Nine weeks until our three “no new taxes” county commissioners hold an election to ask us to sign a $65 million (or more) blank check for a jail expansion.
The commissioners haven’t yet bothered to tell us where the jail expansion will be, how big it will be, how much it’s going to cost, method of financing, how much any financing costs are expected to be, what’s the plan to cover increased operational costs, whether they’ll be importing even more of somebody else’s criminals to fill all that empty jail space we’re going to have, etc. etc. etc.
Other than that, they’ve really nailed this thing down . . .
I’ve covered the county political scene a long time. This is the first time the public has been asked to vote on a plan that’s a secret.
Sorry, Joe and Jane Public, apparently you don’t get to learn the plan unless you know the secret password.
It’s like we have three Nancy Pelosis in charge at the county telling us: “You’ve got to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it.”
It’s worth repeating to yourself from now until election day that this proposed half cent jail sales tax does nothing to address the biggest current need in the sheriff’s department. The biggest need is better pay for deputies. Money from this proposed capital improvement tax does not go to salaries for deputies. By law, it cannot.
The Missouri Department of Transportation (their friends call them MoDOT) says their crews find themselves discussing the pothole problem much earlier this year. Potholes are a natural result of the freeze/thaw cycle that happens throughout winter but this year seems to be more extreme than usual, MoDOT says.
And it’s not just MoDOT roadways that are affected. Private roads are victims as well. For example, how about those extremely deep and wide potholes just inside the entrance driveway at the Platte City Post Office? Proceed with caution to avoid knocking your car’s alignment out of whack.
I noticed online that Platte City Mayor Frank Offutt was fielding questions about the post office pothole problem. The mayor quickly and politely pointed out the post office sits on private property and the roadway in question is not a city street. You might mention your concerns to post office staff so they can pass their concerns along to the owner of their private drive. A short temporary solution to close a pothole is often a cold asphalt mix but a long term fix–a hot asphalt mix–typically isn’t effective until roadway temps rise and remain above freezing. MoDOT said this week the short term fixes are failing to hold for very long.
“This has been a tough season for our roads,” said Susan Barry assistant district engineer for MoDOT. “We have some extreme temperatures and our snow season started three months ago, so we’re seeing a lot of recurring potholes that just won’t hold the temporary patch.”
Potholes form when temperatures warm up during the day but continue to be cold at night. The rain and snow from winter leave moisture that seeps into cracks and joints in the pavement. When temperatures drop, the water freezes and expands the pavement. This expansion causes the pavement to bulge and crack. When cars drive over the bulging pavement it eventually causes chunks of pavement or asphalt to pop out.
Let’s be honest, you knew the Chiefs season was over when the Patriots won the coin toss to start overtime.
Over the weekend, Landmark columnist Chris Kamler donned a Speedo to go running into a lake as part of the Polar Plunge. RIP Chris Kamler’s testes.
All of us at The Landmark would like to apologize to any innocent bystanders whose eyes may have been exposed to Chris’s exposure.
Medical claims for bleeding retinas can be sent directly to chris@somuchshrinkage.com.
Landmark Live is back in action Thursday night, when Brad Carl and I take our circus act to the new location of Patty Farr’s RE/MAX House of Dreams at 303 Marshall Road in Platte City.
We’ll be broadcasting live from 6 p.m. to about 6:30-ish or 6:45-ish, as Patty and friends will give our viewers a tour of the new digs and we’ll talk about the local real estate market and whatnot and such.
“We’ve given the new place some bling,” Patty says, and we’ll give her the chance to show it off during our telecast on Facebook at the page known as Platte County Landmark.
Patty’s place will be hosting an open house and a Platte City Chamber of Commerce After Hours event from 4:30-7 p.m. that night. You’re invited to come tour the new location and meet the agents. Food, drinks, and networking.
Pretty sure you’ll be able to find Brad Carl and I networking near Patty’s ice cream machine.
(Network with Ivan Foley via email at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com and find him on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube)