The Wentzville Community Club

Through the early years of Wentzville, the town was plagued by fires that destroyed many businesses and homes. From 1855 through the turn of century, fires took out whole city blocks of the town. In 1907 the schoolhouse burned, and then a fire in 1931 changed the future of the city, reported by the Wentzville Union Newspaper:

September 21, 1931 – “Fire Sweeps Wentzville—Seven Buildings Burned” Fire of undetermined origin Monday night, threatened to destroy the entire central section of Wentzville, in fact the whole town was in grave danger. Within a few hours the raging flames had utterly consumed buildings and housing, seven different business places, and causing a property damage of $55,000 or $60,000. The business places burned were: Jerome Parr’s Garage, Sinclair Oil Storage Co., Nr. Groce Marble and monument works, T.E. Pitman’s Undertaking Parlors, National Petroleum Co., Theodore Gue’s Blacksmith Shop and Hardware Store and the Wentzville Union newspaper plant.

The fire started in the rear of the National Oil Co., on Linn Avenue where it was discovered about 6:30 p.m. Alarms were sounded and volunteer firefighters rushed to the scene and manned the fire wagon, which had been housed in a compartment of Parr Garage. The flames spread so rapidly, due to the explosions of the thirty-five fifty-gallon barrels of oil and a quantity of gasoline in a pump in front of Gue’s hardware shop, that in an incredibly short time the buildings on both sides of the street were blazing. The Sinclair Oil Co. building contained ninety-six fifty-gallon barrels of oil and these also exploded. The burning oil spattered the streets, walks and houses for several blocks, and the barrel heads were thrown in some instances, two hundred feet. Several volunteer fire fighters and bystanders narrowly missed being injured by these red-hot disks of tin, which came rolling along at a high rate of speed.

Calls for help were sent to neighboring towns. And fire trucks from Wright City, O’Fallon, Troy and St. Peters were quickly sent, St. Peters sending their two trucks. The cisterns in the locality of the blaze were pumped dry, then connections were made with the mill pond, about five-hundred feet away. Through the heroic efforts of these visiting firemen and our own, the flames were finally controlled and the remainder of the town saved.

Wentzville didn't have a water works at the time, they only had a volunteer chemical fire department, which was ineffective. By the time the Depression came, the town was in real financial trouble. They couldn't afford to pay their city officials or make any improvements to the town. Something had to be done, so in 1933 a group of businessmen got together to form an organization that would raise money for the town. They called it the Wentzville Community Club. They raised money by having an annual celebration they called it "Homecoming." By 1935, they had raised enough money to pay for the hook-ups and assist in building the town's first water tower and its first fire truck. They bought and donated buildings to bring in new businesses which hired city residents suffering from the depression, they even paid the salaries of city employees including the Aldermen and the Mayor. Since 1935 up to today, the Wentzville Community Club has donated millions of dollars to our city and its benevolent organizations, the list is too long to place here.

I guess your wondering why this politically oriented blog is writing about the Wentzville Community Club, well, the Club has a city code problem. Without the help of City government, it could cost the Club over a quarter of a million dollars to continue doing what they've been doing for 80 years—helping our city and its citizens.

I want to thank Aldermen; Chris Gard, Cheryl Kross, Rick Stokes, Sonia Shyrock, and Forrest Gossett for addressing this problem and understanding that among many, many other things, the Wentzville Community Club was instrumental in saving the city from bankruptcy in the 1930s, they donate over $30,000 each year in scholarships to our high schools, and anytime any group in Wentzville holds out its hand for help, the Club is there. The only dissenting comments about the Aldermen's proposition came from Mayor Guccione who said: "If we do this for them, we'll have to do it for everyone." I guess I should have expected it, but I didn't.

The Wentzville Community Club is always here for Wentzville when we need them, and even when we don't. There is not another organization like them in the state of Missouri and maybe not in the country. They have never complained or held their hand out to the city because they believe that God helps those who help themselves. They are an all volunteer organization and help those that no one else can or will. The Wentzville Community Club is a bright gem and it's right here in Wentzville. Thank you to our Aldermen for understanding the importance of the Community Club to our community!

Pigs Cannot Fly

Lewis Carroll, creator of Alice in Wonderland wrote a book in 1872 (the year Wentzville became a town) titled; Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, where he included the poem; The Walrus and the Carpenter. One verse that stuck out and has remained in my memory for all these years since I first read it is:

"The time has come," the Walrus said,

"To talk of many things:

Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

I began this way because the time has really come to talk of many things.

Half way into the fourth month of Mayor Nick Guccione's office is not much different than his first week. I wish I had better things to report but I don't, he just does not understand that he is in a position of leadership and if he does, he hasn't shown any signs of it, he has yet to lead a meeting. This past Wednesday evening, once again the President of the Board of Alderman, Rick Stokes took charge to keep the meeting moving or their short agenda would have become another midnight affair. Guccione is a union man and must think he's on the clock because he makes no effort to control or move a meeting along. During a discussion of the Board of Alderman, a member of the audience butted in to speak at least on four occasions, not once did our Mayor ask him to be seated until called upon. The simple fact is that Nick Guccione is not doing the job the taxpayers hired him to do. Executive sessions have become a frequent occurrence again and just like in Lambi's final days, it tells me something big is going on.

Wednesday night after the executive session, I noticed something very strange indeed; a meeting was held in the closed door office of the Mayor which included: Mayor Guccione, Aldermen Rick Stokes and Chris Gard, and City Attorney Paul Rost. I can only guess what was going on but for my money, I'd bet it has to do with Guccione's lack of leadership. With any luck it was a shape-up or ship-out lecture but time will tell.

I am convinced that Guccione wants employees to love him and treats them like friends not employees, which makes it tough if he ever has to direct or reprimand. He does not direct, he doesn't know how, his day job management training obviously hasn't worked because it's more than likely called; seniority. It has been my observation that Mayor Guccione is derelict in his duties and I'm confident that it's not only on the surface where the public can see.

Now for an even more serious problem: As I've reported, Guccione's political principles will not allow for a replacement of the vacated Ward 3 seat, "it's my choice or it will remain vacant." To complicate having a hole in the Board of Aldermen, Chris Gard and Rick Stokes are both running for State Representative and if both of them should win and Guccione does not name acceptable replacements for the three vacated seats, the City will shut down because it takes four aldermen to have a quorum in order to vote on legislation. If only one of them should leave, if any of the four remaining Aldermen are absent for any reason, the city shuts down until the April election. Guccione needs to name an acceptable candidate now because if he doesn't, he's placing the City of Wentzville in jeopardy. This is a serious problem that I don't believe Mayor Guccione understands or even cares about, He really does not know the responsibility that goes with the title; Mayor. Mr. Mayor, the sea is boiling hot, either start bailing or jump overboard!

Nick Guccione reached his level of competence before he was elected alderman, five years ago. Today he's a Mayor with no skills to run a city other than to say he has five years as an aldermen. Looking at his record, there's nothing to indicate that he's accomplished anything in politics other than be elected. To Guccione, his job was not being an alderman, it was getting elected and re-elected. I can only guess what he thinks a Mayor is suppose to do but I guarantee it's not what a Mayor should do. Mr Guccione should admit that he can't handle the job and resign as Mayor before he gets himself and the City into serious trouble.

Should Nick Guccione continue driving the City over the cliff, his joyride will be stopped. It won't be pleasant for him or the City but it will be stopped. What he didn't count on is a Board of Aldermen who care about Wentzville and its future they will not stand by and allow an incompetent Mayor butcher the city. If he thinks this Board won't take action, I can assure him they will. Pigs cannot not fly and if you want to butcher something stick to chickens.

I am truly concerned for Wentzville, admittedly, Wentzville has had questionable leadership for the last sixteen years but they did have leaders. Today, we have a man who cannot comprehend the severity of his situation and given enough time he will destroy everything our community has worked toward for the past 157 years. I implore Wentzville voters to contact your Mayor and Aldermen, urge them to fill the vacant Ward 3 seat before Mayor Guccione forces a shut-down of our government.

If Guccione does not appoint an acceptable replacement for the Ward 3 seat before the November national election he risks the shut-down of the City. There would be no permits issued, no legislation passed, no bills paid, no road construction completed, and no one to complain to because city employees would be sent home for four months until the April election. Don't let politics destroy a city that has been the envy of St. Charles County for many years. Mayor Guccione needs to throw aside his political agenda and make an appointment that will work for our city. If the appointment is not made and Guccione puts the city at risk, he should be impeached, it is no longer a political statement, it's dereliction of duty! Pigs do not have wings and cannot fly Mr Mayor.

You Can't Please Everyone

A very important meeting was held last Wedenesday evening, July 25th, in City Hall. There were some very interesting things happen during the course of the meeting but the most salient item was first on the agenda: "(ID # 3996) Audit Presentation). This topic is paramount and the presentation illustrated the health of Wentzville finances. This report was so important that Alderman of Ward 1, Forrest Gossett called in from a business trip to take part via speaker phone set up in front of the Diaz. Mayor Guccione was absent so he could accompany the first lady to Florida who was to attend a seminar related to her job.

President of the Board of Aldermen, Rick Stokes led the meeting in the absence of the Mayor, his actions that night was a great a tutorial on how to maintain decorum and stay on topic. When the presenter of the budget audit finished and was leaving the chamber, Stokes said: "We're screaming along here, are you sure you want to leave" The meeting lasted until 10.02 pm when they went into executive session, it was the shortest meeting since mid April when Nick Guccione was sworn as our Mayor.

The Audit revealed the $153,200,000 worth of our city, and as stated earlier; its financial health. There have been discussions in the fast few weeks about the city's investment portfolio and a desire to receive quarterly reports in accordance with policy. Stokes stated that during his tenure as alderman, he had never seen a report on investments. Questions were asked of Finance Director / Acting City Administrator, Dennis Walsh about the investment firm that was handling the city's account, Walsh replied that he was handling those accounts himself. Walsh is wearing a few too many hats to be expected and frankly, I don't know how he does it. The meeting brought out the fact that an interim city administrator is on the way.

I have to address a concern with Alderman of Ward 2, Sonia Shyrock. Shryock, an Alderman for just over three months is trying to address the concerns of her constituents and her enthusiasm has resulted in some unhappy citizens in Ward 2. During the meeting of July 11, 2012, Shyrock pushed for, and the Board passed, the placement of a stop sign at Bear Creek Drive and North Point Prairie Road  Last week, she took a three-sixty and wants the sign taken down, it appears that she has gotten flooded with complaints and is now back-peddling in an attempt to make them happy. I think she is learning the hard way that you can't please everyone and maybe a little more homework is in order before taking Board action.

I'm going to stop here, there is more but there's another meeting tonight and I'll add to it the rest of what happened last6 week.