would have passed this if he had been the tie-breaking vote.  No if we can only get him to reconsider and the building of a new water park in Blue Springs then he might prove he does have Blue Springs best interest at hurt.  Maybe there is hope for him yet.

And all I can say about Ron Fowler that by abstaining he shows he has not backbone and should be one of the first voted out of office.  If he really was against it, the vote against it.  You are not tricking anyone by the vote, we know how you felt by the comments you made before the note.

Shawn Mehaffie

1/10/2009 2:14:38 PM #

Having lived in Dallas/Ft.Worth for 17 years and now 12 years in Blue Springs, I believe I still have a valid perspective. I will do anything to stay off 7 Hwy, including using Woods Chapel ( which need to be upgraded) from I-70 to 40 Hwy. With the anticipated growth on south 7 towards Colburn it seems short-sighted to hinder developement and tax-revenue on Adams Dairy.  

Daniel Clark

1/10/2009 7:02:27 PM #

This article does not give the reason(s) for Fowler's, Salon's & Shaver's objections for blocking the up-scale convenience store & gas station development. It appears they have a hidden agenda and a behind the scene agreement to stop it. The one observation from Shaver that this proposed development would take gas traffic off of Rt 7 is weak at best. Employees of the Companies that locate to the Adams Dairy Parkway development are going to need another choice for lunch & gas beside the Burger King with gas station at the corner of Coronado and ADP. I am left only with speculation and recall that Fowler, Salon and Ross campaigned together and pledged to work together? This proposal needs to be revisited with more transparency.

Roy Schultise

1/10/2009 9:03:13 PM #

Dear Citizens of BSMO...

It is not my intention to bring a gripe to this website but that may occur anyway in the next few sentences and I apologize in advance if I do.

I would like to point out that "our" city is becoming extremely populated and very desireable.  We are gaining new stores and new citizens every day.  We must keep our eyes and ears trained on this fact.  While commercial space has opened up without tenant occupation, it does open up a substantial market place for new businesses.  These building will fill up if given an opportunity.  

We are gaining a new "feel" to BSMO.  We are changing from a "small town bedroom community" to a moderately sized semi-progressive city.  The population will grow and it cannot be stopped.  

I feel the desire for another quality grocery store is well grounded in facts.  On 7 highway, traffic during mid day is atrocious and Adam's Dairy Parkway has become a quicker route.  It take nearly an entire lunch break, on 7, to get across town leaving most people the inability to sit down for lunch at a restaurant they desire.

Diverting traffic from 7 to the parkway is inevitable.  For anyone to say it won't happen is unaware and has no vision of the future.  It is already beginning to happen on it's own (as overflow) without the council's help.  As the new Innovative park and Adams Dairy Landing come alive, it will not take long before we begin to discuss what we are going to do with traffic in our city as a whole.  7 will be packed.

I commend the previous city council for having the courage to involve the citizens and listen to their input.  Because of that mentality we have many new restaurants in which to eat, a new mall on the way, a new major technology park, a nice new car wash and more.  Yet we still have only one good steakhouse (and it's packed) and no other stand alone fine dining.  We are a popular city with a low sales tax compared to other cities.  We are very desireable and primed for new business.

I would like to encourage Mayor Ross to consider what just happened and note that his ability to vote was taken from him by means of underhanded politics.  Everyone deserves the right to vote.  Abstaining was underhanded and manipulative.  The citizens of BSMO do not want this kind of behavior from our city council.  I felt we made this clear.

Here I go...

What "we as a city" lost was not a new business venture.  "We" lost our integrity and turned "our" focus away from the needs of "our" city and let "our" personal feeling get in the way of progress.  This pattern needs to change.  We need upstanding, and concerned leadership who will focus on what's best for our community.  I never thought I'd say this but I am begining to have faith in Mayor Ross.  I believe he will come to see that this community has changed for the better and I believe he will do what he can to help it prosper if he is given back his right to vote.

But most importantly, "we", the citizens of BSMO need to direct their decisions by providing feedback to "our" city council.  Speak up and say what you feel.

Thank you for listening,

Bob Fasl

You may forward this to the City Council.

Bob Fasl - RENEW THE BLUE - QUALITY OF LIFE

1/20/2009 7:46:05 PM #

Process, process, process.  This local developer has been hit over the head for six months now by Councilman Fowler because the Councilman does not think the applicant followed proper process when bringing two commercial projects forward for Adams Dairy Parkway.  But what process?  Councilman Fowler cannot name one Council directive, City ordinance, provision of the City's charter, or a state statute that provides for Councilman Fowler’s definition of process that a developer must follow in Blue Springs when deciding on how to bring commercial projects before the City Council.
Instead, it appears that a developer must read Councilman Fowler's mind to figure out the proper process.  What this applicant has down is follow City Staff’s directions for the past 15 months to bring these two projects forward.  If Councilman Fowler has a problem with the process this applicant followed, shouldn't he work with City Staff to come up with written process guidelines for new commercial developments in our City so that all developers are on an even playing field in bringing projects before the City Council?
And why isn't the playing field level.  A non-local developer can obtain a TIF and TDD financing at one Council meeting, additional TIF financing at another Council meeting, and CID financing at yet another Council meeting.  In fact, this non-local developer’s stated reason for needing the CID financing was to have a back-stop in case the funding it received from the TIF and TDD financing was not enough to pay for its project.  
Councilman Fowler states that he raised the process question to RED Development, but then voted with an unanimous Council on the CID application notwithstanding the fact that City Staff recommended against the CID request.  The applicant for Parkway Place and Parkway West had City Staff approval, but Mr. Fowler abstained, citing that the developer did not bring all of the facts concerning the entire development before the Council at a July 21, 2008 meeting.  Did RED Development tell the City Council at its original approval meeting on the TIF and TDD financing that it was going to come back to the Council for additional TIF and CID money?  Why didn't Councilman Fowler, in good conscience, abstain from voting on the RED Development CID request since RED Development did not follow Councilman Fowler's concept of process in bringing its development before the Council.

One man veto power is not the democratic process that we as citizens expect from any elected official, but that is exactly what Councilman Fowler did on January 5, 2008.  If he truly believed the applicant hid the ball on the two, separate projects, why didn’t he just vote no?  Only Councilman Fowler knows his true motive, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that he wanted to block the rezoning and CID requests of this applicant and used a political maneuver to accomplish his goal.

And who pays at the end of the day for Councilman Fowler's rogue actions?  Why it’s just us Blue Springs residents.  But, at the end of the day, what do we matter to the political agenda of a politician such as Councilman Fowler.

Dave Zeiler