The Coup De'état

 

It is extremely unfortunate when a city's residents and businesses have governors who sell out to politics. Elected officials forfeit their personal values and ideals, and turn their backs on their constituents to grab for the political brass ring. Wentzville has had that problem with its mayor since he first sought election as an Alderman seven years ago. Nickolas Guccione's life is political, it's not about issues or service to his community, it has always been all about the race and getting elected.

 

Wentzville has had the strongest Board of Aldermen it has seen in years, only because they had values and ran for office to make their city a better place. Regrettably, things have changed drastically with the election of Mayor Nickolas Guccione who used his dirty, smear, and win at any cost campaigns to deceive just enough voters to win. Two of our Aldermen for whom I had great respect, have sold out and are now doing the bidding of their new political overseer; Nickolas Guccione. Aldermen Cheryl Kross and Sonya Shryock whose popularity has been waning for the last six to nine months abandoned their desire to make Wentzville a better place to join forces with arguably the worst mayor in the history of our city.

 

It all started about nine months ago when Kross turned on the city and flipped on her vote to reject Guccione's appointment to the Ward 3 seat; Michael Hays. Some speculate that she didn't want to start a political war and once again, subject herself to Guccione's dirty campaign machine—fearing for her election prospect, she gave into political pressure. Then came her petty war with Board President, Rick Stokes, all because she thought she should have had that job—things started going downhill rapidly for Wentzville's city government. Kross was a well-respected champion for conservative values, but now because her attitude has been leaning more toward the values of our apathetically-political mayor, she's become what some call a penny-pinching RINO (Republican In Name Only). What's even worse, she's turned against her mentor, strong supporter, and good friend, Alderman Forrest Gossett, who had been one of her strongest allies.

 

Kross befriended Alderman Sonya Shryock, whose record has been lacking, and the two of them started voting as a block against Aldermen Stokes, Gossett, and Chris Gard. Guccione, who is only lacking in qualifications, oh, and city business, but a cunning political reprobate, saw the split and is now using it to his advantage. The lunch witnessed by citizens between Guccione and Shryock several weeks ago was not a casual get-together, it was the beginning of a political coup d'état.

 

Shryock knows her bid for re-election will more than likely end in failure, but if she were to be a loyal ally of Guccione, he would not put anyone up to run against her next April, and lend her his support. Unfortunately for Wentzville given this scenario, her constituents will not be electing a representative, but a sock-puppet of Kross and Guccione. This is the way it works when dedicated and caring elected officials start to feel that their job is more important than the people they represent.

 

I really liked both Kross and Shryock and it saddens me to see them cheapen themselves to enter into this most vile and unholy alliance with our totally unqualified Socialist mayor. It's ironic, both Kross and Shryock despised Guccione until a petty dispute of not being board president, and the fear of not being re-elected set in.

 

I was going to continue with more of the Board of Aldermen meeting of September 25th, but I needed to set the stage (so to speak) for the next revolting development of that night. Shryock, Guccione, and Kross were totally out of line with their political ambush of Alderman Forrest Gossett. The board dynamic has drastically changed and was illustrated on September 25, 2013. The Wentzvillian will post what transpired next Monday,