The Legacy of Lunacy.

As much as I follow Wentzville city politics and government, I'm not usually taken unaware at board of alderman meetings but every once in a while an issue will pop up that makes watching the process a complete joy. Lately, for about the last two months, I've been surprised more than not. The last time was when our Mayor (Lambi) asked the "Board of Crickets" for money to be donated to the 501c LINC organization. Watching him seething over the board's indifference to his pet project was a complete delight. At the meeting of August 24th, another surprise developed in the form of new business; the "David Hoekel Expressway" project.

Like his predecessor who lays claim to being solely responsible for the overpass at the Wentzville Parkway, Lambi has put his eggs in making the future David Hoekel Expressway overpass his legacy. The expressway has been in the planning stage for over a decade and will serve as an outer belt connecting Highway 61 with Highway 70. In the design, an overpass will connect the North Outer Road to the South Outer Road and eventually connect to the Page Avenue extension. The first phase of the project is the section from West Meyer Road to the South Outer Road of Highway 70. Lambi has made a fool of himself trying to drum up support for his pet projects and this one is just the latest in his long legacy of lunacy.

A three and a half hour meeting that could easily have been done in two hours had it not been for one relatively small agenda item under New Business: "Item 2, (ID #3411) David Hoekel Parkway - Grant Opportunity." Thinking that the board would look favorably on his plan and hoping to put his legacy in motion, Lambi had at least a half-dozen employees from the HNTB company (grant writers) in attendance. Unfortunately for them, they were not asked to present their grant plan so they left after discussion was had denying the request. Once again, just like the LINC proposal, he wasted HNBT employees time to come to the meeting for another of his pet projects. Sooner or later his counting chickens is going to come to roost on his political career.

For the particulars: HNBT would require $49,000 to write a grant for a "Tiger III" Federal grant that could fund $24 million to the project. The kicker: best estimate, there is a 3% chance of winning the grant. Lambi is so desperate to engage his dream that he is willing to roll the taxpayers dice for $49 large for a 3% chance at $24 million. I'm starting to get a feeling why he isn't a financial advisor anymore, but what the hell, it isn't his money. After a prolonged discussion by the Aldermen, they decided they aren't going to shoot craps and agreed not to entertain Lambi's proposal. Lambi who was not too happy disgustingly exclaimed, "Wow no investment in the future of Wentzville tonight!" and banged the gavel. In any one's belief, a $49,000 bet for a 3% chance is not what would be called an "investment."

The splinters from the gavel settled and they got into the second reading of 16 bills presented. After the readings, Lambi said: I want to revisit this grant proposal. He went on to ask; "what if we could get HNTB to write the grant on a contingency basis? About this time, I'm thinking—what company would accept a contingency contract for an estimated $49,000 on a 3% chance of getting paid. The answer was obvious to everyone except Lambi. An offer of this kind was just another waste of time. After another half-hour or so of discussion, the aldermen did accept his proposal with the "contingency" clause written in the contract. This idea is almost crazier that the first.

After the balance of bills were completed they entered the discussion section of the agenda; three different items, the second of which was : "(ID #3414) Vehicle Towing and Storage Services." This discussion was another long-winded debate when Lambi finally broke in to say; it's almost ten o'clock and he thought it a waste of valuable staff and board time so he closed the subject. Once again as I've stated on numerous occasions, if Lambi likes or wants something it's balls to the wall, regardless of time and expense.

Despite Staff crying budget woes—Aldermen cutting expenditures, and the city sporting the highest sales tax in the County, Lambi was quoted in a recent article featured on Patch.com: "The city is flush with cash," who do we believe? For my money it's probably somewhere in the middle—but that's another subject entirely. I know that the city is short $5 million in road repair and infrastructure. At any rate, I sincerely hope that Wentzville voters tune-in and turn-off Lambi's lunacy at election time.