Unfettered Letters

KC animal shelter

I could not be happier about the City Council’s decision to allow the Kansas City animal shelter to be taken over by a private veterinary company (2/13, Local).

Maybe now I’ll finally be able to get some help for the little guy in my neighborhood who’s chained to the deck and sleeping in his own feces.

Joyce Kidd
Kansas City

Repair aging water systems

I have been reading about the drinking water system problems in this country. It seems that most city water systems are old and decrepit. Also, it would take an estimated $380 billion to fix them.

Why don’t we put the stimulus money to work correcting this problem? This would take care of a vital system and create instant jobs all over the country.

David Napoli
Kansas City

KC’s infrastructure should be priority

The federal government has been looking for projects that can be started quickly to provide jobs and improve the infrastructure quickly. The money will be available for a fast start.

Kansas City badly needs costly sewer repair and light rail that plans are surely ready on. Why do we not read in The Star that the city is now going to implement these projects and tell how it will help the city get through the present crisis?

Could it be that the council and mayor are to busy fighting to consider anything else?

Ted Gault
Gladstone

Those pesky sweet gum trees

Evelyn Cochran (1/3, Letters) only touched the tip of the iceberg in writing about sweet gum trees. Granted, their nasty little spiny balls are a pain to rake up, and they clog the sewers. Did you ever think, like I do, that whoever made the decision to plant all these trees had to have a college degree? Duh.

In my neighborhood, those trees have completely torn up the sidewalks. Some of the pieces of sidewalk are a foot high. The tree roots destroy the curbs. Kids can’t ride bikes on these sidewalks.

But here’s the real rub. If the city comes and replaces the sidewalks, the homeowner has to “pay” for the sidewalks the city destroyed with their sweet gum trees.

When the city came in my neighborhood and planted those trees, as soon as they went around the corner my husband went out and pulled the tree out of our parkway. Today we have a nice flat sidewalk, while all the others are a mess.

Carol Luteran
Kansas City

Happy with KC’s snow removal

I have lived in Kansas City for about 60 years. I have attempted to get to work or go grocery or gift shopping in every condition imaginable over those years.

This winter, the streets have been maintained so meticulously that I am truly amazed.

I can recall years when I could not conquer the hill or the slopes, depending on which direction I attempted. Last month, despite the challenging weather, everything worked like a charm.

I just cannot express my gratitude and appreciation.

M.E. Bryan
Kansas City

Slippery walking in KC

I would like to echo Troy Meyer’s thoughts (1/2, Letters) about the slippery parking lot after the Jeff Dunham show at Kemper Arena, which I attended with my son on Dec. 27. The parking area was a sheet of ice.

We had to walk through the parking lot and through Hale Arena to get to Kemper. It took a long time to get through the lines at the doors. Our seats had mud on them from a previous event. It was obvious that the seats had not been cleaned, and it was disappointing to see that a once-nice venue had deteriorated so much in a short time. The lack of staffing was apparent.

Leaving was also a challenge. I remember going to events in the past and there were either security or police officers present to help you get though the traffic.

Kemper Arena should be utilized more, and the city could benefit from more events with both Sprint Center and Kemper Arena. I hope the next time there is an event during the winter, at least some salt can be put down so event-goers aren’t at risk of falling and getting injured. It’s not like the parking was free.

Jan Rosenblum
Overland Park

Troy Meyer writes about the lack of snow and ice control at Kemper Arena one recent Saturday night. He goes on to say “I bet they had ice melt at the Sprint Center.” Well, Troy, I can’t say that ice control near the Sprint Center — at least in the Power & Light District — has been much better than at Kemper.

I work near the Sprint Center, and on Dec. 23, I walked out to lunch around noon with two friends. As we walked through the entertainment district on Walnut Street, we saw several pedestrians slip and fall on the ice glaze that had formed on the brick sidewalks. And as careful as I was, I also slipped and fell, striking the back of my head on the sidewalk. Fortunately, I have a thick skull and a non-litigious nature.

As we walked back to work from an excellent lunch one hour later, we still could see no sand or salt on the sidewalks. A little concern for safety — and planning for bad weather — should not be too much to ask from our local attractions.

Fred Gustin
Leawood

Keep trash pickup free in KC

I want to thank Yael T. Abouhalkah for his column about charging Kansas City residents for trash pickup (12/25, Opinion, “KC residents already pick up the tab for trash”).

I remember well in 1970 when we citizens were asked to vote for increasing the earnings tax half a percent and then telling us if passed, we would never have to pay for trash pickup again and would also receive free trash bags delivered to our homes. As a newlywed, I debated long and hard about voting for a tax increase that would directly affect my take-home pay. I came to the conclusion that it was necessary, so I voted “yes.”

I don’t recall how long the free trash bags were delivered, but after they were discontinued, I knew that somewhere down the road they would also try to discontinue free trash pickup. It seems that time has now come.

I pay my earning tax based on the city’s promise, and I don’t believe in double taxation for the same service. Please keep this issue in front of the public so no one forgets.

Mary Langseth
Kansas City

Slippery night at Kemper

My wife and I went to see ventriloquist comedian Jeff Dunham at Kemper Arena last Saturday night. The snow had already arrived and made for a nice ice pack, not to say anything about the base of rain that had frozen under the snow. There were more than 10,000 paying customers attending this event that evening. There was not a snowplow or salt spreader anywhere to be seen.

The drive and walk into Kemper Arena was a real adventure, but that was nothing compared to the icy adventure after the show.

It was embarrassing to see that this once-proud arena did not get even enough attention as to get a few hundred pounds of ice melt to keep its attendees safe. I bet they had ice melt at the Sprint Center.

Maybe I should have fallen and sued the city. That seems to be the popular thing to do these days, and when the mayor opened his mouth to voice his opinion, I could have doubled my request to settle.

Come on Kansas City. Step up to the plate.

Troy Meyer
Kansas City

KC snow removal falls short

Let me start off by saying there is not one current City Council person in Kansas City who I would even elect as dog catcher. But what this is really about is the city’s poor road clearing and salting during an ice or snow event. This year I called to get my road cleared after a snow. The 311 call taker was pleasant but did not know if crews could come by and treat my road in a timely manner.

I live on a hill that gets really treacherous if it’s snowy or icy. The call taker suggested that I call my City Council person to see if it could be expedited.

It seems that living on a side street is not even a secondary thought to the city. A “one pass and it’s good” policy is what they follow. Last year I contacted my City Council person at least four times in reference to road conditions and got nowhere.

So, to the City Council: This is Kansas City. We have winters with bad roads. Budget for it!

Mike Partain
Kansas City

Slippery roads in KC

“Wintry Mix”

Two little words that make me twitch:

a forecast for a “wintry mix.”

Can’t it call for a sunny day,

so on dry roads I make my way?

Instead I know my homeward drive,

will be on a slick I-35.

Steven P. Geiger
Overland Park

I was a little surprised when I went to work Tuesday and the roads were not plowed. I figured maybe they were waiting for it to stop snowing.

Nine hours later, as I was returning home from work, I was relieved that I-35 was plowed. That is until I hit the Missouri state line. It had not been plowed, treated, nothing.

Everyone was caught off guard, and it became dangerous in an instant. I cannot believe that the Missouri Department of Transportation could not treat I-35 by the evening rush hour.

Not to be over dramatic, but they are putting people’s lives in danger.

Stephanie G. Nelson
Kansas City