I've had time to look, re look, and look again in disbelief at the Wentzville Board of Aldermen meeting of December 18, 2013 (click here). I've got to tell you something, Mayor Nickolas Guccione said some things that should disturb even his most avid fan. I've always known that he is not the most crisp pickle in the jar, but after the statements he made Wednesday December 16th, I'm concerned that there may be some criminal intent in his methodology when he threatened the Alderman and the City with a lawsuit if he doesn't get his was.
Mayor Nickolas Guccione has, and is displaying his arrogance of power and his total disregard for the laws of our city in the exact same manner written about in the book, The Imperial Presidency by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Everyone knows about his use of the City logo and the GM trademark during his election, everyone knew it was illegal except Guccione, and everyone was shocked when he was allowed to walk via Mayor Lambi's illegal pardon. Only a Governor has the power to pardon the crimes Guccione committed in the way and time he committed them. Now, because his lack of ethics is beginning to pile up, I'm beginning to wonder if Guccione did not know his deeds were illegal, or if he believes it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission, or he knows his actions are illegal and thinks himself above the laws the rest of us must abide.
Wednesday evening during "(I.D. # 4946) Ethics Policy," in a discussion that has been going on for months, Guccione threatened the Board and the City with litigation if the ethics policy was not changed to allow him to solicit private donations for various groups. It must be noted that this policy was modified, and signed by Guccione after the Lambi scandal, but now he wants to change it back to be able to do everything that was afforded Lambi.
At about 2:02 into the meeting Guccione became frustrated, as he does most of the time when he doesn't get his way. "My personal attorneys told me that I was elected by the people, and the Alderman can not hold me to this ethics policy. The people who elected me didn't make this policy, the Aldermen did." WHAT? Does our Mayor really believe that the people write laws and policies? My high school government classes taught me that the legislators write laws and policies, and in this case, that's our Aldermen. The same people who elected Guccione to head up the executive branch of our government, elected our Aldermen to legislate our laws. Guccione does not need an attorney he needs a government class, the problem is, he just doesn't like the system and wants to change it to his more Socialist ideas. "Not one, but two attorneys told me that if I challenge this policy it would not hold up in court. I don't want to do that but." I could hardly believe what I heard. He also said he knew State Representatives who side with him. I wonder who he's talking about, maybe his strong political supporter, Brian Spencer? Our mayor just told the aldermen, and the city, that if you don't change this policy, I'm going to collect donations anyway, and if you try to punish me for violation of the policy, I'm taking the city to court. All of you good citizens who voted for Nickolas Guccione must now see that he does not respect the laws of this city and it's by design, not oversight, it's simple ignorance of government and how it works.
If I were an Alderman and I wanted to get rid of the arrogance and utter incompetence in the Mayor's office, I would uphold our laws as they are written. If anyone of the aldermen bow to his threats, perhaps they believe they are above the law also. At one point during the discussion he said to Alderman Shryock, "If you have to ask, it's probably wrong." Guccione has been asking a whole lot in an effort to get his own way, it's time he let it go and concentrate on being a better mayor, after all, he's not a fundraiser, he's the CEO of a failing administration. He tried this same tantrum when he had Michael Hays appointed to the board, in his mind it worked once, why not again? Guccione is really pushing the envelope and deserves to be slapped around by the legal system. I'd love to watch him defend his actions here in Wentzville's municipal Court. He thinks he's above the law and deserves the opportunity to prove it to his subjects, and Judge Martin.
Dear King Nickolas, Your subjects are leaving like rats from a sinking ship, the city is being buried in lawsuits, and all you want to do is attend the Mayor's Ball. You are correct, the other mayors are laughing at you, but not because you only brought one basket to the Ball.
Wednesday evening during "(I.D. # 4946) Ethics Policy," in a discussion that has been going on for months, Guccione threatened the Board and the City with litigation if the ethics policy was not changed to allow him to solicit private donations for various groups. It must be noted that this policy was modified, and signed by Guccione after the Lambi scandal, but now he wants to change it back to be able to do everything that was afforded Lambi.
At about 2:02 into the meeting Guccione became frustrated, as he does most of the time when he doesn't get his way. "My personal attorneys told me that I was elected by the people, and the Alderman can not hold me to this ethics policy. The people who elected me didn't make this policy, the Aldermen did." WHAT? Does our Mayor really believe that the people write laws and policies? My high school government classes taught me that the legislators write laws and policies, and in this case, that's our Aldermen. The same people who elected Guccione to head up the executive branch of our government, elected our Aldermen to legislate our laws. Guccione does not need an attorney he needs a government class, the problem is, he just doesn't like the system and wants to change it to his more Socialist ideas. "Not one, but two attorneys told me that if I challenge this policy it would not hold up in court. I don't want to do that but." I could hardly believe what I heard. He also said he knew State Representatives who side with him. I wonder who he's talking about, maybe his strong political supporter, Brian Spencer? Our mayor just told the aldermen, and the city, that if you don't change this policy, I'm going to collect donations anyway, and if you try to punish me for violation of the policy, I'm taking the city to court. All of you good citizens who voted for Nickolas Guccione must now see that he does not respect the laws of this city and it's by design, not oversight, it's simple ignorance of government and how it works.
If I were an Alderman and I wanted to get rid of the arrogance and utter incompetence in the Mayor's office, I would uphold our laws as they are written. If anyone of the aldermen bow to his threats, perhaps they believe they are above the law also. At one point during the discussion he said to Alderman Shryock, "If you have to ask, it's probably wrong." Guccione has been asking a whole lot in an effort to get his own way, it's time he let it go and concentrate on being a better mayor, after all, he's not a fundraiser, he's the CEO of a failing administration. He tried this same tantrum when he had Michael Hays appointed to the board, in his mind it worked once, why not again? Guccione is really pushing the envelope and deserves to be slapped around by the legal system. I'd love to watch him defend his actions here in Wentzville's municipal Court. He thinks he's above the law and deserves the opportunity to prove it to his subjects, and Judge Martin.
Dear King Nickolas, Your subjects are leaving like rats from a sinking ship, the city is being buried in lawsuits, and all you want to do is attend the Mayor's Ball. You are correct, the other mayors are laughing at you, but not because you only brought one basket to the Ball.
After watching the 12/18 Alderman meeting and listening intently to Alderman Shryock several times - I had to in order to really understand what she was trying innocuously to get to without burying herself. She definitely has special interests in her back pocket especially when it comes to city contracts. She has a relationship with several companies including one tied to her family member. It sure sounded like she kept on trying to make it OK for gifts etc. to come from businesses in some form. She may be trying to be the next "queen of payola" . Mr. Mayor better watch out as she will get you in her trap
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutly correct. She danced around the semi-ficticious Billy Bob numerous times asking the same question usung the same words in a different order. She never heard the answer she wanted because she couldn't ask the question she wanted to ask without blowing her benifactor's cover.
DeleteShe ran for election to serve a very specific agenda and it involved contracts to relatives. If you want to see who it is, check out the $6,000 donation to her campaign.
Is her list and amount of donations to her campaign an open/public record??
DeleteIf it is, we would like it published here so we can all see if she is as honest as she says she is. Either she is or isn't the 'good fairy' she portends herself to be and the people who elected her need to know the truth. Maybe she needs to run on a transparent election platform as the city wants for the Mayor and the city administration. Can this happen?? Honesty and truthfulness should be the top items that support their platform. By the way what are Alderman Shryock's accomplishments from 2013 and what are her goals if she continues to run for office???
Can that be published here????
Mr. mayor you best be careful about which attorneys you speak to about you can or cannot do. We really believe that your 'personal attorneys'--and do you need 2 of them to cover your actions?- are not giving you good advice and as an attorney they are just looking to be engaged by you for their fees you will be charged for their legal assistance when they attempt to defend you.
DeleteBy the way , did they put it in writing about what the Mayor can or can not take as donations etc. or will it come done as "I don't recall saying that exactly to the Mayor" and let the Mayor float down the river?????
Our Mayor does not have the education to understand government. He tests every limit he can find until he is sternly corrected. His lack of knowledge of the seperations of powers will do him in one day.
ReplyDeleteIf you ask any employee here in city hall about the job he's doing (they won't), but could tell you of his total lack of understaning of the position he was elected to serve. That's why the majority of the directors left, and why many of our middle management employees are leaving.
Aldermen: Please dont change the policy. Let him file suit against the city, he needs a good government lesson, and it may be our only salvation.
Obverservations indicate, the key to whether or not the mayor gets his way is Cheryl Kross. It's a given that Sonya Shryock and Michaeal Hays want it but Cheryl was asking questions that indicated maybe she may not go along with them.
ReplyDeletehow can a mayor of a city threaten to sue his city if they don't change a law? this is abserd! how can he not understand that when aldermen make laws, which he signs into law, those same laws don't apply to him? this mayor needs to get out of town before he goes to jail.
ReplyDeleteI think he should stay in town and go to jail. However, he should probably go to state prison in Jeff City, since he is gunning for a seat in the state capital anyway. It just might not be the same seat he has in mind. What job do you think they would give him in prison? Does he have a high school diploma? If not, he should first set to work on his GED.
DeleteWait a minute, can a mayor even take his city to court. Isn't that some kind of conflict of interest? Wasn't Guccione elected to uphold Wentzville's laws and policies? If he takes Wentzville to court, won't we be defended by our own legal services team, and cost us all kinds of legal fees? I thought he took an oath? Maybe if he resigned first he could sue the city, I can't believe he could do it while still in office. There's something very wrong here.
ReplyDeleteAll I want for Christmas is for the Wentzvillian to DROP DEAD!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you, and thanks for reading The Wentzvillian.
DeleteWhen we look at the future of Wentzville we see a very chilling scenario. The Mayor's warped ideology has come into focus. He is no longer trying to be covert. Instead, he is brazenly doing everything he can to get his way.. He has purged city employees in unprecedented numbers and pressured others to the point of walking away is better than staying. He is getting rid of those loyal to the City and flaunted its essential constitution to the point of it being argued instead of being re-evaluated to stay current with the times in city hall meetings. It has been part of his radical plan to degrade and demoralize thru devious and underhanded maneuvers and weaken the ideology of those who place ethics, fair play, honesty, and moral courage at the front of their personal mantra.
ReplyDeleteWe are up against a big deadline with the coming election. The Mayor is using his cunning tactics have his useless puppet Ms. Shryock re-elected. With all her back pocket connections she should RECUSE herself from the election. It looks as though the Mayor is now pulling out all his ACE cards to have the only 2 Aldermen who have had the purity of heart to stand up to his conspiratorial actions face the mud slinging actions of his cronies.
It is time for those of good character to stand their ground and prepare for the challenge.
HIGH NOON is coming!
How can we get former Alderman Leon Tow to relocate to ward #2 and run against the 2 faced puppet Ms. Sonya Shryock.. She may be a nice mom but really is a wolf in sheep's clothing with back pocket politics to suit her personal agenda. Unfortunately, with all her campaign donation ties, we can't tell who is pulling the strings on mouth today.
ReplyDelete