Plenty to ponder concerning April election
Lee Stubbs
Citizen Editor
The filing period is over and the ballot has been set. Now all that’s left is for area voters to study the candidates and issues and then go to the polls on April 3 for the General Municipal & School Board Election.
Of course, 2012 is also a presidential election year, which means that voters have already been inundated with a months-long Conservative Comedy Tour — excuse me, I mean Republican Presidential Candidate Debates. These exercises in banality will ultimately determine which of these two men will challenge President Barack Obama in November: one worth $250 million who thinks he’s endearing himself to the average American worker who makes $26,000 per year by wearing blue jeans and another who called for President Bill Clinton’s impeachment for having an affair with an intern while he himself was cheating on his wife at the same time. Who needs reality shows, right?
At any rate, it has always frustrated me that while voters get all worked up over the election of a national leader, they largely are indifferent when it comes to local elections. This, of course, makes little sense to me, because local leaders and elected officials are the ones who make decisions which immediately impact our daily lives.
That said, I thought I would comment on a few of the races and issues that will highlight the local spring election. Before I start, let me say this for the first time — but certainly not the last time —this spring: take 15 or 20 minutes out of your day on April 3 and cast your vote.
Perhaps the most redundant race on the April ballot will be the battle for the Platte City mayor’s post.Two-term incumbent Frank Offutt will be challenged by a familiar face — former Platte City Mayor Dave Brooks. This election will mark the fourth time these two have vied against each other for the post. Offutt won the first in 1998. Brooks returned the favor in 2002 and served six years as mayor before Offutt ousted him in 2008. I like both Brooks and Offutt personally, but think it would have been refreshing to see a new face throw a hat into the ring.
Another mayoral race that will garner attention is Parkville’s. Incumbent Gerry Richardson decided not to seek re-election, leaving aldermen Jim Brooks and Nan McManus to duke it out for the post. Whomever wins will have some decent shoes to fill. Richardson managed to stay above most of the petty politics which threatened to undermine the City at times and conducted City business in a professional manner during his tenure. Of course, the legalization of golf carts on Parkville streets could be a stain on his legacy.
Another notable changing of the guard will come at the Northland Regional Ambulance District (NRAD). Recently we published a story chronicling Executive Director Tom Taylor’s announcement that he will resign/retire in June and Board of Directors President Kevin Rawlings’ decision not to seek re-election this spring.
Speaking of Dearborn, former City elected official Bill Edwards decided that if he was going to continue to come to City meetings and raise cain, he might as well run for alderman again. His race is uncontested so let me be the first to say welcome back, Bill.
Central Platte Fire Protection District’s governing board will also see a contested race. Longtime board member and current board president Stanley George will be challenged by former Platte City alderman Andy Stanton, who tried for a few years to impose his “cut everything but the electricity” philosophy at City Hall. It didn’t work.
There will be contested races at area school boards as well, with incumbents facing challengers at both West Platte and Park Hill. At Platte County R-3, board president Karen Wagoner will step away after 10 years, as will one-term board member Jeana Houlahan. The six-person slate of candidate hopefuls is the largest I can remember for an R-3 race, which is a good thing. The more choices, the better for voters, I say.
And, of course, probably the biggest issue on the April ballot is the R-3 tax levy increase question. If approved by voters, the district’s operating levy, which has not been raised in many, many years will rise 60 cents. The school district plans to use the revenues to build a $15-17 million new elementary school on the west side of its campus just north of Kentucky Avenue and just east of Fourth Street.
R-3 officials know such a tax increase is not an optimal idea at this time, but they also know they have no choice if they want to continue to meet student population growth.
The community of R-3 patrons who support the measure have mobilized to promote the passage of the ballot question. The grassroots Right Choice For Our Kids campaign committee has organized and, chaired by Carey Rolofson and Doug Gutshall — a pair of get-things-done guys if there ever was one — will be a key component in getting the word out.Past successful R-3 bond issues and other projects that passed with overwhelming voter support did not feature significant tax increases, so this is a different campaign for school district supporters. That said, I still expect R-3 patrons to approve the measure in April. Stay tuned.
COMO SHOWDOWN
Every year, the MU-KU basketball game in Columbia is a big event. This year’s game on the University of Missouri campus, set for 8 p.m. Saturday night, figures to be exponentially bigger due to a couple of factors.
First, ever since MU announced it was leaving the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference, a pleasant thought for Tigers fans has been this: wouldn’t it be nice to win the Big 12 league title in our last year in the conference? Of course, to accomplish this, Kansas must likely be defeated not once, but twice. That sweep has to begin Saturday in Como.
Second, this will be the highest the two teams will be ranked collectively in a meeting in more than 20 years. MU is ranked fourth in the country, while KU is ranked eighth. ESPN’s College Gameday crew will be on-hand Saturday and the game will be shown to the entire nation Saturday night. For one day, the focus of the college basketball world will be on Columbia, Missouri. I’m darn glad Patty and I will be inside the sold-out Mizzou Arena to witness the spectacle.
That said, let me repeat something I’ve told both my MU and KU friends (yes, believe it or not, I have a few). KU is the undisputed king of the Big 12 and will be until somebody dethrones them. It won’t be easy. The Jayhawks are like Count Dracula — they are hard to kill. The only way to do it is to drive a stake through their hearts. I think the Tigers are up to the task of playing the role of Van Helsing this weekend.
MU 72, KU 68Lee Stubbs is owner/editor of The Citizen. He may be reached by e-mail at editor@plattecountycitizen. com or by calling 858-5154.
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