Thursday, April 24, 2014

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Blog?

 
The Board of Aldermen meeting last evening; April 23rd, 2014 (click here), was fairly routine until Aldermen Sonya Shryock and Rick Stokes gave their farewell speeches, broke for their farewell reception, and did their farewell walk out of the front door. The moment Mayor Nickolas Guccione called the 'new board' to order, he was transformed. Dressed in his white confectioner's suit, he had banished the infidels from the kingdom and went to work with a new vigor by anointing his new board and commissions. It was his turn, the White Knight was finally able to wear his King's crown and wield Excalibur with the authority for which he was destined — Long Live the King!
 
With two-thirds of the intelligence on the board gone (Stokes and Forrest Gossett), Alderman Cheryl Kross wasn't to be denied. She proudly accepted the nomination for President of the Board by newly elected Alderman Michael Rhoades and took her seat next to the King — where she will wash his feet and polish his scepter when necessary. If I had to guess, Rhoades was tricked into nominating Kross, making the same mistake most junior aldermen make; equating time on the board with ability to lead. If anyone had been thinking about the "good of the city," which the King reminded everyone of — regularly, Alderman Chris Gard would have been elected to that post. Oh well, such is politics in the big city, and as we all know; "What's good for General Bullmoose, is good for the USA!"
 
During last night's short but entertaining get-together, I harvested quite a bit of useful information regarding our junior aldermen; Rhoades, Robert Hussey, and Linda Wright. I know that Mr. Rhoades is a tough and devout believer in right and wrong, I don't see him being misled or pushed around for long. Hussey gave a very good report stating that he is only; "Interested in doing right by his constituents and the city." He is familiar with government procedure and the next few months will tell if he is, who he says he is. Linda Wright is another story completely, Guccione put more time and effort in getting her elected than he did Michael Hays, and we all know how that turned out. I think her political life will be a mixture of the Hays, Kross, and Shryock styles — disastrous for the city, especially Ward 3. God, I don't even want to think about the future of Ward 3, we are screwed!
 
The real fun started when King Nickolas gave his "Mayor's Report." He was all puffed-up with pride and bubbling over with power, since his arch-nemesis; Rick Stokes wasn't there to correct, or steer him in the appropriate direction. Like a dragon, he spewed fire at "The Blog, it tells lies and slanders good people. Don't pay attention to it!" He slobbered on about "The Blog" for several minutes warning his junior minions of the evil that lurks within. He might want to take his own advice, but that ain't happenin', he's hooked. He reads The Wentzvillian, or has someone read it to him at every opportunity. He got rid of Stokes and Gossett, and has Gard is in his sights, but he's going to have a real challenge in his attempt to stifle the First Amendment Rights of The Wentzvillian. It will be here to tell the truth about the state of Wentzville's city government under King Nickolas and beyond. Three mayors and countless aldermen have come under scrutiny here, only a dysfunctional mayor, by any standards, would think he's going to get a pass. Take care Mr. Mayor, haven't you ever seen the old statement of freedom: "Don't Tread On Me?"
 
Mayor Nickolas Guccione's "Mayor's Report" was bloated with arrogance. At first I thought it was was just me who saw it, but two citizens who were in attendance said exactly that; they watched Guccione's new found power-trip and used the word "arrogance." Given the hubris he displayed last night, I feel confident that his administration is on the way to self-destruction — he is going to screw up royally. Citizens need to watch him closely as he wields his butcher knife (Excalibur) to Wentzville. Watch the city video (click here), notice his deportment change after Stokes left the chambers, take a gander at him foaming at the mouth when he spoke of taking apart every initiative and every ordinance that Stokes' boards passed over the past two years.
 
* * * * *
 
King Nickolas Guccione is on a collision course with history and either he doesn't realize it, or he just doesn't care. He has brought about three employee discrimination lawsuits in just his first two years — one of which involves himself, two aldermen, two cities, three policemen, and the County Prosecutor. That's a lot of legal fees defending these aldermen, among others. The citizens of Wentzville need to ask: Who is going to pay the defense attorney's fees for the nine defendants here in Wentzville, the taxpayers?
 
According to the County Prosecutor's investigation; "Memorandum of Interview," dated September 11, 2013, most of which was posted here in; The "Unholy Alliance" Exposed (click here), clearly alleges that there were aldermen and police who overstepped their authority by acting out of their duties as elected officials. According to my sources; it is alleged that documents and testimony which will be brought out during the eleven separate trials will prove that there was a conspiracy in the mayor's office which discriminated against Wentzville Chief of Police, Lisa Harrison. So who pays for the defense of people who act on their own?

This information needs to be made public. Are the taxpayers going to be responsible to pay for attorneys fees and perhaps huge punitive damages if it is found that people went outside their regular duties? If any portion of these trials come out in favor of the plaintiff, it could result in paying out millions of dollars, who is going to be held responsible? Voters, taxpayers, and citizens of Wentzville have a right to have these answers, it should be made public by our mayor. Remember Mr. Mayor, in your own words; "I will act for the good of the people." Well, what's it going to be Mr. Mayor? Are you going to give the citizens full disclosure, or will it be another closed-door, closed-mouth process as it was with the Lambi scandal?
 

20 comments:

  1. Shryock will wrestle with her own devils, but when it's found that Guccione, Kross, and the officers named in the law suit acted on their own, outside their respective duties, the officers should be fired and Guccione and Kross should be removed from office for betrayal of the public trust which each of them took an oath to protect.

    If these new aldermen and Hays and Gard are to fulfill their promise to govern fairly and equally, they need to take action. The people of Wentzville rely upon their elected officials to represent them, and protect them from people who would harm the good name of the city. If they disclose who went outside their authority it's time to take care of some very difficult business; put Guccione and Kross out on the streets.

    The citizens should be shouting and carrying torches to city hall demanding action and satisfaction.

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    1. The 'LAWSUIT' just made the front page on NEWSTIME so I guess everyone in Wentzville will know what is happening, not just the readers of the STL Post-Dispatch. The Mayor is going to have get a TEFLON Suit to wear as he can't hide from the black and white media this far out from STL now.

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  2. citizens of wentzville need to call their aldermen demanding an accounting of the lawsuits the cost of which is hovering over the heads of tax payers. your calls will give the new aldermen a sense of how outraged we are about what's going on.

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    1. Ok, Ward 2 residents let's put our new alderman Mr. Rhoades to learning about our city on how it works or doesn't work. Let's have him get an accounting of lawsuits for his voters benefit and report to us. His phone number is 314/605-0436.

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  3. Did our firefighters do any of this?

    http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/04/24/university-city-firefighters-photo-candidate-suspended-without-pay/8115869/

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  4. i must say, for a guy who says he doesn't pay any attention to this blog, he sure talks enough about it in city meetings. wentzvillian, you must be pushing the right buttons. bravo, keep it up!

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  5. I can't believe that the most highly able and intelligent legislator on this board, Chris Gard, didn't get even one committee position. Why is Mayor Nick dumbing down Wentzville Government? Hmmm! Could it be that Mr. Gard is too smart and the Mayor is really getting ready to push him off of the BOA like he did with Gossett and Stokes?

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    1. Gard is too smart for the Mayor to handle and will eventually rise way above the Mayor. That is why he wants him out of his way NOW so he can't outsmart him with his city involvement.

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    2. the election of 2015 with hays, kross, and gard up for reelection is going to be a nasty affair.

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  6. Only the citizens of Wentzville can effect a change on what the Mayor has and is doing. Informed voting is a biggie but the aldermen need to know what you think or they just go along doing things that really don't matter in the big picture. Call your alderman frequently, you aren't a pest, they work for you it's their duty to respond to concerned citizens. Go ahead, pick up your phone and begin the process to change the direction of our city politics! If they don't respond to your calls, call the president of the board Cheryl Kross. If she doesn't remedy the situation, call the Missouri Ethics Commission, they will get to the bottom of unresponsive government!

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  7. I watched the video of the meeting and after Cheryl Kross accepted her presidency of the board I expected to hear great words of wisdom for the new aldermen during her report, but it never came. Alderman Chris Gard gave a wonderful dissertation for he cubs during his report, it looks like he's going to be babysitting Kross through what I expect to be a somewhat less than sparkling leadership roll.

    Rick Stokes babysat Mayor Nick continuously while serving as Board President, somehow I don't think Kross will measure up to the task without help. If she leads the board like she serves as alderman, there's a good chance she'll drive some aldermen crazy with meaningless details. It will be an interesting transition to watch.

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    1. What Kross doesn't understand is that all her actions, detail picking and be-laboring issues has gotten a huge number of old school WARD 1 residents to start silently banding against her. Oh, they will all act sweet to her face and make her think she is doing well by them but they will do exactly what she has done to them and the city and run her out of office at the last minute and she won't even see it coming. HA HA ladybug!!

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    2. Kross won't drive the other Aldermen crazy with meaningless details but she will get a few more staff directors to finally realize how business wise incompetent she is and they won't stay around long. Some one has their bye-bye papers in preparation and is just waiting for Ms. Kross to push their button one time too many. that will just start to open the personnel floodgate again.

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  8. Seriously..The Mayor actually says on public video he is doing what is best for the city and doesn't acknowledge or appoint Chris Gard to any committee??? That's a travesty!!! Alderman Gard is the most articulate, informed,experienced , and obviously intelligent person on the board. THAT is NOT doing what is best for our city.I hope he does read this.Mayor you are an embarrassment!!

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  9. I saw this update on Case Net. What does this mean?
    4/24/2014
    THE JUDGES OF THE 11TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT HEREBY RECUE THEMSELVES FROM HEARING THE ABOVE STYLED CAUSE. THE PRESIDING JUDGE ON BEHALF OF THIS COURT REQUESTS THE SUPREME COURT ISSUE AN ORDER OF ASSIGNMENT. RZ ( request sent kar)

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    1. Possibly because the 11th Circuit Court Judges have a close working relationship with the Prosecuting Attorney (who is named in this lawsuit) and need a different venue. Perhaps one of my readers have a legal background and can explain it.

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  10. Wentzvillian I think the time has come to post a review of the City's Cost for Attorneys and a related twist which the citizens may not be knowledgeable of.

    Wentzvillian if you remember it was Kross, Hays, Shyrock, and the Mayor casting the deciding vote to not award the City Attorney contract to Paul Rost. Yet the Mayor continues to have the Rost firm on the payroll. Why?? What is Cheryl Kross, President of the Board, excuse for this waste of our tax dollars?

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    1. The law firm of Cunningham Vogel and Rost is still on the city payrioll (under contract) and will be until the cases and bonds they were working on are finished. I believe the city is contracting a new trial lawyer to handle any new cases, and of course our new city attorney is under contract as well.

      I warned my readers that this would happen but those who didn't renew their contract weren't far-sighted enough to see that one coming. That's what happens when you legislate by revenge, thank Kross, Shryock, Hays, and Guccione for that one. Wentzville will be paying Cunningham, Vogel and Rost and all of these new attorneys for years to come.

      The information on how much we've spent on attorney fees year to date can be obtained by a Sunshine Law 'request for information' form through the city clerk. I think anyone checking this out is in for a huge surprise. This may be a great question for citizens to ask our new aldermen, and Chris Gard, because you sure won't get a straight answer from Guccione, Kross, or Hays, because they created this mess.

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    2. If the dollar amount is public record, are there ramifications to obtaining the information and posting it here?

      Are there any cost projections for defending Guccione, Kross, and Shyrock against the recent lawsuit brought by the police chief?

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    3. Since attorneys work by the hour cost estimates are impossible to estimate the total. But what ever it is, figure taking it times nine defendants with at least one attorney working each one. It ain't gonna be cheep!

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