Recently, we've experienced a few unseasonably warm days here. But is the sun truly shining at Platte County? Jason Maki, a county resident who made a Sunshine Law request in July, has his doubts. With a history of successfully suing the City of Parkville for Sunshine Law violations, it's expected that his patience will wear thin at some point.

Sunshine Law Requests and Delays

Back in summer, Maki submitted multiple Sunshine Law requests due to concerns about the Platte County Commission's $84,000 "public education campaign" promoting its jail tax proposal. He believes this campaign was an inappropriate pro-jail tax effort using taxpayer money. He requested various forms of communication like emails, phone logs, and text messages. While he has received some documents, he claims they lack the crucial information he's seeking. Delay tactics seem to be at play, reminiscent of his past experience with the City of Parkville, which led to a $195,000 settlement in a Sunshine Law case.The legitimate question arises: if county commissioners have nothing to hide, why the long delay in providing the requested records? Reasonable people can infer that the delay is likely due to the county having data it doesn't want exposed.Maki wrote to the county clerk this week, expressing concern about the ongoing delays and lack of clarity. He submitted requests on July 21, July 23, Aug. 29, and Oct. 15. Despite the passage of time, some records remain unaddressed. He requests the clerk to clearly identify completed line items and provide a detailed timeline or expected completion date for the remaining records. He also wants confirmation of the county's adherence to the rolling production approach and a log for withheld records.

Transparency and Statutory Obligations

As of now, Maki has not received the requested log. He emphasizes the importance of transparency and the county's statutory obligations under the Missouri Sunshine Law. These delays are concerning and he reminds the county of its duty to produce records promptly and provide a detailed log for any withheld records.On a different note, there's a Chiefs-themed Hallmark Christmas movie that has been playing on the Hallmark channel. Some everyday folks seem to have enjoyed it, noting that it's less cheesy and dorky compared to other similar movies. While I haven't seen it, I've seen a few clips posted by KC-based folks with small roles. For instance, KC Mayor Quinton Lucas appeared in a clip, speaking a line or two. Another clip showed a KC sports radio personality with a very quick on-screen role as an "extra." You can Google to see if there are any more showings scheduled.

The Weston Christmas Movie Experience

A movie filmed in Weston a few years ago had a significant impact on Hallmark/Lifetime style Christmas movies for me. It was very slow-moving and lacked quality. I still regret the two hours I wasted on it. Although it was exciting for Weston to have a movie filmed there, it was a major snoozefest.I have to be cautious when talking about this movie as I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Any negative remarks seem to trigger a response from the relative of one of the main actors. She even started following me on Instagram and interacted with my posts. But her efforts haven't changed my opinion.

County Commission and Supporters

The Platte County Commission and their supporters are quietly encouraging their followers to oppose the recently approved children's tax. On the other hand, those who believe it's inappropriate for the commissioners to go against the voters' will are also mobilizing. If you can't attend in person, you can watch the proceedings on YouTube by searching for the "Platte County government" channel.Enjoy following these developments as we await the outcome.