Repeat River Market Robbery Inspires Shatto Ice Cream Rebuke Of Mayor Q

Betty Rae's Ice Cream owner Matt Shatto offers local media another scoop to start the week and his latest strident series of complaints directed at Mayor Q.

This time around his tone seems noticeably embittered and risks a frosty relationship with city hall. 

Already, the reaction online is a bit of a swirl with some sprinkling antipathy toward this tactic whilst others encourage small biz to undertake the rocky road of political pressure in order to fight crime. 

Here's a taste of our takeaway . . . 

Kansas City small biz pressuring Mayor Q on crime reveals rising frustration and reminds us that homicide numbers dropping this year DOES NOT tell the whole story regarding local public safety.

And so . . . 

Special thanks to BEST & BRIGHTEST TKC READERS for sharing this extended quote from a Linkedin post that's generating conversation across KCMO  . . .

"I now come to you as a business owner in the River Market that has been broken into for the second time in a little over a month. You see, we had discussed a lot of things, and I had asked for your assistance for proactive efforts to help the River Market. To help us stop crime, keep property and people safe - you refused a meeting at the River Market, you had a meeting in other parts of the city to talk to business owners about crime, specifically property crime. What, river market folks not on the top of that political list?

"Seeing that crime in the River Market continues to be the case, and seeing that we’ve been broken into for a second time. Curious what more it’s gonna take for you to take what’s going on in this area seriously? How many more times do we need to be broken into before you as the city leader starts to focus less on political wins such as reactive reimbursement and actually do something proactive to stop crime in this community?

"Again, I invite you, and bring whatever friends you want to. The police chief, the police commission, your prosecutor that you’re pushing for the coming election, your council member friends or whoever else you want, let’s sit down and have a discussion in the River Market about what’s going on. About the fact that crime continues. About the fact that your business Fund to reimburse people for crime that’s committed against them does not stop crime. Let’s invite the media, let’s allow them to document the conversation and let’s leave politics at the door. Let’s work on real solutions, for real people, for real business owners that have something to lose. Let’s stop looking for actions that will play well on the front page of the star, and let’s start being honest about what we’re dealing with and how we fix it.

"I personally am getting tired of excuses at the top, of being placated and walking along pretending like the City’s actions are going to make a difference."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

KSHB: Betty Rae's Ice Cream owner calls for more proactive efforts after second burglary within a month

KCTV5: ‘Beyond frustrating’: Betty Rae’s location broken into twice in one month

KMBC: New break-in at popular ice cream shop in Kansas City's River Market

KCMO: Owner Matt Shatto will join Pete Mundo on Monday morning at 8:05 on 95.7FM KCMO Talk Radio.

Developing . . .