To the Parkville Board of Alderman, Parkville Staff and Mayor Nan Johnston:
The resounding no vote against the use tax must have been seen as a particularly disappointing outcome for the aldermen, staff and mayor. The purpose of this email is to let you know why my husband and I voted no for this use tax. It was a vote of protest, reflecting our loss of trust in the staff, mayor, and board of aldermen. I have personally come before the board on several occasions to speak against what I see is a poorly conceived use of the Parkville park tax which I voted in favor of. As soon as the tax was passed suddenly there are plans for an expensive large baseball athletic complex to be built down in Platte Landing Park. I and a group of well-organized, well-informed individuals have expressed our opposition based on the extensive information we have studied in the 2016 Master Plan and the plans surveys. The plans and data in those documents, in my opinion, have been skewed by the city Community Land and Recreation Board and staff and perhaps private business interests to push this project forward. I feel very strongly that mine and other voices have not been heard.
When the park tax was voted on, both English Landing Park and Platte Landing Park were experiencing a disastrous flood. The last thing on residents’ minds was not, ‘oh boy, we want baseball fields!’ No, the residents of Parkville wanted their existing parks that they love and enjoy being cared for, maintained and the natural trails expanded, and more natural amenities added with small, if any, athletic fields added or refurbished, with a beautiful, reclaimed wetlands.
The claim that has been made regarding the brochure sent with a picture on the back of baseball and soccer fields, which many residents have said they did not receive, is not a justification for the expensive larger facility being proposed. Many residents did not see that picture as your priority, but the pictures on the front of beautiful park space, the river and the natural beauty of Parkville would be what the city and board of aldermen would put the park tax toward. So, my husband and I voted no, we felt as if this whole issue with the ballfields was being crammed down our throats and the last thing that we had within our power to send a message was our vote and our vote was no.
In addition to this, the conduct that has been brought to the attention of the public regarding the ethics violations and other claims against the mayor and the city administrator have created a complete and total lack of trust for the elected officials of Parkville.
I take no joy in writing this email. In the beginning I supported the use tax but after much contemplation it was the only way that I felt you would listen. And it is apparent by a vote of two to one that there are many Parkville residents that may feel the same way I do.
The board of aldermen, city administrator, and staff, and particularly the mayor, have a serious problem. You have lost the trust of the community. Where do you go from here? You start by not putting a line item of $300,000 in the budget for 10 years for the financing for some baseball fields. I am convinced not all Parkville residents want this very expensive project, and feel it is an extremely poor use of the park tax. There are many more things that this money could be put to effective use for, not the plans that are being considered at this time. To start with we need a parks director, and I could list many other items.
It is my hope that the ethics committee will move forward quickly, judiciously and with all expediency. If not, any votes for any further taxes or funding for Parkville will continue to be voted down and the city will suffer. The optics for the City of Parkville, the board of aldermen, and the city administrator could not be worse, and it makes me tremendously sad for our community.
–Sheryl Biermann
Parkville
