Hi Whoville,

Nice to have you back. I apologize for being too sensative, sometimes I am that way.

Again, Sorry.

Thanx Guys (and Gals). Like I said...I'll try to be a little less critical in future Rants.

wow, i just hung up on a recorded voice saying it was the FBI and because of the increase in crime in my area, if i were willing to place a sign in my yard......i hung up...don't know what the sign might have said and now i am questioning myself as to if it were a scam like i thought. any one else had a call like this?

If it had been the FBI they probably would have knocked on your door.I'll bet its a scam.Don't fall for all those scare tactics.You did the right thing Nanny.

I agree. Anything that comes by a random phone call is almost certainly a scam.

Ha Nanny-This reminds me of a phone call my uncle recieved one time.The one that was in Nam.A guy called and said he was with the ATF,and that they intended to confiscate his firearms because of something he had done in the past before he went to Nam.My uncle thought someone was joking him and told him-"you sob you ain't takin none of my guns" and he hung up on the guy.The guy called back and they had a long conversation and in the end they didn't take his weapons.I love my uncle like he was my brother.He'd do anything for you.I sure wouldn't want to be on the other end of a gun he's holding though.

Chief Lane did say 4 firefighters per truck is sufficient.

I guess my question would be, why was there ever more than that ?

I don't know, since the changes with police and fire occurred before I was paying attention to city happenings.

Samie, I just got dizzy trying to figure out your point...

Samie: "ask yourself why you have to pay so much in taxes..."

That's exactly what we're doing!

Can you provide a fact-based or logically progressive argument for why the fire department needs 15 personnel, when everyone who could be considered knowledgeable on the situation agrees on a minimum of 12, and I'm arguing for 13?

I tell ya what, samie, why don't you start your own firefighting business? If it is such a sensible business case to carry extra overhead and only answer 17 calls a year, why aren't you jumping on this huge cash machine?

The only conclusion you'll come to is that it DOESN'T make business sense. It's far removed from a balanced budget. It's a black hole for taxpayer money.

i understand that those that live and pay taxes here in Edwardsville are the ones who should be in the public offices........but do we have qualified people for those positions? do we need 15 firemen? well.... if we can pay for them. do we have a volunteer fire dept to? many of us would do that if needed to keep everyone safe!
hell gang, the STATE has gone broke and is cutting back...we all are hurting or barely hanging on to what we have!!! all could be ripped away at any second and is getting ripped from some as i write this. i see where a need may arise but we need to tighten our belts for that event. it could and will and has happened everywhere you turn.

As you all know I'm an Okie. With that said, can anyone tell me what is the actual time each fire-fighter puts in in a 2 week pay period? I especially need the length of each shift. That might go a long way in explaining the need for so many people in the force. Thanks. I'm not sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong, just trying to figure out the situation.

KEEP ASKING CLOUDY!! THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ON LINE FOR! XO


UG budget features 10 percent cuts across board; sales tax increase possible


By NICK SLOAN, Staff Writer
Kansas City Kansan
Posted Jul 13, 2009 @ 05:00 PM
Kansas City, Kan. —

Facing a $15.4 million shortfall in revenue, the Unified Government's 2010 proposed budget recommends a 10 percent across the board cut for all programs and a possible increase in the sales tax rate.

UG County Administrator Dennis Hays will reveal the budget beginning this evening at City Hall.

In the first proposed budget, the UG will look to cut spending by 10 percent across the board in all of its programs and services, will continue to implement a hiring freeze, 17-day work furloughs will be made for employees funded through general tax dollars and the UG will explore the possibility of a sales tax increase.

A sales tax increase would go before voters in Wyandotte County in a Fall 2009 referendum.

In his budget message, Hays said property taxes will not be increased.

"While increasing property taxes might seem an easy way to fill the deep budget hole with new dollars, the negative impact on citizens and harm done to the local economy as it recovers far outweighs that benefit," he said in the message.

Notes from the initial proposed budget

• A salary freeze for non-union employees is suggested, along with an effort to urge long-time employees to take early retirement.

• The work furloughs will last from August 2009 to December 2010. Employees will be required to take one-day off without pay each month during this time period.

• All programs and services will be required to cut spending by "at least 10 percent." Parks and recreation programs will be cut, mowing and weed cutting on vacant lots will be limited and the Wyandotte County Museum will be closed.

• The UG will look to cut costs associated with prison detainment and upkeep. Stressing that no prisoners will be released, Hays said the UG will partner with law enforcement officials to "reduce jail costs without hurting public safety."

• The CiFi program – which provides shared revenues for projects between Bonner Springs, Edwardsville and Kansas City, Kan., – has been suspended until further notice.

• Residents within KCK will have their trash collection and curbside recycling fees increased by $2, upping the cost from $9.75 to $11.75.

• The UG's 3-1-1 Call Center will be trimmed down.

• The Senior Citizen Utility Tax Rebate Program will be scaled back to its rebate level from earlier this decade. Hays said the program will save KCK taxpayers $200,000.

"Managing through this economic crisis requires careful monitoring of expenses and revenues as fund balances are dangerously low," Hays said. "Caution and conservative financial management is called for. We must also focus on restoring fund balances to acceptable levels to maintain favorable credit status and bond ratings."

________________________________________________________________________________

WyCo receives $244 K in firefighter relief funding
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By NICK SLOAN, Staff Writer
Kansas City Kansan
Posted Jul 13, 2009 @ 10:57 AM
Kansas City, Kan. —

Wyandotte County and the cities of Edwardsville, Bonner Springs and Kansas City, Kan., received approximately $244,000 in firefighter relief from the State of Kansas.

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger announced on Monday that $9.2 million will be distributed state-wide to 582 local Firefighters Relief Associations. Wyandotte County is set to receive $243,975.89.

KCK will receive $222,804.54; Bonner Springs will receive $10,882.78 and Edwardsville will receive $10,288.57.

The funds will be used to purchase insurance programs that assist firefighters and their families. The money, collected by the Kansas Insurance Department, arrives from a two percent tax placed on insurance companies.

“This fund assists firefighters and their families when an accident or death occurs in the line of
duty,” Praeger said. “The department is honored to assist in its distribution.”

WOW
http://www.kansascitykansan.com/
UG: Nebraska Furniture Mart, Legends refusing to pay property taxes
Posted Jul 13, 2009 @ 05:00 PM
Kansas City, Kan. —

As the Unified Government's facing a $15.4 revenue shortfall, two of the reasons are the refusal by Nebraska Furniture Mart and The Legends Shopping Center to pay property taxes due to an assessed valuation appeal.

http://www.kansascitykansan.com/news/x1885895321/NFM-VP-Were-not-the-bad-guys

seems WT/CO may owe them for over payments!

and now the schools are in trouble from not receiving their money! http://www.kcease.com/ they can not get revenue in fast enough to save our cities and towns.

what next!

now this is something i would spend the hard to come by money on right now!!! ha
stupid i think


KCK-based locomotives receive grant to reduce air pollution
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By STAFF REPORTS
Kansas City Kansan
Posted Jul 16, 2009 @ 11:19 AM
Kansas City, Kan. —

Three locomotive switch engines at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail yard in Kansas City, Kan. could be on their way out in favor of new, clean diesel locomotives.

The three diesel generator-style locomotives, which entered service in the 1970s, could be replaced from funding coming from a $4 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Replacement locomotives will achieve an 85 percent reduction of air pollution compared to the old units.

The KCK project was a number of statewide projects receiving funding from the grant, which KDHE announced on Wednesday.

“In addition to the creation of much-needed jobs and the improvement in air quality, these clean diesel projects will have a positive impact on the health of Kansans,” Roderick L. Bremby, Secretary of KDHE, said in a release issued Wednesday. “Reducing diesel emissions will mean fewer premature deaths, asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments.

Reply to post by Samie on July 13.

Staffing for Police and Fire departments was set long before any of the current council were elected.

Staffing in the PD has been reduced over the past two years.
Staffilng in the FD has remained constant until recently.

I don't know what you think the Chief of Police and Administrator are doing to the City of Edwardsville.

They have trimmed a large deficit inherited by the current council to a much smaller one at the end of 2008.
Seems like good fiscal management to me.

Good fiscal management at the expense of KCK taxpayers to pick up the slack of a under staffed Police Department and Fire Department, you call this good fiscal management, EPD cannot handle anything other than a routine traffic stop with out help from KCKPD and EFD can't even put a band aid on or put out any fires with out KCKFD. You call it what you want I call it putting the employees of EPD and EFD at risk not counting the citizens of Edwardsville. Is it good fiscal management to waste the taxpayer’s money on attorney’s fees? Is it good fiscal management for the taxpayer’s fire Insurance rates to rise because of your understaffed and inadequate Fire Department? The recall election of Danner and Adams is about to kick off any day now. Well see if the voters of Edwardsville think its good fiscal management to lay off Public Safety while paying out thousands of there tax dollars to Attorneys.

The Edwardsville Police Department received a $187,574 grant, which could go to adding at least one additional police officer.

this is in todays paper.

samie, are you running for office?

No mam.

well who would you elect to take the place you vacate of you can?

Well Nanny my opinion we have to elect a person that is for the people of Edwardsville, and someone who is not self serving, someone that will listen to the residents of Edwardsville and not Johnson County residents that are running Edwardsville. I don’t know you personally just from this forum I think you would be a good leader for Edwardsville because you care about people and your community that you live in.

not me tks! old lady has her hands full raising kids! ha and i have to many

Nanny-Sooo are you saying that most politicians don't???