Let the Truth Be Known

There was no meeting last week so it gives me an opportunity to address a subject that was brought to light  months ago—what's going on in all of the city's secret meetings?  A request for information was made in December for the minutes of the November "Executive Sessions" and I was told by our City Clerk; "they are closed until approved by the Board of Alderman." At the end of January the closed session minutes for November, December, and January were requested and only a portion of the November 16, 2011 minutes was received. There was only one item on it and was in reference to land acquisition for the Spring Meadow subdivision "overbanking project." I went back into the minutes to check how long the executive session was and found that the City does not give the time, but according to the video, it lasted one hour and thirty minutes. A long time to decide to offer the residents of Spring Meadows half what they were asking for their property; where's the rest of the November 16th secret meeting minutes and all of the other secret sessions over the last three months?

It was reported on several occasions that something stinks in City Hall and I suspect it's over something Mayor Lambi has done. There have been more "Executive Session" meetings than "regular sessions" over the past three months. The preponderant portion of the "Executive Session" record minutes are closed. Whatever is going on is probably the reason Lambi decided not to run for a fifth term as Mayor.

I've seen special personnel attorneys go into these secret meetings and that's a good indication that there's the possibility of someone being in deep doo-doo. In addition, the major St. Louis newspaper and several smaller St. Charles County publications are snooping around asking questions about what's going on in these secret sessions. It has to come to a head soon; they can't keep this a secret forever. If Lambi has done something to merit all of the recent special meetings and legal attention, the citizens have a right to be told; if he has done something illegal, he must be made accountable.

I will continue requesting these records until our Aldermen decide to release them. This is crazy! The citizens of Wentzville need to hold our elected officials' feet to the fire on this matter. The Wentzvillian has a hunch; I believe they are stalling on the release of these documents until after the election when Mayor Lambi is out of office. The issue would be defused and any wrongdoing hazed over while the perpetrator sails off unscathed into the sunset. The Wentzvillian first reported on this issue early in October 2011; it's time to get'er done and let the truth be known.

On the campaign trail: While going through the minutes and video for the November 16, 2011 meeting I was reminded of Wentzville's Medicine Drop Box located in our police station. This Box was proposed by Alderman Leon Tow and due to his initiative, Wentzville won two major awards from the State and County for its implementation. This program keeps expired or no-longer-needed medicines from being flushed down toilets to contaminate our waste water. These drugs would then be destroyed properly by Wentzville's Police Department; thank you Alderman Tow! It was during the "Open Forum," where Donna Sherwood (candidate for Ward 2 Alderman and Campaign Manager for Nick Guccione, candidate for Mayor) was doing one of her regular campaign photo-ops at the City's expense that she made the following on-the-record statement: "Donna Sherwood, 1614 Polar Drive...Ms.Sherwood expressed her concern about medicines being expelled into the water system through urine. The Medicine Drop Box won't help with that."

I'm not sure of her concern. Is she trying to minimize the accomplishment of mayor candidate Alderman Leon Tow, or is she suggesting that anyone taking prescription medicine or other medication in Wentzville need to go to the police station and pee in their Medicine Drop Box? This woman wants to be an Alderman?