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Friday, February 23, 2007
FRONT PAGE - FIRST CAPITOL NEWS - February 24, 2007
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Pirates win district title; Rudy Harper hits shot with 4 seconds remaining – sends the Pirates to Hannibal
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
The evening ended the same way it began, with the St. Charles High fans chanting: “Can’t beat Wacker!” It’s what happened in between that will have high school basketball fans talking for years.
St. Charles High and St. Charles West tipped off at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening – from 7 till 8:30 the capacity crowd experienced something very special. A cross-town, intra-district rivalry that had the 2007 GAC North co-champions playing each other for the fourth time this season.
Down 19-10 at the end of the first quarter, the Pirates did everything they could to scratch and claw their way back into the contest. By half time they had a single point lead.
The teams traded the lead back and forth the entire second half. With 1:43 remaining in the contest the score was tied 43-43. After a couple of turnovers by both squads it was time for the Rudy Harper show.
Senior guard Rudy Harper drove the lane, banked his shot off the backboard, and gave the Pirates a 2-point lead. West called a time out and the officials adjusted the clock putting 3 seconds on it. For the Pirates faithful it was the longest 3 seconds of the season.
Harper’s shot sends the Pirates to Hannibal for Sectional play Wednesday evening for a 6 p.m. contest against an opponent to be determined. It looks like Coach Wacker’s attempt to retire will have to wait a little longer.
Sports Editor
The evening ended the same way it began, with the St. Charles High fans chanting: “Can’t beat Wacker!” It’s what happened in between that will have high school basketball fans talking for years.
St. Charles High and St. Charles West tipped off at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening – from 7 till 8:30 the capacity crowd experienced something very special. A cross-town, intra-district rivalry that had the 2007 GAC North co-champions playing each other for the fourth time this season.
Down 19-10 at the end of the first quarter, the Pirates did everything they could to scratch and claw their way back into the contest. By half time they had a single point lead.
The teams traded the lead back and forth the entire second half. With 1:43 remaining in the contest the score was tied 43-43. After a couple of turnovers by both squads it was time for the Rudy Harper show.
Senior guard Rudy Harper drove the lane, banked his shot off the backboard, and gave the Pirates a 2-point lead. West called a time out and the officials adjusted the clock putting 3 seconds on it. For the Pirates faithful it was the longest 3 seconds of the season.
Harper’s shot sends the Pirates to Hannibal for Sectional play Wednesday evening for a 6 p.m. contest against an opponent to be determined. It looks like Coach Wacker’s attempt to retire will have to wait a little longer.
WELLER BLASTS MAYOR
Councilman Mike Weller, upset with the lack of snow removal from the streets in his ward, sent a blistering e-mail to City Administrator Allan Williams and Mayor Patti York with a copy to the First Capitol News. While we do not usually agree with Councilman Weller we can understand his distress and concern for the safety of the residents of his ward. The e-mail he sent is presented here with no editing…..
From: mtweller@sbcglobal.net
To: markbrown476@hotmail.com
To: Allan.Williams@stcharlescity.com
To; bkneemiller@yahoo.com
To: Debbie.Aylsworth@stcharlescity.com
To: firstcapitolnews@aol.com
To: JHG426@HOTMAIL.COM
To: JKoesterMO@aol.com
To: lmuench@stcharlescity.com
To: mediamagic@primary.net
To: Patti.York@stcharlescity.com
To: rhoepfner@stcharlescity.com
To: RJMREESE@aol.com
To: Brent.Schulz@stcharlescity.com
To: Mike.Valenti@stcharlescity.com
Allan & Mayor, What the Hell is going On, my Ward, that’s is WARD 5 has not seen a Dam Snow Plow since the Snow storm began. The Only Road that has been plowed is Muegge Road.
HACKMANN ROAD and COUNTRY CLUB ROAD HAS NEVER BEEN TOUCHED... My phone is RINGING OFF THE DAM HOOK. THESE ARE TWO OF MY ONLY THREE PRIMARY ROADS.
NOT ONE OF MY SUB-DIVISIONS HAVE BEEN PLOWED.....
I RECEIVED ONE CALL FROM A RESIDENT THAT THE ONLY SNOW PLOW ON MUEGGE ROAD WAS A MODOT TRUCK.......
THIS KIND OF CRAP PISSES ME OFF.....
WHEN I GET HOME THIS AFTERNOON, I BETTER BE ABLE TO SEE CONCRETE IN MY ENTIRE DAM WARD OR I AM GOING TO RAISE MORE CRAP THAN YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE.
I WANT EVER DAM STREET PLOWED...
USE ONE OF THOSE BIG TRUCKS THAT HAVE A THING ON THE FRONT, IT’s CALLED A SNOW PLOW, AND THEY CARRY STUFF CALLED SALT, YOU PUT IT ON THE ROADS WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD....... HAS ANYONE SEEN ONE OF THOSE BEFORE.
I BET THE NORTH SIDE OF HWY 70 IS COMPLETELY DRY........
MY RESIDENTS ARE SICK AND TIRED OF BEING IGNORED, EVERYTIME WE HAVE A CRISIS, WE ARE THE LAST TO GET SERVICE, EVERY DAM TIME
FORGET THE PARK MONEY I ASSIGNED TO WAPPLEHORST LAKE, I WANT TO PURCHSE A TRUCK AND SNOW PLOW FOR WARD 5... I’LL KEEP THE DAM THING IN MY STORAGE PLACE ALONG SIDE MY MOTOR HOME, AND WHEN IT SNOWS I’LL DRIVE IT MYSELF.... AND THEN I’LL HIRE SOMEONE TO PICK UP MY TRASH WITH IT TWICE A WEEK.... AND I’LL MALKE SURE THAT DAM THING WILL NOT LEAK CRAP ALL OVER MY STREETS.....
I SENT AN EMAIL YESTERDAY MORNING REGARDING THIS SAME KIND OF POOR SERVICE.
WILL SOMEONE PLESE EXPLAIN WHY???
YOU’VE NOT HEARD FROM LAST OF ME YET.... I’N FAR FROM FINISHED...
Regards, Mike Mike Weller 314-322-7686
Councilman Mark Brown Ward 3 was also having the city administration clear the streets of snow and ice in his ward. A copy of an e-mail Brown sent to the Mayor, Administrator and fellow Council members was attached to the e-mail we received from Councilman Weller. Brown wrote…
It is really a shame that the county, with all the miles and roads they have to cover has been able to hit their residential areas twice and our city has yet to arrive. It really shows our residents how little this administration cares about the small taxpayer.
That is exactly what I am telling the residents and they all certainly agree. I don’t know about you guys, but my phone at the office has been ringing off the hook. I have also been receiving calls from other wards so I know I am not alone. We need to take swift action at the next meeting.
Councilman John Gieseke told the First Capitol News that several areas of his ward were also in need of snow and ice removal and that he had received complaints from residents of Ward 8.
From: mtweller@sbcglobal.net
To: markbrown476@hotmail.com
To: Allan.Williams@stcharlescity.com
To; bkneemiller@yahoo.com
To: Debbie.Aylsworth@stcharlescity.com
To: firstcapitolnews@aol.com
To: JHG426@HOTMAIL.COM
To: JKoesterMO@aol.com
To: lmuench@stcharlescity.com
To: mediamagic@primary.net
To: Patti.York@stcharlescity.com
To: rhoepfner@stcharlescity.com
To: RJMREESE@aol.com
To: Brent.Schulz@stcharlescity.com
To: Mike.Valenti@stcharlescity.com
Allan & Mayor, What the Hell is going On, my Ward, that’s is WARD 5 has not seen a Dam Snow Plow since the Snow storm began. The Only Road that has been plowed is Muegge Road.
HACKMANN ROAD and COUNTRY CLUB ROAD HAS NEVER BEEN TOUCHED... My phone is RINGING OFF THE DAM HOOK. THESE ARE TWO OF MY ONLY THREE PRIMARY ROADS.
NOT ONE OF MY SUB-DIVISIONS HAVE BEEN PLOWED.....
I RECEIVED ONE CALL FROM A RESIDENT THAT THE ONLY SNOW PLOW ON MUEGGE ROAD WAS A MODOT TRUCK.......
THIS KIND OF CRAP PISSES ME OFF.....
WHEN I GET HOME THIS AFTERNOON, I BETTER BE ABLE TO SEE CONCRETE IN MY ENTIRE DAM WARD OR I AM GOING TO RAISE MORE CRAP THAN YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE.
I WANT EVER DAM STREET PLOWED...
USE ONE OF THOSE BIG TRUCKS THAT HAVE A THING ON THE FRONT, IT’s CALLED A SNOW PLOW, AND THEY CARRY STUFF CALLED SALT, YOU PUT IT ON THE ROADS WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD....... HAS ANYONE SEEN ONE OF THOSE BEFORE.
I BET THE NORTH SIDE OF HWY 70 IS COMPLETELY DRY........
MY RESIDENTS ARE SICK AND TIRED OF BEING IGNORED, EVERYTIME WE HAVE A CRISIS, WE ARE THE LAST TO GET SERVICE, EVERY DAM TIME
FORGET THE PARK MONEY I ASSIGNED TO WAPPLEHORST LAKE, I WANT TO PURCHSE A TRUCK AND SNOW PLOW FOR WARD 5... I’LL KEEP THE DAM THING IN MY STORAGE PLACE ALONG SIDE MY MOTOR HOME, AND WHEN IT SNOWS I’LL DRIVE IT MYSELF.... AND THEN I’LL HIRE SOMEONE TO PICK UP MY TRASH WITH IT TWICE A WEEK.... AND I’LL MALKE SURE THAT DAM THING WILL NOT LEAK CRAP ALL OVER MY STREETS.....
I SENT AN EMAIL YESTERDAY MORNING REGARDING THIS SAME KIND OF POOR SERVICE.
WILL SOMEONE PLESE EXPLAIN WHY???
YOU’VE NOT HEARD FROM LAST OF ME YET.... I’N FAR FROM FINISHED...
Regards, Mike Mike Weller 314-322-7686
Councilman Mark Brown Ward 3 was also having the city administration clear the streets of snow and ice in his ward. A copy of an e-mail Brown sent to the Mayor, Administrator and fellow Council members was attached to the e-mail we received from Councilman Weller. Brown wrote…
It is really a shame that the county, with all the miles and roads they have to cover has been able to hit their residential areas twice and our city has yet to arrive. It really shows our residents how little this administration cares about the small taxpayer.
That is exactly what I am telling the residents and they all certainly agree. I don’t know about you guys, but my phone at the office has been ringing off the hook. I have also been receiving calls from other wards so I know I am not alone. We need to take swift action at the next meeting.
Councilman John Gieseke told the First Capitol News that several areas of his ward were also in need of snow and ice removal and that he had received complaints from residents of Ward 8.
Gieseke Is Leading In Race For Mayor
Gieseke
is Leading
In Race For Mayor
St. Charles Councilman John Gieseke was the big winner in the mayoral primary election held Tuesday, February 6th. According to a recent survey, Gieseke is the favorite for those planning to vote in the April 3rd municipal election.
In the primary election, 7219 voters cast ballots or 16.74 percent. This is a higher than the 10 percent turnout predicted by the election authority.
Gieseke received 2747 votes or 38.85 percent of the votes cast. Mayor Patti York came in second with 2254 votes or 31.88 percent. Former Mayor Grace Nichols with 2070 votes or 29.27 percent came in last and will not be in the general election.
Gieseke was the winner in 23 of the 31 precincts.
Gieseke ran a grass roots campaign and was out spent by the other two candidates by almost two to one. “I am very proud and thankful for the residents of St. Charles who worked very hard to help me in this election,” Gieseke told the First Capitol News. “I have pledged to return the city government to the people and will continue to work towards that goal.
Gieseke and York, will face each other in the general election on April 3rd. The winner will then be the full time Mayor.
is Leading
In Race For Mayor
St. Charles Councilman John Gieseke was the big winner in the mayoral primary election held Tuesday, February 6th. According to a recent survey, Gieseke is the favorite for those planning to vote in the April 3rd municipal election.
In the primary election, 7219 voters cast ballots or 16.74 percent. This is a higher than the 10 percent turnout predicted by the election authority.
Gieseke received 2747 votes or 38.85 percent of the votes cast. Mayor Patti York came in second with 2254 votes or 31.88 percent. Former Mayor Grace Nichols with 2070 votes or 29.27 percent came in last and will not be in the general election.
Gieseke was the winner in 23 of the 31 precincts.
Gieseke ran a grass roots campaign and was out spent by the other two candidates by almost two to one. “I am very proud and thankful for the residents of St. Charles who worked very hard to help me in this election,” Gieseke told the First Capitol News. “I have pledged to return the city government to the people and will continue to work towards that goal.
Gieseke and York, will face each other in the general election on April 3rd. The winner will then be the full time Mayor.
THANK YOU FROM JOHN GIESEKE
I want to thank all of you who volunteered, worked, put a yard sign up, made phone calls and most important voted for me. This election is about you and the direction the city will take.
I see a city that focuses on the needs of the residents first and foremost. Streets that are repaired in a timely manner, sidewalks that are installed and fixed. St. Charles needs to get back to the basics.
That focus has been lost on the "big projects". While the “big projects” are fun to talk about and cut the ribbons at openings, these projects have little to do with improving our quality of life. You, the residents of St. Charles, deserve to be thought of first. Something as simple as paying your water bill with a debit card isn't a consideration now, but it can be. The City staff tells you what you are going to do instead of asking how the City can do things better.
My mayoral campaign will continue to speak to the issues and you will not see any negative ads or personal attacks coming from me. This type of behavior has plagued our city for too long and I am not going to be a party to it. Many times political candidates try to hide behind third party attacks upon their opponents. Who else but a person running in a spirited campaign would want to attack their opponent. This happened in the last election when an organization called "Citizens for a Responsible Community" flooded mailboxes with negative mailers. I can only hope that my opponent will also take the high road during this mayoral campaign.
The residents of the City of St. Charles have the unique opportunity to break free of the political machine that has ruled St. Charles for years and move into the future.
Grace Nichols had that vision as well as myself. Mrs. Nichols ran a clean campaign and cares about the City. My vision of the future and her understanding of municipal law can make for a positive start to the new "Strong Mayor" form of government. Mrs. Nichols has been a tremendous asset to our community and I am hopeful that she will continue her involvement with our city.
Once again I thank you. If anyone would like to become involved in my campaign for Mayor of St. Charles by volunteering, telephoning, putting a sign in the yard or by contributing I can be reached at 636-946-0877 or johngieseke.com or at home, 3340 Shutten Street, St. Charles, 63301.
If anyone has had your yard sign stolen or damaged please go to johngieseke.com and click on signs and leave your address so we can bring you a new sign or call me at 636-946-0877.
John Gieseke
Councilman Ward 8
I see a city that focuses on the needs of the residents first and foremost. Streets that are repaired in a timely manner, sidewalks that are installed and fixed. St. Charles needs to get back to the basics.
That focus has been lost on the "big projects". While the “big projects” are fun to talk about and cut the ribbons at openings, these projects have little to do with improving our quality of life. You, the residents of St. Charles, deserve to be thought of first. Something as simple as paying your water bill with a debit card isn't a consideration now, but it can be. The City staff tells you what you are going to do instead of asking how the City can do things better.
My mayoral campaign will continue to speak to the issues and you will not see any negative ads or personal attacks coming from me. This type of behavior has plagued our city for too long and I am not going to be a party to it. Many times political candidates try to hide behind third party attacks upon their opponents. Who else but a person running in a spirited campaign would want to attack their opponent. This happened in the last election when an organization called "Citizens for a Responsible Community" flooded mailboxes with negative mailers. I can only hope that my opponent will also take the high road during this mayoral campaign.
The residents of the City of St. Charles have the unique opportunity to break free of the political machine that has ruled St. Charles for years and move into the future.
Grace Nichols had that vision as well as myself. Mrs. Nichols ran a clean campaign and cares about the City. My vision of the future and her understanding of municipal law can make for a positive start to the new "Strong Mayor" form of government. Mrs. Nichols has been a tremendous asset to our community and I am hopeful that she will continue her involvement with our city.
Once again I thank you. If anyone would like to become involved in my campaign for Mayor of St. Charles by volunteering, telephoning, putting a sign in the yard or by contributing I can be reached at 636-946-0877 or johngieseke.com or at home, 3340 Shutten Street, St. Charles, 63301.
If anyone has had your yard sign stolen or damaged please go to johngieseke.com and click on signs and leave your address so we can bring you a new sign or call me at 636-946-0877.
John Gieseke
Councilman Ward 8
RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
THANK YOU
We would like to thank our loyal readers for braving the cold weather and voting in the St. Charles mayoral primary election. We would also like to thank those of you who voted for John Gieseke.
John Gieseke will face Mayor Patti York in the April 3rd general election as she attempts a third term.
St. Charles voters will have the opportunity on Tuesday, April 3rd to decide if they want to continue with what they are currently experiencing with York or if they want to move forward with a professional, efficient, progressive government with John Gieseke as Mayor.
YORK FAILED THE TEST
There was an interesting statement in another paper from York. In it she said Gieseke was, “untested.” What she failed to mention is that she was tested and she failed the test.
The most important lesson I learned covering York over the past seven years is that she lies. And when you catch her in a lie she attempts to lie her way out of the lie.
WHAT SHE WANTS YOU TO THINK SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
York’s campaign literature lists a number of accomplishments she claims are hers when in reality those accomplishments became reality because of the efforts of a lot of people.
She wants the public to believe that she is responsible for the Convention Center & Hotel, Justice Center, Arts Center, Veterans Memorial, Dog Park, New Town, Bass Pro, Commercial & Industrial Boon of the 370 Area, the Casino expansion & Hotel, upgraded interchanges and school resource officers. That is not true.
She also wants you to believe that she is responsible for the best police department, best fire department, best emergency medical, best parks & recreation, low tax rate, etc. Again not true.
WHAT SHE IS REALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR
What is she responsible for? She is responsible for calling a special meeting to sell the old police headquarters for $150,000 less than the highest bid. If you drive by that building on West Clay you will see a York for Mayor sign on the property. That sign location has cost the taxpayers at least $150,000.
She is responsible for delaying the appointment of a Police Chief for over a year because she could not get the votes for her favorite candidate.
She is responsible for illegally signing a contract, without City Council approval, with Express Scripts. A lawsuit is now pending against the City with a demand of more than $200,000 in damages.
She is responsible for allegedly diverting over $15,000 in taxpayer money to the recall efforts of Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer.
A story in another publication quotes the mayor as saying she was never involved in those recall efforts. Another lie. She was heavily involved with those recall efforts in which the police discovered fraud and forgeries and in which arrests have been made and charges brought forward.
She is also responsible for the infighting and bitterness between members of the City Council.
I could go on and on with her actual accomplishments that she doesn’t want you to know about until I would probably bore you. However, if you would like additional information you can research York in the archives of the First Capitol News at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. Just type York or Mayor in the search area.
Who Is Funding Phone Calls
For Candidate Deep In Debt?
The First Capitol News has learned that just one week after filing for the St. Charles City Council, attorney Richard Veit filed paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission creating a debt committee. Veit is one of two candidates facing First Ward City Councilman Rory Riddler in April. Two months before filing to run for the council, papers on file with the State show that Veit ended his campaign for the Republican nomination for Circuit Judge (Division 4) with a debt of $12,260,94. Veit lost the primary to now Circuit Judge Rick Zerr.
Rather than requiring that Veit pay off his debts from one campaign before starting another, Missouri law allows him to form yet another campaign committee. A persistent rumor in political circles has been that Veit was promised that his previous campaign debt would be paid off in exchange for running for the Council. Several people were approached to run by Republican Party leaders, despite the fact that City Council seats are suppose to be non-partisan.
Meanwhile, the First Capitol News received calls from several residents who said they received electronic phone calls this week that asked questions about the candidates for Mayor, but also about their preference in the race for City Councilman in the First Ward. The First Capitol news has been told that the phone calls are being made by a company owned by Tom Smith, whose home address on Monroe Street was used to funnel over a million dollars in campaign money on behalf of Republican State Representative Tom Dempsey and various partisan campaign committees last year.
Tom Smith is a State employee as well, working for State Representative Tom Dempsey. Tom Smith is also considered a political ally of incumbent Mayor Patti York. Veit’s campaign reports, which were due on Thursday, do not show any expenditure for these phone calls.
Here we go again folks.
Secret campaign committees are already starting to funnel money to a select slate of candidates on behalf of the good old boy network.
In the weeks ahead, the First Capitol News will help our readers connect the dots and follow the money trail. We will investigate if there is a secret slate of candidates who were drafted to run and, if so, what political or financial favors they may have received. We also promise to keep a close eye on Richard Veit’s debt committee to see who is willing to pay off his $12,000 debt.
We would like to thank our loyal readers for braving the cold weather and voting in the St. Charles mayoral primary election. We would also like to thank those of you who voted for John Gieseke.
John Gieseke will face Mayor Patti York in the April 3rd general election as she attempts a third term.
St. Charles voters will have the opportunity on Tuesday, April 3rd to decide if they want to continue with what they are currently experiencing with York or if they want to move forward with a professional, efficient, progressive government with John Gieseke as Mayor.
YORK FAILED THE TEST
There was an interesting statement in another paper from York. In it she said Gieseke was, “untested.” What she failed to mention is that she was tested and she failed the test.
The most important lesson I learned covering York over the past seven years is that she lies. And when you catch her in a lie she attempts to lie her way out of the lie.
WHAT SHE WANTS YOU TO THINK SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
York’s campaign literature lists a number of accomplishments she claims are hers when in reality those accomplishments became reality because of the efforts of a lot of people.
She wants the public to believe that she is responsible for the Convention Center & Hotel, Justice Center, Arts Center, Veterans Memorial, Dog Park, New Town, Bass Pro, Commercial & Industrial Boon of the 370 Area, the Casino expansion & Hotel, upgraded interchanges and school resource officers. That is not true.
She also wants you to believe that she is responsible for the best police department, best fire department, best emergency medical, best parks & recreation, low tax rate, etc. Again not true.
WHAT SHE IS REALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR
What is she responsible for? She is responsible for calling a special meeting to sell the old police headquarters for $150,000 less than the highest bid. If you drive by that building on West Clay you will see a York for Mayor sign on the property. That sign location has cost the taxpayers at least $150,000.
She is responsible for delaying the appointment of a Police Chief for over a year because she could not get the votes for her favorite candidate.
She is responsible for illegally signing a contract, without City Council approval, with Express Scripts. A lawsuit is now pending against the City with a demand of more than $200,000 in damages.
She is responsible for allegedly diverting over $15,000 in taxpayer money to the recall efforts of Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer.
A story in another publication quotes the mayor as saying she was never involved in those recall efforts. Another lie. She was heavily involved with those recall efforts in which the police discovered fraud and forgeries and in which arrests have been made and charges brought forward.
She is also responsible for the infighting and bitterness between members of the City Council.
I could go on and on with her actual accomplishments that she doesn’t want you to know about until I would probably bore you. However, if you would like additional information you can research York in the archives of the First Capitol News at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. Just type York or Mayor in the search area.
Who Is Funding Phone Calls
For Candidate Deep In Debt?
The First Capitol News has learned that just one week after filing for the St. Charles City Council, attorney Richard Veit filed paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission creating a debt committee. Veit is one of two candidates facing First Ward City Councilman Rory Riddler in April. Two months before filing to run for the council, papers on file with the State show that Veit ended his campaign for the Republican nomination for Circuit Judge (Division 4) with a debt of $12,260,94. Veit lost the primary to now Circuit Judge Rick Zerr.
Rather than requiring that Veit pay off his debts from one campaign before starting another, Missouri law allows him to form yet another campaign committee. A persistent rumor in political circles has been that Veit was promised that his previous campaign debt would be paid off in exchange for running for the Council. Several people were approached to run by Republican Party leaders, despite the fact that City Council seats are suppose to be non-partisan.
Meanwhile, the First Capitol News received calls from several residents who said they received electronic phone calls this week that asked questions about the candidates for Mayor, but also about their preference in the race for City Councilman in the First Ward. The First Capitol news has been told that the phone calls are being made by a company owned by Tom Smith, whose home address on Monroe Street was used to funnel over a million dollars in campaign money on behalf of Republican State Representative Tom Dempsey and various partisan campaign committees last year.
Tom Smith is a State employee as well, working for State Representative Tom Dempsey. Tom Smith is also considered a political ally of incumbent Mayor Patti York. Veit’s campaign reports, which were due on Thursday, do not show any expenditure for these phone calls.
Here we go again folks.
Secret campaign committees are already starting to funnel money to a select slate of candidates on behalf of the good old boy network.
In the weeks ahead, the First Capitol News will help our readers connect the dots and follow the money trail. We will investigate if there is a secret slate of candidates who were drafted to run and, if so, what political or financial favors they may have received. We also promise to keep a close eye on Richard Veit’s debt committee to see who is willing to pay off his $12,000 debt.
THE CITY DESK - Rory Riddler, Councilman Ward 1
Mardi Gras Parade Was One
Cold Day In You Know Where
There are few times I am happy to say, that I’ve felt my life was in mortal danger. One of those came last Saturday when my wife and I joined a hardy Krewe for the annual Mardi Gras Parade in Soulard. Mardi Gras is how St. Louis celebrates its French heritage. In this case that would be the heritage of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow.
It wasn’t that we didn’t know it would be cold. We had more layers than the paint on my house. My wife even tested her costume the day before by standing outside…in the shade. A lot of time and effort went into perfecting the perfect pirate costumes. I just think people weren’t use to seeing pirate Eskimos.
Hundreds of man hours had gone into the construction of the pirate ship that served as our float. It was a three masted affair, complete with sails and menacing cannon bristling from gunports. There was even a crows nest on a third level where fair damsels could take refuge and a skeleton lashed to the ship’s wheel. It was a beautiful float, built by the Bone Daddy & The Blues Shaker’s Krewe. Had the cannons been loaded and our swords cold steel instead of plastic, we might have even persuaded the judges to give us the first place trophy.
Instead the top honors for best float and best costumes went to our now sworn enemies the Mystic Knights of the Purple Haze. I thought on their name alone the police should have pulled their float over and done a random drug search. The theme of the parade this year was “novels” and our Piratical entry was for Captain Blood. The Mystic Knights of the Purple Haze (sorry, I can’t stop laughing when I have to write that) chose George Orwell’s 1984.
I didn’t see the latest remake of 1984 packing them in like Pirate’s of the Caribbean. We were the crowd favorite, not a bunch of guards trying to look menacing in jump suits and yellow hardhats telling people war is peace. We all know that if peace broke out in the world we wouldn’t know what to call it. Aaargh! Just wait till next year Mystic Knights!
Now the Mardi Gras Parade in Soulard has a reputation for going on rain or shine. But with the early date for the start of Lent this year, they can now add “blizzards” to the list of meteorological disasters that don’t stop the parade. We arrived at the staging area at 8:30 in the morning to wind gusts of 30 miles per hour, driving snow and a wind chill factor so low they use it to describe temperatures on Pluto.
When you are twenty years old, you don’t feel the cold. When you are thirty years old, you walk it off. When forty, you open another beer. But when you’re fifty years old, you huddle in front of the truck as a wind break and try to gather as much warmth from the engine as you can. I now know why the show Survivor only films in tropical locations. You can’t survive in temperatures this cold without killing your own tantaun and climbing inside like Han Solo.
You have three hours to kill or be killed waiting for our section of the parade to pull out. At one point Sue and I found ourselves huddled on the deck, our backs to boxes of beads. Looking up at the pirate flag flapping in the wind, the shouts of the crewmembers lashing down the sails and the costumed characters scurrying about the decks, I began to think what a great novel I could write about some crazed pirate captain forcing his desperate crew ever northward to bury his treasure in the snows of Greenland.
Then I looked out at the float across from us. Through the blinding snow I could just make out the Hooter’s bikini swimsuit issue float. Unfortunately the Hooter’s “models” standing around the float looked more like MoDOT workers in their insulated orange jumpsuits. My day was starting to turn into a Russian novel.
Once the parade started, throwing five gross of beads helped warm me up a bit. Crowds were down from the cold, but there were still seas people around the heart of Soulard. Surprisingly, given the cold, there seemed to be just as many “costume failures” among those in the crowd as last year, though most looked like they had a little natural insulation to spare.
It seems to be the goal of parade organizers to keep the crowd as far away from the floats as possible with the way they set up the barricades. This made it nearly impossible for those throwing beads from the windward side of the ship to reach the crowd. It took my best angled Frisbee style pitch to reach the front rows. Many beads thrown by others simply blew back onto the boat or fell tantalizing close, but out of reach, of those stuck behind the barricades.
It would seem that in an event, where the primary purpose seems to be to put beads and people together, that Soulard Mardi Gras organizers would figure this out. The situation did help one of the more hardy walkers with our Krewe to become an instant celebrity. Dressed in a billowing red silk pirate shirt, he used his plastic sword to deftly flick the fallen booty to the screaming throngs.
My near freezing to death experience gave me renewed respect for all of those professions that work outside. As we hung on to rails for the chilly ride back to the hotel, one person quipped, “Well, at least it can’t be any worse next year.” We all rolled our eyes to the clouded skies. Lent, and therefore the Soulard Parade, is a week earlier next year! Pass the word to the crows nest to keep a sharp eye out for icebergs! Aaargh!
Cold Day In You Know Where
There are few times I am happy to say, that I’ve felt my life was in mortal danger. One of those came last Saturday when my wife and I joined a hardy Krewe for the annual Mardi Gras Parade in Soulard. Mardi Gras is how St. Louis celebrates its French heritage. In this case that would be the heritage of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow.
It wasn’t that we didn’t know it would be cold. We had more layers than the paint on my house. My wife even tested her costume the day before by standing outside…in the shade. A lot of time and effort went into perfecting the perfect pirate costumes. I just think people weren’t use to seeing pirate Eskimos.
Hundreds of man hours had gone into the construction of the pirate ship that served as our float. It was a three masted affair, complete with sails and menacing cannon bristling from gunports. There was even a crows nest on a third level where fair damsels could take refuge and a skeleton lashed to the ship’s wheel. It was a beautiful float, built by the Bone Daddy & The Blues Shaker’s Krewe. Had the cannons been loaded and our swords cold steel instead of plastic, we might have even persuaded the judges to give us the first place trophy.
Instead the top honors for best float and best costumes went to our now sworn enemies the Mystic Knights of the Purple Haze. I thought on their name alone the police should have pulled their float over and done a random drug search. The theme of the parade this year was “novels” and our Piratical entry was for Captain Blood. The Mystic Knights of the Purple Haze (sorry, I can’t stop laughing when I have to write that) chose George Orwell’s 1984.
I didn’t see the latest remake of 1984 packing them in like Pirate’s of the Caribbean. We were the crowd favorite, not a bunch of guards trying to look menacing in jump suits and yellow hardhats telling people war is peace. We all know that if peace broke out in the world we wouldn’t know what to call it. Aaargh! Just wait till next year Mystic Knights!
Now the Mardi Gras Parade in Soulard has a reputation for going on rain or shine. But with the early date for the start of Lent this year, they can now add “blizzards” to the list of meteorological disasters that don’t stop the parade. We arrived at the staging area at 8:30 in the morning to wind gusts of 30 miles per hour, driving snow and a wind chill factor so low they use it to describe temperatures on Pluto.
When you are twenty years old, you don’t feel the cold. When you are thirty years old, you walk it off. When forty, you open another beer. But when you’re fifty years old, you huddle in front of the truck as a wind break and try to gather as much warmth from the engine as you can. I now know why the show Survivor only films in tropical locations. You can’t survive in temperatures this cold without killing your own tantaun and climbing inside like Han Solo.
You have three hours to kill or be killed waiting for our section of the parade to pull out. At one point Sue and I found ourselves huddled on the deck, our backs to boxes of beads. Looking up at the pirate flag flapping in the wind, the shouts of the crewmembers lashing down the sails and the costumed characters scurrying about the decks, I began to think what a great novel I could write about some crazed pirate captain forcing his desperate crew ever northward to bury his treasure in the snows of Greenland.
Then I looked out at the float across from us. Through the blinding snow I could just make out the Hooter’s bikini swimsuit issue float. Unfortunately the Hooter’s “models” standing around the float looked more like MoDOT workers in their insulated orange jumpsuits. My day was starting to turn into a Russian novel.
Once the parade started, throwing five gross of beads helped warm me up a bit. Crowds were down from the cold, but there were still seas people around the heart of Soulard. Surprisingly, given the cold, there seemed to be just as many “costume failures” among those in the crowd as last year, though most looked like they had a little natural insulation to spare.
It seems to be the goal of parade organizers to keep the crowd as far away from the floats as possible with the way they set up the barricades. This made it nearly impossible for those throwing beads from the windward side of the ship to reach the crowd. It took my best angled Frisbee style pitch to reach the front rows. Many beads thrown by others simply blew back onto the boat or fell tantalizing close, but out of reach, of those stuck behind the barricades.
It would seem that in an event, where the primary purpose seems to be to put beads and people together, that Soulard Mardi Gras organizers would figure this out. The situation did help one of the more hardy walkers with our Krewe to become an instant celebrity. Dressed in a billowing red silk pirate shirt, he used his plastic sword to deftly flick the fallen booty to the screaming throngs.
My near freezing to death experience gave me renewed respect for all of those professions that work outside. As we hung on to rails for the chilly ride back to the hotel, one person quipped, “Well, at least it can’t be any worse next year.” We all rolled our eyes to the clouded skies. Lent, and therefore the Soulard Parade, is a week earlier next year! Pass the word to the crows nest to keep a sharp eye out for icebergs! Aaargh!
THE PEOPLE SPEAK - Letters To The Editor
Dear Editor
My name is Brad Sewell. I am the business manager for Frenchtown Transmission Inc., located at 1718 North 2nd Street, St. Charles, Missouri.
I am responding to an article posted on STLtoday.com, under the subject, “Frenchtown developer is in for the long haul”. In the article, Kim Paris, who represents Griffey Homes and has been quite vocal for her position in a redevelopment plan for the Frenchtown Historic District, suggests the reason the redevelopment has stalled is because the present property owners all “want to become millionaires”, and are asking unreasonable prices for the properties.
I have become quite familiar with Kim Paris during the time this redevelopment plan has been debated by the St. Charles City Council and its constituents. I would like to commend Kim for her work. She has represented her group admirably.
The neighborhood Kim Paris is referring to consists mostly of homes built during the 1940’s and 1950’s and includes a few recently built homes. The businesses are all professional people and their offices or garages. No liquor stores or taverns. There is a half-block area with mobile homes. There are no falling down, dilapidated buildings. There are a few buildings currently vacant, but no eyesores.
Frenchtown Transmission Inc. occupies a building situated on property which fronts on North 2nd Street, a main thoroughfare, and is less than 50 yards from scenic Missouri River levee, to the rear. The property is surrounded on three sides by small, flat, vacant, grassy lots, which the City of St. Charles owns and maintains. One is a park complete with benches and B-B-Q grills. The building is a mostly metal building, which will withstand the elements for many generations to come, and is more than suitable for the purpose of repairing car and light duty truck transmissions. The fire department and city code enforcement crews have performed their annual inspections and until recently have never found any infractions. This year we received a letter from the city regarding some loose soffit panels, a simple problem to repair.
What Kim does not mention, when she accuses people of “Wanting to be millionaires”, is that no good faith dollar offers were tendered for any of the properties in the “Frenchtown Historic District” before the city council began proceeding to have the area declared blighted or the parties involved in redeveloping began proceedings to use eminent domain to acquire the properties. Their early efforts focused on getting the property on the cheap.
Eminent Domain is a tool which governing bodies use to acquire properties needed for public works projects when there is an impasse in the negotiations for an amount to be paid for the property. The City Council took the use of eminent domain out of the redevelopment plan after much protest.
When Kim and her group finally did discuss dollars with the business owners, the offers were for less than a normal appraisal value.
The real issue in the debate is the replacement cost for the properties they wish to acquire. The properties they wish to acquire are not recent development and the market value of the properties is not near enough to the cost to replace the properties to make it feasible for the Sellers to move.
Normal thinking people and people who do not wish to get into financial trouble, do not attempt to purchase property they cannot afford. Some of the people she is referring to already are millionaires and got that way by not spending more than they needed to.
Kim and her people want all the people in the redevelopment district to accept offers for the value they appraised the properties at, which was far lower than the appraisal we got, and then move to a different location and bear the cost difference out of our pocket. That would have these business owners spending more than they desire to spend for the roofs over their head. They are located where they are located because of the real estate price.
The complaint all along is that the people here are satisfied with their properties. If Kim and her group wish to own them, they will have to put up the money the people need to move away and we will go gladly.
They do not want to pay and prefer to malign us in the newspapers and on the radio.
I wish Kim and her group well in their endeavors, but they are the ones who “want to be millionaires”, and they want to get there at our expense.
Mr. Haferkamp
View From The Cheap Seats,
I was so glad to read your recent View from the Cheap Seats questioning the Saint Charles School Board’s recent decision to kick kids out of our school district. You really hit the nail on the head when you asked how this could possibly Save the district money. It doesn’t SAVE any money. They calculated that theoretical savings based on the average cost per student and when they kick these kids out the Average cost per student is simply going to increase. They are still going to spend that money, just on fewer kids. The real truth is that kicking these poor kids out of our school isn’t going to SAVE it is really going to COST us money, more than $70,000 in state funding we will not receive.
So, if this decision is not really about the money, why don’t they have the decency and compassion to honor their promise to these teachers and students? It really all comes done to what I told them two years ago, “an average of 27 kids per classroom is not 100% capacity”. Go ahead and do the math. If you take any of their capacity numbers for any of the schools and divide it by the number of classrooms you will get 27 kids per classroom.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidelines, http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/sia/msip/faq&answers.html) do not recommend an average of 27 children/classroom in K-4, it is not even the recommended maximum in K-2. Our School Board knows this fact but they decided to ignore everyone and based their entire reorganization on this ridiculous number.
The only way they figured out how to close two elementary and stay within the DESE guidelines was to dump the fifth graders into the middle school, pack them in like the elementary schools. But once again they did not use the right numbers, they let Laidlaw (the bus company) try to figure it all out. But Laidlaw didn’t get all the numbers right, they forgot to count all the kids.
So to cover up how they have botched this reorganization, the Saint Charles School Board has to kick these kids out, not for the reasons they give, but to cover up their own incompetence. They simply don’t want to admit that closing down two elementary schools is a big mistake.
What is most disheartening is the only reason they are cramming this reorganization down our throats is because of their “Project Financial Deficit” in 2010. A projection made back in 2005 that has also proven to be flawed. I want to point out that this past year, with all the schools still open I might add, this school district has done remarkably well financially. At the January meeting, their financial officer reported that the district received $3,000,000 more than it expected. That project supposedly included the tax levy transfer; that surplus was due to their “Conservative” projections, (some might call that way too conservative). Lets also not forget that at the beginning of this school year they paid off an additional $2,000,000 in debt. A very sound financial move I might add that will save the district a significant amount of interest over the course of the next several years.
Just counting those two examples (and there are quite a few more) total up to 5 million dollars. That’s about 10% of their total annual budget of 50 million they underestimated, and quite frankly I don’t care how conservative you are, that isn’t the “Break even” point they predicted back in 2005.
That’s the sad truth of it all, and this school board is still trying to cover it all up. They want to cram kids in like sardines, try to convince us of nonexistent savings, (the busing nightmare is their next shell game), all the while they waste money on new administration offices and fancy laptop computers for themselves. Their ultimate goal (as foolishly verbalized during the Jan. meeting) is to attempt another tax levy transfer. I am certain it will include another threat of reorganization, this time I predict at the high school level. It truly sickens me the way this board likes to hold our children hostages over us. That’s the view from my seat. Keep up the good work Mr. Haferkamp!
Parent and Citizen
DUMONET@worldnet.att.net
Dear Editor
The answer is an average of 27 children per classroom. What does the Saint Charles School Board believe their capacity is? That’s right, an average of 27 children per classroom. If you take any of their school capacity numbers and divide it by the number of classrooms you will get an average of 27 children per classroom. Whenever they talk about their percent capacity, its based on an average of 27 children per classroom. Don’t get fooled by that number; it is not the maximum number of children allowed in a classroom; it is an average. They are using an AVERAGE of 27 children per classroom. What do you get when you have 30 kids in one classroom and 24 in another? According to our school board that is okay because it’s still an average of 27 children per classroom.
But it is not okay. It is not okay with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. They don’t like it when you cram more than 27 children per classroom especially in the elementary schools. Our school board is just now figuring that out, and that’s why they are frantically looking for ways to kick kids out of our schools. After all their posturing about declining enrollment numbers, they are turning around and kicking children out because they completely botched the reorganization using that 27 children per classroom as an average.
So now try to answer these questions. What is the best way to drive good teachers out of this district? What is the best way to make parents pull even more children out of our schools? What is the best way to drive down the academic performance of our students? What is the best way for this district to fail the MAP test resulting in the federal mandate to fire all of our teachers (like Saint Louis)? The answer is simple; it’s an average of 27 children per classroom. And it is all brought to you by the Saint Charles School Board who seem to have average IQ of 27.
Jim DuMontelle
My name is Brad Sewell. I am the business manager for Frenchtown Transmission Inc., located at 1718 North 2nd Street, St. Charles, Missouri.
I am responding to an article posted on STLtoday.com, under the subject, “Frenchtown developer is in for the long haul”. In the article, Kim Paris, who represents Griffey Homes and has been quite vocal for her position in a redevelopment plan for the Frenchtown Historic District, suggests the reason the redevelopment has stalled is because the present property owners all “want to become millionaires”, and are asking unreasonable prices for the properties.
I have become quite familiar with Kim Paris during the time this redevelopment plan has been debated by the St. Charles City Council and its constituents. I would like to commend Kim for her work. She has represented her group admirably.
The neighborhood Kim Paris is referring to consists mostly of homes built during the 1940’s and 1950’s and includes a few recently built homes. The businesses are all professional people and their offices or garages. No liquor stores or taverns. There is a half-block area with mobile homes. There are no falling down, dilapidated buildings. There are a few buildings currently vacant, but no eyesores.
Frenchtown Transmission Inc. occupies a building situated on property which fronts on North 2nd Street, a main thoroughfare, and is less than 50 yards from scenic Missouri River levee, to the rear. The property is surrounded on three sides by small, flat, vacant, grassy lots, which the City of St. Charles owns and maintains. One is a park complete with benches and B-B-Q grills. The building is a mostly metal building, which will withstand the elements for many generations to come, and is more than suitable for the purpose of repairing car and light duty truck transmissions. The fire department and city code enforcement crews have performed their annual inspections and until recently have never found any infractions. This year we received a letter from the city regarding some loose soffit panels, a simple problem to repair.
What Kim does not mention, when she accuses people of “Wanting to be millionaires”, is that no good faith dollar offers were tendered for any of the properties in the “Frenchtown Historic District” before the city council began proceeding to have the area declared blighted or the parties involved in redeveloping began proceedings to use eminent domain to acquire the properties. Their early efforts focused on getting the property on the cheap.
Eminent Domain is a tool which governing bodies use to acquire properties needed for public works projects when there is an impasse in the negotiations for an amount to be paid for the property. The City Council took the use of eminent domain out of the redevelopment plan after much protest.
When Kim and her group finally did discuss dollars with the business owners, the offers were for less than a normal appraisal value.
The real issue in the debate is the replacement cost for the properties they wish to acquire. The properties they wish to acquire are not recent development and the market value of the properties is not near enough to the cost to replace the properties to make it feasible for the Sellers to move.
Normal thinking people and people who do not wish to get into financial trouble, do not attempt to purchase property they cannot afford. Some of the people she is referring to already are millionaires and got that way by not spending more than they needed to.
Kim and her people want all the people in the redevelopment district to accept offers for the value they appraised the properties at, which was far lower than the appraisal we got, and then move to a different location and bear the cost difference out of our pocket. That would have these business owners spending more than they desire to spend for the roofs over their head. They are located where they are located because of the real estate price.
The complaint all along is that the people here are satisfied with their properties. If Kim and her group wish to own them, they will have to put up the money the people need to move away and we will go gladly.
They do not want to pay and prefer to malign us in the newspapers and on the radio.
I wish Kim and her group well in their endeavors, but they are the ones who “want to be millionaires”, and they want to get there at our expense.
Mr. Haferkamp
View From The Cheap Seats,
I was so glad to read your recent View from the Cheap Seats questioning the Saint Charles School Board’s recent decision to kick kids out of our school district. You really hit the nail on the head when you asked how this could possibly Save the district money. It doesn’t SAVE any money. They calculated that theoretical savings based on the average cost per student and when they kick these kids out the Average cost per student is simply going to increase. They are still going to spend that money, just on fewer kids. The real truth is that kicking these poor kids out of our school isn’t going to SAVE it is really going to COST us money, more than $70,000 in state funding we will not receive.
So, if this decision is not really about the money, why don’t they have the decency and compassion to honor their promise to these teachers and students? It really all comes done to what I told them two years ago, “an average of 27 kids per classroom is not 100% capacity”. Go ahead and do the math. If you take any of their capacity numbers for any of the schools and divide it by the number of classrooms you will get 27 kids per classroom.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidelines, http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/sia/msip/faq&answers.html) do not recommend an average of 27 children/classroom in K-4, it is not even the recommended maximum in K-2. Our School Board knows this fact but they decided to ignore everyone and based their entire reorganization on this ridiculous number.
The only way they figured out how to close two elementary and stay within the DESE guidelines was to dump the fifth graders into the middle school, pack them in like the elementary schools. But once again they did not use the right numbers, they let Laidlaw (the bus company) try to figure it all out. But Laidlaw didn’t get all the numbers right, they forgot to count all the kids.
So to cover up how they have botched this reorganization, the Saint Charles School Board has to kick these kids out, not for the reasons they give, but to cover up their own incompetence. They simply don’t want to admit that closing down two elementary schools is a big mistake.
What is most disheartening is the only reason they are cramming this reorganization down our throats is because of their “Project Financial Deficit” in 2010. A projection made back in 2005 that has also proven to be flawed. I want to point out that this past year, with all the schools still open I might add, this school district has done remarkably well financially. At the January meeting, their financial officer reported that the district received $3,000,000 more than it expected. That project supposedly included the tax levy transfer; that surplus was due to their “Conservative” projections, (some might call that way too conservative). Lets also not forget that at the beginning of this school year they paid off an additional $2,000,000 in debt. A very sound financial move I might add that will save the district a significant amount of interest over the course of the next several years.
Just counting those two examples (and there are quite a few more) total up to 5 million dollars. That’s about 10% of their total annual budget of 50 million they underestimated, and quite frankly I don’t care how conservative you are, that isn’t the “Break even” point they predicted back in 2005.
That’s the sad truth of it all, and this school board is still trying to cover it all up. They want to cram kids in like sardines, try to convince us of nonexistent savings, (the busing nightmare is their next shell game), all the while they waste money on new administration offices and fancy laptop computers for themselves. Their ultimate goal (as foolishly verbalized during the Jan. meeting) is to attempt another tax levy transfer. I am certain it will include another threat of reorganization, this time I predict at the high school level. It truly sickens me the way this board likes to hold our children hostages over us. That’s the view from my seat. Keep up the good work Mr. Haferkamp!
Parent and Citizen
DUMONET@worldnet.att.net
Dear Editor
The answer is an average of 27 children per classroom. What does the Saint Charles School Board believe their capacity is? That’s right, an average of 27 children per classroom. If you take any of their school capacity numbers and divide it by the number of classrooms you will get an average of 27 children per classroom. Whenever they talk about their percent capacity, its based on an average of 27 children per classroom. Don’t get fooled by that number; it is not the maximum number of children allowed in a classroom; it is an average. They are using an AVERAGE of 27 children per classroom. What do you get when you have 30 kids in one classroom and 24 in another? According to our school board that is okay because it’s still an average of 27 children per classroom.
But it is not okay. It is not okay with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. They don’t like it when you cram more than 27 children per classroom especially in the elementary schools. Our school board is just now figuring that out, and that’s why they are frantically looking for ways to kick kids out of our schools. After all their posturing about declining enrollment numbers, they are turning around and kicking children out because they completely botched the reorganization using that 27 children per classroom as an average.
So now try to answer these questions. What is the best way to drive good teachers out of this district? What is the best way to make parents pull even more children out of our schools? What is the best way to drive down the academic performance of our students? What is the best way for this district to fail the MAP test resulting in the federal mandate to fire all of our teachers (like Saint Louis)? The answer is simple; it’s an average of 27 children per classroom. And it is all brought to you by the Saint Charles School Board who seem to have average IQ of 27.
Jim DuMontelle
Case In Point By Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9
Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings.
Heinrich Heine
A Post column from John Sonderegger dated February 4th, 2007 did a good job trying to make the City the bad guys when a car dealership decided to move to O’Fallon; you know, the one under the water tower. John Gieseke did a good job clarifying the facts of the matter; however, I wanted to respond here to some things quoted in the piece.
First of all, the concerned residents of Olde Towne Estates didn’t see the jovial, humorous Trenary as seen on TV. Residents were treated as annoyances in the way of what a businessman wanted to do. The neighboring residents wanted to protect their property values and the current zoning laws for the adjacent property. Any one of us can appreciate this. Simply put, had Trenary been at the West Clay site and then a subdivision put in that in turn complained about the dealership as a neighbor, it would make sense to defend the business. When the opposite is true, it makes sense to defend the neighborhood. Trenary stated, “We’ll try to take our sense of humor out that way.” Sadly, had more humor and humility been afforded the working men and women who are his customers right from the start, perhaps an early compromise could have been reached regarding the relocation of the dealership. Several alternative locations with highway frontage were offered up, but for the auto dealership, it was this spot or no spot at all.
A further quote continues, claiming that the current City Council legacy will be that, “they ran another auto dealer out of town.”
I’m thinking....no, I’m quite certain that not only did we not run Trenary out of town, this council has not run any dealership out of town. It is true that our City does not wish to allow any more used car lots in town. Could that be what he meant? You see, by “running out of town” the dealership owner meant “didn’t allow a blank check to a powerful businessman.” By the way, if you doubt his power, just see the aforementioned column – eleventh paragraph. It reads:
Now, if you eat lunch at Pio’s and you hold court there with Ernie Dempsey and his pals, you’d think the local pols would treat you with more respect than Trenary was afforded a couple of years ago when he wanted to buy property along West Clay Street...”
This sentence tells you that the columnist is taken with such power and connections to even mention this and it also lets you know that Trenary was well connected to the good-old-boy network that runs much of our government. I can say that I was glad that John Gieseke resisted the awe that a Pio’s-eating, local celebrity brings to the table and instead he chose to do the right thing (“do the right thing” - those words have been forever altered in the local vocabulary). John chose to support the local homeowners who like their quiet streets and want to keep them that way. These homeowners are our neighbors and live among us – not in Town and Country. For many, their home’s value means a safer retirement and for our town’s future, favorable neighborhoods mean new families who will call our town home.
Today, a beautiful development inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright is being constructed on the West Clay site where, had it not been for concerned residents, a sea of cars would have taken out old-growth trees and a well-built building. Today, several new businesses already call the building home and work continues to add more businesses and towards the back of the property housing - including senior housing.
Where Trenary’s business is departing underneath the water tower, a developer is interested in developing new retail. Our City has an opportunity to clean up First Capitol Drive which should be our main objective for the next three years.
It needs to be said too that Trenary stated, “I’m still a friend of St. Charles.”
I’m glad to hear that – I’m no enemy of Trenary. His plan couldn’t get through planning and zoning. That’s all there really is to the matter. I wish Trenary continued success at his new location. I pray that the American car manufacturers can stabilize their market so that down the road, Trenary still has a product to sell. I know I have been happy with my GM product for years now.
Heinrich Heine
A Post column from John Sonderegger dated February 4th, 2007 did a good job trying to make the City the bad guys when a car dealership decided to move to O’Fallon; you know, the one under the water tower. John Gieseke did a good job clarifying the facts of the matter; however, I wanted to respond here to some things quoted in the piece.
First of all, the concerned residents of Olde Towne Estates didn’t see the jovial, humorous Trenary as seen on TV. Residents were treated as annoyances in the way of what a businessman wanted to do. The neighboring residents wanted to protect their property values and the current zoning laws for the adjacent property. Any one of us can appreciate this. Simply put, had Trenary been at the West Clay site and then a subdivision put in that in turn complained about the dealership as a neighbor, it would make sense to defend the business. When the opposite is true, it makes sense to defend the neighborhood. Trenary stated, “We’ll try to take our sense of humor out that way.” Sadly, had more humor and humility been afforded the working men and women who are his customers right from the start, perhaps an early compromise could have been reached regarding the relocation of the dealership. Several alternative locations with highway frontage were offered up, but for the auto dealership, it was this spot or no spot at all.
A further quote continues, claiming that the current City Council legacy will be that, “they ran another auto dealer out of town.”
I’m thinking....no, I’m quite certain that not only did we not run Trenary out of town, this council has not run any dealership out of town. It is true that our City does not wish to allow any more used car lots in town. Could that be what he meant? You see, by “running out of town” the dealership owner meant “didn’t allow a blank check to a powerful businessman.” By the way, if you doubt his power, just see the aforementioned column – eleventh paragraph. It reads:
Now, if you eat lunch at Pio’s and you hold court there with Ernie Dempsey and his pals, you’d think the local pols would treat you with more respect than Trenary was afforded a couple of years ago when he wanted to buy property along West Clay Street...”
This sentence tells you that the columnist is taken with such power and connections to even mention this and it also lets you know that Trenary was well connected to the good-old-boy network that runs much of our government. I can say that I was glad that John Gieseke resisted the awe that a Pio’s-eating, local celebrity brings to the table and instead he chose to do the right thing (“do the right thing” - those words have been forever altered in the local vocabulary). John chose to support the local homeowners who like their quiet streets and want to keep them that way. These homeowners are our neighbors and live among us – not in Town and Country. For many, their home’s value means a safer retirement and for our town’s future, favorable neighborhoods mean new families who will call our town home.
Today, a beautiful development inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright is being constructed on the West Clay site where, had it not been for concerned residents, a sea of cars would have taken out old-growth trees and a well-built building. Today, several new businesses already call the building home and work continues to add more businesses and towards the back of the property housing - including senior housing.
Where Trenary’s business is departing underneath the water tower, a developer is interested in developing new retail. Our City has an opportunity to clean up First Capitol Drive which should be our main objective for the next three years.
It needs to be said too that Trenary stated, “I’m still a friend of St. Charles.”
I’m glad to hear that – I’m no enemy of Trenary. His plan couldn’t get through planning and zoning. That’s all there really is to the matter. I wish Trenary continued success at his new location. I pray that the American car manufacturers can stabilize their market so that down the road, Trenary still has a product to sell. I know I have been happy with my GM product for years now.
The View From The Cheap Seats BY Jerry Haferkamp
The View From The Cheap Seats
By Jerry Haferkamp
Before you read this, I don’t like calling people liars. So instead of the word “lied”, you will see the word (misrepresented). That way I won’t offend the members of the St. Charles School Board who deserve more than just their feelings hurt.
Several months ago I started a column with the question, “Who do you trust”? I referenced an old game show by that name.
Well, I’m not sure whom you do trust, but I can tell you whom you can’t trust. You, and certainly the teachers they employ, can not trust the four members of the St. Charles School Board that didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to reverse the policy change that will harm the district.
As I stated in my last published column, several teachers were told, prior to accepting employment in the district, that their children could attend schools in the district even if they resided outside the district. Well, the board (misrepresented). They (misrepresented) to their employees and they (misrepresented) to you and me.
These teachers bought homes, enrolled their children and settled in. This was the policy for years. Now the board has jerked the rug from under these employees, disrupted their lives and traumatized some of the children. For what?
This brings up how they (misrepresented) to us. They said it would save money. That is not true and they know it. It will cost the loss of the States per-student subsidy while not lessening the expenses one dime. One member stated that there was a public outcry to eliminate this benefit. Baloney! (Or bologna if you prefer)
Many of these teachers stayed after hours to supervise extracurricular activities. They may no longer be able to do this because instead of having their children with them, they will have to beat a fast path home to meet their children after their bus drops them off across town. Extracurricular activities that are already stressed will suffer further.
These teachers should be grandfathered and the new policy should only apply to new teachers entering employment in the district. It would still be harmful to the district, but if these four members still feel the need to harm teachers and the district’s finances, the teachers and the taxpayers would at least have been warned.
The Board had a chance to overturn this action at the last meeting, but on a four to three vote decided to leave their integrity in the gutter. If they don’t overturn this action, the gutter is where it will stay.
That’s the view from the cheap seats.
By Jerry Haferkamp
Before you read this, I don’t like calling people liars. So instead of the word “lied”, you will see the word (misrepresented). That way I won’t offend the members of the St. Charles School Board who deserve more than just their feelings hurt.
Several months ago I started a column with the question, “Who do you trust”? I referenced an old game show by that name.
Well, I’m not sure whom you do trust, but I can tell you whom you can’t trust. You, and certainly the teachers they employ, can not trust the four members of the St. Charles School Board that didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to reverse the policy change that will harm the district.
As I stated in my last published column, several teachers were told, prior to accepting employment in the district, that their children could attend schools in the district even if they resided outside the district. Well, the board (misrepresented). They (misrepresented) to their employees and they (misrepresented) to you and me.
These teachers bought homes, enrolled their children and settled in. This was the policy for years. Now the board has jerked the rug from under these employees, disrupted their lives and traumatized some of the children. For what?
This brings up how they (misrepresented) to us. They said it would save money. That is not true and they know it. It will cost the loss of the States per-student subsidy while not lessening the expenses one dime. One member stated that there was a public outcry to eliminate this benefit. Baloney! (Or bologna if you prefer)
Many of these teachers stayed after hours to supervise extracurricular activities. They may no longer be able to do this because instead of having their children with them, they will have to beat a fast path home to meet their children after their bus drops them off across town. Extracurricular activities that are already stressed will suffer further.
These teachers should be grandfathered and the new policy should only apply to new teachers entering employment in the district. It would still be harmful to the district, but if these four members still feel the need to harm teachers and the district’s finances, the teachers and the taxpayers would at least have been warned.
The Board had a chance to overturn this action at the last meeting, but on a four to three vote decided to leave their integrity in the gutter. If they don’t overturn this action, the gutter is where it will stay.
That’s the view from the cheap seats.
Councilman John Gieseke Speaks Out on AT&T Proposal To St. Charles
The City of St. Charles has the opportunity to introduce competition in the field of cable television delivery. AT&T has asked the City to permit them access under our master cable franchise ordinance in competition with Charter Cable. While I am in favor of the competition our City Attorney, Mike Valenti, made it clear in his brief that this would be far from fair competition.
One provision that is worrisome to me is that AT&T does not have to guarantee that they will cover the same area as Charter Cable. In other cities, AT&T has engaged in a practice called “cherry picking”. In the insurance field they call this practice red lining. This unfair business practice will leave many in our city without access to the new AT&T product. If AT&T wants to be part of the city I welcome them, but all parts of the City should be served and have the AT&T product available.
Secondly, the contract does not ask for any check and balance of customer complaints. This is required under the Charter contract and has allowed the city to monitor the lack of service we all have endured. Without this check and balance the City will not have first hand knowledge if AT&T is living up to the same service level as Charter. Having one company that is poor with service is bad enough, having a second that refuses transparency to customer service issues will compound the issue.
I believe that competition is the foundation of buyer’s rights. Lack of competition often results in service levels we are experiencing with other utilities. The same will hold true if we allow an unleveled playing field to a company the size of AT&T. They can lower rates in select areas and run Charter out of business. This will leave us once again with one carrier that refuses examination of their service levels.
In your business how would you react if the City decided to give unfair advantage to the competition? I am hopeful that AT&T will allow for just a few minor changes in their contract that will allow for fair and open competition. One would have to question AT&T’s true motives if they refuse.
One provision that is worrisome to me is that AT&T does not have to guarantee that they will cover the same area as Charter Cable. In other cities, AT&T has engaged in a practice called “cherry picking”. In the insurance field they call this practice red lining. This unfair business practice will leave many in our city without access to the new AT&T product. If AT&T wants to be part of the city I welcome them, but all parts of the City should be served and have the AT&T product available.
Secondly, the contract does not ask for any check and balance of customer complaints. This is required under the Charter contract and has allowed the city to monitor the lack of service we all have endured. Without this check and balance the City will not have first hand knowledge if AT&T is living up to the same service level as Charter. Having one company that is poor with service is bad enough, having a second that refuses transparency to customer service issues will compound the issue.
I believe that competition is the foundation of buyer’s rights. Lack of competition often results in service levels we are experiencing with other utilities. The same will hold true if we allow an unleveled playing field to a company the size of AT&T. They can lower rates in select areas and run Charter out of business. This will leave us once again with one carrier that refuses examination of their service levels.
In your business how would you react if the City decided to give unfair advantage to the competition? I am hopeful that AT&T will allow for just a few minor changes in their contract that will allow for fair and open competition. One would have to question AT&T’s true motives if they refuse.
Crescendo Concert Series Presents Baltimore Consort
On Sunday March 4th, at First United Methodist Church, 801 First Capitol Drive, Crescendo Concert Series presents Baltimore Consort, an Early Music Ensemble of viols, lutes, recorders, flutes, and vocalists that have delighted audiences on both sides of the Atlantic while touring all regions of the USA and appearing frequently in Europe. Performing early music from England, Scotland, France, and Italy has led the Consort to delve into the rich trove of traditional balladry and dance tunes preserved in the Appalachian mountains and Nova Scotia. Their St. Charles concert will include new repertoire of songs from the Iberian peninsula with a particular emphasis upon early Spanish music from the fifteenth century. The ensemble¹s performances on syndicated radio programs like Performance Today and Onstage (CBC) have broadcast their music far and wide. Twelve recordings on the Dorian label have earned their CDs a place on the Billboard Magazine Top-Ten list.
Crescendo Concert Series president George Morris explained, ³We hope that this concert will appeal to a wide variety of audience interests including persons who might be especially glad to hear this music of an earlier age of Hispanic culture. Baltimore Consort is a favorite group among music lovers up and down the east coast where they are heard frequently. We were delighted to receive a letter recently from the Arts and Education Council informing us of the awarding of a $1,000 grant to help support our series presentation of this ensemble. We believe this will be a very special concert appearance and very much hope our growing audience will appreciate the opportunity to hear this renowned ensemble in St. Charles. This grant will go a long way toward assuring that our eighth year of concerts is successful financially as well as artistically.”
The Concert Series has also been supported for the past seven years through generous grants by the Arts and Culture Commission of the City of St. Charles. Additional funding by corporate sponsors such as Target Stores, Inc., by individual donors, and by advertising space purchased by local businesses and merchants combine to further assist bringing this recognized group to St. Charles.
“Crescendo Series is also grateful for generous gifts from individuals and from co-sponsors of some concerts. We encourage lovers of fine music to support our efforts,² Morris explained. Concertgoers who wish to help can send tax-deductible donations to the Crescendo Concert Series, P.O. Box 1613, St. Charles, MO, 63302-1613. Donors will be recognized in concert programs at the following levels: ³Forte² for donations up to $100; Fortissimo² for donations of $100 to $500; and ³Sforzando² for donations of
more than $500.
³Ticket revenue is only a small part of the income needed to present a concert series even when conducted entirely by volunteers. We are fortunate that members of the Crescendo Concert Series Board of Directors donate generously of their time, talents, and efforts. For instance, each event begins with a pre-concert talk at 2:30 p.m. conducted by musicologist Nancy Rubenstein, PhD, who has taught music history and appreciation at local universities and now serves on the Crescendo Concert Series Board of Directors. This is one reason we are able to provide so much quality music for so little money. Our Board Members are doing all the work that requires paid employees in many organizations.²
Morris stated that, ³Good music is an essential element in a good life. For many the definition of Œgood music¹ applies perfectly to the works performed by those artists the Crescendo Concert Series brings to St. Charles city and county. Most of our performers are classical musicians, but folk music and innovative modern music are included in their repertories as are lightclassical works.²
The final concert for this season will be a return performance by Stephen Porter, widely recognized pianist specializing in Romantic era music, at Immanuel Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall on May 20, 2007.
Individual adult tickets for $12 and student tickets for $5 can be purchased by sending a check or money order and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Crescendo Concert Series, P.O. Box 1613, St. Charles, MO, 63302-1613 or at the door. Group rates are available by calling (636) 724-2507. For directions and additional information such as past and future concerts, visit their website at
Crescendo Concert Series president George Morris explained, ³We hope that this concert will appeal to a wide variety of audience interests including persons who might be especially glad to hear this music of an earlier age of Hispanic culture. Baltimore Consort is a favorite group among music lovers up and down the east coast where they are heard frequently. We were delighted to receive a letter recently from the Arts and Education Council informing us of the awarding of a $1,000 grant to help support our series presentation of this ensemble. We believe this will be a very special concert appearance and very much hope our growing audience will appreciate the opportunity to hear this renowned ensemble in St. Charles. This grant will go a long way toward assuring that our eighth year of concerts is successful financially as well as artistically.”
The Concert Series has also been supported for the past seven years through generous grants by the Arts and Culture Commission of the City of St. Charles. Additional funding by corporate sponsors such as Target Stores, Inc., by individual donors, and by advertising space purchased by local businesses and merchants combine to further assist bringing this recognized group to St. Charles.
“Crescendo Series is also grateful for generous gifts from individuals and from co-sponsors of some concerts. We encourage lovers of fine music to support our efforts,² Morris explained. Concertgoers who wish to help can send tax-deductible donations to the Crescendo Concert Series, P.O. Box 1613, St. Charles, MO, 63302-1613. Donors will be recognized in concert programs at the following levels: ³Forte² for donations up to $100; Fortissimo² for donations of $100 to $500; and ³Sforzando² for donations of
more than $500.
³Ticket revenue is only a small part of the income needed to present a concert series even when conducted entirely by volunteers. We are fortunate that members of the Crescendo Concert Series Board of Directors donate generously of their time, talents, and efforts. For instance, each event begins with a pre-concert talk at 2:30 p.m. conducted by musicologist Nancy Rubenstein, PhD, who has taught music history and appreciation at local universities and now serves on the Crescendo Concert Series Board of Directors. This is one reason we are able to provide so much quality music for so little money. Our Board Members are doing all the work that requires paid employees in many organizations.²
Morris stated that, ³Good music is an essential element in a good life. For many the definition of Œgood music¹ applies perfectly to the works performed by those artists the Crescendo Concert Series brings to St. Charles city and county. Most of our performers are classical musicians, but folk music and innovative modern music are included in their repertories as are lightclassical works.²
The final concert for this season will be a return performance by Stephen Porter, widely recognized pianist specializing in Romantic era music, at Immanuel Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall on May 20, 2007.
Individual adult tickets for $12 and student tickets for $5 can be purchased by sending a check or money order and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Crescendo Concert Series, P.O. Box 1613, St. Charles, MO, 63302-1613 or at the door. Group rates are available by calling (636) 724-2507. For directions and additional information such as past and future concerts, visit their website at
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS SPORTS - Mike McMurran Sports Editor
I’m not certain what changes have taken place in regards to whom is making the scheduling at Family Arena, but something is clearly up! It really is hard to tell what event is at the Family Arena as the marquis still has more lights burned out than working, but the crowds are picking up. You can tell by driving by and looking at the parking lot and how full it is.
On Wednesday of this past week the Missouri Valley Conference announced it would be moving its women’s basketball tournament to the Family Arena starting in 2008. Mike Kern, the media guy for the MVC said he hopes the tournament will move there for a number of years that is presently under negotiations. When the tournament moves to St. Charles, it will be the first neutral-site women’s tournament in league history.
The MVC holds its men’s tournament annually at Scottrade Center, or Savvis Center, I can even remember when they held it at Kiel Center. Before that they held it at the old Arena. Anyway, Bob Barton and I have been covering it for the FCN for the past three years – believe me, it is a first class event. Frankly, it is the only time big time college basketball comes to town.
Saint Charles and the Family Arena have really caught on to something here. I can picture the Convention Center hotel packed with people from Bradley, Evansville, Illinois State, Carbondale, Indiana State and from all over Iowa. The format will remain the same as has been the past two years, since the league expanded its tournament to 10 teams in 2006. It begins with two games on Thursday, March 13, continues with four quarterfinal games on Friday, March 14, two semifinal games on Saturday, and concludes with the championship game on Sunday, March 16. That means Friday and Saturday night Main Street should really be busting at the seams.
“Saint Charles is delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our community to the teams, coaches and fans of the Missouri Valley Conference’s Women’s 2008 Basketball Tournament,” said David Rossenwasser, director of the Saint Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This exciting event will find a level of hospitality and service in St. Charles that will no doubt match the level of play from these outstanding student athletes.” Well-said Dave old boy.
Everybody had something nice to say on Wednesday. “Bringing our women’s basketball championship to a neutral site is a natural progression and something we’ve been working toward for several years,” said Commissioner Doug Elgin, now in his 19th season with the MVC. “We are indebted to the continuing commitment of our sponsors, namely State Farm Insurance, who have made this possible. We anticipate the Saint Charles community will embrace our women’s championship and help it grow.”
I don’t know about the rest of the community, but I for one am very excited. Our little ole hometown just landed a big one folks! Job well done to all involved.
On Wednesday of this past week the Missouri Valley Conference announced it would be moving its women’s basketball tournament to the Family Arena starting in 2008. Mike Kern, the media guy for the MVC said he hopes the tournament will move there for a number of years that is presently under negotiations. When the tournament moves to St. Charles, it will be the first neutral-site women’s tournament in league history.
The MVC holds its men’s tournament annually at Scottrade Center, or Savvis Center, I can even remember when they held it at Kiel Center. Before that they held it at the old Arena. Anyway, Bob Barton and I have been covering it for the FCN for the past three years – believe me, it is a first class event. Frankly, it is the only time big time college basketball comes to town.
Saint Charles and the Family Arena have really caught on to something here. I can picture the Convention Center hotel packed with people from Bradley, Evansville, Illinois State, Carbondale, Indiana State and from all over Iowa. The format will remain the same as has been the past two years, since the league expanded its tournament to 10 teams in 2006. It begins with two games on Thursday, March 13, continues with four quarterfinal games on Friday, March 14, two semifinal games on Saturday, and concludes with the championship game on Sunday, March 16. That means Friday and Saturday night Main Street should really be busting at the seams.
“Saint Charles is delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our community to the teams, coaches and fans of the Missouri Valley Conference’s Women’s 2008 Basketball Tournament,” said David Rossenwasser, director of the Saint Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This exciting event will find a level of hospitality and service in St. Charles that will no doubt match the level of play from these outstanding student athletes.” Well-said Dave old boy.
Everybody had something nice to say on Wednesday. “Bringing our women’s basketball championship to a neutral site is a natural progression and something we’ve been working toward for several years,” said Commissioner Doug Elgin, now in his 19th season with the MVC. “We are indebted to the continuing commitment of our sponsors, namely State Farm Insurance, who have made this possible. We anticipate the Saint Charles community will embrace our women’s championship and help it grow.”
I don’t know about the rest of the community, but I for one am very excited. Our little ole hometown just landed a big one folks! Job well done to all involved.
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