I Don't Give a Damn What the Law Says —Guccione

 

I hate to say this but Mayor Nickolas Guccione and Alderman Cheryl Kross outdid themselves last night at  the Wentzville Board of Aldermen Meeting (click here). They got all tangled up in their own web as they tried in vain to change the makeup of the Downtown Economic Development and Historic Preservation Committee (DEDHP) for absolutely no reason other than hate and revenge. The Bill was defeated by a 3-2 vote.

 

The craziness started during "New Business Section IX, Para. 9, (ID # 5043) Bill No. 3540, an ordinance Amending Section 130.150 of the Municipal Code Regarding the Make-up of the Downtown Economic Development and Historic Preservation Committee, First Reading," at 1:31:20 into the meeting. As you remember from from the last post; Kross and Guccione Need a Wake Up Call (click here), they wanted to remove the aldermen now serving on the DEDHP, and cripple any recommendations the committee brings to the city, by not funding it.

Kross began the discussion with an outright lie. During her explanation regarding why she removed herself from the committee she said: "I support this committee, I think what they are doing is good for the city, but I didn't know that they were going to come to the board with recommendations and ask for funding." I have to ask Alderman Kross: You knew from the beginning, when you begged your way onto the committee that there would be funding requests. You also actively participated in discussions of projects  requiring funding during your first eight months on the committee. Remember your suggestion of acquiring a site on Pearve Blvd. for a new pavillion and building a children's park, did you think all that would be free? If you support the DEDHP and improvements in downtown, how are they supposed make improvements, if there's no financial support from the city? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that improvements cost money and that you never had any intentions of supporting the DEDHP, you were only a member to plan a way to derail it. So your idea of the DEDHP is to remove all funding and let them keep talking for another 50 years and accomplish the same thing the city did for the last 50 years—NOTHING! Admit it Mrs. Kross, you just don't like Aldermen Chris Gard (Committee Chair) or President of the Board, Alderman Rick Stokes, and will do anything to defy them, thwarting their efforts to do something about what the city has neglected for the last 50 years—HISTORIC DOWNTOWN! That goes for you too, Mayor Nickolas Guccione.

Now we come to our illustrious CEO, Mayor Nickolas Guccione. At 1:44:50 he took over; "I don't see any representatives of business owners on the committee or members of the Downtown Business Association (DBA) on the committee." I find this statement strange, because he appointed every single member who currently sits on the committee. Where did this new-found lack of deserving members come from? He even had the ordinance changed recently to add an eighth member, and guess what, he isn't a member of the DBA either? Well Mr. CEO, if you were to ask the members of the committee you'd find there are members of the DBA represented on the DEDHP. He went on to say that he also thinks that the DEDHP is good for the city and supports their efforts. Horse pucky, how do you support them, by taking away the guidance of aldermen and give it no  teeth by not funding it? Of course my alderman, Michael Hays, who's lack of participation in city government is disturbing, voted to change the ordinance, he has to vote the way Guccione tells him to vote.

Guccione also went on his occasional rant about the blog, the blog, and being bullied by it, which he continued in his "Mayor's Report," at 2:24:30 into the meeting (I guess once wasn't enough). He even made reference to the young girl in Dardiene Pairie who hung herself because of being bullied. Please don't hang yourself King Nickolas, what would the city do without you. Then he got biblical, mentioning David and Goliath and said that he's going to get the State, County, and even Wentzville to make laws to infringe on the The Wentzvillian's First Amendment rights because it's a bully blogger.

His most disgusting comment of the night was; "I don't care what the ordinance says, I'm not going to appoint another alderman to serve on the DEDHP. It's my appointment." Where have we heard theses comments before, maybe the appointment of the most useless member of the board of aldermen, Michael Hays, and the threat of not adhering to the ethics policy (law) regarding the Mayor's Ball?

I have to ask the citizens of Wentzville; Mayor Nickolas Guccione took an oath of office stating that he would uphold the laws of Wentzville. Does he actually think that in upholding those laws, they don't apply to him? He's made several threats in his two years in office to break the laws he is bound by oath to uphold, the Aldermen need to have him impeached. If he thinks The Wentzvillian is bullying him because he's reported here to be a rotten Mayor, he needs to find another hobby because he's a complete failure in politics. As long as he continues to bully the aldermen by threatening to break our laws, the staff by threatening them with insubordination if they talk to the aldermen, to threaten the citizens by being incompetent, and threaten the The Wentzvillian by trying to stifle it's First Amendment rights, I will be here to report on him. If King Nickolas thinks that The Wentzvillian is bullying him and it leads him to buy a rope, oh well, so be it.

BTW, Where's our great new City Attorney while our mayor is bullying everyone in the city, does he approve of his actions? The last time I heard, he represents the city, not a rogue mayor.
 

Kross and Guccione Need a Wake Up Call

 

Eight months ago, the Downtown Economic Development and Historical Preservation Committee (DEDHP) of Wentzville was created by Ward 2 Alderman Chris Gard and installed by Mayor Nickolas Guccione through ordinance. Guccione appointed Chairman Gard and two other aldermen; Ward 3, Rick Stokes, and Ward 1 Alderman Cheryl Kross. Five citizens were appointed to the newly formed committee; Brad Beine, Jay Webber, Rebecca Krause, Deborah Bowman, and Leon Tow.

It is the object of the committee to promote economic development and preserve history within the core of Wentzville—a matter which has been ignored by city government for a half-century. Village center businesses and residents have been subject to stringent codes and infrastructure that is almost 100 years old. New businesses want to come into town, but seeing all of the hoops they need to jump through and decaying water and sewer lines they would need to replace at their cost, say "No thanks," and build somewhere else. A few believers have braved the financial disaster offered by Wentzville and rehabilitated old buildings in downtown only to be met with surprise after surprise and no help from the city. Owners of places like the Olde Towne Pub, the original bank building, The Marley Hotel, and the 1878 Sheirbaum home spent fortunes to open their businesses because they believed in Wentzville and are proud of its heritage. Progress is slow in bringing back an old town when the city government offers little or no interest, and incentive to help. This new committee can help with that problem.

Last night at the meeting of the DEDHP, the committee went through a list of projects that need to be funded in order to kick-start economic development in the downtown area. One major problem to bringing new businesses into downtown is parking, and they are going to recommend purchasing the Century-Link parking lot. They discussed bringing forward a plan for trees and shrubbery along the railroad tracks, a mural program, work on infrastructure, sidewalks, and mapping a historical trail with markers. I'm not sure which of these items will be brought to the board of aldermen but they are bringing some of their recommendations for funding to the March 12th meeting of the board.

Here's where a little back-story is necessary. Alderman Cheryl Kross resigned from the committee last month stating that she thinks there are too many aldermen on the committee. She wants to offer a change to the ordinance to have an all-citizen committee by replacing every alderman with citizens. Should this happen, the committee would be left with members who know little or nothing about where budget funding may come from,  which projects are feasible, contacts, and processes necessary to achieve their project goals. In other words, it would slow down or stall the accomplishment of anything they want to bring forward. Their lack of city-knowledge would have them bouncing back and forth between the board of aldermen and their committee. Why would Kross want this to happen?

Last night Kross gave a flowery speech, paying lip service to citizens of Wentzville by saying how much value the committee has to the community, economic development of downtown, and how much she wants it to be successful. What a crock!  Over the years, I've had numerous conversations with Alderman Kross where she's told me point blank, "I won't spend a dime of taxpayer money on the parking lot or any historic preservation in Wentzville." I always thought it funny that she forced her way onto the committee when I knew she didn't give a rats-ass about downtown. I figured she was just spying to find out what they were up to and at the appropriate time she'd quit the committee to vote, "nay" on anything presented to the board for budgeting. I was right again, she did quit, and now wants to gut the committee leaving it to die and rot right in the middle of historic Wentzville. Wow, imagine that, what a surprise!

Now she has Mayor Nickolas Guccione spouting things at his monthly coffee talk saying; "If there are any projects approved by the board of aldermen and funds budgeted, I will veto it!" He also said in a public meeting, "If there were a tie vote on the board allocating funds to the committee, I will vote against it!" Kross and Guccione are absolutely wanting to stop economic development in downtown and destroy the committee formed to accomplish that goal. Once again, Cheryl Kross is the bad apple, and Guccione should know better. He campaigned on seeing economic development in the village center—I guess that was just another campaign promise lie.

If my readers believe in revitalizing our historic center of Wentzville, now is the time for action. Businesses, organizations, and residents need to make calls especially to Mayor Nickolas Guccione and Ward 1 Alderman Cheryl Kross, or call or email City Hall, tell them you agree with the DEDHP Committee recommendations and want a vibrant downtown, tell them to vote "Yea," to the committee recommendations.

Calls need to be made to all of our elected officials, for your convenience here is a list of them and their phone numbers. The names in red are members of the "Unholy Alliance" and expected to vote against the DEDHP Committee recommendations, unless enough voters tell them otherwise.

Mayor:  Nickolas Guccione - (636) 639-0353 (re-election April 2016)

Ward 1: Cheryl Kross - (636) 332-1907 (re-election April 2015)
               Forrest Gossett - (636) 887-0895 (re-election April 2014)

Ward 2: Chris Gard - (636) 233-7399 (re-election April 2015)
               Sonya Shryock - (636) 887-5549 (not seeking re-election)

Ward 3: Rick Stokes - (636) 887-3228 (re-election April 2014)
               Michael Hays - (314) 630-4742 (re-election 2015)

More importantly, we all need to be at the Board of Alderman meeting of March 12, 2014 to voice our opinions during the "Open Forum," and address approval of the DEDHP Committee recommendations. Stop Mayor Guccione and Alderman Cheryl Kross from condemning our historic village center to another 50 years of our city government paying lip-service to the downtown residents and businesses. If they are successful at blocking progress, we need to remember Kross during the election of 2015, and Guccione in 2016.

The only way our elected officials know what citizens need or want, is to tell them. Call the alderman of your ward, inundate our mayor with emails and phone calls; it's the only thing he really understands. Wentzville needs this committee and it needs its government to support it—and us!
 

Who's The CEO? — Why It's Billy Bob Nicky G.

 

I am in receipt of an email, I won't say where it came from, but I will say that it is consistent with a great number of letters and emails in my file penned by our Mayor Nickolas Guccione, CEO of Wentzville. I won't try to explain its content because it speaks for itself (or a facsimile thereof), and literates (or illiterates) volumes about his need for control, his lack of communication skills, and the frustration and struggle of a man who is in way over his head. After you read this email and are finished scratching your head, you might be thinking the same thing I have been thinking for about seven years. This document is transcribed exactly as Guccione sent it and received by everyone listed; "To:" without editing. So, without further eloquence, I want to introduce you to; the one and only Billy Bob Shears—Mayor Nickolas Guccione, CEO of Wentzville.

 

"From Nickolas Guccione mayor1@wentzvillemo.org

Subject: DIRECTIVE

Date: February 18, 2014 at 137 PM

To: Directors Directors@wentzvillemo.org, All City Employees everyone@wentzvillemo.org

Cc: Board of Aldermen BoardofAldermen@wentzvillemo.org

 

Today at 8:45 am issued a directive to staff and to all city employees . That you must use the chain of command .MR Robert Bartolotta is the new City administrator .please welcome Mr Bartolotta stop by and introduce yourself.   the directive that I gave and am giving  is if an elected official contacts you for information or tries to give direction to staff or employee .your to tell them to follow the chain of command and go through Mr. Bartolotta and Doug Lee .With the EXCEPTION OF THE Mayor . Also the city attorney if you need to speak to city attorney go through Mr. Bartolotta Most questions asked he may be able to answer. if not he will contact the attorney and get you the answer your looking for this is in an effort to keep cost down .There may be exceptions for some directors and Mr Bartolotta will make that determination .Any questions an elected official may have when asked of Mr Bartolotta to a director that information will be shared with the rest of the Board of alderman so not just one alderman has that info .Not one alderman makes a decision it takes 4 .Anything and alderman wants to bring forward should be done at a Board meeting to see if it has support to move forward .we will not waste staff time if something does have board support .The elected officials can NOT interfere with Day to Day operations of the city with the EXCEPTION OF THE Mayor AS CEO   Thank you in advance for your cooperation .Mayor Nick Guccione         Wentzville"

 

On several occasions over the last two years Guccione has gotten riled up in public meetings regarding "Chain of Command," and slobbering about him being "the CEO of Wentzville," I think he learned that one from Lambi. Now that we have a new city administrator, Guccione can sit on his throne, high atop the mountain, reigning supreme over his subjects, making decrees, proclamations, and directives, unimpeded by having to address the problems of the city. He will also have plenty of time to extort baskets from Wentzville citizens and businesses for the Mayors Ball.

 

I had an opportunity to show this document to a friend of mine who happens to teach at one of Wentzville's middle schools. I asked my friend to read it and watched her squinting and frowning as she read and reread the email. She shook her head and handed it back saying, "If this were one of my students, I would have failed him or her for writing this poorly." I've read literally hundreds of emails and letters written by Guccione over the years, and I can say, without fear of successful contradiction, he has made no progress in his communications skills.

 

Sad to say, I understand most of what Guccione is trying to say here but I think our mayor may have a few difficulties with what he's implying. I'm not so sure he can keep the Aldermen from speaking with the City Attorney, that might create problems—we'll see.

 

Guccione forced Alderman Michael Hays on Wentzville, now he's trying to stick us with Linda Wright and Robert Hussey, both failed candidates. Do you really want the recommendations of a man who appears to be functionally illiterate, and what sort of people are so easily led to following him? Wentzville voters need to think hard about who they elected to represent us to the county, and be careful not to propagate his way of embarrassing us further by electing those whom he is pushing?

 

Think about this: Can you imagine what other mayors, aldermen, and representatives around the county think when they receive a communication from Mayor Nickolas Guccione, CEO/Wentzville? I feel shame just thinking about it. I encourage my readers to share this document with their voting friends.

 



A Tisket, A Tasket, Guccione Gets His Basket.

 

There were so many things wrong with the Board of Alderman meeting of February 11, 2014 that I hardly know where to start. Aldermen Cheryl Kross and Sonya Shryock once again asked imbecilic questions taking up the time of both petitioners and staff. They stalled a CID renegotiation resolution of the Wentzville Bluffs development just after the petitioner announced that he had five new businesses ready to go to planing and zoning, one of which is a new movie theater. Mayor Nickolas Guccione went total bozo over the ethics policy again and reiterated the fact that he cannot read and hates Roman numerals. Of course, Alderman Michael Hays did what he does best; stare at his computer screen, make funny faces, and vote with Guccione—adding absolutely nothing to the meeting.

 

* * * * *

 

I am going to start with Guccione's favorite issue: being able to take baskets of goodies to the Mayor's ball. This point in question has become the entire thrust of Guccione's platform, any other issues in Wentzville pale in comparison to his desire to collect donations from companies to take to the Mayor's Ball.

 

Guccione has been arguing the ethics policy for months trying to get the Aldermen to change it to allow him to take charitable donations. You may recall, this policy was modified to disallow elected officials to solicit private donations after Mayor Lambi abused his authority and was found guilty by the Missouri Ethics Commission. Spearheaded by Alderman Forrest Gossett, the policy was written to safeguard individuals and companies from feeling pressured by elected officials who seek donations for a cause. Guccione wanted it changed back to pre-Guccione days so he can go around town strong-arming companies to give generously to his beloved Mayor's Ball.

 

I used the term "strong-arm" because regardless of how you cut it, that's what it is. Companies as well as individuals are intimidated by an elected official coming to their home or business looking for a hand out. If I were to walk into a Wentzville business asking them to donate $250 to my favorite charity, they'd say, "no thanks." But if a mayor walks into that same business with the same request, the owner is nervous and feeling pressured about refusing him, and as Lambi proved; they'll give it to him. Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't this a form of (perhaps unintended) extortion? I think so, and so should our elected officials.

 

The change to the policy was up for final reading and King Nickolas got his dream fulfilled as it was a 5-1 vote. Alderman Rick Stokes sacked up and held firm that he disagreed with allowing any elected official to extort solicit donations, consequently, he was the only one to vote "Nay." I'm especially disappointed in Gossett when he announced that he promised to compromise with the mayor but struggled with himself internally because he felt it wrong also. That didn't stop him from voting "Yea." Mr. Gossett sold out his core values to keep a promise to a mayor who has never kept a promise to anyone since being elected almost eight years ago. Shame on you Alderman Gossett, you just made it possible for Guccione to move on to his second priority—getting Chief of Police, Lisa Harrison fired.

 

* * * * *

 

Moving on to the utter lunacy of Kross and Shryock. Mr. Rick Podhorn, developer of the Wentzville Bluffs retail development, came before the board to ask for a resolution to obtain an extension of the CID used to develop the property on the southwest corner of Hwy. 70 and Hwy. Z. Mr. Podhorn explained that he had five other businesses (one of which is a movie theater) ready to go before planning and zoning within the next two months, but they will be unable to obtain financing if the CID is not extended. After repeating the lengthy proposal to Shryock three times because she didn't seem to understand Community Improvement Development language, Stokes moved to offer the extension and have a resolution drafted by the next meeting.

 

Alderman Kross, in her usual baffling way, offered an alternate motion to bring it back for discussion without a resolution. Why she wants to stall this great opportunity for Wentzville has many people scratching their heads. She is making things tight for the developer and could possibly close the window on it with her smoke and mirror logic. She's making powerful enemies all over town and I'm afraid with this latest stunt, among many others before, Alderman Kross has outlived her usefulness to Wentzville politics—she needs to follow Shryock out of the door and definately not be re-elected in 2015.

 

There's A Rat In Camp

 

In less than two months Wentzville voters will be going to the polls to make their choice to get back on track, or go full-steam ahead with the Nickolas Guccione train wreck. He is supporting two candidates to go up against two of the brightest incumbents to be elected in Wentzville, Rick Stokes and Forrest Gossett. His justification: total control of the legislative branch of our city government by the executive branch (him).

 

Things keep changing with the candidates for April 2014, and at a rate I've never seen. First Sonya Shryock decided not to seek re-election, then Jay Webber bailed so Guccione can focus on only one candidate to take out Gossett, and now, at the eleventh hour, Patrick Vining pulls out leaving the Ward 2 seat to Michaeal Rhoades who will win by default. Elections in Wentzville have been really screwy in the past 15 or so years simply because there have been a number of unqualified power-hungry people willing to trade their good names for nothing short of narcissistic excellence. I won't give their names here right now, they know who they are—losers. I will however say that today, Mayor Nickolas Guccione is leading his new (retreaded) band of brothers (and sister) into the abyss of mud-slinging treachery, but after last year's election, they are not strangers to these tactics. What his recruits don't seem to care about is; they are following a pathological liar born storyteller who will drag their names into the same slimy dungeon that he and all his past comrades must now call home.

 

* * * * *

 

For the past few years there have been aldermen, and even mayors, who have been convinced that someone is leaking information to The Wentzvillian from executive sessions. Not long ago, the mayor ordered the police to sweep city hall for hidden bugs, not having the equipment to accomplish this task, they called in the St. Louis police department to search—they found nothing.

 

Now I have a puzzle for Mayor Nickolas Guccione. Can you guess who gave The Wentzvillian what you said to one of your closest confidants: "I regret doing many of the things I've done as Mayor..." A very humble thing to say, but when you add the last part of the sentence it gets very Guccionish: "...because so many people want me gone." He doesn't regret screwing things up as much as he hates that people found out about him. C'mon King Nickolas, do you think things are going to get better for you? As long as I have this new found rat in your home camp, many of your secrets will make the pages of The Wentzvillian. Happy reading! Oh, and if you want to sweep anyplace for bugs, call the St. Louis Police department for the job, quit wasting the time of Wentzville police with your stupid requests.

 

* * * * *

 

A little more campaign folly. Guess who was seen cavorting with Guccione and his candidate (against Rick Stokes), Linda Wright, right out in front of city hall this past Saturday? None other than Republican (RINO) Representative Brian Spencer. Spencer had been walking with Guccione door-to-door all last summer greasing the mayor's re-election chute in 2016, and Guccione's aldermanic choices for this April. I want to know why Spencer is so involved with the election of Wright and spends so much time prancing around with them in Wentzville. Aren't there any pressing issues at the state level that could use his attendance? Representative Spencer, you need to go somewhere else and keep your politicking in Jefferson City, you're getting a little more than obvious about meddling in the elections of Wentzville.