Last week's Board of Aldermen meeting of July 10th was interesting—to say the least. I brought my sleeping bag just in case because it was a four-page agenda and given our Mayor's record of running meetings I just knew it was going to end in the wee hours of the morning. Eleven items on the agenda dealt with community development and represented applicants from builders who are looking to build over 300 new homes in Wentzville.
I knew something was amiss when I saw Mayor Niockolas Guccione scurrying around before the meeting frantically from the City Attorney to the City Administrator. I saw sure panic on his face, similar to Wile E, Coyote when he realizes that the Road Runner's piano is about to drop on his head and he couldn't get out of the way—he was a mess. Aldermen Cheryl Kross and Forrest Gossett were seated when Alderman Rick Stokes arrived and Guccione approached him. Then the whole picture became clear—they did not have a quorum—three aldermen wouldn't cut it. In my almost fifteen years of watching Wentzville City meetings I have never seen a time when a meeting of the board was cancelled due to the lack of a quorum, but we never had a mayor like Nickolas Guccione.
The Mayor sets the meeting agenda, and for my money he's supposed to know what's going on, but again we're talking about Nickolas Guccione. He knew that Alderman Chris Gard would not be there because Gard announced it during the meeting of July 3rd, and Guccione received a call from Michael Hays informing him that he would not be there either, that alone should have hoisted the red flag. That leaves four, which is enough to conduct the business of the City; however, Alderman Sonya Shyrock had called the City Clerk to inform her that she would not be in attendance, old Wile E. just had the piano slam onto his head and didn't know what to do.
The chamber had numerous citizens and petitioners waiting patiently to be heard, but what they heard from our mayor was; "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" something we've heard from Nickolas Guccione many times over the last 467 days since he was elected. What we should be hearing is the citizens of Wentzville saying "We're sorry that we ever elected you," but after all, we only have to endure his ignorance of City business for around 1110 more days. Guccione has screwed-up many, many, many times since he was sworn-in, but this will probably make the history books as his biggest screw-up. All of the Directors of the City worked all day for the City and were at the meeting only to hear Guccione say he was sorry to those in attendance, he wasted all of his Directors time and he owes them more than an "I'm sorry."
The Mayor of any city is responsible for its meetings, and ours needs to take responsibility. His acceptance of responsibility for anything that goes wrong in Wentzviille has always been to say, "I didn't know," how many times do we have we hear that from our mayor before he is found to be the incompetent he truly is?
They pushed off a work session to put this agenda on the evening of July 17th, let's hope Guccione can get his ducks in a row before then. The City business is a week behind and the agendas are beginning to get longer, let's hope the President of the Board, Rick Stokes can keep things moving so the audience doesn't need to bring their jammies. I've watched a great number of City meetings but I've never had as much fun reporting on any mayor more than Wile E. Guccione. I guess the last time there was this much to talk about was the final days of Mayor Paul Lambi.
PSS: I kinda hope Stokes doesn't lead the meeting. I know Guccione has taken hammer lessons from our last mayor so he at least appears to the camera that he's competent at what he's doing, but those in the know, know!
i don't know what time the wentzville directors go to work in the morning but to expect them to go to a meeting after regular working hours just to be told, "sorry" you can go home now by gooch is enough to piss anyone off. don't they pay a hefty hourly rate for the city attorney to attend those meetings? at least maybe gooch could reimburse the city for that.
ReplyDeleteSo why don't you criticize the aldermen who don't take their job seiously.?
ReplyDeleteI have no information on the irresponsibility of the three missing Aldermen but I do know that Guccione knew that two Aldermen would be absent.
ReplyDeleteIt was his duty as Mayor to check on the intentions of the other three. Had he called them, he would have known that a third would not be at the meeting and there would not be a quorum. It boils down to his lack of communication with the aldermen.
He could have cancelled the meeting and saved the time of the attendees and Directors, and subsequently, not have wasted tax-payers money by paying our City Attorney to attend the meeting. Guccione sets the agenda and is responsible for the meetings, not the Aldermen.
The alderman do not take their job as aldermen to heart and you blame the mayor?
ReplyDeleteHow many times did the Mayor apologize with his "I'm sorry" to the audience? Once said is enough. The meetings need to be run professionally and business like without the "Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa". He is showing his personality flaws which is not a healthy thing for a Mayor/town leader to do in front of the residents on the webcast. It just shows weakness. He just has a need to be 'loved' by all.
DeleteUnder Guccionne's reign of terror, how many times has there been a lack of quorum? I think the answer to my question will tell us whether or not the alderman take their job to heart.
ReplyDeleteAnyone following this blog knows the dislike there is for Mayor Guccione. Here is a fact that you conveniently failed to mention. When the City Clerk signed the meeting agenda there was a quorum on Friday before the meeting. Alderman shryock had not called saying she would not be in attendance until just hours prior to the meeting. The question should be "Why did alderman shryock call City Clerk and not the Mayor or Ald. Stokes Pres of the Board. Ald. Shryock is the person at fault but you would never accept such a fact due to the Blog biases toward the Mayor.
ReplyDeleteRecently on my business travels I stopped in Wentzville and visited friends of the family. Some of friends are with PD. I was told there is no love lost between the new chief and the new City Administrator and that the mayor had to step in and take action. What is up with this. Rumor also has it certain members of board are in the middle.
Last item for Wentzvillian - what does your code say regarding attendance of board meetings for aldermen and what percent of meetings has ald. gossett not been in attendance.
I was recently informed by Alderman Sonya Shyrock that she told Mayor Guccione she would not be at the meeting before she left on vacation and only called the City Clerk later to confirm that she knew.
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