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Saturday, September 17, 2005
FRONT PAGE - First Capitol News September 17, 2005
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LAWSUIT FILED IN FEDERAL COURT
Resident Charges Hughes & Dempsey Out To Raid City Taxpayers
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
“Every taxpayer in this town should be outraged at this attempt by Mr. Hughes with the help of State Representative Tom Dempsey to embezzle our tax money to help Mr. Hughes get his sewer lines hooked into our City sewer system at his St Andrews development. St. Andrews is not in our city. As the Mayor and her cronies could not get the council to turn her and TR’s way quick enough, (attempts to recall Brown and Greer) he has to call our State Representative Tom Dempsey to get this under control. So TR’s project doesn’t skip a beat and cost him $$$.” Those comments were made by St. Charles resident Bob Bredensteiner Thursday during his announcement of a lawsuit filed in Federal Court.
Bredensteiner, his wife, Joyce and Phillip Dese, filed in the United States District Court For The Eastern District Of Missouri, a lawsuit requesting a Declaratory Judgment against East Central Missouri Water and Sewer Authority, Inc. (ECM). ECM owns sanitary sewer collector and trunk lines in unincorporated St. Charles County that provide sewer service to St. Andrews, a residential property development located entirely in unincorporated St. Charles County being built by T.R. Hughes and other properties located within the Sandfort Creek Drainage Area. The City of St. Charles owns and operates sanitary sewer collector, interceptor and trunk lines and a sewage treatment facilities. The City’s Facilities have been paid for by, are maintained with, and remains functioning because of tax dollars paid by residents of the City. EMC does not currently have a contractual relationship or any agreement with the City of St. Charles to establish any new connections to the City’s Facilities or to pay for existing connections. According to the suit, despite its lack of contact or agreement with the City of St. Charles, ECM has continued to make connections, caused new connections to be made, and continued existing connections without approval of the City of St. Charles and without making payment to the City.
Council members claim Hughes could have annexed his development into the City but choose not to do so because County codes, especially those applying to creek bank stabilization, are not as restrictive as the City’s.
Despite efforts by Mayor York along with Councilmen Jerry Reese and Bob Hoepfner working to allow Hughes to connect the sewers in his new development to the City sewers, the City of St. Charles attempted to keep new homes at the old St. Andrews Golf Course site being developed by Hughes from connecting to the system. In June of this year the City filed for a temporary restraining order, in St. Charles County Circuit Court, against ECM, T.R. Hughes and Summit Pointe in an effort to keep them from hooking up to the City sewer system. The Court denied that request.
Just prior to the adjournment of the Missouri Legislature, legislation, sponsored by State Representative Tom Dempsey (R) St. Charles, Majority House Leader was passed (RSMo 432.070). The legislation reads, Not with standing the foregoing, any home rule city with more than sixty thousand three hundred but fewer than sixty thousand four hundred inhabitants which after January 1, 2003, has committed or agreed in writing to provide sewer service or has in fact directly or indirectly provided such service to any homes within a subdivision shall give its customers two years prior written notice of its intent to discontinue service and during such two-year period shall continue to connect and provide sanitary sewer service to all homes constructed in such subdivision. In no event shall any sewer service connected prior to the expiration of such two-year period be discontinued.
This legislation passed at the request of State Representative Dempsey. only applies to the City of St. Charles. At the time, several City Council members remarked it was special interest legislation passed only for the benefit of millionaire developer T.R. Hughes and only against the residents of St. Charles. It does not apply to any other City in Missouri. They further remarked the residents of St. Charles City were being forced to bear the cost of sewer service for Hughes’s development while Hughes gets a free ride.
The lawsuit against ECM says the amendment to RSMo 432.070 (Dempsey’s special legislation to benefit T.R. Hughes) acts to deny citizens of the City of St. Charles equal protection of the laws, as it facially discriminates against the City of St. Charles taxpayers by requiring them to subsidize sewer connection for Hughes’s development and others outside of the City of St. Charles. It also says that it is unconstitutional under the Missouri Constitution and the U.S. Constitution because it deprives citizens of the City of St. Charles of property without due process of the law. The suit asks that EMC be permanently enjoined from establishing any more connections to the water treatment and sewage facilities of the City of St. Charles. It asks the Court to grant to the plaintiffs the costs and expenses of litigation, including reasonable expenses; and grant any such other and further relief the Court may deem appropriate and proper.
The First Capitol News contacted ECM. Kim Cantrell, the office manager, advised us ECM was unaware of the suit and she could not comment. She told us we would have to contact Mike Dougherty, the regional manager or Tim Geraghty, the local manager. They were both out of the office and we were unable to contact them prior to press time.
ECM serves 2,700 homes in unincorporated St. Charles County and has been connected to the City sewer system for a number of years. It was discovered that the flow meter used to measure the amount of sewage from ECM customers into the City system had been broken for about 10 years. The rate the City charges ECM has never been increased during that period even though more homes had been added. A new flow meter was recently installed which resulted in a dispute between ECM and the City about its accuracy. We were unable to learn if that dispute had been settled but it appears that it has not.
In the last City Council election Hughes, a former St. Charles police officer, actively campaigned against and provided funds for the opposition to City Councilmen John Gieseke, Rory Riddler, and Bob Hoepfner and Council candidates Dottie Greer, Joe Koester, and Mark Brown who subsequently won their elections. He has also been in the forefront in forming a legal defense fund for Mayor York. York felt she needed legal representation to defend her for signing a contract with Express Scripts without Council approval in apparent violation of the City Charter and ordinances.
Hughes is also a major contributor to Citizens for Responsible Community; an organization headed by county residents Carl Maus and Raymond Stone who have actively attempted to defeat St. Charles Councilmen and who are supporters of Mayor York. Hughes is also a major contributor to Citizens Empowerment Committee headed by Linda Meyer, the wife of a St. Charles police officer who is past president of the police association. Citizens empowerment Committee is attempting to recall Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer.
Others involved in raising funds for the recall effort of Citizens Empowerment Committee are former Councilmen Ken Kielty and Richard Baum, Kevin Kast former head of SSM St. Joseph Health Center and Mike Sellenschuetter, a local developer who is in a dispute with Council members over a development he is building just outside the City limits. Sellenschuetter wants to hook up his development to the City sewer system. Councilman Bob Hoepfner has been fighting hard on the side of Sellenschuetter, while Councilman Mark Brown, whose ward is closest to the development, is fighting against allowing the hookup. Brown claims that Sellenschuetter’s development, off of Arena Drive, is built to County codes which are not as restrictive as City codes which he believes will result in future costs to City taxpayers. Brown also claims that Sellenschuetter has placed his units too close to a creek which will result in future expenditures of hundreds of thousand of dollars of taxpayer money.
Records on file with the Missouri secretary of state indicate that the president of ECM is Catherine “Katy” Cobb of Lake St. Louis, vice president is Dale Franklin of St. Charles and secretary treasurer is Gail Wilson of Defiance.
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
“Every taxpayer in this town should be outraged at this attempt by Mr. Hughes with the help of State Representative Tom Dempsey to embezzle our tax money to help Mr. Hughes get his sewer lines hooked into our City sewer system at his St Andrews development. St. Andrews is not in our city. As the Mayor and her cronies could not get the council to turn her and TR’s way quick enough, (attempts to recall Brown and Greer) he has to call our State Representative Tom Dempsey to get this under control. So TR’s project doesn’t skip a beat and cost him $$$.” Those comments were made by St. Charles resident Bob Bredensteiner Thursday during his announcement of a lawsuit filed in Federal Court.
Bredensteiner, his wife, Joyce and Phillip Dese, filed in the United States District Court For The Eastern District Of Missouri, a lawsuit requesting a Declaratory Judgment against East Central Missouri Water and Sewer Authority, Inc. (ECM). ECM owns sanitary sewer collector and trunk lines in unincorporated St. Charles County that provide sewer service to St. Andrews, a residential property development located entirely in unincorporated St. Charles County being built by T.R. Hughes and other properties located within the Sandfort Creek Drainage Area. The City of St. Charles owns and operates sanitary sewer collector, interceptor and trunk lines and a sewage treatment facilities. The City’s Facilities have been paid for by, are maintained with, and remains functioning because of tax dollars paid by residents of the City. EMC does not currently have a contractual relationship or any agreement with the City of St. Charles to establish any new connections to the City’s Facilities or to pay for existing connections. According to the suit, despite its lack of contact or agreement with the City of St. Charles, ECM has continued to make connections, caused new connections to be made, and continued existing connections without approval of the City of St. Charles and without making payment to the City.
Council members claim Hughes could have annexed his development into the City but choose not to do so because County codes, especially those applying to creek bank stabilization, are not as restrictive as the City’s.
Despite efforts by Mayor York along with Councilmen Jerry Reese and Bob Hoepfner working to allow Hughes to connect the sewers in his new development to the City sewers, the City of St. Charles attempted to keep new homes at the old St. Andrews Golf Course site being developed by Hughes from connecting to the system. In June of this year the City filed for a temporary restraining order, in St. Charles County Circuit Court, against ECM, T.R. Hughes and Summit Pointe in an effort to keep them from hooking up to the City sewer system. The Court denied that request.
Just prior to the adjournment of the Missouri Legislature, legislation, sponsored by State Representative Tom Dempsey (R) St. Charles, Majority House Leader was passed (RSMo 432.070). The legislation reads, Not with standing the foregoing, any home rule city with more than sixty thousand three hundred but fewer than sixty thousand four hundred inhabitants which after January 1, 2003, has committed or agreed in writing to provide sewer service or has in fact directly or indirectly provided such service to any homes within a subdivision shall give its customers two years prior written notice of its intent to discontinue service and during such two-year period shall continue to connect and provide sanitary sewer service to all homes constructed in such subdivision. In no event shall any sewer service connected prior to the expiration of such two-year period be discontinued.
This legislation passed at the request of State Representative Dempsey. only applies to the City of St. Charles. At the time, several City Council members remarked it was special interest legislation passed only for the benefit of millionaire developer T.R. Hughes and only against the residents of St. Charles. It does not apply to any other City in Missouri. They further remarked the residents of St. Charles City were being forced to bear the cost of sewer service for Hughes’s development while Hughes gets a free ride.
The lawsuit against ECM says the amendment to RSMo 432.070 (Dempsey’s special legislation to benefit T.R. Hughes) acts to deny citizens of the City of St. Charles equal protection of the laws, as it facially discriminates against the City of St. Charles taxpayers by requiring them to subsidize sewer connection for Hughes’s development and others outside of the City of St. Charles. It also says that it is unconstitutional under the Missouri Constitution and the U.S. Constitution because it deprives citizens of the City of St. Charles of property without due process of the law. The suit asks that EMC be permanently enjoined from establishing any more connections to the water treatment and sewage facilities of the City of St. Charles. It asks the Court to grant to the plaintiffs the costs and expenses of litigation, including reasonable expenses; and grant any such other and further relief the Court may deem appropriate and proper.
The First Capitol News contacted ECM. Kim Cantrell, the office manager, advised us ECM was unaware of the suit and she could not comment. She told us we would have to contact Mike Dougherty, the regional manager or Tim Geraghty, the local manager. They were both out of the office and we were unable to contact them prior to press time.
ECM serves 2,700 homes in unincorporated St. Charles County and has been connected to the City sewer system for a number of years. It was discovered that the flow meter used to measure the amount of sewage from ECM customers into the City system had been broken for about 10 years. The rate the City charges ECM has never been increased during that period even though more homes had been added. A new flow meter was recently installed which resulted in a dispute between ECM and the City about its accuracy. We were unable to learn if that dispute had been settled but it appears that it has not.
In the last City Council election Hughes, a former St. Charles police officer, actively campaigned against and provided funds for the opposition to City Councilmen John Gieseke, Rory Riddler, and Bob Hoepfner and Council candidates Dottie Greer, Joe Koester, and Mark Brown who subsequently won their elections. He has also been in the forefront in forming a legal defense fund for Mayor York. York felt she needed legal representation to defend her for signing a contract with Express Scripts without Council approval in apparent violation of the City Charter and ordinances.
Hughes is also a major contributor to Citizens for Responsible Community; an organization headed by county residents Carl Maus and Raymond Stone who have actively attempted to defeat St. Charles Councilmen and who are supporters of Mayor York. Hughes is also a major contributor to Citizens Empowerment Committee headed by Linda Meyer, the wife of a St. Charles police officer who is past president of the police association. Citizens empowerment Committee is attempting to recall Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer.
Others involved in raising funds for the recall effort of Citizens Empowerment Committee are former Councilmen Ken Kielty and Richard Baum, Kevin Kast former head of SSM St. Joseph Health Center and Mike Sellenschuetter, a local developer who is in a dispute with Council members over a development he is building just outside the City limits. Sellenschuetter wants to hook up his development to the City sewer system. Councilman Bob Hoepfner has been fighting hard on the side of Sellenschuetter, while Councilman Mark Brown, whose ward is closest to the development, is fighting against allowing the hookup. Brown claims that Sellenschuetter’s development, off of Arena Drive, is built to County codes which are not as restrictive as City codes which he believes will result in future costs to City taxpayers. Brown also claims that Sellenschuetter has placed his units too close to a creek which will result in future expenditures of hundreds of thousand of dollars of taxpayer money.
Records on file with the Missouri secretary of state indicate that the president of ECM is Catherine “Katy” Cobb of Lake St. Louis, vice president is Dale Franklin of St. Charles and secretary treasurer is Gail Wilson of Defiance.
Councilman Charges Recall Group With Hiding Sources Of Funding
Councilman Charges Recall Group With Hiding Sources Of Funding
“They should open up their books and tell the public who is really behind and bankrolling these efforts,” was City Councilman Mark Brown’s challenge to a group which recently filed papers to circulate a petition seeking his recall.
Brown cited that the address of the group seeking his recall is the same as Linda Meyer, wife of a St. Charles City Police Officer, who is also leading the effort to recall Councilwoman Dottie Greer. ‘It is shameful the tens of thousands of dollars that are being spent trying to recall Councilwoman Greer, and the public is never told where all that money is coming from,” observed Brown, adding, “They have sent out mass mailings in her ward, used electronic phone calls and are paying people to collect signatures. This is not a grassroots citizen effort. This is a bought and paid for group, who are being bankrolled by developers and special interests to try to take over City Hall.”
“That is what this same group has done in O’Fallon. It is what they have tried to do in St. Peters and what they are again attempting in the City of St. Charles.”
Brown cited a state committee headed by Ken Kielty, a campaign consultant to Mayor York, and Glennon Jamboretz, a St. Louis based public relations consultant as proof outside parties have been organizing this effort for some time. ‘The committee was formed months ago to seek the recall of the City Council. Glennon Jamboretz is known to be working with Adolphus Busch, St. Louis millionaire developer Don Musick and millionaire homebuilder T. R. Hughes on the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance. Jamboretz also works for former police Sgt. Tom Mayer who is suing the City of St. Charles. I also understand he sent out a series of e-mails on behalf of Mayor Donna Morrow in O’Fallon recently over their Police Chief. He is a paid political hatchet man. It is time the press and public demanded to know who is paying him.”
On the specific group which filed paperwork with the City Clerk on his recall, Brown says there is the sister of a developer who is suing the City and the neighbor of that same developer which I have recently file a lawsuit against for defamation of character. “It doesn’t take much to connect the dots and figure out that this effort was spurred and is being bankrolled by developers and special interests,”charged Brown.
“They need to come clean and reveal who bankrolled the tens of thousands of dollars being spent to try to recall Councilwoman Greer. I would not be the least surprised to find out that Linda Meyer, who doesn’t even live in my ward, isn’t being paid to serve as the front person for this group. I think the voters of the 3rd Ward are very perceptive and will see that this is a bid to take over City Hall for the personal gain of these developers and special interests. I’ve stood up to the developers and they aren’t use to that. They want a local government that just rolls over and plays dead when it comes to protecting the interests of the taxpayers. The good people of this community won’t allow that to happen here.”
“They should open up their books and tell the public who is really behind and bankrolling these efforts,” was City Councilman Mark Brown’s challenge to a group which recently filed papers to circulate a petition seeking his recall.
Brown cited that the address of the group seeking his recall is the same as Linda Meyer, wife of a St. Charles City Police Officer, who is also leading the effort to recall Councilwoman Dottie Greer. ‘It is shameful the tens of thousands of dollars that are being spent trying to recall Councilwoman Greer, and the public is never told where all that money is coming from,” observed Brown, adding, “They have sent out mass mailings in her ward, used electronic phone calls and are paying people to collect signatures. This is not a grassroots citizen effort. This is a bought and paid for group, who are being bankrolled by developers and special interests to try to take over City Hall.”
“That is what this same group has done in O’Fallon. It is what they have tried to do in St. Peters and what they are again attempting in the City of St. Charles.”
Brown cited a state committee headed by Ken Kielty, a campaign consultant to Mayor York, and Glennon Jamboretz, a St. Louis based public relations consultant as proof outside parties have been organizing this effort for some time. ‘The committee was formed months ago to seek the recall of the City Council. Glennon Jamboretz is known to be working with Adolphus Busch, St. Louis millionaire developer Don Musick and millionaire homebuilder T. R. Hughes on the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance. Jamboretz also works for former police Sgt. Tom Mayer who is suing the City of St. Charles. I also understand he sent out a series of e-mails on behalf of Mayor Donna Morrow in O’Fallon recently over their Police Chief. He is a paid political hatchet man. It is time the press and public demanded to know who is paying him.”
On the specific group which filed paperwork with the City Clerk on his recall, Brown says there is the sister of a developer who is suing the City and the neighbor of that same developer which I have recently file a lawsuit against for defamation of character. “It doesn’t take much to connect the dots and figure out that this effort was spurred and is being bankrolled by developers and special interests,”charged Brown.
“They need to come clean and reveal who bankrolled the tens of thousands of dollars being spent to try to recall Councilwoman Greer. I would not be the least surprised to find out that Linda Meyer, who doesn’t even live in my ward, isn’t being paid to serve as the front person for this group. I think the voters of the 3rd Ward are very perceptive and will see that this is a bid to take over City Hall for the personal gain of these developers and special interests. I’ve stood up to the developers and they aren’t use to that. They want a local government that just rolls over and plays dead when it comes to protecting the interests of the taxpayers. The good people of this community won’t allow that to happen here.”
The City of St. Charles is Right Family Arena Needs Better Management
Commentary by Louis J. Launer
As everyone knows by now, I am now covering the Missouri River Otters for the First Capitol News. I have been following the River Otters and I have covered the team for a national hockey publication as well as three web sites over the last six seasons. I am pleased to have returned to the
First Capitol News to cover minor league sports. There is one matter, which I feel I need to address because it not only affects minor league sports, but it affects residents of St. Charles City and County.
I continue following the operations of the Family Arena since it opened in 1999. It is an attractive place and I would not want to see it neglected, especially with all of the public and private money that has been invested since the middle 1990s.
Over the past two weeks, I read about the City Council’s action to withhold the $300,000 annual payment to St. Charles County due on September 1 concerning Family Arena. This is a concern that I take
seriously. I applaud the St. Charles City Council’s action and I am also pleased that the Mayor is in agreement with the Council on this issue. This action should be a wake-up call to St. Charles County because residents hold a number of concerns regarding Family Arena, along with the amount of ticketed events. I would not consider a graduation by a high school or a college to be a “ticketed” event because the tickets given were free and no money was exchanged. Those tickets existed only for security reasons. The same holds true for every time President George W. Bush has been in town or there has been some sort of political, religious or other type of meeting that requires the size of Family Arena.
If any money is exchanged for a ticket and the event is a profit-making venture, then it is a real “ticketed” event subjected to the agreement made between St. Charles City and County (and the other municipalities who have joined in the venture). That ticket is the patron’s receipt for entertainment that was paid for by that patron. I agree with the City Council that I would like to see a facility that is operated successfully and is available to hold a wide range of events. Since 2000, I have been
critical at the county administration for being very restrictive as to what events are to be held at Family Arena. It surprises me that events such as professional wrestling have been prohibited from the facility because of the “principles” of Family Arena. In the last 25 years, I can
say that ice hockey contains the potential to be much more violent than professional wrestling. I have also read in the past that several events that were to be held at Family Arena were turned away because it didn’t meet the strict criteria of Family Arena’s intentions according to the county administration. It’s those special restrictions that keep St. Charles from getting first-class events.
Another issue concerning many hockey fans and me has been the parking situation. I realize that an outside firm has a contract to manage the Family Arena parking lots, yet the majority of that revenue goes to St.
Charles County, not necessarily to maintain the Family Arena. After Rory Riddler’s column in the February 12, 2005 edition of the First Capitol News, I e-mailed him to inform him that the number-one deterrent of potential fans to attend hockey, indoor football, basketball and other real “ticketed” events there is the $5 to park. The parking fee has been in place since the facility opened in 1999. It is also the highest amount to pay for parking of all of the minor league facilities in the Midwest that I have attended.
After talking with many fans, especially those who attend hockey games, they do not understand why there are more parking spaces in the lots than there are seats, yet someone has to pay $5 just to enter and park their cars. That’s in addition to the $24 (the amount of one ticket to a prime seat for a hockey game) a patron pays for admission. With our economy not in the greatest of shape, that is a lot of money that people will spend for a hockey game—and St. Charles has the highest admission rates and parking fees of any other “member” of the United Hockey League. The UHL is a =minor= league. It is not competing with St. Louis, the NHL and Savvis Center.
The closest in terms of rates to Family Arena is Fort Wayne, Indiana (a UHL city), who charges $4 for parking and their prime hockey seats are $21. Fort Wayne has also made capital improvements to their arena (Allen County Coliseum) in the last three years, including increases in seating (to 10,000) and a new roof for the facility. Currently, a new floor and improved ice-making equipment is being installed. It was what existed at Family Arena today that prompted Fort Wayne officials to renovate and improve their 60-year-old building. Our facility has served as a standard bearer for arenas throughout the United Hockey League. Unfortunate-ly, our county administration treats Family Arena as an afterthought.
There are some fans who have been upset at the Missouri River Otter management, including past and present owners over a wide number of issues that really should have been at the fault of Family Arena management. The River Otters have always been the primary tenant of the Family Arena. From my interviews with past and present players, noted loyal fans and some who have worked for the River Otters franchise that since the county administration has taken over operation of the facility, there have been times when the team couldn’t use their own place for a practice or even a team meeting. This past spring, fans, many of them long-time season ticket holders, were very upset when the River Otters had to move all of their playoff games over to Savvis Center in St. Louis because the Family Arena wasn’t “available.” Some insiders told me that there could have been some arrangements made and two out of the three dates for playoff games were actually available.
What would help keep our sports tenants and also book some great events at Family Arena would be some proper management at the top-a management group who knows how to operate sports/entertainment facilities. I have never believed that a county administration directly should be involved in the day-to-day operations of the facility. Our county has enough matters to be concerned with than the operation of a sports/entertainment facility. When Family Arena was built it should never have been the intent of the county government to directly operate the facility. The City of St. Louis operated the St. Louis Arena for a few years until Savvis Center was built. The City of St. Louis was very happy to get out of the arena management business after 1994. I could also name other arenas in similar places like St. Charles that have failed because they had become very restrictive in events or the municipality/county didn’t really want to be in that business. One of those facilities that failed allowed St. Charles County to purchase their scoreboard that now is displayed inside Family Arena.
Family Arena should not fail or lose any of our sports tenants. The recent action taken by the City of St. Charles is for the preservation and continuation of the facility. The city and the Trulaske family who funded the private half of the facility wants to see 117 legitimate first-class ticketed events at Family Arena. The place has a lot of potential. Unfortunately, St. Charles County treats the facility as a place for a few people, not the majority. The new county parks system is treated better compared to Family Arena.
Family Arena brings in people from not just St. Charles and the greater St. Louis metropolitan area. People from the Midwest, upper South and the Great Lakes enjoy arriving in St. Charles, utilizing St. Charles-based businesses such as restaurants and hotels and attending their favorite sport or other event held in what should be a first-class facility.
The United Hockey League will be holding their all-star game at Family Arena in January. This game will bring in fans from 13 other cities from the Quad Cities to Connecticut as well as our own fans here in Missouri. It would be truly representative of both the St. Charles County administration and officials from the City of St. Charles and other municipalities to be a proper host for an event that is only held here once in a while.
St. Charles has the potential to be a success in anything they do. Unfortunately, there are those in power who believe that the public needs to be protected from items that are assumed to be harmful. Yet those in power can do more harm by being overprotective.
As everyone knows by now, I am now covering the Missouri River Otters for the First Capitol News. I have been following the River Otters and I have covered the team for a national hockey publication as well as three web sites over the last six seasons. I am pleased to have returned to the
First Capitol News to cover minor league sports. There is one matter, which I feel I need to address because it not only affects minor league sports, but it affects residents of St. Charles City and County.
I continue following the operations of the Family Arena since it opened in 1999. It is an attractive place and I would not want to see it neglected, especially with all of the public and private money that has been invested since the middle 1990s.
Over the past two weeks, I read about the City Council’s action to withhold the $300,000 annual payment to St. Charles County due on September 1 concerning Family Arena. This is a concern that I take
seriously. I applaud the St. Charles City Council’s action and I am also pleased that the Mayor is in agreement with the Council on this issue. This action should be a wake-up call to St. Charles County because residents hold a number of concerns regarding Family Arena, along with the amount of ticketed events. I would not consider a graduation by a high school or a college to be a “ticketed” event because the tickets given were free and no money was exchanged. Those tickets existed only for security reasons. The same holds true for every time President George W. Bush has been in town or there has been some sort of political, religious or other type of meeting that requires the size of Family Arena.
If any money is exchanged for a ticket and the event is a profit-making venture, then it is a real “ticketed” event subjected to the agreement made between St. Charles City and County (and the other municipalities who have joined in the venture). That ticket is the patron’s receipt for entertainment that was paid for by that patron. I agree with the City Council that I would like to see a facility that is operated successfully and is available to hold a wide range of events. Since 2000, I have been
critical at the county administration for being very restrictive as to what events are to be held at Family Arena. It surprises me that events such as professional wrestling have been prohibited from the facility because of the “principles” of Family Arena. In the last 25 years, I can
say that ice hockey contains the potential to be much more violent than professional wrestling. I have also read in the past that several events that were to be held at Family Arena were turned away because it didn’t meet the strict criteria of Family Arena’s intentions according to the county administration. It’s those special restrictions that keep St. Charles from getting first-class events.
Another issue concerning many hockey fans and me has been the parking situation. I realize that an outside firm has a contract to manage the Family Arena parking lots, yet the majority of that revenue goes to St.
Charles County, not necessarily to maintain the Family Arena. After Rory Riddler’s column in the February 12, 2005 edition of the First Capitol News, I e-mailed him to inform him that the number-one deterrent of potential fans to attend hockey, indoor football, basketball and other real “ticketed” events there is the $5 to park. The parking fee has been in place since the facility opened in 1999. It is also the highest amount to pay for parking of all of the minor league facilities in the Midwest that I have attended.
After talking with many fans, especially those who attend hockey games, they do not understand why there are more parking spaces in the lots than there are seats, yet someone has to pay $5 just to enter and park their cars. That’s in addition to the $24 (the amount of one ticket to a prime seat for a hockey game) a patron pays for admission. With our economy not in the greatest of shape, that is a lot of money that people will spend for a hockey game—and St. Charles has the highest admission rates and parking fees of any other “member” of the United Hockey League. The UHL is a =minor= league. It is not competing with St. Louis, the NHL and Savvis Center.
The closest in terms of rates to Family Arena is Fort Wayne, Indiana (a UHL city), who charges $4 for parking and their prime hockey seats are $21. Fort Wayne has also made capital improvements to their arena (Allen County Coliseum) in the last three years, including increases in seating (to 10,000) and a new roof for the facility. Currently, a new floor and improved ice-making equipment is being installed. It was what existed at Family Arena today that prompted Fort Wayne officials to renovate and improve their 60-year-old building. Our facility has served as a standard bearer for arenas throughout the United Hockey League. Unfortunate-ly, our county administration treats Family Arena as an afterthought.
There are some fans who have been upset at the Missouri River Otter management, including past and present owners over a wide number of issues that really should have been at the fault of Family Arena management. The River Otters have always been the primary tenant of the Family Arena. From my interviews with past and present players, noted loyal fans and some who have worked for the River Otters franchise that since the county administration has taken over operation of the facility, there have been times when the team couldn’t use their own place for a practice or even a team meeting. This past spring, fans, many of them long-time season ticket holders, were very upset when the River Otters had to move all of their playoff games over to Savvis Center in St. Louis because the Family Arena wasn’t “available.” Some insiders told me that there could have been some arrangements made and two out of the three dates for playoff games were actually available.
What would help keep our sports tenants and also book some great events at Family Arena would be some proper management at the top-a management group who knows how to operate sports/entertainment facilities. I have never believed that a county administration directly should be involved in the day-to-day operations of the facility. Our county has enough matters to be concerned with than the operation of a sports/entertainment facility. When Family Arena was built it should never have been the intent of the county government to directly operate the facility. The City of St. Louis operated the St. Louis Arena for a few years until Savvis Center was built. The City of St. Louis was very happy to get out of the arena management business after 1994. I could also name other arenas in similar places like St. Charles that have failed because they had become very restrictive in events or the municipality/county didn’t really want to be in that business. One of those facilities that failed allowed St. Charles County to purchase their scoreboard that now is displayed inside Family Arena.
Family Arena should not fail or lose any of our sports tenants. The recent action taken by the City of St. Charles is for the preservation and continuation of the facility. The city and the Trulaske family who funded the private half of the facility wants to see 117 legitimate first-class ticketed events at Family Arena. The place has a lot of potential. Unfortunately, St. Charles County treats the facility as a place for a few people, not the majority. The new county parks system is treated better compared to Family Arena.
Family Arena brings in people from not just St. Charles and the greater St. Louis metropolitan area. People from the Midwest, upper South and the Great Lakes enjoy arriving in St. Charles, utilizing St. Charles-based businesses such as restaurants and hotels and attending their favorite sport or other event held in what should be a first-class facility.
The United Hockey League will be holding their all-star game at Family Arena in January. This game will bring in fans from 13 other cities from the Quad Cities to Connecticut as well as our own fans here in Missouri. It would be truly representative of both the St. Charles County administration and officials from the City of St. Charles and other municipalities to be a proper host for an event that is only held here once in a while.
St. Charles has the potential to be a success in anything they do. Unfortunately, there are those in power who believe that the public needs to be protected from items that are assumed to be harmful. Yet those in power can do more harm by being overprotective.
RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
Just a few short notes this week.
BRICK STREET BISTRO CLOSED?
Word on the street is that Dan Gould’s Brick Street Bistro has been shuttered. We were told the employees were given their checks last Friday and were told the restaurant was closing. I’m not sure what the problem is but it apparently has something to do with a Federal Investigation concerning his silent partner.
DELIVERY IN THE MAIL
We are considering delivery of the First Capitol News through the mail. We are working on this so don’t be surprised if one weekend you discover the First Capitol News in your mail box. More to come on this latter
BRICK STREET BISTRO CLOSED?
Word on the street is that Dan Gould’s Brick Street Bistro has been shuttered. We were told the employees were given their checks last Friday and were told the restaurant was closing. I’m not sure what the problem is but it apparently has something to do with a Federal Investigation concerning his silent partner.
DELIVERY IN THE MAIL
We are considering delivery of the First Capitol News through the mail. We are working on this so don’t be surprised if one weekend you discover the First Capitol News in your mail box. More to come on this latter
THE CITY DESK - Rory Riddler City Council President
HMS Faculty Upsets Police
But Nobody’s Turning Pro
RORY RIDDLER
City Council President
I’ve never been much of a basketball fan, a fact that seems to be tolerated in a region that never quite embraced the game. If I had to sum up my impressions of basketball, it appears to be a contest between two glandular giants, each supported by four other guys who occasionally get to make baskets when the really tall guys get tired. That and selling athletic shoes seem to be the main point of the game.
Going to a basketball game, even for a good cause, didn’t hold much appeal. It’s September and the baseball Cardinals are about to clinch another playoff. Who wants to sit and watch basketball?
As it turned out...I had a great time.
The occasion was the annual battle between the faculty of Hardin Middle School and our own St. Charles City Police. For the unheard of donation of just one dollar, parents were invited to join their sons and daughters courtside for this grueling grudge match. I can’t understand how the Lakers get by charging hundreds of dollars for the same seat I had, close enough to “smell” the action.
The cause was to raise money for Backstoppers, a great charity that supports the families of slain or injured officers. Appropriately enough this annual fundraiser is also held to commemorate 9/11 and those public safety professionals who gave their lives in the line-of duty. The school sold tickets to students and parents and also sold t-shirts to raise an impressive $1,280 for Backstoppers.
Hardin’s brand new gym was the site of the contest. It seems every bit as large as its high school counterpart and the air conditioning on a hot day was welcome relief to those acquainted with Hardin’s old gym. The bleachers were filled to the rafters with howling fans of the Tiger faculty. The Police wouldn’t have it easy “taking down” these bad boys (and girls) in their own house. If all else failed I noticed the two score keepers were prepared to use New Math to pull out a victory. The Police might be packing heat, but Hardin Principal Mike Ebert was packing detention slips.
The teams took the court. They seemed evenly matched. So evenly matched at first, that it took ten minutes of playtime for someone to actually put a ball in a basket. In the basement of the Justice Center, we have a sophisticated computer and video program that allows officers to practice their firearm skills in a variety of real life simulations...not one of which was a basketball game.
Led by their team captain, Police Chief Tim Swope, the Police drew first blood and slam-dunked the first two-pointer. At one point they were as much as nine points ahead. But Hardin’s faculty got their game face on and began to play like there were scouts from the Detroit Pistons in the stands. Their team spirit must have been buoyed by the impressive half-time show, because they dominated the second half with Nothing But Net from the home team.
Hamstrung by outdated NBA rules preventing the use of deadly force, our St. Charles Police were unable to hold back the Katrina like onslaught of the faculty. If the pen is mightier than the sword, then the HMS faculty proved that chalk is mightier than mace. Hardin’s faculty won the contest, 54 to 42.
The stands went wild. For a moment, just a moment, it was like Madison Square Garden and the teachers deservedly basked in their glory. Perhaps remembering their own teachers, and displaying the kind of good sportsmanship that distinguishes most sporting events in our country, the Police officers joined in cheering the victors. It was all for a wonderful cause and who could say if they had gone easy on the “civilians” or not. Besides...there is always next year.
As the crowd started to disperse, I went over to shake hands with a few of the participants. Shaking the Chief’s hand I couldn’t help teasing Tim Swope about his background in sports (especially since I have none). I knew the Chief had played ball in college. Trying not to grin too early I asked, “It wasn’t basketball you played in college was it Chief?” No, it was baseball. “That’s what I thought,” I said smiling. It’s summer in St. Louis...and the Cardinals are doing great.
But Nobody’s Turning Pro
RORY RIDDLER
City Council President
I’ve never been much of a basketball fan, a fact that seems to be tolerated in a region that never quite embraced the game. If I had to sum up my impressions of basketball, it appears to be a contest between two glandular giants, each supported by four other guys who occasionally get to make baskets when the really tall guys get tired. That and selling athletic shoes seem to be the main point of the game.
Going to a basketball game, even for a good cause, didn’t hold much appeal. It’s September and the baseball Cardinals are about to clinch another playoff. Who wants to sit and watch basketball?
As it turned out...I had a great time.
The occasion was the annual battle between the faculty of Hardin Middle School and our own St. Charles City Police. For the unheard of donation of just one dollar, parents were invited to join their sons and daughters courtside for this grueling grudge match. I can’t understand how the Lakers get by charging hundreds of dollars for the same seat I had, close enough to “smell” the action.
The cause was to raise money for Backstoppers, a great charity that supports the families of slain or injured officers. Appropriately enough this annual fundraiser is also held to commemorate 9/11 and those public safety professionals who gave their lives in the line-of duty. The school sold tickets to students and parents and also sold t-shirts to raise an impressive $1,280 for Backstoppers.
Hardin’s brand new gym was the site of the contest. It seems every bit as large as its high school counterpart and the air conditioning on a hot day was welcome relief to those acquainted with Hardin’s old gym. The bleachers were filled to the rafters with howling fans of the Tiger faculty. The Police wouldn’t have it easy “taking down” these bad boys (and girls) in their own house. If all else failed I noticed the two score keepers were prepared to use New Math to pull out a victory. The Police might be packing heat, but Hardin Principal Mike Ebert was packing detention slips.
The teams took the court. They seemed evenly matched. So evenly matched at first, that it took ten minutes of playtime for someone to actually put a ball in a basket. In the basement of the Justice Center, we have a sophisticated computer and video program that allows officers to practice their firearm skills in a variety of real life simulations...not one of which was a basketball game.
Led by their team captain, Police Chief Tim Swope, the Police drew first blood and slam-dunked the first two-pointer. At one point they were as much as nine points ahead. But Hardin’s faculty got their game face on and began to play like there were scouts from the Detroit Pistons in the stands. Their team spirit must have been buoyed by the impressive half-time show, because they dominated the second half with Nothing But Net from the home team.
Hamstrung by outdated NBA rules preventing the use of deadly force, our St. Charles Police were unable to hold back the Katrina like onslaught of the faculty. If the pen is mightier than the sword, then the HMS faculty proved that chalk is mightier than mace. Hardin’s faculty won the contest, 54 to 42.
The stands went wild. For a moment, just a moment, it was like Madison Square Garden and the teachers deservedly basked in their glory. Perhaps remembering their own teachers, and displaying the kind of good sportsmanship that distinguishes most sporting events in our country, the Police officers joined in cheering the victors. It was all for a wonderful cause and who could say if they had gone easy on the “civilians” or not. Besides...there is always next year.
As the crowd started to disperse, I went over to shake hands with a few of the participants. Shaking the Chief’s hand I couldn’t help teasing Tim Swope about his background in sports (especially since I have none). I knew the Chief had played ball in college. Trying not to grin too early I asked, “It wasn’t basketball you played in college was it Chief?” No, it was baseball. “That’s what I thought,” I said smiling. It’s summer in St. Louis...and the Cardinals are doing great.
CASE IN POINT - Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9
You know the saying, “You don’t need to make a federal case out of it!” Well, there are some issues that do need to be just that and a couple of those issues that matter to all of us here in St. Charles include: flood plain development and TIF (and any other abbreviated tax giveaways for that matter).
Both of these issues share a common seed that really does call for a federal response to help end the problem; namely, no one community can, or will, limit itself in these areas for the good of the greater community.
With regard to flood plain development, the incessant demands from developers is usually too great for most communities to withstand compared to the seemingly intangible benefits of conservation or buffer zones from possible natural threats.
The federal government has involved itself in some buyouts and restrictions but, it is still possible for towns to shore up flood plains for their developments thereby displacing more water on communities down river. Now, to be sure, the feds are also part of the problem - their efforts to make our mightiest of rivers navigable and the water routes as short as possible have lead to the straightening out of hundreds of, otherwise winding, river-way miles. Today, the Mighty Missouri from Kansas City to Saint Louis alone has literally lost hundreds of miles of its undulating path for such reasons. Some portions of our nation’s rivers are perfectly linear forming sort-of river boulevards and like boulevards speeding up traffic, these river routes help increase the water’s tempo on its way to the oceans.
What do we lose from this? We lose land that is most able to absorb and contain extra water during wet seasons; plant life that filters pollutants; habitat and spawning grounds for wildlife from fish to fowl and agricultural land that is second to none!
Remember the adage, “The government that governs least, governs best?” That may be true concerning its citizens, however, corporations and developers are not citizens, they are for-profits and this is a classic instance where Washington can help prevent self-interests in the form of corporate abuse from hurting others. While I agree that government shouldn’t be involved in the minutia of our lives, the broad issues such as these is where it belongs. Think of good government as leadership or as a parent looking over all of its self-interested kids. Now imagine this statement, “The parent who governs least governs best.” Doesn’t that sound crazy? The insane running the asylum? The parents establish a setting in which children can have both independence and do well without harming their siblings, parents, the house, the car, etc. Like it or not, that’s the role of government (so it’s our job to be the government we desire).
What about tax giveaways (AKA incentives)? These incentives enticing corporations, retailers, and developers to your state, region, county, or city are acting in self-interest and we (the government) allow them to play by these rules! I have always agreed with the county executive on this matter, just not his modus operandi. Suing our own towns and communities for using the tools provided and allowed by the state and federal governments is like punishing the man who takes advantage of writing off his private yacht as long as he pledges its use for civil defense in the case of a foreign power attacking The Lake of the Ozarks (this law is actually on the books). It’s time to change the law!
As before, no one city, county, region, or state can simply refuse to offer these giveaways as long as their neighbor is doing such. Enters Washington...a federal law prohibiting the giveaway of public taxes stops this abuse for everyone! Think of the current inherent unfairness - no individual business owner could even consider approaching his local government and threaten shuttering his shop if he doesn’t get free land, new infrastructure, tax breaks! Only the biggest players, those who are most able to pay, get the freebies!
What we don’t need are endless lawsuits against each other here locally, our state representatives and state senators making laws that apply only to Saint Charles, Saint Peters, or any other singularity! Lawmakers - Republicans and Democrats alike - pass legislation that will protect our land and that will take the first step in removing corporate power over civil government!
Both of these issues share a common seed that really does call for a federal response to help end the problem; namely, no one community can, or will, limit itself in these areas for the good of the greater community.
With regard to flood plain development, the incessant demands from developers is usually too great for most communities to withstand compared to the seemingly intangible benefits of conservation or buffer zones from possible natural threats.
The federal government has involved itself in some buyouts and restrictions but, it is still possible for towns to shore up flood plains for their developments thereby displacing more water on communities down river. Now, to be sure, the feds are also part of the problem - their efforts to make our mightiest of rivers navigable and the water routes as short as possible have lead to the straightening out of hundreds of, otherwise winding, river-way miles. Today, the Mighty Missouri from Kansas City to Saint Louis alone has literally lost hundreds of miles of its undulating path for such reasons. Some portions of our nation’s rivers are perfectly linear forming sort-of river boulevards and like boulevards speeding up traffic, these river routes help increase the water’s tempo on its way to the oceans.
What do we lose from this? We lose land that is most able to absorb and contain extra water during wet seasons; plant life that filters pollutants; habitat and spawning grounds for wildlife from fish to fowl and agricultural land that is second to none!
Remember the adage, “The government that governs least, governs best?” That may be true concerning its citizens, however, corporations and developers are not citizens, they are for-profits and this is a classic instance where Washington can help prevent self-interests in the form of corporate abuse from hurting others. While I agree that government shouldn’t be involved in the minutia of our lives, the broad issues such as these is where it belongs. Think of good government as leadership or as a parent looking over all of its self-interested kids. Now imagine this statement, “The parent who governs least governs best.” Doesn’t that sound crazy? The insane running the asylum? The parents establish a setting in which children can have both independence and do well without harming their siblings, parents, the house, the car, etc. Like it or not, that’s the role of government (so it’s our job to be the government we desire).
What about tax giveaways (AKA incentives)? These incentives enticing corporations, retailers, and developers to your state, region, county, or city are acting in self-interest and we (the government) allow them to play by these rules! I have always agreed with the county executive on this matter, just not his modus operandi. Suing our own towns and communities for using the tools provided and allowed by the state and federal governments is like punishing the man who takes advantage of writing off his private yacht as long as he pledges its use for civil defense in the case of a foreign power attacking The Lake of the Ozarks (this law is actually on the books). It’s time to change the law!
As before, no one city, county, region, or state can simply refuse to offer these giveaways as long as their neighbor is doing such. Enters Washington...a federal law prohibiting the giveaway of public taxes stops this abuse for everyone! Think of the current inherent unfairness - no individual business owner could even consider approaching his local government and threaten shuttering his shop if he doesn’t get free land, new infrastructure, tax breaks! Only the biggest players, those who are most able to pay, get the freebies!
What we don’t need are endless lawsuits against each other here locally, our state representatives and state senators making laws that apply only to Saint Charles, Saint Peters, or any other singularity! Lawmakers - Republicans and Democrats alike - pass legislation that will protect our land and that will take the first step in removing corporate power over civil government!
THE CONSERVATIVE FACTOR - Alex Spencer
County Executive Joe Ortwerth is once again suing the City of St. Peters alleging that the city’s use of Missouri’s Tax Increment Financing statute violates the Missouri Constitution.
He lost his last lawsuit against the city, which made virtually the same claims, because he blew the statute of limitations. In English, he waited too long to file the lawsuit.
This time, Ortwerth is suing over the T.I.F. in the Lakeside 370 Development. So he has thrown in with the lawsuit brought by brewery baron Adolphus Busch IV.
Ironically, they were recently engaged in their own battle over the expansion of Smartt Field, which Ortwerth proposed and Adolphus hated as it might interfere with duck hunting. But even these two bitter rivals can come together to join in that all too American pastime of filing frivolous lawsuits against the taxpayers. If love can’t keep us together, maybe a common enemy can get the job done.
Now a majority of the St. Charles County Council has already publicly stated that they oppose Ortwerth’s latest trip back to the courthouse. Under the current County Charter, however, no one can stop Ortwerth from spending taxpayer money to file any lawsuit he chooses.
The problem has become so prevalent that earlier this year the County Council overrode Ortwerth’s veto to place on the ballot a charter change to require him to get Council approval before he sues another municipality. That change, however, will not come in time to stop Ortwerth’s latest effort to clog the courthouse’s docket.
But for the sake of argument (or at least humor’s sake), let’s imagine that the County Council was simpatico with Ortwerth’s crusade against St. Peters. In that case, the County’s politicians are missing out on the obvious way to humiliate the St. Peters’ politicians and resolve this whole T.I.F. issue once and for all.
Ortwerth should propose an intergovernmental basketball game. Now, I am not suggesting that Ortwerth himself should play. I am relatively sure that in high school Ortwerth would have had a hard time getting to be the team’s towel boy. And I’m guessing that he probably saw the inside of a locker at least once in middle school. But just think of the team that the County could field.
First, you have Ortwerth’s right hand man – County Director of Administration Steve Ehlmann. Ehlmann was a star player in his youth and a high school basketball coach. And he is tall. Ortwerth should make Ehlmann the team captain.
Then, he also has two monster forwards in Councilmen Joe McCulloch and Jeff Morrison, who are both taller than Ehlmann. But I’d still play Ehlmann in the center because Ortwerth is going to have trouble keeping these three in sync (you never see all three of them in agreement). But these three giants together would never miss a rebound. What a front line.
This leaves Ortwerth with a fourth “big man” in Councilman Dan Foust to play at guard. On any other team, Foust would serve in the paint, but on this monster team, he’ll actually reduce the average height.
The fifth spot presents more of a question. Councilman Joe Brazil is likely the most athletic of the remaining council members. But based on the way he behaves on the Council, he would probably be a “ball hog” (i.e., he’d steal the ball from his own teammates). So, I would suggest using Councilman Bob Schnur or Doug Funderburk instead; they would be better “team players.”
Now St. Peters’ only potential for a center would be Alderman David Hayes. He is a big man, but he would still be dwarfed by four of the County’s players. Alderman Bruce Holt is also tall, but everyone knows that he has bad knees.
St. Peters would find it impossible to field a competitive basketball team against the County’s juggernaut. Their only potential to save face would be to counter-propose a contest of five-on-five football.
In football, St. Peters would have a mass advantage. Just imagine a line comprised of Alderman Hayes, Alderman Terry Hawkins and Alderman Rocky Reitmeyer.
Throw Mayor Shawn Brown on that line as well. He wasn’t that big when he got elected, but he has been bulking up since the election – it must be all those catered meals meeting with Adolphus to get his marching orders.
Now for a fifth, I’d suggest Alderman Jerry Hollingsworth. He doesn’t have any size but that little slickster is kind of a scrappy survivor. Recently he out’d himself as a recovering alcoholic right before Adolphus’ troops were about to embarrass him with it at a St. Peters meeting. That takes guts. I’d give him the ball and let St. Peters’ big boys cut a hole in the County’s taller but leaner line.
Granted, this all may seem like a silly way to resolve the feud. But it isn’t really any sillier than Ortwerth’s perpetual lawsuits. And it would be a whole lot cheaper for the taxpayers. So let the games begin…
He lost his last lawsuit against the city, which made virtually the same claims, because he blew the statute of limitations. In English, he waited too long to file the lawsuit.
This time, Ortwerth is suing over the T.I.F. in the Lakeside 370 Development. So he has thrown in with the lawsuit brought by brewery baron Adolphus Busch IV.
Ironically, they were recently engaged in their own battle over the expansion of Smartt Field, which Ortwerth proposed and Adolphus hated as it might interfere with duck hunting. But even these two bitter rivals can come together to join in that all too American pastime of filing frivolous lawsuits against the taxpayers. If love can’t keep us together, maybe a common enemy can get the job done.
Now a majority of the St. Charles County Council has already publicly stated that they oppose Ortwerth’s latest trip back to the courthouse. Under the current County Charter, however, no one can stop Ortwerth from spending taxpayer money to file any lawsuit he chooses.
The problem has become so prevalent that earlier this year the County Council overrode Ortwerth’s veto to place on the ballot a charter change to require him to get Council approval before he sues another municipality. That change, however, will not come in time to stop Ortwerth’s latest effort to clog the courthouse’s docket.
But for the sake of argument (or at least humor’s sake), let’s imagine that the County Council was simpatico with Ortwerth’s crusade against St. Peters. In that case, the County’s politicians are missing out on the obvious way to humiliate the St. Peters’ politicians and resolve this whole T.I.F. issue once and for all.
Ortwerth should propose an intergovernmental basketball game. Now, I am not suggesting that Ortwerth himself should play. I am relatively sure that in high school Ortwerth would have had a hard time getting to be the team’s towel boy. And I’m guessing that he probably saw the inside of a locker at least once in middle school. But just think of the team that the County could field.
First, you have Ortwerth’s right hand man – County Director of Administration Steve Ehlmann. Ehlmann was a star player in his youth and a high school basketball coach. And he is tall. Ortwerth should make Ehlmann the team captain.
Then, he also has two monster forwards in Councilmen Joe McCulloch and Jeff Morrison, who are both taller than Ehlmann. But I’d still play Ehlmann in the center because Ortwerth is going to have trouble keeping these three in sync (you never see all three of them in agreement). But these three giants together would never miss a rebound. What a front line.
This leaves Ortwerth with a fourth “big man” in Councilman Dan Foust to play at guard. On any other team, Foust would serve in the paint, but on this monster team, he’ll actually reduce the average height.
The fifth spot presents more of a question. Councilman Joe Brazil is likely the most athletic of the remaining council members. But based on the way he behaves on the Council, he would probably be a “ball hog” (i.e., he’d steal the ball from his own teammates). So, I would suggest using Councilman Bob Schnur or Doug Funderburk instead; they would be better “team players.”
Now St. Peters’ only potential for a center would be Alderman David Hayes. He is a big man, but he would still be dwarfed by four of the County’s players. Alderman Bruce Holt is also tall, but everyone knows that he has bad knees.
St. Peters would find it impossible to field a competitive basketball team against the County’s juggernaut. Their only potential to save face would be to counter-propose a contest of five-on-five football.
In football, St. Peters would have a mass advantage. Just imagine a line comprised of Alderman Hayes, Alderman Terry Hawkins and Alderman Rocky Reitmeyer.
Throw Mayor Shawn Brown on that line as well. He wasn’t that big when he got elected, but he has been bulking up since the election – it must be all those catered meals meeting with Adolphus to get his marching orders.
Now for a fifth, I’d suggest Alderman Jerry Hollingsworth. He doesn’t have any size but that little slickster is kind of a scrappy survivor. Recently he out’d himself as a recovering alcoholic right before Adolphus’ troops were about to embarrass him with it at a St. Peters meeting. That takes guts. I’d give him the ball and let St. Peters’ big boys cut a hole in the County’s taller but leaner line.
Granted, this all may seem like a silly way to resolve the feud. But it isn’t really any sillier than Ortwerth’s perpetual lawsuits. And it would be a whole lot cheaper for the taxpayers. So let the games begin…
CITY AFFAIRS = By The City Watchman
CITY AFFAIRS
By The City Watchman
With so much negativism appearing in other media these days I thought I would inject some positive thoughts for the current City Council members and the public in general to ponder over. These thoughts came to mind after reading a book titled “The Traveler’s Gift”; written by Andy Andrews, In his book, Mr. Andrews paraphrases various statements said to have been stated by President Abraham Lincoln. These are used as my references in this writing.
On page 148 Mr. Andrews states, “The spirit of our government and our institutions must be to elevate people…”. The meetings of the current Council substantiates this idea through the efforts of specific current Council Representatives requesting more detailed information be included on the agenda for the public thus allowing for more discussion. The questions asked by some Council Members, to obtain further clarification and/or explanation of proposed ordinances that would benefit the public by revealing specifics or uniqueness to the proposed changes. Many of these questions are the same that a citizen is thinking but unable to ask, again proven over and over by the complimentary phone calls received from constituents. Looking back over the past several years and observing those past Council meetings, we saw little or no discussion prior to voting. The agenda listed a very short sentence to describe the Bill, etc. If a citizen wanted to know more, they had to physically go to City Hall and request information and attempt to understand what was written. Now the agenda is available on the Internet at the City web site along with further information. Previously the agenda was published in the FCN for the benefit of those citizens who do not have access to a computer until the Mayor and City Administrator obstructed it. The changes initiated by this Council are definite improvements that elevate the people by providing better communication rather than simply a short statement.
This current Council saved approximately $1 million by soliciting bids for the health insurance contracts. It is anticipated the savings will cover the total costs of the City Administrator’s full term contract. This Council also trimmed $1 million on the current budget to satisfy the announced possible short fall in gaming revenue for 2005. This Council has passed ordinances and approved contracts for road projects that will elevate people by improving the quality of life for the citizens of St Charles. Ordinances have been restructured and new ones inacted strengthening responsibility for violations by individuals. Enforcement has been enhanced compared with previous years.
Another statement made by President Lincoln, as paraphrased on page 143 and 144; “Sooner or later, every man of character will have that character questioned. Every man of honor and courage will be faced with unjust criticism, but never forget that unjust criticism has no impact whatsoever upon the truth. And the only sure way to avoid criticism is to do nothing and be nothing. My platform, however, is that while public opinion might sway back and forth, right” (RIGHT) “and wrong” (WRONG) “do not.” These statements ring so true today concerning two of our Council Representatives whose character and integrity is slammed bammed in newspaper articles with unsubstantiated editorials written with the sole intent to slander and ridicule. I especially like the part “…has no impact whatsoever upon the TRUTH.” These two Council Representatives can stand proud of their commitment to follow the Oath of Office each swore to uphold in April 2004. Their dedication and perseverance will stand to prove their character and integrity of the highest level. Their sole purpose to further the quality of life for the citizens of the City of St Charles, to make quality decisions based upon fact not fiction, base on sound judgement and to the best of their ability.
To further Abraham Lincoln’s comment concerning right and wrong, a further paraphrased statement states on Page 148; “I am of the opinion that right makes might.” Just as there is power in the Word, doing the right thing will earn honor, respect and builds the power to win over evil. Just as a man who walks the talk, respect is obtained and his character is unquestioned. When Abraham Lincoln was asked if he thought God was on his side he replied, “I am much more concerned with whether we are on God’s side.” (Page 149) Thinking God is on our side is to say what we are doing is totally correct and discounts our human failings. Being on God’s side means doing for His glorification and reasons, not for our self-glorification and reasons
.
To follow up on an article appearing in the FCN last weekend, Abraham Lincoln confirmed one punch line when he stated “And the only sure way to avoid criticism is to do nothing and be nothing.” (Page 143-144) To put this statement another way: to give in to those who criticize for the wrong reason the way this Council is performing, is to cause ones own demise, thus joining with those who promote special interest agendas. “If we familiarize ourselves with the chains of bondage, we prepare our own limbs to wear them”, Abraham Lincoln is purported to have said on page 148. The chains of bondage I believe are those of special interest groups or individuals.
There are some individuals on this current Council who are irrevocably doing and performing their duties for the benefit of all residents. Because of this they are receiving erroneous criticism for the sole purpose of distorting the TRUTH and FACT. I for one, along with other citizens voice our support for the strong stand these few Council Representatives have taken.
I write the oath each of these Council Representatives swore to uphold and ask you after reading it that you reflect and decide for yourselves wish are upholding their affirmation.
“I, ______________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I possess all the qualifications prescribed for my office by the general law of the State of Missouri governing Constitutional Charter Cities; that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the State of Missouri; the provisions of the law of this State governing Constitutional Charter Cities and the ordinances of the City of St Charles, MO, and that I faithfully demean myself in the office as Councilmember, Ward ___ , City of St Charles, MO, for a term ending April 2007.”
“…to seek the approval of someone who is lazy or jealous is to cast your pearls before swine. You will find that God rarely uses a person whose main concern is what others are thinking.” (Page 142)
“I was elected by a minority of the popular vote.” (Page143)
If I were to concern myself with the newspaper columns that label me dishonest or stupid, if I had my feelings destroyed every time a political opponent called me an ape or a buffoon, I would never be about the work for which I was born!” (Page 143)
“Sooner or later, every man of character will have that character questioned.” (Page 143)
“Every man of honor and courage will be faced with unjust criticism, but never forget that unjust criticism has no impact whatsoever upon the truth.” (Page 143)
“And the only sure way to avoid criticism is to do nothing and be nothing.” (Page 143-144)
My platform, however, is that while public opinion might sway back and forth, right and wrong do not.” (Page 148)
“If we familiarize ourselves with the chains of bondage, we prepare our own limbs to wear them.” (Page 148)
“The spirit of our government and our institutions must be to elevate people,…” (Page 148)
I am of the opinion that right makes might,” (Page 148)
“I am much more concerned with whether we are on God’s side.” (page 149)
Andrews, Andy, The Traveler’s Gift,
New York, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2004
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Phillips, Donald T. Lincoln On Leadership.
New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1957
Wills, Garry. Lincoln at Gettysburg, The Words That
Made America. New York: Touchstone, 1992
By The City Watchman
With so much negativism appearing in other media these days I thought I would inject some positive thoughts for the current City Council members and the public in general to ponder over. These thoughts came to mind after reading a book titled “The Traveler’s Gift”; written by Andy Andrews, In his book, Mr. Andrews paraphrases various statements said to have been stated by President Abraham Lincoln. These are used as my references in this writing.
On page 148 Mr. Andrews states, “The spirit of our government and our institutions must be to elevate people…”. The meetings of the current Council substantiates this idea through the efforts of specific current Council Representatives requesting more detailed information be included on the agenda for the public thus allowing for more discussion. The questions asked by some Council Members, to obtain further clarification and/or explanation of proposed ordinances that would benefit the public by revealing specifics or uniqueness to the proposed changes. Many of these questions are the same that a citizen is thinking but unable to ask, again proven over and over by the complimentary phone calls received from constituents. Looking back over the past several years and observing those past Council meetings, we saw little or no discussion prior to voting. The agenda listed a very short sentence to describe the Bill, etc. If a citizen wanted to know more, they had to physically go to City Hall and request information and attempt to understand what was written. Now the agenda is available on the Internet at the City web site along with further information. Previously the agenda was published in the FCN for the benefit of those citizens who do not have access to a computer until the Mayor and City Administrator obstructed it. The changes initiated by this Council are definite improvements that elevate the people by providing better communication rather than simply a short statement.
This current Council saved approximately $1 million by soliciting bids for the health insurance contracts. It is anticipated the savings will cover the total costs of the City Administrator’s full term contract. This Council also trimmed $1 million on the current budget to satisfy the announced possible short fall in gaming revenue for 2005. This Council has passed ordinances and approved contracts for road projects that will elevate people by improving the quality of life for the citizens of St Charles. Ordinances have been restructured and new ones inacted strengthening responsibility for violations by individuals. Enforcement has been enhanced compared with previous years.
Another statement made by President Lincoln, as paraphrased on page 143 and 144; “Sooner or later, every man of character will have that character questioned. Every man of honor and courage will be faced with unjust criticism, but never forget that unjust criticism has no impact whatsoever upon the truth. And the only sure way to avoid criticism is to do nothing and be nothing. My platform, however, is that while public opinion might sway back and forth, right” (RIGHT) “and wrong” (WRONG) “do not.” These statements ring so true today concerning two of our Council Representatives whose character and integrity is slammed bammed in newspaper articles with unsubstantiated editorials written with the sole intent to slander and ridicule. I especially like the part “…has no impact whatsoever upon the TRUTH.” These two Council Representatives can stand proud of their commitment to follow the Oath of Office each swore to uphold in April 2004. Their dedication and perseverance will stand to prove their character and integrity of the highest level. Their sole purpose to further the quality of life for the citizens of the City of St Charles, to make quality decisions based upon fact not fiction, base on sound judgement and to the best of their ability.
To further Abraham Lincoln’s comment concerning right and wrong, a further paraphrased statement states on Page 148; “I am of the opinion that right makes might.” Just as there is power in the Word, doing the right thing will earn honor, respect and builds the power to win over evil. Just as a man who walks the talk, respect is obtained and his character is unquestioned. When Abraham Lincoln was asked if he thought God was on his side he replied, “I am much more concerned with whether we are on God’s side.” (Page 149) Thinking God is on our side is to say what we are doing is totally correct and discounts our human failings. Being on God’s side means doing for His glorification and reasons, not for our self-glorification and reasons
.
To follow up on an article appearing in the FCN last weekend, Abraham Lincoln confirmed one punch line when he stated “And the only sure way to avoid criticism is to do nothing and be nothing.” (Page 143-144) To put this statement another way: to give in to those who criticize for the wrong reason the way this Council is performing, is to cause ones own demise, thus joining with those who promote special interest agendas. “If we familiarize ourselves with the chains of bondage, we prepare our own limbs to wear them”, Abraham Lincoln is purported to have said on page 148. The chains of bondage I believe are those of special interest groups or individuals.
There are some individuals on this current Council who are irrevocably doing and performing their duties for the benefit of all residents. Because of this they are receiving erroneous criticism for the sole purpose of distorting the TRUTH and FACT. I for one, along with other citizens voice our support for the strong stand these few Council Representatives have taken.
I write the oath each of these Council Representatives swore to uphold and ask you after reading it that you reflect and decide for yourselves wish are upholding their affirmation.
“I, ______________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I possess all the qualifications prescribed for my office by the general law of the State of Missouri governing Constitutional Charter Cities; that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the State of Missouri; the provisions of the law of this State governing Constitutional Charter Cities and the ordinances of the City of St Charles, MO, and that I faithfully demean myself in the office as Councilmember, Ward ___ , City of St Charles, MO, for a term ending April 2007.”
“…to seek the approval of someone who is lazy or jealous is to cast your pearls before swine. You will find that God rarely uses a person whose main concern is what others are thinking.” (Page 142)
“I was elected by a minority of the popular vote.” (Page143)
If I were to concern myself with the newspaper columns that label me dishonest or stupid, if I had my feelings destroyed every time a political opponent called me an ape or a buffoon, I would never be about the work for which I was born!” (Page 143)
“Sooner or later, every man of character will have that character questioned.” (Page 143)
“Every man of honor and courage will be faced with unjust criticism, but never forget that unjust criticism has no impact whatsoever upon the truth.” (Page 143)
“And the only sure way to avoid criticism is to do nothing and be nothing.” (Page 143-144)
My platform, however, is that while public opinion might sway back and forth, right and wrong do not.” (Page 148)
“If we familiarize ourselves with the chains of bondage, we prepare our own limbs to wear them.” (Page 148)
“The spirit of our government and our institutions must be to elevate people,…” (Page 148)
I am of the opinion that right makes might,” (Page 148)
“I am much more concerned with whether we are on God’s side.” (page 149)
Andrews, Andy, The Traveler’s Gift,
New York, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2004
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Phillips, Donald T. Lincoln On Leadership.
New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1957
Wills, Garry. Lincoln at Gettysburg, The Words That
Made America. New York: Touchstone, 1992
Eleventh ANNUAL MOSAICS MISSOURI FESTIVAL FOR THE ARTS
Eleventh ANNUAL MOSAICS MISSOURI FESTIVAL FOR THE ARTS
The 11th annual MOsaics Missouri Festival for the Arts will be held September 16, 17 and 18, 2005 on North Main in Historic Saint Charles. The free, family-friendly art festival runs from 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Sunday and offers art, children’s activities, exhibits, food and music.
MOsaics features more than 100 artists from across the state, region and country who exhibit, discuss and sell their artwork. Paintings, sculptures, photography, glass, digital art, metal and woodwork are just a sampling of the media represented. Performing artists for the three-day festival include the Buckhannon Brothers, Poor People of Paris, Mark Biehl, native American flutist Mark Holland, and the trombone quartet Original Boneheads. The St. Charles County Symphony will perform on Saturday, 3:00 p.m. at the Foundry Art Centre, 520 North Main Center, as a part of the festival.
Children’s activities include the Children’s Village, a hands-on art experience for children; pottery wheel demonstrations where children can learn to throw a pot; “Art for Youth” gallery hosted by Lindenwood College where children 17 and under can pay just $5 and select a piece of art donated by festival artists; and the “Mentor Me” exhibit, which displays art created by metropolitan area art students and teachers. Beginning September 13th, the Ninth Annual “Mentor Me” exhibit will be on display at the Foundry Art Centre, with a closing reception from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 9th.
Visitors will sample a taste of St. Charles at outdoor cafés sponsored by participating North Main Street restaurants.
MOsaics brings art enjoyment, awareness, appreciation and education free of charge to the Saint Charles and St. Louis region, and gives residents and visitors to Saint Charles the opportunity to interact directly with the artists.
The Foundry Art Centre is a fine arts gallery overlooking the Missouri River at 520 North Main Center, in the Frenchtown district of Historic St. Charles. The Foundry features a Smithsonian-caliber art gallery hosting juried exhibitions plus 20 working artist studios where visitors can watch the creative process and buy art directly from the artists. This nonprofit organization also provides community meeting rooms, event space and a children’s art gallery. Hours are Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 4 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. For more information on the Foundry, call (636) 255-0270 or visit www.foundryartcentre.org.
For more information on MOsaics, call (636) 255-0270 or the Greater Saint Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau at (636) 946-7776, or visit www.stcharlesmosaics.org.
The 11th annual MOsaics Missouri Festival for the Arts will be held September 16, 17 and 18, 2005 on North Main in Historic Saint Charles. The free, family-friendly art festival runs from 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Sunday and offers art, children’s activities, exhibits, food and music.
MOsaics features more than 100 artists from across the state, region and country who exhibit, discuss and sell their artwork. Paintings, sculptures, photography, glass, digital art, metal and woodwork are just a sampling of the media represented. Performing artists for the three-day festival include the Buckhannon Brothers, Poor People of Paris, Mark Biehl, native American flutist Mark Holland, and the trombone quartet Original Boneheads. The St. Charles County Symphony will perform on Saturday, 3:00 p.m. at the Foundry Art Centre, 520 North Main Center, as a part of the festival.
Children’s activities include the Children’s Village, a hands-on art experience for children; pottery wheel demonstrations where children can learn to throw a pot; “Art for Youth” gallery hosted by Lindenwood College where children 17 and under can pay just $5 and select a piece of art donated by festival artists; and the “Mentor Me” exhibit, which displays art created by metropolitan area art students and teachers. Beginning September 13th, the Ninth Annual “Mentor Me” exhibit will be on display at the Foundry Art Centre, with a closing reception from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 9th.
Visitors will sample a taste of St. Charles at outdoor cafés sponsored by participating North Main Street restaurants.
MOsaics brings art enjoyment, awareness, appreciation and education free of charge to the Saint Charles and St. Louis region, and gives residents and visitors to Saint Charles the opportunity to interact directly with the artists.
The Foundry Art Centre is a fine arts gallery overlooking the Missouri River at 520 North Main Center, in the Frenchtown district of Historic St. Charles. The Foundry features a Smithsonian-caliber art gallery hosting juried exhibitions plus 20 working artist studios where visitors can watch the creative process and buy art directly from the artists. This nonprofit organization also provides community meeting rooms, event space and a children’s art gallery. Hours are Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 4 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. For more information on the Foundry, call (636) 255-0270 or visit www.foundryartcentre.org.
For more information on MOsaics, call (636) 255-0270 or the Greater Saint Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau at (636) 946-7776, or visit www.stcharlesmosaics.org.
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS SPORTS - Mike McMurran Editor
MY COLUMN - Mike McMurran First Capitol News Sports Editor
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the best part about this gig is meeting the various high school athletes and coaches. Nothing has changed. As regular readers already know, I end the “athlete of the week” column with a rather unique question. It goes something like this: “If you were given a credit card, with unlimited funds, to which restaurant would you go, and what would you order?” The question is not a McMurran original, but was created by a coaching buddy of mine. After practice, in an attempt to get to know our players better, we would put them “in the chair” and ask them that very question. The responses would vary beyond your wildest imagination. Anyway, I decided to use the same question to end the interview with the athletes of the week. By the end of last season most of the young men and young ladies I interviewed knew the question was coming.
On a related note, don’t complain about the selection of athlete of the week if you fail to nominate someone. Contact me and I will do my best to interview deserving student athletes.
Is it my imagination or does a majority of the population of St. Charles County, say between the ages of 6 –12, play “select soccer”? This past weekend as I attended my daughter’s game at Mueller Park, I couldn’t help but notice the number of young boys and girls with uniforms on claiming loyalty to “St. Louis Soccer Club,” “Wolfpack,” “Busch Soccer Club,” and others. It was hard to miss the teams with matching gym bags; at least I think they still call them gym bags, with the children’s names and numbers on them. I heard one young player apologizing for wearing her “home” jersey when she was expected to wear her “away” jersey. I cannot help but think things have gone too far when the coaches wear “official team shirts” complete with logos along with the coaches name on the shirt.
Now of course my wife is going to claim I am out of touch with reality, and maybe I am, but I recall being a child and playing at the park, unsupervised, from right after breakfast until lunchtime. After lunch we would head right back to the park and continue playing until dinner, at least. Of course I can also remember hopping freight trains and riding into St. Charles County to purchase fireworks, and hitchhiking back to Spanish Lake…on second thought, let’s keep the kids active in supervised activities.
We here in St. Charles really do have some of the best organized youth soccer programs I have ever seen. Between CYA, CYC and SCCYSA, there is a league for most anyone wanting to play. And I guess for those looking for some tougher competition, there is nothing wrong with competing in the so called “select” divisions.
I have been told by some, that if your child is not playing select by the time they are in 6th or 7th grade, their chances of making their high school teams are slim, at best. This may be true, but I don’t buy it. An athlete is an athlete – and the cream will eventually rise to the top. Select may give more quality instruction, and for the money it costs I would certainly hope so, but the fact remains if you have enough speed, can throw the ball hard enough, or can jump high enough, your high school coach will take you to the next level. We need only look to one of the most successful athletes of our time, Michael Jordan. Remember, he was cut from his freshman AND sophomore basketball teams before finally making the varsity his junior year.
FOR THE RAGE, IT’S A MATTER OF TRUST
By Mike Thompson
As Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt relays the story, it’s the last regular season game of the year against the Dayton Warbirds. Rage defensive lineman Jay Carmack has been brought to the sidelines after taking an exceptionally hard blow to the head. After being examined by team doctor Gene Bell, he’s told to have a seat on the bench. He’s suffered a concussion, and is too valuable to the team to risk further injury, which could, and most likely would, set him down for the playoffs as well. “So now, it’s Jay the competitor versus Doc, me and good judgment,” said Wyatt in his office last week, “Jay’s telling everyone he can go back in, fighting with my assistant coaches to get back on the field. I asked a coach if Jay could go, and the answer was yes, he says he can. Then I asked Doc, and he said Jay needs to sit it out. I told Coach Edmunds to tell Jay to have a seat. He’s done for the night.” It was then that Wyatt told me something I’ve long suspected after observing his relationship with our valued team physician, Dr. Gene Bell. “I trust Doc’s judgment completely. I mean, he has been absolutely correct in every, and I mean EVERY diagnosis regarding our players since he came on board, from strains to sprains, concussions, pulls, major injuries, surgery decisions, everything. I never doubt Doc, and that’s a comforting thought knowing I have someone working with our players that I can completely trust. When I send in my roster to the league on Thursday before our weekend games, I know I’ve got the best 25 players who are ready to go.”
The education, medical school bio and resume of Dr. Gene Dennis Bell reads like a profiled’ Who’s-Who’ in some medical journal. Admittedly, even I did not know the extent of his Doctorate and Post-Doctorate education until I requested his resume from Coach Wyatt last week to write this article. You gotta be kidding me!! It’s twenty-four, TWENTY-FOUR pages long, neatly typed, 8 by 10. Let’s just say for our purposes, he’s a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine with his own office on North Hiway 67 in Florissant, a member of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, a Certified Sports Physician, and a longtime member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The former Wisconsin University running back and semi-pro football player also holds teaching certificates in both Missouri and Wisconsin, has conducted medical and chiropractic seminars around the country, is an accomplished musician, and holds a qualified pilot’s license. No, he’s never, at least in my presence, turned water into wine, but he has the trust and respect of everyone on staff at Rage headquarters, and I’m glad to say, over the past year has become a good friend.
Perhaps Coach Wyatt says it best when he told me Tuesday that “Doc never really says a whole lot about himself. You’d never know he’s done as much as he has, but hey, the one’s who do the most usually let the accomplishments speak for themselves.”
And true to form, Doc Bell was eager to talk only about the River City Rage and it’s coaches and players when I spent time with him on Tuesday night. So Doc, tell me a bit about what you do when you’re not doing a hundred other things...tell me what you do for US.
“The most important thing you can do for a player is get a pre-season medical history before the guys hit the field, then couple that history with a physical exam. My four-page questionnaire goes back to the history of their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. The usual questions, any problems with heart disease, diabetes, sudden death and so on. We try to ward off any problems before they occur and this knowledge helps me make an evaluation that I can pass on to the coaches and trainer. At practice, and in games, I constantly watch players, I talk to them, and I look at their facial expressions during breaks in practice, and on the sidelines in games, trying to get a handle on how they REALLY feel, because guys won’t always tell you the truth regarding how they are. I make sure they get plenty of water, because hydration is the number one key.”
With tragedy striking both Missouri University and the San Francisco 49’ers of the NFL, more attention has been given to players and stress levels on the field. Doc Bell readily agrees that “a team doctor and trainer need to be in tune with the players on the field, how they react to environment conditions and the hits they’ve taken. You’re on the sidelines asking yourself things like, is this guy running the way he normally does, is he overly fatigued, short of breath, does he seem to be hurting? Now naturally, with an intense practice, you’re going to have players huffing and puffing, but you need to look for the EXTREMES regarding those conditions, and then act on them. Again, warding off problems before they occur.”
So valued is Bell’s expertise, The Rage are one of the few teams in the league that travel the team doctor with the team on road trips. Consequently, Doc Bell has been called on to help with diagnosis and evaluation regarding opposing players when injuries occur. Even then, his judgment isn’t questioned. As Coach Wyatt stated, “cost on any team is always a concern, so a team doctor becomes a buffer for the organization, the go-between for what’s not only best for the player in question, but the organization as well. If a player needs an M-R-I or some other high-end treatment, then so be it. We will always error on the side of caution, but if such a situation is not warranted, then you have to trust the judgment of your team doctor, and as I’ve said, Doc’s been right on every time.”
The rewards for such service? Doc didn’t hesitate to answer that one as Coach Wyatt and I sat in his Florissant office Tuesday evening discussing everything from football to politics. “Without doubt, the friendships with the coaches and players, my love of football, the excitement and energy you get from the games that you really can’t get anywhere else. It far outweighs any monetary or career type benefits. I just really enjoy it.” Then with the sweep of his hand in our direction, he said, “Just like now, here with you, Mike and you, Coach, sitting around talking about everything and nothing, enjoying friendship, those are the big rewards for me.’ I speak for myself, but I know Coach Wyatt will concur, I second that emotion. And, by now I’m sure you know, the good doctor is not wrong!!
First Capitol News High School Athlete of the Week
Duchesne’s Emily Wandersee steps up when needed
“She gets our momentum going; she comes up with the big block or she’ll come up with the big kill.” Duchesne head volleyball coach, Courtney Bland, commenting on junior volleyball player Emily Wandersee
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor Photo by Bob Barton
It may be early in the season, but head coach Courtney Bland’s Duchesne volleyball Pioneers have already made a name for themselves. As of Tuesday the ladies were sitting on a 5-1 record, including a perfect 1-0 in Gateway Athletic Conference action. Much of the team’s success falls on the shoulders of junior Emily Wandersee, this week’s First Capitol News High School Athlete of the Week.
“Emily is clearly our go to player,” said Bland, “She gets our momentum going; she comes up with the big block or she’ll come up with the big kill. She’s one of our captains and has taken on the roll of team leader.”
Statistically the 5’11” junior is among the team leaders in both offensive and defensive categories. “I’ve been playing volleyball since I was in the third or fourth grade,” shared the shy Wandersee, “I started playing at St. Elizabeth/St. Robert as soon as my mom let me start playing. My mom was my first coach, too,” offered Wandersee.
“We’ve really worked hard as a team,” Wandersee said, “and I think it all came together in the Effingham Tournament.” Certainly the highlight of the tournament was defeating defending State Champion Lutheran – St. Charles squad. “We play a very tough schedule. In addition to Borgia (Tuesday evening) we play St. Joseph’s Academy, Cor Jesu and Incarnate Word later in the season. I think Coach Bland does that to get us ready for State.”
State is exactly where Wandersee wants to end the season. “My best volleyball memory is going to State my freshman year,” she said, “Returning to State is without a doubt a goal, a team goal.”
Wandersee’s favorite teacher is Mrs. Schaffner. “She is more than just a teacher to me, she is someone I feel comfortable talking to, no matter what the subject – school related or not.”
“Coach Bland has taught me more about volleyball than I knew there was to know. She just knows so much about the game it is impossible to be around her and not improve,” offered Wandersee.
Her role models are her parents, Mark and Mary Joe Wandersee. “My parents made me what I am today, on the volleyball court, in the classroom, pretty much in all aspects of my life. I am not ashamed in the least to say how much I love both of them.”
Finally, the answer to the question: “Easy, I would have to say Applebee’s and I would order their famous chicken fingers.” She shared that Applebee’s chicken fingers is the team’s unofficial favorite meal.
To nominate an athlete contact Mike McMurran at 314.280.9189 or mcmurran@charter.net
Football roundup…
West Warriors save the best for last (quarter)
Score 14 pts. In final 6 minutes of game
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
The St. Charles West football Warriors overcame a 14-10 deficit Friday evening against visiting Cape Girardeau Central to pull out a 24 – 14 non-conference win. Trailing 14 – 10 with less than 6 minutes remaining in the contest, James Russell broke loose for a 53-yard touch down run. After Zach Ring’s successful PAT, the Warriors were on top 17-14. With less than two minutes remaining in the game, and buried deep on their own 8 yard line, Clifton Brown ended whatever dreams of victory Central possessed, with a 92 yard touch down scamper. Ring’s PAT closed out the scoring and the Warriors walked away with a 24-14 victory, and evened their record for the year at 1-1 (0-1 in GAC North play).
The Warriors travel to Holt this Friday evening for a Gateway Athletic Conference contest. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Nesslage gets first win as head coach
2nd time is the charm for former Pirate quarterback
After disappointing the home crowd in week #1’s contest against Jennings, head coach Corey Nesslage’s St. Charles Pirates took out their frustration on visiting Timberland as they pounded out a 34-6 GAC North Division victory.
Nick Pope was the offensive catalyst rushing for 223 yards and two scores on 13 carries. The defense was led by K.J. Rufkahr who recorded 10 tackles and 1 interception. The Pirates now stand 1-1 overall and 1-0 in GAC North play.
The Pirates will go for their second straight win Friday evening as they entertain Public High League power house Vashon in a 7 p.m. kick-off.
Defense leads Duchesne to GAC North win
4 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions spark 31-0 victory
Led by Matt Dalton’s 5 tackles and Joe Genebacher’s 2 fumble recoveries the Duchesne defense held Warrenton to 56 offensive yards (44 rushing/12 passing) while shutting out the Warriors 31-0 in GAC North Division action.
Offensively the Pioneers were led by Mitch Kohnen (15 carries/91 yards) and quarterback Collin Magilligan (1, 10 yd TD runs), as they improved to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in GAC North Division standings.
The Pioneers will have their work cut out for them this week as they travel to West St. Louis County to take on defending Class 4A State Champions Mary Institute Country Day School on Saturday. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. ttt
First Capitol News Photos by Bob Barton
Prep Sorts Calendar for the week of September 16 – 23
Friday, September 16
Football
Vashon at St. Charles, 7 p.m.
St. Charles West at Holt, 7 p.m.
Principia at Orchard Farm, 7 p.m.
Marquette at Howell North, 7 p.m.
Soccer
Whitfield at St. Charles West, 6 p.m.
Softball
Rosati-Kain vs. Duchesne at McNair, 4:15 p.m.
Saturday, September 17
Football
Duchesne at MICDS, 1 p.m.
Volleyball
Principia, Dupo at Orchard Farm, 9 a.m.
Soccer
Borgia at Duchesne, 7 p.m.
Monday, September 19
Volleyball
Howell North at Duchesne, 7 p.m.
Softball
Timberland vs. St. Charles at Kiwanis Park, 4:15
Duchesne at Zumwalt North, 4:15 p.m.
Hazelwood East at Orchard Farm, 4:15
Howell at Howell North, 4:15
Tuesday, September 20
Volleyball
Duchesne at Zumwalt, 5 p.m.
Montgomery County at Orchard Farm, 7:30 p.m.
Softball
St. Charles vs. Duchesne at Kiwanis Park, 4:15 p.m.
Zumwalt North at St. Charles West, 4:15 p.m.
Zumwalt South at Howell North, 4:15 p.m.
St. John at Orchard Farm, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 21
Volleyball
Orchard Farm at Winfield, 4:30 p.m.
Hazelwood East at St. Charles West, 7:30 p.m.
Soccer
Howell North vs. Hazelwood Central at Koch Park, 6:45 p.m.
Softball
St. Charles vs. Ritenour at Kiwanis Park, 4:15 p.m.
McCluer North at St. Charles West, 4:15 p.m.
Howell North vs. Duchesne at McNair Park, 4:15 p.m.
Thursday, September 22
Volleyball
St Charles at Warrenton, 7 p.m.
Softball
St. Charles at Holt, 4:15 p.m.
Orchard Farm at Westminster, 4:15 p.m.
Howell North at Zumwalt West, 4:15 p.m.
Friday, September 23
Football
St. Charles West vs. Zumwalt North at Lindenwood, 5 p.m.
Howell at Howell North, 7 p.m.
Volleyball
St. Charles West at Parkway North, 4:15 p.m.
St. Charles at Lutheran – St. Charles, 7 p.m.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the best part about this gig is meeting the various high school athletes and coaches. Nothing has changed. As regular readers already know, I end the “athlete of the week” column with a rather unique question. It goes something like this: “If you were given a credit card, with unlimited funds, to which restaurant would you go, and what would you order?” The question is not a McMurran original, but was created by a coaching buddy of mine. After practice, in an attempt to get to know our players better, we would put them “in the chair” and ask them that very question. The responses would vary beyond your wildest imagination. Anyway, I decided to use the same question to end the interview with the athletes of the week. By the end of last season most of the young men and young ladies I interviewed knew the question was coming.
On a related note, don’t complain about the selection of athlete of the week if you fail to nominate someone. Contact me and I will do my best to interview deserving student athletes.
Is it my imagination or does a majority of the population of St. Charles County, say between the ages of 6 –12, play “select soccer”? This past weekend as I attended my daughter’s game at Mueller Park, I couldn’t help but notice the number of young boys and girls with uniforms on claiming loyalty to “St. Louis Soccer Club,” “Wolfpack,” “Busch Soccer Club,” and others. It was hard to miss the teams with matching gym bags; at least I think they still call them gym bags, with the children’s names and numbers on them. I heard one young player apologizing for wearing her “home” jersey when she was expected to wear her “away” jersey. I cannot help but think things have gone too far when the coaches wear “official team shirts” complete with logos along with the coaches name on the shirt.
Now of course my wife is going to claim I am out of touch with reality, and maybe I am, but I recall being a child and playing at the park, unsupervised, from right after breakfast until lunchtime. After lunch we would head right back to the park and continue playing until dinner, at least. Of course I can also remember hopping freight trains and riding into St. Charles County to purchase fireworks, and hitchhiking back to Spanish Lake…on second thought, let’s keep the kids active in supervised activities.
We here in St. Charles really do have some of the best organized youth soccer programs I have ever seen. Between CYA, CYC and SCCYSA, there is a league for most anyone wanting to play. And I guess for those looking for some tougher competition, there is nothing wrong with competing in the so called “select” divisions.
I have been told by some, that if your child is not playing select by the time they are in 6th or 7th grade, their chances of making their high school teams are slim, at best. This may be true, but I don’t buy it. An athlete is an athlete – and the cream will eventually rise to the top. Select may give more quality instruction, and for the money it costs I would certainly hope so, but the fact remains if you have enough speed, can throw the ball hard enough, or can jump high enough, your high school coach will take you to the next level. We need only look to one of the most successful athletes of our time, Michael Jordan. Remember, he was cut from his freshman AND sophomore basketball teams before finally making the varsity his junior year.
FOR THE RAGE, IT’S A MATTER OF TRUST
By Mike Thompson
As Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt relays the story, it’s the last regular season game of the year against the Dayton Warbirds. Rage defensive lineman Jay Carmack has been brought to the sidelines after taking an exceptionally hard blow to the head. After being examined by team doctor Gene Bell, he’s told to have a seat on the bench. He’s suffered a concussion, and is too valuable to the team to risk further injury, which could, and most likely would, set him down for the playoffs as well. “So now, it’s Jay the competitor versus Doc, me and good judgment,” said Wyatt in his office last week, “Jay’s telling everyone he can go back in, fighting with my assistant coaches to get back on the field. I asked a coach if Jay could go, and the answer was yes, he says he can. Then I asked Doc, and he said Jay needs to sit it out. I told Coach Edmunds to tell Jay to have a seat. He’s done for the night.” It was then that Wyatt told me something I’ve long suspected after observing his relationship with our valued team physician, Dr. Gene Bell. “I trust Doc’s judgment completely. I mean, he has been absolutely correct in every, and I mean EVERY diagnosis regarding our players since he came on board, from strains to sprains, concussions, pulls, major injuries, surgery decisions, everything. I never doubt Doc, and that’s a comforting thought knowing I have someone working with our players that I can completely trust. When I send in my roster to the league on Thursday before our weekend games, I know I’ve got the best 25 players who are ready to go.”
The education, medical school bio and resume of Dr. Gene Dennis Bell reads like a profiled’ Who’s-Who’ in some medical journal. Admittedly, even I did not know the extent of his Doctorate and Post-Doctorate education until I requested his resume from Coach Wyatt last week to write this article. You gotta be kidding me!! It’s twenty-four, TWENTY-FOUR pages long, neatly typed, 8 by 10. Let’s just say for our purposes, he’s a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine with his own office on North Hiway 67 in Florissant, a member of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, a Certified Sports Physician, and a longtime member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The former Wisconsin University running back and semi-pro football player also holds teaching certificates in both Missouri and Wisconsin, has conducted medical and chiropractic seminars around the country, is an accomplished musician, and holds a qualified pilot’s license. No, he’s never, at least in my presence, turned water into wine, but he has the trust and respect of everyone on staff at Rage headquarters, and I’m glad to say, over the past year has become a good friend.
Perhaps Coach Wyatt says it best when he told me Tuesday that “Doc never really says a whole lot about himself. You’d never know he’s done as much as he has, but hey, the one’s who do the most usually let the accomplishments speak for themselves.”
And true to form, Doc Bell was eager to talk only about the River City Rage and it’s coaches and players when I spent time with him on Tuesday night. So Doc, tell me a bit about what you do when you’re not doing a hundred other things...tell me what you do for US.
“The most important thing you can do for a player is get a pre-season medical history before the guys hit the field, then couple that history with a physical exam. My four-page questionnaire goes back to the history of their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. The usual questions, any problems with heart disease, diabetes, sudden death and so on. We try to ward off any problems before they occur and this knowledge helps me make an evaluation that I can pass on to the coaches and trainer. At practice, and in games, I constantly watch players, I talk to them, and I look at their facial expressions during breaks in practice, and on the sidelines in games, trying to get a handle on how they REALLY feel, because guys won’t always tell you the truth regarding how they are. I make sure they get plenty of water, because hydration is the number one key.”
With tragedy striking both Missouri University and the San Francisco 49’ers of the NFL, more attention has been given to players and stress levels on the field. Doc Bell readily agrees that “a team doctor and trainer need to be in tune with the players on the field, how they react to environment conditions and the hits they’ve taken. You’re on the sidelines asking yourself things like, is this guy running the way he normally does, is he overly fatigued, short of breath, does he seem to be hurting? Now naturally, with an intense practice, you’re going to have players huffing and puffing, but you need to look for the EXTREMES regarding those conditions, and then act on them. Again, warding off problems before they occur.”
So valued is Bell’s expertise, The Rage are one of the few teams in the league that travel the team doctor with the team on road trips. Consequently, Doc Bell has been called on to help with diagnosis and evaluation regarding opposing players when injuries occur. Even then, his judgment isn’t questioned. As Coach Wyatt stated, “cost on any team is always a concern, so a team doctor becomes a buffer for the organization, the go-between for what’s not only best for the player in question, but the organization as well. If a player needs an M-R-I or some other high-end treatment, then so be it. We will always error on the side of caution, but if such a situation is not warranted, then you have to trust the judgment of your team doctor, and as I’ve said, Doc’s been right on every time.”
The rewards for such service? Doc didn’t hesitate to answer that one as Coach Wyatt and I sat in his Florissant office Tuesday evening discussing everything from football to politics. “Without doubt, the friendships with the coaches and players, my love of football, the excitement and energy you get from the games that you really can’t get anywhere else. It far outweighs any monetary or career type benefits. I just really enjoy it.” Then with the sweep of his hand in our direction, he said, “Just like now, here with you, Mike and you, Coach, sitting around talking about everything and nothing, enjoying friendship, those are the big rewards for me.’ I speak for myself, but I know Coach Wyatt will concur, I second that emotion. And, by now I’m sure you know, the good doctor is not wrong!!
First Capitol News High School Athlete of the Week
Duchesne’s Emily Wandersee steps up when needed
“She gets our momentum going; she comes up with the big block or she’ll come up with the big kill.” Duchesne head volleyball coach, Courtney Bland, commenting on junior volleyball player Emily Wandersee
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor Photo by Bob Barton
It may be early in the season, but head coach Courtney Bland’s Duchesne volleyball Pioneers have already made a name for themselves. As of Tuesday the ladies were sitting on a 5-1 record, including a perfect 1-0 in Gateway Athletic Conference action. Much of the team’s success falls on the shoulders of junior Emily Wandersee, this week’s First Capitol News High School Athlete of the Week.
“Emily is clearly our go to player,” said Bland, “She gets our momentum going; she comes up with the big block or she’ll come up with the big kill. She’s one of our captains and has taken on the roll of team leader.”
Statistically the 5’11” junior is among the team leaders in both offensive and defensive categories. “I’ve been playing volleyball since I was in the third or fourth grade,” shared the shy Wandersee, “I started playing at St. Elizabeth/St. Robert as soon as my mom let me start playing. My mom was my first coach, too,” offered Wandersee.
“We’ve really worked hard as a team,” Wandersee said, “and I think it all came together in the Effingham Tournament.” Certainly the highlight of the tournament was defeating defending State Champion Lutheran – St. Charles squad. “We play a very tough schedule. In addition to Borgia (Tuesday evening) we play St. Joseph’s Academy, Cor Jesu and Incarnate Word later in the season. I think Coach Bland does that to get us ready for State.”
State is exactly where Wandersee wants to end the season. “My best volleyball memory is going to State my freshman year,” she said, “Returning to State is without a doubt a goal, a team goal.”
Wandersee’s favorite teacher is Mrs. Schaffner. “She is more than just a teacher to me, she is someone I feel comfortable talking to, no matter what the subject – school related or not.”
“Coach Bland has taught me more about volleyball than I knew there was to know. She just knows so much about the game it is impossible to be around her and not improve,” offered Wandersee.
Her role models are her parents, Mark and Mary Joe Wandersee. “My parents made me what I am today, on the volleyball court, in the classroom, pretty much in all aspects of my life. I am not ashamed in the least to say how much I love both of them.”
Finally, the answer to the question: “Easy, I would have to say Applebee’s and I would order their famous chicken fingers.” She shared that Applebee’s chicken fingers is the team’s unofficial favorite meal.
To nominate an athlete contact Mike McMurran at 314.280.9189 or mcmurran@charter.net
Football roundup…
West Warriors save the best for last (quarter)
Score 14 pts. In final 6 minutes of game
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
The St. Charles West football Warriors overcame a 14-10 deficit Friday evening against visiting Cape Girardeau Central to pull out a 24 – 14 non-conference win. Trailing 14 – 10 with less than 6 minutes remaining in the contest, James Russell broke loose for a 53-yard touch down run. After Zach Ring’s successful PAT, the Warriors were on top 17-14. With less than two minutes remaining in the game, and buried deep on their own 8 yard line, Clifton Brown ended whatever dreams of victory Central possessed, with a 92 yard touch down scamper. Ring’s PAT closed out the scoring and the Warriors walked away with a 24-14 victory, and evened their record for the year at 1-1 (0-1 in GAC North play).
The Warriors travel to Holt this Friday evening for a Gateway Athletic Conference contest. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Nesslage gets first win as head coach
2nd time is the charm for former Pirate quarterback
After disappointing the home crowd in week #1’s contest against Jennings, head coach Corey Nesslage’s St. Charles Pirates took out their frustration on visiting Timberland as they pounded out a 34-6 GAC North Division victory.
Nick Pope was the offensive catalyst rushing for 223 yards and two scores on 13 carries. The defense was led by K.J. Rufkahr who recorded 10 tackles and 1 interception. The Pirates now stand 1-1 overall and 1-0 in GAC North play.
The Pirates will go for their second straight win Friday evening as they entertain Public High League power house Vashon in a 7 p.m. kick-off.
Defense leads Duchesne to GAC North win
4 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions spark 31-0 victory
Led by Matt Dalton’s 5 tackles and Joe Genebacher’s 2 fumble recoveries the Duchesne defense held Warrenton to 56 offensive yards (44 rushing/12 passing) while shutting out the Warriors 31-0 in GAC North Division action.
Offensively the Pioneers were led by Mitch Kohnen (15 carries/91 yards) and quarterback Collin Magilligan (1, 10 yd TD runs), as they improved to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in GAC North Division standings.
The Pioneers will have their work cut out for them this week as they travel to West St. Louis County to take on defending Class 4A State Champions Mary Institute Country Day School on Saturday. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. ttt
First Capitol News Photos by Bob Barton
Prep Sorts Calendar for the week of September 16 – 23
Friday, September 16
Football
Vashon at St. Charles, 7 p.m.
St. Charles West at Holt, 7 p.m.
Principia at Orchard Farm, 7 p.m.
Marquette at Howell North, 7 p.m.
Soccer
Whitfield at St. Charles West, 6 p.m.
Softball
Rosati-Kain vs. Duchesne at McNair, 4:15 p.m.
Saturday, September 17
Football
Duchesne at MICDS, 1 p.m.
Volleyball
Principia, Dupo at Orchard Farm, 9 a.m.
Soccer
Borgia at Duchesne, 7 p.m.
Monday, September 19
Volleyball
Howell North at Duchesne, 7 p.m.
Softball
Timberland vs. St. Charles at Kiwanis Park, 4:15
Duchesne at Zumwalt North, 4:15 p.m.
Hazelwood East at Orchard Farm, 4:15
Howell at Howell North, 4:15
Tuesday, September 20
Volleyball
Duchesne at Zumwalt, 5 p.m.
Montgomery County at Orchard Farm, 7:30 p.m.
Softball
St. Charles vs. Duchesne at Kiwanis Park, 4:15 p.m.
Zumwalt North at St. Charles West, 4:15 p.m.
Zumwalt South at Howell North, 4:15 p.m.
St. John at Orchard Farm, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 21
Volleyball
Orchard Farm at Winfield, 4:30 p.m.
Hazelwood East at St. Charles West, 7:30 p.m.
Soccer
Howell North vs. Hazelwood Central at Koch Park, 6:45 p.m.
Softball
St. Charles vs. Ritenour at Kiwanis Park, 4:15 p.m.
McCluer North at St. Charles West, 4:15 p.m.
Howell North vs. Duchesne at McNair Park, 4:15 p.m.
Thursday, September 22
Volleyball
St Charles at Warrenton, 7 p.m.
Softball
St. Charles at Holt, 4:15 p.m.
Orchard Farm at Westminster, 4:15 p.m.
Howell North at Zumwalt West, 4:15 p.m.
Friday, September 23
Football
St. Charles West vs. Zumwalt North at Lindenwood, 5 p.m.
Howell at Howell North, 7 p.m.
Volleyball
St. Charles West at Parkway North, 4:15 p.m.
St. Charles at Lutheran – St. Charles, 7 p.m.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
MAYOR’S ENDORSEMENT COULD COST TAXPAYERS MILLION$
What Affect Will Mayor's Letter Have On $104 Million Lawsuit Against City?
By Tony Brockmeyer
Several local attorneys interviewed by the First Capitol News believe a glowing endorsement letter written by Mayor Patti York, to St. Louis Police Chief Joseph Mokwa, on behalf of fired St. Charles Police Sergeant Tommy Mayer, could have a chilling effect on the $104 million lawsuit Mayer has filed against the City.
The letter, dated May 3, 2005 (see letter on page 3) from the Mayor calls the firing a political “payback” to Sgt. Mayer. She also says in the letter she believes he will be successful in his lawsuit. She writes that she is proud of his record and proud of his service to our City and she is proud to have him as a friend. She also said that she thinks the Council members were picking on him.
Mayer was fired after an investigation regarding an incident where it was alleged he forced City Administrator Allan Williams to the ground at gun point during a traffic stop.
In June of 2004 shortly after the lawsuit was filed by Mayer against the City, the First Capitol News reported Mayor York’s close ties to Tommy Mayer, his and her (the Mayor) PR firm, Glennon Jamboretz and to Citizens for Responsible Community.
The First Capitol News learned that Glennon Public Relations handled the press conference and the press release regarding Mayer’s filing of the suit against the City. In that edition our sources informed us, they don’t believe in coincidence regarding what appears to be close ties between all those involved with the Mayor, Thomas Mayer and the contributors to Citizens for a Responsible Community.
According to Glennon’s web site, their client list includes Anheuser Busch, large home builders and Ameristar Casinos. Several Councilmen have complained this same bunch is trying to take over the City of St. Charles and gain control of the $100 million budget.
The First Capitol News also reported Mayor York supported Tommy Mayer’s receiving 200 hours of paid leave to work on Fraternal Order of Police business, a organization of which he is the president, at the expense of St. Charles taxpayers. Tommy Mayer and the FOP, supported York when she ran for City Council in 1993 as well as her most recent Mayoral election.
Most recently, the Mayor, under oath, admitted Tommy Mayer was her close friend and in the most recent disclosed document she stated, “I am extremely sorry to see Sergeant Mayer leave our employment. If there was anything I could do to stop it, I would have.” The Mayor also indicated, I believe he will be successful in his $104 million lawsuit.
After the discovery of this most recent letter written by the Mayor supporting Tommy Mayer alleging that all his accusations were true, our source from 2004 phoned us and said, “Now that all the pieces of the puzzle had come together, I called to tell you I told you so.”
Councilman Bob Hoepfner, for the past year, had questioned whether the Mayor was going to be loyal to the taxpayers of St. Charles or to Tommy Mayer.
Our sources also stated, now you know why the Mayor was not named in the suit.
In our April 2, 2005 edition the First Capitol News reported, City Administrator Allan Williams was investigating Tommy Mayer after receiving numerous complaints that Mayer was visiting the home of his girl friend while he was on duty. Shortly after midnight on March 24th Williams was ordered out of his vehicle at gun point on the parking lot of the police headquarters and forced to lie face down on the ground by Police Sgt. Tommy Mayer.
On September 2, 2005 Chet Pleban, the attorney for the City of St. Charles took Mayor York’s deposition at her private attorney’s office, Gallop, Johnson & Neuman, in Clayton in St. Louis County.
A defense fund had been set up by Glennon Jamboretz, Ken Kielty, TR Hughes, Kevin Kast, and other large developers and home builders to raise money to pay Gallop, Johnson & Neuman for her legal defense. in the Express Scripts incident where it was alleged that she signed a contract without City Council approval, in violation of the City Charter and City ordinances. Her signing of this contract resulted in an additional claim being filed against the City for $200,000.
Our 2004 Sources said, “We told you so!”
All attempts to get comments from City Council members were referred to Chet Pleban, the City’s attorney.
Pleban told the First Capitol News, “We are evaluating her commentary in her letter and her efforts to retract her statements. Admittedly, in a recent deposition, she said there was no factual basis for the statements in her letter. When asked if she was going to retract her letter to Joe Mokawa, (Police Chief for St. Louis City), she responded she needed to think about that.”
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Missing Document Found - Proves Brown Right
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
A document dated January 29, 2004 has been discovered at City Hall that proves Mark Brown owed nothing additional for sewer tap on fees for his home on Pearl Ridge despite claims by City Administrator Allan Williams and others.
The First Capitol News reported in earlier editions the City Administration was claiming that Brown owed money and did not have an occupancy permit for his home and was therefore ineligible to hold office as a City Councilman. Brown disputed those claims in our earlier edition and presented proof that the money was not owed. He also showed that some documents offered by the City had apparently been altered and others were missing from the file.
The St. Charles County Sheriff’s office has began an investigation to determine if the documents were altered and if so by whom.
The missing document from then assistant City Attorney Robert Hoeynck and dated January 29, 2004 was discovered on the hard drive of a computer at City Hall (see document on page 13). In the document addressed to Tom Ashburn (Director of Community Development) Hoeynck wrote, Mr. Brown should only have been charged the $500 he actually paid for sewer tap on fees in conjunction with building permit #1083. Attempting to charge him the additional $225 was improper, and any efforts to collect the $225 should cease. Additionally, I have been informed that Mr. Brown still has not received his final inspection on the permit due to the $225 “debt.” that final inspection should be performed.
City Administrator Williams and others were claiming that Brown owed the money and was not eligible to hold office as a City Councilman. They went so far as to present their evidence to St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas and Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon requesting that action be taken to remove Brown from office. Their request was denied.
Even though former City Attorney Robert Hoeynck, Current City Council’s lawyer, Eric Tolen and former City Adminstrator and current City Attorney Mike Valenti disagrees, Williams said it was his opinion Brown was wrong and Williams then presented a package of information to the City Council members giving his contrary opinion Williams does not have a law degree.
At the City Council meeting Tuesday evening City Council President Rory Riddler presented his opinion to the Council:
RE: Pearl Ridge Sewer Tap On Fee
The City Administrator recently distributed what he called a SUMMARY OF FINDINGS with regard to an alleged amount owed the City by City Councilman Mark Brown. Having reviewed the material in-depth, I have reached the opposite conclusion of Dr. Williams.
I felt it necessary to respond in memo form myself, as there was an omission of key information which I feel helps clear this matter up.
Assistant City Attorney Findings
My findings concur with those of the former Assistant City Attorney Robert Hoeynck who concluded on January 29, 2004 that:
“I have reviewed the documents on this and conclude that the City had no authority to charge Mr. Brown the $225 back in July 2000. Therefore he is not in arrears to the City for $225, and no further action should be undertaken to collect this sum.”
Mr. Hoeynck's memo goes on to describe attempting to charge Mr. Brown the additional $225 as “improper” and recommended that “any efforts to collect the $225 should cease”.
This memo was sent to several persons in the Public Works Department and to Mike Valenti who was both City Attorney and Acting City Administrator at the time. It was not forwarded on to Mr. Brown who was a candidate for office at the time. No one at the time disagreed with the memo and all collection efforts ceased for the next nineteen months!
Interpretation Of 52.55 As Modified By 33.158
City Ordinance 52.55 does say that the Board of Public Works shall have authority to assess tap-on fees, user charges, and surcharges. But that power is modified by the language in the previous paragraph which states:
“Rates and charges for the use and services of the sanitary sewer system of the City are to be established by the Board of Public Works, pursuant to 33.158.” Section 33.158 says that the authority to set rates is subject to approval of the City Council.
What Action Did Board Take?
Also open to interpretation is what action the Board took relative to these rates and when.
January 10, 2000 Memo From Debra Aylsworth, Assistant City Engineer states that on December 18, 1996 the Board agreed for the City “to enter into” a recoupment agreement. It does not say they did.
Those early minutes say such an agreement should be “drafted” and a motion then carried to enter into such an agreement. There was no agreement to approve because it was not drafted and their action set no rate.
The January 10, 2000 memo goes on to say: “Attached is a revised recoupment agreement for your approval...” That attached agreement says the sewer rate should be $1,092.
The Board of Public Works Minutes of January 10, 2000 includes a motion saying the charge should be the same for all 64 lots. It does not say in the motion what that charge should be, nor does it approve the language of the revised recoupment agreement provided by staff to the Board.
I do not believe you can set a rate for which there is no agreement or legal basis.
Use Of Words “Recommend Approval”
The March 13, 2000 Memo from Debra Aylsworth says the sewer agreements are attached for the review and approval of the Board of Public Works. The Board then voted to “recommend approval”. The official minutes do not say the agreement is executed by the Board’s action, it says they “recommend” approval.
Which leads us to ask, recommend to whom? Obviously to the City Council and Mayor. In this draft agreement is the first reference to the rate being $725. There is no motion of the Board saying they have set this rate.
When Was Agreement Executed?
The agreement as recommended by the Board of Public Works was passed by the Council and signed by the Mayor on 11/27/2000 and by Mr. Wade on 12/11/2000. That is when the agreement between the two parties was in force.
Mr. Brown’s permit was in July of 2000. The fee and the agreement were not in effect.
How do you charge someone a rate for an agreement that doesn’t exist?
Other Evidence
I was somewhat surprised the RCA for the 11/14/00 meeting of the City Council was omitted from the research provided by the City Administrator. Here is the relevant 3rd paragraph which reads as follows:
“The attached revised recoupment agreement sets the sewer tap fees for the properties described in the attachment as $725 per residence, which prorates the increased cost of the lift station to those properties receiving the benefit. The City, in turn, agrees to pay the Developer quarterly an amount equal to tap fees collected not to exceed $46,447.50, which was actual cost of the lift station upgrade.”
Our own RCA, prepared by the Public Works staff, told the City Council on that date the agreement before us for approval “sets the sewer tap fees” for the properties described.
Role Of City Clerk
By law, the City Clerk determines if a Councilman elect is in arrears for any unpaid city fees prior to his or her swearing in. The City Clerk checked on Councilman Mark Brown in April of 2004 and declared that he was not in arrears.
Role Of The Finance Director
Ordinance 150.077 puts responsibility on the City Collector for maintaining a list of persons in arrears for certain fees and permits. Under the Charter the Finance Director is also the City Collector. It was this office that was consulted by the City Clerk and determined that Councilman Brown was not in arrears for any city fees or taxes.
The Clerk and the Finance Director have these responsibilities by law. While the Administrator may have an opinion that Mr. Brown owes this fee, I do not see it borne out by any of the evidence we were presented and that position was further weakened by the evidence which wasn’t presented.
I feel that further debate beyond the presentation of these documents is better left to press conferences and should not impede any further on the time we have to do the public’s business.
The First Capitol News contacted Mark Brown and asked why he thought the City Administrator, Williams, would continue to say you owe this bill, knowing that the former City Attorney, Current City Attorney/former City Administrator and the current City Council Eric Tolen disagrees?
Mark Brown replied, “It is a known fact that Williams is a close ally of Mayor York and has been acting as her campaign manager. He is closely tied to the developers and he is extremely upset with me for questioning his expense account.” We asked Brown what further action he thought would be taken concerning this matter. Brown said, “I know Williams has brought in the Sheriff’s department. Detective Sgt. Copeland informed Brown as we were going to press that he had located additional receipts which showed I paid the $225 that was in question. At this point the City now owes me a refund of $475 for funds they collected from me that I now find out I never owed. I planned to seek a refund. ttt
HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF CONCERT Sunday Sept. 18 pm Frontier Park
Hurricane Katrina Relief
Sunday September 18
2:00 PM to 8:00 PM
FRONTIER PARK
St. Charles MO
We would like to invite folks down to the St. Charles Riverfront to bring donations of food, money, gift cards etc solely to benefit hurricane victims. On hand will be representatives of the Red Cross Disaster Relief Services, Salvation Army, Catholic Relief Services, Oasis Food Pantry and other charitable organizations will have booths and donation drop off points in the park.
In return for your generosity there will be an evening of free entertainment. Regional Bands will be playing on the Jaycee Stage in Frontier Park. Food and beverages will be available for purchase with the proceeds all going to benefit the hurricane victims.
Come on out and enjoy an afternoon/evening of great entertainment and help our fellow countrymen in their time of need.
For Questions: Contact Gene at 636-916-0883 or TJ 636-795-8887
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RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
It’s Time For the Mayor To Resign
Mayor York has placed City tax payers at risk over an endorsement and a friendship with Fraternal Order of Police President Tommy Mayer. In this paper you will find a letter that was introduced as evidence in a law suit against the City by Tommy Mayer sent by Mayor Patti York to St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa. One has to question the motives and thoughts of York in sending a letter of recommendation while the taxpayers of this City are being sued for $104 million. When York wrote the letter she was aware of the law suit, she was aware that Mayer had placed the City Administrator on the ground at gun point during a traffic stop and was aware that Mayer had been fired. York placed her own selfish interest above that of the St. Charles citizens who will be stuck paying the bill if Mayer is victorious in his lawsuit. In the letter York claims that Tommy Mayer was harassed and that the Council singled him out, yet in her deposition under oath York said she “had no direct knowledge of that”. So which Mayor York are we to believe? Did she know or didn’t she? Did she send a false letter of recommendation to the St. Louis Police department in violation of the City Charter?
According to her testimony in deposition, under oath, the answer is, she didn’t have any knowledge of what York and Mayer accuse members of Council of doing. That makes the last question a big, “Yes”. The Mayor of St. Charles used her friendship with Chief Mokwa to influence the hiring practices in St. Louis and sent a letter that appears to be in direct conflict with her testimony under oath. Like her signing of the Express Scripts contract in violation of the City Charter and ordinances, she has once again signed something you and I might have to pay for. Of course we will have to pay for the legal wrangling that this letter will produce. Because York went out on her own and wrote this letter without asking the City Attorneys if it was proper, it could cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars to determine if what York has done is detrimental to the case.
This letter will probably be a key piece of evidence if this case goes to trial. How can the Chief Executive Officer of this City send something that goes against the best interest of the taxpayers? The answer to that question could be what Tom Mayer has hanging over York’s head and could be why she would jeopardized the City of St. Charles residents in this way. York has violated our trust and has demonstrated that she is in this for herself and not for the good of St. Charles. The next time you ask the Mayor a question you might want to put her under oath before getting the answer. On second thought what does it matter, I think we all see her in her true light.
Mayor York should do the citizens of St. Charles a favor and resign immediately.
“STOOPS WELL BELOW THE GUTTER WHEN REPORTING THE NEWS”
In her letter of recommendation for Tommy Mayer to Chief Mokwa of the St. Louis Police Department the Mayor writes, a local paper that stoops well below the gutter when”reporting” the news. What the Mayor failed to point out is that it is necessary for us to stoop below the gutter in order to report on her activities. It is ironic that when we report on the activities of the Mayor and her friends they claim we stoop below the gutter, but never consider their actions as being below the gutter. Mayor, we would love to step out of the gutter when reporting on you and your friends, so anytime you want to climb out, we will be right behind you.
MAYOR’S BODY GUARD COSTS $51.50 an hour
The cost to date for a body guard for Mayor York has amounted to $2,130.06 and averages approximately $51.50 an hour.
This includes a cost of $256.60 for a police sergeant to accompany the Mayor to the swearing in of the Chief of Police in Madison, Illinois on May 11th.
Mayor York has placed City tax payers at risk over an endorsement and a friendship with Fraternal Order of Police President Tommy Mayer. In this paper you will find a letter that was introduced as evidence in a law suit against the City by Tommy Mayer sent by Mayor Patti York to St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa. One has to question the motives and thoughts of York in sending a letter of recommendation while the taxpayers of this City are being sued for $104 million. When York wrote the letter she was aware of the law suit, she was aware that Mayer had placed the City Administrator on the ground at gun point during a traffic stop and was aware that Mayer had been fired. York placed her own selfish interest above that of the St. Charles citizens who will be stuck paying the bill if Mayer is victorious in his lawsuit. In the letter York claims that Tommy Mayer was harassed and that the Council singled him out, yet in her deposition under oath York said she “had no direct knowledge of that”. So which Mayor York are we to believe? Did she know or didn’t she? Did she send a false letter of recommendation to the St. Louis Police department in violation of the City Charter?
According to her testimony in deposition, under oath, the answer is, she didn’t have any knowledge of what York and Mayer accuse members of Council of doing. That makes the last question a big, “Yes”. The Mayor of St. Charles used her friendship with Chief Mokwa to influence the hiring practices in St. Louis and sent a letter that appears to be in direct conflict with her testimony under oath. Like her signing of the Express Scripts contract in violation of the City Charter and ordinances, she has once again signed something you and I might have to pay for. Of course we will have to pay for the legal wrangling that this letter will produce. Because York went out on her own and wrote this letter without asking the City Attorneys if it was proper, it could cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars to determine if what York has done is detrimental to the case.
This letter will probably be a key piece of evidence if this case goes to trial. How can the Chief Executive Officer of this City send something that goes against the best interest of the taxpayers? The answer to that question could be what Tom Mayer has hanging over York’s head and could be why she would jeopardized the City of St. Charles residents in this way. York has violated our trust and has demonstrated that she is in this for herself and not for the good of St. Charles. The next time you ask the Mayor a question you might want to put her under oath before getting the answer. On second thought what does it matter, I think we all see her in her true light.
Mayor York should do the citizens of St. Charles a favor and resign immediately.
“STOOPS WELL BELOW THE GUTTER WHEN REPORTING THE NEWS”
In her letter of recommendation for Tommy Mayer to Chief Mokwa of the St. Louis Police Department the Mayor writes, a local paper that stoops well below the gutter when”reporting” the news. What the Mayor failed to point out is that it is necessary for us to stoop below the gutter in order to report on her activities. It is ironic that when we report on the activities of the Mayor and her friends they claim we stoop below the gutter, but never consider their actions as being below the gutter. Mayor, we would love to step out of the gutter when reporting on you and your friends, so anytime you want to climb out, we will be right behind you.
MAYOR’S BODY GUARD COSTS $51.50 an hour
The cost to date for a body guard for Mayor York has amounted to $2,130.06 and averages approximately $51.50 an hour.
This includes a cost of $256.60 for a police sergeant to accompany the Mayor to the swearing in of the Chief of Police in Madison, Illinois on May 11th.
THE PEOPLE SPEAK - Letters To The Editor
IN NEED OF HELP FOR KATRINA VICTIMS.
Dear Sir,
We have been informed that there are 2,000 people from the New Orleans Disaster area and are coming to the St. Charles City and County area. We are in need of help with providing for all of their needs. We have had places that have been donated for the families to live in but they need to be cleaned. So we need volunteers who will help clean these places so they can move right in. We need clothing and shoes, all sizes and types. Infant clothing, diapers and formula. Also toiletries, towels-wash cloths, pillows and blankets. We will need school supplies for the children when they start school. We need Non- Perishable foods and personal hygiene products. If you would like to make a Money donation you can send it to Regions Bank at 423 First Capitol Dr. St. Charles, Mo and in the Memo area you should put Christ the King Ministry Inc. You can also contact us at (636) 373-2337 or (636) 925-0335. Please help if you can. Thank you very much. God Bless !!!!!!!
Dear Editor:
I’m writing about this ridiculously skewed poll run in the Journal regarding fireworks. I am a fireworks retailer who has lived in this community my entire lift (almost everyone else lives out of the county; some even live out of state). I am writing this letter to show that it is not giving the proper ratio of yes to no votes. The Journal claims that they could not fit all of the votes in their articles. How many “yes” votes were not published versus the “no” votes?
Let’s break it down:
$30,000 for fireworks
$10,000 for labor
$ 7,000 for the property leased to greedy landlords
$ 4,000 to the city of St. Charles for the license (Now they want to raise it to
$ 5,000)
$ 3,000 for the tent rental
$ 8,000 for misc. supplies: electric, port-a-potty, cash registers, tables, bags, baskets, lumber, signs, storage, trash, state fees, gravel, etc.
That comes to a grand total of $62,000 just to break even.
Now let’s say a family spends an average of $30,000 (average based on the last 5 years of sales). That means that we must have 1482 families to break even. Suppose there are 3.5 people per family. That comes to 5187 individuals. Multiply that by 40 fireworks stands that held a license in the city and county, you come up with 207,480 people. The 2000 population census for St Charles County was 283,883. That is 73 percent of the population. Not the 16 percent claimed by the Journals’ poll taken over the last few months. Yes, some people come from other counties but over the last five years, St. Charles County citizens account for 92 percent of our sales. I believe the amount of “no” votes in the poll provided by the Journal, however, I do not believe they are publishing the correct ratios, or the people who are in favor, are not voicing their opinion.
I know in my neighborhood, more people discharge fireworks than those who don’t. If only 16 percent of the people were truly for fireworks, you would have 40 bankrupt fireworks stands.
Dennis Thebeau
St. Charles
Hello,
Just a note of thanks for all the ads you have done for the First Capitol Lions Club.
Thanks a ton
Ed Klenc
2005-2006 President of FC Lions Club
First Capitol News
This is a personal note of compliment for FCN. I appreciate your effort to present all sides of locally important issues. I hope you will continue to preside over an open forum.
I’ve checked a letter and drawing from the City of St. Charles demonstrating the intent of the City to make 30 acres available for marina, restaurant, night club development. Please pass this along to “Charles Hill” along with my thanks for the good words about our business in the July 30 Charles Hill commentary.
Sincerely
George Worthington
To The Editor:
This letter is in response to two articles in the First Capital News (August 27th)
1) Comments & Commentary by Charles Hill
2) Clowns and Friends by Lynndi Lockenour
I have written more than one letter to FCN concerning the survival of Historic Frenchtown, North and South Main St. I read about the closing of shops on South Main St. Crafty Lady and Clowns and Friends, both of them site a number of reasons, 9/11,the casinos and now gas prices.
I am not a shop owner and I do not know the retail business, but it seems to me, if the store owners want to be successful and survive they should ALL STAY OPEN LATER. You can’t expect to make money when your hours are 10 to 5 daily and closed on Monday. 9 to 5 is when most people are working, so how do the shop owners expect to survive if they close at 5? The shop owners need to stick together and ALL STAY OPEN LATER and be prepared to stay open late longer than a month. It will take more than a month to get the word out, that hours have changed in Historic Frenchtown, North and South Main St.
More advertisement is crucial to survival, if gas prices are a problem, advertise to St. Charles and St. Louis customers. If the casinos are offering the tour bus drivers $50 then the shops should offer $75. If the tour bus drivers are letting the people off at the casinos, maybe St. Charles should use the Trolley to take the people to Historic Frenchtown, North and South Main St. I’m sure not all the people on the buses want to gamble.
If the malls are getting the business, maybe the shops should consider their pricing and perhaps different inventory. The shop owners are concerned about the lost of foreign travelers, just how much can foreign traveler carry on an airplane?
Advertising is so very important, the CVB needs to promote Frenchtown, North and South Main St. They need to better educate volunteers and have at least one paid employee at the CVB on weekends and holidays. The CVB should have a meeting once a month, to provide information and promotional ideas, these meeting should be attended by shop owners, restaurants owners, hotel, motel, B&B owners, and representatives from radio and TV stations. These same businesses should put information on their web sites about later hours and up coming events in Historic Frenchtown, North and South Main St.. It wouldn’t cost a penny and just think how many more people we could reach.
We are all in this together. Lets make it everybody's business to promote Historic Frenchtown , North and South Main St., The Art Foundry, The New Convention Center and The Family Arena
Most Sincerely
Rhona Lococo
Lococo House ll Bed & Breakfast
1309 N. Fifth St. 636-946-0619
We are all in this together
Letter to the editor
“…Our nation’s elected officials in Washington have formed a partnership with the corporate supremacists and special interest groups in an effort to drive profits to the bottom line of U.S. multinationals at the expense of hard-working Americans.” This is copied from CNN.Com 8/31/05
I am concerned that this government macrocosm is being replayed as a microcosm right here in St Charles City and throughout the county. I read the First Capital News regularly to stay abreast of how special interest groups are attempting to railroad our elected Councilpersons that are resisting the temptation to form a partnership with the supremacists and special interest groups.
Last night I received two identical cards in the mail soliciting me to recall Mark Brown. I also see roadside signs on Arena parkway with the same message. I asked myself are these concerned citizens sending this message or is it the supremacists and special interest groups that are trying to remove an impediment to their master plan. I believe it is the latter.
I believe this is especially true after I phoned Councilman Brown and asked him what his motive is. In the ten minute conversation, I discerned that he is concerned about representing tax-paying citizens in the community. He told me about the pain his family is enduring even though they are not the elected officials. Also, he told me that on one occasion, he was offered $125,000 if he would vote in favor of a special interest project. He told me that he refused because his integrity is not for sale. There were other topics as well, but that provides a flavor of our phone conversation.
We also wondered together about the motive of Ed Watkins. He doesn’t even live in the community yet he produces a section in another newspaper that is devoted to trashing elected officials that won’t be influenced by the special interest groups.
I want to ask two things in closing. First, I want to ask others who support the Councilpersons who are fighting for us tax-paying citizens to become more vocal. Let’s not allow the special interest groups to take over our community. The second thing is that I want to ask Ed Watkins to publicly state in writing what his motive is for trashing public officials in a community where he is not a tax-paying citizen. Come-on Ed, the face you put on in front of the church community is contrary to the venomous message you are publishing in the newspaper. Which is the real Ed Watkins?
A concerned tax-paying citizen
Veterans and Citizens for Truth
314-544-5000 Fax: 314-544-5260
Benefit for thousands of Wounded Veterans - Many in Missouri & Katrina Hit areas - September 17th
Westin Hotel, St. Louis 811 Spruce Street
6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Due to the disaster in the Gulf we are hoping you will continue to open your hearts to the desperate wounded soldiers returning everyday from Iraq. $100 gets you into the event but any amount you can afford will be appreciated and we hope some of the larger corporations will donate upwards of $1,000. All donations can be mailed to:
VACT
10241 Tesson Valley Ct.
St. Louis, MO 63123-7901
Non Profit Missouri Organization – All Volunteer – No salaries taken.
The event is bringing in speakers from around the country; Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Illinois as well as entertainment like the wonderful Ms. Jeannie Trevor. We will have a fabulous gourmet dinner complete with wine, gourmet coffees and dessert, cocktail party, LIVE AUCTION with trips and cruises, as well as Silent Auction with Sports and Political Memorabilia and much more. This is how we hope to raise awareness and funding for these wounded men and women and by getting word out of their fight for healthcare.
Sandra Vago
Dear Editor,
One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.
We all have the liberty to be whatever we please, both good and or bad towards our fellowman. We all understand this liberty, as we also understand that there are consequences for our actions both good and bad.
Let’s start with our Mayor and the cesspool she has created at City Hall. Like her executive orders, illegal signing of contracts in secret, calling special meetings to see city property below cost, transferring funds in secret, etc.
It is about control folks. She thinks she is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of all when it comes to this City. Count the City administrators, police chiefs and fire chiefs we have had since she became Mayor.
I would like to suggest to the citizens of Wards 4 & 5, Kneemiller’s and Weller’s wards to watch them real close and you will see them play to the power and deceit this Mayor is all about trying to run this City Patti’s way.
We should take Mr. Weller’s advice and check out the videos of past Council meetings to see if my recall of some of the past meetings have any merit. Maybe they could shed some light on the cesspool she has created.
In Mr. Kneemiller’s letter to the editor in another publication he gave a very good definition of cesspool. Center of Moral Filth & Corruption After attending the Express Scripts hearing and seeing what took place, headed by millionaire TR and the other 74 lackeys I saw how this cover up got off to a good start.
We as citizens really need to get involved and take our City back for all the people and the liberty and justice that we as residents should demand. There has been wrongdoing concerning our tax dollars and favoritism shown to individuals and groups. If you think we have problems now wait till 2007 when we have a full time Mayor. If re-elected, things I mentioned here are minor compared to what it could be.
The vote for the full time Mayor passed by only 302 votes with 600 voters not voting either way. You can see the City is split right down the middle.
Our Mayor evidently thinks in her mind it is really 2007 now and Dr. Williams is just her assistant and she should be running the day-to-day operation of our City. Apparently Dr. Williams sees it that same way.
Pay attention folks. This is our City not just hers.
Bob Bredensteiner
Dear Sir,
We have been informed that there are 2,000 people from the New Orleans Disaster area and are coming to the St. Charles City and County area. We are in need of help with providing for all of their needs. We have had places that have been donated for the families to live in but they need to be cleaned. So we need volunteers who will help clean these places so they can move right in. We need clothing and shoes, all sizes and types. Infant clothing, diapers and formula. Also toiletries, towels-wash cloths, pillows and blankets. We will need school supplies for the children when they start school. We need Non- Perishable foods and personal hygiene products. If you would like to make a Money donation you can send it to Regions Bank at 423 First Capitol Dr. St. Charles, Mo and in the Memo area you should put Christ the King Ministry Inc. You can also contact us at (636) 373-2337 or (636) 925-0335. Please help if you can. Thank you very much. God Bless !!!!!!!
Dear Editor:
I’m writing about this ridiculously skewed poll run in the Journal regarding fireworks. I am a fireworks retailer who has lived in this community my entire lift (almost everyone else lives out of the county; some even live out of state). I am writing this letter to show that it is not giving the proper ratio of yes to no votes. The Journal claims that they could not fit all of the votes in their articles. How many “yes” votes were not published versus the “no” votes?
Let’s break it down:
$30,000 for fireworks
$10,000 for labor
$ 7,000 for the property leased to greedy landlords
$ 4,000 to the city of St. Charles for the license (Now they want to raise it to
$ 5,000)
$ 3,000 for the tent rental
$ 8,000 for misc. supplies: electric, port-a-potty, cash registers, tables, bags, baskets, lumber, signs, storage, trash, state fees, gravel, etc.
That comes to a grand total of $62,000 just to break even.
Now let’s say a family spends an average of $30,000 (average based on the last 5 years of sales). That means that we must have 1482 families to break even. Suppose there are 3.5 people per family. That comes to 5187 individuals. Multiply that by 40 fireworks stands that held a license in the city and county, you come up with 207,480 people. The 2000 population census for St Charles County was 283,883. That is 73 percent of the population. Not the 16 percent claimed by the Journals’ poll taken over the last few months. Yes, some people come from other counties but over the last five years, St. Charles County citizens account for 92 percent of our sales. I believe the amount of “no” votes in the poll provided by the Journal, however, I do not believe they are publishing the correct ratios, or the people who are in favor, are not voicing their opinion.
I know in my neighborhood, more people discharge fireworks than those who don’t. If only 16 percent of the people were truly for fireworks, you would have 40 bankrupt fireworks stands.
Dennis Thebeau
St. Charles
Hello,
Just a note of thanks for all the ads you have done for the First Capitol Lions Club.
Thanks a ton
Ed Klenc
2005-2006 President of FC Lions Club
First Capitol News
This is a personal note of compliment for FCN. I appreciate your effort to present all sides of locally important issues. I hope you will continue to preside over an open forum.
I’ve checked a letter and drawing from the City of St. Charles demonstrating the intent of the City to make 30 acres available for marina, restaurant, night club development. Please pass this along to “Charles Hill” along with my thanks for the good words about our business in the July 30 Charles Hill commentary.
Sincerely
George Worthington
To The Editor:
This letter is in response to two articles in the First Capital News (August 27th)
1) Comments & Commentary by Charles Hill
2) Clowns and Friends by Lynndi Lockenour
I have written more than one letter to FCN concerning the survival of Historic Frenchtown, North and South Main St. I read about the closing of shops on South Main St. Crafty Lady and Clowns and Friends, both of them site a number of reasons, 9/11,the casinos and now gas prices.
I am not a shop owner and I do not know the retail business, but it seems to me, if the store owners want to be successful and survive they should ALL STAY OPEN LATER. You can’t expect to make money when your hours are 10 to 5 daily and closed on Monday. 9 to 5 is when most people are working, so how do the shop owners expect to survive if they close at 5? The shop owners need to stick together and ALL STAY OPEN LATER and be prepared to stay open late longer than a month. It will take more than a month to get the word out, that hours have changed in Historic Frenchtown, North and South Main St.
More advertisement is crucial to survival, if gas prices are a problem, advertise to St. Charles and St. Louis customers. If the casinos are offering the tour bus drivers $50 then the shops should offer $75. If the tour bus drivers are letting the people off at the casinos, maybe St. Charles should use the Trolley to take the people to Historic Frenchtown, North and South Main St. I’m sure not all the people on the buses want to gamble.
If the malls are getting the business, maybe the shops should consider their pricing and perhaps different inventory. The shop owners are concerned about the lost of foreign travelers, just how much can foreign traveler carry on an airplane?
Advertising is so very important, the CVB needs to promote Frenchtown, North and South Main St. They need to better educate volunteers and have at least one paid employee at the CVB on weekends and holidays. The CVB should have a meeting once a month, to provide information and promotional ideas, these meeting should be attended by shop owners, restaurants owners, hotel, motel, B&B owners, and representatives from radio and TV stations. These same businesses should put information on their web sites about later hours and up coming events in Historic Frenchtown, North and South Main St.. It wouldn’t cost a penny and just think how many more people we could reach.
We are all in this together. Lets make it everybody's business to promote Historic Frenchtown , North and South Main St., The Art Foundry, The New Convention Center and The Family Arena
Most Sincerely
Rhona Lococo
Lococo House ll Bed & Breakfast
1309 N. Fifth St. 636-946-0619
We are all in this together
Letter to the editor
“…Our nation’s elected officials in Washington have formed a partnership with the corporate supremacists and special interest groups in an effort to drive profits to the bottom line of U.S. multinationals at the expense of hard-working Americans.” This is copied from CNN.Com 8/31/05
I am concerned that this government macrocosm is being replayed as a microcosm right here in St Charles City and throughout the county. I read the First Capital News regularly to stay abreast of how special interest groups are attempting to railroad our elected Councilpersons that are resisting the temptation to form a partnership with the supremacists and special interest groups.
Last night I received two identical cards in the mail soliciting me to recall Mark Brown. I also see roadside signs on Arena parkway with the same message. I asked myself are these concerned citizens sending this message or is it the supremacists and special interest groups that are trying to remove an impediment to their master plan. I believe it is the latter.
I believe this is especially true after I phoned Councilman Brown and asked him what his motive is. In the ten minute conversation, I discerned that he is concerned about representing tax-paying citizens in the community. He told me about the pain his family is enduring even though they are not the elected officials. Also, he told me that on one occasion, he was offered $125,000 if he would vote in favor of a special interest project. He told me that he refused because his integrity is not for sale. There were other topics as well, but that provides a flavor of our phone conversation.
We also wondered together about the motive of Ed Watkins. He doesn’t even live in the community yet he produces a section in another newspaper that is devoted to trashing elected officials that won’t be influenced by the special interest groups.
I want to ask two things in closing. First, I want to ask others who support the Councilpersons who are fighting for us tax-paying citizens to become more vocal. Let’s not allow the special interest groups to take over our community. The second thing is that I want to ask Ed Watkins to publicly state in writing what his motive is for trashing public officials in a community where he is not a tax-paying citizen. Come-on Ed, the face you put on in front of the church community is contrary to the venomous message you are publishing in the newspaper. Which is the real Ed Watkins?
A concerned tax-paying citizen
Veterans and Citizens for Truth
314-544-5000 Fax: 314-544-5260
Benefit for thousands of Wounded Veterans - Many in Missouri & Katrina Hit areas - September 17th
Westin Hotel, St. Louis 811 Spruce Street
6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Due to the disaster in the Gulf we are hoping you will continue to open your hearts to the desperate wounded soldiers returning everyday from Iraq. $100 gets you into the event but any amount you can afford will be appreciated and we hope some of the larger corporations will donate upwards of $1,000. All donations can be mailed to:
VACT
10241 Tesson Valley Ct.
St. Louis, MO 63123-7901
Non Profit Missouri Organization – All Volunteer – No salaries taken.
The event is bringing in speakers from around the country; Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Illinois as well as entertainment like the wonderful Ms. Jeannie Trevor. We will have a fabulous gourmet dinner complete with wine, gourmet coffees and dessert, cocktail party, LIVE AUCTION with trips and cruises, as well as Silent Auction with Sports and Political Memorabilia and much more. This is how we hope to raise awareness and funding for these wounded men and women and by getting word out of their fight for healthcare.
Sandra Vago
Dear Editor,
One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.
We all have the liberty to be whatever we please, both good and or bad towards our fellowman. We all understand this liberty, as we also understand that there are consequences for our actions both good and bad.
Let’s start with our Mayor and the cesspool she has created at City Hall. Like her executive orders, illegal signing of contracts in secret, calling special meetings to see city property below cost, transferring funds in secret, etc.
It is about control folks. She thinks she is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of all when it comes to this City. Count the City administrators, police chiefs and fire chiefs we have had since she became Mayor.
I would like to suggest to the citizens of Wards 4 & 5, Kneemiller’s and Weller’s wards to watch them real close and you will see them play to the power and deceit this Mayor is all about trying to run this City Patti’s way.
We should take Mr. Weller’s advice and check out the videos of past Council meetings to see if my recall of some of the past meetings have any merit. Maybe they could shed some light on the cesspool she has created.
In Mr. Kneemiller’s letter to the editor in another publication he gave a very good definition of cesspool. Center of Moral Filth & Corruption After attending the Express Scripts hearing and seeing what took place, headed by millionaire TR and the other 74 lackeys I saw how this cover up got off to a good start.
We as citizens really need to get involved and take our City back for all the people and the liberty and justice that we as residents should demand. There has been wrongdoing concerning our tax dollars and favoritism shown to individuals and groups. If you think we have problems now wait till 2007 when we have a full time Mayor. If re-elected, things I mentioned here are minor compared to what it could be.
The vote for the full time Mayor passed by only 302 votes with 600 voters not voting either way. You can see the City is split right down the middle.
Our Mayor evidently thinks in her mind it is really 2007 now and Dr. Williams is just her assistant and she should be running the day-to-day operation of our City. Apparently Dr. Williams sees it that same way.
Pay attention folks. This is our City not just hers.
Bob Bredensteiner
THE CITY DESK - Rory Riddler City Council President
New Orleans Descent Into Anarchy Exposes Major Crisis Of Leadership
As I watched in stunned silence the horrific images of the collapse of a major American city, I knew that somewhere our enemies abroad were smiling. Five days after a major disaster the Federal Government couldn’t get troops into New Orleans to restore order.
I listened to the bureaucrats make excuses. I listened to the politicians make speeches. I watched the reporters on the ground shake their heads. They had finally had it with the lies, the spin doctors and the partisan apologists. Too many people were suffering.
I saw the first crack on Fox News, the bastion for conservative reporting. Three days into the rescue operation, a commentator was reading copy that said authorities were gaining control. He stopped and added in his own words, “Though the feed we’re broadcasting doesn’t seem to show that.” I wonder if they fired him?
Then last night, five days into the disaster, reporters at the New Orleans Convention Center taking matters into their own hands. Shaun Hannity was trying desperately back in the studio to put a positive spin on relief efforts. Reporter Shep Smith staring back from the darkness in disbelief, telling Shaun Hannity he was there on the ground and could smell it. Or Geraldo Gueverrra, holding up an overheated baby from the crowd to the camera and trying to shout over the banter from the studio, “Shaun, this is a baby, Shaun.”
They shamed a government into action. FEMA workers too “scared” to drive into an inner city. Did they think disasters in this country were only going to happen in nice neighborhoods? You could have lost an eye with all the finger pointing as the Mayor blamed the Feds, the Feds tried to blame the State and the State tried to blame the Mayor.
I’m not making this up. The Mayor of New Orleans was using choice expletives blaming the Federal Government for not getting in troops sooner to restore order. Federal officials intimated the Governor of Louisiana needed to ask for help sooner. Like they couldn’t see a Category 5 hurricane headed for a major U.S. city on their own! Then I seemed to hear some State officials saying the Mayor of New Orleans should have ordered the evacuation sooner. Like having an extra few hours would have helped a hundred thousand poor people secure cars, gas and a place to go on their own.
I’m not normally so negative, but the sheer volume of ignorance and incompetence displayed at all levels of government handling this disaster exceeds my recommended annual allowance. Normal levels of bureaucratic bungling I can take, but this time people died. People died from the natural disaster. There will always be natural disasters. But many people died after this natural disaster from the man made disaster of disaster relief.
There were heroes and moments to make us proud. The Coast Guard knew their job. They had helicopters pulling people from rooftops right away and kept it up for days. Doctors, nurses, EMS workers and other medical personnel were heroes and once more showed us all why those who follow the healing arts are the most saintly among us. They stayed at their posts giving what succor they could without light, without power, without food, without water, being threatened and shot at...till they had to hook themselves up to IVs to replenish body fluids.
Or the beleaguered and out manned handful of police officers who stood their ground. There was the dramatic images of one officer aiming his riot shotgun first at one, then another, and another looter to get them to drop what they had stolen in the chaos. Or the thousands of people who rushed to Mississippi, Alabama and New Orleans from all over the country with the Red Cross. For some reason I was touched by a short interviewed they did with an Asian-American from Hawaii who flew in on the second day of the disaster with the Red Cross. She said she was there to repay the debt for those who had come to the aide of her State in the past. People like her, tens of thousands of people, who came to help, or opened their doors, their hearts, their wallets...these people give us hope and make us proud to be part of such a caring nation.
There were also villains in this protracted morality play. Like the two-thirds of the New Orleans Police Department that seemed to fade away. When the going got tough, the tough got going. Or how about the two uniformed officers captured on film looting a Wal-Mart along with the criminals they are sworn to protect us from.
A famous Roman author once wrote, “It is a bad plan that can’t be changed.” We have got to change how we respond to disasters like occurred in New Orleans. Otherwise, what happens when the big earthquake hits southern California? Or if our terrorist enemies ever penetrate our broken southern boarders with a dirty bomb and set it off in downtown Houston, Chicago or Miami? New Orleans was only the 35th largest city in the nation and we weren’t prepared...not like we should have been...not like the politicians had promised.
So here is my free advice for the President.
First, you spent billions of dollars on homeland security and our community never saw a dime of it. Give local communities the resources they need and consider shooting the people who stole that money for worthless programs. (Just kidding about the shooting part).
Second, what was lacking in New Orleans was leadership (command and control) on the ground. We need rapid response teams within the military and FEMA to get real leaders with authority to act on the ground. That top commander on the ground needs to report directly to the President and have the authority to determine if local and State resources are inadequate, even if those leaders are too slow to request it.
Could you imagine going to war and the troops not know who their commander is? What was painfully obvious in New Orleans is that no one was in charge or could speak with any authority.
Third, these rapid disaster response teams should include a large contingent of MPs who could be sent into any situation to restore order and set up temporary detention facilities for lawbreakers. They should arrive with the command post within twenty-four hours of being called into action.
Fourth, regrettably, we need legislation that sworn police officers can not leave their post when an emergency is declared. This should be a felony punishable with prison time. It is not that I don’t have sympathy for those officers who wanted to be with their families, but they give up that right for the greater good when they put on that badge.
Fifth, all disaster plans should include immediately securing the local hospitals and providing protection to health care workers. As centers for relief, we should spend homeland security funds on “hardening” hospitals with greater on site emergency resources.
Sixth, when orders are given to evacuate a city, lets have a specific escape plan for the most impoverished among us and not count on football stadiums to double as Noah’s Ark.
Finally, we must all resolve to be better prepared for disasters as individuals. CPR and first aid should be taught in every school and workplace. The Red Cross encourages families to have emergency supplies in a bag someplace where they can be easily gotten to. We need to remind everyone to heed their advice.
Government may not always be there to catch us when we fall. The vast majority of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the personal resolve, fortitude and spiritual strength it takes to survive in the face of terrible depravation. Hopefully we will never have to experience the days and nights of hell they went through. But if we must, I hope the better angels of our nature will see us through.
ttt
As I watched in stunned silence the horrific images of the collapse of a major American city, I knew that somewhere our enemies abroad were smiling. Five days after a major disaster the Federal Government couldn’t get troops into New Orleans to restore order.
I listened to the bureaucrats make excuses. I listened to the politicians make speeches. I watched the reporters on the ground shake their heads. They had finally had it with the lies, the spin doctors and the partisan apologists. Too many people were suffering.
I saw the first crack on Fox News, the bastion for conservative reporting. Three days into the rescue operation, a commentator was reading copy that said authorities were gaining control. He stopped and added in his own words, “Though the feed we’re broadcasting doesn’t seem to show that.” I wonder if they fired him?
Then last night, five days into the disaster, reporters at the New Orleans Convention Center taking matters into their own hands. Shaun Hannity was trying desperately back in the studio to put a positive spin on relief efforts. Reporter Shep Smith staring back from the darkness in disbelief, telling Shaun Hannity he was there on the ground and could smell it. Or Geraldo Gueverrra, holding up an overheated baby from the crowd to the camera and trying to shout over the banter from the studio, “Shaun, this is a baby, Shaun.”
They shamed a government into action. FEMA workers too “scared” to drive into an inner city. Did they think disasters in this country were only going to happen in nice neighborhoods? You could have lost an eye with all the finger pointing as the Mayor blamed the Feds, the Feds tried to blame the State and the State tried to blame the Mayor.
I’m not making this up. The Mayor of New Orleans was using choice expletives blaming the Federal Government for not getting in troops sooner to restore order. Federal officials intimated the Governor of Louisiana needed to ask for help sooner. Like they couldn’t see a Category 5 hurricane headed for a major U.S. city on their own! Then I seemed to hear some State officials saying the Mayor of New Orleans should have ordered the evacuation sooner. Like having an extra few hours would have helped a hundred thousand poor people secure cars, gas and a place to go on their own.
I’m not normally so negative, but the sheer volume of ignorance and incompetence displayed at all levels of government handling this disaster exceeds my recommended annual allowance. Normal levels of bureaucratic bungling I can take, but this time people died. People died from the natural disaster. There will always be natural disasters. But many people died after this natural disaster from the man made disaster of disaster relief.
There were heroes and moments to make us proud. The Coast Guard knew their job. They had helicopters pulling people from rooftops right away and kept it up for days. Doctors, nurses, EMS workers and other medical personnel were heroes and once more showed us all why those who follow the healing arts are the most saintly among us. They stayed at their posts giving what succor they could without light, without power, without food, without water, being threatened and shot at...till they had to hook themselves up to IVs to replenish body fluids.
Or the beleaguered and out manned handful of police officers who stood their ground. There was the dramatic images of one officer aiming his riot shotgun first at one, then another, and another looter to get them to drop what they had stolen in the chaos. Or the thousands of people who rushed to Mississippi, Alabama and New Orleans from all over the country with the Red Cross. For some reason I was touched by a short interviewed they did with an Asian-American from Hawaii who flew in on the second day of the disaster with the Red Cross. She said she was there to repay the debt for those who had come to the aide of her State in the past. People like her, tens of thousands of people, who came to help, or opened their doors, their hearts, their wallets...these people give us hope and make us proud to be part of such a caring nation.
There were also villains in this protracted morality play. Like the two-thirds of the New Orleans Police Department that seemed to fade away. When the going got tough, the tough got going. Or how about the two uniformed officers captured on film looting a Wal-Mart along with the criminals they are sworn to protect us from.
A famous Roman author once wrote, “It is a bad plan that can’t be changed.” We have got to change how we respond to disasters like occurred in New Orleans. Otherwise, what happens when the big earthquake hits southern California? Or if our terrorist enemies ever penetrate our broken southern boarders with a dirty bomb and set it off in downtown Houston, Chicago or Miami? New Orleans was only the 35th largest city in the nation and we weren’t prepared...not like we should have been...not like the politicians had promised.
So here is my free advice for the President.
First, you spent billions of dollars on homeland security and our community never saw a dime of it. Give local communities the resources they need and consider shooting the people who stole that money for worthless programs. (Just kidding about the shooting part).
Second, what was lacking in New Orleans was leadership (command and control) on the ground. We need rapid response teams within the military and FEMA to get real leaders with authority to act on the ground. That top commander on the ground needs to report directly to the President and have the authority to determine if local and State resources are inadequate, even if those leaders are too slow to request it.
Could you imagine going to war and the troops not know who their commander is? What was painfully obvious in New Orleans is that no one was in charge or could speak with any authority.
Third, these rapid disaster response teams should include a large contingent of MPs who could be sent into any situation to restore order and set up temporary detention facilities for lawbreakers. They should arrive with the command post within twenty-four hours of being called into action.
Fourth, regrettably, we need legislation that sworn police officers can not leave their post when an emergency is declared. This should be a felony punishable with prison time. It is not that I don’t have sympathy for those officers who wanted to be with their families, but they give up that right for the greater good when they put on that badge.
Fifth, all disaster plans should include immediately securing the local hospitals and providing protection to health care workers. As centers for relief, we should spend homeland security funds on “hardening” hospitals with greater on site emergency resources.
Sixth, when orders are given to evacuate a city, lets have a specific escape plan for the most impoverished among us and not count on football stadiums to double as Noah’s Ark.
Finally, we must all resolve to be better prepared for disasters as individuals. CPR and first aid should be taught in every school and workplace. The Red Cross encourages families to have emergency supplies in a bag someplace where they can be easily gotten to. We need to remind everyone to heed their advice.
Government may not always be there to catch us when we fall. The vast majority of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the personal resolve, fortitude and spiritual strength it takes to survive in the face of terrible depravation. Hopefully we will never have to experience the days and nights of hell they went through. But if we must, I hope the better angels of our nature will see us through.
ttt
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