A Muddy Elephant in the Snow

In only a month and a half we will be going to the polls to elect two Aldermen and our Municipal Judge here in Wentzville. It reminds me of another election when then-Mayor Vickie Bodecker stuffed the ballot with her hand-picked candidates. At the time she was frustrated that her conservative Board of Aldermen didn't subscribe to her ultra-liberal beliefs so she initiated one of the dirtiest campaigns (until Nick Guccione's of last year) ever to be held in Wentzville. Unfortunately, two of her bozos overthrew the conservative board that would have allowed her to cast tie-breaking votes had she been reelected. Fortunately, Paul Lambi was elected and for a year the balance of power remained just right of crazy, but that would all change the following year with the election of the ultra-left socialist Alderman Nickolas Guccione.

With Guccione on the Board creating a majority, things got real nuts in City hall. The Socialist board of that time took apart any resemblance of fiscal responsibility and they binged on useless and destructive legislation. The effect of their influence is still being felt today, employees being fired or quitting out of fear, audits and policy violations because of a lack of oversight, and Guccione is the only vestige of those chaotic times.

Mark Twain said; "History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme." Guccione is trying to do the same thing he did last year and Bodecker did over nine years ago—stuff the board. That tactic set the city back for years to come by endorsing candidates who agreed with them rather than what's best for the city. If he were to be honest he'd have to admit that he has no interest in what's best for the city, it's all about him and his nonsense politics. If he were interested in creating a better city, he'd do what he does best (besides lying); follow—follow this Board of Aldermen who could make him a great Mayor instead of one who will go down in history as our worst.

Today, our Mayor is parading around town with Michael Hays and Robert Hussey in tow, introducing them as the best things since sliced bread. A little advice to them; check with some of the candidates he supported in the past and see what they have to say about him and his loyalty. Even better, ask his campaign manager of last year, see what she has to say about his ethics. In case you don't know, the Board of Aldermen just passed new ethics policies because of Alderman Nickolas Guccione's total lack of ethics, so if you want to follow his advice you'd better prepare yourselves for some fines. Guccione won't leave a paper trail when he stabs you in the back, he'll just slither away leaving you out there twisting in the wind, that's the way he does things.

I'm waiting for him to use his latest "campaign propaganda tool;" his weekly Newstime articles (that we all pay for) to hawk his recruits. He doesn't do anything different, he merely changes a few names and starts the motor running. You can smell his influence and he covers his tracks like a muddy elephant in the snow. He really believes that no one can see him coming or where he's been. Soon we'll see the old worn-out trash that he and Bodeker used for years in their campaigns to help Hays and Hussey smear and defame anyone who runs against them. One more thing; Guccione is campaigning for Michael Carter for for Municipal Judge but everyone knows he's a loser just like Guccione.

To the voters; Don't let Guccione get another foothold on dirty politics in Wentzville's City Hall. Reelect Alderman Cheryl Kross in Ward 1 and elect Darrel Lackey for Ward 3, as for Municipal Judge; incumbent Steve Martin is the man. Remember, a vote for Kross, Lackey, and Martin is a vote to keep Guccione frustrated for another year. Who knows, if we can't get rid of him maybe we could have him committed, he is definately not drooling out of both sides of his mouth.

City Hall Sprawl

The work session for the Board of Aldermen scheduled for tonight contains only three agenda items and a "special" executive session meeting. Neither of the regular work session items are overly exciting and I can only guess what's in the executive session but I expect there could be a press release put out immediately following. On the work session, a discussion about the retreat agenda and another regarding the work session topic list. It's difficult to get moist about any of this but if you dissect them, there are some questions that need to be asked, which I will probably comment on after the meeting.

One of the items on the work session topic list is the new City Hall. It pisses me off that every time the Board of Aldermen have a discussion about the new City Hall, they always seem to schedule it at a retreat and even though it's a public meeting, most of those who attend regular meetings will not go because it's usually out of town. This topic needs to be discussed where the most citizens will attend. I asked Mayor Lambi why they have these retreats and he answered by saying that it's a meeting where we can get away from the press and a crowd of citizens listening. As far as I'm concerned, that's a crock of shit, in my thinking it's one way of not worrying about the things they say and do and having their opinions reported.

For the past sixteen years there's been a pattern formed to expand City Hall. Not in a conventional way but to acquire more property and buildings to spread out the departments all over the city. Mayor Vickie Boedeker's dream was to put City Hall out on the Wentzville Parkway. Her first mistake was building that horrendous police department building. It has cost the City more money in roof repairs than than most people spend on their homes. Her plan was to put a new City Hall right in front of it but alas, her dreams were dashed when she lost her re-election bid to Mayor Lambi. Lambi continued the tradition by leasing the old Commerce Bank building on Pearce Blvd. and Linn Avenue in which he placed the Finance, Purchasing, and IT departments. Not counting the Water and Waste Water departments, Wentzville's City Hall consists of four buildings ranging in age from 10 to 60 years old. Compared to having a central City Hall I'd like to see the cost differential of, utilities, maintenance, grounds, communications, duplication of office equipment, personnel, and others every year.

The building and placement of a central city hall has been my focus for the past decade. It is my feeling and that of many others that they should flatten the old Commerce Bank building, acquire the four blocks around it (which is mainly parking lots), and build the new City Hall that has been on the drawing board for the better part of 10 years.

I know that Mayor Guccione wants to revisit Boedeker's dream of putting City Hall on the Parkway, and Aldermen Chris Gard and "Bulldog" Stokes are on board with the downtown location. Alderman Cheryl Kross has me wondering because I've heard other thoughts from her and I haven't had the opportunity to speak with the new Aldermen, Forrest Gossett and Sonya Shyrock about a location, but I will.

I've written numerous times in another life about the building and location of Wentzville's City Hall and will continue to press for the location downtown. I will be watching these discussions very closely to see who opposes or offers anything that will defer the economic engine of a new City Hall from a downtown location.

Final Countdown

As I write this last chance appeal, only 24 hours remain before we go to the polls to elect competent Aldermen and a Mayor who will lead Wentzville through the coming years. We can either build upon the good work of the last two years or take a huge step backward into chaos and partisan squabbling in City Hall.

Today, with the exception of one Alderman, we have an outstanding Board who are dedicated to make Wentzville a better place. That one Alderman is Nick Guccione, he has fought this Board to side with small interest groups at every turn. As we all know, he is running for Mayor and in that effort is doing his best to replace three of our Aldermen with like-thinking drones who know nothing of the challenges facing Wentzville nor care, they are running to be Guccione's pawns in his drive to control our city.

One of my readers gave an assessment of Nick Guccione and I think he or she hit the nail square on the head: "He will identify with whatever groups he believes will help his political ambitions. He has no reason, beyond ambition (and maybe power) to be a candidate." Mark my words, if Guccione is elected, Wentzville and the future of our citizens (and their families) will feel the negative effects long after he is gone. Look at the problems of the last decade and the efforts of our current Aldermen to bring sanity and order back to the city after being saddled with a Board dominated by unthinking people who knew nothing but special interests. It wasn't until just two years ago that Wentzxville elected a majority Board that dug into the problems and began rooting them out of our City. That process and progress will stop if Nick Guccione is elected to be our Mayor. Nick Guccione has dedicated himself to rebuild that Board of unthinking zombies who's sole purpose was, and will be, to follow the lead of their master.

Nick Guccione's recruits are:

Ward 1: Jay Webber

Ward 2: Donna Sherwood and Jeremy Pritchett

Ward 3: Rodney Stratman and Curtis Davis

His plan is to:

Ward 1: To beat Forrestt Gossett and fill the vacated seat of Leon Tow who is running for Mayor with Jay Webber.

Ward 2: Beat Sonyia Shryock with Donna Sherwood (two time loser in Ward 2) and he put Jeremy Pritchett in the mix to split the vote to hedge Sherwoods chances of victory.

Ward 3: Run two opponents against incumbent Rick Stokes who is one of our most productive Aldermen. His plan here is to have Stratman beat Stokes and appoint Davis to Guccione's vacated seat.

If his plan works, he will have recruited a majority of the Board of Aldermen with people who have had no inclination to ever run for office, have no knowledge of government, and whose sole purpose is to be his sock-puppets. This plan is disaster for Wentzville and the voting citizens need to get up on all fours to fight off Guccione's conspiracy.

To avoid this convoluted deception, the voters need not do anything more than vote for:

LEON TOW or DARREL LACKEY

FOR MAYOR

FORREST GOSSETT

ALDERMAN WARD 1

SONYA SHRYOCK

ALDERMAN WARD 2

RICK STOKES, Incumbent

ALDERMAN WARD 3

This slate of candidates will insure that Wentzville will avoid the devious plot of Nick Guccione and continue to cut spending and taxes while bringing back representation to the citizens of our City. We are truly at the crossroads and this election is more important to Wentzville than any in recent history. Put Guccione, Sherwood, and their band of recruits back in their caves where they belong. The future of Wentzville is in the hands of our voters, I hope to see you at the polls tomorrow!

Getting Down to the Wire

A couple months ago, I made the statement that I expected The Wentzvillian to be receiving 7,500 to 10,000 page views per month before the election. With the election only eight days away, my prediction was pretty close. As of today, The Wentzvillian is getting over 9,000 page views per month. Thank you to all of my loyal readers and those who find me by accident.

The highlighted candidates are those with the best qualifications to hold the office for which they are seeking. Those with their names scratched through, with the exception of Bill Schuette, were all recruited by Nick Guccione and his gun-moll, Donna Sherwood to take part in their conspiratorial plot to take control of City Hall and Wentzville's Government. The following is a complete list of candidates in the order of filing.

MAYOR:

Bill "Lurch" Schuette

"Tricky" Nick Guccione

LEON TOW

DARREL LACKEY

ALDERMAN, WARD ONE:

Jay Webber

FORREST GOSSETT

ALDERMAN, WARD TWO:

Donna "censored" Sherwood

SONYA SHRYOCK

Jeremy Pritchett

ALDERMAN, WARD THREE:

RICK STOKES (incumbent)

Rodney E. "Rod" Stratman

Curtis Davis

If the voting citizens of Wentzville elect those candidates picked by The Wentzvillian, the city would go a long way toward cleaning up the mess created by sixteen years of Vickie Boedecker and Paul Lambi hijinx and lack of leadership. Guccione has hand-picked five candidates who's sole purpose would lead to a chaotic, unorganized government and the eventual disgrace of Wentzville in the State of Missouri.

Give this list to your friends, neighbors, and family, let's bring representation and a sound City Government to Wentzville. Ignore the slashing of our good candidates by Guccione and Sherwood, show them that the people of Wentzville demand elected officials who are responsive and attentive to our needs and our reputation around the county.

Addendum A, March 27, 2012, 3:45pm:

Make sure you're come to Candidates Night, tonight at Holt High School in the auditorium. I think you will get a whole new prospective of Nick Guccione and the damage he will do to the reputation of Wentzville if he is elected Mayor. He is not a public speaker, so listen closely to him stumbling around the questions, it should be a riot. If he comes!

Wentzville Hall of Shame

Looking at the candidates, I noticed that I hadn't said nearly enough about one of our candidates for Mayor; Bill Schuette. When he was Alderman of Ward 2, he was loud, arrogant, and absolutely uneducated in governmental procedures. In his first term he stumbled his way onto the Wentzville Hall of Shame and dragged Nick Guccione and John Luby down with him. He continuously embarrassed himself, other Aldermen, and the City both in public and on record.

With Schuette leading Guccione and Luby it was like watching the Three Stooges, none of them had any knowledge of the City or city government but here they were, large and in charge. This group was elected because they were recruited by Vickie Boedeker in a conspiracy to control the Board of Aldermen (doesn't that sound familiar?) and three Aldermen retired. It almost worked, they were elected to the Board but Boedeker lost her bid for Mayor. With no one to tell them how to vote or act, Schuette took charge, what a disaster. If any Board in Wentzville was ever called dysfunctional, they set the bar. They drove the sane Aldermen and Mayor Lambi insane with ridiculous studies, ordinances, and over-spending. I think it's funny how Guccione makes a point of taking exception to studies today; he, Schuette, and Luby passed more studies in their term than I've ever seen. Only after a barrage of news articles questioning the need for these studies did Guccione change his tune today. It's like a new toy, he brings it up every time the staff proposes one, thinking it will be a feather in his proverbial cap.

It's difficult to talk about Schuette without dragging Guccione into the conversation, they were so close it was like trying to separate coffee filters. Both of them decided to run for Mayor in 2010 and were obviously unsuccessful. Since Schuette gave up his Alderman seat to run, when he lost, he was off the scene. Luby lost his re-election bid and that left Guccione all alone on the Board floundering around like a hooked fish on the river bank flip-flopping around ever since.

After Schuette had lost the election and his seat, he may have had an epiphany himself  that he had made a mistake running for Mayor. That decision subsequently cost him his seat on the Board of Aldermen so he decided to try regaining his seat in 2011. Running against him was Chris Gard, Patrick Vining, and the ever present, bad penny Donna Sherwood. His Ward 2 constituents had been embarrassed long enough and denied his plea to be re-elected and instead elected newcomer; Chris Gard. They also knew about Sherwood and reminded her a second time that they didn't want her anywhere around city hall. I sincerely hope they remember next month to scratch Schuette and Sherwood (oh, and Guccione too) from their vote. I know that the good citizens of Ward two deserve better representation than they had from Schuette or would get from Sherwood.

It's been only one year that we've had a productive intelligent Board of Aldermen and there is only one Alderman remaining from the good-old-boy days; Nick Guccione. If the voters get this right next month we can preserve the integrity of our board by keeping incumbent Rick Stokes, Ward 3; electing Sonya Shyrock or Jeremy Pritchett in Ward 2; and elect Forrest Gossett in Ward 1; then for Mayor we need to elect either Leon Tow or Darrel Lackey. The balance of the candidates on the ballot were recruited by Nick Guccione in an effort to recreate his control of the board just like Boedecker tried. The Guccione recruits are: Jay Webber, Ward 1, Donna Sherwood, Ward 2, and Rodney Stratman and Curtis Davis in Ward 3.

Vickie Boedeker's effect on Wentzville has burdened our city for eight years and we can ill afford another conspiracy to get a foot-hold in our city. If any of Guccione's recruits are elected it will have a huge negative impact on Wentzville for years to come. The only thing left to do is find a new independent thinking candidate to replace Guccione in 2013, then Wentzville will be able to move forward without agendas or conspiracy in our government. I'd agree with Guccione that he's a good and ethical Alderman, but then we'd both be wrong.