The Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 17, in the third floor superintendent’s conference room, Central Office and Training Center, 2010 N. 59th St., Kansas City, Kan.
The board plans to recess into a closed session to discuss non-elected personnel.
Members of 21st Century KCK Citizens United attended tonight’s Board of Public Utilities meeting. (Photo by William Crum)
by William Crum
More than 250 people, many of them members of 21st Century KCK Citizens United, attended tonight’s Board of Public Utilities meeting.
The citizens group held a community meeting March 26 that it called “The People vs. the BPU.” The citizens group surveyed people about their BPU bills and is studying issues connected with them.
At the beginning of the meeting Board President David Alvey explained the roles of the board, and the general background of BPU itself. He also stated the board encourages people to come to the board meetings and find out what is really going on. He said this is not a political forum at all.
“We set the policies for the board,” he said. He also said, “We as board members do not know about everyone’s bill. In fact,” he said, “it is illegal for us to do so. This is why we have members of the staff there to answer all questions.”
After that BPU chief communications officer David Mehlhaff gave a speech regarding the various departments of the BPU, plus he gave an explanation on such things as why BPU uses the Smart meter system and how to read a utility bill.
Prior to Mehlhaff’s speech a lot of people decided to walk out of the meeting. In fact, some of the members of the audience appeared to be very disgusted and left, while others chose to stay around and listen.
After the meeting members of the BPU staff stayed around to answer questions about the residents’ utility bills.
Security also was increased at tonight’s BPU meeting.
Board of Public Utilities President David Alvey explained to a visiting citizens’ group tonight that the board members set policy for the utility, while the BPU staff deals with bills. (Photo by William Crum)
A federal grand jury returned indictments here today, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Three California residents were indicted on drug charges in Kansas City, Kan.
Luis Angel Sanchez-Cruz, 32, Baldwin Park, Calif.; Daniel Flores, 34, Perris, Calif.; and Evelyn Rose Cardenas, 23, Perris, Calif., are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, one count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute and one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
The crimes are alleged to have occurred from April 1 to April 5, 2014, in Kansas City, Kan. If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.
In another case, Chester Bragg, 36, is charged with failure to register as required by the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The crime is alleged to have occurred starting in December 2013 in Wyandotte County, Kan. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshal Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.
In another case, Javier Zambrano-Sanchez, 39, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, nine counts of distributing various amounts of methamphetamine and five counts of distributing various amounts of cocaine.
The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2012 and 2013 in Johnson and Wyandotte counties. If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on the conspiracy charge. Sentences on the other counts vary: Not more than 20 years, not less than five years, not less than 10 years, depending on the count.
The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.
