• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Monday, May 16, 2022
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Being a victim of ‘friendly fire’ is a concern inside county buildings

Ivan Foley by Ivan Foley
September 4, 2019
in Between the Lines
4
SHARES
100
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

It has been a few weeks since Mayor Nan Johnston and crew told The Landmark to please stop delivery of a few complimentary copies of the newspaper to Parkville City Hall. It was a courtesy practice we had carried on for 17-18 years and something we have always done at multiple public buildings in the county, long before Nan Johnston fired her first spittle upon the Missouri Sunshine Law or composed her first angry email about press coverage.

I bring this up because it occurred to me without a copy of The Landmark in City Hall somebody better tell Nan her campaign is under investigation by the Missouri Ethics Commission. She might not know.

RelatedNews

Kim Carnes and never buy gas on Tuesdays

Growth, goats, golf carts and law firms

Tires, televisions, Air Supply and the NFL Draft


Time to update your scorecards.

  1. The Missouri Attorney General’s office is investigating the City of Parkville over Sunshine Law complaints.
  2. The Missouri Ethics Commission is investigating the Parkville mayor’s campaign committee over alleged illegal contributions and suspicious reporting activity.
  3. The mayor seems preoccupied with trying to start a whizzing match over press coverage.

Other than that, things are going swimmingly at Parkville City Hall.


Platte County R-3 taxpayers, per a deal brokered by the Platte County R-3 School Board, are paying $275,000 of their hard-earned tax dollars to a principal to just go away.

That’s the financial meat and potatoes in a “separation agreement” reached between R-3 and Chad Searcey, the principal at Compass Elementary. Searcey, you’ll recall, is the school administrator who displayed questionable judgment in tweeting a picture of himself and his kids shooting guns to David Hogg, noted school shooting survivor who is now a gun control activist. Searcey had been placed on paid administrative leave in June after sending the tweet. The separation agreement was reached last week.

Point of emphasis: Let’s not mix the topics. Searcey’s political views about guns are not the topic. What is the topic is the judgment shown by an elementary school principal in sending a tweet featuring guns–and kids shooting guns–to a school shooting survivor. I get that it’s all hip these days to criticize the media, and there are times it is deserved, but this situation received international news coverage for legitimate reasons.

Let’s also not confuse the topics by saying Searcey’s personal tweets are protected by the First Amendment. This isn’t a First Amendment issue. The First Amendment protects you from having your speech prohibited by the government. The First Amendment does not mean your employer is prohibited from taking action against you because of your speech.

R-3’s employee handbook, in fact, has a section that states:

“Employees should note that all social media communication sites (even personal) can fall under the staff conduct board policy and can be included in your evaluation and used as grounds for disciplinary action.”

So there you go. Twitter douchebaggery is not protected at R-3.

Based on the district’s policy, R-3 had a right to fire Searcey. Don’t know why the R-3 school board felt a $275,000 payment from taxpayers was needed, other than they probably did not want a legal fight.

This is proof that it’s easy to pay people off to make your life easier when you’re using other people’s money to make the payment.


I’m guessing there are much better ways for our local educational system to spend $275,000.


Foley’s guide to getting into political debates on social media:

Step 1: Don’t.


In some circles, there has been negative buzz around the county about it and at least one Platte County employee isn’t at all happy about the county commission’s policy of allowing employees (those who have a concealed carry permit) to carry firearms into the administration building. He let his frustration be known at Monday’s county commission meeting.

Bob Schmidt, who said he works part-time for the county in planning and zoning, parks, facilities, and as an accounts payable clerk, said it should be the county’s responsibility to provide a safe and secure working environment. Employees shouldn’t have to feel like they need to provide their own security, he indicated.Schmidt pointed out there is nothing in the county’s personnel policy about firearms. “Can (employees) carry a pistol, a shotgun, an AR-15? What are the rules?”

Schmidt said had he known this was the policy he might not have started working at the county and knowledge of the county’s policy–which was recently expanded to allow public works employees to carry in the building and also when they’re working in the field–has him wondering if he wants to continue working for the county. A military veteran, Schmidt said with employees having the right to carry firearms he is very worried about “friendly fire” within the county buildings. From the buzz we’ve picked up in the last couple of weeks here in Between the Lines, we can tell you there are other folks working inside the building who share in Schmidt’s concern, they just haven’t taken their concerns public, for whatever reason.

Schmidt said he would like to see the county reinstate a security checkpoint at the entrance to the administration building, a system that was discontinued about a decade ago.

Schmidt’s concerns came in the public comments portion held toward the end of the commission meeting, which by the way ridiculously lasted nearly two hours on Monday (more on that at a later time).

Ron Schieber, presiding commissioner, indicated to Schmidt the commission would have discussions about the lack of firearms wording in the personnel policy and also have discussions on the suggestion of a return to a security checkpoint at the entrance to the administration building. Only time will tell if Schieber’s response is sincere or if it was more of a “thank you for coming, have a nice day.”

(Thank you for reading and have a nice day. Follow Foley on Twitter @ivanfoley and on Facebook and YouTube. Email ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)

Tags: ethicsNan Johnstonparkvilleplatte countyron schiebersunshine lawSunshine Lawstaxes
Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley, owner/publisher of the Platte County Landmark, has been on the news beat in Kansas City's Northland for 40 years. He provides weekly observations in his Between the Lines column and serves as host of Landmark Live, a light-hearted videocast featuring newsmakers in the Northland.

Related Posts

45 Years Ago–May 13, 1977

by Ivan Foley
May 13, 2022
0

Dr. Carl Myers purchase the Platte Medical Clinic in Platte City this week and plans to open his office here in the near future. Dr. Nourbaksh will continue to be located in the Platte Medical Clinic. Mr. and Mrs. Louis...

30 Years Ago–May 15, 1992

by Ivan Foley
May 13, 2022
0

Bob Foster, vice principal of Fort Osage Junior High in northeast Independence, has been hired as principal at West Platte High School in Weston. Two girls tied with the same grade point average have been declared valedictorians of the class...

15 Years Ago–May 9, 2007

by Ivan Foley
May 13, 2022
0

It has been a hectic week for Platte County residents and business owners with property in low-lying areas, as heavy rains across the region have forced rivers and streams out of their banks. Areas in and around Parkville, Riverside, Tracy...

The 80's

Kim Carnes and never buy gas on Tuesdays

by Ivan Foley
May 13, 2022
0

Gonna hit you with some pop culture stuff this week. Just because I want to. Season four of Ozark on Netflix. Have you finished it yet? Let's get through this without spoiling it for those who haven't made it all...

Next Post

Ethics board to probe Nan Johnston's campaign

Popular News

  • Large logistics park planned east of I-29

    Large logistics park planned east of I-29

    198 shares
    Share 79 Tweet 50
  • Area distillery releases first new bourbon in 30 years

    20 shares
    Share 8 Tweet 5
  • Memorial Day Weekend Celebration planned

    7 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 2
  • City extends lease on temporary police station

    6 shares
    Share 2 Tweet 2
  • The Landmark enters 158th year of publication

    6 shares
    Share 2 Tweet 2
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?