Reflections of the City/County The Past Five Years

In reflection of the last five years, the revolving doors and actions of the City/County Officials have been concerning. There continues to be no clear plan for the future of our community.

Have decisions been made with consideration of the impact those decisions will have on the community or merely to satisfy personal agendas?

Are committees created without a Master Plan? When was the last time we saw an actual blueprint of a 1 year, 2 year, 5 year, or 10 year Master Plan that clearly laid out a vision for this community?

In order to experience growth, we have to create a master plan that will improve our infrastructure, create jobs to support the economy, and provide housing to the families we hope will locate here.

We also need a solid health care system, a strong school system, and
amenities that provide entertainment and recreation.

The projects should be prioritized and completed in an orderly manner before moving into the next phase. Community planning must be accomplished while remaining fluid enough to account for changing needs. We can use any past mistakes to make present decisions better and future decisions the best possible.

Protocols, Procedures, Ordinance and State Statutes are a part of governing. Attention to those guidelines are key to the formulation of a plan that will benefit all.

Contracts are a vital process within any organization and are vital to the success of any public endeavor. Contracts of employment, contracts that involve major projects, or any other business
transaction that is entered into should have clear precise wording that is in accordance with the Rule of Law.

Over the past years has there been any accountability?

– One local business closed after several years of operation and full approval by city officials. Who was responsible for the closure of a business that had been successfully operating for several years, when suddenly the tables turned and they failed to meet
expectations regarding building issues?
– Who was directing the completion of a million dollar taxpayer expense to provide a parking lot for tenants or a newly renovated building? Why was the parking issue not addressed as plans for this project unfolded?
– Who was accountable for the approval of a second renovation by the same company without a contract for an eight million dollar project between the City and the Company? This led to additional costs to the taxpayers as well as legal issues. Again there was no planning for parking! This created problems for viable downtown
businesses.

Again the taxpayers are burdened with costs to rectify the situation that could have been avoided with proper planning.

– Who was accountable when 525 people signed a petition that was certified and approved to go to vote and yet ignored? The people spoke and their civil rights were denied.
– Whose activities brought the city into an investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation?
– Who was accountable when downtown buildings were allowed to deteriorate long after they were condemned? This led to huge expenses for demolition and repairs to surrounding structures. Failures of city officials not only caused undue expenses borne
by taxpayers, but also cost owners of adjacent buildings.
– Who is accountable when we have had personnel contracts drawn up and approved by our officials that extend not for one year, but up to five years. What foolish organization would lock themselves into a contract of this type? Government entities are in charge of
evaluating their personnel on an annual basis. By entering into multi-year contracts, no allowance is made for the ways in which this becomes a very bad idea! It places the taxpayers into an unnecessary financial expenditure. We have experienced this already, too many times.

– Who was accountable for overseeing the contract with the ADM Company and the transporting of wastewater? The taxpayers were cheated of millions of dollars in revenue, only to be burdened with the results of negligence in maintenance of our lagoons.
– Who was accountable for reviewing the history of the two companies involved in the hospital contracts. There were red flags and warnings regarding the motives of the companies involved and yet officials gave up millions of our tax dollars on a deal that will
be of no benefit to our community!
– Who is accountable for overseeing the meetings of the City and County Commissioners to make sure that Kansas Open Act Meeting regulations are followed?
– Who is accountable for their actions as an appointed or elected official? –
Who is accountable for voting these elected officials into office? We are!

We as citizens need to be held accountable and diligent in educating ourselves regarding the candidates, their visions, their ability to communicate, their strategies and critical thinking
abilities, their open mindedness, their creativity and flexibility, their authenticity, and their ability to have the tenacity to do what is right in order to bring about necessary improvements for our
community. We not only need to hold them accountable, but we need to hold ourselves accountable to also do what is expected of us as citizens.

Sincerely,
deb mccoy
1/9/2023