Important Obama Stimulus Cash is on the line and a Northland Evangelical Church stands at the center of a controversy involving nearly 1 MILLION DOLLARS of free money!!!
All of this goes back to a cash giveaway buried deep in the almost indecipherable details of City Ordinance #090436. As TKC previously reported, almost $1 million bucks is going to Harvest Church - A predominantly African-American Church that formerly hosted a bunch of Chiefs players (since traded) and also (some say) is the preferred faith community for folks in the City's Housing Department . . . Which isn't really a big problem until talk came to light that Housing Folks are unfairly pushing the interests of their church in a less than transparent manner.
To wit . . .
CITY HALL WATCHERS ARE SHOCKED THAT (AS OF THIS WRITING) HOUSING DIRECTOR SHIRLEY WINN WILL NEITHER CONFIRM NOR DENY HER MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHURCH AT THE CENTER OF STIMULUS CASH CONTROVERSY!!!
Former housing dude Stan Barrett is also a bigwig at the Church and his connections to City Hall staff still run pretty deep according to TKC TIPSTERS.
There's a lot of things that upset people about this deal . . . It's not rumors that the Pastor lives in a huge McMansion in a nice Northland suburb or the fact that the Gracemor neighborhood already hosts some duplicate services that Harvest Church is going to provide with Obama Cash.
There are more serious questions related to local government representation on this issue.
Neighbors have already expressed their opposition to this plan. Even worse, the architects of this scheme don't even live in this part of Kansas City. Councilman Terry Riley has been pushing for the money for Harvest Church against the will of neighbors. TKC TIPSTERS are saying that the Harvest cash wasn't even introduced until Councilman Bill Skaggs went on a short, planned vacation. There's strong support for this thing on the Eastside but just to look at this topic from a different perspective . . . Let's imagine . . .
WHAT WOULD THE REACTION BE IF NORTHLAND COUNCIL PEOPLE PUSHED THEIR WILL ON THE EASTSIDE AND IGNORED NEIGHBORHOOD OPPOSITION?!?!?
While community activist Carol Coe has been pushing this idea . . . No one has been brave enough to ask her that simple question.
However, there's a bright side to all of this . . .
BECAUSE OF TKC TIPSTERS AND READERS A LOCAL BLACK CHURCH IN THE NORTHLAND THAT SOME SAY IMPROPERLY USED CITY HALL CONNECTIONS WILL MOST LIKELY BE DENIED THAT SWEET OBAMA CASH!!!
Taking money away from a Black Church (?!?!) . . . Sometimes I really feel like I do make a difference in Kansas City.
Anyhoo . . . Behind the scenes the real folks who do the serious work on this issue in the Northland are screaming bloody murder and feel that the cash should be spent somewhere else. Accusations are flying and there's talk that Housing gave their approval to Harvest Church without even giving anyone else consideration. Most notably, Northland Neighborhoods Inc. develops projects that fall under the stimulus guidelines with a solid track record. There's also the hope that old school Northland infrastructure will some how see repair.
In any event, Council Lady Deb Herman is the the leader who has really stepped up to the plate on this one and given a voice to surrounding neighbors who don't want to see important Obama cash wasted on a Church project that holds little promise of economic stimulus or credible neighborhood development. To wit . . .
THERE IS WORD NOW THAT THE COUNCIL HAS THE VOTES FOR A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE THAT WILL NIX THE FUNDING FOR HARVEST CHURCH AND HOPEFULLY PROVIDE A BETTER ALTERNATIVE!!!
The ordinance has already been held up for a week . . . And I still have a sneaking suspicion that this will become a racial issue rather than one of efficacy in the expenditure of public money . . . Still, there's always surprise in store when divisions related to race, class, location and politics come into play on the subject of a government cash giveaway. So . . . While I have a bit of hope that the Council will do the right thing and KILL THE USELESS FUNDING FOR HARVEST CHURCH!!! I'm also prepared to see government pork resurrected in some other fashion.
We will know on Thursday . . . Because the deadline for the greater part of Kansas City Obama cash happens on June 5 . . . Friday . . . So there's not really time for a lot of fighting thanks to horrible City Hall planning.
PREVIOUS TKC INVESTIGATION WITH THE HELP OF KICKASS TKC TIPSTERS:
Sweet Jesus.
ReplyDeleteSo they're getting the money or no Tony?
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't Terry fighting for some stimulus money to go to project in the neighborhood he represents the predominantly minority and much more needy 5th district. And if they just wanted it to be faith-based, there are plenty of churches (black, white, otherwise) in that area that already have shown they are capable of running social programs successfully. Sounds like they just want to get money into the coffers of their cult, I mean church and are not trying to benefit the northland, the black community or anyone else. And yes many in the black community consider Harbest a cult. They make you turn over your W2s to determine how much you should tithe and discourage members from belonging to (really paying dues to) any other groups outside the church that take money, I mean "focus" from the person's involvement with Harvest. They also are part of this prosperity theology movement and have speakers like Rev. Creflo Dollar (yes that is his name. Look him up)
ReplyDeleteRiley is a crook and he thinks he's going to be Mayor. Elect him and the only thing for sure is that we will get 4 more years of Wayne Cauthen.
ReplyDeleteI wanna be a crook in city hall. Where do I apply?
ReplyDeleteI wanna be a crook in city hall. Where do I apply?
ReplyDeleteSOrry pal. wait till election time.
ReplyDeleteCreflo Dollar is a slimeball. And he changed his surname to Dollar. (He should have changed his lame ass first name, too.)
ReplyDeleteBetter Harvest than GM.
ReplyDeleteplaya' hatin' agin'. don't hate the player, hate the game. and then teach us the rules.
ReplyDeletebtw, harvest church is not in gracemor. you did know that didn't you?
It's right next. Stop hatin.
ReplyDeleteWonder if there would be all of this outrage if the money was awarded to Catholic Charities? It is not Harvest's fault that city officials didn't get off their butts and go after federal stimulus dollars that could have benefitted many social service programs and faith-based organizations that serve the community. Why would Deb Herman or Bill Skaggs try to prevent money from going to a church in their district? Unless it is because the congregation is predominately african american? That has got the only reason. People have sat by and watch money wasted on all kinds of ineffective projects and programs and didn't raise an eyebrow or bat an eye, but let a black church get a crumb and they want to snatch that! This is really sad. Have any of you ever bothered to go see what this church for their members? They have some wonderful ministries, programs and schools at Harvest. I know this and I'm not even a member. I hope they receive the funding to continue to do good works in the community for many years to come.
ReplyDeleteYancy you make an excellent point.
ReplyDeleteMoney may not cometh to The Harvest Church after all. [That's some high brow humor for you.]
ReplyDeleteYancy, you didn't answer the question in this blog. How would you feel if Bill Skaggs and Deb Herman came to the East side and built something against the will of the community?
ReplyDeleteWhy should there be a double standard?
Yancy, that church could be the best thing on the planet and it still wouldn't make it right to take money from me at gunpoint (taxation) in order so that they can "do good" with it.
ReplyDelete"Yancy, you didn't answer the question in this blog. How would you feel if Bill Skaggs and Deb Herman came to the East side and built something against the will of the community?
ReplyDeleteWhy should there be a double standard?"
That's a daily double! What is the Power & Light District?
No it's not just affecting the eastside, it's city wide gunpoint taxation costing us way more than a $1 million dollars.
the answer to Yancy is...this is not in Terry Riley's district, plain and simple. Deb knew nothing of this until it was presented at city council, apparently, as she was incensed! Not too long ago, John Sharp stuck his nose in someone else's district and promptly got it smacked! His amendment was soundly voted down with the discussion of 'learning his lesson'. The same needs to be done here. It is not a racial issue, it is an issue of respect for another council person's district.
ReplyDeleteGod is going to have His way!
ReplyDeleteFaith based programs are wrong wrong wrong.
ReplyDeleteUnless the money goes to Democrats, right?
Can't we all just get along ?
ReplyDelete