Former St. Charles Mayor Grace Nichols announced her candidacy for Mayor stating: “The City of St. Charles has been fortunate to be in the path of progress for the last twenty years. Both population increases and economic development have allowed the City to benefit in many ways from westward expansion. Careful planning and citizen efforts to increase revenues through passage of the half-cent capital improvement sales tax in 1993 and the vote to allow casino gaming in 1994, finally allowed the City to have sufficient revenues to keep up with the needs of the citizens. The budget appropriation for the operating budget, capital budget and debt service has grown from @39 million in 1995 to $94 million in 2007. But the City is again saying that it out of money. What happened?”
“We must again address this problem of the budget but it will take leadership, it will take a Mayor who will face the hard issues, who will listen to and work with a City Council committed to address the problem of the city. I have not only had six years on the City Council and eight years as Mayor, but have been an attorney with 17 years in private practice and nine years as a circuit judge and senior judge. I have been trained in mediation and have worked to solve problems. I can make the City work.
One of the challenges of the next Mayor is that the position is changing in April 2007. The people voted to make the Mayor the Administrator of the City as well as performing the current functions. i had the pleasure of serving on the City Council when both Frank Brockgreitens and Doug Boschert served in that capacity and worked very closely with two administrators while I was Mayor. I believe that my background will help me perform the job successfully.
My vision for the City of St. Charles is a continuation of the one I had for the City before: solid economic development providing high-end jobs (not more and more fast food stores and strip malls), support for small businesses and start-ups; continuation of planned riverfront development, respect for our historic areas while taking a look at new ideas; support housing for all economic levels; maintaining our streets, roads and stormwater projects; high quality police and fire departments, and keeping an open door for all citizens. Most important we need a return to a city that we are proud of, that doesn’t make people snicker and make jokes when the name is mentioned. There must be an ed to silly lawsuits, name calling and personal attacks between Councilmembers, the Mayor and City officials. I pledge to put a stop to that and make you proud again.”
Nichols served as a City Council member from 1975-1981. She was elected Mayor of St. Charles in April of 1987 and wes reelected in April of 1992.
She is a Senior Circuit Judge. She was born in Alexandria, Virginia in October of 1937. She has a B.A. from College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA and a J.D. from St. Louis University in 1981.
