Mayor Nickolas Guccione worked hard in making a fool of himself to get people elected to the Board of Aldermen who will give him total control of Wentzville city government. To him that means catering to special interests, favors for his buddies and prospective voters. Prior to last month, there were Aldermen who understood fiduciary responsibility, ethics, and representative government—that has all changed.
Today, we have one alderman; Chris Gard, who has the experience, know-how, and is far-sighted enough to recognize the many subtle pitfalls of legislating from the hip. The bad news is we have two aldermen, Michael Hays and Cheryl Kross, who have proven themselves to be close followers of the Nickolas Guccione butcher shop method of politics, and three new aldermen who will need guidance as they learn the ropes. At least two of our new aldermen, Linda Wright and Robert Hussey, owe a campaign debt to Nickolas Guccione and they are most likely to repay that debt back to him in the form of votes on the board. Then there's Alderman Michael Rhoades, he has the best chance of being an independent thinker and true representative of the people in his ward, we can only pray that he seeks guidance from his ward mate; Ward 2 Alderman, Chris Gard, and not our small-thinking, short-sighted President of the Board, Cheryl Kross, and Mayor Nickolas 'Butcher of Wentzville' Guccione.
I've given a lot of thought to Cheryl Kross and her presidency of the board, and I'm having great difficulty resolving her ability to lead. A number of things in her recent past have illustrated her poor judgement and lack of leadership. Most recently is the lawsuit in which it's alleged that she took an active role in the conspiracy to fire Chief Lisa Harrison (click here). She was instrumental in the movement against our City Attorney Paul Rost (click here) and the loss of our audit firm—not renewing the contracts of these two firms is costing taxpayers a fortune. Then there was her flip-vote (click here) to allow the seating of the most useles alderman and sock-puppet of King Nickolas; Michael Hays—that decision was not in the best interests of Wentzville or Ward 3, but rather her own political fear of not being re-elected in 2012. President of the Board Kross has proven herself incapable of leading a gaggle of geese across a road, how she is going to intelligently lead three cub-aldermen is beyond me. I'm afraid, as she leads with hate and revenge, the city will gather more lawsuits until an ernest movement can be mounted to vote her out of our city government. Kross is all over the city putting in face-time, she's also taking huge advantage of social media, posting everything she can find to keep her name in as an important person in the city. If there's a chance to get her out of office in 2015, concerned voters will need to start now.
So what does the near future hold for Wentzville? King Nickolas will immediately take apart the ethics policy and the sign ordinance allowing him to collect more baskets for the Mayor's Ball (click here), and give his buddy exJudge Michael Carter the ability to plaster Wentzville with political signs for his third run at Judge Stephen Martin in 2015. 'The Butcher' is not satisfied with having control of the executive and legislative branches of Wentzville government, he wants to control the judicial branch as well.
Things do not bode well for Wentzville with Mayor Nickolas Guccione and his flying monkeys leading our city down the tube. Guccione doesn't have any guidence running our city and must rely heavily on our directors and his "friends in high places." What this means is that once again, our city staff will be making Guccione's decisions for him. Problems loom large in the mystic of Wentzville's future, Guccione made his bed, has everything he wants, and now we'll see just how much better it gets around here. For my money it will be a nightmarish ride for our employees and the city coffers will be burned to the ground while the 'Butcher of Wentzville' plays his fiddle and seeks more avenues of power. These are dark days for Wentzville and we can thank voter apathy for it. Registered voters need to organize and put a stop to Guccione's party (Hays and Kross) in April of 2015.
I think you have an overly pessimistic view of the next two years. O'Fallon prior to the current mayor offers a plausible view of Wentzville's future. Here's a timeline:
ReplyDelete1. Elect unsophisticated people as aldermen.
2. Elect an unsophisticated person as mayor.
3. Now, those in power have power, and it's time to use it. Identify villains and attack.
4. OOPS... things get messy.
5. Multiple aldermen decide that the mayor isn't too smart. "I can do his/her job." The aldermen never question their own abilities.
6. CHAOS... Nothing productive is accomplished.
7. Voters realize that elections matter. The problem politicians don't run for re-election, or loose.
8. Productive government returns, although the mess will take time and money to fix.
Of course, Wentzville has a history of messy politics, so maybe step seven is a return to step one.
Citizens need to remember. Elections are always important, regardless of the level of government.
Other Shoe: We are in perfect agreement. However, if a motivated group of citizens can mount a stong enough campaign to remove the problem aldermen at the next election, it would kneecap the mayor long enough to salvage most of the good that was done over the last four years. Then it's a matter of putting the mayor's record to the voters in 2016 and replacing him.
DeleteI beg everyone residing in Ward 3 to watch just one of the Board of Alderman meetings and observe the non-participation of your alderman, Michael Hayes. Judge for yourself if this is the person you want to support in next April's election.
ReplyDeleteWhen he does speak, it's usually much ado about nothing. He will occasionally second a motion (if he's sure the mayor will approve). Mostly, he opens his mouth only to provide us all with some inane attempt at being funny.
My guess is he knows the ward is not pleased with his performance. He won by only a few votes in 2013, but I don't think he's smart enough to realize running again will cause him a great deal of embarrassment.
I'm ready to rally. Count me in. When's the first meeting?
Part of changing things in Ward 3 is the visibility of showing up at Alderman meetings and letting the Board know that we are watching what is going on. There have only been a person or two from Ward 3 showing up at Alderman meeting regularly. It seems that he is the only one, from Ward 3, who really cares about what the heck is going on and is not afraid of showing his face and not just watching the meetings via the WEBCAST.
DeleteWe need more folks like that who show up and want to make a difference.
It does get lonely at the meetings.
DeleteI agree with you whole heartedly, we need more concerned residents from ward 3 (and all of the wards) to be at the meetings to let these aldermen know that WE DO CARE and want better representation than we've had from those who say; "I care about the will of the people and represent their interests."
If we don't tell them what our interests are, they represent themselves! Come to the meetings. I know it's boring most of the time, but if we want better government we need to show up and see who it is that says they're representing us.
Michael Hayes is a inept alderman if we have ever seen one in Ward #3. Just like his Master Mr.. Guccione. he can not and will not make decisions without prior consultation with his boss. He now has several of his own neighbors looking for help in replacing him in the next election. Look to the left-look to the right-look across the street and they are not going to support Hayes in the next election. He better
Deletelook elsewhere for help because his neighbors will not since they found he is not a decision maker with out being told what decisions to make. His employer surely knows his abilities in risk-analysis are non-existent as they watch his actions at Alderman meetings.
Mr. Hayes can not make decisions because he does not have the time to devote to his elected position. Watch him before every Alderman meeting huddling on the dais with the Mayor on their computers and reading what the meetings are all about and getting his directives from tricky Nick on how he is to vote on everything.
DeleteWe challenge folks to some early to the meetings and watch what goes on, who talks to who, who has the hushed conversations with a hand covering their mouths so no one read their lips. Mr. Hayes doesn't know what day it is most of the time and would miss or be late for the meetings if it wasn't for the email reminders he gets from his BOSS. Mr. Hayes is as useless as his so called 'mentor' tricky Nicky. He doesn't come around to the neighborhoods in his Ward to listen to folks and find out what is on their minds. He has never been to our HOA meetings to listen and meet folks. He is a true waste of time and citizens' money who pay his salary.
Don't hold your breath while waiting for a visit. He did very little knocking before the last election. Why would he start now?
DeleteI talked to him back then and it was a huge waste of my time. The homeowner in the other house he visited shared similar feelings.
If my position was different from his, he suddenly changed direction to agree with my point of view. The waffling continued for every issue we discussed. He just didn't know how to respond without his leader holding his hand and telling him what his position should be.
Hey, Mr. Wentzvillian, have you considered running for Ward 3 Alderman? Be willing to bet that you would get a lot of support not just from Ward 3 but from across the city. You know what is going on, have a caring perspective for what should be happening, and won't put up with the poop that some folks are throwing around. bet there are more folks than you can imagine that would support you and your sense of honesty and ethics. You really need to give it strong consideration!
DeleteThank you, but I think I can do better for the city on this side of the government! Besides, I'd be impeached after my first week.
DeleteHow can honesty become an impeachable act?
DeleteOops, forgot we are in Wentzville, the home of the sneaky snake.
What is new on the lawsuit? Will that be an open hearing that we can all go to and observe or city's representative in their finest hour? Keep us posted so we can reserve the buses for the trip.
DeleteAs soon as I hear anything regarding the lawsuit, I guarantee everyone reading my posts will be the first in the city to know.
DeleteTo Anonymous May 5, 2014 at 5:17 PM: Honesty will get you ostracized faster than the biggest lie one could ever tell. No one listens to, or wants the truth to be told. The truth is; Nickolas Guccione has violated more than enough policies and laws to be removed from office, but no one wants to believe or act upon the truth.
Which lawsuit is everybody talking about. At last count I counted 3. Building comminisoner, city engineer and police chief. Are they somehow lumped together or is there another new one?
DeleteThe lawsuits filed by Chief Harrison are all different cases with 11 individual defendants. It's going to cost the taxpayers a fortune if they have to pay for all of the attorneys ... there goes the reserve fund, get out your wallet. The price of doing business in Wentzville just went up.
DeleteMaybe I'm just reading it incorrectly. I only see one petition with 11 defendants not 11 lawsuits. Plus the previous two that were filed. The police chiefs suit appeares to be the most recent one filed.
DeleteI must be reading it incorrectly also. I see one petition with 9 defendants, namely, City of Wentzville, City of St Charles, Nicholas Guccione, Cheryl Kross, Sonya Shryock, Tim Lohmar, Dale Dothage, Kriss Ellis, and Julie Jackson. Who did I miss?
DeleteYou are all correct, I misread it. It is in fact, one huge lawsuit with nine charges. Please forgive me.
DeleteAny date set for the court hearing to start?
DeleteIf possible we all want to be there to see and hear what is asked and said. Where's Jack McCoy when you need him???
Nothing yet, I'll keep you posted!
DeleteDear Aldermen and Alderwoman (Mayor you may read as well...I will type slowly),
ReplyDeleteLet me quote something from the past that is very relevant.
“The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself.”
― Plato, The Republic
Those who don't know or care to learn from the past...enough said.
Rise up and contact your representative!
I would like to take part in changing up ward 1 next year. I sent you an email, please add my name to those to attend the rally. I'm only sorry that we have two more years with this mayor, something needs to be done about him sooner than later.
ReplyDeleteWard 1 needs to have Alderwoman changes and not just from inside the Ward. Change has to come from all around it and all those who care about the city .When she runs for Mayor and wins it will be nothing more than the same incompetence running the city.
DeleteMs Kross, at one time not very long ago,when asked about why she keeps trying be an alderwoman in Ward #1, replied without even batting an eyelash, " it's because I care about ethics on then Board and ethics is an important issue to me". After seeing her actions in the last several months it is obvious she does not know what real ethics and personal values are to her constituents. She apparently has lost sight of what they mean and that is very sad to observe in her actions.
DeleteCheryl Kross is not who she portrays herself to be, she's filled with hate and vengence. She turned on the two aldermen who supported her in every election, all because she was jealous that she didn't get the noteriety that they seemed to have. How petty and vain is that? She took an active part in campaigning against both of them, and now she thinks she's magically transformed into an intelligent leader because a bunch of newbies voted her into being class president.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your new leadership roll Cheryl, but you've gotten your last vote from me, and I'll help anyone willing to run against you next year. Where do I sign up?
when wentzville voters gave this mayor of all of his power, it was like handing a a slide-rule to a monkey. it's going to be fun watching him bury wentzville with this new unsuspecting group of aldermen.
ReplyDeleteto the taxpayers; call your mayor, president of the board kross, and your aldermen. ask them who is going to pay for the attorney fees to come out of these trials. tell him to make it public, we need to know. demand full disclosure, sunshine laws will be violated if this information is not made open to us.
wentzvillian, i am emailing you my contact information, include me. something needs to happen, or nothing will happen to stop this maniac.
i just realized that you can post this blog on facebook using the little button at the bottom of the post before the comments section. its a great way to get it out, i'm going to start doing it.
ReplyDelete