Voters Deserve Applause
For Navigating April Ballot
You know any election is a good one that makes John Sonderegger turn red and stomp himself into the ground like Rumplestilskin. We hear John was all ready for a big night of celebrating and throwing back some brewskies at Richard Baum’s sure bet victory party when Joe McCulloch’s upset win put a damper on the evening’s festivities. The story of John Sonderegger stomping himself into the ground may or may not be true. You see, by the standards of the Post-Dispatch, their columnists can make up news events to be funny. That’s what Sonderegger did on Wednesday of this week. It must make writing his column a lot easier when he doesn’t have to worry about pesky details like say…facts.
Unlike Rumplestilskin, Sonderegger didn’t stomp himself into the ground because some princess figured out his last name, or because he wouldn’t get to keep her first born. No, John seems to be upset that recent events, as reported in his own newspaper and on Channel 5 News, seem to collaborate what the First Capitol News has been reporting all along. Sonderegger has gone to great lengths to try to demean the First Capitol News and belittle its efforts to report local news. Now his own newspaper and television news reporters were, from John’s unique perspective, giving aide and comfort to the “enemy”. What was the world coming to?
That’s probably why John decided to make up a fictional story last Wednesday based “loosely” on real events, but exaggerating the facts and substituting names of other people who weren’t involved in any way. He could get by telling his editors it was all just tongue-in-cheek, while trying to confuse readers into thinking a very real and serious incident must somehow be just as “made up” or exaggerated as well. Never mind how insulting it was to City Administrator Allan Williams. It seems a poor way to raise the level of public discourse, by deliberately trying to confuse the public. But who am I to argue with a St. Louis newspaper owned by people in Iowa?
My hats off to the voters in the City of St. Charles who weren’t confused by the recent April ballot. City voters said yes to all nine involuntary annexations and overwhelmingly voted no on the repeal of the golf course annexation. In doing so, local voters showed they are a savvy electorate who read and understand complex ballot issues. In my column last week, I tried to help voters understand the annexation issues better and I couldn’t be more pleased that people recognized these issues are in their own best interest.
Voters responded positively, despite last minute efforts by opponents who seem to have underwritten a newspaper insert in the Journal and had people working the polls against the annexation on Election Day. The flyers being passed out at the polls, like the advertising supplement in the Journal, failed to identify who paid for the campaign material as required by State Law.
Four of the involuntary annexations garnered no negative votes in the unincorporated area being annexed and will become part of our community. These include St. Andrews Plaza on Interstate 70 and some existing industrial areas South of 70. Two of the remaining five probably lost outside the City limits to legitimate registered voters who have been living there for some time. But three other areas will be looked at closely to see if there is any cause to believe fraud may have been committed by anyone not registering at their true residence.
I also followed the local St. Charles City School Board races with some interest. Long time incumbent Wayne Oetting came in fourth in a six-person race where only the top three candidates win. I’m sure Mr. Oetting is a sincere individual but he lost my vote, and those of a great many of my neighbors and friends, with his repeated efforts to close Benton and Lincoln Elementary Schools.
Dennis Hahn, another incumbent, edged out Oetting in a close race for the third seat to be awarded this election. Hahn had been an outspoken advocate for keeping these local schools open and received a great many votes from people who appreciate his efforts.
Benton and Lincoln are well-maintained schools with great teachers, staff, students and parents. They are real anchors and centerpieces for our older neighborhoods in the First and Second Wards. They provide stability and enhance property values.
While small by today’s standards, their class sizes have meant a superior education for the children fortunate enough to have attended these institutions. I know this from the personal experience of my own children who went there and from their many friends. To abandon these schools, just to transport students to a new building that would have to be built to house both student populations, made no real sense to me. Unlike many institutional buildings today that are throw away, Benton and Lincoln Elementary, were built to last and serve the community for many generations.
I believe the fate of these neighborhood schools made a difference in the outcome of the School Board election. I hope the other Board members will take note and commit themselves to preserving the great educational environment of our existing local schools.
Again, my hat is off to the voters of St. Charles. Go to the head of the class.
