It's Time For Our Mayor To Make A Decision!

A perfect example of Mayor Guccione's total lack of leadership came at Wednesday's Work Session. A mayor is responsible for setting agendas. Wednesday they set the agenda for the annual retreat, currently known as "Strategic Planning Session." Ever since I've been watching Wentzville City Government, the mayor has not only participated in setting the agenda but approved it. Guccione did neither, if he was to give input, someone would have needed to wake him up. I hope everyone watches that video (click here) just to see how little our mayor really does in the one place where he should shine.

Being an idealist and while writing "Report Card Part I," and "Report Card Part II" and most recently watching the work session this past Wednesday, The Wentzvillian was reminded of the election of 2012 and the mistake the voters made electing Nick Guccione over all of the other more qualified candidates. Today, less than two months until his first year in office and seeing his lack of accomplishments and leadership has me sitting here again shaking my head in utter disgust, I need to vent!

I'm convinced that Presidents, Governors and, Mayors who are less than qualified must be narcissistic, why else would they invite the scrutiny of the press, demanding employees, irate citizens, and one lowly voice in the darkness of cyberspace? I'm further convinced that in Mayor Nickolas Guccione's case, there was quite a lot of naivety.

Alderman Nick Guccione's political teething came by following the lead of five other Aldermen who were more bold than he, only by being very quiet did he outlast them. Having been told how to vote he never had to read or investigate items, he merely voted "Yea" or "Nay" in harmony with the leading Aldermen. When his leaders were not reelected and other strong more-conservative candidates were seated he was all alone on the board. Knowing he would have a frustrating time trying to compete with stronger-willed, more government-savvy Aldermen, and aware of the great possibility he would not be reelected to represent Ward 3, he made the bold decision to run for mayor. The unethical course of his campaign is no secret as he bamboozled the voters and steamrolled Wentzville with his slash and burn strategy. Every candidate running for any office other than those he hand-picked caught the mud he was slinging all over town. As expected he has begun slamming Alderman Cheryl Kross of Ward 1 and Ward 3 candidate Darrel Lackey with dirt and lies in an effort to manipulate the coming election. Other than thinking about fame and bright lights, I'm really not sure why he wanted to be Mayor so much that he would discredit himself by trashing everyone who ran against him and his aldermanic hopefuls. Unfortunately for him, none of his posse were elected leaving him with more than a few disgruntled Aldermen to deal with.

Working with today's Aldermen, directing a staff, managing almost 200 employees, representing 29,000 citizens, and managing a $60 million dollar budget are not within Guccione's area of expertise. So what are his reasons for wanting to be Mayor of Wentzville? Alderman Guccione had a history of following but as Mayor he can't do that anymore, Harry S. Truman said; "The buck stops here." If Guccione is ever going to have a chance at being an effective Mayor, he's going to have to make some decisions. Since he was elected mayor, the Board of Aldermen have been carrying him and doing his job by making educated decisions that he should have made and had they not, the city's budget and policies would be in serious trouble.

Now I'm reminded that our Mayor is supporting two candidates in the soon-to-be election and I find it troubling that Guccione is longing for days gone bye when he agreed with the Aldermen and they agreed with him and things got messed up in City Hall. God help Wentzville if he chips away at this board replacing them one at a time with clones of himself. Vote for Cheryl Kross and Darrel Lackey!