CITY ISSUES
by R. L. Greer
Well, here we are into the third month of 2006 already and interesting things are happening in St Charles. There is a request for redevelopment of an area in Frenchtown between French St and Tecumseh. If you haven’t been in that area you really should drive down Second Street. I did one Sunday and counted the number of vacancies from Morgan St. to French St. then from French St. to Tecumseh St. There are 6 building vacancies in the area CPR is requesting redevelopment verses 15 in the southern section of Second Street The individual making the presentation in February to the Council stressed a requirement for designating an area blighted was vacancies and another was dilapidated buildings. Look closely at the appearance of the buildings in each area and you will readily see the area between Morgan and French should be the redevelopment area as it meets those requirements entirely.
Councilman Greer was asked by public works staff to sponsor an ordinance concerning the issuance of stop work orders at work sites. I believe this request originated from the Community Development to help Public Works Department employees. The Mayor with her veto apparently doesn’t think the Director, who the taxpayers pay a large sum in salary, can designate authority to only those employees who have the qualifications and certified training to exercise their expert judgement with common sense. If the Director does not have the authority to perform the responsibilities that go with the position we might as well hire a clerk at a lesser salary. Everyone knows the real reason for the veto was Mrs. Greer sponsored the bill.
Bob Hoepfner has sponsored a bill to pay the Mayor after April 2007 a salary of $150,000. The Council had already passed a bill establishing the salary at $60,000 with an increase after two years to $63,000, which sounds very reasonable to this writer resident taxpayer. What do you think? The daily operations of the City are to be handled by another individual who hopefully will be trained in Municipal Government and should be compensated accordingly and after signing his contract will stand by his promise. The Mayor will be selected based on a popularity contest not administrative or management skills. Because of the voter approved changes to the Charter, after April 2007 the City of St Charles will have a dictatorial form of government because decisions will be made by one individual who has total power to exercise it as he/she deems fit.
Another bill that came up for first reading Tuesday regards spending $100,000 to do a Land Use Plan and Feasibility Study regarding a proposed Living History/Working Farm. Can you think of a better use of the money? How about creek bank stabilization?
Another issue that is amongst us is the meetings taking place between Rory Riddler and Bob Kneemiller concerning proposed changes to the Charter without the average citizens being asked for their input or other Council members requested to join them. I’m not saying the Charter doesn’t need some more changes. In my opinion there are numerous changes that need to be made. A novel idea is eliminate the Charter all together and let the State Legislature run the City. Rep. Tom Dempsey apparently thinks they can do a better job and has already stepped in and successfully got legislation passed that is harmful to the City resident/taxpayers.
The March 7th Council Meeting was the most disgraceful meeting yet and attempts were made to confuse you the residents of St Charles. A closed session was called at 7:30pm so attorney costs would not be excessive then the agenda was changed and became a mesh mash with Hoepfner trying to delay the process by asking for a roll call vote on every bill up for final passage. The mob five didn’t want to work past 10:00pm to dispose of important city business. The change in the agenda is what Riddler and Kneemiller are proposing for all future meetings. Let your thoughts be known regarding this important issue. Contact your Council Representative. The disrupters from the recall effort said they expected a few forged signatures in the gathering of signatures, then they had the goal to ask for honesty and integrity from the Council. When you buy a house do you expect a door to fall off its hinges or a cabinet door to fall on the counter or a water line to leak? When you go into the hospital do you expect the wrong medication to be given to you by a staff member? Even they have responsibility and accountability for their actions or lack there of. Their group stayed only long enough to cause disruption and show their lack of respect for everyone else in the room. Mike Weller is acting just as hateful as his cohorts who are leaders in the recall effort. I say grow up people and display respect to all persons. Get rid of your grade school antics and start practicing what you preach.
Honesty and integrity is meaningless if TRUTH is left out.
Again the recall effort is attempting to mislead you the voters of Ward 7 by implying a yes vote will help Dottie Greer. Vote NO to retain her as your representative of Ward 7.
“The Liberty Bell of Truth has Rung.” Dottie Greer
