Notes from Funk's Front Porch

13 July 2007

Dear Folks,

First on my mind this newsletter cycle is to say thank you for all the support you have given us this past week in response to the media coverage regarding our family; it sure has meant a lot to know that you are behind us so solidly. The cards, emails and flowers choked us up at times, but in a good way! I was particularly moved by tenacious supporter Bill Drummond when he told me that he was a member of the GSA (Gloria Squitiro Army) -- he's probably the only member, but I'll take what I can get. We were also moved by a letter to the editor written by a widower who longed to have his wife back as a full partner in his daily life; how we wish we could help fulfill his desire. Thank you again for bolstering us up. As before, we promise to work hard to keep your faith and trust in us.

Funk has asked Councilwoman Jan Marcason to run with her idea of organizing a Council retreat in the near future. The purpose of the one-day event would be to develop a strategic plan that outlines the priorities and goals of the Council as a whole, and what they would like to accomplish in the next four years. This is a brilliant idea. Any time you come together as a group, you can accomplish much more than by standing alone.

We are beginning to enter the water with regards to lending the support of the Mayor's office to the school district. During the campaign, there was a constant, heartfelt theme as to what the community wanted the new Mayor to address once in office, and the schools were one of the biggest themes. We are all very excited to begin the preliminary stages of planning for a citywide, community-focused summit on schools.

The Council had a very spirited business session this past Thursday about extending the City's moratorium on new billboards. You would have been proud of your City Council in action, and, in fact, several citizens came up to me afterwards to say that they have never seen a better-run session. Council members John Sharp and Beth Gottstein did a wonderful job of drafting and getting passed what will almost definitely be the final moratorium before a new ordinance is passed regarding the subject.

The Mayor was in Amsterdam this past week to discuss his book on auditing around the world. He is getting ever so close to having the first, and most dreaded, draft done by the end of this month. I won't hold my breath though, lest I run out of air.

We hope you have a relaxing week with loved ones.

All the best,
Gloria & Mark

You can respond to this newsletter at funksfrontporch@gmail.com
Please help us by forwarding this email to as many people as you think might want to be more informed about their city government.
The Mayor's top ten priorities:

1. Establishing a good working relationship with the Council
2. Getting the City's finances in order
3. Making downtown work
4. Tending to our neighborhoods
5. Implementing the Housing Policy task force recommendations
6. Improving the perception and the reality of public education in Kansas City
7. Reducing Crime
8. Repairing our sewer systems
9. Establishing an excellent regional transit system, which includes light rail
10. Improving citizen satisfaction with City services

Comments

[Xavier Onassis]

"The Mayor was in Amsterdam this past week to discuss his book on auditing around the world. He is getting ever so close to having the first, and most dreaded, draft done by the end of this month."

Umm, do you think this was entirely appropriate?

KC has a newly elected Mayor who has had a few stumbles and missteps. Still trying to get his feet firmly beneath him in his new role as Chief Executive of a major metropolitan area. And he takes time away from this to fly to Amsterdam to discuss a book he is writing on auditing practices?

Do you not think that maybe, just maybe, this might give the impression to some that the mayor is not 100% focused on city business?

I know Mayor Funkhouser is not a politician. But the office of Mayor is a political office, not a bureaucratic one and perception is sometimes, in fact almost always, more important than reality.

I like the idea of what the Mayor is trying to accomplish in Kansas City. I think it's refreshing, I wish him well and I think his rabid attackers should back off and give the man time to accomplish something.

But dang. You don't exactly make it easy for people who want to defend you. You have to look at things through other peoples eyes and ask yourself "how will this be percieved." You just have to. Heck, I have to do it in my job all the time and I'm not even a politician.

Public office at the executive level; Mayors, Governors, Presidents, are viewed by the electorate as a 24/7/365 job. Everything the Mayor does, everyday, all day long has to be thought about in terms of "does what I am about to do help or hinder what I want to accomplish for the people of Kansas City". Everything.

What if the city had suffered a major crisis or was under attack last week? "Where's the Mayor? He's in Holland researching a book he is writing about auditing." Not good. Not good at all.

I don't live in KC, I just work there, and I don't know nuthin' about nuthin'. But as an outsider looking in, and wanting to be supportive, it's getting harder and harder all the time.

I'm just sayin'.

[Craig Morea]

Yesterday's business session was very interesting. The three topics: how the cable lobby has rigged the law to put their equipment in our neighborhoods, the high levels of ozone in K.C., and the tightening of the billboard moratorium, all had -- it seemed to me -- a common theme. I think Beth Gottstein captured it when she said K.C. should become a "green city".

More with this theme seems on the way: the Climate Protection plan and "Green Solutions" to the stormwater issue were mentioned for future discussion.

I hope on day, we'll look back on this council's rule and call it the "greening of K.C."

[Tony]

Why is there a need for the GSA (Gloria Squitiro Army)if Ms. Squitiro says her role in City Hall is over emphasized by her critics?

[john]

The most important part of the post to me was the statement that the mayor was going to step up his efforts on behalf of the school system. I don't know what Mayor Funkhouser or any mayor of KC can do for the school system, but it is one of the top opportunities for improvement in Kansas City.

[thepaintman]

Why does it seems that Brookside is a privilege neighborhood? When we go garage saling we notice alot of Brooksides curbs and sidewalks are being re-done. This is probably the most of anywhere the curbs and sidewalks are done. Brookside asks for speed bumps, they get speed bumps.
I don't live in Waldo but come on now. There are no curbs or sidewalks in that neighborhood. I live in midtown and our curbs and sidewalks are just crumbling away, but not Brookside.

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Good point Paintman. Of course we could talk about race and income inequality, but when you are writing on a blog sponsored by people who see Frances Semler as a dash of diversity, what's the point in trying.

I might also suggest that Brookside receives attention because Brookside votes in large numbers? Midtown and Waldo and other areas of town simply do not turn out to vote at the same levels as Brookside, so there is no political fear factor known as "democracy." And of course that turn out level can be related to the unmentionable topics in the first paragraph.

And no I do not live in Brookside.

By the way, I was gone a few days and I really have to beg forgiveness for not being here to congratulate the Barefoot Commissar on the Wall Street Journal coverage that she garnered for Kansas City Mo. The Gloria and Mark Administration made us all look like a compound of bigots, not a diverse urban area.

A tip of the hat to Councilwoman Gottstein for stating the obvious with regard to the Semler Affair in the WS Journal article. Reading this thread, it looks like the councilwoman is having a good week. This comment probably will result in a trip to the Gloria and Mark Administration's equivalent to Room 101 for Councilwoman Gottstein; however, she seems tough enough to face down what ever they have in store for her.

Ignorance is Strength
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Funkhouser is Reform

E. Goldstein, Sec. 720

[thepaintman]

E. Goldstein? Some people believe Jesus is the Savior and some people don't. Some people believe in the war of Iraq, others don't. I believe Funkhouser is going to do a better job than the other Mayors. You don't.

[john]

If I were more cynical, I would wonder if Goldstein might be employed by the Mayor's office. After reading Goldstein's comments, suddenly the Mayor's statements seem even more reasonable

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

WOW

It is a pretty telling commentary when the way a blogger's credibility is attacked now is to say they work for the Mayor's office.

No, I wear shoes and I do not run around public buildings half-dressed, nor do I belong to any religious hate groups, nor do I post "Too Much Information" photos of my partner and me on Web sites, so I am not "qualified" to be in the Gloria and Mark regime.

As I said in my post, I actually agreed with ThePaintman's comments on OH So Cute Brookside, but he seems a bit defensive.

Now I see ThePaintman is only a shill posting something so that Funk could come in and post what his ghostwriters produced -- kind of like a rugby team tossing the ball backward as they try to move forward down the field. Oh My, this Mayor is SO engaged and so COOL to blog! GAG!

Welcome to the Scrum. You might want to take this site down before you politically hurt yourself any further.

Ignorance is Strength
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Funkhouser is Reform

E. Goldstein, Sec. 720

[Xavier Onassis]

Goldstein - the only reason I could see for them taking this website down is to prevent lunatics like you from hijacking it for their own purposes.

You want a blog? Go get one.