Dear Editor,
May I be so bold as to provide your columnist, “Charles Hill”, with a grammatical “tool” that he may employ before he submits his column to future editions of the First Capitol News?
His column that appeared in the March 17-23 edition includes the sentence “Once again this project does require you and I to kick in 5 acres of taxpayers ground.”
If Charles Hill would use the following method of checking his usage of the English/American language, similar mistakes more than likely won’t be repeated. “Once again this project does require you and I to kick in 5 acres of taxpayers ground.” (Omit the words “you and” and say the sentence aloud. Then ask, “Does this sound right?” — …this project does require I to kick in…)
(Also, he may wish to include the oft-misused apostrophe in the word “taxpayers” to read “taxpayers’” since he is indicating group ownership of those 5 acres of ground.)
I must compliment your “Editor’s Eye” regarding recent First Capitol News editions, as you have progressed by leaps and bounds concerning the extensive misspellings, misuse of the ubiquitous apostrophe and publication of extremely poor grammar that used to appear throughout the early issues. I realize you may have been publishing articles and opinions “as they are received” from your columnists, but I would wonder if any of them have little tools named “Spell Check” and/or “Grammar Check” residing within
their software programs.
Again, I am so grateful for the news and insights provided by your publication – especially articles forewarning the public of ugly political moves such as the hiring of the “Goon Squad”. I’m not surprised, but perhaps some of the uninformed public/voters will become aware of such underhanded political moves by reading the First Capitol News.
Thank you!
Sandy Fernstrom
Slf40@charter.net
Editor’s note
Thank you for being a reader of the First Capitol News. Our agreement with our columnists is that as long as their articles do not contain misinformation or libelous statements we print them as written. However we do correct grammatical errors when we catch them. I am forwarding your comments to Charles Hill for his review.
To the Editor:
As a longtime citizen and former Mayor of St. Peters, I am deeply concerned with some of the attributes of one of our mayoral candidates. Alderman Len Pagano is running his campaign on the basis of trust and his accomplishments during his tenure. What has Alderman Pagano done? First of all, he has outright taken credit for being involved in the many endeavors the City has made, beginning with the St. Peters Senior Center. I was there from the conception of the idea to the finished product, and not once was he there to pound one nail or put up a 2x4. The same may be said for the Rec-Plex. While fundraising was going on for this wonderful development, many people who already had full time jobs gave their all to make this happen for the citizens of St. Peters. Again, Mr. Pagano was no-where to be found during this time and spent no effort to aid in this project. In addition, he is never seen at the ribbon cuttings for the small businesses he claims to support, and where was he when the City was trying to pass the last 3 bond issues?
Now let’s talk about what Len Pagano has done. He has sold himself to the Great River Habitat Alliance and Adolphus Busch. This is the same man who put in the entire O’Fallon board of Aldermen and Mayor in power as well as our felonious Mayor Shawn Brown. Ironically, Len Pagano has also credited himself for taking Mayor Shawn Brown and Aldeman Michelle Steins under his wings; his protégés if you will. He has also blamed the city for letting houses be built close to the pipelines, though he’s the only one who was there when whose votes for it were taken! Finally, as far as his campaign is being conducted, there are some questionable billboard donations from Drury sign company totaling $5,000. Alderman Pagano has been heard beginning most of his comments with “I’m really not quite sure”. Well Mr. Pagano, there’s your campaign slogan.
Tom Brown
Former Mayor St. Peters
Dear Editor,
During the March 8th Saint Charles School Board Meeting President Dennis Hahn made this quote, “I think our intent really for the non-resident situation was to try to keep the smaller…Um…the lower grades, smaller class sizes.” He made this comment after Dr. Tower chided the rest of the board about using the money they were suppose to be saving by kicking those children out of our district. Dennis Hahn has backpedaled from his position in February and now what is he telling us. In a district with about 2,000 elementary school students, they are afraid to allow less than 20 additional children because it will “compromise class sizes”? If Dennis Hahn thinks we can’t tolerate a meager 1% increase at the elementary school level, then this district is not ready to close down two elementary schools.
The worst part is that they don’t need to do it. In January their financial update included the new “Assessment Evaluations” which projected next year that they would be receiving a significant increase from the city in tax revenue. The amount stated in January of 4-5 million was not repeated in February or March, but I encourage everyone to look into this, as it is nearly twice the amount of money the board claimed they needed to keep our schools open.
It was no surprise for me to hear that Mr. Weinrich, the Treasurer of the School Board, (one of the three that has been going against the Gang of Four) suddenly backed out of his re-election bid after the board’s closed session meeting on March 15th. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dr. Towers followed suit after her efforts against the fearsome foursome.
Dennis Hahn and his gang are railroading this district to the same end we see happening in Saint Louis. They too started by shutting down schools, which didn’t save any money, and then they lost good teachers, lost their accreditations, and now face a state take-over. Is that what Dennis Hahn is trying to do to our district?
The city is handing our school district all the money they asked for and still Dennis Hahn is willing to sacrifice young lives in his vain effort to “Stay the Course”. I find his disrespect for the teachers, the children and the wishes of this community intolerable.
Jim DuMontelle
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Case In Point By Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9
“Memories are the key not to the past, but to the future.”
Corrie Ten Boom
The first First Capitol News of Spring 2007. Spring being a time for renewal, hope and faith; I thought a quote from Corrie Ten Boom would be timely. If ever a story of faith and hope were written, Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place was it. Anyone who has not yet read Ten Boom’s book about her family’s resistance to the Nazi in Holland can call your favorite book store and order a copy to compliment the arrival of spring.
Recently, State Representative, Tom Dempsey introduced legislation that would prohibit collectors of signatures for recall petitions from being paid. I want to thank Rep. Dempsey for taking this step in an attempt to keep the recall process from being a tool of a few wealthy citizens who create a “grassroots” movement by using a lot of “green”. Citizens still hold the right to remove an elected official from office for malfeasance but a resident in, Town and Country cannot pay someone from Sikeston to collect signatures on an official in St. Charles County.
Rep. Dempsey is responding to a recall effort against councilman Mark Brown and councilwoman Dottie Greer where people were paid per signature collected that opened up the recall to corruption that brought charges on some of the people involved in the endeavor. Again, thanks to Rep. Dempsey for taking action to safeguard the election process.
By chance that Tom Dempsey is reading this here are a couple more areas where we can use your help:
¨Help us outlaw payday loan shops (legislate stricter usury laws and lets drive these predatory lenders out of business)
¨Stop/Reverse legislation that prohibits only St. Charles from certain action (starting with control over our own sewer system)
¨Help keep elections statewide clean by banning paperless, touch-screen voting machines.
¨Help St. Charles City residents along I-70 obtain sound abatement by securing funding for buffers (currently the State won’t help with sound walls unless I-70 is widened; however, it was widened from its original four lanes)
¨Introduce legislation that demarks Lindenwood University’s boundaries at their current extent so that any new property they purchase does not fall under their tax-exempt status (as it stands, the university can continue to buy up property and remove each piece from our town’s tax rolls).
I think it will be beneficial if our city officials meet regularly in the coming years with our state officials. Sometimes communication breaks down without anyone realizing it. We all can take the lesson of a new start that spring brings with it. Again, I really am thankful for the attention paid to cleaning up recall efforts!
Another thing we have to think about with the coming of spring is thunderstorms and tornadoes. More specifically, we have to wonder how many times our power might be out for extended periods. Should I buy a generator or not...? Folks in Illinois had to be slack-jawed when their latest Ameren bills arrived and had doubled and tripled. It is spring and we are supposed to remain hopeful – so, here’s to hoping Mother Nature goes easy on us this Spring so we can read, The Hiding Place and other good books this season by electric light and not candlelight.
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
Anne Bradstreet
Corrie Ten Boom
The first First Capitol News of Spring 2007. Spring being a time for renewal, hope and faith; I thought a quote from Corrie Ten Boom would be timely. If ever a story of faith and hope were written, Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place was it. Anyone who has not yet read Ten Boom’s book about her family’s resistance to the Nazi in Holland can call your favorite book store and order a copy to compliment the arrival of spring.
Recently, State Representative, Tom Dempsey introduced legislation that would prohibit collectors of signatures for recall petitions from being paid. I want to thank Rep. Dempsey for taking this step in an attempt to keep the recall process from being a tool of a few wealthy citizens who create a “grassroots” movement by using a lot of “green”. Citizens still hold the right to remove an elected official from office for malfeasance but a resident in, Town and Country cannot pay someone from Sikeston to collect signatures on an official in St. Charles County.
Rep. Dempsey is responding to a recall effort against councilman Mark Brown and councilwoman Dottie Greer where people were paid per signature collected that opened up the recall to corruption that brought charges on some of the people involved in the endeavor. Again, thanks to Rep. Dempsey for taking action to safeguard the election process.
By chance that Tom Dempsey is reading this here are a couple more areas where we can use your help:
¨Help us outlaw payday loan shops (legislate stricter usury laws and lets drive these predatory lenders out of business)
¨Stop/Reverse legislation that prohibits only St. Charles from certain action (starting with control over our own sewer system)
¨Help keep elections statewide clean by banning paperless, touch-screen voting machines.
¨Help St. Charles City residents along I-70 obtain sound abatement by securing funding for buffers (currently the State won’t help with sound walls unless I-70 is widened; however, it was widened from its original four lanes)
¨Introduce legislation that demarks Lindenwood University’s boundaries at their current extent so that any new property they purchase does not fall under their tax-exempt status (as it stands, the university can continue to buy up property and remove each piece from our town’s tax rolls).
I think it will be beneficial if our city officials meet regularly in the coming years with our state officials. Sometimes communication breaks down without anyone realizing it. We all can take the lesson of a new start that spring brings with it. Again, I really am thankful for the attention paid to cleaning up recall efforts!
Another thing we have to think about with the coming of spring is thunderstorms and tornadoes. More specifically, we have to wonder how many times our power might be out for extended periods. Should I buy a generator or not...? Folks in Illinois had to be slack-jawed when their latest Ameren bills arrived and had doubled and tripled. It is spring and we are supposed to remain hopeful – so, here’s to hoping Mother Nature goes easy on us this Spring so we can read, The Hiding Place and other good books this season by electric light and not candlelight.
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
Anne Bradstreet
The City DESK - Rory Riddler, Councilman Ward 1
The Inconvenient Truth
About Inconvenience
Driving down Elm Street the other day, I saw the electronic reader boards the City had put up to notify drivers of the pending reconstruction of portions of Elm. Along with information that the long awaited project would start “sometime” in April, was an emoticon. You know, those funny faces :-) people like to tack onto e-mails, text messages and the like.
At first I wanted to make sure it wasn’t winking, ;-), like this was an inside joke. Sure, we’ll start construction in April…wink, wink. Perhaps it was simply wishing me a nice day, or was it more like saying, good luck…you’ll need it. I was also wondering if they could rig these signs to receive and display text messages from drivers? That could get interesting.
I think it took a few people by surprise because you don’t expect those in government to have a sense of humor, but believe me, it is there…just below the surface. Personally, I applaud the person that added the smiley face to the message. You especially have to have a sense of humor when you work for the Public Works Department. That’s because a lot of what they have to do to reconstruct vital infrastructure like roads, bridges, water and sewer lines ends up creating dust, noise, traffic jams and, well, general inconvenience for neighbors, businesses and the driving public.
Inconvenience is somewhat like pain. Different people have different levels of tolerance. No one was happy the last time Elm Street was torn up for construction, hence the frequent references to the Nightmare On Elm Street.
What we hope makes this experience a better one, is the proactive attitude I have seen demonstrated by Public Works Director Mahesh Sharma and his staff. He came to the Street Committee of the Council months ago, with plans for the use of reader boards, frequent updates on the web site and other ideas of how to keep motorists apprised of the work.
We were candid with him about the type of problems people find infuriating. For instance, the days and sometimes weeks that go by, with no one on the job site and no explanation as to why work was seemingly abandoned. They may still be well within their deadlines for completion, but it is still maddening to not see progress being made every day.
Since contractors work on numerous projects at once, they move men and equipment around to other sites as they wait for ground conditions to be right, materials to arrive or utilities to be moved (a real problem at times getting cooperation from utility companies). One way to get the contractors to want to finish sooner and not push the deadline, is to offer incentives. We have been doing that lately on all major projects and a good example is the Mel Wetter Parkway, which was able to be opened months ahead of schedule.
Our Street Committee suggested adding even further incentives to the Elm Street project by extending the target period in which the contractor could achieve incentives. Incentives may add a $100,000 or so to a seven or eight million dollar project, but it is well worth it for the aggravation it avoids.
Another suggestion I made to city staff, is to never let a road get in as bad a shape as some portions of Elm Street. Those sections that jar you and your car’s suspension, should have been cut out and relaid. Instead, there was a reluctance to do anything to a street that everyone knew would just be torn up for major reconstruction a year or two later. Deferring maintenance that adds to frustration levels on the part of motorists is never a good idea.
Having a great Public Works Department is two-thirds perspiration and one-third public relations. I hope the smiley face is a positive sign of good things to come from a department that seems more committed than ever to public service.
Let me make this point clear, a major reconstruction project is going to be inconvenient no matter what we do. Unless the City flew a helicopter to their house to ferry them to work each day, we are going to make some people very angry and a lot of people somewhat frustrated over the next year with the Elm Street project.
But to the extent they can, I think that Mahesh Sharma and his department, will listen to your concerns and do everything in their power to accommodate and relieve problems as they come up. Don’t be hesitant to contact them with questions or concerns.
For everyone else, I would recommend switching to decaffeinated coffee, finding an easy listening music station and start planning alternative routs. It’s almost time to grin J and bear it.
About Inconvenience
Driving down Elm Street the other day, I saw the electronic reader boards the City had put up to notify drivers of the pending reconstruction of portions of Elm. Along with information that the long awaited project would start “sometime” in April, was an emoticon. You know, those funny faces :-) people like to tack onto e-mails, text messages and the like.
At first I wanted to make sure it wasn’t winking, ;-), like this was an inside joke. Sure, we’ll start construction in April…wink, wink. Perhaps it was simply wishing me a nice day, or was it more like saying, good luck…you’ll need it. I was also wondering if they could rig these signs to receive and display text messages from drivers? That could get interesting.
I think it took a few people by surprise because you don’t expect those in government to have a sense of humor, but believe me, it is there…just below the surface. Personally, I applaud the person that added the smiley face to the message. You especially have to have a sense of humor when you work for the Public Works Department. That’s because a lot of what they have to do to reconstruct vital infrastructure like roads, bridges, water and sewer lines ends up creating dust, noise, traffic jams and, well, general inconvenience for neighbors, businesses and the driving public.
Inconvenience is somewhat like pain. Different people have different levels of tolerance. No one was happy the last time Elm Street was torn up for construction, hence the frequent references to the Nightmare On Elm Street.
What we hope makes this experience a better one, is the proactive attitude I have seen demonstrated by Public Works Director Mahesh Sharma and his staff. He came to the Street Committee of the Council months ago, with plans for the use of reader boards, frequent updates on the web site and other ideas of how to keep motorists apprised of the work.
We were candid with him about the type of problems people find infuriating. For instance, the days and sometimes weeks that go by, with no one on the job site and no explanation as to why work was seemingly abandoned. They may still be well within their deadlines for completion, but it is still maddening to not see progress being made every day.
Since contractors work on numerous projects at once, they move men and equipment around to other sites as they wait for ground conditions to be right, materials to arrive or utilities to be moved (a real problem at times getting cooperation from utility companies). One way to get the contractors to want to finish sooner and not push the deadline, is to offer incentives. We have been doing that lately on all major projects and a good example is the Mel Wetter Parkway, which was able to be opened months ahead of schedule.
Our Street Committee suggested adding even further incentives to the Elm Street project by extending the target period in which the contractor could achieve incentives. Incentives may add a $100,000 or so to a seven or eight million dollar project, but it is well worth it for the aggravation it avoids.
Another suggestion I made to city staff, is to never let a road get in as bad a shape as some portions of Elm Street. Those sections that jar you and your car’s suspension, should have been cut out and relaid. Instead, there was a reluctance to do anything to a street that everyone knew would just be torn up for major reconstruction a year or two later. Deferring maintenance that adds to frustration levels on the part of motorists is never a good idea.
Having a great Public Works Department is two-thirds perspiration and one-third public relations. I hope the smiley face is a positive sign of good things to come from a department that seems more committed than ever to public service.
Let me make this point clear, a major reconstruction project is going to be inconvenient no matter what we do. Unless the City flew a helicopter to their house to ferry them to work each day, we are going to make some people very angry and a lot of people somewhat frustrated over the next year with the Elm Street project.
But to the extent they can, I think that Mahesh Sharma and his department, will listen to your concerns and do everything in their power to accommodate and relieve problems as they come up. Don’t be hesitant to contact them with questions or concerns.
For everyone else, I would recommend switching to decaffeinated coffee, finding an easy listening music station and start planning alternative routs. It’s almost time to grin J and bear it.
First Capitol News Sports - Mike McMurran Sports Editor
Lately I’ve been meeting a large number of new faces, I’m sure you understand where and why, and one of the big questions I get is, “What are your hobbies? I can tell a lot about people by their hobbies,” more than one person has said to me. My honest response is usually, “I don’t have any hobbies, I’ve got three kids under the age of 11.” The strangest thing is no one believes me when I say that – but it’s true.
Since no one believes me when I say that, I had to come up with some type of hobbies; without lying of course. So I did a self-evaluation and really did monitor what I did with my spare time. Now my response is, “I am a youth coach. I coach my kids’ teams.” If you know anything about grammar you will notice I used the plural possessive form of the word kid. I have three children and I coach one of each of their sports.
From January until late March I am Maggie’s basketball coach. She and 9 of her classmates play in the CYA league representing their school, Academy of the Sacred Heart. I was somewhat drafted into the position by Dr. Richard Heise, who was the girls’ assistant coach last season, and serves as my assistant this season. Last season was the girls first season of playing basketball – and it showed. They finished with a 2-8 record, and it was sometimes painful to watch them play. I sat in the stands and kept my comments to myself, but thought that with just a little instruction the girls could be pretty good. I’m not the best basketball coach in the world, but quiet honestly I have hung out with some pretty darn good ones. Remember ladies and gentlemen, I teach in Jennings, and for 6 year I was the high school athletic director. One of my responsibilities was to supervise, which means attend all athletic contests – both boys and girls. For 6 years I would attend well over 100, yes one hundred high school basketball games. When you factor in varsity, junior varsity and freshmen teams, boys and girls, not to mention tournaments that I hosted, the number was probably closer to 150. I watched and I learned. These names won’t mean much to the average person, but I’ve watched such successful high school coaches as, Randy Carter, Lance Hash, Danny Thomas and Tom Burniski. Anyone of the 4 gentlemen has forgotten more about basketball than the average person will ever know.
Any way, Maggie’s team began practicing over the Christmas Holiday, I think we practiced about 5 or 6 times. The parents wondered why we were practicing so much and I told them, “We have to learn the offense and the defense if we are going to be successful.” “Offense and defense,” they questioned. “Please remember these girls finished 2-8 last season. Don’t get their expectations too high,” I was told. Anyone who knows me knows if I am going to do something I give it all I have; I might not always accomplish my objective, but never is it due to lack of hard work and effort. Not only did we learn an offense and defense, we learned two offenses: one to attack a zone defense, one to attack a man-to-man defense. Every Friday afternoon from 3:15 until 5:00 you would find Dr. Heise and myself in the gym with 10 5th grade girls, bouncing basketballs, practicing free throws, and learning silly sayings like: “My side, I pick.” Now, please remember where I started – talking about my hobbies and such. On almost every single one of these Fridays we were practicing, the teachers and beautiful Jennings Junior High School, or at least many of them, would go out to happy hour and discuss with each other how they got through the previous week. Each week I would be invited, and each week I would have to tell them, “Can’t, I have basketball practice.”
I’m not sure of the gratification others receive from their hobbies, but if you could see the look on my girls’ faces when they score a basketball. Remember please, they have all been taught that unlike last season, when they score, act as if they have scored before – even though many had not. Last week after Emily Holloran banked in a jump shot, she immediately looked over to the bench to see if her coach had witnessed her success. Of course I did – we made eye contact as she smiled from ear to ear. You see last season when the girls scored, their celebration would make a Super Bowl winning touchdown celebration look mild. I’ve taken a page from the Notre Dame philosophy – act like you’ve scored before. This year I have at least 5 girls who have scored more points in a single contest than all of last year. I know this to be true because my favorite daughter, Maggie Kurtz McMurran is one of them. I have two players, Grace Schwendemann and Isabella Tambone, who are unstoppable when they get the ball down low. Last season they didn’t even know what “down low,” meant. We really don’t have any star players, but the flip side of that is we have lots of depth. When Grace and ‘Bella take a breather we simply substitute Madison Flynn and Kayla Simon – I still don’t know which combination would be first string or second string. We call our guards, “wings,” and that is where Paige Theby and Hillary Padavan do their damage – simple little jump shots or passing the ball down low – whatever the other team gives us. On defense, if we are looking for a quick turnover, I simply put our pit bull, Sarah Heise on the opposing team’s point guard. If you ever saw Sarah play defense you would know why we call he our “pit bull.” Speaking of point guards, our point guard, Elizabeth Francis, is faster dribbling the ball down the court than most are simply running. She has scored countless times on a fast break.
The team will play their final game of the season Saturday against All Saints. Presently we are sitting on a 6-3 record, and no matter what happens Saturday will have improved greatly over last season. I guess what I really want to do here is thank all 10 girls for a wonderful three months. And while I’m at it, a thank you to their parents for trusting me to coach their daughters. I know there was some question at the beginning of the season as to whether or not I knew what I was doing.
Well it looks as if I have run out of space – I was going to write about Joe’s baseball and Dee’s soccer teams. Maybe I should add “writing” to my list of hobbies. See ya next week.
Since no one believes me when I say that, I had to come up with some type of hobbies; without lying of course. So I did a self-evaluation and really did monitor what I did with my spare time. Now my response is, “I am a youth coach. I coach my kids’ teams.” If you know anything about grammar you will notice I used the plural possessive form of the word kid. I have three children and I coach one of each of their sports.
From January until late March I am Maggie’s basketball coach. She and 9 of her classmates play in the CYA league representing their school, Academy of the Sacred Heart. I was somewhat drafted into the position by Dr. Richard Heise, who was the girls’ assistant coach last season, and serves as my assistant this season. Last season was the girls first season of playing basketball – and it showed. They finished with a 2-8 record, and it was sometimes painful to watch them play. I sat in the stands and kept my comments to myself, but thought that with just a little instruction the girls could be pretty good. I’m not the best basketball coach in the world, but quiet honestly I have hung out with some pretty darn good ones. Remember ladies and gentlemen, I teach in Jennings, and for 6 year I was the high school athletic director. One of my responsibilities was to supervise, which means attend all athletic contests – both boys and girls. For 6 years I would attend well over 100, yes one hundred high school basketball games. When you factor in varsity, junior varsity and freshmen teams, boys and girls, not to mention tournaments that I hosted, the number was probably closer to 150. I watched and I learned. These names won’t mean much to the average person, but I’ve watched such successful high school coaches as, Randy Carter, Lance Hash, Danny Thomas and Tom Burniski. Anyone of the 4 gentlemen has forgotten more about basketball than the average person will ever know.
Any way, Maggie’s team began practicing over the Christmas Holiday, I think we practiced about 5 or 6 times. The parents wondered why we were practicing so much and I told them, “We have to learn the offense and the defense if we are going to be successful.” “Offense and defense,” they questioned. “Please remember these girls finished 2-8 last season. Don’t get their expectations too high,” I was told. Anyone who knows me knows if I am going to do something I give it all I have; I might not always accomplish my objective, but never is it due to lack of hard work and effort. Not only did we learn an offense and defense, we learned two offenses: one to attack a zone defense, one to attack a man-to-man defense. Every Friday afternoon from 3:15 until 5:00 you would find Dr. Heise and myself in the gym with 10 5th grade girls, bouncing basketballs, practicing free throws, and learning silly sayings like: “My side, I pick.” Now, please remember where I started – talking about my hobbies and such. On almost every single one of these Fridays we were practicing, the teachers and beautiful Jennings Junior High School, or at least many of them, would go out to happy hour and discuss with each other how they got through the previous week. Each week I would be invited, and each week I would have to tell them, “Can’t, I have basketball practice.”
I’m not sure of the gratification others receive from their hobbies, but if you could see the look on my girls’ faces when they score a basketball. Remember please, they have all been taught that unlike last season, when they score, act as if they have scored before – even though many had not. Last week after Emily Holloran banked in a jump shot, she immediately looked over to the bench to see if her coach had witnessed her success. Of course I did – we made eye contact as she smiled from ear to ear. You see last season when the girls scored, their celebration would make a Super Bowl winning touchdown celebration look mild. I’ve taken a page from the Notre Dame philosophy – act like you’ve scored before. This year I have at least 5 girls who have scored more points in a single contest than all of last year. I know this to be true because my favorite daughter, Maggie Kurtz McMurran is one of them. I have two players, Grace Schwendemann and Isabella Tambone, who are unstoppable when they get the ball down low. Last season they didn’t even know what “down low,” meant. We really don’t have any star players, but the flip side of that is we have lots of depth. When Grace and ‘Bella take a breather we simply substitute Madison Flynn and Kayla Simon – I still don’t know which combination would be first string or second string. We call our guards, “wings,” and that is where Paige Theby and Hillary Padavan do their damage – simple little jump shots or passing the ball down low – whatever the other team gives us. On defense, if we are looking for a quick turnover, I simply put our pit bull, Sarah Heise on the opposing team’s point guard. If you ever saw Sarah play defense you would know why we call he our “pit bull.” Speaking of point guards, our point guard, Elizabeth Francis, is faster dribbling the ball down the court than most are simply running. She has scored countless times on a fast break.
The team will play their final game of the season Saturday against All Saints. Presently we are sitting on a 6-3 record, and no matter what happens Saturday will have improved greatly over last season. I guess what I really want to do here is thank all 10 girls for a wonderful three months. And while I’m at it, a thank you to their parents for trusting me to coach their daughters. I know there was some question at the beginning of the season as to whether or not I knew what I was doing.
Well it looks as if I have run out of space – I was going to write about Joe’s baseball and Dee’s soccer teams. Maybe I should add “writing” to my list of hobbies. See ya next week.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
PROFESSIONAL CHARACTER ASSASSINS BROUGHT IN FOR ELECTION
Out Of Town Goon Squad Coming To St. Charles
By Tony Brockmeyer
Reminiscent of something out of the Soprano’s, the City of St. Charles has been infiltrated by hired hit men. The difference is these hit men won’t be using automatic weapons and trying to kill their marks. They are hired to destroy lives and the credibility of those who dare challenge the established power in St. Charles.
The First Capitol News has learned that millionaire developers have brought political assassins into St. Charles to conduct a negative campaign against Mayoral Candidate John Gieseke and some of the incumbent City Council members who are running for re-election and who have stood up against the special interests in favor of the residents of St. Charles.
Sources have told the First Capitol News that two of the companies involved in this effort are Aximon Strategies of Kansas City headed by well known Political Assassin, Jeff Roe and John Hancock & Associates of Chesterfield.
Roe has quite the reputation within the political arena. He has been compared to Darth Vadar by the Kansas City Star daily newspaper because of negative campaigns he has spearheaded. Roe has offices in Kansas City and has been hired across the state to create the illusion that candidates who are running for office against his clients are unfit.
Roe likes to distort voting records and goes as far as to go through the trash of his opponents looking for personal information that he can twist and turn. His specialty showed up in the last Mayoral debate when York made the statement, “Just six months ago Councilman Gieseke voted for a tax increase.” Gieseke did no such thing.
Roe doesn’t deny his use of negative campaigns for one reason, they have worked. If the voters continue to vote for those who run negative campaigns Roe will always have a job.
At a time when the public has voiced their concerns and have said they are fed up with negative campaigning the residents of St. Charles City are due to receive more than they have ever seen.
When told about the hit men, Mayoral Candidate John Gieseke said, “I can’t comment to what someone is doing or not doing. I am running a race that has the best interest of the residents in mind. I am not going to use character assassination or misleading statements about Mayor York. This race is about the future and vision of St. Charles, I am going to let the people know my record and my vision of the future. I signed a clean campaign pledge at City hall and I intend to live up to that.”
Councilman Mark Brown told us in last weeks edition, “He had been threatened and warned that if he filed for re-election that the vicious lies and rumors they put out the last time would be insignificant compared to what they have in store for him in this election.” First Capitol News contacted Brown and asked if he was aware of the information brought out in this story. Brown replied, “A Candidate who ties themselves to people like Ken Kielty and Jeff Roe must be held accountable first and foremost for their campaign tactics. If a candidate approves sleazy ads and campaign tactics what does it say about how they will conduct the affairs of the citizens paying taxes? It says anything goes, which isn’t good.”
Roe has been the subject of a number of articles in the Kansas City Star newspaper. In the articles Roe does not deny his use of negative campaigning. Roe went as far as to say an opponent of one of his candidates was a “smut peddler” because a magazine she was selling ads for 20 years ago, Omni a science magazine, was owned by the same company that published Penthouse Magazine.
In another campaign Roe blasted a candidate for supporting the radical gay-rights agenda. He said the candidate had been rewarded with gratuities by pro-gay lobbyists.” He made this charge because the candidate had accepted a $3.18 beverage from a lobbyist who two years later went to work for a gay-rights organization.
John Hancock and Associates is a political consulting firm located in Chesterfield. According to their web site, it is headed by John Hancock. His political experience spans three decades in Missouri politics. He is a former state legislator, was a nominee for Secretary of State in 1992 and 1996. Hancock has worked in the public relations-media industry since 1993 for a number of corporate clients. In addition, he served as the official spokesman for the Blunt for Governor campaign in 2004.
John Prouty, employed by John Hancock and Associates as a research assistant, has collected data from St. Charles City Hall.
Prouty, is a former member of the embattled Bush White House and was part of the speech writing and spin master team.
Freedom of Information requests from City Hall revealed Prouty asked for and received DVD’s from the council meetings dated March 2, 2007, all meetings in June of 2004, June 7 of 2005, December 20, 2005, January 3, 2006, and all council expenditures and council expense reports from April 2001 to present.
The Hancock firm’s website disclosed that one of their clients is AT&T.
Councilmen John Gieseke and Mark Brown both held up the AT&T ordinance trying to ensure all of St. Charles would be served. Their position was the same as the Missouri Municipal League. Like Gieseke and Brown, the MML voiced concerns over “cherry picking of certain areas by AT&T and not providing full service to all residents.” AT&T’s proposed contract with St. Charles was lacking in protection for the residents.
St. Charles is not new territory for Roe. He was brought in by big money interests in the August 2006 primary when St. Charles Councilman Joe Brazil faced off against Scott Rupp in the Republican primary for a state senate seat.
Brazil told the First Capitol News he believed Roe to be the worst type of political operative. “He told lies, misrepresented facts and brought up an incident that happened when I was 18 years old and then lied about it,” Brazil said.
A story in the Kansas City Star newspaper says that Roe specializes in distortions. He likes ads that distort the faces of his clients opponents. But mostly he distorts voting records.
According to another article in the Kansas City Star by Steve Kraske and Mike Rice, Lots of political consultants run hard-hitting TV ads. What makes Roe different is just how far he goes. Not unlike President Bush’s strategist, Karl Rove, Roe’s approach has been compared to blunt-force trauma. The message: You want to run against my guy? Fine, but this is the type of unrelenting misery you’re going to have to put up with. Roe’s mentor at Northwest Missouri State University expresses doubt about Roe; “I’ve never been clear on whether there’s any ethical or moral substance behind him,” said professor David McLaughlin.
Another person commented, “Candidates who use Roe should be very careful. If you sleep with the devil you will get burned.”
Some political insiders believe that Roe’s time has come and gone along with his type of slash and burn politics.
The First Capitol News contacted Roe and he denied any involvement with St. Charles politics. An individual like Roe usually does not want anyone to know he is involved until the campaign is over.
ttt
By Tony Brockmeyer
Reminiscent of something out of the Soprano’s, the City of St. Charles has been infiltrated by hired hit men. The difference is these hit men won’t be using automatic weapons and trying to kill their marks. They are hired to destroy lives and the credibility of those who dare challenge the established power in St. Charles.
The First Capitol News has learned that millionaire developers have brought political assassins into St. Charles to conduct a negative campaign against Mayoral Candidate John Gieseke and some of the incumbent City Council members who are running for re-election and who have stood up against the special interests in favor of the residents of St. Charles.
Sources have told the First Capitol News that two of the companies involved in this effort are Aximon Strategies of Kansas City headed by well known Political Assassin, Jeff Roe and John Hancock & Associates of Chesterfield.
Roe has quite the reputation within the political arena. He has been compared to Darth Vadar by the Kansas City Star daily newspaper because of negative campaigns he has spearheaded. Roe has offices in Kansas City and has been hired across the state to create the illusion that candidates who are running for office against his clients are unfit.
Roe likes to distort voting records and goes as far as to go through the trash of his opponents looking for personal information that he can twist and turn. His specialty showed up in the last Mayoral debate when York made the statement, “Just six months ago Councilman Gieseke voted for a tax increase.” Gieseke did no such thing.
Roe doesn’t deny his use of negative campaigns for one reason, they have worked. If the voters continue to vote for those who run negative campaigns Roe will always have a job.
At a time when the public has voiced their concerns and have said they are fed up with negative campaigning the residents of St. Charles City are due to receive more than they have ever seen.
When told about the hit men, Mayoral Candidate John Gieseke said, “I can’t comment to what someone is doing or not doing. I am running a race that has the best interest of the residents in mind. I am not going to use character assassination or misleading statements about Mayor York. This race is about the future and vision of St. Charles, I am going to let the people know my record and my vision of the future. I signed a clean campaign pledge at City hall and I intend to live up to that.”
Councilman Mark Brown told us in last weeks edition, “He had been threatened and warned that if he filed for re-election that the vicious lies and rumors they put out the last time would be insignificant compared to what they have in store for him in this election.” First Capitol News contacted Brown and asked if he was aware of the information brought out in this story. Brown replied, “A Candidate who ties themselves to people like Ken Kielty and Jeff Roe must be held accountable first and foremost for their campaign tactics. If a candidate approves sleazy ads and campaign tactics what does it say about how they will conduct the affairs of the citizens paying taxes? It says anything goes, which isn’t good.”
Roe has been the subject of a number of articles in the Kansas City Star newspaper. In the articles Roe does not deny his use of negative campaigning. Roe went as far as to say an opponent of one of his candidates was a “smut peddler” because a magazine she was selling ads for 20 years ago, Omni a science magazine, was owned by the same company that published Penthouse Magazine.
In another campaign Roe blasted a candidate for supporting the radical gay-rights agenda. He said the candidate had been rewarded with gratuities by pro-gay lobbyists.” He made this charge because the candidate had accepted a $3.18 beverage from a lobbyist who two years later went to work for a gay-rights organization.
John Hancock and Associates is a political consulting firm located in Chesterfield. According to their web site, it is headed by John Hancock. His political experience spans three decades in Missouri politics. He is a former state legislator, was a nominee for Secretary of State in 1992 and 1996. Hancock has worked in the public relations-media industry since 1993 for a number of corporate clients. In addition, he served as the official spokesman for the Blunt for Governor campaign in 2004.
John Prouty, employed by John Hancock and Associates as a research assistant, has collected data from St. Charles City Hall.
Prouty, is a former member of the embattled Bush White House and was part of the speech writing and spin master team.
Freedom of Information requests from City Hall revealed Prouty asked for and received DVD’s from the council meetings dated March 2, 2007, all meetings in June of 2004, June 7 of 2005, December 20, 2005, January 3, 2006, and all council expenditures and council expense reports from April 2001 to present.
The Hancock firm’s website disclosed that one of their clients is AT&T.
Councilmen John Gieseke and Mark Brown both held up the AT&T ordinance trying to ensure all of St. Charles would be served. Their position was the same as the Missouri Municipal League. Like Gieseke and Brown, the MML voiced concerns over “cherry picking of certain areas by AT&T and not providing full service to all residents.” AT&T’s proposed contract with St. Charles was lacking in protection for the residents.
St. Charles is not new territory for Roe. He was brought in by big money interests in the August 2006 primary when St. Charles Councilman Joe Brazil faced off against Scott Rupp in the Republican primary for a state senate seat.
Brazil told the First Capitol News he believed Roe to be the worst type of political operative. “He told lies, misrepresented facts and brought up an incident that happened when I was 18 years old and then lied about it,” Brazil said.
A story in the Kansas City Star newspaper says that Roe specializes in distortions. He likes ads that distort the faces of his clients opponents. But mostly he distorts voting records.
According to another article in the Kansas City Star by Steve Kraske and Mike Rice, Lots of political consultants run hard-hitting TV ads. What makes Roe different is just how far he goes. Not unlike President Bush’s strategist, Karl Rove, Roe’s approach has been compared to blunt-force trauma. The message: You want to run against my guy? Fine, but this is the type of unrelenting misery you’re going to have to put up with. Roe’s mentor at Northwest Missouri State University expresses doubt about Roe; “I’ve never been clear on whether there’s any ethical or moral substance behind him,” said professor David McLaughlin.
Another person commented, “Candidates who use Roe should be very careful. If you sleep with the devil you will get burned.”
Some political insiders believe that Roe’s time has come and gone along with his type of slash and burn politics.
The First Capitol News contacted Roe and he denied any involvement with St. Charles politics. An individual like Roe usually does not want anyone to know he is involved until the campaign is over.
ttt
HOEPFNER, CONFLICT OF INTEREST? - REPRINTED FROM SEPT. 24, 2005
EDITOR’S NOTE
DURING THE TIME THAT COUNCILMAN BOB HOEPFNER WAS WRITING A COLUMN FOR THIS PAPER WE RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT HE HAD COMPRISED HIS INTEGRITY. OUR INVESTIGATION ULTIMATELY LEAD TO OUR PAPER REMOVING MR. HOEPFNER'S COLUMN. COUNCILMAN HOEPFNER THEN SPEARHEADED A DRIVE TO STOP THE CITY FROM ADVERTISING IN THIS PAPER. WE WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, NO MATTER WHO THE CANDIDATE IS AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY WORK OR PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WE WILL REPORT ANY WRONG DOINGS THAT WE UNCOVER. AT THIS TIME WE THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE REPEAT THE STORY THAT WAS PRINTED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2005.
REPRINTED FROM OUR EDITION OF SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2005.
By Tony Brockmeyer
The First Capitol News has learned that plumbing permits for Michael Sellenschuetter, a developer who has a controversial bill pending before the City Council, were issued to Master Plumber, Charles “Bob” Hoepfner, Councilman for Ward 10 and the City Council vice president. Hoepfner is also a retired Master Plumber.
City Council President Rory Riddler has abstained from any votes or discussion by the Council on Sellenschuetter’s development. Riddler filed a Conflict of Interest/Vote Abstention Form with the City Clerk on September 6, 2005. On his form he stated, “I am doing some work thru my firm for a subsidiary of this firm on a project outside of City limits - and did not want an appearance of conflict even though I am not working on this item.”
Hoepfner has not filed a Conflict of Interest form.
Sellenschuetter, through several of his companies, S & S Builders, MM Devel- opers, Inc. and C.S.M. & Associates, is developing Whispering Oaks Villas and now it’s second phase Oak Ridge Condominiums off of Arena Parkway in St. Charles County.
St. Charles City Council Bill 8680, sponsored and introduced by Hoepfner, calls for a cooperation agreement between the City and MM Developers, Inc. owned by Michael Sellenschuetter. The cooperation agreement would allow Sellenschuetter to hook up the Condos in Oak Ridge Condos to the City’s sewer and water system, even though they are not located within the City limits. Whispering Oaks Villas, his phase one development, was given permission to hook up to City sewers and water in the past while Hoepfner was serving as Chairman of the Public Utilities Committee.
A conflict has been raging before the City Council for the past several months regarding Sellenschuetter’s request to connect his development to the City sewer and water systems. Leading the cheerleading squad for Sellenschuetter has been Hoepfner. Hoepfner, also known as “Battling Bob”, claims to be the advocate for the resident taxpayers of the City, but most of his efforts over the past several months have been the lobbying of Sellenschuetter’s application for City water and sewers for his St. Charles County project.
Fighting the attachment of County residents to City water and sewers is City Councilman Mark Brown, Ward 3. Brown claims that even though Sellenschuetter agrees to annex his properties into the City at a later date, the County building codes are not as restrictive as the City's. Brown also claims the buildings in Sellenschuetter's development are built within 10 feet of the top of a creek bank and the requirement is 50 feet. Brown believes it will be a costly problem to solve for St. Charles taxpayers in the future. Councilman Riddler has estimated it would take more than $90 million to fix all the creek bank stabilization and storm water problems in the City.
Records on file at City Hall disclose that a City of St. Charles Plumber Occupation License Application was issued on June 14, 2004 to Marshall & Long Plumbing Company with an address of 5802 S. Kingshighway in St. Louis. It shows James Marshall - Melody Marshall as the owners and Charles R. Hoepfner as the Master Plumber License Holder. The license period was from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005.
The record also reflects that plumbing inspection permits issued by the City for Master Permit #76703, Charles R. (Bob) Hoepfner’s license number,were issued for Lots 17, 18, 33 and 34 in the Whispering Oaks Subdivision where the contractor is S & S Builders of 343 N. Main Street in St. Charles and the Company owner is Michael Sellenschuetter.
The permits on file at City Hall, Permit #020050518 for 188 Woodland Place Ct., Permit #020050518 for 192 Woodland Place Ct., Permit #020050552 for 219 Woodland Place Ct. and Permit #020050553 for 215 Woodland Place Ct. were all issued in March of 2005 and all list the plumbing company as Marshall & Long Plumbing with an address of 425 Nantucket in St. Charles and a phone number of 314-457-9214. Hoepfner is the resident and property owner at 425 Nantucket. All the homes are in Sellenschuetter’s Whispering Oaks development.
The phone number given for Marshall & Long Plumbing has been disconnected and we were unable to locate a current address or phone number for them.
During an August Council meeting an agreement between Sellenscheutter and the City was introduced by Councilman Hoepfner on the Consent Agenda rather than as a bill. During a Council meeting, a heated discussion was held regarding Sellenschuetter’s developments and the failure of the City Clerk to list the correct name of the development on the Consent Agenda. The Consent Agenda listed Oak Tree and the name is actually Oak Ridge. That evening the agreement was passed by a 9-0 vote in favor. Several Council members said they believed they were voting for a Oak Tree development and believed it was in Councilman Hoepfner’s ward because he was the sponsor as listed on the Consent Agenda Council President Riddler declared the vote invalid and said the matter should have been introduced as a bill and not placed on the Consent Agenda.
At the next meeting Hoepfner introduced the agreement as a Bill. During a reading of the Bill, Councilman Hoepfner was chairing the meeting, Sellenschuetter and his attorney, Keith Hazelwood, were discussing the bill with Council Members. It was obvious that Hoepfner was trying everything in his power to get the Bill passed that evening. Several members of the Council remarked that he should just step down from the chair and turn the meeting over to Sellenschuetter and his attorney. Finally City Attorney Mike Valenti told the Council that Sellenschuetter had refused to sign the development agreement with the City and he would recommend it not be passed that evening.
During the meeting Brown told Hoepfner, “I don’t sell plumbing permits...And I may ask for an executive session to have a Council investigation regarding your actions.”
Just days after that meeting Hoepfner requested a tape of the meeting for Sellenschuetter. Shortly after that the Council was given documents threatening a lawsuit if the Council did not vote in favor of the development agreement.
At that time Brown told the FCN, “I will not succumb to these strong arm tactics and I believe that legislation against this type of threats apply. I fully intend to defend the City as well as the residents of Ward 3 against this multi-family apartment complex that will be built to lesser standards than their homes, just so this developer can make more money.”
The next day, Recall Mark Brown signs went up all over Sellenschuetter’s developments and telephone calls were being made to the residents of his ward suggesting he be recalled from office.
At the Council meeting Tuesday evening Hoepfner introduced a substitute bill. He chaired the meeting and also made the motion to approve the substitute which received a vote of 5 for and 3 against. Brown, Koester and Greer voted against the substitute. Kneemiller, Muench, Weller, Reese and Hoepfner voted in favor. Riddler abstained and Gieseke was out of town on business. Over the objections from Brown that the City Charter required a majority of the elected members of the Council to pass, Hoepfner, chairing the meeting, declared that the substitute bill had passed. Brown called for a legal opinion from the attorneys. City Attorney Mike Valenti agreed with Hoepfner and Council Attorney Eric Tolen told the Council the bill failed.
We have been told the Mayor is planning on calling a special Council Meeting for Tuesday evening so that Sellenschuetter's Bill can be considered for final passage. The First capitol News is aware that Sellenschuetter’s name appears as a contributor to the Mayor’s fund raising events. Sellenschuetter is also a contributor and works with the Citizens Empowerment Committee. That Committee is headed by Linda Meyer, wife of a St. Charles Police Officer who is a past president of the Police Association. The Citizens Empowerment Committee is supported by the Mayor and is also funded by TR Hughes another local millionaire developer and supporter of the Mayor The Citizens Empowerment Committee is funding workers soliciting signatures to recall Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer.
We attempted to contact Councilman Hoepfner for his comments and were finally able to reach him just before press time.
When questioned about the plumbing permits in his name for the Sellenschuetter development he said, “The hall called me and said they had a new plumber that had some work at some schools in St. Charles but he was not a Master Plumber. They asked if he could work off of my license. I said sure. Later when I was talking to the plumber he talked about some other jobs he had picked up in the area and he mentioned working at some condos. I asked where the condos were and he told me at Whispering Oaks (a Sellenschuetter development). I told him he could not do that so he stopped. I received no money.”
When asked if this procedure was illegal (the use of his permit) he responded, “Yes, but it is done all them time.”
When asked why he did not abstain from voting on Sellenschuetter’s project Hoepfner replied, “I talked to a lawyer and three judges and they all told me there was no conflict and I had no problem.” He did not mention the names of those he talked to.
Hoepfner admitted he was the Chairman of the Public Utilities Committee when approval was given for Sellenschuetter’s Whispering Oak Villas to be hooked up to City sewer and water.
Hoepfner told the First Capitol News during our interview he had decided to abstain from any further votes involving Sellenschuetter.
Brown said, “Sellenschuetter and his attorney, Keith Hazelwood, offered to give $125,000 toward the sewer project that has troubled my home and subdivision since it was developed, in return for my vote for this project.” Brown said, “I was told if I would go along with this project Sellenschuetter’s Company had a lot of printing that needed to be done.” Brown owns a printing company. Brown said I am not interested in anything they have to offer. That development will cost the taxpayers of St. Charles literally millions of dollars.
Councilman Brown stated, “I never believed Hoepfner would sell the residents of St. Charles out. Hoepfner knows if this project is approved the taxpayers will be spending millions of dollars in creek bed stabilization. Something has happened to him lately and he has forgotten that he represents the people and he is only interested in seeking plumbing.” Brown said, “Sellenschuetter is throwing money around town like it grows on trees. There are several politicians throughout the country who are in jail for the same type of activity.” Brown is considering taking this information to the Attorney General’s office or possibly the FBI.
Brown said, “Even though DNR has cited this project for several violations, several council members continue to push for it’s approval for the St. charles taxpayers to take on the financial burden of this project. Brown asked the FCN, “Can you figure out why? Now you know why they are trying to recall me.
THIS STORY RE-PRINTED FROM OUR SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2005 EDITION
DURING THE TIME THAT COUNCILMAN BOB HOEPFNER WAS WRITING A COLUMN FOR THIS PAPER WE RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT HE HAD COMPRISED HIS INTEGRITY. OUR INVESTIGATION ULTIMATELY LEAD TO OUR PAPER REMOVING MR. HOEPFNER'S COLUMN. COUNCILMAN HOEPFNER THEN SPEARHEADED A DRIVE TO STOP THE CITY FROM ADVERTISING IN THIS PAPER. WE WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, NO MATTER WHO THE CANDIDATE IS AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY WORK OR PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WE WILL REPORT ANY WRONG DOINGS THAT WE UNCOVER. AT THIS TIME WE THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE REPEAT THE STORY THAT WAS PRINTED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2005.
REPRINTED FROM OUR EDITION OF SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2005.
By Tony Brockmeyer
The First Capitol News has learned that plumbing permits for Michael Sellenschuetter, a developer who has a controversial bill pending before the City Council, were issued to Master Plumber, Charles “Bob” Hoepfner, Councilman for Ward 10 and the City Council vice president. Hoepfner is also a retired Master Plumber.
City Council President Rory Riddler has abstained from any votes or discussion by the Council on Sellenschuetter’s development. Riddler filed a Conflict of Interest/Vote Abstention Form with the City Clerk on September 6, 2005. On his form he stated, “I am doing some work thru my firm for a subsidiary of this firm on a project outside of City limits - and did not want an appearance of conflict even though I am not working on this item.”
Hoepfner has not filed a Conflict of Interest form.
Sellenschuetter, through several of his companies, S & S Builders, MM Devel- opers, Inc. and C.S.M. & Associates, is developing Whispering Oaks Villas and now it’s second phase Oak Ridge Condominiums off of Arena Parkway in St. Charles County.
St. Charles City Council Bill 8680, sponsored and introduced by Hoepfner, calls for a cooperation agreement between the City and MM Developers, Inc. owned by Michael Sellenschuetter. The cooperation agreement would allow Sellenschuetter to hook up the Condos in Oak Ridge Condos to the City’s sewer and water system, even though they are not located within the City limits. Whispering Oaks Villas, his phase one development, was given permission to hook up to City sewers and water in the past while Hoepfner was serving as Chairman of the Public Utilities Committee.
A conflict has been raging before the City Council for the past several months regarding Sellenschuetter’s request to connect his development to the City sewer and water systems. Leading the cheerleading squad for Sellenschuetter has been Hoepfner. Hoepfner, also known as “Battling Bob”, claims to be the advocate for the resident taxpayers of the City, but most of his efforts over the past several months have been the lobbying of Sellenschuetter’s application for City water and sewers for his St. Charles County project.
Fighting the attachment of County residents to City water and sewers is City Councilman Mark Brown, Ward 3. Brown claims that even though Sellenschuetter agrees to annex his properties into the City at a later date, the County building codes are not as restrictive as the City's. Brown also claims the buildings in Sellenschuetter's development are built within 10 feet of the top of a creek bank and the requirement is 50 feet. Brown believes it will be a costly problem to solve for St. Charles taxpayers in the future. Councilman Riddler has estimated it would take more than $90 million to fix all the creek bank stabilization and storm water problems in the City.
Records on file at City Hall disclose that a City of St. Charles Plumber Occupation License Application was issued on June 14, 2004 to Marshall & Long Plumbing Company with an address of 5802 S. Kingshighway in St. Louis. It shows James Marshall - Melody Marshall as the owners and Charles R. Hoepfner as the Master Plumber License Holder. The license period was from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005.
The record also reflects that plumbing inspection permits issued by the City for Master Permit #76703, Charles R. (Bob) Hoepfner’s license number,were issued for Lots 17, 18, 33 and 34 in the Whispering Oaks Subdivision where the contractor is S & S Builders of 343 N. Main Street in St. Charles and the Company owner is Michael Sellenschuetter.
The permits on file at City Hall, Permit #020050518 for 188 Woodland Place Ct., Permit #020050518 for 192 Woodland Place Ct., Permit #020050552 for 219 Woodland Place Ct. and Permit #020050553 for 215 Woodland Place Ct. were all issued in March of 2005 and all list the plumbing company as Marshall & Long Plumbing with an address of 425 Nantucket in St. Charles and a phone number of 314-457-9214. Hoepfner is the resident and property owner at 425 Nantucket. All the homes are in Sellenschuetter’s Whispering Oaks development.
The phone number given for Marshall & Long Plumbing has been disconnected and we were unable to locate a current address or phone number for them.
During an August Council meeting an agreement between Sellenscheutter and the City was introduced by Councilman Hoepfner on the Consent Agenda rather than as a bill. During a Council meeting, a heated discussion was held regarding Sellenschuetter’s developments and the failure of the City Clerk to list the correct name of the development on the Consent Agenda. The Consent Agenda listed Oak Tree and the name is actually Oak Ridge. That evening the agreement was passed by a 9-0 vote in favor. Several Council members said they believed they were voting for a Oak Tree development and believed it was in Councilman Hoepfner’s ward because he was the sponsor as listed on the Consent Agenda Council President Riddler declared the vote invalid and said the matter should have been introduced as a bill and not placed on the Consent Agenda.
At the next meeting Hoepfner introduced the agreement as a Bill. During a reading of the Bill, Councilman Hoepfner was chairing the meeting, Sellenschuetter and his attorney, Keith Hazelwood, were discussing the bill with Council Members. It was obvious that Hoepfner was trying everything in his power to get the Bill passed that evening. Several members of the Council remarked that he should just step down from the chair and turn the meeting over to Sellenschuetter and his attorney. Finally City Attorney Mike Valenti told the Council that Sellenschuetter had refused to sign the development agreement with the City and he would recommend it not be passed that evening.
During the meeting Brown told Hoepfner, “I don’t sell plumbing permits...And I may ask for an executive session to have a Council investigation regarding your actions.”
Just days after that meeting Hoepfner requested a tape of the meeting for Sellenschuetter. Shortly after that the Council was given documents threatening a lawsuit if the Council did not vote in favor of the development agreement.
At that time Brown told the FCN, “I will not succumb to these strong arm tactics and I believe that legislation against this type of threats apply. I fully intend to defend the City as well as the residents of Ward 3 against this multi-family apartment complex that will be built to lesser standards than their homes, just so this developer can make more money.”
The next day, Recall Mark Brown signs went up all over Sellenschuetter’s developments and telephone calls were being made to the residents of his ward suggesting he be recalled from office.
At the Council meeting Tuesday evening Hoepfner introduced a substitute bill. He chaired the meeting and also made the motion to approve the substitute which received a vote of 5 for and 3 against. Brown, Koester and Greer voted against the substitute. Kneemiller, Muench, Weller, Reese and Hoepfner voted in favor. Riddler abstained and Gieseke was out of town on business. Over the objections from Brown that the City Charter required a majority of the elected members of the Council to pass, Hoepfner, chairing the meeting, declared that the substitute bill had passed. Brown called for a legal opinion from the attorneys. City Attorney Mike Valenti agreed with Hoepfner and Council Attorney Eric Tolen told the Council the bill failed.
We have been told the Mayor is planning on calling a special Council Meeting for Tuesday evening so that Sellenschuetter's Bill can be considered for final passage. The First capitol News is aware that Sellenschuetter’s name appears as a contributor to the Mayor’s fund raising events. Sellenschuetter is also a contributor and works with the Citizens Empowerment Committee. That Committee is headed by Linda Meyer, wife of a St. Charles Police Officer who is a past president of the Police Association. The Citizens Empowerment Committee is supported by the Mayor and is also funded by TR Hughes another local millionaire developer and supporter of the Mayor The Citizens Empowerment Committee is funding workers soliciting signatures to recall Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer.
We attempted to contact Councilman Hoepfner for his comments and were finally able to reach him just before press time.
When questioned about the plumbing permits in his name for the Sellenschuetter development he said, “The hall called me and said they had a new plumber that had some work at some schools in St. Charles but he was not a Master Plumber. They asked if he could work off of my license. I said sure. Later when I was talking to the plumber he talked about some other jobs he had picked up in the area and he mentioned working at some condos. I asked where the condos were and he told me at Whispering Oaks (a Sellenschuetter development). I told him he could not do that so he stopped. I received no money.”
When asked if this procedure was illegal (the use of his permit) he responded, “Yes, but it is done all them time.”
When asked why he did not abstain from voting on Sellenschuetter’s project Hoepfner replied, “I talked to a lawyer and three judges and they all told me there was no conflict and I had no problem.” He did not mention the names of those he talked to.
Hoepfner admitted he was the Chairman of the Public Utilities Committee when approval was given for Sellenschuetter’s Whispering Oak Villas to be hooked up to City sewer and water.
Hoepfner told the First Capitol News during our interview he had decided to abstain from any further votes involving Sellenschuetter.
Brown said, “Sellenschuetter and his attorney, Keith Hazelwood, offered to give $125,000 toward the sewer project that has troubled my home and subdivision since it was developed, in return for my vote for this project.” Brown said, “I was told if I would go along with this project Sellenschuetter’s Company had a lot of printing that needed to be done.” Brown owns a printing company. Brown said I am not interested in anything they have to offer. That development will cost the taxpayers of St. Charles literally millions of dollars.
Councilman Brown stated, “I never believed Hoepfner would sell the residents of St. Charles out. Hoepfner knows if this project is approved the taxpayers will be spending millions of dollars in creek bed stabilization. Something has happened to him lately and he has forgotten that he represents the people and he is only interested in seeking plumbing.” Brown said, “Sellenschuetter is throwing money around town like it grows on trees. There are several politicians throughout the country who are in jail for the same type of activity.” Brown is considering taking this information to the Attorney General’s office or possibly the FBI.
Brown said, “Even though DNR has cited this project for several violations, several council members continue to push for it’s approval for the St. charles taxpayers to take on the financial burden of this project. Brown asked the FCN, “Can you figure out why? Now you know why they are trying to recall me.
THIS STORY RE-PRINTED FROM OUR SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2005 EDITION
AN EDITORIAL OPINION
AN EDITORIAL OPINION
MUD-SLINGING IS ON THE WAY
Sleazy attack ads filled with lies and misinformation are expected in St. Charles mail boxes soon. Although, all of the candidates for political office in St. Charles have signed clean campaign pledges, some of them will not take the high road. Instead of putting out position papers, a few candidates and their supporters will be spending their time investigating their opponents and spinning the situation of some miniscule item that they can expound upon and make things appear worse than they were. They distort the truth in many ways and have no problem lying if it serves their purpose. If they are unable to find anything, expect them to make something up to discredit others. We have learned from past experience some candidates will not resist the urge to go negative with mailed ads that tear down their opponents. They use innuendos and half-truths. Expect it; mud-slinging is on the way.
We are hoping that St. Charles residents are too smart to be fooled by this rubbish. We know that our readers are the most informed and intelligent. They will see through these types of ads and would hope our readers would place these disreputable ads in the trash.
The telephone calls have begun. Calls are being made from the Paric Corporation asking voters if they are planning on voting for Patti York for Mayor. They then want to know if the voter is a Democrat or a Republican. Then they ask if you are pro-life or pro-choice. This is in direct conflict with the way local politics are supposed to be run. The city has all elected officials run non-partisan for a reason. Those who vote didn’t want party politics to seep into our city. That is what these calls are all about; they are trying to turn our great city into Washington, D.C. where party comes before the people and what's best.
How you vote or who you vote for is no one’s business. When these live calls or pre-recorded calls start coming into your home, we suggest you hang up.
The Paric Corporation was the general contractor on the St. Charles Convention Center, the New Police Headquarters and numerous other projects in the City. During the construction and upon the completion of the St. Charles Convention Center Paric submitted several change orders amounting to hundreds of thousand of dollars in cost overruns. Mayor York was a member of the oversite committee and voted in favor of paying Paric. Paric has also indicated they want to be the general contractor on the Community Center that is in the planning for St. Charles residents. Paric has made a good living off your tax dollars and must see the writing on the wall if there is a change in City Hall. No longer will you overpay for city projects and that money can be spent on our roads and sidewalks, instead of building headquarters for McEagle and Paric in Winghaven. The City will be able to provide the basic services that are so desperately needed to increase our quality of life instead of the Paric executives in O’Fallon.
MUD-SLINGING IS ON THE WAY
Sleazy attack ads filled with lies and misinformation are expected in St. Charles mail boxes soon. Although, all of the candidates for political office in St. Charles have signed clean campaign pledges, some of them will not take the high road. Instead of putting out position papers, a few candidates and their supporters will be spending their time investigating their opponents and spinning the situation of some miniscule item that they can expound upon and make things appear worse than they were. They distort the truth in many ways and have no problem lying if it serves their purpose. If they are unable to find anything, expect them to make something up to discredit others. We have learned from past experience some candidates will not resist the urge to go negative with mailed ads that tear down their opponents. They use innuendos and half-truths. Expect it; mud-slinging is on the way.
We are hoping that St. Charles residents are too smart to be fooled by this rubbish. We know that our readers are the most informed and intelligent. They will see through these types of ads and would hope our readers would place these disreputable ads in the trash.
The telephone calls have begun. Calls are being made from the Paric Corporation asking voters if they are planning on voting for Patti York for Mayor. They then want to know if the voter is a Democrat or a Republican. Then they ask if you are pro-life or pro-choice. This is in direct conflict with the way local politics are supposed to be run. The city has all elected officials run non-partisan for a reason. Those who vote didn’t want party politics to seep into our city. That is what these calls are all about; they are trying to turn our great city into Washington, D.C. where party comes before the people and what's best.
How you vote or who you vote for is no one’s business. When these live calls or pre-recorded calls start coming into your home, we suggest you hang up.
The Paric Corporation was the general contractor on the St. Charles Convention Center, the New Police Headquarters and numerous other projects in the City. During the construction and upon the completion of the St. Charles Convention Center Paric submitted several change orders amounting to hundreds of thousand of dollars in cost overruns. Mayor York was a member of the oversite committee and voted in favor of paying Paric. Paric has also indicated they want to be the general contractor on the Community Center that is in the planning for St. Charles residents. Paric has made a good living off your tax dollars and must see the writing on the wall if there is a change in City Hall. No longer will you overpay for city projects and that money can be spent on our roads and sidewalks, instead of building headquarters for McEagle and Paric in Winghaven. The City will be able to provide the basic services that are so desperately needed to increase our quality of life instead of the Paric executives in O’Fallon.
RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
Some of our readers have asked why we are going to provide home delivery only to subscribers beginning on April 21. The newspaper industry is making rapid advances when it comes to technology. More and more people are obtaining their news over the Internet. The owner of the New York Times has predicted that there will no print editions in five years. I am not sure it will happen that soon but it is coming.
The First Capitol News has had a presence on the Internet since November of 2004. We have taken important stories, columns and photos and have made them available at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. We put the entire weekly edition of the First Capitol News on the Internet. Each week at firstcapitolnews.com or firstcapitolnews.net you can read the entire edition including the ads or you can download it to your desktop and read it later. That is what we have found a great number of our readers are doing. We also have a web log on the Internet that we have made available for daily news. When we have news that we feel would be interesting to our readers it is placed each day on firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com. The news is placed there when it becomes available to us.
Since we have so many visitors to our Internet sites we decided to make home delivery by subscription only. The First Capitol News will still be available free at selected merchants and at our red newspaper boxes, which will be placed at strategic locations around the city.
The only thing that does not change is change it self. Technology is changing on a daily basis and the First Capitol News plans on taking advantage of those changes to make our newspaper user friendly for our readers.
If you would like the First Capitol News delivered to your home after April 21 please subscribe. The subscription is $20 for six months and $35 for a year. Please send your check to the First Capitol News at 336 A South Main Street, St. Charles, MO 63301.
We appreciate comments from our readers on how we can make our newspaper better. Please give us your ideas. You can mail them to 336 A South Main St, St. Charles 63301 or e-mail us at
firstcapitolnews.com.
The First Capitol News has had a presence on the Internet since November of 2004. We have taken important stories, columns and photos and have made them available at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. We put the entire weekly edition of the First Capitol News on the Internet. Each week at firstcapitolnews.com or firstcapitolnews.net you can read the entire edition including the ads or you can download it to your desktop and read it later. That is what we have found a great number of our readers are doing. We also have a web log on the Internet that we have made available for daily news. When we have news that we feel would be interesting to our readers it is placed each day on firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com. The news is placed there when it becomes available to us.
Since we have so many visitors to our Internet sites we decided to make home delivery by subscription only. The First Capitol News will still be available free at selected merchants and at our red newspaper boxes, which will be placed at strategic locations around the city.
The only thing that does not change is change it self. Technology is changing on a daily basis and the First Capitol News plans on taking advantage of those changes to make our newspaper user friendly for our readers.
If you would like the First Capitol News delivered to your home after April 21 please subscribe. The subscription is $20 for six months and $35 for a year. Please send your check to the First Capitol News at 336 A South Main Street, St. Charles, MO 63301.
We appreciate comments from our readers on how we can make our newspaper better. Please give us your ideas. You can mail them to 336 A South Main St, St. Charles 63301 or e-mail us at
firstcapitolnews.com.
The PEOPLE SPEAK - Letters To The Editor
Dear Editor,
Recently had took the opportunity to learn more about both candidates using
the internet. Both have websites. When I looked at the Mayor’s website I
noticed one thing, it lacks substance. She writes about how she was a member
of this or that. Compare that to John Giesekes’ , it talks about what his
positions are about things that matter to the residents. After watching the
debate and reading the websites it’s obvious to me that Mayor York is in
politics for herself and not the people.
Marci Mills
Dear Editor,
My neighbor called last evening to tell me about an unusual phone call she had received from a political phone banker. The caller asked if my neighbor was voting for Mayor York in the upcoming election and then wanted to know the neighbor’s political party affiliation as well as if she was pro-choice or pro-life. The neighbor answered those questions and shortly thereafter received yet another phone call asking if she favored Mr. Stivison in the 9th Ward Council election and then the same two questions were asked—her political affiliation and her pro-life/pro-choice stance. She felt it odd that the telephoners were recording this information in an election which is non-partisan and which has absolutely no bearing on the pro-life/pro-choice issue.
A few minutes later, our phone rang. The caller wanted to know if I was going to vote for Mr. Stivison in the 9th Ward. I replied that I was voting for Mr. Koester. She then wanted to know my political party affiliation. I told her that since this is a non-partisan race, she had no need to know that. The caller then firmly replied that she was representing a “government agency” and they needed to know with what political party I was affiliated. When I refused to give her this information, she hung up.
When I checked the caller i.d. on my telephone, I noticed the call had been made from the Paric Corporation. I tried to call back but just got the Paric Corp. switchboard. Since when is Paric a “government agency”? Obviously, the caller lied to me and tried to intimidate me into giving her the information she wanted, which is a tactic I, for one, greatly resent. I am under no obligation to divulge my political party affiliation to anyone (even a “government agency”), nor does anyone from the upcoming election need to know whether any of us are pro-choice or pro-life. The City of St. Charles does not deal with those issues. Perhaps Paric Corp., as well as the Stivison/York campaigns, should reconsider their campaign tactics and stick to issues which are relevant.
Eleanor McCune
Recently had took the opportunity to learn more about both candidates using
the internet. Both have websites. When I looked at the Mayor’s website I
noticed one thing, it lacks substance. She writes about how she was a member
of this or that. Compare that to John Giesekes’ , it talks about what his
positions are about things that matter to the residents. After watching the
debate and reading the websites it’s obvious to me that Mayor York is in
politics for herself and not the people.
Marci Mills
Dear Editor,
My neighbor called last evening to tell me about an unusual phone call she had received from a political phone banker. The caller asked if my neighbor was voting for Mayor York in the upcoming election and then wanted to know the neighbor’s political party affiliation as well as if she was pro-choice or pro-life. The neighbor answered those questions and shortly thereafter received yet another phone call asking if she favored Mr. Stivison in the 9th Ward Council election and then the same two questions were asked—her political affiliation and her pro-life/pro-choice stance. She felt it odd that the telephoners were recording this information in an election which is non-partisan and which has absolutely no bearing on the pro-life/pro-choice issue.
A few minutes later, our phone rang. The caller wanted to know if I was going to vote for Mr. Stivison in the 9th Ward. I replied that I was voting for Mr. Koester. She then wanted to know my political party affiliation. I told her that since this is a non-partisan race, she had no need to know that. The caller then firmly replied that she was representing a “government agency” and they needed to know with what political party I was affiliated. When I refused to give her this information, she hung up.
When I checked the caller i.d. on my telephone, I noticed the call had been made from the Paric Corporation. I tried to call back but just got the Paric Corp. switchboard. Since when is Paric a “government agency”? Obviously, the caller lied to me and tried to intimidate me into giving her the information she wanted, which is a tactic I, for one, greatly resent. I am under no obligation to divulge my political party affiliation to anyone (even a “government agency”), nor does anyone from the upcoming election need to know whether any of us are pro-choice or pro-life. The City of St. Charles does not deal with those issues. Perhaps Paric Corp., as well as the Stivison/York campaigns, should reconsider their campaign tactics and stick to issues which are relevant.
Eleanor McCune
The City DESK - Rory Riddler, Councilman Ward 1
Do We Have What It Takes To
Hold Candidates Accountable?
There are few things that every candidate running for office in the City of St. Charles has in common. Yes they all have two eyes. I’m talking about something beyond the obvious. Give up?
Every single candidate voluntarily signed a clean campaign pledge.
The document’s somewhat verbose heading reads: A Promise To The Public For A Campaign With Integrity. The City Clerk keeps them all on file. I don’t know if a single person has ever looked at them, but like Social Security, I hope it’s there when I need it.
Every candidate promised to offer only “factual” information with regard to themselves and the past records of those in office. They promise that their campaign, including themselves and, perhaps more importantly, those who work in support of them, will not make untrue statements, either verbally or written, about their opponent.
It goes on to read that each candidate pledges not to engage in personal or character attacks in any manner. Seems pretty straightforward and ironclad to me. Much like the prenuptial agreement between Brittany Spears and Kevin Federline.
With such universal agreement this should be the cleanest campaign on record…if, and this is an important if…the voters demand it.
Just above the signature of each candidate for office are the words: “I made these promises to the people of St. Charles.” That’s a pretty solemn vow. It is, in fact, a contract between each of you and those who seek to represent you in local government.
Before you ask, the answer to the question of who enforces these promises is, well you. No one at City Hall will. There is no Department of Personal Responsibility. There are no fines, fees or penalties unless you exact them. There is no referee or judge beyond your own good judgment and sense of smell.
So what do you look for? Few candidates sink to the level today of what I’ll call the bold-faced lie. They prefer to employ one of several variations to the truth.
There is your basic half-truth. Provide only the information you want your audience to have. Leave out the part where you opponent perhaps saved a child from drowning or found a cure for cancer.
Another example of the half-truth tactic would be taking hundreds of hours of footage from meetings and then editing it down to a couple of minutes where an office holder yawns, roll their eyes to the ceiling or perhaps raise their voice. Add some very expensive creative editing, a few words taken completely out of context, some eye of newt and allow to simmer in a black cauldron.
Twisting the truth is a step up from telling half-truths. This takes a little more creativity. If you voted to protect taxpayer money by vigorously defending the city against what you felt was an unwarranted and abusive lawsuit then your opponents will say “Your failed leadership cost the taxpayers excessive legal fees.” Never mind if your defending the suit saved the city over $100 million that the plaintiff wanted.
There is also guilt by association. It doesn’t matter that you had no knowledge of someone else’s troubles. If anyone you ever met did anything wrong, they have a paint brush wide enough to paint you both.
Mudslinging is more like mud wrestling in St. Charles County. Or perhaps it is more like mud volleyball. You know the kind where they dig a three-foot deep hole, fill it with water and expect you to play volleyball while trying not to catch hepatitis. Most campaign literature that begins with the words, “My opponent is…” will probably turn out to be mudslinging. That phrase seldom ends with the words, “…a very nice guy.”
Last minute smear attacks are simply those attacks made in the 11th hour of any campaign. The opponent hopes you won’t have time to answer. It is like a sucker punch. Start by asking yourself simple questions. If this person is as bad as all that or did such and such, why am I only hearing about it a week before the election? Why am I reading about it in a piece of campaign literature, funded by Slovakians For Good Government?
Someone whose name escapes me in the wee hours, once said people get the type of government they deserve. I don’t believe anyone deserves bad government, but I do believe voters need to say enough is enough. I am already sick and tired of the 2008 Presidential Campaign and full-scale mudslinging hasn’t even begun. They’ve barely started kicking sand at each other.
I believe that negative campaigns threaten our democracy by alienating people from wanting to participate in the process. How many people do you know who are willing to have themselves and their families dragged through the mud of a modern campaign? How many simply decide not to vote?
The solution to this problem is simple. Don’t reward negative campaigning.
Make a clean campaign pledge to yourself. Simply resolve to not tolerate last minute political smear campaigns. Don’t reward candidates who place so little value on their own clean campaign pledge.
An old maxim of mine is that people are no better at being elected officials than they are at being candidates. What you see is usually what you get.
And if there really is a Slovakians For Good Government Committee…I was only kidding.
Case In Point By Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9
Men of integrity, by their very existence, rekindle the belief that as a people we can live above the level of moral squalor. We need that belief; a cynical community is a corrupt community.
John W. Gardner
Many years ago, in a community far, far away, Saint Charles was a small town. Sheriff Plackemeyer was retiring after, I believe, it was 25 years as sheriff. I’m not sure of all of the candidates who decided to run for the position; however, I know two of them for sure. On the Republican ticket, there was a man named Frank Dapron who lived out on Highway K in O’Fallon just south of the Service Road. One on the Democratic ticket was Bob Koester, my dad, who had been a St. Charles City police officer, the interim Police Chief, and a lieutenant, I believe, at the Sheriff’s Office.
Frank was renowned back in the 1970s among children because he was the county’s K-9 officer. His German shepherd would perform all sorts of commands and Frank would take him to schools or anywhere kids were to be found. The dog’s name, by the way, was Ho-Prince. I was the youngest in the family and only six when dad died, but I remember trips to Frank’s house in O’Fallon. He had a swimming pool, which was pretty rare for our county back then, and he would play the fiddle if you asked him too. Since both Frank and dad had a primary race, Frank would campaign and ask for people’s vote, as politicians do. The unusual part to his campaign wasn’t soliciting votes, but it was what Frank would say when he met people around the county, which was, “I would appreciate your vote, but if you don’t vote for me, I would sure appreciate it if you’d vote for Bob Koester.”
Dad took office in 1968 and asked Sheriff Plackemeyer to stay on as an advisor – which he did. Frank Dapron stayed on too and our family remained friends with him until his death. I have always considered my town and my county to be that same place. A place where I remember going to Peruque Harbor down on the Mississippi – a Harbor owned by Earl Wehrle. John’s Boat Harbor was another place we often spent time just right up the road from Earl’s, but it was at Earl’s river pecan grove where I remember running around playing and sneaking drinks of cold beer while adults enjoyed each other’s company and did their politicking. I even have a photograph of dad and mom talking to Senator Eagleton right there among the people in St. Charles County. No $1,000 a plate occasion, instead it was local politics. My oldest brother has a letter from President Nixon sent to dad for outstanding law enforcement; never mind that they were of opposite political parties – Democrat and Republican was not written so large back then. Our county was open to electing from both sides and those sides were friends, they shopped at the same stores, and they knew the same circles of people. Somewhere along the way, our county and town lost its civility. The political scene became pretty monolithic and the GOP in town began to resent the audacity of a Democrat even daring to run for office. The system is broken because it is competition that provides some of the checks and balances within the elected body and competition is being quashed by the powerful and well connected. Those who can outspend their opponents create reality.
What has changed? Well, locally, one Proverb is certainly apropos – The love of money is the root of all evil. Our City’s budget hovers around the $100 Million dollar range and this brings in lots and lots of companies who want to pocket as much of that cash as they can get their hands on. The state budget is in the billions and the same holds true there too. Some will feign wanting to shrink the budget; however, business has always benefited from a cozy symbiosis with government and politicians are always all too willing to spend more to help their contributor’s firms land contracts that feather their nests. The expenditures that you will see for the humble, little office of councilman and mayor of St. Charles will be outrages. Much ado will be made about fighting at city hall (which ended a year and a half ago) but that will be the smoke and mirrors because only one thing brings so much money into play and that’s the chance to make or control even more money. Let me exemplify just how warped the process now is, just how far from the Days of Frank Dapron we have fallen. A local businessman and political pundit told a friend that, “I’m going to kill that [expletive, expletive] Koester.” This person’s reason for spouting such venomous remarks was that I ran against Tom Dempsey. Wow! I hope you can appreciate just how remarkably sad this is. Three years ago I ran for council and my opponent was Bo Hagan. Mr. Hagan is a good guy and today I have no malice towards him. Would you expect otherwise? I think most St. Charles residents would have the same mindset. I remember two Christmases ago I stepped over to chat with Mr. Hagan and he joked with me by saying, “Thank you!” Of course, he was thanking me for keeping him out of office and a lot of turmoil. Today, my opponent is a friend who worked for my dad back in the 1970s. Campaigns are part of the process – they are the competition of thoughts and ideas and not battles between good and evil. It is discouraging to see our town the focus of so much outside money – can’t local residents debate and communicate with their peers about local matters without spending thousands upon thousands of dollars? I kind of think we can and I think the rebuffed recall effort of Dottie Greer is evidence of this.
Over the years my opinions about partisan politics has certainly changed. Both sides for pandering to moneyed lobbyists regularly discourage me. Of course, it can be tough for a congressman or senator to vote against the people who are financing his multi-million dollar campaign (we need publicly financed elections). Is it inevitable that council will make its every move in the same fashion? I hope not.
So, everyone, please take a breath, remember that the process is open to all and that no one has any inherited right to retain office indefinitely.
To end:
“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.”
. J. O’Rourke
The View From The Cheap Seats BY Jerry Haferkamp
The View
From
The Cheap Seats
By Jerry Haferkamp
“To be, or not to be? That is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them”. (From Shakespeare’s Hamlet)
People sometimes ask why I write this column. I don’t get paid to do it. I don’t do it to get my name in print. I only put my name in after some complaints were made about columns with anonymous writers. The answer lies in Hamlet’s soliloquy written above. Whenever government commits acts against the general good, someone has to take arms and oppose them. I chose to do that.
My current topic is the St. Charles School Board’s decision to prove to this city that their word means nothing. They broke a promise that was given to employees and adhered to for years. This was no small promise. Homes were purchased and lives were planned based on this promise. The present board has shown that their promises are but dust in the wind.
Several speakers challenged this action at the last Board meeting. I was one. All the speakers were opposed to the new policy that doesn’t allow non-resident employees to have their children attend our schools. The Board again displayed their arrogance by a gunshot quick motion to approve the evening’s agenda before Dr. Towers had the opportunity to amend the agenda to address this issue.
The best thing that can be said of this act is that it was committed after several young students left the meeting. One was a student who had been recently honored on the “Do The Right Thing” program. She alerted family and neighbors to a fire, possibly saving lives. It is disturbing that we have children that can “do the right thing” and four adults on the Board that can’t even grasp the concept. I’m glad the young girl didn’t have to witness the behavior of these four.
Board member Wayne Oetting took several minutes of the meeting trying to convince people that by removing one student from a classroom the district would save about $8,000. I’m not sure if he was trying to convince himself that we are stupid enough to believe that or just trying to show us that he is.
It is time that those of you who want to restore employee confidence in this board to call or write to the Board members who have betrayed your trust and encourage them to live up to their word. Those Board members who have betrayed our trust are Karen Perrone, Wayne Oetting, Mary Darting and Dennis Hahn.
It is time these Board members honored the promises made to our employees. They have shown that they won’t do this unless forced. It is up to you to force them. You can sit around and be part of the problem, or you can take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them.
Get involved! Don’t expect someone else to do it for you. The ball, as they say in tennis, is in your court. It is of no use for me to write these columns to alert you to the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” if you only agree with me but fail to act. I’m calling on you to help these employees of our schools, your employees. It’s time for you to act. Your employees are counting on you.
If you want to help, write “Honor Your Promises” on a sheet of paper and mail to:
Dennis Hahn, President
St. Charles Board of Education
1025 Country Club Road
St. Charles, Mo. 63303
Or if you want to be part of the problem, just sit there.
That’s the view from the cheap seats
From
The Cheap Seats
By Jerry Haferkamp
“To be, or not to be? That is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them”. (From Shakespeare’s Hamlet)
People sometimes ask why I write this column. I don’t get paid to do it. I don’t do it to get my name in print. I only put my name in after some complaints were made about columns with anonymous writers. The answer lies in Hamlet’s soliloquy written above. Whenever government commits acts against the general good, someone has to take arms and oppose them. I chose to do that.
My current topic is the St. Charles School Board’s decision to prove to this city that their word means nothing. They broke a promise that was given to employees and adhered to for years. This was no small promise. Homes were purchased and lives were planned based on this promise. The present board has shown that their promises are but dust in the wind.
Several speakers challenged this action at the last Board meeting. I was one. All the speakers were opposed to the new policy that doesn’t allow non-resident employees to have their children attend our schools. The Board again displayed their arrogance by a gunshot quick motion to approve the evening’s agenda before Dr. Towers had the opportunity to amend the agenda to address this issue.
The best thing that can be said of this act is that it was committed after several young students left the meeting. One was a student who had been recently honored on the “Do The Right Thing” program. She alerted family and neighbors to a fire, possibly saving lives. It is disturbing that we have children that can “do the right thing” and four adults on the Board that can’t even grasp the concept. I’m glad the young girl didn’t have to witness the behavior of these four.
Board member Wayne Oetting took several minutes of the meeting trying to convince people that by removing one student from a classroom the district would save about $8,000. I’m not sure if he was trying to convince himself that we are stupid enough to believe that or just trying to show us that he is.
It is time that those of you who want to restore employee confidence in this board to call or write to the Board members who have betrayed your trust and encourage them to live up to their word. Those Board members who have betrayed our trust are Karen Perrone, Wayne Oetting, Mary Darting and Dennis Hahn.
It is time these Board members honored the promises made to our employees. They have shown that they won’t do this unless forced. It is up to you to force them. You can sit around and be part of the problem, or you can take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them.
Get involved! Don’t expect someone else to do it for you. The ball, as they say in tennis, is in your court. It is of no use for me to write these columns to alert you to the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” if you only agree with me but fail to act. I’m calling on you to help these employees of our schools, your employees. It’s time for you to act. Your employees are counting on you.
If you want to help, write “Honor Your Promises” on a sheet of paper and mail to:
Dennis Hahn, President
St. Charles Board of Education
1025 Country Club Road
St. Charles, Mo. 63303
Or if you want to be part of the problem, just sit there.
That’s the view from the cheap seats
ComMENTS & COMMENTARY by Charles Hill
COMMENTS
AND
COMMENTARY
Charles Hill
How can you tell it’s election time? Simple, anything that might look good ready or not needs to be announced. Mayor York held a press conference recently to announce the potential move of the Post Office to the proposed Lindenwood commercial area at First Capitol and West Clay and the expansion of St. Joseph’s Health Center. St. Joe would build a parking garage on the post office property. Keep in mind this would be great but the announcement went something like this. York announced the expansion and movement; the President of St. Joe’s basically said that the board hasn’t discussed the plan. The Post Office is on record saying they can’t afford to move unless it is paid for by St. Joes. Both have signed a non-binding agreement to keep talking.
Now I realize York has little to hang her hat on since the Convention Center is old news, but to call a press conference over a remote possibility of this project demonstrates just how little she has done. Once again this project does require you and I to kick in 5 acres of taxpayers ground. It appears that once again it’s not a real project unless you and I kick in. When will York have something that you and I don’t have to pay for?
I long for the good ol’ days of a city actually paying for what they are supposed to, the basics. I am hopeful that might happen if things go right in April. I wonder if John Gieseke can dream up a project and host a press conference. I remember reading once that Walt Disney had plans to create the first Disneyland in St. Louis. Maybe Gieseke can announce that Disney has come back from the grave and wants to build a Disneyland in New Town. Both Disney and the Mayor can compare notes as to the chances of their projects happening. My money is on Disney.
AND
COMMENTARY
Charles Hill
How can you tell it’s election time? Simple, anything that might look good ready or not needs to be announced. Mayor York held a press conference recently to announce the potential move of the Post Office to the proposed Lindenwood commercial area at First Capitol and West Clay and the expansion of St. Joseph’s Health Center. St. Joe would build a parking garage on the post office property. Keep in mind this would be great but the announcement went something like this. York announced the expansion and movement; the President of St. Joe’s basically said that the board hasn’t discussed the plan. The Post Office is on record saying they can’t afford to move unless it is paid for by St. Joes. Both have signed a non-binding agreement to keep talking.
Now I realize York has little to hang her hat on since the Convention Center is old news, but to call a press conference over a remote possibility of this project demonstrates just how little she has done. Once again this project does require you and I to kick in 5 acres of taxpayers ground. It appears that once again it’s not a real project unless you and I kick in. When will York have something that you and I don’t have to pay for?
I long for the good ol’ days of a city actually paying for what they are supposed to, the basics. I am hopeful that might happen if things go right in April. I wonder if John Gieseke can dream up a project and host a press conference. I remember reading once that Walt Disney had plans to create the first Disneyland in St. Louis. Maybe Gieseke can announce that Disney has come back from the grave and wants to build a Disneyland in New Town. Both Disney and the Mayor can compare notes as to the chances of their projects happening. My money is on Disney.
First Capitol News Sports - Mike McMurran Sports Editor
Have you ever wondered how and why I write about what I write about in my column? There were a few of you out there last week who suggested that the Councilman from ward one and I were conspiring last week when we both wrote about the UMSL name change – nope, pure coincidence. The fact is I never know what I am going to write about until I sit down at the keyboard. Oh sure, sometimes I have an idea, but for the most part the closer it gets to deadline the faster my brain works.
As is true in most endeavors in life, good things come to those who wait. No sooner than I received my weekly phone call from Tony telling me the deadline was drawing near, I received a phone call from Saint Charles resident Ryan Wallace. As regular readers know, Ryan is the head football coach at beautiful Jennings High School. He is a graduate of Zumwalt South, played college ball and graduated from Missouri Valley, and has a Master’s degree from Lindenwood University. He and I served as assistant coaches at Jennings for a couple of years and struck up a rather odd friendship. Ryan is some 22 years younger than I, but other than chronological age out measures me in most areas – most, I remind you.
You see Ryan has the intelligence to know when to keep his mouth shut – something I’m still learning. He has an uncanny ability to always have the politically correct response – even though what he might be thinking is as incorrect, if not vulgar, as can be. What we have in common is the love of football, in particular the love of offensive line play. It’s something one has to experience to fully understand. No matter how angry Wallace gets at me for one of the many, many stupid things I might say, he knows I know how to teach the proper technique for a three point stance. He knows I know the proper footwork for a pulling guard. He knows that I know good offensive linemen have (a) big heads (literally), (b) big butts, (c) are organized almost to a fault, (d) think in a concrete and structured manner, and (e) have a high tolerance for pain – at least think they do.
This past season at Jennings was undeniably the most successful football season in the school’s history. The team finished with a 9-2 record and won their first Suburban East title in the school’s history. They won their district rather easily, and almost pulled off what would have been the biggest upset of the year against Parkway North. I should modify the last sentence: the only one’s who wouldn’t have called it an upset would have been Wallace, his coaching staff and his players. They knew they were going to win – which is the only way to go into a game.
Anyway, as I was sitting down to write this week’s column, Wallace called and we chatted ever so briefly. I mentioned to him I would love to have a “Jennings football tee shirt” he had designed to commemorate the season. “You like those, do you?” he asked in his satirical, condescending manner. “Yes,” I replied, “they remind me of the shirts I designed the second year you and I coached together – the color scheme and all.” “Oh yeah,” he yelped, “I’ve been waiting 20 years to design a tee-shirt with the schedule on the back depicting a conference title. All through high school, college, and my first five or six years at Jennings I never was part of a conference champion to this year.” I shared with him how I understood his excitement – as I too had recently experienced something very similar.
You see this past summer my son Joe’s baseball team won their division in the Atom I league at St. Peter’s Athletic Association – and what did we do? We had tee shirts made with the schedule and results printed on the back. Not only that, we had our team e.r.a. of 4.00 (the lowest out of 25 teams) and our winning streak of 10 games (the longest out of 50 teams) printed right below the schedule just like Wallace did with his football team.
Why do I make mention of all this? The answer is in the last sentence of the second paragraph and the last sentence of the third paragraph of this narrative. You see (a) I had the honor of designing my tee shirts some 5 months prior to Wallace and (b) offensive linemen are highly, highly competitive – no matter what the competition might be.
See you next week.
As is true in most endeavors in life, good things come to those who wait. No sooner than I received my weekly phone call from Tony telling me the deadline was drawing near, I received a phone call from Saint Charles resident Ryan Wallace. As regular readers know, Ryan is the head football coach at beautiful Jennings High School. He is a graduate of Zumwalt South, played college ball and graduated from Missouri Valley, and has a Master’s degree from Lindenwood University. He and I served as assistant coaches at Jennings for a couple of years and struck up a rather odd friendship. Ryan is some 22 years younger than I, but other than chronological age out measures me in most areas – most, I remind you.
You see Ryan has the intelligence to know when to keep his mouth shut – something I’m still learning. He has an uncanny ability to always have the politically correct response – even though what he might be thinking is as incorrect, if not vulgar, as can be. What we have in common is the love of football, in particular the love of offensive line play. It’s something one has to experience to fully understand. No matter how angry Wallace gets at me for one of the many, many stupid things I might say, he knows I know how to teach the proper technique for a three point stance. He knows I know the proper footwork for a pulling guard. He knows that I know good offensive linemen have (a) big heads (literally), (b) big butts, (c) are organized almost to a fault, (d) think in a concrete and structured manner, and (e) have a high tolerance for pain – at least think they do.
This past season at Jennings was undeniably the most successful football season in the school’s history. The team finished with a 9-2 record and won their first Suburban East title in the school’s history. They won their district rather easily, and almost pulled off what would have been the biggest upset of the year against Parkway North. I should modify the last sentence: the only one’s who wouldn’t have called it an upset would have been Wallace, his coaching staff and his players. They knew they were going to win – which is the only way to go into a game.
Anyway, as I was sitting down to write this week’s column, Wallace called and we chatted ever so briefly. I mentioned to him I would love to have a “Jennings football tee shirt” he had designed to commemorate the season. “You like those, do you?” he asked in his satirical, condescending manner. “Yes,” I replied, “they remind me of the shirts I designed the second year you and I coached together – the color scheme and all.” “Oh yeah,” he yelped, “I’ve been waiting 20 years to design a tee-shirt with the schedule on the back depicting a conference title. All through high school, college, and my first five or six years at Jennings I never was part of a conference champion to this year.” I shared with him how I understood his excitement – as I too had recently experienced something very similar.
You see this past summer my son Joe’s baseball team won their division in the Atom I league at St. Peter’s Athletic Association – and what did we do? We had tee shirts made with the schedule and results printed on the back. Not only that, we had our team e.r.a. of 4.00 (the lowest out of 25 teams) and our winning streak of 10 games (the longest out of 50 teams) printed right below the schedule just like Wallace did with his football team.
Why do I make mention of all this? The answer is in the last sentence of the second paragraph and the last sentence of the third paragraph of this narrative. You see (a) I had the honor of designing my tee shirts some 5 months prior to Wallace and (b) offensive linemen are highly, highly competitive – no matter what the competition might be.
See you next week.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
FRONT PAGE - FIRST CAPITOL NEWS - March 10 - 16, 2007
(Click on image to enlarge) Scroll down to read other articles from this edition.
Gieseke Winner Of Mayoral Debate - Mayor Will Say Anything To Win
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
Last week there was a debate between the candidates for mayor of St. Charles. St. Charles City Councilman John Gieseke, Ward 8, is facing off against two term Mayor Patti York in the Tuesday, April 3, 2007 general election. All 10 City Council Wards are also up for grabs.
It was obvious from those in attendance and from those who have since watched the debate on the City Cable Channel 20, that Councilman John Gieseke successfully trounced Mayor York.
York came out swinging and made some comments against Gieseke. We offered him the opportunity to respond.
In her opening remarks the Mayor commented she was sharing the podium with a member of a college debate team. Some in the audience believed she made this remark to cover any of her inadequacies in the event she falters during the debate. Have you ever been a member of a college debate team?
JOHN GIESEKE: I looked around and thought is there someone else debating her this evening. I did have classes in which we debated issues, but I was never on a debate team. I do appreciate the thought though.
The Mayor said, “Over the past eight years I have rolled back taxes 12 percent, while increasing city services and getting rid of nuisance taxes.”
My opponent has supported a tax increase as recent as six months ago.
JOHN GIESEKE: I did not support a tax increase; I supported placing a use tax on the ballot. Saying I supported a tax demonstrates that it’s easy to say anything to get elected. In this city the belief is if you say it enough it must be true. The tax would have been used to fund the operation of the community center and would have been only on items purchased on the Internet. The people would have been able to vote to decide if they wanted the tax.
The Mayor said, “I have a history of bringing good businesses to our community such as Bass Pro, Coca Cola, our own Starbucks and I am so looking forward to having an Old Navy here in town.”
JOHN GIESEKE: All I can say to that is take a drive down First Capitol Drive. It takes diligent planning and hard work to achieve sustained economic development and it isn’t being done. The old K-Mart site is still vacant, Bally’s building is vacant, the old police headquarters, that she rushed to sell for less than the appraised value with a higher bid on the table, is vacant. We have many empty stores in shopping centers. Several former fast food restaurants are closed and the buildings allowed to deteriorate. Businesses are leaving Main Street at a record number. We are far from saying we have a successful economic development record.
The Mayor said, “My opponent has shown a history of voting against economic development such as tourism which is an $11 million dollar industry right here in our community. He has also voted against the Convention Center, which is a $70 million project, which brought in hundreds of jobs.
JOHN GIESEKE: Once again she will say anything to get elected. To leap from voting against the convention center and saying I’m against tourism is a pretty big leap to make. I am very much in favor of tourism, but not the way we have been doing it. We have failed in marketing our city and growing the tourism industry. We do not need to be spending our tourism dollars in Canada, Europe, etc. We need to spend them in places where they will do us the most good. I pushed to get kiosks placed at the soccer fields so those who are here enjoying tournaments from out of town can see that we have more to offer. I believe tourism is important to our city if handled properly. But not at the expense of our residents. If you get right down to it, the condition of our streets and infrastructure has a direct affect on our abiltiy to convince people to visit. Once again the basics are ignored and the residents suffer because of lower tax revenues.
In regards to the Convention Center which was supposed to bring millions of dollars to our City with conventioneers spending at our hotels, restaurants, and other shops, well, it leaves a lot to be desired. It has been filled with gun and knife shows, craft fairs, bridal fairs and just recently it is being touted and advertised for wedding receptions. If not corrected it will be a big drain on our taxpayers.
The Mayor said, “I feel my opponent is truly a Johnny come lately when it comes to economic development.”
JOHN GIESEKE: Saying that spending your money to build a convention center is economic development is a little misguided. The private sector is who we should be depending to grow our economy. We wouldn’t have to build these buildings if the City would get back to basics and invest in our infrastructure.
If being a Johnny come lately means getting over $1.3 billion in investment in my ward then I proudly say I’m a Johnny come lately.
The Mayor said, “I have been in the trenches for 8 years leading the growth by leaps and bounds while John has just recently started talking about economic development.”
JOHN GIESEKE: If we have been growing by leaps and bounds then why hasn’t the sales tax income to the city grown? Last year the city council had to adjust the budget in midyear to make up for poor sales tax results. That’s not growing by leaps and bounds.
The Mayor said, “I know what it is to be the mayor. It’s commitment, it takes hard work but most importantly it takes sound decision-making. I stand by the tough decisions I have made in the past. We cannot afford to have a mayor who buys decorative stop signs rather than investing in our streets such as Elm Street. We cannot afford to have a mayor who gives away discretionary money to a private business rather than ensuring that our police are properly funded, that our streets are sound, that our parks are beautiful.
I am running for reelection because I am the best person for this job. I have a proven track record of lowering your taxes, increasing economic development and making those sound decisions that have made our city to live, work, and raise a family.
JOHN GIESEKE: I find her comment amusing. I voted against dividing the money 11 ways and somehow now spending that money on something the average resident wanted in their neighborhood it is wrong. The decorative signs are something the residents wanted. These signs cost about $4,000. Compare that to the Mayors plan to spend over a million dollars to make the overpass on Interstate 70 at Highway 94 look good for the people passing through. I think the taxpayers would agree they would rather see their tax dollars spent in the city neighborhoods and not on trying to impress the drivers passing through on Interstate 70. As far as paying a private company, that money was for a fuel surcharge for trash service. If we had not paid this, residents would be paying much more with the next contract for trash hauling. The city could pay the surcharge or the residents would have to pay more for trash. It wasn’t a difficult choice to make.
When the new Mayor takes office in April we will have a much different form of government. The residents voted to have a strong Mayor form of government. This is much different from what we now have. My education, business background and experience makes me more qualified to lead St. Charles as it’s mayor. My business experience offers far more value to the taxpayers.
The mayor has had eight years to present a budget that focused on the residents, it hasn’t happened. As far as her saying she lowered taxes that was a roll back based off the property values increasing and the state Hancock Amendment requiring the reduction. I was the first to get a lower utility tax for every household. I took Councilman Hoepfner’s senior tax relief proposal and made it a reality.
I am not going to say just anything to get elected. This election is about what the residents want from their city. Do they want a city that puts their interests behind every special interest, or one that puts the residents first?
I appreciate you calling to ask me about some of the issues that were brought up in the debate. It would have taken a lot more time that we were given in the debate to really set the record straight. I refuse to say just anything to get elected. When I make a promise I keep it.
Last week there was a debate between the candidates for mayor of St. Charles. St. Charles City Councilman John Gieseke, Ward 8, is facing off against two term Mayor Patti York in the Tuesday, April 3, 2007 general election. All 10 City Council Wards are also up for grabs.
It was obvious from those in attendance and from those who have since watched the debate on the City Cable Channel 20, that Councilman John Gieseke successfully trounced Mayor York.
York came out swinging and made some comments against Gieseke. We offered him the opportunity to respond.
In her opening remarks the Mayor commented she was sharing the podium with a member of a college debate team. Some in the audience believed she made this remark to cover any of her inadequacies in the event she falters during the debate. Have you ever been a member of a college debate team?
JOHN GIESEKE: I looked around and thought is there someone else debating her this evening. I did have classes in which we debated issues, but I was never on a debate team. I do appreciate the thought though.
The Mayor said, “Over the past eight years I have rolled back taxes 12 percent, while increasing city services and getting rid of nuisance taxes.”
My opponent has supported a tax increase as recent as six months ago.
JOHN GIESEKE: I did not support a tax increase; I supported placing a use tax on the ballot. Saying I supported a tax demonstrates that it’s easy to say anything to get elected. In this city the belief is if you say it enough it must be true. The tax would have been used to fund the operation of the community center and would have been only on items purchased on the Internet. The people would have been able to vote to decide if they wanted the tax.
The Mayor said, “I have a history of bringing good businesses to our community such as Bass Pro, Coca Cola, our own Starbucks and I am so looking forward to having an Old Navy here in town.”
JOHN GIESEKE: All I can say to that is take a drive down First Capitol Drive. It takes diligent planning and hard work to achieve sustained economic development and it isn’t being done. The old K-Mart site is still vacant, Bally’s building is vacant, the old police headquarters, that she rushed to sell for less than the appraised value with a higher bid on the table, is vacant. We have many empty stores in shopping centers. Several former fast food restaurants are closed and the buildings allowed to deteriorate. Businesses are leaving Main Street at a record number. We are far from saying we have a successful economic development record.
The Mayor said, “My opponent has shown a history of voting against economic development such as tourism which is an $11 million dollar industry right here in our community. He has also voted against the Convention Center, which is a $70 million project, which brought in hundreds of jobs.
JOHN GIESEKE: Once again she will say anything to get elected. To leap from voting against the convention center and saying I’m against tourism is a pretty big leap to make. I am very much in favor of tourism, but not the way we have been doing it. We have failed in marketing our city and growing the tourism industry. We do not need to be spending our tourism dollars in Canada, Europe, etc. We need to spend them in places where they will do us the most good. I pushed to get kiosks placed at the soccer fields so those who are here enjoying tournaments from out of town can see that we have more to offer. I believe tourism is important to our city if handled properly. But not at the expense of our residents. If you get right down to it, the condition of our streets and infrastructure has a direct affect on our abiltiy to convince people to visit. Once again the basics are ignored and the residents suffer because of lower tax revenues.
In regards to the Convention Center which was supposed to bring millions of dollars to our City with conventioneers spending at our hotels, restaurants, and other shops, well, it leaves a lot to be desired. It has been filled with gun and knife shows, craft fairs, bridal fairs and just recently it is being touted and advertised for wedding receptions. If not corrected it will be a big drain on our taxpayers.
The Mayor said, “I feel my opponent is truly a Johnny come lately when it comes to economic development.”
JOHN GIESEKE: Saying that spending your money to build a convention center is economic development is a little misguided. The private sector is who we should be depending to grow our economy. We wouldn’t have to build these buildings if the City would get back to basics and invest in our infrastructure.
If being a Johnny come lately means getting over $1.3 billion in investment in my ward then I proudly say I’m a Johnny come lately.
The Mayor said, “I have been in the trenches for 8 years leading the growth by leaps and bounds while John has just recently started talking about economic development.”
JOHN GIESEKE: If we have been growing by leaps and bounds then why hasn’t the sales tax income to the city grown? Last year the city council had to adjust the budget in midyear to make up for poor sales tax results. That’s not growing by leaps and bounds.
The Mayor said, “I know what it is to be the mayor. It’s commitment, it takes hard work but most importantly it takes sound decision-making. I stand by the tough decisions I have made in the past. We cannot afford to have a mayor who buys decorative stop signs rather than investing in our streets such as Elm Street. We cannot afford to have a mayor who gives away discretionary money to a private business rather than ensuring that our police are properly funded, that our streets are sound, that our parks are beautiful.
I am running for reelection because I am the best person for this job. I have a proven track record of lowering your taxes, increasing economic development and making those sound decisions that have made our city to live, work, and raise a family.
JOHN GIESEKE: I find her comment amusing. I voted against dividing the money 11 ways and somehow now spending that money on something the average resident wanted in their neighborhood it is wrong. The decorative signs are something the residents wanted. These signs cost about $4,000. Compare that to the Mayors plan to spend over a million dollars to make the overpass on Interstate 70 at Highway 94 look good for the people passing through. I think the taxpayers would agree they would rather see their tax dollars spent in the city neighborhoods and not on trying to impress the drivers passing through on Interstate 70. As far as paying a private company, that money was for a fuel surcharge for trash service. If we had not paid this, residents would be paying much more with the next contract for trash hauling. The city could pay the surcharge or the residents would have to pay more for trash. It wasn’t a difficult choice to make.
When the new Mayor takes office in April we will have a much different form of government. The residents voted to have a strong Mayor form of government. This is much different from what we now have. My education, business background and experience makes me more qualified to lead St. Charles as it’s mayor. My business experience offers far more value to the taxpayers.
The mayor has had eight years to present a budget that focused on the residents, it hasn’t happened. As far as her saying she lowered taxes that was a roll back based off the property values increasing and the state Hancock Amendment requiring the reduction. I was the first to get a lower utility tax for every household. I took Councilman Hoepfner’s senior tax relief proposal and made it a reality.
I am not going to say just anything to get elected. This election is about what the residents want from their city. Do they want a city that puts their interests behind every special interest, or one that puts the residents first?
I appreciate you calling to ask me about some of the issues that were brought up in the debate. It would have taken a lot more time that we were given in the debate to really set the record straight. I refuse to say just anything to get elected. When I make a promise I keep it.
MILLIONAIRE DEVELOPERS ATTEMPT TAKE OVER OF CITY HALL AGAIN
By Tony Brockmeyer
The First Capitol News has learned that a number of people who were associated with the failed attempt to recall Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer have joined together once again to make another attempt to take over St. Charles City Government and the $100 million budget.
This group was financially backed by millionaire developers who spent over $107,000 three years ago in an attempt to buy their candidates seats on the City Council. They were unsuccessful in their attempt to gain control of the City Council. After fourteen months they decided to start a recall effort against Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer because of their strong stance to hold the developers accountable. The group spent more than $87,000 in their attempts to remove Greer and Brown because they were outspoken against them. The recall campaign was filled with lies, fraud, and forgeries and resulted in arrests and numerous charges still pending in the office of the Prosecuting Attorney. The First Capitol News exposed their scheme and discovered that when this group fell short of the necessary signatures, the recall group started paying up to $10 per signature in an effort to seek the recall elections. They spent money flying airplanes trailing banners around block parties calling for Mark Brown’s recall.
This group attempted to deceive the public by hiding their identities and forming several different committees to which money was funneled and laundered through these newly formed committees.
Committee treasurer and one of the main organizers of the St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government was Ken Kielty who is now a candidate for Ward 8 city council seat.
Kielty, an organizer of the recall committee demonstrated his close ties with millionaire developer and builder T.R. Hughes where a large amount of the $87,000 came from and was put into the recall effort.
The police were called in after the First Capitol News exposed the fraud. Ken Kielty had his son, attorney Michael Kielty, defend numerous suspects throughout the criminal investigation involving the recall fraud and forgeries.
The First Capitol News has learned Ken Kielty has contacted several candidates now running for city council seats throughout the city. Kielty has offered them financial support and help in their campaign.
A candidate who had filed to run against Kielty for the Ward 8 City Council seat said that he withdrew from the race because of several threatening phone calls he had received from Kielty.
This is not the first time Kielty has been associated with threatening phone calls. A threatening phone call made to resident Bob Bredensteiner several months ago was traced by the police to a phone number registered to Kielty. His son, an attorney, had also made a threatening phone call to the First Capitol News. Stories on both of these incidents can be found in our archives at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com.
Kielty is closely aligned with Mayor York. He is also a close ally of Glennon Jamboretz another confidant of the Mayor.
York allegedly funneled City tax dollars to a fictitious company that was in the name of an employee of Jamboretz. The money then found it’s way to Jamboretz and then to St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government which was started by Kielty and Jamboretz with the express purpose of recalling St. Charles City Councilmen. The money then went from Jamborertz and Kielty directly to the recall effort.
Kielty was also chairman of the County Sports and Convention Authority for a short time. Kielty served on the Convention Committee with Mayor York when the $37 million in contracts were handed out to numerous firms. After the convention center was built he then left the committee and attempted to have the authority hire him to develop a golf course even though he apparently had no experience for such a position.
When the city council attempted to remove the Mayor from the Convention Oversight Committee, Kielty had the Authority file a lawsuit against the council in an attempt to overturn their action and have the Mayor returned.
It is also thought by several public officials that Kielty is responsible for several vicious and malicious campaign pieces that have been mailed in recent campaigns.
Councilman Mark Brown told the First Capitol News that he has been threatened and warned that if he filed for re-election that the vicious lies and rumors they put out the last time would be insignificant compared to what they had in store for him in this election. Brown went on to say, “This group will go to any level in their attempt to seize control of the City’s $100 million budget and to receive special treatment for their developments at the expense of the taxpayers.”
Brown told the First Capitol News he was aware that Ken Kielty was involved with his opponents and his opponents were financially supported by the same people who attempted to recall him. Brown stated, “The same people are strong supporters of Mayor York and Mayor York was a member of their team. In fact she contributed $2300 to them several months ago.” Brown went on to say that other candidates who are not favored by these developers can probably expect vicious and malicious mailings to be sent out by this group against them.
The First Capitol News has learned that a number of people who were associated with the failed attempt to recall Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer have joined together once again to make another attempt to take over St. Charles City Government and the $100 million budget.
This group was financially backed by millionaire developers who spent over $107,000 three years ago in an attempt to buy their candidates seats on the City Council. They were unsuccessful in their attempt to gain control of the City Council. After fourteen months they decided to start a recall effort against Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer because of their strong stance to hold the developers accountable. The group spent more than $87,000 in their attempts to remove Greer and Brown because they were outspoken against them. The recall campaign was filled with lies, fraud, and forgeries and resulted in arrests and numerous charges still pending in the office of the Prosecuting Attorney. The First Capitol News exposed their scheme and discovered that when this group fell short of the necessary signatures, the recall group started paying up to $10 per signature in an effort to seek the recall elections. They spent money flying airplanes trailing banners around block parties calling for Mark Brown’s recall.
This group attempted to deceive the public by hiding their identities and forming several different committees to which money was funneled and laundered through these newly formed committees.
Committee treasurer and one of the main organizers of the St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government was Ken Kielty who is now a candidate for Ward 8 city council seat.
Kielty, an organizer of the recall committee demonstrated his close ties with millionaire developer and builder T.R. Hughes where a large amount of the $87,000 came from and was put into the recall effort.
The police were called in after the First Capitol News exposed the fraud. Ken Kielty had his son, attorney Michael Kielty, defend numerous suspects throughout the criminal investigation involving the recall fraud and forgeries.
The First Capitol News has learned Ken Kielty has contacted several candidates now running for city council seats throughout the city. Kielty has offered them financial support and help in their campaign.
A candidate who had filed to run against Kielty for the Ward 8 City Council seat said that he withdrew from the race because of several threatening phone calls he had received from Kielty.
This is not the first time Kielty has been associated with threatening phone calls. A threatening phone call made to resident Bob Bredensteiner several months ago was traced by the police to a phone number registered to Kielty. His son, an attorney, had also made a threatening phone call to the First Capitol News. Stories on both of these incidents can be found in our archives at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com.
Kielty is closely aligned with Mayor York. He is also a close ally of Glennon Jamboretz another confidant of the Mayor.
York allegedly funneled City tax dollars to a fictitious company that was in the name of an employee of Jamboretz. The money then found it’s way to Jamboretz and then to St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government which was started by Kielty and Jamboretz with the express purpose of recalling St. Charles City Councilmen. The money then went from Jamborertz and Kielty directly to the recall effort.
Kielty was also chairman of the County Sports and Convention Authority for a short time. Kielty served on the Convention Committee with Mayor York when the $37 million in contracts were handed out to numerous firms. After the convention center was built he then left the committee and attempted to have the authority hire him to develop a golf course even though he apparently had no experience for such a position.
When the city council attempted to remove the Mayor from the Convention Oversight Committee, Kielty had the Authority file a lawsuit against the council in an attempt to overturn their action and have the Mayor returned.
It is also thought by several public officials that Kielty is responsible for several vicious and malicious campaign pieces that have been mailed in recent campaigns.
Councilman Mark Brown told the First Capitol News that he has been threatened and warned that if he filed for re-election that the vicious lies and rumors they put out the last time would be insignificant compared to what they had in store for him in this election. Brown went on to say, “This group will go to any level in their attempt to seize control of the City’s $100 million budget and to receive special treatment for their developments at the expense of the taxpayers.”
Brown told the First Capitol News he was aware that Ken Kielty was involved with his opponents and his opponents were financially supported by the same people who attempted to recall him. Brown stated, “The same people are strong supporters of Mayor York and Mayor York was a member of their team. In fact she contributed $2300 to them several months ago.” Brown went on to say that other candidates who are not favored by these developers can probably expect vicious and malicious mailings to be sent out by this group against them.
RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
THE MAYOR WILL SAY ANYTHING TO GET RE-ELECTED
Ronald Reagan used to say “Well, there you go again,” when his political foes began to say anything against him to get elected. It appears that Mayor York didn’t learn from this. She will say anything to get elected, She’ll tell you what she thinks you want to hear. If you really look at her last eight years you see a tenure that is without merit to re-elect. The Mayor was quoted as saying that she’s been tested. Well Mayor you have and your grade is a F. An F stands for failure Mayor. The Mayor failed to gain consensus through three city councils. The mayor failed to understand the law and signed a contract that has caused Express Scripts to file suit against the city for $200,000. The Mayor is more interested in helping her special friends than caring about the residents. The Mayor has failed to improve our quality of life in the city.
So when you hear the rumors, the negativism, the stories, the lies, remember the Mayor is running scared and will say anything to get elected
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO Hmmmmmm
I believe the Art Foundry was a great idea and is an asset for the residents of St. Charles. However, I do not understand why the Foundry group uses a catering company from St. Louis County at their functions.
They held a very formal ball on New Years Eve. The function received rave reviews from those in attendance. But they used a St. Louis County catering company. We have a number of great catering companies in St. Charles and St. Charles County. Why do they not use one of them instead of giving the business to companies who are not contributing to our St. Charles tax base?
St. Charles taxpayers contributed approximately $1.9 million in tax dollars of the approximately $2.2 million total spent on the Foundry Arts Center. It is time the Art Foundry Board stopped spending money in St. Louis County and begin spending it in St. Charles.
DOWN AND DIRTY
Filings on record at the St. Charles County Board of Election reveal Venetia McEntire, a candidate for City Council in Ward 2 has Tom Hayden as her Election Committee treasurer.
Hayden, of the 2000 block of Autumn Wood Drive is a confidant of the Mayor and was the campaign manager for Councilman Mike Weller. He was also involved in the failed recall campaigns against Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer. You remember those recall attempts. They were filed with forgeries, fraud and misinformation. Arrests were made and charges were filed.
With Hayden as her treasurer, I would expect McEntire’s campaign to be negative. To incumbent Councilman Larry Muench, I recommend that you come out fighting.
MONEY FOR WASTEWATER
The United States House of Representatives approved legislation to spend $1.7 billion over five years on federal grants to states and cities to modernize wastewater systems and to control overflows of sewage. The matter is now being taken up by the Senate. Representative Todd Akin, (R) opposed the bill.
It is probably too late for St. Charles. I believe that contracts for millions and millions of dollars have been let to repair our sewage systems. The White House is opposing the bill.
IT IS TOO BAD THEY DON’T HAVE TOM DEMPSEY
Davis Street Land Company has filed suit against the City of O’Fallon because the City has refused to provide a new shopping center Davis is building in Lake St. Louis with sewer srvice. The developer wants the court to order O’Fallon and a Public Water Supply District 2 to provide sewer service for the development.
According to City Manager Robert G. Lowery, Jr. the city also refused requests for a shopping center and condominium complex at Mexico Road and Highway K because the City believes their plant is operating at capacity.
If Davis Land Company contacts Representative Tom Dempsey maybe they can convince him to pass legislation in the Missouri House to require O’Fallon to allow them to hook up. That is what he did for his friend, T.R. Hughes in St. Charles. He had the legislation passed in one day. The Supreme Court has ruled such legislation is illegal. Every time the City Council passes legislation to have Dempsey’s bill declared unconstitutional the Mayor vetoes the legislation. It pays handsomely to have friends in high places.
Don’t forget to vote for JOHN GIESEKE for Mayor on April 3.
Ronald Reagan used to say “Well, there you go again,” when his political foes began to say anything against him to get elected. It appears that Mayor York didn’t learn from this. She will say anything to get elected, She’ll tell you what she thinks you want to hear. If you really look at her last eight years you see a tenure that is without merit to re-elect. The Mayor was quoted as saying that she’s been tested. Well Mayor you have and your grade is a F. An F stands for failure Mayor. The Mayor failed to gain consensus through three city councils. The mayor failed to understand the law and signed a contract that has caused Express Scripts to file suit against the city for $200,000. The Mayor is more interested in helping her special friends than caring about the residents. The Mayor has failed to improve our quality of life in the city.
So when you hear the rumors, the negativism, the stories, the lies, remember the Mayor is running scared and will say anything to get elected
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO Hmmmmmm
I believe the Art Foundry was a great idea and is an asset for the residents of St. Charles. However, I do not understand why the Foundry group uses a catering company from St. Louis County at their functions.
They held a very formal ball on New Years Eve. The function received rave reviews from those in attendance. But they used a St. Louis County catering company. We have a number of great catering companies in St. Charles and St. Charles County. Why do they not use one of them instead of giving the business to companies who are not contributing to our St. Charles tax base?
St. Charles taxpayers contributed approximately $1.9 million in tax dollars of the approximately $2.2 million total spent on the Foundry Arts Center. It is time the Art Foundry Board stopped spending money in St. Louis County and begin spending it in St. Charles.
DOWN AND DIRTY
Filings on record at the St. Charles County Board of Election reveal Venetia McEntire, a candidate for City Council in Ward 2 has Tom Hayden as her Election Committee treasurer.
Hayden, of the 2000 block of Autumn Wood Drive is a confidant of the Mayor and was the campaign manager for Councilman Mike Weller. He was also involved in the failed recall campaigns against Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer. You remember those recall attempts. They were filed with forgeries, fraud and misinformation. Arrests were made and charges were filed.
With Hayden as her treasurer, I would expect McEntire’s campaign to be negative. To incumbent Councilman Larry Muench, I recommend that you come out fighting.
MONEY FOR WASTEWATER
The United States House of Representatives approved legislation to spend $1.7 billion over five years on federal grants to states and cities to modernize wastewater systems and to control overflows of sewage. The matter is now being taken up by the Senate. Representative Todd Akin, (R) opposed the bill.
It is probably too late for St. Charles. I believe that contracts for millions and millions of dollars have been let to repair our sewage systems. The White House is opposing the bill.
IT IS TOO BAD THEY DON’T HAVE TOM DEMPSEY
Davis Street Land Company has filed suit against the City of O’Fallon because the City has refused to provide a new shopping center Davis is building in Lake St. Louis with sewer srvice. The developer wants the court to order O’Fallon and a Public Water Supply District 2 to provide sewer service for the development.
According to City Manager Robert G. Lowery, Jr. the city also refused requests for a shopping center and condominium complex at Mexico Road and Highway K because the City believes their plant is operating at capacity.
If Davis Land Company contacts Representative Tom Dempsey maybe they can convince him to pass legislation in the Missouri House to require O’Fallon to allow them to hook up. That is what he did for his friend, T.R. Hughes in St. Charles. He had the legislation passed in one day. The Supreme Court has ruled such legislation is illegal. Every time the City Council passes legislation to have Dempsey’s bill declared unconstitutional the Mayor vetoes the legislation. It pays handsomely to have friends in high places.
Don’t forget to vote for JOHN GIESEKE for Mayor on April 3.
The PEOPLE SPEAK - Letters To The Editor
Dear Tony,
It has come to my attention that we may lose our Police Chief Swope if our current Mayor is reelected. It seems she is lonely for the Fraternal Order of Police. Who can forget the trouble Mayor York caused this town because of the FOP? One of the members of the FOP put our city administrator on the ground with a gun to the back of his head. What a mess! That officer is now gone, and I for one am glad.
St. Charles waited for over a year for a new Police Chief. Those who applied and interviewed were vetoed by our mayor because they “didn’t fit”. Maybe a new seamstress could have helped our present mayor.
Tim Swope grew up here and has been an excellent Police Chief. We now have a police chief who is a “home-grown” man and who knows the city and its’ residents. There is no more congregating at the QT by the police. Instead the police are in the neighborhoods patrolling and waving to the people who are outdoors. I feel so much better about letting my grandsons ride their bikes around the block because I know there is a policeman nearby.
Chief Swope has solved a multitude of problems and crimes. It used to be interesting reading in bed and at the same time hearing the drag racing on 370. That’s stopped—the racing not the reading.
Chief Swope has started new programs that will benefit the town including a program for the elderly to register with the department so that in another power outage the police can check on them. Chief Swope is making a profound difference in this town, and we need to keep him as our chief. Mayor York apparently wants him gone.
The bottom line is VOTE FOR JOHN GIESEKE. He is not a loose canon like our present mayor. CHIEF SWOPE WILL STAY ON THE JOB!
Jane Horning
First Capitol News
I can’t believe what I just read…. if that had been written by a 10th-grader, it would have been given an F….bad spelling, bad punctuation, miserable grammar…I don’t live in his ward, but I’d be embarrassed to admit it if I did….if that’s the caliber of politician in St. Charles, we are in trouble.
Ken.Kuhlenschmidt1@emotors.com
Dear Editor
I was interested in Mayor York’s comments at the Mayoral debate last week in which she noted how many times she’s been at the openings of new businesses in town this year. My question is, “Where are they?” I’ve been waiting for many years to see some new retail come into St. Charles City rather than going out to St. Peters and O’Fallon, but I haven’t noticed floods of businesses opening here in the last few months. There is one new retailer on Main Street. Where are the others?
Take a drive around town and you will see one empty building after another. There are the empty buildings which used to house such businesses as Home Supply, the fabric store and several other stores in St. Charles Plaza, Wendy’s on Truman Road, the old Best Buy Store in Cave Springs, the former K-Mart building, the former police station, the Sears Hardware store, the former Jack-in-the Box on West Clay, many empty buildings on Main Street (apparently the Convention Center has not been the promised boon to Main Street’s tourist industry), three buildings which used to house Preston’s Furniture as well as other empty buildings on Second Street. There are new retail spaces in Mark Twain Mall as well as across from Starbucks on Fifth Street, but they remain empty. If Schnucks moves out of its’ present location on Duchesne Street, we can add yet another empty building to that part of town. Between the closing of schools, the dilapidated buildings, and the emergence of check-cashing stores and manpower employment agencies along First Capitol Drive, our town is beginning to resemble an old inner-city area. All this on the present mayor’s watch.
The one part of town which is growing and vibrant is the commercial area on north Elm Street which is in John Gieseke’s Ward. John is committed to economic growth in our city, and the work he’s done in his ward is evidence of that commitment. This city needs a new direction—one that will restore our businesses, build our population, and re-establish the City of St. Charles as the leader in St. Charles County. John is dedicated to these goals. That’s why he has my vote on April 3rd.
Eleanor McCune
First Capitol News,
During reorganization the Saint Charles School Board stated on more than one occasion that it would take at least a million dollars a year to keep each of our elementary schools open. Thanks to the efforts of this great city and community the unbelievable has happened. Even with all our schools still open, this district acknowledged an excess of more than three million dollars this past year. This does not include the million in one time TIF donations or the Lewis and Clark grant; it was a surplus in the recurring tax base, a phenomenon that will be sustained year after year after year.
The Saint Charles School board now has the task to decide what they should do with this windfall, and the possibilities are profound. There are some on the board that have adamantly stated that they should ignore this fact and simply “Stay the Course”. Despite the outcries of this community, they feel their efforts over the last several years must be justified with a sacrifice of our neighborhood schools.
I prefer to look at this money as the greatest opportunity imaginable. It is a chance to stop and reassess what they are doing. Here is the money they said they needed. Here is the prospect to save our schools. They asked, and they received; it is the miracle that we were all hoping for. This reorganization has caused such terrible discontent in our community and this money is indeed the answer to all of our prayers.
I am begging this School Board; please recognize this gift as a sign. Please take this opening to heal our community. Please show this city the compassion that we need so badly. Please take this very last golden opportunity and use this money to save our schools. Please don’t let this miracle go to waste…
Vicki DuMontelle
It has come to my attention that we may lose our Police Chief Swope if our current Mayor is reelected. It seems she is lonely for the Fraternal Order of Police. Who can forget the trouble Mayor York caused this town because of the FOP? One of the members of the FOP put our city administrator on the ground with a gun to the back of his head. What a mess! That officer is now gone, and I for one am glad.
St. Charles waited for over a year for a new Police Chief. Those who applied and interviewed were vetoed by our mayor because they “didn’t fit”. Maybe a new seamstress could have helped our present mayor.
Tim Swope grew up here and has been an excellent Police Chief. We now have a police chief who is a “home-grown” man and who knows the city and its’ residents. There is no more congregating at the QT by the police. Instead the police are in the neighborhoods patrolling and waving to the people who are outdoors. I feel so much better about letting my grandsons ride their bikes around the block because I know there is a policeman nearby.
Chief Swope has solved a multitude of problems and crimes. It used to be interesting reading in bed and at the same time hearing the drag racing on 370. That’s stopped—the racing not the reading.
Chief Swope has started new programs that will benefit the town including a program for the elderly to register with the department so that in another power outage the police can check on them. Chief Swope is making a profound difference in this town, and we need to keep him as our chief. Mayor York apparently wants him gone.
The bottom line is VOTE FOR JOHN GIESEKE. He is not a loose canon like our present mayor. CHIEF SWOPE WILL STAY ON THE JOB!
Jane Horning
First Capitol News
I can’t believe what I just read…. if that had been written by a 10th-grader, it would have been given an F….bad spelling, bad punctuation, miserable grammar…I don’t live in his ward, but I’d be embarrassed to admit it if I did….if that’s the caliber of politician in St. Charles, we are in trouble.
Ken.Kuhlenschmidt1@emotors.com
Dear Editor
I was interested in Mayor York’s comments at the Mayoral debate last week in which she noted how many times she’s been at the openings of new businesses in town this year. My question is, “Where are they?” I’ve been waiting for many years to see some new retail come into St. Charles City rather than going out to St. Peters and O’Fallon, but I haven’t noticed floods of businesses opening here in the last few months. There is one new retailer on Main Street. Where are the others?
Take a drive around town and you will see one empty building after another. There are the empty buildings which used to house such businesses as Home Supply, the fabric store and several other stores in St. Charles Plaza, Wendy’s on Truman Road, the old Best Buy Store in Cave Springs, the former K-Mart building, the former police station, the Sears Hardware store, the former Jack-in-the Box on West Clay, many empty buildings on Main Street (apparently the Convention Center has not been the promised boon to Main Street’s tourist industry), three buildings which used to house Preston’s Furniture as well as other empty buildings on Second Street. There are new retail spaces in Mark Twain Mall as well as across from Starbucks on Fifth Street, but they remain empty. If Schnucks moves out of its’ present location on Duchesne Street, we can add yet another empty building to that part of town. Between the closing of schools, the dilapidated buildings, and the emergence of check-cashing stores and manpower employment agencies along First Capitol Drive, our town is beginning to resemble an old inner-city area. All this on the present mayor’s watch.
The one part of town which is growing and vibrant is the commercial area on north Elm Street which is in John Gieseke’s Ward. John is committed to economic growth in our city, and the work he’s done in his ward is evidence of that commitment. This city needs a new direction—one that will restore our businesses, build our population, and re-establish the City of St. Charles as the leader in St. Charles County. John is dedicated to these goals. That’s why he has my vote on April 3rd.
Eleanor McCune
First Capitol News,
During reorganization the Saint Charles School Board stated on more than one occasion that it would take at least a million dollars a year to keep each of our elementary schools open. Thanks to the efforts of this great city and community the unbelievable has happened. Even with all our schools still open, this district acknowledged an excess of more than three million dollars this past year. This does not include the million in one time TIF donations or the Lewis and Clark grant; it was a surplus in the recurring tax base, a phenomenon that will be sustained year after year after year.
The Saint Charles School board now has the task to decide what they should do with this windfall, and the possibilities are profound. There are some on the board that have adamantly stated that they should ignore this fact and simply “Stay the Course”. Despite the outcries of this community, they feel their efforts over the last several years must be justified with a sacrifice of our neighborhood schools.
I prefer to look at this money as the greatest opportunity imaginable. It is a chance to stop and reassess what they are doing. Here is the money they said they needed. Here is the prospect to save our schools. They asked, and they received; it is the miracle that we were all hoping for. This reorganization has caused such terrible discontent in our community and this money is indeed the answer to all of our prayers.
I am begging this School Board; please recognize this gift as a sign. Please take this opening to heal our community. Please show this city the compassion that we need so badly. Please take this very last golden opportunity and use this money to save our schools. Please don’t let this miracle go to waste…
Vicki DuMontelle
The City DESK - Rory Riddler, Councilman Ward 1
Faded Glory: UMSL Rivermen
Go The Way Of Chief Illiniwek
Chief Illiniwek was recently sacrificed to the gods of political correctness. The University of Illinois didn’t want to offend Native Americans with a mascot famous for his feathered headdress and war paint. I personally feel that erasing such popular imagery actually hurts Native Americans more, because you are also erasing historic references from popular culture. What you are left with is a future population that will have even less knowledge and interest in American Indian culture.
My own alma mater, UMSL (excuse me, I mean University of Missouri St. Louis no hyphen), is about to do in their own Rivermen team name and mascot. Here was a completely non-descript team name and mascot that nobody cared about. Were there groups of Riverboat pilots lodging complaints I didn’t know about? Had they inadvertently offended the Society of Mark Twain impersonators?
At first I decided it must be the implied sexism in the use of the term Rivermen that had spurred UMSL to swift action, albeit some thirty years after the height of the feminist movement. “Gender neutering” the mascot not only sounds painful, but wasn’t really an available option. Riverpeople sounds like an Irish line dancing group. As a stopgap, UMSL simply referred to its female sports teams as the UMSL Riverwomen.
Riverwomen? What the Illiniwek does that even mean? At least with the Rivermen you could conger up a mental image of a brave steamboat pilot, burly flat boatman or roustabout. But all Riverwomen ever brought to mind were the ones of low morals, plying their trade among the drunken gamblers of some floating pleasure palace of the 1800s. The only thing the other team would be scared of was catching some social disease.
I recently found out that UMSL had conducted voting among students and faculty on a shortlist of replacement team names. Unfortunately most of the list was even lamer than the team name they might replace. There was The UMSL Hurricanes – frightening to teams from the Gulf Coast perhaps, but really not a meteorologically correct name for a team from the Midwest.
Students could also vote for the UMSL Jets. Given Boeing’s prominence in the community that had possibilities, but not if you get into a debate over whether you mean commercial or military jets. Also, how would you like to be the poor schmuck that has to put on an airplane costume and zoom around a basketball court?
Also making the shortlist was the UMSL Revolutionaries. One can only hope they have some sort of 1776 Continental soldier in mind and not a cigar smoking Che Guevera with lots of red banners.
Yale University claims to have adopted the first college mascot in the United States back in 1889. It was “Handsome Dan” the bulldog. It set the standard for choosing a name and mascot with equal parts of strength and likeability. Our own Benton School Bulldogs, now on the endangered species list thanks to the St. Charles School District, also had a catchy slogan the students put on shirts a few years ago. They said Benton Bulldogs – We Will Win So Don’t You Try. It had an utterly demoralizing effect on other grade schools. Maybe the St. Louis Rams should try it.
There are some other College and University team names and mascots I would have to put on my endangered species list. Temple University, a Christian College, has Hooter, a costumed owl. I can’t even imagine a stadium of Christian students yelling “Go Hooters!” They might as well borrow Wake Forest University’s mascot, the Demon Deacon!
Then there is Chip, the buffalo mascot of the University of Colorado. Get it? Buffalo chips? Besides, buffalos were animals sacred to Native Americans. It has to be on the endangered species list of school mascots.
Colonel Reb of the Ole Miss Rebels was recently “demoted” to the “unofficial” mascot category. That’s just one chair closer to the stadium exit. And finally, Pee Dee the Pirate from East Carolina will no doubt succumb one day to those he has offended with bladder control issues.
Of course not every good team name or mascot is taken.
With 7.2 million teens in this country reportedly binge drinking, what about a college team calling themselves The Drunken Hamsters - Frightening behind the wheel of a car, but adorable when passed out.
“Scooter” seemed more like a team mascot name than the top aide to a Vice-President. He won’t be using the name in public for a while anyway.
Of course they could always borrow “retired” commercial mascots. The Frito Bandito is still looking for work and is guaranteed to offend a large minority of the population. Joe Camel is also in the unemployment line and ready to be rehabilitated.
My favorite would have to be The Rabid Bats. Surprisingly no college or university I could find wanted to be associated with rabid bats. The name has great intimidation value. No one wants to tangle with the Rabid Bats…or get them tangled in your hair for that matter.
Too bad the Piasa Bird is from Illinois.
Go The Way Of Chief Illiniwek
Chief Illiniwek was recently sacrificed to the gods of political correctness. The University of Illinois didn’t want to offend Native Americans with a mascot famous for his feathered headdress and war paint. I personally feel that erasing such popular imagery actually hurts Native Americans more, because you are also erasing historic references from popular culture. What you are left with is a future population that will have even less knowledge and interest in American Indian culture.
My own alma mater, UMSL (excuse me, I mean University of Missouri St. Louis no hyphen), is about to do in their own Rivermen team name and mascot. Here was a completely non-descript team name and mascot that nobody cared about. Were there groups of Riverboat pilots lodging complaints I didn’t know about? Had they inadvertently offended the Society of Mark Twain impersonators?
At first I decided it must be the implied sexism in the use of the term Rivermen that had spurred UMSL to swift action, albeit some thirty years after the height of the feminist movement. “Gender neutering” the mascot not only sounds painful, but wasn’t really an available option. Riverpeople sounds like an Irish line dancing group. As a stopgap, UMSL simply referred to its female sports teams as the UMSL Riverwomen.
Riverwomen? What the Illiniwek does that even mean? At least with the Rivermen you could conger up a mental image of a brave steamboat pilot, burly flat boatman or roustabout. But all Riverwomen ever brought to mind were the ones of low morals, plying their trade among the drunken gamblers of some floating pleasure palace of the 1800s. The only thing the other team would be scared of was catching some social disease.
I recently found out that UMSL had conducted voting among students and faculty on a shortlist of replacement team names. Unfortunately most of the list was even lamer than the team name they might replace. There was The UMSL Hurricanes – frightening to teams from the Gulf Coast perhaps, but really not a meteorologically correct name for a team from the Midwest.
Students could also vote for the UMSL Jets. Given Boeing’s prominence in the community that had possibilities, but not if you get into a debate over whether you mean commercial or military jets. Also, how would you like to be the poor schmuck that has to put on an airplane costume and zoom around a basketball court?
Also making the shortlist was the UMSL Revolutionaries. One can only hope they have some sort of 1776 Continental soldier in mind and not a cigar smoking Che Guevera with lots of red banners.
Yale University claims to have adopted the first college mascot in the United States back in 1889. It was “Handsome Dan” the bulldog. It set the standard for choosing a name and mascot with equal parts of strength and likeability. Our own Benton School Bulldogs, now on the endangered species list thanks to the St. Charles School District, also had a catchy slogan the students put on shirts a few years ago. They said Benton Bulldogs – We Will Win So Don’t You Try. It had an utterly demoralizing effect on other grade schools. Maybe the St. Louis Rams should try it.
There are some other College and University team names and mascots I would have to put on my endangered species list. Temple University, a Christian College, has Hooter, a costumed owl. I can’t even imagine a stadium of Christian students yelling “Go Hooters!” They might as well borrow Wake Forest University’s mascot, the Demon Deacon!
Then there is Chip, the buffalo mascot of the University of Colorado. Get it? Buffalo chips? Besides, buffalos were animals sacred to Native Americans. It has to be on the endangered species list of school mascots.
Colonel Reb of the Ole Miss Rebels was recently “demoted” to the “unofficial” mascot category. That’s just one chair closer to the stadium exit. And finally, Pee Dee the Pirate from East Carolina will no doubt succumb one day to those he has offended with bladder control issues.
Of course not every good team name or mascot is taken.
With 7.2 million teens in this country reportedly binge drinking, what about a college team calling themselves The Drunken Hamsters - Frightening behind the wheel of a car, but adorable when passed out.
“Scooter” seemed more like a team mascot name than the top aide to a Vice-President. He won’t be using the name in public for a while anyway.
Of course they could always borrow “retired” commercial mascots. The Frito Bandito is still looking for work and is guaranteed to offend a large minority of the population. Joe Camel is also in the unemployment line and ready to be rehabilitated.
My favorite would have to be The Rabid Bats. Surprisingly no college or university I could find wanted to be associated with rabid bats. The name has great intimidation value. No one wants to tangle with the Rabid Bats…or get them tangled in your hair for that matter.
Too bad the Piasa Bird is from Illinois.
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