New KCMO Parks Board

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beautyfromashes
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by beautyfromashes »

Steve52 wrote: Next job for The Funk is to clean up the Kansas City School Districts.

What a freakin' mess that is. Giant black hole $$$$$$$$$$$

He won't touch that mess with a ten foot pole.  It won't get him the votes he's courting.
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Steve52
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by Steve52 »

Face it, this city has a backlog of infrastructure and aesthetic problems. We can't just keep standing at the trough shoveling and slopping developers.

These things have been neglected for way to long.

A bunch of shiny gleaming new buildings and condos rising out of a deteriorating wreck full of tumble weed, litter and potholes is not only idiotic but unattractive.

Then, there is services.  Snow removal for instance.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by Steve52 »

beautyfromashes wrote: He won't touch that mess with a ten foot pole.  It won't get him the votes he's courting.
Whatever. I think in this day and age it's stupid, unpractical, and wasteful of resources to be running kids around all over the damn city just to attend a school.  The kids are half delirious anyway just from the ridiculous hours they have to keep to get from home to a school across town.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by GRID »

This is one case where I have to agree with Funk.  There is something wrong with KC's parks system.  Too many of the parks are not being used efficiently, they are nothing more than undeveloped land.  I'm not sure what Funk has in mind and I'm not even sure if that is why he wants to mix things up, or if it's just another "give the regular people power" trips.

But KC's parks have so much potential and I don't think they are coming close to it.

Penn Vally Park should be KCMO's pride and joy, it could easily rival Forest Park if the city wanted it to.

I'm not saying people should be fired, I'm saying Funk or whoever should step up and get the parks system out its "funk"...haha..
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by KCMax »

Steve52 wrote: Next job for The Funk is to clean up the Kansas City School Districts.

What a freakin' mess that is. Giant black hole $$$$$$$$$$$

That's a bit outside the scope of his authority honestly.

Plus, he's not a superman, just a mere mortal.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

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beautyfromashes wrote: I've never met such a divider, especially someone supposed to be a leader.  I've never seen someone so bitter and vindictive.  Why is he so, 'me against the world'?  Bad childhood?  Not enough sex?  Come on, Funk.  You can't make things personal.  If your goal coming in was to turn yourself into the evil villian and alienate yourself from everyone, then you are doing a heck of a job. 
you have done a very good job of describing our president in d.c.

what funk do to you? run over your cat.
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voltopt
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by voltopt »

DaveKCMO wrote: i applaud the tone of his remarks... because it's obvious AND true. why chastise that? fear is what keeps politicians from igniting real change. people sent money to loose park probably because they live nearby (or have friends who do)... i don't see that changing their minds. and if loose park has to crumble a little so that gillham park gets some love, so be it.

i think we can expect the same kinds of selections for the remaining boards (i'm looking at you, ATA).
Actually, Gilham has been getting a lot of love for the past four years.  There are new tennis courts, they removed all of the honeysuckle overgrowth on the hill to the west of the park, they are currently modernizing the childrens area and they plan to replace the pool with a sprayground.

But I get your point - Penn Valley is a disgrace around the lake, Troost Park ain't much better, and Blue Valley Park is somewhat rundown.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

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The Funk Rocks!!!
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

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My problem is that I am not sure the Funk knows when to verbally "kick some ass" and when to use a carrot, or hell, even a smaller stick.  His selection of new Board Members is not a problem at all.  Yes, the hispanic and african-american community has been underrepresented.  The issue I have with this announcement isn't that he did it or that it is a sign of change, it is the fact that his comments do noting to gain good will among anyone.  They further divisiveness.  He could have easily said the following and made the same point without backhanding people...
"I would like to thank the outgoing Parks Board for their dedication and hardwork.  They have achieved much that we as Kansas Citians can all be proud of, from a renewed Starlight, restored fountains and picnic venues and most especially the inclusion of corporations and local business in helping to fund the much needed improvements to our parks and boulevards.  This private support must continue, and grow, if we are to build the playgrounds and parks that all of our citizens deserve.  The newly selected Board represents a true diversity that we value in our city.  They are hardworking and dedicated men and women.  I challenge each of them to bring improvements to all corners of our community, starting with the most neglected..."

Damn, how hard is it to get your point across without pissing off a large % of the population.  There is time for that and a place for that.  Funk will use up his political capital pretty damn quick with the attitude he has displayed.  This will lead many prominant KC residents and corporations to just sit back, do nothing and wait for his term to end in failure.  

 
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by DaveKCMO »

voltopt wrote: Actually, Gilham has been getting a lot of love for the past four years.  There are new tennis courts, they removed all of the honeysuckle overgrowth on the hill to the west of the park, they are currently modernizing the childrens area and they plan to replace the pool with a sprayground.

But I get your point - Penn Valley is a disgrace around the lake, Troost Park ain't much better, and Blue Valley Park is somewhat rundown.
if i'm not mistaken, the gillham park clean up was privately motivated and partially supported by the business community (home depot). can a hyde park resident chime in here and confirm?
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by Highlander »

From the qoutes I have read in the paper, I think Funkhouser handled this very poorly.  Depsite his apparent leanings on other issues like light rail, this is the first time I have been really disappointed in his actions. 
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by tat2kc »

The parks and the other amenities that come under the jurisdiction of the parks board are in sad shape, except for those that are now supported/maintained by private entities (the liberty memorial, swope, the zoo, and the parks within the loop. The only boulevard in good shape is Ward Parkway, and parts of the Paseo.  The fountains and monuments are in poor condition, the community centers are falling apart (except for the new ones in nice neighborhoods. The board needed a shakeup.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

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tat2kc wrote: The parks and the other amenities that come under the jurisdiction of the parks board are in sad shape, except for those that are now supported/maintained by private entities (the liberty memorial, swope, the zoo, and the parks within the loop. The only boulevard in good shape is Ward Parkway, and parts of the Paseo.  The fountains and monuments are in poor condition, the community centers are falling apart (except for the new ones in nice neighborhoods. The board needed a shakeup.
Brush creek boulevard is terrible according to you? The city has put millions of investment in brush creek east of troost in the last five years. Other than Ward Parkway, Paseo, and Brush creek, which city boulevards even have wide center medians? Benton and the others were built decades ago, are you blaming the 2006 Parks board for not building them to the same standards as Ward, Paseo and Brush Creek? The infrastructure on Bruce Watkins is some of the best I have seen anywhere.

The city has built community centers in low income neighborhoods such as the west side center, the one at Swope parkway and brush creek, the one just north of 435 and west of blue ridge. Didn't know those were affluent neighborhoods.

The city's biggest park is on the east side. It includes the zoo, a outdoor amiptheatre, a brand new golf acadamy specifically aimed at inner city kids, a riding academy that gives inner city kids a chance to ride horses, a new nature center, and a championship quality 18 hole golf course. But the parks board won't spend any money east of troost according to you?

This board has a lot of complaints about Penn Valley Park and Case Park. Are those on the east side? Has the city been pouring money into Penn Valley Park to the detriment of the east side? We also hear bellyaching about how undeveloped Tiffiney Springs Park is and the need for more parks north of the river. Is that on the east side?

While there is some truth to the assertion that affluent neihborhoods get better services, I don't see any evidence that the current situation is so out of hand as to justify insulting the current park board. 


Also a policy question - Affluent neigborhoods pay a lot more in taxes than poor neighborhoods. Funk seems to think you should get the same level of services no matter how much you pay in taxes. Are city services supposed to be a welfare system where funds are transferred from affluent neighborhoods to poor neighborhoods? That seems to be Funk's underlying philosophy. You get the same services whether you pay $1,000 a year in city taxes or $10,000 a year in taxes.

If that is the approach, won't the people that pay $10,000 in taxes and get $1,000 worth of services just say the hell with this and move to the burbs, where such wealth transfers are far less prounonced.

Most people would call me a liberal politically. But even I wonder how far you can push the wealth transfer approach to city services before it becomes counter productive even for lower income neighborhoods (reduced tax base eventually causes reductions in services in those neighorhoods even with the wealth transfers).

A question for you Funk supporters. Should the services the city provides to various neighborhoods have any relationship to how much taxes the neighborhood pays? Or should they be equal no matter how much taxes they pay?

If so, what are the implications for the tax base and demographics of the city's population long term?

(Sorry if that question offends - I am trying to be like Funk, you know direct and honest).
Last edited by knucklehead on Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by KCMax »

KCTigerFan wrote: The other appointments:

• Tyrone Aiken, executive director of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey.

•Frances Semler, a Northland neighborhood activist.

• Aggie Stackhaus, a former City Council member and former chairwoman of the Land Trust of Jackson County.

• Ajamu Webster, a founding member of the Kansas City chapter of the National Black United Front.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

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the community center on the west side was deplorable as soon as it opened. Needed tons of repairs immediately. The Liberty memorial almost collapsed while under the care of the parks board. The maintenance of the boulevards, whether its ward parkway or Grand, is completely under the jurisdiction of the parks board. The zoo was failing while under the parks board.  Case park was in horrible condition until the DCID took over maintenance.  many of the community centers are in poor shape, with leaking roofs, and unsafe conditions. 

I find it a bit odd that you think that services provided by the govt. should be based on how much you pay in taxes. If that is your philosophy, it certainly precludes fixing the infrastructure in poorer areas of town, patching roads, even providing health care, police and fire protection.  Sounds great knucklehead.  Lets provide good services to the wealthy and let the less affluent fend for themselves. excellent attitude.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by knucklehead »

Your argument about Parks quality really has two parts. One is discrimination (not putting resources into poorer areas) and the other is competence (problems with new West Side community center, etc.), where resources are spent ineffectively.

I see no reason to believe the new Parks board has a materially higher level of competence than the old board. Furthermore, that was not the basis for Funk's insults. Looking at the backgrounds of the new board members, do you think compentence in running a Parks system was a criteria? We have the "neighboorhood activist" from the northeast that also belongs to the anti-illegal immigration minuteman group, the young guy from 'friends of Alvin Alley", the co-founder of the group that wants reparations for black people, Angie Stackhouse and the director of the Mattie Roades Center (who was on the last board). Stackhouse and the Mattie Roades guy are fine with me. But, if competence was the criteria, wouldn't we have engineers from Black & Vetch and Burns and McDonell, or people experienced in providing city services, or people with backgrounds in childhood development (for parks department kids programs),  instead of the others? (although it is possible the Alvin Alley guy has some background in promotions/marketing).

My position on the linkage between city services and the amount of taxes a neigbhorhood pays is not as extreme as you state. My philosophy is everthing in moderation. Radically theory based public policies rarely work. I am just saying a utopian view that services in all neighborhoods should be equal, regardless of tax base, could end up being counterproductive in the long run, if it drives affluent residents from the city.

I am interested in your opinion - how much weight if any do you think tax base should play determining the level of services for different neighborhoods and why? For example should city streets, curbs, sidewalks be exactly the same in a neighborhood of $2 million dollar houses as in a neighborhood of $50,000 houses?

I do believe inner city poor neighborhoods should have quicker 911 response times than affluent neighborhoods, because crime tends to be more serious in the inner city. I prefer to examine each fact situation on its own merits. What I sense from Funk is more of an idological approach. I don't like idealogues. They tend to be fools.
Last edited by knucklehead on Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by KCTigerFan »

I assume that the new Board will be every bit as competent (if not more so) than the outgoing Board.  The assertation that the previous Parks Board screwed everything up assumes that they had the resources needed to maintain a parks system the size of ours.  Based on everything I have seen and heard.  The Board did accomplish several major things that you call failures...
1. They brought attention to the conditions of Liberty Memorial and pushed to get a bond issue passed.  If they had allocated resources to fix the Memorial out of general parks funds what would have gone unfunded?
2.  The Zoo after the last Bond expansion was too costly to run.  The Board screwed up in not removing Woarms and other managers and taking a more active role.  However, turing the managemnet over to FOTZ was a proactive decision that benefitted the Zoo and the parks.
3.  The Community Centers were funded by a Bond issue that has brought much needed activity to many parts of the inner city.  The Westside Center has had multiple issues due to the vendors selected. Error? Yes.  Overall was it a failure?  No.
4.  They have brought private dollars into the parks system.  This is huge unless you want to see taxes rise to fund everything that needs to be fixed. 

 
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

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I have absolutely no confidence that the new board will be materially more competent than the old board.

Today's Star has an article about how the hispanic community is upset because the Northeast "comunity activist" is a member of the minuteman group. In that article Funk says he was not aware of that when he appointed the lady.

Funk clearly did not properly vet the board members before they were appointed. Either he did not ask the standard "is there anything in your background that might be controversal" or the lady lied when she answered that question. (come on how stinking stupid would you have to be to think being a member of the minutemen group would not be controversal in a city with a substantial hispanic population).

Funk did not fire the lady for lying, so the only conclusion is that he didn't properly vet the canadates.

If he didn't take the time to vet for possible controversy - what makes you think he vetted for competence? There backgrounds do not indicate any unique educational or job experience qualifications.
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

Post by DaveKCMO »

KCMax wrote: No Anita Gorman?
i think staubio strangled her.  :lol:
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Re: New KCMO Parks Board

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DaveKCMO wrote: if i'm not mistaken, the gillham park clean up was privately motivated and partially supported by the business community (home depot). can a hyde park resident chime in here and confirm?
You are correct.  I was brazenly reacting without checking the facts first.  :)

I would love it if the Parks Board could fix Admiral Boulevard around Grand - it is entirely too wide right there and needs more trees.  This is a good location for a Road Diet.
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