Money Merry-Go-Round

The presence of the “Circus of Corruption” is the biggest story over the past few years affecting all aspects of local governments including our public utilities and negative impacts to our historic resources.  Governments empowered by corruption and dirty money rely less on the will of the people, citizen-based advisory boards and commissions, and professional standards for city planning and fiscal responsibility.  From a historic preservation standpoint, the “poster child” of local corruption is the old circa 1910 City Hall at 200 South Main located in Truman National Historic Landmark District.  A 50-year lease of this county-owned landmark was facilitated by County Executive Mike Sanders and granted to who would eventually became his employer.   Sanders is now a convicted felon serving prison time.  The county and the leaseholder continue to neglect the landmark while the current County Executive, Frank White, received assistance from the leaseholder for personal financial hardships.  The city remains quiet over situations and ignores these blatant violations of property maintenance codes.  Both city and county continue to use the leaseholder’s law firm for legal services continuing the prejudicial relationships between county, city, developer, and legal consultants.  Even the suggestion of expanding the local historic district to protect the expanded National Historic Landmark District is unacceptable and represents a loss of control to the those riding the merry-go-round.  So to express a geometrical assessment of the Old Town Independence, “The Circle continues on the Square.”