PH South students, community share magical night

It can sometimes be difficult to find tangible examples which provide euphoric happiness over the positive qualities of the human spirit. As Park Hill South celebrated Homecoming last week, the student body made the crowning of their queen one of those rare moments.

There was no debate needed. Hands down, the loudest roar of cheers from the crowd at last Friday’s game wasn’t for any one of 10 Panther touchdowns, although there was plenty to celebrate in the team’s 70-6 blowout victory over Ruskin.

When Park Hill South senior Allyssa Brubeck’s name was said over the loud speaker at Park Hill District Stadium announcing that she had been voted the school’s Homecoming Queen, the almost instantaneous reaction from the crowd left no doubt the overwhelming sense of excitement the news brought. Mixed in with the screams and yells were tears and hugs, which extended well after the announcement was made, bringing realization to any outsider that the new Homecoming Queen was viewed as a unique combination of adored, respected and deserving — the kind of qualities Hollywood movies never reward, but ought to.

Brubeck, who is a special needs student at Park Hill South, was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth and underwent heart surgery at the age of two. Nevertheless, she has been a favorite of the Panthers cheerleading team going on four years now and can often be found on the sidelines of Park Hill South sporting events doing what all cheerleaders do: shake pom-poms, yell out chants and sport a big smile. The difference between Brubeck and her fellow teammates, though, is that rarely does a team find such a high level of drive and inspiration from one person.

“The team really comes together with her and accepts her,” parent-guardian Michael Small said. “She can’t do stunts or cartwheels or anything of that nature, but hopefully she’s an inspiration, not only to her squad of cheerleaders, but to other youth throughout this school.

Despite the difficult obstacles she has faced, coach and teacher Christy Davis says Brubeck has used her time to the fullest at Park Hill South and earned her crown.

“She doesn’t see herself as different, she’s always felt like she’s a part of the regular population,” Davis said. “She’s been involved in every activity she could have been involved in since she was a freshman and everyone knows her, so her peers voted her Homecoming Queen."

Before last week, Allyssa and her mom were planning on being out of town for the weekend, but the whole family was ecstatic when she came home from school with the note explaining she’d been named a queen candidate. When his daughter was announced, Small was short on words.

“What is there to say? It really says it for itself; the student body has come forth and voted her queen,” Small said. “This is exciting (for us); it’s exciting for individuals with developmental disabilities. It really goes back to the student body at Park Hill South who nominated her and voted for her.”

While certainly a reflection on Brubeck, it also serves as an indictment on the student body as a whole.

“I’m really proud of her. She is an outstanding young lady and she’s been a joy to have in class,” teacher Sarah McDaniels said holding back tears. “I think it’s outstanding that the Park Hill South students have embraced our students the way they have and made them as much as a part of this school as anyone else. Park Hill South has always been very supportive.”

The pomp and circumstance of Homecoming as well as the superior feeling that comes after beating your opponent by such a convincing margin will eventually fade. Weeks and months will pass, but hopefully what mother Cindy Small would later describe as a ‘magical night’ is something Park Hill South will be able to hold onto for years to come.

Local Dems leader supports GOP candidate

(Author's note: this piece is not intended to serve as an endorsement, but an example of principle over party, and should not be viewed as an indictment of the writer's personal preference towards the candidates mentioned)

With less than two weeks until Primary Day, this column could easily be dedicated to previewing a handful of interesting contests playing out in Republican and Democratic circles. But I’m confident Citizen readers will research the candidates, read The Citizen profiles on candidates, make an informed decision and show up to vote Aug. 7, so I’ll leave the prep work up to you.

Regular readers know by now I often go to painstakingly-long lengths to describe my desire for our elected leaders to make choices and decisions with good government principles behind them, not purely politics. I often have to use hypothetical situations, wishful thinking, and broad strokes of the brush to paint that picture. Last week, a tangible example was finally found.

When it comes to the competitive race in southern Platte County for County Commissioner of the 1st District, Pauli Kendrick and a handful of other long-time Democrats find themselves split between the responsibilities they have towards two different roles. As Chair of the Platte County Democratic Party, Kendrick is charged with promoting and supporting the party’s candidates and principles through thick and thin. On the other hand, her civic efforts have transcended into non-partisan activities without party labels at times as well. This includes her term as mayor of Weatherby Lake and a recent stint on the Park Hill Board of Education.

With no Democratic candidate filing to run in November, the winner of the August Republican primary between incumbent Kathy Dusenbery and challenger Beverlee Roper will go on to take office in December. As someone opposed to Dusenbery’s re-election for various reasons and a long-time Weatherby Lake neighbor of Roper’s, Kendrick decided to lend her efforts in support of Roper, whose candidacy has garnered significant support from the Republican establishment.

Despite the simple reasoning behind Kendrick’s decision, which has little to do with a shift in personal ideology, Roper’s Republican supporters have over-emphasized this as a positive indictment for their candidate’s wide-ranging appeal. This hasn’t been sitting well with local Democrats, who believe it is inappropriate for their chairperson to be involved in the race. Democratic central committee members went to great lengths voicing their displeasure with Kendrick at last week’s monthly meeting. Their argument was that as elected representatives of the Democratic Party in Platte County, no committee member should publicly support a candidate of another party, no matter who the candidate is or what the circumstances are.

After all the passionate and strong-felt opinions were expressed, the floor was open for Kendrick, who had calmly refrained from responding up to this point. Collected and composed, she delivered what I believe was one of the most well-reasoned political defenses I have heard in recent memory. She talked about the lack of cooperation between parties at the national and state levels, discussed her disapproval of the way Platte County business had been handled in recent years, and talked about the personal reasons she was supporting her candidate. It was a refreshing statement from a person who - no two ways about it - genuinely wants to see what she believed could be a positive change.

Kendrick is making a decision other Democrats might also make this August. They’re voting to have a say about the future of leaders in Platte County, in a race their party has failed to field a candidate for. As long as the local Democratic Party continues to fall short in recruiting and supporting qualified candidates like they have in recent years, it’s a dilemma their supporters will be forced to deal with more and more. Other than electoral defeat, this is one of the additional side effects of a local Republican Party whose organization and growth has outpaced Democrats in the last decade.

In the end, Kendrick and other Democrats who decide to pick up a Republican ballot instead of a Democratic ballot want to have a say in who represents Platte County at the local level. There are less than a handful of Democratic races on the state level, but they recognize the old adage that all politics are local still holds true and it makes the biggest difference in our daily lives. They aren’t doing it to compromise their political principles. Though in the absence of a candidate available from their own party, a higher standard of principles surface. They respect their right to vote and recognize that duty to country, state, and community comes before party affiliation.

Maybe if similar decisions were made more often in the course of actual governing, we’d think more highly of our elected officials.

Political discourse often reverts to childish rhetoric

The most effective way for a person to make a difference in government has always been to take on the role of an elected or public official

Having the appetite for holding public office isn’t something a lot of people want to do, so the next best way to have a positive effect on the process can simply be contributing to the conversation. This means not necessarily being the loudest voice in the room, but by promoting respectable, informed, and productive public discourse. All too many times, though, it results in the opposite, resembling more of an argument between children than an actual discussion that can bring us closer to positive results.

You remember when you were a kid or maybe you’ve witnessed your own kids try to win a petty argument, right? They might go back and forth for a short period of time, and then one side just decides they don’t want to try anymore so they throw out a line like “You’re stupid” or “You’re dumb.” The other side goes on to react with “No, you’re stupid, you’re dumb.” No matter what the argument was previously, it’s lost all credibility at this point.

When I think of political discourse in this country, frequently that same argument between children is what I’m reminded of. Legitimate discussion of the issues all too often evaporates because one side or the other decides to take the dive into name calling, stereotyping, or simply polarize the issue. It transcends Washington D.C. and is present anywhere from your local newspaper to the coffee shop to the workplace.

While kids can be excused for this type of behavior for just being kids, there’s a term for when adults act the same way in regards to their political interactions. Whether intentional or not, it goes by the name of demagoguery, a word you may have never heard of before that is just as loaded in meaning as it is in syllables. It’s the “stupid” and “dumb” of adult American politics.

It’s important to distinguish the difference between an information based talking point and an emotionally driven act of demagoguery, which can be broadly described as the use of impassioned, crude, or agitating appeals to prejudices of the public. That is, rational and intelligent reasoning is not always at its core. Its vocabulary is often a hint that you’ve wandered off the path of productive discourse. Terms like Satan, nazi, communist, marxist, welfare queen, fair share, and the war on (insert cause) seem to be a few used to turn attention away from a mature debate.

Republicans sometimes express the idea that President Barack Obama is a socialist. In return, some Democrats have accused Republicans of being racist. Both are forms of demagoguery, whose purpose is to appeal towards a certain audience in order to support a cause. The extent of the statement’s accuracy is not important. Once it is said, its purpose of rousing a sense of emotion in people has been served.

In a democratic and free society like the one we enjoy here in the United States, demagoguery is all within the scope of free speech, as it should be. It’s seen on a daily basis from our country’s top leaders all the way down to average citizens. The responsibilities we generally associate with free speech are perhaps the most intangible and unenforceable of all, so they can only be promoted by example, which should be on display first and foremost from our elected officials, who more often than not choose to be intellectually lazy, using insults instead of engaging in policy discussions.

On the other hand, we can’t really expect others to discuss the issues in a sane and logical way unless we do so ourselves. Only then will results fueled by logic and reason replace those of emotion and passion. Good government and the discourse surrounding it isn’t supposed to be exciting; it was never meant to be compacted into 30 second sound bites, split-screen television interviews, or Hollywood movies. It was meant to be approached more like long-term relationships between people, because in the end that’s all good government is: quality interactions between groups of people over time. So ask yourself, how do we achieve the best solutions to just some of the following questions facing our local, state, and federal governments?

What is the best balance between Platte County’s park tax and making sure law enforcement and road needs are also maintained? How can Missouri’s education formula be fully funded again to ensure local school boards don’t have to levy higher property taxes? Are there any bipartisan solutions Congress can adopt to address both our short-term economic and long-term debt problems?

All are legitimate questions that have so far been met with little serious debate. We may not be debating on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives or even at the County Courthouse, but a lot of those discussions stem directly from how we talk about them around our own kitchen tables with family and friends. The difference between it turning into actual policy or just another name-calling, shouting match really depends on the discussion we have first.

SPCAD doesn’t have to put up with KC response times

Nine minutes or less.

That’s the amount of time southern Platte Countians should expect to receive emergency assistance from an ambulance. Often times it could be a situation where each passing minute could literally mean the difference between life and death. As important as it is, it’s a standard which is consistently not being met by the Kansas City Fire Department, leaving the board of the Southern Platte County Ambulance District (SPCAD) in recent months no choice but to demand better service or make a change.

For those unfamiliar with SPCAD, it was a board formed in August 2006 to oversee and carry out ambulance services in the increasingly growing areas of unincorporated and rural southern Platte County. It serves all areas outside the city limits of Kansas City including Parkville, Houston Lake, Northmoor, Lake Waukomis, Platte Woods, and Weatherby Lake (District 1) along with Ferrelview and Farley (District 2). The first ambulance service provider for the district was long-time emergency responder, Municipal Ambulance Services Trust (MAST), and provided superior service for the district, reporting response times of nine minutes or less 85-90 percent of the time until 2010.

In 2010, the City of Kansas City decided to merge MAST with the Kansas City Fire Department. It was a controversial decision made by the mayor and city council, opposed by many, including SPCAD board members, but one which left the district with few options other than to contract with the newly merged entity. Since that time, response times within the district have dropped dramatically with only 48 percent of the emergency calls placed from District 1 in the first quarter of 2012 being responded to in nine minutes or less. It’s also important to note, KCFD is reportedly not meeting response times within the actual limits of Kansas City (north or south of the river), either.

Causes for the poor response times include traffic issues, weather conditions, types of calls they don’t include in their service (life alerts or touch technologies), and how much information the dispatcher needs before a unit can respond. Some people believe the main problem is simply the fact that a single ambulance, regularly stationed out of the Price Chopper parking lot in Parkville, can’t effectively service all of southern Platte County. It provides little room for chance, or in one recent case, a GPS error. MAST similarly dealt with these issues, yet met their contract obligations nonetheless.

With an unacceptable level of service, SPCAD board members recently engaged Kansas City Fire Chief Smokey Dyer by demanding response times be improved. Coming off a handful of budget cuts and political setbacks of his own within Kansas City, Dyer does not seem too eager to fix the problem and has only presented two implausible solutions to amending the nearly $39,000 monthly contract to meet MAST performance levels: lowering the coverage period from 24 hours to 12 hours or more than doubling the price of the contract. One will leave southern Platte County without a primary emergency provider 12 hours a day; the other will require an increase in taxes. Neither is acceptable at this point, nor should they be.

Thankfully, SPCAD is not limited to those options alone though. They actually have several options. First, they could contract with another provider, either exclusively or with more than one. There are several area providers credible and qualified enough to exceed KCFD’s performance, which can’t get much worse. Second, the district could create and implement their own ambulance service. Third, SPCAD could continue negotiations with Smokey Dyer hoping an unlikely agreement can be reached resulting in neither a cut in coverage or increase in taxes. Each option comes with a different set of concerns and complexities.

The board members of the ambulance district recognize this isn’t a frivolous political battle, they know their role is to provide a service that ensures lives can be saved. Being a part of a new entity in a fairly unique situation, there are few precedents for them to draw parallels. Unlike areas within the city limits of Kansas City who have no choice but to accept decisions and failures by their elected and bureaucratic leaders, the good thing is south Platte doesn’t have to and likely won’t continue accept sub-par emergency service any longer. It certainly won’t be bullied by someone who’s just walked out of City Hall with their tail between their legs.

Abstaining from vote should have been call

We’ve probably all experienced the consequences of sacrificing quality for price. Whether it’s been in food purchased at the grocery store, repairs made on our home, or other areas of daily life. We want the cheapest price possible, but in making that the sole factor in our decision, it can end up costing more in the long-run if we choose a lower quality product. So even though the construction contract awarded to J.E. Dunn for the community center expansion was about $300,000 above the lowest bid, many of us understand price alone cannot be the only factor. After all, out of the projected cost of $21 million, that $300,000 or so only accounts for about 1.5% of the total construction cost. It could be considered a premium well worth the cost if it avoided any number of mistakes costing much more later on from errors due to poor workmanship, bad planning, or corner cutting of an unqualified contractor, right? Maybe that’s what the County Commission believed they were doing. For this situation, that argument can’t convincingly be made though.

In order for a decision like that to be justified, the process itself must have credibility, transparency, and uniformity. If that takes place, the decision defends itself and this is where the questions begin to arise regarding the Commission’s selection of contractor J.E. Dunn.

J.E. Dunn’s campaign contribution to Presiding Commissioner Jason Brown alone is not enough to suggest it was given in return for a future contract, but Brown’s previous employment with the company, which was not widespread knowledge, does bring up a conflict of interest. Not the kind that suggests wrong doing, but one which could be perceived and the kind that should require him to abstain from the vote. No matter how objectively Brown weighed the bids, his familiarity with the firm and inside knowledge should have been enough to remove himself from the process. Even had Brown abstained from the final vote, if J.E. Dunn was the most qualified and presented the best value for the taxpayer dollar, it would have been reinforced with a staff recommendation and support from 2nd District Commissioner Jim Plunkett. It received neither. At the minimum, an explanation should be available to stand on its own as to why the lowest bid was rejected from a clearly qualified Universal Construction. In fact, it seems like several people or groups of people involved in the process had varying opinions on which contractor was best for the project, despite all seeing the same analysis and numbers.

Now, the Commission can’t and shouldn’t always streamline county staff’s recommendations, but in the event a decision is contrary to that recommendation, it should have credible and strong reasoning. Awarding a bid to any company, not just JE Dunn, because ‘they built it originally’ and ‘we like them’ should not be acceptable reasons on their own to choose a contractor for such a substantial project. Doing so could even be considered lazy because many contractors use this type of reasoning to gain repeat business. It’s applicable, but not a deal breaker. If you pick a contractor based on that line of thought, it makes you wonder why county staff and resources were used for a competitive bid process in the first place.

In the end, J.E. Dunn may truly be the best contractor for the job. But with a divided vote from a usually unified three-member Commission, a perceived conflict of interest, a different staff recommendation, and no supporting back-up for the decision, it’s easy to see why people may question the final selection. Overall, it seems to cancel out many of the touted financial gains that came from the Commission’s decision to lower the tax levy last fall and the heavily debated budget cuts which occurred in January.

Park Hill race has little to do with education

The Park Hill School Board race has been an interesting one so far. Oddly enough, the things which have made it interesting have had absolutely nothing to do with the policies, taxes, curriculum or management of the School District. In fact, it’s actually had very little to do with education at all.

Even though his name will still appear on the ballot April 3, when Park Hill school board candidate Casey Beane ended his campaign by announcing he was dropping out of the race, it left more than a couple people scratching their heads. With support of his candidacy from a solid block of parent and teacher groups including several endorsements, it seemed untimely to end his bid just two weeks before Election Day. In the end, though, Beane’s stated reason for leaving the race in deciding to focus on his growing family is admirable. The remaining four candidates, Fred Cox, Chris Seufert, Edward Stephens and Allison Wurst, will contend for two open seats on the Board. The real issue though, doesn’t arise from Beane’s exit from the race, but the effects it leaves behind.

Those who have followed school board elections in the past know how difficult it is for candidates to reach out to voters. School board campaigns don’t tend to have the drama, excitement, or controversy that fuels more partisan races to grab voters’ attention. With that in mind, the local media has announced and made clear Beane’s decision to end his candidacy over the last week. Despite a week-long delay, as we go to press it has been realized the Park Hill School District has also finally noted this on their Web site. As a primary source of information for patrons and voters through the district’s web site, television channel, and email correspondence, news that a leading candidate on the ballot has withdrawn and will not serve if elected is fairly significant. This should have been more proactively communicated by the district. Though as the saying goes: better late than never.

A similar situation happened in 2011, when candidate Victor McCance dropped out of the school board race. Demonstrating the effects a withdrawn candidacy can have, on Election Day he still received 272 votes, a margin candidates Chris Seufert and Fred Sanchez know firsthand could affect their candidacies as both fell short by close margins that same year. Nonetheless, this year it still leaves open the possibility of a couple hundred votes being cast for Beane, a withdrawn candidate who had significantly more support prior to dropping out than McCance did in 2011. The thought of this making a difference in a close election result would be unfortunate.

Out of the four candidates remaining, three have remained fairly uncontroversial, but Edward Stephens has more than made up for it. On the surface, Stephens might appear as an ideal school board candidate: a district graduate, college educated, professional career, well-spoken and well-dressed. But as you may have read in several previous editions of The Citizen, his seemingly insensitive comments and opinions on a variety of subjects including diversity and special needs students have caused quite a stir. Not surprisingly, there’s something about the words ‘White’ and ‘History’ when placed together in a sentence that project a cultural and political disconnect with the average voter. Not understanding that continually using those words would draw negative attention to him reinforces that. Misjudging the negative attention as positive publicity, as Stephens had done, is another example.

While his candidacy deeply troubles some, gauging the level of support Stephens actually has is difficult. The same can be said for all the candidates’ support, as yard signs and social media don’t always prove to be the winning formula in school board contests. As is the case in many elections where candidates are not identified as Democrats or Republicans, it’s hard to tell what will eventually draw voters to a particular candidate.

Election night is shaping up to be the culmination of a fairly active time for the Park Hill School District. With the selection of a new superintendent, approval of new elementary school boundaries, and election of two new board members all in the last 60 days, things should slow down over the next couple months in terms of highly political and sensitive decisions, calmly reverting back to what Park Hill does best, a focus on education.

Pride not a good reason to end rivalry

Last week I watched a handful of high school seniors ended their careers with losses in district basketball games. For the most part, they were playing their last game as competitive basketball players. I remember thinking to myself that the finality of this moment would not sink in for these players for some time, possibly not even until next season when they watch a game from the bleachers. The “last time” for something good is not something which can ever be savored enough, making it almost impossible to imagine for many, and preferably avoidable for most.

So it was odd the following day to watch what was labeled as the last Missouri/Kansas men’s basketball game. Pending a Big 12 Championship Game match-up, which is no guarantee, the classic overtime game played at Allen Fieldhouse last Saturday was the last guaranteed regularly scheduled game between the two schools, a game which has been played 267 times over the past 105 years. This is a result of Missouri’s decision to move to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) next year.

 

Even in the first match-up in Columbia, with just over two minutes to play, I remember telling myself this was already one of the best games I’ve seen in my life. That was with my Tigers down seven points, before even coming back to win in the final moments. Last Saturday topped it, despite the outcome, for me. It had everything a great game could have and at this point, I can only predict it will be viewed as not only the ‘final’ game, but one of the best in the series. In the end, though, it still brings me back to the finality of it all and how it will be missed. I’m only in my third decade of life, so I can’t even imagine what the rivalry has meant to those who’ve been around long before me. Should it end?

As a Mizzou alum and fan, I can be a realist in a certain sense and understand the reasoning for Kansas not wanting, or seeing the need, to play Missouri moving forward. There won’t be any conference implications in the games and no big pay days for the athletic department they wouldn’t get otherwise. Why exchange an easy non-conference football or basketball win for a highly emotional potential lose to a long-time rival?

One analogy Kansas compares the situation to is that Missouri divorced Kansas with their breakup with the Big 12 Conference. The fact that the two could ever be married really gives a bad name to marriage. First, you have to like each other to start with. Second, you have to agree on something occasionally. Neither has happened for going on 150 years, which is what gives the rivalry its passion and energy. Third, the two states still share the same border and co-existing populations, so they might as well be able to get together a couple times year and see a positive side to it. At least for the kids’ sake, right?

Although there is a lack of comparisons available for this exact situation, there are more plenty of instances where sports rivalries exist with only bragging rights on the line.

Let’s apply some local comparisons. The St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals don’t play in the same league or division, yet every summer they play a home and home series against each other for state bragging rights. The fans love it and it helps promote team and regional pride for each city. The same goes for Park Hill and Park Hill South who used to play in the same conference and district, creating some pretty intense and pivotal match-ups between the two over the years. The past couple years they have been in separate conferences and districts, but same as always, the two battled it out on the gridiron and court to packed stadiums and gyms with just as much passion as ever. The football game, which Park Hill South won for only the second time this year, meant nothing to their playoff hopes, but try telling that to the several hundred kids who stormed the field after their victory.

Let’s be honest, both athletic departments are geniuses when it comes to generating revenue and profits for their programs. It’s part of the reason we are where we are at this point, but I find it hard to believe there can’t be a solution developed to make this match-up profitable if that’s the only thing preventing its continuation.

 

In the end, the whole situation is kind of odd. Both schools are public universities funded by taxpayer dollars and donations. Both schools are charged with giving today’s youth the tools and knowledge it needs to solve tomorrow’s problems, to see solutions where there may seem to be none, and hopefully positively contribute to society in some form or another.

Yet, they (well, mostly Kansas) can’t find a way for a rivalry which has been part of the local culture and public good for more than a century to continue to do so despite… a change in conference affiliation? It’d be a head scratcher for St. Louis and Kansas City baseball fans if it were to happen. There’d be plenty of opinions voiced if Park Hill and Park Hill South didn’t get their claim to bragging rights.

Kansas got caught up in the mixed bag of emotions that came with Missouri’s move to the SEC. They hastily staked out a hard claim to backtrack on by saying they’d never play Missouri again, as if to play the ultimate check-mate. Like many of our politicians, that’s the position they’re going to stick with despite any evidence to the contrary. There are some things no amount of money or pride, one way or the other, should be able to compensate or change. But I guess pride is what built this rivalry over the last century, and its on course to be what brings it down as well.

All Park Hill Board is guilty of: lack of communication

Being so close to an incompetent and chaotic Kansas City Missouri School District, it’s easy to understand the pride southern Platte County has in the quality and reputation of the Park Hill School District. As a Park Hill graduate myself, I’m very supportive of the district and know the value it represents to our community. At times it can seem the educational priorities and culture established here over a long period of time can be fragile and gone in an instant. With something important to so many, it’s easy to get emotional and jump to conclusions if someone causes us to believe the district may be in jeopardy. The recent controversy over the Park Hill School Board’s handling of their selection of the replacement for retiring Superintendent Dr. Dennis Fisher is a good example.

There are a few things which seem pretty clear to me. First, the board took their responsibility of picking a superintendent very seriously, putting countless hours into the selection process. Second, many Park Hill patrons wanted the job to go to Deputy Superintendent Mark Miles, who by most accounts is a stand-up guy and has done many good things for the district. Third, when the field was narrowed, the board did not solicit public input as it had at the beginning of the process nor did it effectively communicate updates to patrons on their progress. This was not in an effort to be disingenuous. Fourth, Dr. Scott Springston was selected as the final candidate and will be the next Superintendent, not the internal candidate Dr. Miles. This resulted in a social media frenzy fueled by an upset contingent of parents, former board members and a handful of elected officials.

Having participated in my share of interviews both as the interviewee or the interviewer, including a recent public appointment, I understand conducting such a search process can have limitless formats. It can be a very difficult task to narrow the field to one candidate in the end. Ultimately, any process chosen can be scrutinized. The difficult job Park Hill had at hand in this case was keeping candidates’ consideration private in respect to their current employment. The delicate legal aspects in regards to personnel matters like this can only be explained by their potential for lawsuits, another area we don’t want to be like Kansas City. Nonetheless, maintaining private considerations for the candidates while keeping patrons updated on the progress could have been achieved.

With that said, the process was not illegal, unethical, immoral or rushed. It was simply a political mistake: a failure to communicate. The board wholly admits it. So, as many people have asked me over recent days, why are some so upset? Aren’t there worse things by far that happen in our county and municipal governments where no one even cares to notice? Yes, but it really comes down to the intricate world of school board politics — those who participate in it, and those who unknowingly become a pawn in it.

There may be parents who were disappointed in the lack of communication and involvement. This expectation was set by regular examples of district outreach on things ranging from simply naming a new school to the input solicited on targets for tough budget cuts. When you ask what color the drapes should be, be prepared to be told how the whole room should look. There are also parents who’ve developed a close relationship with Dr. Miles and truly see him as the best choice, despite not knowing the alternatives. This is all understandable to a certain degree, but this was hardly the coup d’état of the school district some may infer. In fact, many administrators have worked in the district since Dr. Fisher’s predecessor and will continue to. A new superintendent is rarely the dramatic house cleaning we commonly see with a new President or Governor.

Either way, there were an influential few who wanted to fight this battle. Whether it was current or former board members, or other elected officials, claiming the process was done in “secret” and with “closed doors” was like yelling fire in a theater to Park Hill patrons. The process, started in October, had never been questioned until word spread Dr. Miles was not selected two weeks ago. Had their preferred choice been selected, there likely would not have been any scrutiny.

In a country where education scores are falling compared to the rest of the world, Park Hill must continue to expect more than being the best according to state standards, because they are just that, standard. Former Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson once said, “All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions.” In their decision, that’s what board members did in this case. They knew their decision would be unpopular, but still thought it best. At every level of government we ask our leaders to have backbone and do the same. In this situation, we’re seeing why it doesn’t happen often. It’s not easy to do, especially when you listen to the emotional disapproval. Threats of redemption in April’s school board elections were sharp, but hollow, as the two seats on the ballot are held by members not seeking re-election.

Board members selected for what is not likely Dr. Springton's resume, but his intangibles. In other words, it is not on where he’s been, but where he wants to take us. It’s now up to him, not the Board, to prove to us he was the right selection. One thing not in doubt, even from those most critical, is the support he’ll receive towards his success once he arrives. Park Hill patrons can’t afford anything different.

County budget fiasco avoidable

We’re almost a month into 2012 and few people could have predicted the eventful headlines that would come out of the County administration building so far this year, especially regarding the budget which was finally passed after some initially continuous opposition. While you’ve been able to keep track of the overall discussion and finger pointing that’s taken place through our news coverage, there are a few sometimes subtle, but important themes that haven’t grabbed many peoples’ attention and consideration.

The County Commission has cited one main reason why this year’s budget has required them to make, in some cases, drastic cuts and they’re not afraid to tell you every chance they get. It’s what is referred to as the federal government’s unfunded mandate to upgrade emergency radio equipment. They point it out to as a way to lay the blame of the financial burden at the foot of the federal government, but leave out its purpose.

When the 9/11 Commission report was released in 2004, it cited first responders’ outdated equipment as something that could have saved lives if properly functioning. With this in mind, the federal government issued a requirement for local governments to update their emergency equipment to save lives in the future. The deadline to meet the requirement was set for 2013.

Here in Platte County it may apply in the event of a tornado, flood, or any other emergency where lives could be saved based on response times and effective communications. Giving local governments nearly nine years to implement it was to provide elected officials the time and flexibility to financially manage and budget the costs. It was never intended to be crammed in at the very end like a college student studying for a mid-term. This goes to one of the few fundamental roles county government serves which is to manage the county’s finances responsibly with long-term stability and strength in mind. By most indications, this was simply kicked down the road, no matter how burdensome of a requirement it may be.

While the cuts needing to be made now for the (lack of) budget planning previously are reality, there’s another approach that seems to be playing out. When it comes to budgeting and taxes, the County’s perceived strategy over recent years can go by many different names, one of which simply goes by ‘starve the beast’. With three Republicans on the commission, it’s no surprise their goal is to cut county expenses and lower taxes. That’s reasonable if well-planned, done responsibly, and for the right reasons. As taxpayers, expectations for county government are usually pretty basic. Quality roads, law enforcement protection, customer service, and financial management are the big ones. Usually as a manager, not a politician, you look to cut inefficiencies as much as possible without hurting the results or effectiveness. In a government setting, this would usually be done by lowering expenses to the point where service quality maximizes the benefit to people at the lowest cost, then a tax cut would be merited to reap the savings.

What Platte County has been doing over recent years though is the opposite. The Commission has continuously lowered general fund taxes, therefore causing and requiring the need to cut expenses in the next year’s budget, sometimes at the peril of service and quality as voiced by office holders themselves. Economic conditions aside, this can dramatize budget situations in some years. Their thought is if you ‘feed’ the government less tax revenue, then it can only get skinnier. The question is at what point do you start to sacrifice the muscle? It may have been inadvertent, but this is something Sheriff Richard Anderson and Prosecutor Eric Zahnd made admirable cases for and won in voicing their departments’ cases for less drastic cuts in the revised and approved budget. Proof some long-respected conservatives know the real effects of drawn down resources over time.

Last is Platte County’s favorite political football, the ½ cent parks tax. While Zahnd certainly renewed the debate a couple weeks ago on why the county has a dedicated tax for parks and recreation, but not for law enforcement, there remains the often ignored fact that the tax was approved by voters in 2009 for ten years and isn’t up for renewal for another seven. While the commission could decide to put a revision in front of the voters, it’s an extremely poor precedent to set in good government when you essentially overturn something voted on by the people. This is something the state legislature has continuously done by overturning previously approved statewide ballot measures to the frustration of many. In 2009, the Commission had Platte County choose between two poor options in the form of a ‘yes’ or ‘no vote, a tax to fund parks at a rate probably set too high or barely funding it at all. It should have been an easily mitigated issue before it even went on the ballot as many Platte Countians agree with some form of a parks tax, just not the one currently in place.

None of these topics serve as a basic source of excitement or interest to most, but they are some of the real issues involved in governing, which is very different than politicking. If county office holders had not objected to the Commission’s version of the budget, many of these topics may well have never come up in public discussion. If anything, they raised our awareness to the many good government opportunities our elected officials have on a regular basis we rarely hear of, and just as consequential, those that are passed up on.

Politics will dominate 2012

With Iowa Caucus results coming in as we go to press, 2012 will be dominated politically by the Presidential race. There’s no doubt all races will be affected by it, but while the 2010 local election results mirrored those nationally with huge Republican gains, 2012 should see more balanced results nationally.

2012 will be a year of answers. We’ll learn much more than we did over the course of 2011. Elections tend to fast track those answers. Will President Barack Obama serve a second term? Can Congress accomplish… anything? Will Republicans complete their political takeover of Platte County? Or can local Democrats find candidates respected and strong enough to run despite a less than desired party backing? Will Republican county officials divide themselves into conservatives and moderates?

Commissioners will approve the County’s 2012 budget this week. Included will be a 10 percent employee health insurance cost increase, an estimated $10.7 million contract for emergency communication equipment upgrades and the funding of a $5.4 million community center expansion. Not included will be a three percent cost of living adjustment for County workers proposed by County Auditor Kevin Robinson which has not been done since 2006. The 2012 budget will be slightly smaller than Robinson’s recommendation and the finalized 2011 budget.

Filing to run for public offices begins in February. County officials expected to run for re-election include 1st District Commissioner Kathy Dusenbery and 2nd District Commissioner Jim Plunkett. Three officeholders announced their retirements in 2011 for the end of 2012. They include County Treasurer Bonnie Brown (Democrat), County Administrator Terry Edwards (Democrat) and Sheriff Richard Anderson (Republican). Republican Rob Willard, an attorney, has announced his candidacy for the Treasurer’s seat while Republican Mark Owen, a long-time captain with the department, will run for Sheriff. County Assessor David Christian, a Democrat, is expected to run for election after his appointment last spring.


Also in February (and again in March), Republicans will vote for their party’s Presidential preference. Missouri law requires a primary be held Feb. 7, but the results won’t be binding because the state legislature failed to move it to the Republican Party’s “official” date of March 17 when delegates will be decided by a caucus. In addition to your annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration, which might traditionally include an alcoholic beverage, Republicans can also pick a Presidential candidate. If you’re undecided, then said beverage may aid your selection. In Parkville, you’ll be able to drive your golf cart to the polling place by this point.

April brings school board elections. Possible levy increases will be a large part of those debates. After years of lowering tax levy rates during strong economic times, local school districts may need to reverse course in 2012 to balance their budgets. Similar to some people’s resolutions to lose weight, it’s great to say you lost it, but not as fun when you can’t keep it off.

All three local state representatives appear to be running for re-election in 2012. Galen Higdon, Nick Marshall, and Ron Schieber have no announced opponents so far. Redistricting is still to be finalized, but as the lines currently stand it can be said Marshall benefited with the addition of some strongly conservative neighborhoods in the south. Marshall’s benefit comes at Schieber’s peril as his district now has advantages to a possible Democratic challenger.

During the 2012 legislative session, balancing the budget and Mayor Sly James’s proposed takeover of the Kansas City Missouri School District will take center stage. While Kansas City representatives try to negotiate and pass legislation to address this, look for representatives from more rural areas of Missouri to leverage this to their own agendas. Education aside, Republican legislative leaders have had several months to review and discuss the stalemate within their own party. This will hopefully lead to more progress in 2012.

July brings the major league All-Star game to Kansas City. Where will most of those people come through to get there? That’s right, Platte County via Kansas City International Airport. There probably aren’t any promotions scheduled when the baseball world focuses in on Kansas City, but showcasing the economic and quality of life aspects of moving your residence, business, or convention to Platte County wouldn’t hurt.

August will feature some interesting primary contests along with a number of ballot initiatives. The biggest will be the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate with the winner challenging Senator Claire McCaskill. Former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, Congressman Todd Akin, and businessman John Brunner are the announced Republican candidates. With President Obama’s poor outlook in Missouri, whoever advances will have a good chance against McCaskill. The thought of Independents voting for one, but not for the other in this case is unlikely.

While the state legislature is dominated by Republicans, four out of six statewide offices are held by Democrats. For local Democrats, these are probably some of the races that draw the most excitement in 2012 based on how races are shaping up early. Looking at the White House, President Obama is not where he’d like to be coming into 2012, but neither are his potential opponents. Despite any contrary Iowa results, Mitt Romney will be the Republican Party nominee for two reasons. He’s run a steady, smooth campaign with few mistakes and has the best chance at beating Obama. By most historical indicators, he should be the next President. On the other hand, Obama’s economic and approval numbers are trending positive. He’ll run against a Congress that passed less legislation in 2011 than even the infamous “Do-Nothing Congress” Harry Truman ran against in 1948. Could Obama lose the popular vote, but win the Electoral College? The map says it’s possible. The effect of a third-party candidate can’t be ruled out either.

Of course, this is just what appears on the 2012 horizon. Many more headlines will surface throughout the year. The Citizen will touch on various subjects throughout including the local issues, races and candidates themselves. In the meantime, here’s hoping you all have a great 2012.

2011 was a busy year for county politics

It’s almost a new year, but before looking to 2012 (which we'll do next week) let’s take a broad look back at some of the local political events that shaped 2011. One thing I found amusing this past spring was the mention of it being an 'election year'. If 2011 was an election year, it’s disappointingly safe to say every year is; another blow to people who believe governance in action is the answer, not more campaigning.

After Republicans swept every locally elected position on the ballot in 2010, it was probably expected government on the county level would have a calm, low partisan tone in 2011 with Republicans having little to argue about amongst themselves. The County Commission with new Presiding Commissioner Jason Brown started off the year by cutting expenses in the county budget. It was a generally accepted action based on economic realities even fair-minded Democrats probably agreed with. The budget itself was heralded as a conservative achievement.

In March, the County Commission passed a successful building permit fee moratorium. Contemplating before eventually agreeing with it, I browsed through the County Permit Packet which explains how to get a building permit. Trying to figure out the requirements of obtaining a permit and its costs were almost more difficult than actually paying for the permit itself.

Also in March, Kansas City picked a new Mayor. Sly James edged Platte Countian Mike Burke with 53% of the vote. While there is certainly less controversy and negative attention surrounding the Mayor than before, judging his progress will need to wait until 2012. It’s fair to say the challenges to James, his colleagues, and Kansas City in general are significant.

The first week of April brought the renewal of the one percent Kansas City earnings tax to the ballot. As mentioned above, the city has many problems, one of which is managing its finances. I voiced my support for the tax to a democratic group, but sharing that it could and should be used more efficiently didn’t go over too well. The ‘Yes, but…’ is always a tougher sell than a straight ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. I maintain my position. The tax went on to be renewed by an overwhelming 78%.

May brought a conclusion to the Missouri state legislature’s 2011 regular session. Five months produced little results in passing a state economic or jobs bill, so after negotiating and reaching a tentative deal, they went back in September only to find they still couldn’t agree on a package and finally decided to call it quits for the year. It was an opportunity missed by the Republican-controlled legislature that could have produced dividends for the state’s economy.

In September the County Commission lowered the 2011 tax levy rate for the general fund from two cents to one cent of every $100 of assessed valuation. Property owners will see a slightly lower tax bill, but likely less flexibility and further cuts in the 2012 budget.

In November, as Clay and Jackson Counties went to vote on implementing a Kansas City Zoological Tax District, Platte did not. The County Commission refused to place the issue on the ballot citing the cost of an election, administrative costs of implementing the district, and other costs imposed on taxpayers. Instead they decided the battle was, and will be, best fought in court. One possible line of thought leading to the Commission’s decision was the lack of organized opposition the tax would have. Republican consultant Jeff Roe, who managed the campaigns of many current Republican office holders and organized opposition to the Parks Tax in 2009, consulted as a proponent of the tax ensuring what would have been easy passage. It didn’t happen in 2011, but this issue could still end up on a ballot in the future.

Also in November, it was decided County Assessor David Christian would not see any action taken against him on alleged ‘illegal bonuses’ given in his office in August. Following the interim period between the passing of former Assessor Lisa Pope and appointment of Christian when there was no Assessor’s salary being paid, funds budgeted under the Assessor’s salary were dispersed to employees who filled the void and took on the added workload experienced while the department was without a leader. Christian paid the County back out of his pocket to clear up any potential impropriety. As the only Democratic office holder running for election in 2012, it’s hard to think, both legally and politically, why no action resulted if in fact a law was broken after the rush to initially make the story public.

It's safe to say NBC Action News investigative reporter Russ Ptacek isn't a very popular guy at Parkville City Hall after several stories this year. The first stemmed from the complaint of an Alderman living outside city limits leading to his eventual resignation. During the initial investigation he ran across two more questionable situations. One involved reimbursements through the City Administrator's office. The other involved a complex and an initially unnoticed acquisition of property bordering the National Golf Course for a discounted price with funds donated by interests associated with the golf club and homeowners association. While the recent golf cart ordinance, also likely influenced by the National, provided a headline (and easy punch-line) to end the year, Parkville officials are hoping Ptacek stays in Kansas City proper next year.

School districts were pressed to meet budget restrictions for the second year in a row while Park Hill and West Platte began searches for new superintendents. Spending cuts has been the preferred action in managing lower revenue projections, but how long budgets can be balanced without levy increases is one of the tougher questions boards will face in 2012.

At the beginning of 2011, I wrote it would be a year of positioning. Aside from all the attention the national and statewide races will bring in 2012, much of that positioning will lead to some interesting local storylines for what will be a busy 2012.

Missouri shows us the good, the bad, and the ugly

Last week was an interesting week for the State of Missouri, particularly in the world of sports and politics. There was a little bit of everything, but probably best described as the good, the bad, and the ugly with the St. Louis Cardinals’ World Series victory, the Missouri state legislature’s inability to pass an economic development bill in its special session, and the University of Missouri’s ongoing saga on whether they’ll jump to the Southeastern Conference or stay in the Big 12. The one parallel between the three is we may be from the same state, but you’ll be hard pressed to find an area where all Missourians are on the same side of any one issue.

The Good
The Cardinals’ improbable month of September which had them trailing by more than 10 games before coming back to clinch a playoff spot. In October they advanced past Philadelphia and Milwaukee for an even more unlikely appearance in the World Series against Texas. Down three games to two, St. Louis staged a comeback (several, actually) in Game 6 that will go down in baseball history as a classic. Similar to the way things went in Game 7 for the Royals in 1985, Texas couldn’t overcome the leftover momentum the Cardinals’ had in their favor as St. Louis went on to win their second world title in six years.

As a kid, I was a Cardinals fan. Of course, second to the Royals. Mostly because they were in a different league and from Missouri, so my young mind thought it was a natural. But as I grew up, I began to see the very real rift that exists between Kansas City and St. Louis. It was on full display last week too, as all of a sudden you found some pretty loyal Texas Rangers fans in the area, evidence that remnants of the 1985 World Series are still alive and well in Missouri.

The Bad
After several months of buildup, it seemed as if the negotiations and framework were in place for the Republican-dominated Missouri state legislature to use the special session to draft an economic development and jobs bill. After failing to do so in the five month long regular session from January to May, voters were led to believe the special session would allow elected officials to accomplish their top campaign priority in 2010: job creation and the economy. It was not to be, as the House and Senate were unable to reconcile their differences before finally deciding to end the special session empty-handed at a cost of nearly $280,000 to taxpayers.

As I mentioned back in August, Democrats have such a small presence in Jefferson City, their influence in any bill that goes through the House or the Senate is minimal, leaving the Republicans with what appeared to be a great opportunity to craft a bill almost completely to their liking. Governor Jay Nixon would be the only Democrat needing to approve, who was poised to sign a bill into law. The reality of this outcome is unfortunate because Missouri will now go another year without eliminating ineffective tax credits, no added incentives for companies to locate here, or new tools for existing companies to hire more workers.

Further proof politicians can battle their entire careers hoping to push the opposing political party from office, but if you can’t do anything with it when you finally do, what have you really gained? Democrats found this out on the national level after the 2008 elections and Republicans seem to be finding it out now after their 2010 gains on the state level.

The Ugly
While the residents of Missouri close to Kansas City seem to make up the largest contingent of Mizzou fans hoping the school holds onto hope the Big 12 can be reformed into a conference where all schools (not just Oklahoma and Texas) can thrive, a move to the Southeast Conference seems on the horizon. The rest of Missouri’s voice has apparently drowned out that sentiment by supporting the move.

Although the ending hasn’t played out, there’s the familiar feeling that if there was an ideal process or ‘right’ way to go through such a change, the University has proven it probably won’t follow that precedent. If in no other way, at least from a public relations point of view. With unnecessary press conferences, leaked reports, and anonymous story sources the school has made it harder on themselves than hoped for on the public front.

While Mizzou fans may get a little hot under the collar with each other over whether to stay or go, it’s likely nothing compared to the heat they’ll experience on the road finishing out a potential last season in the Big 12 with other schools’ faithful feeling understandably frustrated with the Tigers whose decision plays a role in their futures as well.

So no matter how mainstream you think you are, in Missouri there’s a good chance that if you want to get into an argument, there’s plenty of people willing and ready for the challenge. Just another example of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Top Trojan reaches 100-win mark

There wasn’t much fanfare around Park Hill’s football game against North Kansas City last Friday. Although a conference game, there was no playoff berth on the line, no bragging rights to be won, and before halftime arrived no real doubt to who would win the game. Park Hill’s 48-14 victory wasn’t just a much needed win the midst of a tough stretch of games for a 4-2 Trojans football team though. Friday was the 100th win for the Park Hill football program under head coach Greg Reynolds and the well-deserved Gatorade bath he received is symbolic to the success and continuous pursuit of excellence he has strived for over 12 years.

“It happens because you’re around great kids and great coaches for a long period of time,” Reynolds said. “I’m very proud of them and what we’ve been able to accomplish. It’s not about me or because of me.”

With the opening of Park Hill South in 1998 and the splitting of what had previously been the only high school in southern Platte County, all athletic teams were adjusting and looking to establish an identity, especially the football programs. Park Hill had seen quality teams come and go throughout the years, but hadn’t been able to consistently compete. This provided the window of opportunity to establish a reinvigorated Park Hill football program. Athletic Director Bill Sobbe says while the school prior to the split had grown large, the program didn’t have the strong foundation others did.

“We didn’t have a tradition behind what we had done to get that big, so the split (of high schools) helped us start building traditions for both programs and brought more of a football mentality to the community,” Sobbe said.

Prior to being hired as head coach in 2000, Reynolds served as an assistant football, basketball, and baseball coach leaving him uniquely qualified to fill any of the head coaching positions should they have come available.

“He distinguished himself as an assistant. The things we knew he would bring to the program included great skill, an understanding of the game, and commitment to sportsmanship. I think it was one of the easiest choices I’ve made as principal,” Principal Dr. Brad Kincheloe said of the choice to hire Reynolds.

Reynolds recognized there were areas needing to be addressed internally before beginning to even think about football strategy. Jack Taylor, an assistant under Reynolds since 2000, says there was more to it than just a simple change at the top.

“He changed the mindset that had previously been set here. He changed what Park Hill football was, what it was supposed to look like, what it was supposed to act like on and off the field,” Taylor said. “We sat down and said ‘these are the things we like and these are the things we don’t like.”

Among the things Reynolds believed needed to change was the way the players acted and practiced. He emphasized the importance of the weight room while increasing classroom grade checks and behavior reports. Reynolds’s first year was also Rob Mrowinski’s first as the Trojans public address announcer and he’s witnessed firsthand what is now expected out of the players whose names he calls out on Friday nights.

“You have to put in your work with Reynolds. If you don’t, you’re not on the team,” Mrowinski said. “He wants his players to carry themselves in a certain manner. If someone has an off the field problem, he’s not going to overlook it, you’re not going to play.”

“It’s not a district policy, it’s a Coach Reynolds and a football policy that if you can’t do these things in the classroom right, then you can’t play football,” Taylor added.

“It’s about accountability in all phases,” Reynolds said of the main change. “We’re not squeaky clean, no one is, but the most enjoyable part for me is to sit a kid down, talk to him, and be able to help make a difference.”

Off the field changes were one thing, but how did he translate it into on the field success? It wasn’t easy, and mid-way through Reynolds’s first season in 2000, hovering around .500, it wasn’t clear things were working. Sobbe remembers a loss to Raytown was the turning point.

“We had some pretty good players, but that game changed our season,” Sobbe said. “From that point on, we learned we couldn’t just show up and win games.”

Park Hill got hot and advanced through districts, winning the district title and qualifying for the playoffs. They continued their run all the way to the Class 4 state semifinals, one game short of a state title game appearance, where they came in as a clear underdog to Webb City, a program rich in winning tradition. The game, much like the 2000 season, started out poorly putting Park Hill down and out early. Mrowinski remembers it very clearly.

“It was freezing that day, the box heater we had actually shorted out the electricity to the press box,” he said. “We were down 21-0 at halftime, but came back with a chance to win the game before eventually losing. That was really the beginning of it all; from there on out Park Hill was a force to be reckoned with.”

“After reaching the semifinals that first year, I was confident in my situation and knew there were more important things to contribute than just winning games on the football field.

The following year, the 2001 team used that game as motivation setting their goal on an undefeated season and, more importantly, a state championship. It would be a precedent set for Trojan football teams for the better part of the next decade. Park Hill played undefeated regular season football in 2001 and 2002, but hit roadblocks again in the state semifinals keeping Park Hill just out of reach of a trip to St. Louis to play for the state title. In 2003, Reynolds and the Trojans were finally able to break through by not only advancing to the championship game, but winning it by upsetting defending state champ Webster Groves.

“Winning breeds success and that’s how we were able to get more people out for the program and build upon it in those early years,” Taylor said.

“We always kind of had a plan of what we were doing. We haven’t changed with the times, we’ve stuck with it,” Sobbe said.

Eight years later, Reynolds’s football teams still shoot for the same goals. In 11 full seasons as head coach, Park Hill has won 10 district titles and advanced to the playoffs every season except one and with Friday’s victory has amassed an impressive 100-36 career record, a .735 winning percentage. Even with his success, Reynolds never loses sight of the important things about the game even if the score may be lopsided.

“He cares about the game, but he’s never ran the score up. If Park Hill is ever up by a lot, he’ll get all of the kids involved he can and never be bad to another team,” Mrowsinki said.

You won’t hear Reynolds pat himself on the back, but what is common knowledge to the Trojan faithful about his dedication and commitment is echoed by colleagues in their respect for his ability to make a difference whether it is influencing the way players handle themselves or watching game film searching of an edge. Not only has Reynolds been the mainstay at the helm of Trojan football for 12 years, but a whole cast and crew of others has been by his side throughout.

“It’s a testament to this program. If you look at the coaches, he hasn’t had a lot of them leave,” Mrowinski said. “It’s like a family, even up here in the booth. We’ve been here all along; there’s been very little change.”

“There’s a reason why our coaches have been around as long as they have, it’s because they care and know they’ll have a chance to make a difference. We’re proud of what we’ve done on Friday nights, but it’s more than that. It’s about knowing when our players leave the program they’re better off,” Reynolds said.

While it is unclear what lay ahead for the 2011 Park Hill Trojans, a couple things will remain the same as they have the last 12 years: physical play on the field, high expectations off the field, and an emphasis on doing it in the right way can bring success in both.

“He took a good football program and turned it into to a great one…” Kincheloe said. “If I had sons at the high school and they wanted to play football, I’d be excited for them to play for Coach Reynolds.”

9/11 added to an already-changing world for teens

Ten years can seem like a lifetime ago, but at the same time be as fresh in your mind as yesterday. While we remember exactly where we were and how we heard of the horrific breaking news that changed the world on Sept. 11, 2001, there were those whose experience that day was a part of their already occurring growth as young adults in a time full of changes. That’s what I first think about when reflecting back on that Tuesday morning.

Only three weeks into my freshman year of high school, I was still getting used to the hallways and daily routine that came with the new scenery of Park Hill High School. Much like this week, students were getting back into the swing of things after a highly energized football game with rival Park Hill South the previous weekend.

It would only be 16 minutes into the first class of the day when American Airlines Flight 11 would hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center, beginning what would be one of the most significant days in American history. For me, and I believe most of the students and teachers, it would be over an hour until we were broken the news for the first time of the four hijacked planes and their subsequent attacks over the school’s intercom system as a part of the daily announcements that regularly took place at the end of first period each day. Although I’d eventually hear Principal Dr. Brad Kincholoe’s voice over the speakers several hundred times as a student, this time the seriousness in his tone and the message he presented on this particular morning were never quite matched again.

I was 14, still trying to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be, like most at that age. It was a peculiar situation to be in as a teenager. I was not familiar with situations of particular seriousness up to this point in my life, and the appropriate reaction wasn’t obvious at the time. Classroom technology 10 years ago was different than it is today. While there were televisions for presentations, few were connected to cable to receive news updates. Teachers had access to computers, but classes and lessons went on as originally planned. Most updates were spread by word of mouth, which as all former high school students know firsthand, tend to have little, if any, credibility. Within school walls all day and following a lackluster freshman football practice, for all we knew at 5 p.m. in the evening, we were leaving school and going into a world filled with uncertainty and possible chaos. Interestingly enough, which is insight into my frame of mind at the time, I spent the evening of 9/11/01 trying to counteract the images I watched being replayed over the television of the day’s events with an anxious nervousness for my first big high school football game the next day, the freshman squad’s own match-up with Park Hill South. While professional and collegiate sporting events were cancelled and delayed throughout the country, the biggest game in “our world” at the time went on as scheduled. And in a way, other young students’ reactions to 9/11 may have paralleled that to some extent. Without having a previous basis for which to compare the significant scope of that day, we grew up welded between two different periods in our country’s history and weren’t even aware of it until years later. We were maturing and our relationship with 9/11 changed as our view of the world and the events of that day gained the appropriate perspective.

Aside from those who lost loved ones in the attacks, whether on a college campus, high school hallway or middle school classroom that Sept. 11 morning, students and those similarly-aged are the ones who will live the longest to see the consequences, transformations and long-term effects. Not only because of the visible changes we’ve seen in security, national defense or foreign policy, but also of our subsequent retaliation and the wars that have followed. I’ve always had a deep admiration for those who wear the uniform, even more so when those filling the ranks began to be people I had a personal connection with.

They are my neighbor, my close friend, my fraternity president. They are the quarterback I blocked for and classmates I graduated with. They are those I only knew second hand through name and mutual association, two of which have given the ultimate sacrifice.


While they experienced 9/11 from a classroom, they are now or have been on the front lines of the battles stemming from it. Beautiful memorials are now present where such devastation occurred 10 years ago, but those who were later moved to serve, domestically or abroad, from the events of that day provide one of the truest legacies to our country in their calling to serve.

Millenial generation brings change in attitude, philosophy

Most of you would probably agree that we need some good news. For most of the summer, we’ve seen and heard stories of how poorly the economy is doing, the dysfunction in government, natural disasters near and far, and several tragic losses of life on the local level. No, there sure hasn’t been much to celebrate recently, at least from a news standpoint.

The drug-out negotiations and debate on the debt ceiling resulted in an agreement to lower budget deficits on the back of $2.4 trillion in spending cuts over the next ten years. Unfortunately, this was only about half of the $4 trillion rating agencies like Standard & Poor’s had clearly said they were looking for. After all the media theatrics the politicians went through, they thought their agreement was reason to celebrate a touchdown when in reality they barely got past the 50-yard line. Not surprisingly, this resulted in a credit rating downgrade from AAA to AA+, further intensifying the finger pointing in Washington.

That paired with a ten percent drop in the stock market will likely be what the summer of 2011 will be remembered for in a political sense for the foreseeable future. Republicans blame President Obama and Democrats are blaming the tea party just as predictably as dogs bark at cats. I’ve previously gone into great length about the various broken parts of government, most specifically the kind of people who run it. Those same sentiments have been echoed again throughout the country recently.

I’m always astonished how our leaders regularly mention the need for tough choices now so our children and grandchildren are able to live in a nation free of the burdensome problems created in their past. Then, they repeatedly revert back to the same behavior that prevents exactly that from happening. So, let’s admit it, for the time being we’re not going to get the long-term governance towards the future we need. What’s that? We need to throw them all out? Well, maybe, but simply replacing our elected representatives with even stronger like-minded folks isn’t going to change much. It’s bigger than this though, it could be generational and possibly a matter of time. Those same children and grandchildren commonly used as political pawns are growing up in a different world than their parents and it’s had an effect on the way they view the world, the people in it, and the problems we face. The ones that should serve as the motivation for progress are more than likely the ones better equipped to actually see it through.

Although I’m biased because I fit into this group, there will soon be a new generation taking the reins of leadership from the aging Baby Boomers (born 1946-64) and members of Generation X (born 1964-80). They’ve been coined Millennials, the first generation to come of age in the new millennium. While eras such as the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and other conflicts in the 60’s and 70’s caused what seemed to be life-long divisions between groups of people, Millennials find themselves growing up in the most diverse culture this country has ever seen. Kids and young adults are less divided on many of the issues that have caused separation among people in the past including race, gender, religion, and other social differences. This has led to a more tolerant and accepting group of Americans. In addition to personal experience, technology and social media has exposed to them multiple points of view and various opinions that help shape their own thoughts. In fact, the availability of those resources has not only made us more informed of the world around us, but also led us to be more flexible and avoid the type of purely absolute thinking so evident in our current leaders.

Millennials aren’t typically driven by traditional issues of contention because as the world becomes more complex they understand that most things aren’t as black and white as they’re commonly made out to be. Even outside of a political context, they tend to display the very characteristics you hear people clamoring for now. Things like compromise, open-mindedness, accepting differences without hostility, and disagreeing without being disagreeable.

Of course, this is just a broad view of the Millenial generation as a whole, not all individuals fit the bill exactly. They come with their own unique faults, which could be a column of its own someday. As my grandpa sometimes says “It’s darkest just before dawn”, and so may be the case now with public satisfaction in government at all-time lows. While many believe social and economic change is always just an election away, the long-term shift away from dysfunctional government may just come with the gradual changing of the guard from generations divided by their conflicts to a generation more adapted to find similarities among their growing differences.

Special session called after legislators fail to address jobs

Republican members of the Missouri House and Senate along with Governor Jay Nixon proved last week it isn't just the political divide between the parties that leads to an inability to accomplish some things; it's politicians themselves in general. Unable to pass any kind of legislation addressing the state’s economic situation with a jobs bill, also known as an economic development package, during the nearly five month period allotted to them by the Missouri Constitution, legislators must now convene a special session to meet what most Missourians agree is currently the state’s most pressing issue. Not only have our elected representatives wasted the resources and time given to them, they’ve asked for more to accomplish what they promised to voters was their top priority.

Partisan gridlock is something we’ve sadly become familiar with in Washington with Republicans and Democrats in a constant struggle for the upper-hand. In Jefferson City though, the situation is very different after the November 2010 elections gave Republicans historically wide majorities in both the House and Senate. To demonstrate, there are now as many freshmen Republicans in the House of Representatives as there are in the entire Democratic caucus. They could virtually run the mill on any issue they felt was a priority without Democrats being able to do much other than serve as an annoyance to stop it. The only thing standing between them in the legislative process is the Democratic Governor, Jay Nixon. To the dismay of many in his party, Nixon has made some very politically calculating decisions in his first term to avoid hot button issues that could be potentially harmful to his re-election. This includes being cautious when it comes to vetoing legislation sent to his desk from the Republican legislature.

With these factors in their favor, Republicans should have finally been able to put together their vision of a comprehensive agenda to strengthen a fragile economy, right? Wrong. Squabbles between the Senate and House are normal in the legislative process, but the Senate, which has traditionally leaned towards the more mature of the two as it usually holds more mild-mannered and veteran lawmakers, seems to have shifted away from that tendency recently to find itself just as likely to be an obstacle to pending legislation as the more populated House.

It may seem like forever ago, but the election of November 2010 was only nine months ago. One thing you won't forget is the message that rang true then and even truer now. Missouri and the United States need jobs. “Jobs, jobs, jobs” were the slogans repeated over and over again by candidates across the country. It’s now been seven months since many of those same candidates were sworn into office and the state of Missouri still has nothing to show for it.

Unlike members of Congress at the federal level, our state legislators serve part-time. January through May, for only a little over three days a week, they travel to Jefferson City to bring solutions to our state’s biggest problems. When the state constitution was established it wasn't thought there was a need for full-time legislators. It was thought they could easily meet their civic duties and have time to pursue other activities whether it was to establish a career, provide for a family, etc. At least that was the thought.

So with such limited time, most of us would feel compelled to dig in immediately and begin discussing, developing, and considering solutions to the state’s problems. In reality, what ends up happening is the first couple weeks of each session are mostly wasted. Any votes that do take place are procedural while much the rest are non-binding resolutions to serve as ideological benchmarks to cite in political mailers for the next election campaign. The majority of the rest of session centers on establishing a balanced state budget. Of course, there are other bills discussed and eventually passed, but many of the serious negotiations and time is spent on the budget. This is a problem as much attributed to the institution as it is the individual lawmakers.

The 10th Amendment to the Constitution and the principle of federalism are based in part on the ability for states to implement their own creative and unique ideas within their borders. This is the task state representatives and state senators are assigned. It is not to constantly grandstand and scold the federal government on issues in Washington D.C. of which they have no control, but to craft programs and policies on a state level that have the opportunity to succeed. This should be done even if it is, as they see it, in spite of obstacles presented by federal government; not to serve as an excuse for inaction. Elections have consequences most of which are rewarding, but with it also comes a burden of responsibility to do what voters were told you would do.

The Missouri legislature and state government in general don’t get the deserved coverage it needs to keep its citizens up to date on progress made on the state’s challenging issues. That’s why it’s easy for decisions made (or lack thereof) to go unnoticed by most taxpayers. One thing certain is while the opportunity to bring an economic development package forward was wasted earlier this year, unlike other issues that are continuously kicked down the road, Missouri will hopefully and finally have a jobs plan to carry out come September that both the wide Republican majority and Governor Nixon will praise. While politically slow and inconvenient for politicians, the wait is nothing compared to the people of Missouri and unemployed job seekers who need its contents the most.

Why most qualified are hesitant to run for office

The classic Greek philosopher Plato once referred to what happens when the wisest people in our community, state, and country sit on the sidelines of democracy, “The punishment of wise men who refuse to take part in the affairs of government is to live under the government of unwise men." Those words, spoken over two thousand years ago, still relate on a basic level to our own present-day government. If some of our most capable and knowledgeable members of society choose not to go into public service we are left with the consequences of being led by those who've mastered the art of political gamesmanship and use of exhaustive talking points, instead of those with applicable experience in the subjects at hand and even the most visible hint of humble common sense.

At first thought it’s completely understandable why people are reluctant to participate in government, whether it’s running for office or simply holding a position on a board or committee. Even before considering the internet and 24-hour news cycle, drawbacks can include the potential for continuous scrutiny, unfair misrepresentations, and to the frustration of taxpayers and elected officials alike, agonizing gridlock. Now, with advancements in technology, civic progress and individuals’ reputations can be held ransom at the mercy of a Twitter, Facebook, or blog post that can be sent to thousands with the simple click of a mouse. Even if you’re able to escape all of that, with the simple declaration of a party affiliation, a percentage of the public will likely automatically caste you to the extreme as a right-wing, Conservative Republican or a leftist, Liberal Democrat whether it’s deserved or not.

This, all in addition to the actual problems needing to be addressed by the position. The most enduring and long-standing politicos might say you can’t handle the heat or don’t have the backbone upon which to guide your service. When in reality, it doesn’t mean you lack the courage of your convictions; it simply means you value the life you’ve built for yourself along with the relationships you’ve developed too much for them to be trashed by those who enjoy rolling in the mud of public character assaults. Yes, it’s easy to understand why the ‘wise’ may choose to take their ambitions to the private sector and use philanthropy as their way of leaving a mark on their community.

But as quickly as we can come up with the list of reasons not to participate in government on a personal level, it takes a little more to realize what the implications of non-participation are to our community as a whole. While a simple answer to the gridlock, scandals, and non-solutions we witness everyday is to go on with our lives independently and write the entire lot of politicians off as phony, incompetent, and self-serving; that mind of thought won’t solve the problems we face any better. As Plato stated, it’s the consequences of not participating we must consider, where inaction leaves us with the same unsatisfied results we had previously. At least with active engagement, those who envision a better way can say they put forward the effort.

The wise may consider staying away from government participation, but it is also the wise with the most potential to prove to us again public service is a noble undertaking. After all, it is the wise in settings outside of government whose actions are based on the situation at hand, not a pre-determined political philosophy established decades in the past. It is the wise that consider the long-term, big picture and not what many times are the insignificant pieces of the whole when making substantial decisions. And yes, it is the wise that refrain from the common acts among politicians and their associates that make us hesitate when the opportunity for public participation presents itself.

So while we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day this week in our own unique ways whether it be enjoying a parade, festival, cookout, day at the lake, or a simple chance to relax, remember 235 years ago it was a collective group of ‘wise’ men who didn’t refuse to participate in their government, but did refuse to live under the rule of the unwise.

Turn complacent apathy into participation and we, like them, can also set the course for generations to come. We get the government we deserve and many times it starts with who decides to throw their hat into the ring in the first place.

Stories behind the stories make it all worthwhile

The month of May brings a conclusion to another school year, another year of sports, and a final round of senior nights for well-wishers to show their appreciation for graduating seniors. Graduates will receive words of wisdom from all kinds of different sources about the future that lay ahead. But with so many different and unique take-a-ways available for the graduates to reflect on, it’s easy to overlook what those of us around them might have gained at the same time. In my case, it’s not one of a proud parent, family member, or friend, but that of casual spectator, much like those that attend the local sporting events we bring you coverage of each week.

Sometimes it comes as a surprise to people that a business school graduate and real estate manager by day can be caught moonlighting as a sports reporter and columnist for the local newspaper in the evenings and on weekends. I even find myself having trouble sometimes explaining how it came to be, but the blessing in disguise that presented itself as an opportunity to expand The Citizen’s community and sports coverage two years ago has been something truly rewarding.

One thing I’ve learned is there’s never enough time in the day or ink available to print that would allow for every story worth mentioning to be covered. Part of that can simply be attributed to the difficulty in describing things which can only truly be appreciated when witnessing them in person. It can apply to stories on local government, business, charity and social events, and yes, even high school sports. There are some extraordinary stories out there to be told whether it be the career-high game that came on the heels of a personal off-the-field setback or the coaches behind the athletes who promote them first and foremost despite the interesting personal journey they’ve traveled themselves. In fact, covering the preps scene has allowed me to witness first-hand more than the touchdown runs, buzzer-beaters, and game winning scores, but some of the intangible things that contribute to the quality of the schools in our community and make up a small representation of Platte County as a whole; one being the development of young people through athletics.

While keeping up on your favorite college or professional team usually doesn’t take anymore than a regular browse through the newspaper, glance at the television, or turn of the radio dial on your drive to work, grasping some of the better story lines in high school sports takes a little more. Not because of the game itself, but because of the human side to the games and athletes that stats don’t do justice to in most cases compared to other levels of competition. The constant media coverage, fancy highlight reels, and publicity stunts may be missing, but the potential of the athletes and the pureness in the way they play makes up for it. Whether it’s a junior second-stringer progressing into a senior captain or a player failing to grab a rebound before coming down the floor the next time determined to block an opposing player out, it’s about kids growing up, being coached towards improvement, and reaching to achieve their goals no matter what it may be.

They’re learning all the lessons that we’ve heard time and time again in memorable quotes and sports analogies. The difference is kids take them to heart and allow themselves to be inspired. Even though many of the same famous sayings still apply as we get older, it seems we’re less likely to use them as motivation. Perhaps that’s why some take an interest in preps sports. While we watch the young live out those inspirations, it can also serve as a reminder in our own driven lives to continue reaching for our own milestones. They might not be the same goals and likely pale in comparison to what seems are the increasingly complex lives we now live, but the same optimism and energy most evident in high school athletics can always be a welcomed and positive addition whatever age you are.