Saturday, August 13, 2005
Donation taken by Citizens For Responsible Community was for Heritage Residents Association
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
St. Charles County Developer Steve Groeper of Western Expansion Group told the First Capitol News a $10,000 donation his company made in January 2004 to the Heritage Residents Association was for the HRA to do with whatever they wanted. He did not direct that $5,000 of that amount was to go to the Citizens For Responsible Community, a political action committee headed by Carl Maus and Raymond Stone. “I gave the $10,000 to the Heritage Residents Association to do with what they wanted and absolutely did not direct that $5,000 of the money was to go to CFRC,” Groeper said. “I didn’t care what they did with the money.”
After the HRA received the $10,000 check from Groeper the board was told by it’s president at the time, Carl Maus, that only $5,000 was for HRA and the other $5,000 was to go to CFRC. Other board members resisted any payment to CFRC and refused to pay any money to CFRC. Maus was also the president of Citizens for Responsible Community at the time and still holds that office.
An internal fight developed over the funds, which resulted in $3,293.75 in legal fees for HRA. At a later meeting, that was not attended by several board members, a HRA check for $5,000 was issued to CFRC.
Maus did not run for re-election as president of HRA as he was moving to Heritage Trails, and into a new home. Two candidates representing Citizens for Responsible Community were defeated in their election attempts to join the HRA board. Maus was elected to the board in the 2005 elections as a representative from Heritage Trails. Two other candidates aligned with him in Citizens for Responsible Community were defeated in their attempts to join the HRA board.
An attorney hired by the HRA board, Joel Brett, investigated the matter and reported back to the board. He wrote the board that the $5,000 payment the board made to CFRC was apparently a misdirection of funds to avoid the appearance of CFRC accepting money from a developer, particularly since the purpose of CFRC was to prevent another developer from purchasing and developing property. He wrote the board the $5,000 should be returned to the HRA by CRFC and then perhaps returned to Groeper and his company, Western Expansion. The HRA attorney also advised the board that Maus being president of HRA at the same time he was president of CFRC was at the very least a conflict of interest and should have been disclosed to all members of the association (all residents) and not just the board members.
Other recommendations he made to the board were; hire an independent accounting firm to audit the HRA books for the past two to four years and to take bids for services and/or materials of any significant amount. He also believed that funneling the donation from Western Expansion Group through HRA to CFRC constitutes a violation of the Missouri Ethics statute as well as the rules and regulations promulgated by the Missouri Ethics Commission. In closing he wrote, “ I also firmly believe that the association had no authority to make this donation ($5,000 to CFRC). Clearly Mr. Maus’ dual roles and the commingling of funds for attorney’s fees and contributions, at the very least, gives the appearance of impropriety, and in my opinion was improper and illegal.”
In the July 30th edition of the First Capitol News we reported the Heritage Residents Association voted to refer information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) along with a request for a Criminal Investigation on the advice of their accountant.
We also reported the Missouri Ethics Commission notified the HRA sufficient evidence was found to refer their complaint against Carl Maus and the Citizens for Responsible Community to the Attorney General for further handling.
The HRA board recently hired a new accounting firm, Crowder Accounting St. Charles. Crowder told the HRA the way CMA (former accountant) reported the $10,000 donation from Groeper on the financial statement, presented HRA with a problem that must be corrected. Crowder recommended the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service be contacted and request an investigation.
Frank Rosner, president of the HRA told the First Capitol News this action was being taken.
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St. Charles County Developer Steve Groeper of Western Expansion Group told the First Capitol News a $10,000 donation his company made in January 2004 to the Heritage Residents Association was for the HRA to do with whatever they wanted. He did not direct that $5,000 of that amount was to go to the Citizens For Responsible Community, a political action committee headed by Carl Maus and Raymond Stone. “I gave the $10,000 to the Heritage Residents Association to do with what they wanted and absolutely did not direct that $5,000 of the money was to go to CFRC,” Groeper said. “I didn’t care what they did with the money.”
After the HRA received the $10,000 check from Groeper the board was told by it’s president at the time, Carl Maus, that only $5,000 was for HRA and the other $5,000 was to go to CFRC. Other board members resisted any payment to CFRC and refused to pay any money to CFRC. Maus was also the president of Citizens for Responsible Community at the time and still holds that office.
An internal fight developed over the funds, which resulted in $3,293.75 in legal fees for HRA. At a later meeting, that was not attended by several board members, a HRA check for $5,000 was issued to CFRC.
Maus did not run for re-election as president of HRA as he was moving to Heritage Trails, and into a new home. Two candidates representing Citizens for Responsible Community were defeated in their election attempts to join the HRA board. Maus was elected to the board in the 2005 elections as a representative from Heritage Trails. Two other candidates aligned with him in Citizens for Responsible Community were defeated in their attempts to join the HRA board.
An attorney hired by the HRA board, Joel Brett, investigated the matter and reported back to the board. He wrote the board that the $5,000 payment the board made to CFRC was apparently a misdirection of funds to avoid the appearance of CFRC accepting money from a developer, particularly since the purpose of CFRC was to prevent another developer from purchasing and developing property. He wrote the board the $5,000 should be returned to the HRA by CRFC and then perhaps returned to Groeper and his company, Western Expansion. The HRA attorney also advised the board that Maus being president of HRA at the same time he was president of CFRC was at the very least a conflict of interest and should have been disclosed to all members of the association (all residents) and not just the board members.
Other recommendations he made to the board were; hire an independent accounting firm to audit the HRA books for the past two to four years and to take bids for services and/or materials of any significant amount. He also believed that funneling the donation from Western Expansion Group through HRA to CFRC constitutes a violation of the Missouri Ethics statute as well as the rules and regulations promulgated by the Missouri Ethics Commission. In closing he wrote, “ I also firmly believe that the association had no authority to make this donation ($5,000 to CFRC). Clearly Mr. Maus’ dual roles and the commingling of funds for attorney’s fees and contributions, at the very least, gives the appearance of impropriety, and in my opinion was improper and illegal.”
In the July 30th edition of the First Capitol News we reported the Heritage Residents Association voted to refer information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) along with a request for a Criminal Investigation on the advice of their accountant.
We also reported the Missouri Ethics Commission notified the HRA sufficient evidence was found to refer their complaint against Carl Maus and the Citizens for Responsible Community to the Attorney General for further handling.
The HRA board recently hired a new accounting firm, Crowder Accounting St. Charles. Crowder told the HRA the way CMA (former accountant) reported the $10,000 donation from Groeper on the financial statement, presented HRA with a problem that must be corrected. Crowder recommended the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service be contacted and request an investigation.
Frank Rosner, president of the HRA told the First Capitol News this action was being taken.
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Mayor & Husband Fail To Correct 21 Month Old Ordinance Violation
Mayor & Husband ignore 5 day violation notice from City
In our last edition we reported the building pictured above at 218 N. Main has been boarded up with black painted plywood since November of 2003 in violation of City ordinances. We brought this matter to the attention of the City Administration several months ago and nothing was done. Several hours after our paper hit the streets last week we received the following e-mail from Tom Ashburn the Director of Community Development for the City.
We checked this out yesterday and confirmed your report and a complaint we received from a businessman on N. Main earlier this week, that one of the glass panels has been replaced with a plywood panel that is painted black. We also checked our records to see if any notices had been sent on this in the past and they have not. As you may know, the City's Code of Ordinances does allow temporary boarding of windows for up to 90 days and then the boards must be removed and the windows must contain glazing which is free from cracks or holes. Based on your complaint as well as the other complaint we received, we have reason to believe that the board has in fact been up longer than the 90 days permitted by the ordinance. Therefore, we are sending out a letter today to the property owners notifying them of this violation and giving them 5 days to take corrective action. The vast majority of code violations are handled on a complaint basis. We were not aware of this violation prior to your complaint and the complaint received earlier this week. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
We checked the building Thursday evening, and the window has not been brought into compliance with City codes. The Mayor took an oath of office to uphold the ordinances of the City and in November she will be in violation of that oath for two years.
In our last edition we reported the building pictured above at 218 N. Main has been boarded up with black painted plywood since November of 2003 in violation of City ordinances. We brought this matter to the attention of the City Administration several months ago and nothing was done. Several hours after our paper hit the streets last week we received the following e-mail from Tom Ashburn the Director of Community Development for the City.
We checked this out yesterday and confirmed your report and a complaint we received from a businessman on N. Main earlier this week, that one of the glass panels has been replaced with a plywood panel that is painted black. We also checked our records to see if any notices had been sent on this in the past and they have not. As you may know, the City's Code of Ordinances does allow temporary boarding of windows for up to 90 days and then the boards must be removed and the windows must contain glazing which is free from cracks or holes. Based on your complaint as well as the other complaint we received, we have reason to believe that the board has in fact been up longer than the 90 days permitted by the ordinance. Therefore, we are sending out a letter today to the property owners notifying them of this violation and giving them 5 days to take corrective action. The vast majority of code violations are handled on a complaint basis. We were not aware of this violation prior to your complaint and the complaint received earlier this week. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
We checked the building Thursday evening, and the window has not been brought into compliance with City codes. The Mayor took an oath of office to uphold the ordinances of the City and in November she will be in violation of that oath for two years.
Who Finances Dirty Trick Mud Slinging Politics By Citizens For Responsible Community?
By Tony Brockmeyer
Records at the Missouri Ethics Commission reveals who is financing the political action committee calling itself Citizens For Responsible Community. Not only does CFRC donate money to political campaigns they are responsible for soft money spent in the campaigns. Soft money in CFRC’s hands is money spent to fool the public and to degrade a particular candidate and sway the public’s opinion to electing the candidate of their choice. This is done by distorting facts and telling half-truths in an attempt to destroy a candidate or any supporters of candidates who may reveal their secret agenda. Without donations committees such as CFRC could not exist.
Some of the largest donors are;
Glennon Jamboretz $37,250 owner of The Glennon Company a Public Relations Company, Jamboretz is a helper and advisor to St. Charles Mayor Patti York. He also represented Ameristar Casino, Anheuser Busch, Great Rivers Habitat Alliance where he is a board member and the Fraternal Order of Police and state FOP president Tommy Mayer a former St. Charles Police Sergeant who was fired for allegedly ordering City Administrator Allan Williams from his vehicle and onto the ground at gun point and has a $104 million dollar suit against St. Charles City and the City Council. Jamboretz along with former Councilman Ken Kielty heads a group called St. Charles Citizens for Better Government which was formed with the intent to recall City Council persons who were considered road blocks to the Mayor and her special interest groups;
Adolphus Busch IV $30,000 millionaire beer baron and board member of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance ;
Don Musick $30,000, developer and St. Louis millionaire duck hunter a board member of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance,
Charles Hager $30,000 millionaire owner of Hager Hinge & Manufacturing and a board member of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance
T.R. Hughes, former St. Charles police officer and millionaire developer and member of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance. Hughes is a confidant and supporter of Mayor York and actively campaigned to have his favored candidates, including Jerry Reese, Mike Weller, Bob Kneemiller and Larry Muench elected to the St. Charles City Council. He opposed the elections of Rory Riddler, John Gieseke, Mark Brown, Joe Koester, Dottie Greet and Bob Hoefpner. Hoepfner, after returning from a trip to Germany with Reese and the Mayor had a secret meeting with Hughes, which Hoepfner later denied and then admitted, later appeared to be supportive of Hughes and his dealings with the City;
Joe Orthwerth for Good Government Committee $7,189.13. Orthwerth is the St. Charles County Executive and pastor of the new Highway for Holiness Church that is meeting in the O’Fallon City Hall.
Don C. Musick III $6250
C. Hager & Sons Hinge $6250
Stephen Blechle $9,000
James W. Blechle $9,000
Paul Von Gontard
Other contributors to Citizens For Good Government are:
Ameristar Casino, St. Charles Charter Preservation Committee, Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, Vantage Homes, REGAH LLC, Raccoon Ranch Club, Charles Hager, Jr., Rails of Riverwood Community Association, Charles and Ruth Didion, Thomas Sommers, Tropical Décor, Joseph & Elaine Cronin, Eddie & Park LLC, Cooperative Mgt. Co., Kielty Enterprises, Citizens to Elect Patti York, Oracle Development, Harrah’s Casino, Gary Chytil, Vicki White, Eagle Pines Community Association, Wheeler Canyon Community Association, Professional Real Estate Associates LLC, T. Randolph Porter, and All County Real Estate Development LLC.
Records at the Missouri Ethics Commission reveals who is financing the political action committee calling itself Citizens For Responsible Community. Not only does CFRC donate money to political campaigns they are responsible for soft money spent in the campaigns. Soft money in CFRC’s hands is money spent to fool the public and to degrade a particular candidate and sway the public’s opinion to electing the candidate of their choice. This is done by distorting facts and telling half-truths in an attempt to destroy a candidate or any supporters of candidates who may reveal their secret agenda. Without donations committees such as CFRC could not exist.
Some of the largest donors are;
Glennon Jamboretz $37,250 owner of The Glennon Company a Public Relations Company, Jamboretz is a helper and advisor to St. Charles Mayor Patti York. He also represented Ameristar Casino, Anheuser Busch, Great Rivers Habitat Alliance where he is a board member and the Fraternal Order of Police and state FOP president Tommy Mayer a former St. Charles Police Sergeant who was fired for allegedly ordering City Administrator Allan Williams from his vehicle and onto the ground at gun point and has a $104 million dollar suit against St. Charles City and the City Council. Jamboretz along with former Councilman Ken Kielty heads a group called St. Charles Citizens for Better Government which was formed with the intent to recall City Council persons who were considered road blocks to the Mayor and her special interest groups;
Adolphus Busch IV $30,000 millionaire beer baron and board member of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance ;
Don Musick $30,000, developer and St. Louis millionaire duck hunter a board member of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance,
Charles Hager $30,000 millionaire owner of Hager Hinge & Manufacturing and a board member of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance
T.R. Hughes, former St. Charles police officer and millionaire developer and member of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance. Hughes is a confidant and supporter of Mayor York and actively campaigned to have his favored candidates, including Jerry Reese, Mike Weller, Bob Kneemiller and Larry Muench elected to the St. Charles City Council. He opposed the elections of Rory Riddler, John Gieseke, Mark Brown, Joe Koester, Dottie Greet and Bob Hoefpner. Hoepfner, after returning from a trip to Germany with Reese and the Mayor had a secret meeting with Hughes, which Hoepfner later denied and then admitted, later appeared to be supportive of Hughes and his dealings with the City;
Joe Orthwerth for Good Government Committee $7,189.13. Orthwerth is the St. Charles County Executive and pastor of the new Highway for Holiness Church that is meeting in the O’Fallon City Hall.
Don C. Musick III $6250
C. Hager & Sons Hinge $6250
Stephen Blechle $9,000
James W. Blechle $9,000
Paul Von Gontard
Other contributors to Citizens For Good Government are:
Ameristar Casino, St. Charles Charter Preservation Committee, Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, Vantage Homes, REGAH LLC, Raccoon Ranch Club, Charles Hager, Jr., Rails of Riverwood Community Association, Charles and Ruth Didion, Thomas Sommers, Tropical Décor, Joseph & Elaine Cronin, Eddie & Park LLC, Cooperative Mgt. Co., Kielty Enterprises, Citizens to Elect Patti York, Oracle Development, Harrah’s Casino, Gary Chytil, Vicki White, Eagle Pines Community Association, Wheeler Canyon Community Association, Professional Real Estate Associates LLC, T. Randolph Porter, and All County Real Estate Development LLC.
Who Benefits from the Dirty Mud Slinging Politics of Citizens For Responsible Community and Founders Carl Maus & Raymond Stone?
By Tony Brockmeyer
Citizens For Responsible Community, a political action committee started by Raymond Stone and Carl Maus, has become very active in St. Charles County politics. Financed by large influxes of cash from St. Louis and St. Charles millionaires, they have supported candidates to political office who supported the special interests of their millionaire benefactors. They have also opposed candidates who were against the millionaires receiving special treatment for their special interests.
Not only does CFRC donate money to political campaigns, they were responsible for soft money spent in the campaigns. Soft money in CFRC’s hands is money spent to fool the public and to degrade a particular candidate and sway the public’s opinion to electing the candidate of their choice. This is done by distorting facts and telling half-truths in an attempt to destroy a candidate or any supporters of candidates who may reveal their secret agenda. Without large influxes of cash from special interests committees such as CFRC could not exist.
Candidates supported by Citizens for Responsible Community have included;
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt
St. Charles Mayor Patti York $3832.39
St. Charles Councilmen Bob Kneemiller, Mike Weller $1598.75 and Dan Gould
St. Charles Council candidates Rod Herrmann $1676.75 and Tom Kuypers $1591.78
St. Peters Mayor Shawn Brown $15,746.49
St. Charles County Councilman Joe Brazil $9072.00
St. Charles County Councilman Doug Funderburk $12,230.80
Candidate for County Council Richard Baum $5,457.22 (unsuccessful)
O’Fallon Mayor Donna Morrow $18,213.29 (Successful)
State Representative Sally Faith
O’Fallon Aldermen Lyn Schipper $2770.12, Bob Patek $2770.12, Jeff Kuehn $2770.12
Candidate for O’Fallon Alderman Terry Busken $4,382.43 (Successful)
Candidate for O’Fallon Alderman Randy Hudson, 4,415.16 (Successful)
Candidate for O’Fallon Alderman Jimmy Mitchell $4,435.65 (Successful)
Other candidates supported financially by Citizens for Responsible Community include;
Douglas Hug
J. Brad Smith
Mary Chrismer
Amy Schipper
Barbara Flagg
Les Mironuck
Bernie McCan
Roland Wetzel
James Bennett
Friends of Jeff Smith (St. Louis)
Citizens for Mitchell
Friends of Dave Hinman
Friends of Donna Morrow
Friends of Randy Hudson
Citizens for Busken
Citizens For Responsible Community, a political action committee started by Raymond Stone and Carl Maus, has become very active in St. Charles County politics. Financed by large influxes of cash from St. Louis and St. Charles millionaires, they have supported candidates to political office who supported the special interests of their millionaire benefactors. They have also opposed candidates who were against the millionaires receiving special treatment for their special interests.
Not only does CFRC donate money to political campaigns, they were responsible for soft money spent in the campaigns. Soft money in CFRC’s hands is money spent to fool the public and to degrade a particular candidate and sway the public’s opinion to electing the candidate of their choice. This is done by distorting facts and telling half-truths in an attempt to destroy a candidate or any supporters of candidates who may reveal their secret agenda. Without large influxes of cash from special interests committees such as CFRC could not exist.
Candidates supported by Citizens for Responsible Community have included;
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt
St. Charles Mayor Patti York $3832.39
St. Charles Councilmen Bob Kneemiller, Mike Weller $1598.75 and Dan Gould
St. Charles Council candidates Rod Herrmann $1676.75 and Tom Kuypers $1591.78
St. Peters Mayor Shawn Brown $15,746.49
St. Charles County Councilman Joe Brazil $9072.00
St. Charles County Councilman Doug Funderburk $12,230.80
Candidate for County Council Richard Baum $5,457.22 (unsuccessful)
O’Fallon Mayor Donna Morrow $18,213.29 (Successful)
State Representative Sally Faith
O’Fallon Aldermen Lyn Schipper $2770.12, Bob Patek $2770.12, Jeff Kuehn $2770.12
Candidate for O’Fallon Alderman Terry Busken $4,382.43 (Successful)
Candidate for O’Fallon Alderman Randy Hudson, 4,415.16 (Successful)
Candidate for O’Fallon Alderman Jimmy Mitchell $4,435.65 (Successful)
Other candidates supported financially by Citizens for Responsible Community include;
Douglas Hug
J. Brad Smith
Mary Chrismer
Amy Schipper
Barbara Flagg
Les Mironuck
Bernie McCan
Roland Wetzel
James Bennett
Friends of Jeff Smith (St. Louis)
Citizens for Mitchell
Friends of Dave Hinman
Friends of Donna Morrow
Friends of Randy Hudson
Citizens for Busken
CFRC - WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?
How Citizens For Responsible Community Came Into Existence
Citizens For Responsible Community came into existence on March 11, 2002. Carl Maus was President, Raymond Stone Vice President, Al Mercer Secretary, Richard Blalock Treasurer and Kathleen Ball as Deputy Treasurer. Since their inception this group has been involved in St. Charles politics even though none of them reside in St. Charles.
During the last Mayor’s race the group sent out negative mailings against St. Charles County Councilman Dan Foust who was challenging York for the seat. York denied any knowledge of the group or of the mailing. Election night photos showed Stone standing next to York when she was acknowledging her victory to supports. Reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission show Citizens For Responsible Community donated $3,832.39 to Patti York. The records also show on May 13, 2003 Citizens To Elect Patti York made a $2,300 donation to CFRC.
In 2001, the Jones Company came before the St. Charles City Council with a proposal to build over 900 homes on property near the Page Avenue Extension and to have the property annexed into the City. The proposal, known as Cavendish Square, was denied after a petition drive headed by Maus and Stone. Their complaint was the property was more suitable for commercial and they did not want high density residential developed.
Another developer took over the property after the petition drive by Maus and Stone forced the Jones Company to give up.
When the Jones Company proposed a development on the grounds to the St. Charles Golf Course, Maus and Stone and CFRC became involved with area residents and once again foiled a development. Once again another developer stepped in and took over the project.
Since that time Maus and Stone have formed a kinship with St. Charles Mayor Patti York and her husband Lionel. They attend St. Charles City Council meetings frequently and have been given use of the Mayor’s office in City Hall from time to time even though neither resides within the City limits.
The First Capitol News in our April 5-16 edition reported the Citizens For Responsible Community had raised nearly $107,000most of it coming from St. Louis and St. Charles millionaires, Don Musick, Charles Hager, Glennon Jamboretz, T.R. Hughes and Adolphus Busch IV. They have been using the money to attempt to unseat incumbent city officials in St. Charles, St. Peters and O’Fallon.
CFRC sent out waves of expensive mailings attacking candidates in several St. Charles City Council races. The mailers came out attacking Councilman Bob Hoepfner Ward 10, Councilman John Gieseke Ward 8, Councilman John Scheer Ward 5 and Councilman Rory Riddler Ward 1. They also sent out material attempting to defeat Joe Koester and Dottie Greer. The CFRC Candidate Mike Weller defeated John Scheer. CFRC also backed Bob Kneemiller, Larry Muench and Jerry Reese.
In St. Peters they were successful in ousting incumbent Mayor Tom Brown and installing Shawn Brown as St. Peters Mayor. In O’Fallon they were successful in the election of Donna Morrow as Mayor and several of the Aldermen.
CFRC promoted Joe Brazil and Doug Funderburk in their reelection campaigns for the St. Charles County Council. They also backed former St. Charles City Councilman Richard Baum in his unsuccessful race for St. Charles County Council against Joe McCullouch. Baum also lost his reelection campaign for his City Council seat
Besides being used as hired guns to put into office candidates who are agreeable to the agenda put forward by the millionaires they have also been helping Great Rivers Habitat Alliance in their fight against a development on 1600 acres involving the Lakeside 370 Business Park Property in St. Peters.
St. Peters officials recently discovered a secret memo, which outlined Great Rivers plan to gain control of the Lakeside 370 property so they could achieve financial gain. St. Peters officials rejected a $5 million offer from Great Rivers for the property, which Great Rivers later raised, to $12 million. The property has been sold to Kaplan Development for $50 million.
It is also believed they are involved in the attempt by Mayor Shawn Brown of St. Peters to have St. Charles County Councilman Jeff Morrison removed as Prosecuting Attorney for St. Peters. That was foiled by a 5 to 2 vote by the St. Peters Board of Aldermen Tuesday evening.
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Citizens For Responsible Community came into existence on March 11, 2002. Carl Maus was President, Raymond Stone Vice President, Al Mercer Secretary, Richard Blalock Treasurer and Kathleen Ball as Deputy Treasurer. Since their inception this group has been involved in St. Charles politics even though none of them reside in St. Charles.
During the last Mayor’s race the group sent out negative mailings against St. Charles County Councilman Dan Foust who was challenging York for the seat. York denied any knowledge of the group or of the mailing. Election night photos showed Stone standing next to York when she was acknowledging her victory to supports. Reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission show Citizens For Responsible Community donated $3,832.39 to Patti York. The records also show on May 13, 2003 Citizens To Elect Patti York made a $2,300 donation to CFRC.
In 2001, the Jones Company came before the St. Charles City Council with a proposal to build over 900 homes on property near the Page Avenue Extension and to have the property annexed into the City. The proposal, known as Cavendish Square, was denied after a petition drive headed by Maus and Stone. Their complaint was the property was more suitable for commercial and they did not want high density residential developed.
Another developer took over the property after the petition drive by Maus and Stone forced the Jones Company to give up.
When the Jones Company proposed a development on the grounds to the St. Charles Golf Course, Maus and Stone and CFRC became involved with area residents and once again foiled a development. Once again another developer stepped in and took over the project.
Since that time Maus and Stone have formed a kinship with St. Charles Mayor Patti York and her husband Lionel. They attend St. Charles City Council meetings frequently and have been given use of the Mayor’s office in City Hall from time to time even though neither resides within the City limits.
The First Capitol News in our April 5-16 edition reported the Citizens For Responsible Community had raised nearly $107,000most of it coming from St. Louis and St. Charles millionaires, Don Musick, Charles Hager, Glennon Jamboretz, T.R. Hughes and Adolphus Busch IV. They have been using the money to attempt to unseat incumbent city officials in St. Charles, St. Peters and O’Fallon.
CFRC sent out waves of expensive mailings attacking candidates in several St. Charles City Council races. The mailers came out attacking Councilman Bob Hoepfner Ward 10, Councilman John Gieseke Ward 8, Councilman John Scheer Ward 5 and Councilman Rory Riddler Ward 1. They also sent out material attempting to defeat Joe Koester and Dottie Greer. The CFRC Candidate Mike Weller defeated John Scheer. CFRC also backed Bob Kneemiller, Larry Muench and Jerry Reese.
In St. Peters they were successful in ousting incumbent Mayor Tom Brown and installing Shawn Brown as St. Peters Mayor. In O’Fallon they were successful in the election of Donna Morrow as Mayor and several of the Aldermen.
CFRC promoted Joe Brazil and Doug Funderburk in their reelection campaigns for the St. Charles County Council. They also backed former St. Charles City Councilman Richard Baum in his unsuccessful race for St. Charles County Council against Joe McCullouch. Baum also lost his reelection campaign for his City Council seat
Besides being used as hired guns to put into office candidates who are agreeable to the agenda put forward by the millionaires they have also been helping Great Rivers Habitat Alliance in their fight against a development on 1600 acres involving the Lakeside 370 Business Park Property in St. Peters.
St. Peters officials recently discovered a secret memo, which outlined Great Rivers plan to gain control of the Lakeside 370 property so they could achieve financial gain. St. Peters officials rejected a $5 million offer from Great Rivers for the property, which Great Rivers later raised, to $12 million. The property has been sold to Kaplan Development for $50 million.
It is also believed they are involved in the attempt by Mayor Shawn Brown of St. Peters to have St. Charles County Councilman Jeff Morrison removed as Prosecuting Attorney for St. Peters. That was foiled by a 5 to 2 vote by the St. Peters Board of Aldermen Tuesday evening.
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RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
WORD ON THE STREET
DOES WILLIAMS WANT TO CONTRACT WITH STEVE POWELL?
It is believed City Administrator Allan Williams is scrambling to locate taxpayer funds because he wants to send former CEO of the CVB to Philadelphia to represent the city in an attempt to bring tourists to St. Charles. Under current rules Williams can indebt the city up to $20,000 on a contract without the approval of the City Council. Twenty Thousand per contract without any limit on the number of contracts. Powell recently resigned as CEO of the CVB during an internal investigation ordered by the City Council. He was given several months of severance pay. What doesn’t seem right here?
Several weeks ago Williams held a meeting with some of the Main Street merchants. He wanted to learn from them how the City could be of help. I would have thought he learned more from the merchants than the necessity to give more city money to Steve Powell. After the meeting, attended by Powell fresh in from Peoria, bystanders told the First Capitol News that Powell yelled at Donna, the acting director of the CVB. Powell told Donna she should have wrested control of the merchants meeting from Williams and let him know she was in charge. Hmmmmm
Rumor also has it Roger Pryor, the Chairman of the St. Charles County Convention and Sports Facilities Authority, is working diligently behind the scenes to have Powell appointed as a member of the Convention and Sports Facilities Authority. Powell is working as the Director of the Convention and Visitors Board in Peoria, Illinois. Since he is living in Peoria if he is appointed to the Authority there would be an Illinois resident on the Missouri Board. Why should that be a surprise? When Powell was CEO of the St. Charles CVB most of the members of the CVB board were not residents of St. Charles.
Main Street Merchants told the First Capitol News they see Powell on Main Street more often now than when he was employed here. I wonder what Peoria thinks of that?
We have also been told the word is Powell plans to be hired back as the CEO of the CVB after the Mayoral elections in 2007.
Last week I dealt with the Mayor and her never-ending attack on the Council within the walls of City Hall. I believe a recent letter sent to City employees in their pay checks proves she and Dr. Allan Williams intend to act in concert to divide and create a work environment of us against them instead of working together for the common good.
Councilman Mark Brown did say cesspool and their letter demonstrates where the cesspool is. The administration is guilty of trying to create divisiveness with the staff and the council.
Let ‘s look at what Williams and York are trying to do. These two want to cut you off from the City’s staff and are doing this by trying to cut the Council off. After all, the council is our eyes and ears in the City. If we have a problem we call our Councilman, they call the City Administrator and then he delegates to his staff. What do you think staff will do with a complaint from a councilman? This could answer a number of the issues with staff response time. If the administration creates an environment of lack of respect, lack of concern and overall disdain for our voice in City government why would the rank and file not follow suit? Where does that leave the residents?
Everyday you and I drive by neglected areas of the city. We see over grown brush, trash, eyesores, yet for some reason the staff drive by without concern. The reason is simple. York and Williams only care about their own quest for power and keeping things nice for you does not fit within this quest. Let me ask you, since York has hired Williams have you seen a difference in the City? Better yet, since York has been in office have you noticed a change in your neck of the woods?
Bottom line York and Williams are trying to consolidate power in the executive branch and eliminate the council. This is a dangerous thing for us to allow to happen. You see the abuses in the private sector with Enron, Adelphia, and World Com. Even Boeing has had problems. This is what happens when oversight of organizations doesn’t take place. Abuse of power in the public sector is more difficult to discover. That is why we elect Councils. Many people think it is a bad thing for the Council to question the staff and truly provide oversight. Those are the people who just don’t get it. Our money is being collected in the form of taxes. These taxes are supposed to be used for our public needs. When these taxes are spent on special interests and not us, we should be outraged.
When York and Williams refuse to cooperate with your voice in government the system breaks down and controversy is created. The power struggle might seem unconstructive but in reality it is for our best interest. If the council would give in to York and Williams and become a rubber stamp you can bet the rubber stamp won’t be stamping for us. It will be stamping for the rich and famous.
DOES WILLIAMS WANT TO CONTRACT WITH STEVE POWELL?
It is believed City Administrator Allan Williams is scrambling to locate taxpayer funds because he wants to send former CEO of the CVB to Philadelphia to represent the city in an attempt to bring tourists to St. Charles. Under current rules Williams can indebt the city up to $20,000 on a contract without the approval of the City Council. Twenty Thousand per contract without any limit on the number of contracts. Powell recently resigned as CEO of the CVB during an internal investigation ordered by the City Council. He was given several months of severance pay. What doesn’t seem right here?
Several weeks ago Williams held a meeting with some of the Main Street merchants. He wanted to learn from them how the City could be of help. I would have thought he learned more from the merchants than the necessity to give more city money to Steve Powell. After the meeting, attended by Powell fresh in from Peoria, bystanders told the First Capitol News that Powell yelled at Donna, the acting director of the CVB. Powell told Donna she should have wrested control of the merchants meeting from Williams and let him know she was in charge. Hmmmmm
Rumor also has it Roger Pryor, the Chairman of the St. Charles County Convention and Sports Facilities Authority, is working diligently behind the scenes to have Powell appointed as a member of the Convention and Sports Facilities Authority. Powell is working as the Director of the Convention and Visitors Board in Peoria, Illinois. Since he is living in Peoria if he is appointed to the Authority there would be an Illinois resident on the Missouri Board. Why should that be a surprise? When Powell was CEO of the St. Charles CVB most of the members of the CVB board were not residents of St. Charles.
Main Street Merchants told the First Capitol News they see Powell on Main Street more often now than when he was employed here. I wonder what Peoria thinks of that?
We have also been told the word is Powell plans to be hired back as the CEO of the CVB after the Mayoral elections in 2007.
Last week I dealt with the Mayor and her never-ending attack on the Council within the walls of City Hall. I believe a recent letter sent to City employees in their pay checks proves she and Dr. Allan Williams intend to act in concert to divide and create a work environment of us against them instead of working together for the common good.
Councilman Mark Brown did say cesspool and their letter demonstrates where the cesspool is. The administration is guilty of trying to create divisiveness with the staff and the council.
Let ‘s look at what Williams and York are trying to do. These two want to cut you off from the City’s staff and are doing this by trying to cut the Council off. After all, the council is our eyes and ears in the City. If we have a problem we call our Councilman, they call the City Administrator and then he delegates to his staff. What do you think staff will do with a complaint from a councilman? This could answer a number of the issues with staff response time. If the administration creates an environment of lack of respect, lack of concern and overall disdain for our voice in City government why would the rank and file not follow suit? Where does that leave the residents?
Everyday you and I drive by neglected areas of the city. We see over grown brush, trash, eyesores, yet for some reason the staff drive by without concern. The reason is simple. York and Williams only care about their own quest for power and keeping things nice for you does not fit within this quest. Let me ask you, since York has hired Williams have you seen a difference in the City? Better yet, since York has been in office have you noticed a change in your neck of the woods?
Bottom line York and Williams are trying to consolidate power in the executive branch and eliminate the council. This is a dangerous thing for us to allow to happen. You see the abuses in the private sector with Enron, Adelphia, and World Com. Even Boeing has had problems. This is what happens when oversight of organizations doesn’t take place. Abuse of power in the public sector is more difficult to discover. That is why we elect Councils. Many people think it is a bad thing for the Council to question the staff and truly provide oversight. Those are the people who just don’t get it. Our money is being collected in the form of taxes. These taxes are supposed to be used for our public needs. When these taxes are spent on special interests and not us, we should be outraged.
When York and Williams refuse to cooperate with your voice in government the system breaks down and controversy is created. The power struggle might seem unconstructive but in reality it is for our best interest. If the council would give in to York and Williams and become a rubber stamp you can bet the rubber stamp won’t be stamping for us. It will be stamping for the rich and famous.
THE CITY DESK - Rory Riddler City Council President
An Amazing Adventure...
Tax Money Finds Way Back Home
This week President Bush signed a $286.4 BILLION Highway Bill. With it comes 6,371 pet projects of influential members of Congress, who will be dining on pork for years to come. If we’re lucky, we might see some of our tax money come back to St. Charles. If it does, I’m tempted to throw a homecoming party as some of it got its start in my pocket, where it briefly resided till I filled up my car at the gas pump.
It reminds me of those stories you sometimes read of how a dog or cat is lost far from home. But somehow they manage to wander thousands of miles back home and just show up on the doorstep one day. That’s how I feel about my Federal and State gas taxes.
The President and Congress all hope we will thank them for returning our taxes. Not to seem ungrateful I thought I would get my groveling out of the way right away. Uhh, thank you. Glad that’s over with.
As a former political science student, and nearly life long observer of what works and sometimes doesn’t work in government, a recent press release from City Hall really caught my attention. It came from the Department of Public Works.
On its face, it is simply the Department patting themselves on the back for the annual applications they fill out for grants being approved. Everyone has a right to celebrate milestones in the workplace, though the release probably upstaged the Mayor or City Administrator making the announcement themselves.
What I found curious about the release was how it described the grants themselves. The description of the funds received from East-West Gateway stated:
“This is money that is gifted to the City, never to be repaid by the Cities taxpayers.”
Excuse me, but didn’t the taxpayers pay that money in gas taxes in the first place? This isn’t foreign aid we received.
Last time I checked I was paying 24 cents per gallon in taxes...all State and Federal. There is no local sales tax allowed on the sale of gasoline. At twenty gallons per week that is around $250 per vehicle. There are roughly 34,000 passenger vehicles in the City of St. Charles.
That comes to, let’s see...carry the two...around $8,500,000 we collectively paid in gas taxes. Now to check the Press Release again. Here it is, we were awarded $2,287,210 from East-West Gateway, the regional clearing house for Federal and State funding.
So if we pay out $8.5 Million, they will give us a “gift” of less than $2.3 Million. Sounds like Enron’s retirement plan.
Surely this was just an odd reference or turn of phrase. Then I read the last paragraph of the Press Release:
“With these successes, staff has acquired a total of almost $5,000,000 in grant money, without any burden on the taxpayers.”
This last number includes $2,450,000 the St. Charles County Road Board agreed to contribute towards future Boschertown Road improvements in Wards 1 and 8. I’m wondering how the County Road Board manages to do so many worthwhile projects without “any burden” on the taxpayers?
In fact, the St. Charles County Road Board gets their money from a one-half cent sales tax we all pay. You pay it in the City as well as the unincorporated portions of the County.
It’s good to celebrate successes. It’s good to want to keep people informed. But don’t forget to pat the taxpayers on the back once in a while you’re at it. The bottom line is it’s really our money...just trying to find its way back home.
Tax Money Finds Way Back Home
This week President Bush signed a $286.4 BILLION Highway Bill. With it comes 6,371 pet projects of influential members of Congress, who will be dining on pork for years to come. If we’re lucky, we might see some of our tax money come back to St. Charles. If it does, I’m tempted to throw a homecoming party as some of it got its start in my pocket, where it briefly resided till I filled up my car at the gas pump.
It reminds me of those stories you sometimes read of how a dog or cat is lost far from home. But somehow they manage to wander thousands of miles back home and just show up on the doorstep one day. That’s how I feel about my Federal and State gas taxes.
The President and Congress all hope we will thank them for returning our taxes. Not to seem ungrateful I thought I would get my groveling out of the way right away. Uhh, thank you. Glad that’s over with.
As a former political science student, and nearly life long observer of what works and sometimes doesn’t work in government, a recent press release from City Hall really caught my attention. It came from the Department of Public Works.
On its face, it is simply the Department patting themselves on the back for the annual applications they fill out for grants being approved. Everyone has a right to celebrate milestones in the workplace, though the release probably upstaged the Mayor or City Administrator making the announcement themselves.
What I found curious about the release was how it described the grants themselves. The description of the funds received from East-West Gateway stated:
“This is money that is gifted to the City, never to be repaid by the Cities taxpayers.”
Excuse me, but didn’t the taxpayers pay that money in gas taxes in the first place? This isn’t foreign aid we received.
Last time I checked I was paying 24 cents per gallon in taxes...all State and Federal. There is no local sales tax allowed on the sale of gasoline. At twenty gallons per week that is around $250 per vehicle. There are roughly 34,000 passenger vehicles in the City of St. Charles.
That comes to, let’s see...carry the two...around $8,500,000 we collectively paid in gas taxes. Now to check the Press Release again. Here it is, we were awarded $2,287,210 from East-West Gateway, the regional clearing house for Federal and State funding.
So if we pay out $8.5 Million, they will give us a “gift” of less than $2.3 Million. Sounds like Enron’s retirement plan.
Surely this was just an odd reference or turn of phrase. Then I read the last paragraph of the Press Release:
“With these successes, staff has acquired a total of almost $5,000,000 in grant money, without any burden on the taxpayers.”
This last number includes $2,450,000 the St. Charles County Road Board agreed to contribute towards future Boschertown Road improvements in Wards 1 and 8. I’m wondering how the County Road Board manages to do so many worthwhile projects without “any burden” on the taxpayers?
In fact, the St. Charles County Road Board gets their money from a one-half cent sales tax we all pay. You pay it in the City as well as the unincorporated portions of the County.
It’s good to celebrate successes. It’s good to want to keep people informed. But don’t forget to pat the taxpayers on the back once in a while you’re at it. The bottom line is it’s really our money...just trying to find its way back home.
CASE IN POINT By Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9
It is not the common practice of the First Capitol News to mention other publications or columnists/journalists in town by name. I will try and respect this, however, I want to make a point about a recent letter to the editor I penned simply to respond to a letter coming from an O’Fallon resident criticizing our city council. At this point, I would hope that many a resident in St. Charles would be scratching their head wondering why anyone from O’Fallon would bother throwing stones at their neighbors with all of the things going on in their own yard. In fact, maybe the only residents in our county able to criticize their neighbors with a straight face would be from Femme Osage. Maybe even they have their turmoil, I don’t know. Right here is a good time to insert a quote from an American statesman:
“This Republic was founded because of the arrogance of a king who expected his subjects to do as they were told, without question. Our forefathers... adopted a system where dissent is not only important, but mandatory.” April 7, 2004
Robert C. Byrd
I don’t mind a good honest battle about policy, budgets or ordinances. What is disturbing is the politics of personal attacks that do nothing but try and destroy the other side. Even when Bob Hoepfner called me a “village idiot” in another publication, I didn’t respond to his name calling. It was strange to see him throw this out at me since I have almost never spoken to him and have no contact with him. This is a good time to illustrate my point: Mr. Hoepfner made a personal attack, it wasn’t based upon anything other than his own biased opinion. Let me take a moment to use what I think is fair criticism of Mr. Hoepfner. Self-declared, Battling Bob made claims that he wanted to give everyone trash service but the rest of the council just wouldn’t go along with him. Mr. Hoepfner never made a serious proposal of how this would be paid for in budget discussions or by bringing something to the council floor. He also wants the City to eliminate the utility tax. This tax is around $7 million in revenue for our town. I think it might have been a good idea to make every stepped decrease in this tax directly offset our trash costs. This would have been a way to help reduce trash costs by employing a progressive tax.
Think about it, if an elderly resident, living alone, doesn’t use much electricity or natural gas, then his or her utility tax would be comparatively low to a family of five or seven in a large house with a higher utility tax bill. But, the single resident would share the same reduction in trash costs as the family of five. Everyone’s trash costs would sink, but the man or woman living presumably on Social Security would receive a relatively higher benefit from the redirection (rather than elimination) of this tax source. Oh, and before I forget, I wanted the city to pay everyone’s mortgage payment in December but my fellow councilmen wouldn’t go along with it...
I have really moved far too far from my topic, so let me put the focus back on my point about my letter to the editor in another paper. Mrs. Shirley Bryan of O’Fallon wrote a letter asking for those on council to resign from either the Democratic Party or City Council because she was *embarrassed about the goings on in our city politics. *Wow, what a difference a couple of weeks can make! O’Fallon has now stolen our thunder in the controversy category! I’m sure paid PR firms will make certain that doesn’t continue to be the case!
Since I am the only person on the council able to resign from anything to do with a Party, I sent in a letter. I asked them not to edit my letter without my permission. I waited. Surely they would allow me to respond. Nothing. So, I wrote the editor an e-mail asking whether they would print my response. I got feedback! My letter would be printed in the next issue or two and I was told that they are printed in the order they are received. I understood and accepted that until...in one week’s time, Mr. Kneemiller got a letter published. Now my letter outdated his by at least ten days! Only after I registered a complaint was I told that my letter needed editing in order to be printed. I would like to reprint my letter here for you to see the censored parts. I will put those lines in bold and underlined which I was not allowed to include in my original letter. Also, make note, I don’t call Mrs. Bryan names, one can appreciate her perception based upon the way stories coming out of St. Charles are handled by much of the press!
In a recent letter to the editor, Shirley Bryan of O’Fallon wanted those who are both on the St. Charles City Council and members of the Democratic Party to resign from one or the other because she feels we give Democrats a bad name. Since, “we” only refers to me, I wanted to briefly respond.
If the image of the council you derive is only from the news blurbs from local papers, then you should quickly realize our frustration as a council when these same papers make headlines with any story they feel will harm us, and do not report or try and diminish any positive stories about the same. Of course, we do not enjoy a hired PR company as our detractors do.
Let me give a brief recap of some of the things you can be proud of: rehiring of a 20-plus-year police officer who lost his job due to work-related injuries; re-bidding of health insurance that saved our city several hundred thousand dollars with no loss of coverage for our employees; reduction for the first time on the dependence of gaming revenues from ongoing expenses; an alternative solution to an aging sewer system that will result in millions of dollars in savings.
It’s laughable to think the politics of St. Peters, O’Fallon, Wentzville and the county government are any less contentious. St. Peters has recently had a taste of aldermen and mayor representing different interests, and O’Fallon went through this a couple of years ago. In fact, the Old Town Preservation Committee (in O’Fallon) did battle with some of the same characters we now face! So then, allow a hired PR firm in concert with a local columnist to paint the picture and I’m certain any board’s shortcomings can be
`highlighted and any good doing ignored.
Reasons given for editing my letter were none of those mentioned in this publication that include offensive material, grammar, length, and clarity. The first line they didn’t like because they felt it wasn’t true. Truly, I am the only one on council able to resign from a Party position. The publication determined that Mrs. Bryan meant something else. Maybe a little initial editing on clarity would have been helpful here. The second line was too vague. Any columnist could be inferred but the person on the phone admitted that they knew whom I meant. I said, just name the columnist then. The response was something about not attacking another paper and professionalism, yada, yada, yada. I questioned why they worried about that since they insert a competing newspaper into their own every two weeks. I was told that that isn’t a newspaper but a paid advertisement. I wonder if the articles of incorporation state, “Paid Advertisement Company?”
Really, it is their business to do with it what they will. They have the right to print biased headlines and articles all they choose. It was this one-sidedness that gave The First Capitol News its *raison d’être. I mentioned to the Mayor that three papers to one isn’t bad, she should be happy! Oh, and by-the-way, I have the utmost respect for Mrs. Bryan, she has the courage to sign her name to letters!
*If anyone reads this to Mr. Hoepfner, please replace, “raison d’être” with “reason for existence.” I don’t want to alter his image of me.
Joe Koester
Ward 9
“This Republic was founded because of the arrogance of a king who expected his subjects to do as they were told, without question. Our forefathers... adopted a system where dissent is not only important, but mandatory.” April 7, 2004
Robert C. Byrd
I don’t mind a good honest battle about policy, budgets or ordinances. What is disturbing is the politics of personal attacks that do nothing but try and destroy the other side. Even when Bob Hoepfner called me a “village idiot” in another publication, I didn’t respond to his name calling. It was strange to see him throw this out at me since I have almost never spoken to him and have no contact with him. This is a good time to illustrate my point: Mr. Hoepfner made a personal attack, it wasn’t based upon anything other than his own biased opinion. Let me take a moment to use what I think is fair criticism of Mr. Hoepfner. Self-declared, Battling Bob made claims that he wanted to give everyone trash service but the rest of the council just wouldn’t go along with him. Mr. Hoepfner never made a serious proposal of how this would be paid for in budget discussions or by bringing something to the council floor. He also wants the City to eliminate the utility tax. This tax is around $7 million in revenue for our town. I think it might have been a good idea to make every stepped decrease in this tax directly offset our trash costs. This would have been a way to help reduce trash costs by employing a progressive tax.
Think about it, if an elderly resident, living alone, doesn’t use much electricity or natural gas, then his or her utility tax would be comparatively low to a family of five or seven in a large house with a higher utility tax bill. But, the single resident would share the same reduction in trash costs as the family of five. Everyone’s trash costs would sink, but the man or woman living presumably on Social Security would receive a relatively higher benefit from the redirection (rather than elimination) of this tax source. Oh, and before I forget, I wanted the city to pay everyone’s mortgage payment in December but my fellow councilmen wouldn’t go along with it...
I have really moved far too far from my topic, so let me put the focus back on my point about my letter to the editor in another paper. Mrs. Shirley Bryan of O’Fallon wrote a letter asking for those on council to resign from either the Democratic Party or City Council because she was *embarrassed about the goings on in our city politics. *Wow, what a difference a couple of weeks can make! O’Fallon has now stolen our thunder in the controversy category! I’m sure paid PR firms will make certain that doesn’t continue to be the case!
Since I am the only person on the council able to resign from anything to do with a Party, I sent in a letter. I asked them not to edit my letter without my permission. I waited. Surely they would allow me to respond. Nothing. So, I wrote the editor an e-mail asking whether they would print my response. I got feedback! My letter would be printed in the next issue or two and I was told that they are printed in the order they are received. I understood and accepted that until...in one week’s time, Mr. Kneemiller got a letter published. Now my letter outdated his by at least ten days! Only after I registered a complaint was I told that my letter needed editing in order to be printed. I would like to reprint my letter here for you to see the censored parts. I will put those lines in bold and underlined which I was not allowed to include in my original letter. Also, make note, I don’t call Mrs. Bryan names, one can appreciate her perception based upon the way stories coming out of St. Charles are handled by much of the press!
In a recent letter to the editor, Shirley Bryan of O’Fallon wanted those who are both on the St. Charles City Council and members of the Democratic Party to resign from one or the other because she feels we give Democrats a bad name. Since, “we” only refers to me, I wanted to briefly respond.
If the image of the council you derive is only from the news blurbs from local papers, then you should quickly realize our frustration as a council when these same papers make headlines with any story they feel will harm us, and do not report or try and diminish any positive stories about the same. Of course, we do not enjoy a hired PR company as our detractors do.
Let me give a brief recap of some of the things you can be proud of: rehiring of a 20-plus-year police officer who lost his job due to work-related injuries; re-bidding of health insurance that saved our city several hundred thousand dollars with no loss of coverage for our employees; reduction for the first time on the dependence of gaming revenues from ongoing expenses; an alternative solution to an aging sewer system that will result in millions of dollars in savings.
It’s laughable to think the politics of St. Peters, O’Fallon, Wentzville and the county government are any less contentious. St. Peters has recently had a taste of aldermen and mayor representing different interests, and O’Fallon went through this a couple of years ago. In fact, the Old Town Preservation Committee (in O’Fallon) did battle with some of the same characters we now face! So then, allow a hired PR firm in concert with a local columnist to paint the picture and I’m certain any board’s shortcomings can be
`highlighted and any good doing ignored.
Reasons given for editing my letter were none of those mentioned in this publication that include offensive material, grammar, length, and clarity. The first line they didn’t like because they felt it wasn’t true. Truly, I am the only one on council able to resign from a Party position. The publication determined that Mrs. Bryan meant something else. Maybe a little initial editing on clarity would have been helpful here. The second line was too vague. Any columnist could be inferred but the person on the phone admitted that they knew whom I meant. I said, just name the columnist then. The response was something about not attacking another paper and professionalism, yada, yada, yada. I questioned why they worried about that since they insert a competing newspaper into their own every two weeks. I was told that that isn’t a newspaper but a paid advertisement. I wonder if the articles of incorporation state, “Paid Advertisement Company?”
Really, it is their business to do with it what they will. They have the right to print biased headlines and articles all they choose. It was this one-sidedness that gave The First Capitol News its *raison d’être. I mentioned to the Mayor that three papers to one isn’t bad, she should be happy! Oh, and by-the-way, I have the utmost respect for Mrs. Bryan, she has the courage to sign her name to letters!
*If anyone reads this to Mr. Hoepfner, please replace, “raison d’être” with “reason for existence.” I don’t want to alter his image of me.
Joe Koester
Ward 9
THE CONSERVATIVE FACTOR - Alex Spencer
This year, the St. Charles Mayor’s Charity Ball became the St. Charles County All Mayors’ Charity Ball for all the mayors of our county. Well sort of. The whole thing felt like a wedding with Mayor York as the bride (she wore a white dress) and the other Mayors as the obligatory wedding party—invited as a backdrop/filler, but not trusted to be involved in the planning, selection of charity recipients, table placement or let near the Bar. But the event raised money for charity, so who is complaining?
I think we can do one better by tapping into the traditional rivalry between the cities of St. Peters and St. Charles and holding a Charity Boxing Match between each city’s resident grumpy old man. Who wouldn’t pay top dollar to watch a match up between “Battling Bob” Hoepfner and Len “Pandering Pagano”?
Just look at the “Tale of the Tape” and you can see that it is likely to be an even match:
First, both fighters have similar oddball choices for political whipping boys. Hoepfner feels compelled to attack the relatively popular St. Charles City Police Department. Not wanting to be outdone, Pagano demands background checks on St. Peters City Volunteers. It’s hard to say which political strategy is crazier, but they do seem to be at equal levels of nuttiness.
Second, the combatants each have a history of overreacting to a single resident call. In doing so, they both seem to turn rather innocuous issues into major points of contention within their cities. For example, one St. Charles resident complained to Hoepfner about his inability to obtain a continuance for his court matter without appearing in court first. So Hoepfner has decided that Municipal Court Judge Barklage is way out of bounds because lawyers have a slightly easier time than non-lawyers in navigating the murky waters of municipal court to get a continuance. By comparison, one St. Peters resident complained to Pagano about the number of scooters on the city streets. So Pagano decided that motorized scooters were the bane of St. Peters. The edge goes to Pagano, who managed to turn one killjoy’s opinion into a city ordinance. The jury is still out on Hoepfner’s crusade against the municipal court.
Third, each of these ancient gladiators has equivalent levels of experience in running for higher political office. That is, they both have impressive loss records. Hoepfner has unsuccessfully run for Mayor of St. Charles. Pagano has unsuccessfully run for Mayor of St. Peters. Both appear to be preparing to unsuccessfully run for mayor of their respective cities again. In this regard, I again give a slight experience edge to Pagano as he has also unsuccessfully run countywide for Assessor.
Next, we’ll need a referee. I guess we go with the old stand-by community good guy – Tom Hughes. I’m not sure he’ll be able to fit this event into his busy schedule, what with fundraising for Mayor York’s legal defense fund, various recall efforts targeted at Mayor York’s political rivals and Mayor York’s re-election fund, but I think we can count on him to step up and referee this match of the century.
Of course, these days Hughes’s “neutrality” seems suspect. He abandoned his status as unquestioned civic leader among the St. Charles business community to join Adolphus Busch IV’s Great White Duck Hunters Alliance.
Now those duck boys never play fair. They are all about throwing mud and making threats. But it is unclear to whom they would want to throw the match.
Hoepfner has flipped over to Mayor York’s side in St. Charles. Hughes likes York. The Duck Boys like York. So maybe Hoepfner can get some consideration on the close calls.
But in St. Peters, Pagano has started singing the duck lover’s song. He comes to meetings with prepared “remarks” courtesy of Glenn Jamboretz. Adolphus uses Jamboretz to write for all his candidates’ speeches. Unfortunately for Pagano, Jamboretz uses too many fifty-cent words for Pagano to struggle through.
If Adolphus is going to try and rig the fight (and why wouldn’t he given that he has tried to fix every county election in the last two years), we can never be sure who he will favor. In fact, the contestants won’t know either as Adolphus always promises both sides that he is with them.
Regardless of who wins, however, these grumpy old men aren’t going anywhere. And neither are their sycophants and groupies. So we’ll all have to make do and tolerate their endless rambling speeches, their mugging for the camera and their carefully orchestrated “confusions” on political issues where they want to flip sides.
It’s about time for each to contemplate his next run for Mayor (maybe they can switch cities this time?) Until then…ding, ding, ding…may the best grumpy old man win.
I think we can do one better by tapping into the traditional rivalry between the cities of St. Peters and St. Charles and holding a Charity Boxing Match between each city’s resident grumpy old man. Who wouldn’t pay top dollar to watch a match up between “Battling Bob” Hoepfner and Len “Pandering Pagano”?
Just look at the “Tale of the Tape” and you can see that it is likely to be an even match:
First, both fighters have similar oddball choices for political whipping boys. Hoepfner feels compelled to attack the relatively popular St. Charles City Police Department. Not wanting to be outdone, Pagano demands background checks on St. Peters City Volunteers. It’s hard to say which political strategy is crazier, but they do seem to be at equal levels of nuttiness.
Second, the combatants each have a history of overreacting to a single resident call. In doing so, they both seem to turn rather innocuous issues into major points of contention within their cities. For example, one St. Charles resident complained to Hoepfner about his inability to obtain a continuance for his court matter without appearing in court first. So Hoepfner has decided that Municipal Court Judge Barklage is way out of bounds because lawyers have a slightly easier time than non-lawyers in navigating the murky waters of municipal court to get a continuance. By comparison, one St. Peters resident complained to Pagano about the number of scooters on the city streets. So Pagano decided that motorized scooters were the bane of St. Peters. The edge goes to Pagano, who managed to turn one killjoy’s opinion into a city ordinance. The jury is still out on Hoepfner’s crusade against the municipal court.
Third, each of these ancient gladiators has equivalent levels of experience in running for higher political office. That is, they both have impressive loss records. Hoepfner has unsuccessfully run for Mayor of St. Charles. Pagano has unsuccessfully run for Mayor of St. Peters. Both appear to be preparing to unsuccessfully run for mayor of their respective cities again. In this regard, I again give a slight experience edge to Pagano as he has also unsuccessfully run countywide for Assessor.
Next, we’ll need a referee. I guess we go with the old stand-by community good guy – Tom Hughes. I’m not sure he’ll be able to fit this event into his busy schedule, what with fundraising for Mayor York’s legal defense fund, various recall efforts targeted at Mayor York’s political rivals and Mayor York’s re-election fund, but I think we can count on him to step up and referee this match of the century.
Of course, these days Hughes’s “neutrality” seems suspect. He abandoned his status as unquestioned civic leader among the St. Charles business community to join Adolphus Busch IV’s Great White Duck Hunters Alliance.
Now those duck boys never play fair. They are all about throwing mud and making threats. But it is unclear to whom they would want to throw the match.
Hoepfner has flipped over to Mayor York’s side in St. Charles. Hughes likes York. The Duck Boys like York. So maybe Hoepfner can get some consideration on the close calls.
But in St. Peters, Pagano has started singing the duck lover’s song. He comes to meetings with prepared “remarks” courtesy of Glenn Jamboretz. Adolphus uses Jamboretz to write for all his candidates’ speeches. Unfortunately for Pagano, Jamboretz uses too many fifty-cent words for Pagano to struggle through.
If Adolphus is going to try and rig the fight (and why wouldn’t he given that he has tried to fix every county election in the last two years), we can never be sure who he will favor. In fact, the contestants won’t know either as Adolphus always promises both sides that he is with them.
Regardless of who wins, however, these grumpy old men aren’t going anywhere. And neither are their sycophants and groupies. So we’ll all have to make do and tolerate their endless rambling speeches, their mugging for the camera and their carefully orchestrated “confusions” on political issues where they want to flip sides.
It’s about time for each to contemplate his next run for Mayor (maybe they can switch cities this time?) Until then…ding, ding, ding…may the best grumpy old man win.
COMMENTS & COMMENTARY by CHARLES HILL
I want to get started moving the discussion to what is right about Main Street and all of St. Charles. These things are what the marketing should be all about. Main Street first, this is truly a special place. It is a shame that the previous director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau believed it should only be appreciated by out of town tourists. His marketing has us in dire straits as we speak.
Main Street can and should be appreciated and visited by the more than 2 million residents of the Greater Metropolitan Area. If the marketing would focus on the dreaded day-trippers, then expand out, Main Street would be thriving. In the past the day-trippers were not a focus because the hotels would not get room nights. Well that’s not our problem. If the hotel built based upon false promises from the CVB then shame on them.
Main Street could benefit from marketing through the parks system. I have said this before. The soccer fields and ball fields are missed opportunities to capture the parents of the kids who are playing. The parks department and the CVB should work to raise awareness of what is just around the corner. Even Wapelhorst Park could help by telling guests of the many fine places to go just around the corner from them. Granted it isn’t Main Street but the taxes generated from the eating establishments go to the CVB and that money is spent on marketing.
The CVB is the only City department that can truly affect their own budget. If they increase the sales in restaurants they make more money. If they find out of town guests to stay in a hotel they make more money. Now the restaurants are much easier to sell because the market is so close. The hotels get a little tricky.
Speaking with a Councilman who knows in his own words “enough to be dangerous,” he said that many in the local area fill hotel rooms for different occasions. That is why you see local efforts by local hotels to market rooms. The hotels get it, our CVB just never did.
To get back to what is right with St. Charles, I think you need to really look at our park system. They bring teams in from all over the country. Once they are here the CVB depends on “rack cards” (the little cards that sit in racks in the lobby) or a TV spot add that runs in the hotel room when the guest first turns the TV on. Now these two are okay, but if the CVB would work as hard with the teams as they do with the tour writers we might see an increase in volume to Main Street and restaurants in St. Charles. St. Charles does get people here, we just don’t tell them were to go once they are here.
The other right thing about St. Charles is Lindenwood University. Sure they might not always be high on most lists for their business practices, but they do bring in people. The CVB in the past refused to work with Lindenwood and that truly demonstrates the lack of understanding of a comprehensive marketing campaign. The CVB should have a liaison that works with Lindenwood and when they are having a production, game, event or parents night, the CVB should have a presence to insure that those in attendance know what St. Charles has to offer.
This just in, for some reason Steve Powell is still attending Convention Center Oversight committee meetings. WHY? This guy just won’t leave. Is it not a conflict of interest for him to participate in our meetings when serving as the director in Peoria? Wait maybe he is in St. Charles to get some of our residents to visit Peoria’s historic district. After all their money is no good to Main Street St. Charles since they live here. Leave please Steve!!!!!!!!!
Main Street can and should be appreciated and visited by the more than 2 million residents of the Greater Metropolitan Area. If the marketing would focus on the dreaded day-trippers, then expand out, Main Street would be thriving. In the past the day-trippers were not a focus because the hotels would not get room nights. Well that’s not our problem. If the hotel built based upon false promises from the CVB then shame on them.
Main Street could benefit from marketing through the parks system. I have said this before. The soccer fields and ball fields are missed opportunities to capture the parents of the kids who are playing. The parks department and the CVB should work to raise awareness of what is just around the corner. Even Wapelhorst Park could help by telling guests of the many fine places to go just around the corner from them. Granted it isn’t Main Street but the taxes generated from the eating establishments go to the CVB and that money is spent on marketing.
The CVB is the only City department that can truly affect their own budget. If they increase the sales in restaurants they make more money. If they find out of town guests to stay in a hotel they make more money. Now the restaurants are much easier to sell because the market is so close. The hotels get a little tricky.
Speaking with a Councilman who knows in his own words “enough to be dangerous,” he said that many in the local area fill hotel rooms for different occasions. That is why you see local efforts by local hotels to market rooms. The hotels get it, our CVB just never did.
To get back to what is right with St. Charles, I think you need to really look at our park system. They bring teams in from all over the country. Once they are here the CVB depends on “rack cards” (the little cards that sit in racks in the lobby) or a TV spot add that runs in the hotel room when the guest first turns the TV on. Now these two are okay, but if the CVB would work as hard with the teams as they do with the tour writers we might see an increase in volume to Main Street and restaurants in St. Charles. St. Charles does get people here, we just don’t tell them were to go once they are here.
The other right thing about St. Charles is Lindenwood University. Sure they might not always be high on most lists for their business practices, but they do bring in people. The CVB in the past refused to work with Lindenwood and that truly demonstrates the lack of understanding of a comprehensive marketing campaign. The CVB should have a liaison that works with Lindenwood and when they are having a production, game, event or parents night, the CVB should have a presence to insure that those in attendance know what St. Charles has to offer.
This just in, for some reason Steve Powell is still attending Convention Center Oversight committee meetings. WHY? This guy just won’t leave. Is it not a conflict of interest for him to participate in our meetings when serving as the director in Peoria? Wait maybe he is in St. Charles to get some of our residents to visit Peoria’s historic district. After all their money is no good to Main Street St. Charles since they live here. Leave please Steve!!!!!!!!!
THE PEOPLE SPEAK - Letters To The Editor
Letters to the Editor:
I wish to state irrevocably that Tim Swope the City St Charles Police Chief is doing a fantastic job with his staff and wish him continued success.
I also want to commend Mark Brown for holding his cool at Tuesday’s Work Session when the Mayor wanted to debate a particular issue in his e-mail to Allan Williams. The City Administrator stated he had been on vacation and had not read the e-mail yet but would be ready to discuss at the next meeting. The topic was held until the next meeting on August 16th. The e-mail was addressed to Allan Williams with c.c. to Ellen Gordon, Rory Riddler, John Gieseke, Joe Koester and Dottie Greer only; no where was the Mayor’s name mentioned in the address. There was no mention on the agenda for public view regarding a particular issue the Mayor wanted to discuss. Could this possibly be another example of the Mayor’s interference with City business? Is a copy of all correspondence addressed to Allan Williams going to the Mayor? The Mayor apparently believes the charter amendment, due to become effective in April 2007, is already in effect for her when one considers some of the methods used at the meetings and during her news conferences.
I have done research regarding the announced short fall in gaming revenues by the Administrator, Mayor and Finance Director on June21st. At that time they stated an anticipated short fall of $1,100,000.00 in budgeted gaming revenues for 2005 was expected. First let me explain how the revenue is generated for City of St Charles. In my research I find the Missouri Gaming Statutes stipulate that 20% of Adjusted Gross Receipts are taxed by the State with 10% of that figure going to City of St Charles. Additionally of the $2.00 Admission Fee the City receives $1.00. The following calculations are derived from financial reports of the Gaming Commission available on their web site (www.mgc.state.mo.us/). The Adjusted Gross Receipts from those reports through July 2005 reveals a calculated anticipated revenue from: (1) Admissions revenue should be $6,083,154.00 from Jan. to July ‘05, plus an estimated $4,587,074.00 for the remaining five months of 2005 (estimated at a 3% increase for same period of 2004). (2) The anticipated revenue from Adjusted Gross Receipts should be $3,586,969.00 from Jan. to July ‘05, plus an estimated $2,436,970.00 for the remaining five months of 2005 (estimating a 2% increase for same period of 2004). The total Real Estate Tax and Personal Property Tax is estimated to be $651,290.00. This represents a grand total of estimated Gaming Revenue for 2005 should be $17,345,457.00 which is $525,457.00 more than the revised 2005 Estimate of $16,820,000.00. The budget amount was $17,650,000.00 meaning the short fall should be approximately $304,543.00 not $1,100,000.00 as reported. Makes one wonder if the motive behind the announcement in June was to alarm rather than inform. Therefore, some of the adjustments made by the Council to cover the short fall could be readjusted by year end as the figures become more precise in months ahead.
Rich Greer
Dear Editor:
As reported in last week’s FCN it appears that once again some person or persons having access to police reports of any city, municipality or state willing to use such information in a character assassination attempt have reared their head from the mire in which they and their associates hide. As is usual, the information is spread anonymously. It is also reported a member of a prominent law firm was seen slipping an unsigned letter into the FCN letterbox.
Where is the shame! Is there any depth too low to probe to destroy anyone with whom we disagree? Using anonymous letters or unidentified phone calls to the media or government officials for the express purpose of maligning others is cowardly. It might even be considered a borderline hate crime of sorts.
Carol Diller
Editor First Capitol News:
To the Editor of the finest newspaper in St. Charles and hopefully covering St. Charles County in the future.
After receiving a letter in the mail I decided to respond. To those who may agree with me I thank you. To those who disagree with me I thank you. But to those of you who are without courage to sign what you send in the mail voicing your opinion I find it nothing more than gobbly de goop! I can’t give the individuals who support Patti cake any respect because of their tactics of attacking people who oppose the queen bee by sending out information on family members and attacking fine Council members and have not ONE ounce of backbone to sign their garbage from out of their “cesspool.”
In answering their question, NO I have no intentions of running for Mayor! This I will tell YOU, I’ll be supporting the man or woman who runs against Patti cake and YOU will know who I am. This is America and the courage it has taken to keep us free is all the backing we will need to fight for any citizens, against people like Patti cake and her big money lackeys. (Oh by the way, I wonder why Patti cake didn’t drive her car home after attending Dan Gould’s celebration on Main Street Saturday evening. Hmmm. But her personal business is her own to deal with.
My big concern is her business actions concerning our City and the hard working taxpayers. Oh yes, let me say one more thing, not about Patti cake, this is directed to Mr. T.R. Hughes. Do you sell your homes to people of different faiths and religion or do you only sell to Christians? Seems to me you have a double standard – one for your personal belief-one for your big money bank account!
My family has been attacked like a lot of other good people, but I WILL sign my name.
Proud American
Joyce Bredensteiner
Letter To The Editor
Maybe I am a lot like you…
St. Charles is a great place to live filled with good people. It has been my modest home for over 20 years. I hope I have given a small bit back to the community through service on the Fair Housing Committee, the Library District Board, several civic organizations and my work in the human services field. Like many city residents I have a degree from Lindenwood, walk my dog in our beautiful parks, and enjoy the many festivals and events on our riverfront. I vote and a local Methodist church is my place of worship. I am usually in the middle on most issues yet feel strongly about a few.
Maybe I am a lot like you…
Like you, I have sat back on my fence rail and watched our community become a meaner place to live thanks to the antics of some of our elected officials and others. Allegations of this and that, half-truths, vindictive triages, and one upmanship seem to be the rule of the day. Common courtesy and respect for our elected offices and the individuals that hold them have gone by the wayside. Yapping, nipping and growling like a pack of animals is the new order. It is the true tradecraft of yellow journalism that simply writing something over and over somehow makes it true.
Now I don’t know all the facts behind the issues that are being bandied about town but I recognize malice when I see it and the vicious attack on Mr. Ed Watkins Christianity was the proverbial last straw for me. Like or dislike, agree or disagree but please, First Capitol News, leave the devil and Jesus Christ out of it. Your writings finally offended me enough to topple me off my fence to stand beside a man I know and appreciate for his faith and good works. Count me as a Citizen who has had enough.
Maybe I am a lot like you…
Mark Rudolph
Editor’s response.
No Mr. Rudolph you are not a lot like me.
Evidently you have never read the publication put out by Watkins even though you have described it perfectly.
As far as the devil in our publication, the item to which you refer is a paid ad by Councilman Mark Brown responding to false accusations made against him by Watkins.
No Mr. Rudolph you are not a lot like me.
I have never found it necessary to expound on being a Christian like you and Mr. Watkins. I have learned that it is not necessary for a true Christian to expound upon being a Christian. The way they live their lives and treat others is an indication of whether or not they are true Christians and in my opinion Watkins does not fit that mold. I have no objection to priests, ministers, pastors, rabbis, etc preaching their religion and witnessing to others. However when a layperson professes to do so I know we are in trouble.
No Mr. Rudolph you are not like me at all
Dear Editor,
Judge Cunningham slapped the citizens of Saint Charles in the face by allowing the prevention of annexation in Cave Springs by means of an illegally cast vote! Maybe next election a few miscast votes from Warren County will help send Cunningham packing!
Name withheld upon request for fear of reprisal.
I wish to state irrevocably that Tim Swope the City St Charles Police Chief is doing a fantastic job with his staff and wish him continued success.
I also want to commend Mark Brown for holding his cool at Tuesday’s Work Session when the Mayor wanted to debate a particular issue in his e-mail to Allan Williams. The City Administrator stated he had been on vacation and had not read the e-mail yet but would be ready to discuss at the next meeting. The topic was held until the next meeting on August 16th. The e-mail was addressed to Allan Williams with c.c. to Ellen Gordon, Rory Riddler, John Gieseke, Joe Koester and Dottie Greer only; no where was the Mayor’s name mentioned in the address. There was no mention on the agenda for public view regarding a particular issue the Mayor wanted to discuss. Could this possibly be another example of the Mayor’s interference with City business? Is a copy of all correspondence addressed to Allan Williams going to the Mayor? The Mayor apparently believes the charter amendment, due to become effective in April 2007, is already in effect for her when one considers some of the methods used at the meetings and during her news conferences.
I have done research regarding the announced short fall in gaming revenues by the Administrator, Mayor and Finance Director on June21st. At that time they stated an anticipated short fall of $1,100,000.00 in budgeted gaming revenues for 2005 was expected. First let me explain how the revenue is generated for City of St Charles. In my research I find the Missouri Gaming Statutes stipulate that 20% of Adjusted Gross Receipts are taxed by the State with 10% of that figure going to City of St Charles. Additionally of the $2.00 Admission Fee the City receives $1.00. The following calculations are derived from financial reports of the Gaming Commission available on their web site (www.mgc.state.mo.us/). The Adjusted Gross Receipts from those reports through July 2005 reveals a calculated anticipated revenue from: (1) Admissions revenue should be $6,083,154.00 from Jan. to July ‘05, plus an estimated $4,587,074.00 for the remaining five months of 2005 (estimated at a 3% increase for same period of 2004). (2) The anticipated revenue from Adjusted Gross Receipts should be $3,586,969.00 from Jan. to July ‘05, plus an estimated $2,436,970.00 for the remaining five months of 2005 (estimating a 2% increase for same period of 2004). The total Real Estate Tax and Personal Property Tax is estimated to be $651,290.00. This represents a grand total of estimated Gaming Revenue for 2005 should be $17,345,457.00 which is $525,457.00 more than the revised 2005 Estimate of $16,820,000.00. The budget amount was $17,650,000.00 meaning the short fall should be approximately $304,543.00 not $1,100,000.00 as reported. Makes one wonder if the motive behind the announcement in June was to alarm rather than inform. Therefore, some of the adjustments made by the Council to cover the short fall could be readjusted by year end as the figures become more precise in months ahead.
Rich Greer
Dear Editor:
As reported in last week’s FCN it appears that once again some person or persons having access to police reports of any city, municipality or state willing to use such information in a character assassination attempt have reared their head from the mire in which they and their associates hide. As is usual, the information is spread anonymously. It is also reported a member of a prominent law firm was seen slipping an unsigned letter into the FCN letterbox.
Where is the shame! Is there any depth too low to probe to destroy anyone with whom we disagree? Using anonymous letters or unidentified phone calls to the media or government officials for the express purpose of maligning others is cowardly. It might even be considered a borderline hate crime of sorts.
Carol Diller
Editor First Capitol News:
To the Editor of the finest newspaper in St. Charles and hopefully covering St. Charles County in the future.
After receiving a letter in the mail I decided to respond. To those who may agree with me I thank you. To those who disagree with me I thank you. But to those of you who are without courage to sign what you send in the mail voicing your opinion I find it nothing more than gobbly de goop! I can’t give the individuals who support Patti cake any respect because of their tactics of attacking people who oppose the queen bee by sending out information on family members and attacking fine Council members and have not ONE ounce of backbone to sign their garbage from out of their “cesspool.”
In answering their question, NO I have no intentions of running for Mayor! This I will tell YOU, I’ll be supporting the man or woman who runs against Patti cake and YOU will know who I am. This is America and the courage it has taken to keep us free is all the backing we will need to fight for any citizens, against people like Patti cake and her big money lackeys. (Oh by the way, I wonder why Patti cake didn’t drive her car home after attending Dan Gould’s celebration on Main Street Saturday evening. Hmmm. But her personal business is her own to deal with.
My big concern is her business actions concerning our City and the hard working taxpayers. Oh yes, let me say one more thing, not about Patti cake, this is directed to Mr. T.R. Hughes. Do you sell your homes to people of different faiths and religion or do you only sell to Christians? Seems to me you have a double standard – one for your personal belief-one for your big money bank account!
My family has been attacked like a lot of other good people, but I WILL sign my name.
Proud American
Joyce Bredensteiner
Letter To The Editor
Maybe I am a lot like you…
St. Charles is a great place to live filled with good people. It has been my modest home for over 20 years. I hope I have given a small bit back to the community through service on the Fair Housing Committee, the Library District Board, several civic organizations and my work in the human services field. Like many city residents I have a degree from Lindenwood, walk my dog in our beautiful parks, and enjoy the many festivals and events on our riverfront. I vote and a local Methodist church is my place of worship. I am usually in the middle on most issues yet feel strongly about a few.
Maybe I am a lot like you…
Like you, I have sat back on my fence rail and watched our community become a meaner place to live thanks to the antics of some of our elected officials and others. Allegations of this and that, half-truths, vindictive triages, and one upmanship seem to be the rule of the day. Common courtesy and respect for our elected offices and the individuals that hold them have gone by the wayside. Yapping, nipping and growling like a pack of animals is the new order. It is the true tradecraft of yellow journalism that simply writing something over and over somehow makes it true.
Now I don’t know all the facts behind the issues that are being bandied about town but I recognize malice when I see it and the vicious attack on Mr. Ed Watkins Christianity was the proverbial last straw for me. Like or dislike, agree or disagree but please, First Capitol News, leave the devil and Jesus Christ out of it. Your writings finally offended me enough to topple me off my fence to stand beside a man I know and appreciate for his faith and good works. Count me as a Citizen who has had enough.
Maybe I am a lot like you…
Mark Rudolph
Editor’s response.
No Mr. Rudolph you are not a lot like me.
Evidently you have never read the publication put out by Watkins even though you have described it perfectly.
As far as the devil in our publication, the item to which you refer is a paid ad by Councilman Mark Brown responding to false accusations made against him by Watkins.
No Mr. Rudolph you are not a lot like me.
I have never found it necessary to expound on being a Christian like you and Mr. Watkins. I have learned that it is not necessary for a true Christian to expound upon being a Christian. The way they live their lives and treat others is an indication of whether or not they are true Christians and in my opinion Watkins does not fit that mold. I have no objection to priests, ministers, pastors, rabbis, etc preaching their religion and witnessing to others. However when a layperson professes to do so I know we are in trouble.
No Mr. Rudolph you are not like me at all
Dear Editor,
Judge Cunningham slapped the citizens of Saint Charles in the face by allowing the prevention of annexation in Cave Springs by means of an illegally cast vote! Maybe next election a few miscast votes from Warren County will help send Cunningham packing!
Name withheld upon request for fear of reprisal.
Council Questions Letter Sent To Employees by Mayor and City Administrator
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
Tuesday Nights work session of the City Council was going along quite nicely until the item regarding a letter Mayor York and Allan Williams sent to the City employees in their paychecks was opened for discussion. Mark Brown, Councilman Ward 3, placed the item on the agenda in an effort to determine if he or any other Councilman would be able to distribute communications with the staff through their paychecks. According to many sources this manner of attacking a councilman’s comments by a Mayor and City Administrator has never been done.
The letter from the Mayor and City Administrator was in response to Brown using the word “cesspool” while describing the problems Mike Meiners owner of St. Charles Engineering had discovered during his three months of supervising the Public Works Department for the City after the dismissal of Mike Pratt.
Meiners had conveyed to Brown he had determined the City could benefit from changes in the employment of some in the administration of the public works department. Councilman Bob Kneemiller paraphrased Brown’s comments about the “cesspool” on the Council floor. “He basically called the entire Public Works Department a cesspool,” Kneemiller said. Brown tried to complete his description but the Council voted not to allow him to explain his comments.
“It appears the Mayor and City Administrator seized on the misrepresentation of my comments and are attempting to drive wedges between the Council and City Staff. I think the public works department workers better look out when these two begin their rhetoric. Williams is trying use the council to eliminate public works jobs by privatizing the water department,” commented Brown. The letter was sent out to all employees even though the comments were made about the public works department. “This demonstrates a departure of what the City Administrators role in our government is supposed to be. He should not involve himself with the politics, his job is to run the day to day operations of the City. Both he and the Mayor had ample time to dispute, comment and argue in a public forum, yet they decided to wait until I could not defend my comments and they sent out a joint letter.” Brown said
If Williams would react to our residents complaints as quickly as he did to these comments this City would be much better off. I have had a complaint about the City not cutting weeds on City property along Zumbehl for over three weeks now and still no resolution,” commented Councilman John Gieseke.
While watching City Council meetings Williams has been openly belligerent and openly hostile to Brown. “Williams was hired by the council, is being paid $148,000 to run the City not to protect the Mayor and be her campaign manager,” stated Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9. “Williams might be the most inefficient and ineffective City Administrator this City has ever had. What has he done? He forced out a public works director without a solid plan on how to replace him. He forced out the Convention and Visitors Director without a replacement ready to go. In the private sector you generally don’t ask people to resign without clear paths of succession. Williams plays the blame game, doesn’t take responsibility and passes the buck. That is not leadership and the City tax payer deserves more for what he is being compensated.”
ttt
Tuesday Nights work session of the City Council was going along quite nicely until the item regarding a letter Mayor York and Allan Williams sent to the City employees in their paychecks was opened for discussion. Mark Brown, Councilman Ward 3, placed the item on the agenda in an effort to determine if he or any other Councilman would be able to distribute communications with the staff through their paychecks. According to many sources this manner of attacking a councilman’s comments by a Mayor and City Administrator has never been done.
The letter from the Mayor and City Administrator was in response to Brown using the word “cesspool” while describing the problems Mike Meiners owner of St. Charles Engineering had discovered during his three months of supervising the Public Works Department for the City after the dismissal of Mike Pratt.
Meiners had conveyed to Brown he had determined the City could benefit from changes in the employment of some in the administration of the public works department. Councilman Bob Kneemiller paraphrased Brown’s comments about the “cesspool” on the Council floor. “He basically called the entire Public Works Department a cesspool,” Kneemiller said. Brown tried to complete his description but the Council voted not to allow him to explain his comments.
“It appears the Mayor and City Administrator seized on the misrepresentation of my comments and are attempting to drive wedges between the Council and City Staff. I think the public works department workers better look out when these two begin their rhetoric. Williams is trying use the council to eliminate public works jobs by privatizing the water department,” commented Brown. The letter was sent out to all employees even though the comments were made about the public works department. “This demonstrates a departure of what the City Administrators role in our government is supposed to be. He should not involve himself with the politics, his job is to run the day to day operations of the City. Both he and the Mayor had ample time to dispute, comment and argue in a public forum, yet they decided to wait until I could not defend my comments and they sent out a joint letter.” Brown said
If Williams would react to our residents complaints as quickly as he did to these comments this City would be much better off. I have had a complaint about the City not cutting weeds on City property along Zumbehl for over three weeks now and still no resolution,” commented Councilman John Gieseke.
While watching City Council meetings Williams has been openly belligerent and openly hostile to Brown. “Williams was hired by the council, is being paid $148,000 to run the City not to protect the Mayor and be her campaign manager,” stated Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9. “Williams might be the most inefficient and ineffective City Administrator this City has ever had. What has he done? He forced out a public works director without a solid plan on how to replace him. He forced out the Convention and Visitors Director without a replacement ready to go. In the private sector you generally don’t ask people to resign without clear paths of succession. Williams plays the blame game, doesn’t take responsibility and passes the buck. That is not leadership and the City tax payer deserves more for what he is being compensated.”
ttt
WHO HAS THE ANSWER ?
WHO HAS THE ANSWER ?
by The City Watchman
Each week Council Representatives make requests for information regarding topics listed on the agenda of the Council’s Regular and Work Session Meetings. If one peaks your particular interest contact your Council Representative or the City Administrator for answers. This week will include a listing of previous requests that are either unanswered or have not been furnished as of the date of this writing.
June 21, 2005 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
1) Verification of the length and expiration date for the IKOM copier in City Clerk’s office.
2) The Bull Tract Resolution was passed with a question of whether the Smoke House was to stay and is covered under a separate Resolution.
3) Report of actual spending (expenses) as of 6/30/04 and 6/30/05.
July 5, 2005 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Elm Street Reconstruction - County Road Board funding may be in jeopardy per Rich Oney. Requested a report of status by Bob Hoepfner.
July 12, 2005 COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Research ordinances for any co-operating agreement with City St Peters re: “Levies” built adjoining City St Charles Limits.
Research ordinances re: “Levies” being built in and by City St Charles.
Roll - a - way trash container carts - copy of both proposals along with list of questions to be forwarded to Council members by Brent Schultz.
(At the Aug. 9th work session a MOTION was made to recommend to administration to use $500,000.00 and distribute to stormwater/creekbank stabilization, street repair and a pilot program of use of trash containers)
Research Missouri State statutes re: definition of a legal newspaper, location of office, and publication and determine if FCN, Journal or Post meets requirements.
JULY 19, 2005 REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION
In writing from EricTolen stating all three newspapers distributed in City St Charles qualify for publishing city notices.
In writing from Eric Tolen definition of “legal notice”.
Research of the circulation numbers for all three newspapers in City St Charles.
Requested a lit of vacation days by Alan Williams.
Requested information regarding Mayor’s conference room remodeling budget verses spent to date and contracts let.
Requested Eric Tolen prepare an ordinance regarding possession of fireworks by minors.
Questioned at time of original RCA regarding enforcement of firework ordinance violations, why did not staff point out the funds were not available but waited until after ordinance was read twice and passed to say anything with a veto by Mayor.
MOTION to request a check register monthly going forward.
(The only time this has been provided to the current Council was September 2004 with a note attached from the Finance Director stating the report could easily be prepared and was not a problem in providing such)
Requested a clarification of CONSENT AGENDA items to be allowed.
Weller stated he would ask for all ordinances and RCA of past bills for him to review as to whether they were complete and accurate. Challenged by Mark Brown for Weller to do just as he said. (At August 9th work session, not done yet, Weller stated he wanted to review the tape to determine exactly what he said)
Re-iterate the bills that affect a councilman’s ward to be sponsored by that Councilman and not another.
Report from Chief Police and Fire Chief each month alternating.
Report of bills outstanding referred to Finance Committee meeting July 28th.
(Finance Committee Meeting was postponed to a later date.)
July 26,2005 SPECIAL COUNCIL SESSION
City Attorney Mike Valenti was asked to report why in cases of a plat change it had to come before the Council in Ordinance form.
A report explaining how the funds used from the Human Resources Director position was transferred and upon whose authority.
Request for copies of all minutes, from open and closed meetings, reflecting approval of expenses over $20,000.00 for St Charles Engineering consulting services for the Public Utilities Department.
Request for a report of Business License Fee survey of other municipalities since St Charles has not changed their fees in several years.
August 9, 2005 WORK SESSION
Request for a monthly report reflecting the Council Directives Account balance and activity for the month.
Request for a monthly report of the activity for Special Counsel expenses.
Discussion of letter sent by Mayor and City Administrator to all employees held until Regular Meeting August 16th.
Review of Tree Trimming and maintenance referred to Community Development.
by The City Watchman
Each week Council Representatives make requests for information regarding topics listed on the agenda of the Council’s Regular and Work Session Meetings. If one peaks your particular interest contact your Council Representative or the City Administrator for answers. This week will include a listing of previous requests that are either unanswered or have not been furnished as of the date of this writing.
June 21, 2005 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
1) Verification of the length and expiration date for the IKOM copier in City Clerk’s office.
2) The Bull Tract Resolution was passed with a question of whether the Smoke House was to stay and is covered under a separate Resolution.
3) Report of actual spending (expenses) as of 6/30/04 and 6/30/05.
July 5, 2005 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Elm Street Reconstruction - County Road Board funding may be in jeopardy per Rich Oney. Requested a report of status by Bob Hoepfner.
July 12, 2005 COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Research ordinances for any co-operating agreement with City St Peters re: “Levies” built adjoining City St Charles Limits.
Research ordinances re: “Levies” being built in and by City St Charles.
Roll - a - way trash container carts - copy of both proposals along with list of questions to be forwarded to Council members by Brent Schultz.
(At the Aug. 9th work session a MOTION was made to recommend to administration to use $500,000.00 and distribute to stormwater/creekbank stabilization, street repair and a pilot program of use of trash containers)
Research Missouri State statutes re: definition of a legal newspaper, location of office, and publication and determine if FCN, Journal or Post meets requirements.
JULY 19, 2005 REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION
In writing from EricTolen stating all three newspapers distributed in City St Charles qualify for publishing city notices.
In writing from Eric Tolen definition of “legal notice”.
Research of the circulation numbers for all three newspapers in City St Charles.
Requested a lit of vacation days by Alan Williams.
Requested information regarding Mayor’s conference room remodeling budget verses spent to date and contracts let.
Requested Eric Tolen prepare an ordinance regarding possession of fireworks by minors.
Questioned at time of original RCA regarding enforcement of firework ordinance violations, why did not staff point out the funds were not available but waited until after ordinance was read twice and passed to say anything with a veto by Mayor.
MOTION to request a check register monthly going forward.
(The only time this has been provided to the current Council was September 2004 with a note attached from the Finance Director stating the report could easily be prepared and was not a problem in providing such)
Requested a clarification of CONSENT AGENDA items to be allowed.
Weller stated he would ask for all ordinances and RCA of past bills for him to review as to whether they were complete and accurate. Challenged by Mark Brown for Weller to do just as he said. (At August 9th work session, not done yet, Weller stated he wanted to review the tape to determine exactly what he said)
Re-iterate the bills that affect a councilman’s ward to be sponsored by that Councilman and not another.
Report from Chief Police and Fire Chief each month alternating.
Report of bills outstanding referred to Finance Committee meeting July 28th.
(Finance Committee Meeting was postponed to a later date.)
July 26,2005 SPECIAL COUNCIL SESSION
City Attorney Mike Valenti was asked to report why in cases of a plat change it had to come before the Council in Ordinance form.
A report explaining how the funds used from the Human Resources Director position was transferred and upon whose authority.
Request for copies of all minutes, from open and closed meetings, reflecting approval of expenses over $20,000.00 for St Charles Engineering consulting services for the Public Utilities Department.
Request for a report of Business License Fee survey of other municipalities since St Charles has not changed their fees in several years.
August 9, 2005 WORK SESSION
Request for a monthly report reflecting the Council Directives Account balance and activity for the month.
Request for a monthly report of the activity for Special Counsel expenses.
Discussion of letter sent by Mayor and City Administrator to all employees held until Regular Meeting August 16th.
Review of Tree Trimming and maintenance referred to Community Development.
18th Annual St. Charles Civil War Living History Weekend proudly welcomes Olde Towne Brass
18th Annual St. Charles Civil War Living History Weekend proudly welcomes Olde Towne Brass
This year’s Civil War Living History Weekend will include very special guests from Huntsville, Alabama: Olde Towne Brass. This unique group of musicians play instruments designed from bands from the Civil War era whose horns face behind the player rather than in front as today.
Olde Towne Brass performed at the St. Charles Civil War event in the mid-1990’s, and event organizers are pleased to be hosting their return. The OTB will perform for about an hour before the battles on Saturday (2pm) and Sunday (130pm). Additional performances are yet to be precisely scheduled, but event organizers are planning on at least 2 other performances during the daylight hours of the event.
OTB will be playing from the porch of the Newbill-McElhaney home (625 South Main Street) for the dancing guests on the cobblestone street on Saturday evening beginning at 7pm. The public is invited and encouraged to join in the dancing!
Olde Towne Brass performs in the manner of Early American bands, playing original scores on actual Civil War Instruments. With their special emphasis on the War Between the States, Olde Towne Brass presents programs that provide their listeners with history and information about the composer and the song. Their renditions of these timeless and compelling tunes are played just as they were more than 135 years ago. The music library of Olde Towne Brass includes over 1500 songs of both the Confederate and Union Bands which has been compiled from various resources across the country including the Library of Congress and the Museum of the Confederacy.
Olde Towne Brass has performed at countless prestigious Civil War events throughout the United States.
This year’s Civil War Living History Weekend will include very special guests from Huntsville, Alabama: Olde Towne Brass. This unique group of musicians play instruments designed from bands from the Civil War era whose horns face behind the player rather than in front as today.
Olde Towne Brass performed at the St. Charles Civil War event in the mid-1990’s, and event organizers are pleased to be hosting their return. The OTB will perform for about an hour before the battles on Saturday (2pm) and Sunday (130pm). Additional performances are yet to be precisely scheduled, but event organizers are planning on at least 2 other performances during the daylight hours of the event.
OTB will be playing from the porch of the Newbill-McElhaney home (625 South Main Street) for the dancing guests on the cobblestone street on Saturday evening beginning at 7pm. The public is invited and encouraged to join in the dancing!
Olde Towne Brass performs in the manner of Early American bands, playing original scores on actual Civil War Instruments. With their special emphasis on the War Between the States, Olde Towne Brass presents programs that provide their listeners with history and information about the composer and the song. Their renditions of these timeless and compelling tunes are played just as they were more than 135 years ago. The music library of Olde Towne Brass includes over 1500 songs of both the Confederate and Union Bands which has been compiled from various resources across the country including the Library of Congress and the Museum of the Confederacy.
Olde Towne Brass has performed at countless prestigious Civil War events throughout the United States.
MY COLUMN - Mike McMurran Sports Editor
It seems as though in the local sports scene everything is either wrapping up or just starting. Youth baseball and softball are all but over; youth soccer is just beginning practice. Men’s and women’s softball have pretty much concluded their summer seasons and focusing on beginning their fall seasons. The Rage, well, God bless ‘em, we all know what happened to the Rage. The River Otters are about two months away from opening their 2005-2006 season. Due to inability of being in two places at once I have failed to give the Rascals any coverage at all, but am looking to correct that problem. No, sports-wise, all is well, and rather quiet.
Last Tuesday evening while watching the Cardinals’ new phenom pitcher, Anthony Reyes, earn his first major league win, in a rather impressive style, I might add, I could not but help of thinking of the opening lines of Charles Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I am of course making reference to the fashion statement made by Reyes, pants legs up high; hat bill as flat as a pancake. I really did like his pants legs. It reminded of how most major league player wore their pants when I first started watching baseball. Now, it seems, most players wear their pants down below the ankle even. I for one don’t like it. Did you know the Cardinals are one of the few, very few, who have stripes on their stockings? Same socks wore by the 1964 Cardinals. Probably even before that, but I remember 1964. Few players show their stripes at all. But Reyes wore his pants in the old school fashion and his stripes were out in all their glory. That’s the “best of times.”
“The worst of times,” anyone who watched the game knows I have to be talking about his hat! I understand old school vs. new school – but please keep the schools separate. I am not sure his hat is even new school, its more like something out of a BET music video – flat as a pancake. I thought for sure the next thing he was going to do was turn his hat to the side of his head and pull out a bling-bling the size of a hubcap. Some reports the next day went so far as to say he irons his hat to make it that flat. Am I out of line here? Let me know, please.
One person who I do think is out-of-line, and I am going to speak politically for a moment (sorry family Almus) is Chucky Boy from the other publication. In one of his recent columns he all but says he is a republican, and the nation should stand behind the current president with unconditional support. Sorry Chuck, ain’t gonna happen – and more importantly it shouldn’t happen. Speaking of republicans, the behavior of the St. Peters’ Board and Mayor, republicans all, mind you, reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite movies, Mississippi Burning. Now, before anyone suggests it, I am not comparing the G.O.P. to Mississippi in 1964 – not even close, but in one scene, in the movie, as the F.B.I. begins to unravel the case of the murdered Civil Rights workers, the F.B.I. agents says something along the lines of “The rats are beginning to turn on themselves.” As I watched the republican spokesperson on television call for the dismissal of the republican Prosecuting Attorney, thought of the line.
And while on the subject, is it not pretty much a given, the reason for the recent success of the G.O.P., locally, regionally and nationally, due to their successful recruitment of the Christian right wing. Is not the attack on Mr. Morrison centered on his behavior dating back to 2000 and beyond? Is that being forgiving? Personally, I don’t care one way or the other, but a political party that suggests “you’re not Christian if don’t vote for Bush,” certainly seems hypocritical at attacking someone for sins committed five years ago and longer. Come to think of it, Bush himself seems to have had some similar problems. No, “rats turning on themselves,” seems a rather applicable quote in this matter.
Lastly, and by far, most seriously, prayers from the McMurran family to the family of Marta Baier, who was killed recently while jumping from her vehicle as the accelerator stuck. Mrs. Baier was employed as a kindergarten teacher at Fairview Elementary School in the Jennings School District, the same district in which I teach. With out going into rhetoric, I think its safe to say she had to face and deal with problems beyond most of the readers of this publication’s wildest imagination. Teaching anywhere is tough; teaching in Jennings presents some very unique challenges. From what I have been told she faced them every day with a smile on her face. To her survivors: she truly made the world in which her students lived, a better place.
Last Tuesday evening while watching the Cardinals’ new phenom pitcher, Anthony Reyes, earn his first major league win, in a rather impressive style, I might add, I could not but help of thinking of the opening lines of Charles Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I am of course making reference to the fashion statement made by Reyes, pants legs up high; hat bill as flat as a pancake. I really did like his pants legs. It reminded of how most major league player wore their pants when I first started watching baseball. Now, it seems, most players wear their pants down below the ankle even. I for one don’t like it. Did you know the Cardinals are one of the few, very few, who have stripes on their stockings? Same socks wore by the 1964 Cardinals. Probably even before that, but I remember 1964. Few players show their stripes at all. But Reyes wore his pants in the old school fashion and his stripes were out in all their glory. That’s the “best of times.”
“The worst of times,” anyone who watched the game knows I have to be talking about his hat! I understand old school vs. new school – but please keep the schools separate. I am not sure his hat is even new school, its more like something out of a BET music video – flat as a pancake. I thought for sure the next thing he was going to do was turn his hat to the side of his head and pull out a bling-bling the size of a hubcap. Some reports the next day went so far as to say he irons his hat to make it that flat. Am I out of line here? Let me know, please.
One person who I do think is out-of-line, and I am going to speak politically for a moment (sorry family Almus) is Chucky Boy from the other publication. In one of his recent columns he all but says he is a republican, and the nation should stand behind the current president with unconditional support. Sorry Chuck, ain’t gonna happen – and more importantly it shouldn’t happen. Speaking of republicans, the behavior of the St. Peters’ Board and Mayor, republicans all, mind you, reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite movies, Mississippi Burning. Now, before anyone suggests it, I am not comparing the G.O.P. to Mississippi in 1964 – not even close, but in one scene, in the movie, as the F.B.I. begins to unravel the case of the murdered Civil Rights workers, the F.B.I. agents says something along the lines of “The rats are beginning to turn on themselves.” As I watched the republican spokesperson on television call for the dismissal of the republican Prosecuting Attorney, thought of the line.
And while on the subject, is it not pretty much a given, the reason for the recent success of the G.O.P., locally, regionally and nationally, due to their successful recruitment of the Christian right wing. Is not the attack on Mr. Morrison centered on his behavior dating back to 2000 and beyond? Is that being forgiving? Personally, I don’t care one way or the other, but a political party that suggests “you’re not Christian if don’t vote for Bush,” certainly seems hypocritical at attacking someone for sins committed five years ago and longer. Come to think of it, Bush himself seems to have had some similar problems. No, “rats turning on themselves,” seems a rather applicable quote in this matter.
Lastly, and by far, most seriously, prayers from the McMurran family to the family of Marta Baier, who was killed recently while jumping from her vehicle as the accelerator stuck. Mrs. Baier was employed as a kindergarten teacher at Fairview Elementary School in the Jennings School District, the same district in which I teach. With out going into rhetoric, I think its safe to say she had to face and deal with problems beyond most of the readers of this publication’s wildest imagination. Teaching anywhere is tough; teaching in Jennings presents some very unique challenges. From what I have been told she faced them every day with a smile on her face. To her survivors: she truly made the world in which her students lived, a better place.
THE RAGE FOOTBALL by MIKE THOMPSON
By MIKE THOMPSON
Well, over this past weekend, the NIFL season finally came to a close with the NIFL All-Stars winning a well played game at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, Texas. Extra special for River City Rage fans is the fact that the All-Stars were coached by Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt, who had help from Lubbock Head Coach Brian Blake and Jim Cooke of the Odessa Roughnecks. This was the first year an actual All-Star contest was played and Wyatt, who handled all the substatutions, organized the special teams and made the majority of the game decisions, says his overall game plan was fairly simple.
“I told the players before the game, it wasn’t my ego that needed to win this game, it was all about them and putting their own stamp of identity on each and every play. That’s why an All-Star game is played, to give the best players in the league a chance to show why they deserve the honor and showcase their talents. With only two chances to practice, I thought the quarterbacks picked up the system well and made the right calls and employed the right players in most situations. Apparently, it worked.”
With veteran quarterback Albert Higgs of the Everett Hawks in command, the NIFL All-Stars rallied from an 18 point halftime deficit to defeat the Odessa Roughnecks 49-44 in the 2005 Classic on Saturday night. Higgs passed for three second-half touchdowns, including a 22 yard strike to B.J. Charlton of the Billings Mavericks with just 1:25 left in the game. Noteworthy is the fact that the Odessa team finished 15-1 on the season, so defeating them, even with a band of top players from around the league, was no easy task.
“On defense, the league had pre-determined that only man to man coverage would be allowed,” said Wyatt by phone Tuesday afternoon, still in Texas on a well deserved mini-vacation, “that put a lot of pressure on the defensive backs who went one on one all night with Odessa’s receivers, any of whom could have been on the All-Star team. But the defense toughened up, especially in the second half when we forced a fumble to stop a drive, and made a goal-line stand on forth and goal at the one yard line. I was proud that my guy, Bruce Blue, was part of that defensive wall that made that stop and essentially, turned the game around for us.”
Blue, who according to Wyatt, “played his heart out,” was one of two River City Rage All-Stars who earned the trip to Odessa. Wide Receiver Scott Pingel was chosen, but due to coaching commitments at CBC High School, elected not to attend. But all in all, a great weekend for the contingent from the Atlantic East Division Champions, and a well deserved win for Coach Wyatt, who now has this victory to carry through the off-season.
One interesting side note to the weekend’s activities was the skills competition on Friday night. Players were given opportunity to showcase their individual skills in passing, receiving and rushing, along with competing with each other in an NFL outlined obstacle course.
An NFL-type combine workout was scheduled for Saturday morning, with scouts from the NFL, the Arena League and the Canadian Football League in attendance. The game was televised locally and was played before a sellout crowd. A great way to put an exclamation point on what proved to be an exciting, surprising, fun and successful 2005 NIFL season!
There’s never really an off-season in professional football, and in weeks to come we’ll examine some of the ways The Rage plans to stay in the public eye over the next 6 months. I would invite fans to check our website on a regular basis for the updated information and schedule of events that will make this an off season different from others in the past. Two things in particular come to mind. One is an opportunity for you as a Rage fan to express your opinion regarding the team’s overall performance both on and off the field. You’ll find that on the front page of our website at ragefootball.com.
Secondly, while our roster is comprised mostly of Division One players, if you are a football player in the area and would like to try out for the Rage, the tryout information is also available on the team website. The first scheduled open tryout is slated for October and a form can be filled out on-line and all the advantages of playing for the River City Rage are outlined as well.
Finally, from a personal standpoint, as Media Relations Director and the voice of the Rage on 1380 ESPN, this season has been an experience I’ll not soon forget. Beyond any doubt, the first of what I hope will be many seasons associated with the team, primarily because I’ve been fortunate to be part of one of the best organizations in the National Indoor Football League. The education will continue this fall and winter, much of which I plan to share with you, the Rage fan. Sure, like everyone else who loves football, I’ll root for the Rams and probably live and breathe every pass, fumble and touchdown this fall, but know for certain that Coach Wyatt, our owners Tye and Scott, Morris Groves our Ops Manager, our players, assistant coaches and myself are already preparing for bigger and better things in 2006. It’ll be great to keep you ‘in the loop’!!
Well, over this past weekend, the NIFL season finally came to a close with the NIFL All-Stars winning a well played game at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, Texas. Extra special for River City Rage fans is the fact that the All-Stars were coached by Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt, who had help from Lubbock Head Coach Brian Blake and Jim Cooke of the Odessa Roughnecks. This was the first year an actual All-Star contest was played and Wyatt, who handled all the substatutions, organized the special teams and made the majority of the game decisions, says his overall game plan was fairly simple.
“I told the players before the game, it wasn’t my ego that needed to win this game, it was all about them and putting their own stamp of identity on each and every play. That’s why an All-Star game is played, to give the best players in the league a chance to show why they deserve the honor and showcase their talents. With only two chances to practice, I thought the quarterbacks picked up the system well and made the right calls and employed the right players in most situations. Apparently, it worked.”
With veteran quarterback Albert Higgs of the Everett Hawks in command, the NIFL All-Stars rallied from an 18 point halftime deficit to defeat the Odessa Roughnecks 49-44 in the 2005 Classic on Saturday night. Higgs passed for three second-half touchdowns, including a 22 yard strike to B.J. Charlton of the Billings Mavericks with just 1:25 left in the game. Noteworthy is the fact that the Odessa team finished 15-1 on the season, so defeating them, even with a band of top players from around the league, was no easy task.
“On defense, the league had pre-determined that only man to man coverage would be allowed,” said Wyatt by phone Tuesday afternoon, still in Texas on a well deserved mini-vacation, “that put a lot of pressure on the defensive backs who went one on one all night with Odessa’s receivers, any of whom could have been on the All-Star team. But the defense toughened up, especially in the second half when we forced a fumble to stop a drive, and made a goal-line stand on forth and goal at the one yard line. I was proud that my guy, Bruce Blue, was part of that defensive wall that made that stop and essentially, turned the game around for us.”
Blue, who according to Wyatt, “played his heart out,” was one of two River City Rage All-Stars who earned the trip to Odessa. Wide Receiver Scott Pingel was chosen, but due to coaching commitments at CBC High School, elected not to attend. But all in all, a great weekend for the contingent from the Atlantic East Division Champions, and a well deserved win for Coach Wyatt, who now has this victory to carry through the off-season.
One interesting side note to the weekend’s activities was the skills competition on Friday night. Players were given opportunity to showcase their individual skills in passing, receiving and rushing, along with competing with each other in an NFL outlined obstacle course.
An NFL-type combine workout was scheduled for Saturday morning, with scouts from the NFL, the Arena League and the Canadian Football League in attendance. The game was televised locally and was played before a sellout crowd. A great way to put an exclamation point on what proved to be an exciting, surprising, fun and successful 2005 NIFL season!
There’s never really an off-season in professional football, and in weeks to come we’ll examine some of the ways The Rage plans to stay in the public eye over the next 6 months. I would invite fans to check our website on a regular basis for the updated information and schedule of events that will make this an off season different from others in the past. Two things in particular come to mind. One is an opportunity for you as a Rage fan to express your opinion regarding the team’s overall performance both on and off the field. You’ll find that on the front page of our website at ragefootball.com.
Secondly, while our roster is comprised mostly of Division One players, if you are a football player in the area and would like to try out for the Rage, the tryout information is also available on the team website. The first scheduled open tryout is slated for October and a form can be filled out on-line and all the advantages of playing for the River City Rage are outlined as well.
Finally, from a personal standpoint, as Media Relations Director and the voice of the Rage on 1380 ESPN, this season has been an experience I’ll not soon forget. Beyond any doubt, the first of what I hope will be many seasons associated with the team, primarily because I’ve been fortunate to be part of one of the best organizations in the National Indoor Football League. The education will continue this fall and winter, much of which I plan to share with you, the Rage fan. Sure, like everyone else who loves football, I’ll root for the Rams and probably live and breathe every pass, fumble and touchdown this fall, but know for certain that Coach Wyatt, our owners Tye and Scott, Morris Groves our Ops Manager, our players, assistant coaches and myself are already preparing for bigger and better things in 2006. It’ll be great to keep you ‘in the loop’!!
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