Rick Stokes, Ward 3 Incumbent

For the past 23 months Rick Stokes has been my Alderman in Ward 3. He has accomplished more than I ever would have expected for his constituents and the City. His initiative to lower real property taxes by $500,000 was unprecedented. He is an independant, free-thinking Alderman answering to Ward 3 citizens, whose mission is the betterment of Wentzville and Ward 3.

RICK STOKES

Incumbent Alderman, Ward 3

  

Promises Made

• I promised to bring more jobs to Wentzville, and help retain businesses.
• I promised to lower taxes and bring fiscal responsibility to our City Government.
• I promised to help grow our parkland and increase green space for our community.
• I promised to be an active Alderman, to listen to concerns and help residents work with City Hall.
• I promised to be open-minded and make the right decision based on the impact to Ward 3 residents and the City of Wentzville as a whole.

Promises Kept

• Jobs - GM Plant Expansion, SAM'S and New Home Construction.
• Taxes - Proposed, Introduced, and Passed $500,000 property tax reduction. A FIRST in Wentzville History.
• Responsible Government - I have been challenging the status quo in City Hall
• Parks - Ensuring maximum value for the half-cent park fund tax.
• Leadership - I have been working together with Citizens, Businesses, and City Staff for Wentzville prosperity.

Promise For Tomorrow

As your Alderman, my focus is to continue working for residents of Ward 3. I believe we still have much to do. This includes the continuation of creating jobs, focusing on smart growth, creating an environment for better housing values, creating a smart, efficient work flow in City Hall, and continuing to be fiscally responsible to the residents of Wentzville.

I ask for your support and your vote on April 3rd. With your help, I will continue to keep the promises that I make to the residents of Ward 3.

Rick Stokes
3703 Bedford Pointe Court
Wentzville, MO 63385
http://www.electstokes.com/
E-mail: rick@electstokes.com

There is only one truly deserving candidate for Ward 3, Incumbent Rick Stokes. His record in his first term (in only the first 23 months of office) is nothing short of incredible. He gathered support from other Alderman and demanded staff to cut Wentzville real estate taxes by $500,000. Stokes supported Alderman Cheryl Kross to bring back the "Storm Water Utility Tax," which would have cost homeowners and businesses over $300,000 a year, to throw it in the trash. He is responsible for having city staff investigate all city contracts to find and stop waste spending. In only 23 months, of his first term with his initiatives, he accomplished more than any alderman I've seen on the board over the last ten years. He is truly a representative of citizens and taxpayers, I am proud to call him my Alderman in Ward 3. Anyone in Wentzville who owns a home, business or pays taxes should realize his potential and vote him in for another two year term. He has served with honor, integrity, and always on the side of Wentzville, I am excited for the future of Wentzville with his energy and leadership in city hall.

Alderman and Mayor candidate Nick Guccione recruited two men to run against Stokes in the upcoming election. They are; Rodney Stratman and Curtis Davis, I urge my readers to cross them off your voting list when you go to the polls. Send Guccione the message that the "good old boy" days of collusion and conspiracy are over in in Ward 3 and Wentzville.

An invitation was given to all candidates running for office in the 2012 election to place their bio/platform here. This offer is open for any legitimate, independent-thinking, registered candidate to post their political platform. (If you are a candidate and want your platform presented here, email it to: thewentzvillian@aol.com. Submissions will be posted in the order of receipt and unedited.)

Lights, Action, Camera!

At the December 14th regular Board of Alderman meeting things happened that I can't figure, some things that were just ridiculous, and others that are difficult to explain. It was a long agenda and the room was full of spectators. Some of the things said last night were downright aggravating but I'm going to try hard not to let my disgust show through and that's going to be difficult at best.

I guess the thing that irritated me the most was Ward Two aldermanic candidate Donna Sherwood's bi-weekly photo-op. If I were her handler (there's a disgusting visual, now I just pissed myself off, sorry) and she demanded to get up before the camera at every meeting I'd advise her to just smile and keep her mouth closed, because sometimes voters actually listen to what candidates say and not just look at a pretty face and a great body. She seems to think that the "Open Forum" portion of the City meeting is for campaining—her attempts to dazzle the public with her knowledge of the city is pathetic. It amazes me that every time she runs for office (six months prior to the election), she gets up at every meeting and asks some totally useless question. Last night in her cameo performance she asked; "Will the increase in sewer rates negate the $500,000 real estate tax reduction?" Since no one in the room knew how to add or subtract oranges from apples the question was never really answered. I would advise her to study up on how things work before embarrassing herself with absurd questions. But I guess she thinks face-time is more important than what she says. I urge my readers to watch the city website videos "Open Forum" to catch her regular comedy show and keep those images in mind when you vote. (Oooops! I guess I didn't do so well in my attempt at not showing my aggravation, oh well, I'll try harder.)

The city towing contract was brought before the board for approval. This contract should have been approved almost six months ago but due to process problems it was held up. The motion and second to approve was made and opened for discussion. Alderman Nick Guccione asked; "Shouldn't we postpone the vote until we let the new Chief of Police review the contract? President of the Board, Leon Tow noted that the next regular meeting isn't until mid-January and the new chief doesn't start until just prior to the meeting. Tow stated, "The Acting Chief, Kevin Pyatt and his staff reviewed the contract and made their recommendation. They know more about the towing needs in Wentzville than the new chief would." The vote to approve was unanimous.

Most of the meeting focused on the budget and contracts. Alderman Rick Stokes was agitated about not being apprised of the sewer rate increase and made it known, "This will not happen again, someone will be fired." Stokes also made a point to the many city employees that when the city receives increases on insurance premiums, it's not fair that taxpayers carry the full burden. He told the employees that it is no reflection on them and they were all doing a very good job in the city, but he has to represent the people of Wentzville who put him in office to be a watchdog of their tax dollars.

Footnote: Over the past six  months or so, a few individuals have complained to me about being pressured into participating in Mayor Lambi's GAP 1 program. I had advised them to complain to Alderman Leon Tow about their situation because I can't do anything about it. Yesterday, I received a phone call from one of them who contacted his attorney regarding the mayor and the possibility of influence peddling. Due to recent developments in city hall regarding this matter, he may very well lodge an official complaint. He went on to say that he had heard the mayor may resign—he's going to wait until sometime in January to see if that happens. The dominoes may start falling.

Rattle Those Pots and Pans

The October 5th board of alderman's work session addressed the budget, another completely enjoyable two hour lesson in drollery. Acting City Administrator Dennis Walsh presented and the entire staff was on hand to field questions.

This board is intent on cutting the budget and completely focused on trimming the fat out of the city. Addressed in The Wentzvillian of September 29th; Payback Time for a Decade of Unbridled Growth, there are some hard choices to be made—reducing taxes and employee benefits are two of the proposed remedies. Alderman Vann Samples is on record that he does not want to lower the real estate taxes and on the other hand he is fighting a reduction in employee benefits. Samples was not in city hall during boom times when the city was increasing the size of Wentzville government so he seems unaware that we have a bureaucracy based on a population of 50,000 citizens, Wentzville falls considerably short of that number today sporting 13,000 platted and 3,700 undeveloped lots. With the election only 5 months away most of the aldermen are tip-toeing around the subject of layoffs but unless staff comes up with the directed half-million dollars, downsizing could be a possibility. Politicizing issues will come more frequent in the coming months.

Speaking of "cutting the fat out of the city," Mayor Lambi was in particularly rare form again last night. During the budget presentation, Alderman Cheryl Kross asked questions of Walsh regarding the reserve funds in every budget department trying to determine if they were non restricted funds. Along about the third time she questioned one of the unallocated funds Lambi had had enough of her inquisition and in his inimitably condescending manner cut in to challenge, "what (possible) value would that be?"

Lambi has a history of treating women aldermen disrespectfully. Since Kross was elected three years ago, he has continuously attempted to intimidate and belittled her in public meetings. In previous years when Peggy Meyer and Cheryl Kross were on the same board, Lambi was particularly aggressive in his quest to make them both look like idiots. There were times that I felt terrible about the abusive verbal beatings they took from Lambi. After one particularly hard badgering he gave Kross, he was called on his attitude toward her and gave an apology to her both publicly and in private. His pseudo remorse didn't last long. These are not isolated or infrequent incidents, any current or past alderman can verify them. Lambi, plain and simply is a chauvinist, his chauvinism is manifested in his public treatment of our women Aldermen. He has shown us that he thinks women don't belong in the political arena, it appears to him they should "get back in that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans." I'm surprised that a husband or close friend of one of these women hasn't invited Mayor Lambi to a meeting on the parking lot.

One highlight of the meeting came when the aldermen asked Walsh about the ongoing investigation of the benefits comparison analysis and when it might be presented for board scrutiny. As Walsh began to answer their question and realizing he didn't have all of the information (which is understandable due to his performance of two major roles,) he called on the Human Resources Director Amy Holloway. She presented a list of items that she and her department are ready to report on which made the alderman's eyes sparkle. I thought she should have taken a bow. Great job Amy! (It's a good thing you're not an alderman and come under the scornful eye of the master.)

Another Day, Another Millon Dollars

The City of Wentzville is preparing to present its 2010 General Fund Budget to the Aldermen next month, and as usual I expect all sorts of creative and self-serving ways to spend our tax dollars to increase the size of our City government. Last year the City Administrator gave a very easy-to-understand presentation, and afterward Mayor Lambi said that the staff did a great job trimming the budget. At that time the financial climate around town was terrible with foreclosures and loss of jobs leading the list. Rumors were soaring high above like circling buzzards that General Motors was going to file bankruptcy and it could have a great impact on the Wentzville plant. Cities across the Country were laying off employees and eliminating raises, but Wentzville's Government kept its blinders on tight and kept planting its fertile bureaucratic fields.

Disagreeing with the Mayor, I presented him a list of 15 items that could have been trimmed from the 2009 General Fund budget that added up to over $1 million of what I concluded was waste or unnecessary spending. He listened for a few minutes and said that I made some good points and that he would take it to the staff. Later that week he told me that there are reasons why they could not cut any of the suggestions I offered but I heard none. I requested a meeting with him and the City Administrator to hear their reasons for rejecting every single item on the list. I made the mistake of presenting my list before the meeting and when I got there the people in attendance were the Mayor, City Administrator, Finance Director, his assistant, and the two Aldermen who represent me in my ward. They buzzed through my list with a rehearsed rhetoric that made my head spin. The bottom line was, no cuts!

Some of the suggested cuts were:

1. COMPENSATION STUDY: This study is done every 3 or 4 years to check if our pay standards are commensurate with other municipalities. The general public always frowns on studies and this one (at this time) did raise eyebrows. Economic times and the fact that they placed a hiring freeze on the city should have driven this kind of study, not housekeeping. It appeared to me that the information gleaned from this study could have been learned by a few phone calls to other municipalities, and not have to pay some outside contractor an amount equivalent to a year’s salary for a Wentzville employee. The study was completed at the cost of $30,000 and the consultant stated; "The City did a great job on keeping up with salaries and compensations. In all areas, Wentzville either equalled or exceeded the test group of cities in St. Charles County." The result is that $30,000 was wasted.

2. WEBSITE DESIGN: Upgrading the city website to make it “more user friendly” is the reason for this item. The citizens are using the website now and there will always be those who will experience some confusion regardless of how “idiot proof” it is made. I argued, at this time, that this item is totally unnecessary. The website functions and I think most would agree that it functions as well as most sites on the Internet. The result is that $25,000 was spent on a new website.

3. PATROL CARS (5): Eight Wentzville patrol cars are on the department‘s revolving vehicle replacement program, and the city is recommending the replacement of five. It is a fact that our city needs to be kept safe through a ready and well-equipped police force, and there are certainly some cars that may need replacement. After looking at other communities in St. Charles County, there are communities our size and larger that have patrol cars in their fleet that are older than ours. The result is that they purchased the new cars for $134,855.

4. MOTORCYCLE PURCHASE: This called for the addition of one new city-owned motorcycle to replace one that is presently under a lease program. Wentzville has a fleet of 3 motorcycles. Police motorcycles are good during good weather and are mostly visible in parades or as escorts. According to the National Weather Service the Wentzville/St. Louis area experienced 81 days of measurable precipitation in the last 365 days and almost 35 days of below freezing weather. Although these cannot be added together, it is safe to say that there are at least 81+ days a year that motorcycles cannot be used, which is about 23-25% of the year. The City spent $17,000 for the new motorcycle.

5. DOCUMENT IMAGING: This item was included to “expand upon the 2008 project to encompass the needs of the entire city with the purchase of software and hardware capable of providing user friendly document storage and retrieving system.” Document storage and retrieval is being done currently and if the main reason is as stated to become more “user friendly,” it is a luxury and needs to be looked at when it becomes a necessity. Because of the economic tone today, making life easier for City employees cannot be justified. The city spent $125,000.

This represents only one-third of my list. As ridiculous as some of these sound, the staff justified each and every one and our Mayor and majority of our Aldermen rubber-stamped them. I talked with several Aldermen before the vote and the consensus on several items was, "Oh, I didn't see that," or "I'll look into it." I truly believe that when the 2009 General Fund Budget was given to our elected officials, 2 Aldermen read it, 2 Aldermen read the parts that applied to their pet projects, and 2 Aldermen went we-we-we-we, all the way home.

Since last year, General Motors did file bankruptcy and consequently eliminated two shifts from our local plant. With small and medium-size businesses failing and unemployment rising, the mid term General Fund Budget had to be adjusted. The City Administrator announced, "because of decreased revenue in order to balance the budget it is necessary to cut $1.1 million out of the General Fund." I sat in the back of the chambers shaking my head thinking, what geniuses they would have looked like if they would have taken even a portion of my list seriously. It is amazing that the City found $1.1 million in excess that they could cut to balance the budget.

It is the job of staff to promote their jobs and justify each employee's existence. They are there to propagate city government and make sure that every tax dollar collected assists in that endeavor. It is the job of each elected official to represent their constituents and protect them from waste spending. It is apparent that when our Aldermen condone spending as they have, they are not representing the citizens who elected them but rather being sold a bill of goods by our bureaucratic system and buying into it. It is the job of the Mayor to be on the lookout for waste spending and to veto bad legislation. It must be noted that during his 3 terms Mayor Lambi has never vetoed anything.

I urge Wentzville citizens to scrutinize the proposed 2010 budget, ask questions, and attend meetings. Watch your local government and get involved in the process or kiss your hard-earned tax dollars goodbye. Oh...and watch for more fees and taxes to be introduced!