Guccione Has Wet Wentzville's Bed

 

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.

 

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?

 

The Minions of Goocher

 

Tuesday's election wasn't as big a surprise to me as you might think. I know the depravity and lack of ethics of Mayor Nickolas Guccione and those who kiss his ring; Cheryl Kross, Michael Hays, Sonya Shryock, ex-Judge Michael Carter, and the surprise conspirator, State Representative Bryan Spencer. In fact, I don't blame them for being underhanded in their actions, their candidates have no accomplishments, therefore they needed to pull every sleazy, unethical trick in their bag or they would have failed against two aldermen who's job approval was off the charts compared to the others they served with (excluding Chris Gard).

 

Mark Twain said; "History doesn't repeat itself but it rhymes." Ten years ago, Mayor Vickie Boedeker did the same thing by chaining Wentzville progress to a huge anchor when she got Bill Schuette, John Luby, and Nickolas Guccione, the Lurchettes, elected to the board of aldermen. She would have taken full control of the board if she only hadn't made one mistake; not being re-elected herself.

The current board of aldermen made a lot of mistakes in the past four years. Allowing the appointment of Michael Hays was huge, but one of the most damaging was to put four-year terms for the Mayor on the ballot—incredibly stupid! When Wentzville elected a mayor who was totally unqualified or incompetent to lead, they simply voted him/her out of office after two years and tried it again. Wentzville history is filled with one-term mayors, and if we ever had a candidate for a two-year term, King Nickolas is one of them. With the cast of sock-puppets he's assembled, it will take a decades for the USS Wentzville to right itself.

 

Yesterday, I caught a post by the highly revered Alderman of Ward 2, Chris Gard. I think he sums up what happened Tuesday, April 8th very well:

 

"On my website is a quote from Teddy Roosevelt that says 'We are the government-you and I." He was absolutely right. We choose the people who represent us in government, and we need to hold them accountable. Yesterday, only 8% of registered voters showed up to vote in municipal elections. That means 92% of voters never bothered to participate. Wow. 92%. Wow. As a result, City government was completely changed. I'm always so confused when people say their vote doesn't matter. If you don't even show up to the ballot box, you're absolutely right. It doesn't. C'mon gang, we can do better. Surely we can care more about our City leadership than 8%?"

 

I'm confident that most of my readers are registered voters, and that they did their civic duty by voting. If you did not; you, and the apathetic masses, are responsible for the politically-unhealthy environment that will be sworn-in on April 23rd to govern our once proud city. I'm truly ashamed of our Wentzville registered voters who did not vote. Guccione has made the mayor's office the laughing stock of the county—everyone knows it, and now he's added two more reasons to believe that Wentzville is in serious trouble; Linda 'Wrong' Wright and Robert 'Back-Door' Hussey. Because Wentzville has no regular newspaper, or other effective news coverage, King Nickolas is still in office. Had there been regular media-coverage of what he's done in his first two years to disgrace his office and the people of Wentzville, Mayor Guccione would be back to being plain old Schnucks butcher Guccione.

 

I'll take great pleasure in covering this new board of aldermen and following their every public blunder. I'm confident that my readers will not be disappointed. Something may happen soon to remedy the lack of news coverage in Wentzville, it may cause grief for Guccione and his minions, I'll let you know when it's about to happen.

 

* * * * *

 

The Board of Aldermen meeting Wednesday, April 9th was relatively consistent with most Guccione meetings. He mumbled, stumbled, and fumbled through two "Certificates of Recognition" and a "Proclamation." He managed to embarrass everyone in attendance by mumbling, getting tripped up on two and three syllable words, and his total lack of being able to read people's names. You need to watch the video (that doesn't appear to be posted yet, or I'd have given you a link), it's incredible!

 

During last night's meeting the thing that seemed to be weighing heavily on Alderman Cheryl Kross' mind was trees. She must have talked about trees on at least a half-dozen occasions. The first was a single tree on the property of Chick-fil-A. It seems that the new owner had inherited a tree that was a smaller caliper than specified in the code, and come hell or high water, Kross was going to get it fixed. I wonder if she goes around town checking every tree looking for code violations. What I find puzzling about this whole matter is; it's not even in her ward, but with sword drawn, Kross plunged forward.

 

Kross is a meticulous micro-managing meddler in the staff's jobs. She could not seem to understand that the situation had been addressed by the Public Works, and she kept bringing it up at every opportunity throughout the meeting. Kross was on a mission. The next trees she was concerned with are owned by Dairy Queen, two large pines of some variety. The owner had bought the property next to Dairy Queen and is wanting to build a pizza place by the name of Tommy D's. Well, the trees would end up right smack in the middle of his parking lot. "Isn't there some way you can save them," she begged? She brought up this same concern at the meeting last month and got the same answer, but the engineer on the project gleefully explained it to her again. The only thing different about these trees, and the Chick-fil-A tree is; at least this time they are in her ward. I wonder if she knows that?

The City of Wentzville has an eighty million dollar budget, and the most important thing on Cheryl Kross' agenda is three trees, which are the problem of Planning and Zoning and the Public Works department. Why does she continually probe issues that are insignificant compared to the developments and major problems in the city? She needs to focus on her job and quit trying to micro-manage the entire city and its employees.

* * * * *

 

Beginning April 23rd, the new board will be sworn-in and I believe there will be a lot more to talk about. I'm looking forward to thickening up the skin of the new minions; 'Linda Wrong' and 'Back Door' Hussey, the newest members of; The Unholy Alliance (click here). See you soon!

 

The Three "D's": Deceit, Deception, and Diversion

 

Just four days remain until Wentzville voters go to the polls to elect aldermen for Ward 1 and Ward 3, and this is an extremely important election for the well-being of our city. Mayor Nickolas Guccione is using Mike Carter (the rejected municipal Judge) to sling most of the mud at candidates; Rick Stokes and Forrest Gossett. Carter is using his copy-cat blog, and now mailings to Ward 3 voters attempting to overthrow the strongest aldermen on the board, in the typical slash-and-trash King Nickolas campaign style.

 

The Guccione-Carter-Spencer campaign tactics are used because they have nothing positive to say about their own candidates. About Linda Wright they tell us; "She's a good mom," or that "Robert Hussey is a good man." We've had a; "She's a good mom" disaster in Ward 2 for two years; and we're not sure of a man who steals the membership list of a benevolent society to use for campaigning, or being fired by the good City of Dardiene Prairie "is a good man." The problem is that Wright knows nothing about city government, or any government. I guess they could make points by saying Wright makes her living working in the Obamacare system (which is a fact), if you happen to agree with Obamacare, but I'm not sure that it qualifies as a positive reason to vote for her. It's the silk purse, sow's ear syndrome — They think; if they can pile up enough trash on their opponent, and get enough titles e.g., Mayor, Judge, and State Representative to endorse him/her, they can make a star out of nothing while destroying a true star.

What they are overlooking is; Wentzville voters are not as stupid as Guccione/Carter/Spencer think they are, and, they remember the lies they were told. Guccione used the three "D's"; Deceit,  Deception, and Diversion getting himself elected, and voters have seen what they got; an unqualified, illiterate, dysfunctional mayor. Guccione has endorsed numerous alderman candidates in every election, including his own, and not a one of them were ever elected. The voters know that he's a deceit filled airbag of questionable morals and they know; if he is endorsing Wright and Hussey, something must be wrong with them. Both of his candidates were endorsed by the Guccione machine last year and both failed. This year he's boosted endorsements for the retreaded Hussey and Wright thinking that that would do the trick. If he and Carter couldn't get them elected last year, what's changed, why would he think that by throwing a half-baked RINO State Representative in the mix it would make any difference? Remember Einstein's definition of insanity: doing the same thing expecting different results.

Voters know about the narcissistic King Nickolas, they know about the egotistical self-centered ex-Judge Carter, and they are finding out about the lack of ethics of the meddling Missouri State Representative, Bryan Spencer. These three men are trying to overturn our Wentzville representative government by ousting Rick Stokes and Forrest Gossett, giving Guccione another yes-man and yes-woman that have no intention of representing Wentzville and who have no knowledge of government. It's a bad situation and the voters of Wentzville won't stand for it!

If Guccione's candidates are so good, why won't they tell us what they plan to do, what they have done, and what makes them qualified to be an alderman in Wentzville. "He's a nice man," or, "She's a good mom," are not good reasons to ask us to vote for them. Throwing trumped-up-trash and gathering more phony endorsements against incumbents; Rick Stokes and Forrest Gossett, will not discredit the dedicated representation they have given their constituents and the people of Wentzville. The Wentzvillian asks every voter in Wards1, and Ward 3 to stand up against Hussey and Wright. Send a message to King Nickolas Guccione: "We are tired of your brand of non-leadership. We're appalled at the loss of employees, at the rate of one a week. And we're disgusted by your use of city computers to visit porn-sites." We want honest, ethical leaders who work for the people, not sock-puppets to a lunatic who lied, cheated, and stolen his way into the mayor's office!

Be sure to vote April 8th! Re-elect FORREST GOSSETT in Ward 1, and re-elect RICK STOKES for Ward 3. Wentzville needs open government and honest aldermen who govern ethically!
 

It's About Power, Not Qualifications

 

One week left to find out if Mayor Nickolas Guccione's group of groans (Mike Carter and Bryan Spencer, Michael Hays, Cheryl Kross, and John Luby) will overthrow two very engaged aldermen with Guccione's cast of clowns; Robert Hussey and Linda Wright. I know about Hussey's unethical background especially since being fired by the city government of Dardiene Prairie, but recently I got a comment from a Wright fan who tells of her "extraordinary accomplishments," so I thought I'd take a moment to see what she has to say for herself.

 

First, I know that she has no declaration; "Paid for by" on her website—campaign ethics violation number one. Then I received her campaign flier in the mail this weekend so I had to go dig it out of the trash to check out her "extraordinary accomplishments." Low-and-behold there was no "Paid for by" declaration on it either—campaign ethics violation number two. Some of you may not think this is a big deal but Guccione sent violations to the Missouri Ethics Commission against his opponents in every election he ever ran in; if our own brilliant mayor thinks it's a big deal, it must be a big deal. From this I must deduce that Linda Wright is in the category; unethical.

 

Looking at Wright's flier, the first thing I notice is the smiling face of King Nickolas (unquestionably, the most unethical politician to ever be elected in Wentzville) standing closer to Wright than any coffee filters I ever tried to separate, it looked like a wedding photo without the dress. Turning the card over, there I see Republican (RINO) Representative, Bryan Spencer's smiling face, I don't think there's ever been a Missouri state Representative publicly endorsing an alderman candidate in Wentzville history, it makes me wonder why? The answer is simple; Wright in unelectable, especially against a powerhouse alderman the likes of Rick Stokes. She must be a great mind with "extraordinary accomplishments," to garner the support (with pictures) of a morally questionable mayor and a RINO State Representative who spends more time meddling in Wentzville politics than representing his district in Jefferson City.

As with any campaign that Guccione is involved in (which is all of them), there's always unethical, or shady things going on. Sneaky as he is, he knows that an ethics violation cannot be filed 15 days before an election. So now we see two ethics violations from his candidate; Wright, which he knows will not get a black mark until after the election. He's probably stupid enough to think he can pardon her anyway. Now what's going on with his other candidate; Robert Hussey? It appears that one of Forrest Gossett's mailings has gone undelivered, and missing, tampering with the mail is a Federal Offense. I'm not suggesting that Guccione is that stupid, but someone is, because a second mailing in two weeks has been put on the missing list. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if there isn't a Postal investigation underway to see if there isn't a mail tampering charge waiting for someone! If they find that the coincidence points the finger, the election between Hussey and Gossett could be contested and somebody might get a healthy fine or imprisonment.

 

Still wondering why such an array of high-power support, I read on. Next to Spencer's image is a list of other endorsements, notably; Michael Hays and John Luby both Ward 3 Aldermen. Luby was one of the original yes-men to Bill Schuette, and member of the infamous Lurchettes. It amazed me how little he did as my ward representative, but it was his mission to go along to get along. Luby's lack of engaging at meetings is only exceeded by my current representative, Michael Hays, and his do-absolutely-nothing-approach method of leadership. So let me recap; Guccione the porn-king mayor, Spencer, the meddling Missouri State Representative, and two useless aldermen who's greatest accomplishments were to keep the snoring down so as not to wake the mayor are supporting Linda Wright, the retread that lost in last year's election to the most useless alderman EVER, Michael Hays.

Being unimpressed by Wright's inferior list of supporters I had to look deeper into the flier. Unfortunately, the closest thing to an "extraordinary accomplishment" on the flier was the list of losers she has gathered to support her. There was nothing saying what she's done, or wants to do, or change, just endorsements. I hope Ward 3 residents see what's going on here, she has no good reason to run for office other than to be another in the list of stooges Guccione has already; Hays and Cheryl Kross—who also have no good reason to be on the board of aldermen.

This is about power, Guccione needs another yes-man in order to take control of the legislative branch of Wentzville government and Wright and Hussey are his choices to take over. Guccione hates the logical good-government actions of Forrest Gossett and Rick Stokes, and he hates them personally. If he succeeds in what he wants, Wentzville will suffer. Only one person will have fun from having Hussey and/or Wright elected, and that one is; The Wentzvillian. The mayor and board of aldermen will be an even more target-rich environment than it is today.

At one time, I told Spencer that The Wentzvillian does not cover state government because we have too many problems in Wentzville. He approached me prior to his election because I had posted something about his qualifications that he found detrimental to his coming election and wanted to set me straight. I didn't want to talk to him then, and even less today, in order to get him away from me, I lied to him. I hate lying, and feel guilty that I had to do it to get rid of him. So, to set the record straight: Mr. Spencer I told you that I would vote for you then: I'm sorry but that was a lie! I didn't then, and will never in the future—Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you would stay out of Wentzville politics and do the job you were elected to do by those in your unfortunate district! I have a request of you: If you can, do you think you can get your bud, Guccione, a job as a State Representative and get him out of Wentzville too? Wentzville would appreciate it!
 

Oedipus Rex

Lessons in life come in various ways; some people believe in taking heed of the experiences garnered by the terrible mistakes of others, then there are those who tread disastrous paths ignoring the less painful experience in favor of suffering the slings and arrows of repeating them—Einstein described this method to be the definition of insanity. Since there are questions regarding the formal education of Mayor Nickolas Guccione, he probably never read Einstein, or Oedipus Rex and he fails to recognize the results of hubris—to Guccione I would suggest he locate the writing of Sophocles and brush up. The day will come when the mayor may discover the error of his current ways, but then again narcissists very seldom recognize their failings.

 

Nickolas Guccione never paid attention to the overwhelming criticism laid upon him during his highly unethical election campaigns of the past simply because he knows no other way than to repeat the misguided suggestions of those who failed before him. His villainous advisers include some of the most  politically despised people in Wentzville; Vickie Boedeker, Bill Schuette, Donna Sherwood, and Mike Carter. Everyone of them learned the same lesson, and felt the same rejection when a huge majority of the voters here drove them out of their offices, or campaign hopes. It's not pretty when a town turns against you.

 

This town is turning on Guccione as his list of ego-driven blunders mount up, so many in fact they couldn't possibly be listed here. Being pardoned for ethics violations by the outgoing Mayor Lambi (who also overlooked Guccione's pornography problem and tried desperately to keep it under covers, so to speak) started a snowball of irrational initiatives and liaisons like the appointment of Micheal Hays, who is the most useless alderman of Ward 3 since Guccione himself.

 

Today, unknown to him, Guccione the puppeteer, has become Guccione the sock puppet of another in his long list of ill advised puppet masters; Alderman Cheryl Kross. Watching him make a fool of himself spouting her exact words would be funny if it weren't disgusting because of his total ignorance of what she's doing to him. Last Wednesday night at the board meeting he went off on the presenters of the Downtown Economic Development and Historic Preservation Committee (DEDHP) making a host of new political enemies. He parroted exactly what Kross has been saying in private for years. Kross is sly, she recognizes that vocalizing disdain in a public meeting for the committee recommendations would hurt her in her drive to be re-elected in 2015 and her desire to become Mayor in 2016. Guccione who tries so hard not to upset voters, bought into her unpopular concept and tagged himself as one who wants to remove Historic Preservation from the DEDHP, alienating several large groups of civic organizations in the process. He had absolutely nothing to gain and much to lose by his ego-driven public rant against the committee recommendations.

 

Hey Nick, Cheryl Kross isn't doing you any favors when she makes you look like an idiot when you get huffy in a public meeting by using her words. Who do you think looks bad here? The answer is; "not her!" I cannot believe that you are okay with throwing away votes in your next election just to display your misguided sense of ultimate power. You forget that you can do nothing to stop the will of the board, all you did was to anger quite a few voters—who have influence on so many other voters—you bit the big one—Kross is laughing at how easily you are led.

 

* * * * *

 

Back on the campaign trail, a host of villains are working to build the Guccione machine. Guccione himself is using his Facebook page to vigorously campaign for Robert Hussey and Linda Wright. I find it amazing that any mayor who was pardoned for crimes against the city, and cost taxpayers money by using city resources to entertain himself with pornographic websites, is so unashamed to campaign for others (who obviously look up to him for guidance).

 

Mike Carter, the failed Wentzville ex-Judge, is busy weaving Gucione's web of fault laden candidates on the Internet. And low-and-behold, Brian Spencer, the RHINO (Republican in name only) State Representative, has actively joined the mix, adding to the cauldron full of miscreant reprobates meddling in local politics. Spencer spends more time in Wentzville than he does in Jefferson City and a growing number of Wentzville citizens are asking—why?

 

Spencer has been walking the streets with his soul-mate, Mayor Nickolas Guccione, for almost a year lending support and trying to regain some respectibility for a mayor who has been digging his own political grave since he was first elected. Now, Spencer is walking the streets with Robert Hussey (whose jaded work record in Dardiene Prairie is a dark shadow hanging over his electibility) who needs help to unseat incumbent Forrest Gossett. Oh, and by the way, he's handing out propaganda on how well he's doing in the Missouri House of Representatives (that were more than likely paid for by tax dollars). After he introduces himself as the all-high State Representative he probably adds; "With me here today is Mr. Hussey, we happened to be walking along and ran into each other so we decided to kill two birds with one stone and walk the streets together. He needs your support to help our wonderful mayor build his political machine to throw out any resemblance of good government in Wentzville."

 

This crew of jokers are working hard to push a couple of unworthy candidates into office and upset the logical balance of power which would give Guccione authority over two branches of Wentzville Government. Mayor Vickie Boedeker tried it and failed, leaving Wentzville with a dysfunctional board of misfits that we are still paying for today. Should Robert Hussey or Linda Wright get elected, Wentzville will see it's darkest days since Vickie's Lurchettes. I beg our voters to re-elect Forrest Gosset in Ward 1, and Rick Stokes in Ward 3. Keep intelligence and ethics on our board of aldermen.

 

2014 Campaign Trivial Pursuit

 

A number of interesting (but not surprising) events have been discovered (or uncovered) in the last couple of weeks and I am going to share them with you today. With the election drawing near, the campaigns of Rick Stokes (incumbent Ward 3) vs. Linda Wright, and Forrest Gossett (incumbent Ward 1) vs. Robert Hussey are under way. Mayor Nickolas Guccione will be using the Internet heavily to campaign for both Hussey and Wright, which could prove entertaining. I've seen preschoolers write better sentences on their nursery room walls with the contents of their diapers. If I were them, I'd proofread his scrawling and recommend wearing gloves in the process.

 

* * * * *

 

Alderman of Ward 1, Cheryl Kross, who has stated on numerous occasions, "I'm staying neutral. I will not support anyone in this election," is campaigning for Linda Wright, as witnessed by her Facebook re posts of Wright's Facebook blathering. It is no secret that Kross' hatred of her mortal enemy Rick Stokes has been in high-gear for over a year, and this latest display is proof that her attitude (not looking out for the best interests of the city) persists by continuing to press her own agenda.  Why else would she go out of her ward to promote someone who is inferior to a highly accomplished incumbent alderman? But then again, she was instrumental in saddling that same ward with the worst alderman on the board, Michael Hays. Kross has a marked propensity toward screwing up ward 3. Stokes has been a leader on the Board of Aldermen since being first elected four years ago and being elected President of the Board for two consecutive years. Petty jealousy should not be a reason for dumbing down Wentzville government. The political war she's waging on Stokes is unhealthy for the city of Wentzville and her future in it. Her statement and recent actions are proof that she is a liar and cannot be trusted by voters in her ward, or in Wentzville. Alderman Kross has become an embarrassment to Ward 1.

 

* * * * *

Robert Hussey, candidate of Ward 1, who was fired from his city manager job with the City of Dardiene Prairie, is running against hyper-ethical incumbent Forrest Gossett for the Ward 1 seat. As everyone knows, ethics in government has become a big concern in the country today and Wentzville's campaigns reek with a lack of it. Kross has abandoned all semblance of ethics and if you look into the history of Hussey in Dardiene Prairie, you'll see that he may very well be in the same mould.

If you are familiar with benevolent organizations, they have a rule regarding the use of their membership lists for political or personal gain (for the benefit of Mr. Hussey, the rule is; NOT TO USE IT!). Rules don't appear to mean much to Mr. Hussey, he decided to use the membership list to send out campaign literature to its membership. I won't mention the organization simply because it does such good work in the community, I don't want to tarnish its good name by illuminating the fact that one of their members is so lacking a respect for rules.

 

* * * * *

 

I don't dislike Mayor Nickolas Guccione, but I strongly disagree with his politics, lack of leadership, and communication skills, I believe it advertises the wrong face for Wentzville and besides, he's just plain embarrassing. Contrary to popular belief, I really find it difficult to expose the ridiculous and foolish things he does with his position, but the residents of Wentzville need to know what kind of person is sitting in his high office.

 

I had noticed some time ago that Guccione's city email address is: mayor1@wentzvillemo.org, which is a change from the email address used by every mayor since Wentzville started using email. I asked around wondering why every mayor of Wentzville used: mayor@wentzvillemo.org, and Guccione was now "mayor1." I originally thought it was a vanity thing but recent information has exposed the reason and it's far from vanity. It's an involved story so I'll try to explain it as simply as possible.

 

During the time Guccione was an alderman, (five years) he was in the habit of opening porn websites, why he used his city account is beyond me? I would have thought he would have kept it on his personal computer—but that's our lovable mayor—anyway, he continued visiting these sites even after he was elected to his high office. At some time, he must have realized that someone in the IT department might discover that he was spending way too much time frequenting websites of a somewhat less official nature than a mayor should be visiting, especially while utilizing city resources. To make a long story very short, it took the IT department over two months of scrubbing the address (fearing it might infect the entire system) before they reassigned the new "mayor1" address. For my money, they probably needed to scrub some other things too—but we won't go there, just let your imaginations run with it—if you dare ... oh my! I wonder just how much money in taxpayer dollars he cost the city entertaining himself?



 

* * * * *

 

Just think, Guccione has changed history, even if it's just an email address. So here we are; election time, and our hate-filled Ward 1 Alderman, Cheryl Kross and our shining Mayor1 are endorsing Linda Wright and Robert Hussey, need we say more?

 

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.

 



Wentzville—The Campaign Created Kingdom?

 

As most educated voters know, Mayor Nickolas Guccione is deeply involved in Wentzville politics. They know of his desire to control the Board of Aldermen and that his campaigns have  had a documented record of using any dirty, mud-slinging, and deceptive tactic necessary to achieve his goal. It's easy to deduce from his unethical election practices when he was pardoned by Mayor Paul Lambi that he has no thought of Wentzville other than to have total control over it by any means necessary. Mayor Guccione is not the sharpest tack in the box as illustrated by his consistant use of deceit, deception, and diversion during any election he's ever been involved in, or one he feels will help him with his control agenda. It is for these reason's he wants to remove two of the top three achieving incumbent aldermen, he cannot control them and he hates both of them.

The election coming in April will be fraught with dirt thrown by Cuccione's camp. This year there are three targets in his cross hairs, Rick Stokes, Forrest Gossett, and The Wentzvillian. I didn't know that The Wentzvillian was running for election but Guccione obviously does, so he'll use any means to discredit it. He is deeply concerned that there are too many facts coming out here that focus too closely on his record and meddling in elections when he should be dealing with the many problems in the city. It's hard to focus on his job as mayor when he has candidates lined up for his support to help him achieve his Socialist ideas for Wentzville. You will see him at the polls in April handing out his city business cards and hawking votes for his anointed few, with a little luck he'll violate the political activity policy as he did in past elections, with a little more luck the aldermen will do something about it this time.

It's unfortunate that candidates in an election can't run on their own merit, especially when it's one of those running in Guccione's stable. When you're going up against two-term Alderman and two-time President of the Board, Rick Stokes, who championed the half-million dollar real property tax reduction in his first term and since brought forward countless initiatives to the credit of Wentzville. It's difficult for anyone to run against that kind of record, but that didn't stop Guccione from lining up Linda Wright to do just that. This race is like David and Goliath but Guccione feels, with just the right amount  cash and discrediting he could have beaten Abe Lincoln with a chimpanzee. Guccione, for the past few months, has been trying to dig up anything he can find, or dream up to unseat Stokes, watch to see the mud start flying at Stokes soon.

Look similarly at trash being piled up on our Sunday school teaching Alderman, Forrest Gossett, as Guccione presses his flawed candidate, Robert Hussey against him. Last time Hussey ran against Cheryl Kross with over $6,000 in his war chest and Guccione in his corner. It's revealing to see him fight so hard to secure an alderman seat that pays $4,500 a year—there's something wrong with this scenario. Guccione's idea of how to win an election is simple; more money and a higher pile of trash will get results. Using this method, he's certain that he could have beaten Lincoln with his chimpanzee. Unfortunately for him, and good for Wentzville, he didn't pile up enough of either to seat Hussey over Kross. Robert Hussey is going to have a difficult time overcoming his record of being fired from Dardiene Prairie, but Guccione will try.

The question is: Why? Why does Guccione want to remove two of the most highly-educated, productive, and informed Aldermen ever to be elected in Wentzville, replacing them with flawed or unqualified candidates who have already proven they were unelectable just last year? This question is complicated but very simple at the same time.

The Wentzvillian has always contended that Nickolas Guccione is all about politics, city business pales in comparison to getting himself or someone else elected, government seems to be a game to him. It has been his goal in the executive branch to have complete control over the legislative branch of government, thus taking away any aldermanic representation of the citizens of Wentzville. Were he able to do this, his "It's my way or the highway" brand of law-making would take away the voice of thousands of Wentzville residents. This is not a government of the people it's a Monarchy, what the King says, goes. Mayor Nickolas Guccione doesn't necessarily want citizens to respect him for the job he's supposed to be doing, but rather wants them to love him, and show that love at the ballot box.

Since being elected mayor, he appears to be using his office to trade favors for votes. You may think this far-fetched, but is it? Last year, Mayor Nickolas Guccione pardoned a private citizen, business owner, for not filing for his liquor license on time. There was no monetary fine attached with his lack of filing for the licence and Guccione stated publicly; "It's kind of an emergency." The emergency was that the service station owner would need to wait 30 days to re-apply for his license and unable to sell liquor until that time. Since when does our government intervene in its process in favor of a negligent business owner who is obviously incapable of running his business without a king throwing out the law. Another incident took place recently when a private citizen got him to order a police escort to drive a golf cart from the golf course into downtown Wentzville. One phone call to a local tow company would have garnered the same result without any cost to the city.

These are not isolated instances of the power he wants to wield over Wentzville, and the way to do that is to throw out any logical-thinking member of the Board of Aldermen and replace them with people who will give him his head. Currently those supporting Guccione on the Board of Aldermen is Michael Hays and Cheryl Kross, he needs to get rid of Stokes or Gosset to maintain tie control but eliminate both for a total kingdom. Should he get his way, the city won't need aldermen and could trade the mayor's gavel for a crown.

The biggest puzzle in this city is Cheryl Kross. She is staying out of supporting either Stokes or Gossett in favor of Guccione and his plot. Kross isn't an unintelligent individual by any stretch, and has always claimed to have conservative values, so why she is going along with this Socialist way of government? It's baffling, especially since she has designs on being Mayor in 2016, and needs to win her seat in 1015. Both Gossett and Stokes have supported her in every election in an effort to keep insanity from taking power over the board, yet it seems that by her lack of support for her old comrades, she's inviting Guccione to impose all sorts of lunacy into city that she will be powerless to stop after the election of Guccione's recruits. She may as well be campaigning for Hussey and Wright when she turns her back on Stokes and Gossett. Two years ago she activly campaigned for Alderman Leon Tow againts "Guccione for Mayor," and now through her silence is advocating Guccione for King. Alderman Kross needs a reality check if Wentzville is going to continue digging out of the many problems facing it.

Mayor Nickolas Guccione hates The Wentzvillian and will use any deception he can to shut it down because he finally realizes that his record, which is being reported here, is damaging his plot to be the King of Wentzville. Fearful, like a rat in a corner he's lashing out trying to frighten someone who will be here reporting on Wentzville politics long after he's a bad memory. Mr. Mayor, if you want to shut me up, start looking out for the welfare of our city rather than control of it. Start acting like a rational mayor of a great city and learn how to make Wentzville a better place, not a palace.

(To my devout readers, and also those of little faith: I've heard about imitators and impostors out there and The Wentzvillian wants to assure you first;—I don't care—and second; the only place The Wentzvillian posts comments or reports is right here on this blog since 2006. The Wentzvillian does not post on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social network so if you want to read what The Wentzvillian has to say, you'll find it here exclusively. The impostors out there are fear driven, by the same folks who will bring you trash-talk about Rick Stokes and Forrestt Gosset—guess who? He used this tactic during the election of 2012, it didn't work then and it won't divert the Wentzvillian from posting the facts regarding the political activity of Mayor Nickolas Guccione and his machine today. The Wentzvillian is flattered to know they are so concerned by this blog that they would imitate it. Everytime you attack it, or refer to it, a larger spike in readership results. The Wentzvillian is encouraged to know that a nerve has been struck. I'll keep up the good work—thanks for your assistance in spreading the message of The Wentzvillian!)
 

Are These the Good-Old Days?

Coming back after a month-long absence has left me with more questions than answers about some of the strange things going on in city government. But, there are some extreme constants sitting on the board of aldermen, and one of them is my appointed anointed elected official; Alderman Michael Hays. Another remarkably predictable individual is Mayor Nickolas Guccione, he illustrates each day just how far under water he really is. These two gentlemen are frightening because their total lack of knowledge of government and non-engagement in governmental matters leaves Wentzville  crippled at the highest levels. Then there's Aldermen Cheryl Kross and Sonya Shryock, They are the complete opposite. Their actions and reactions are so random and unpredictable that they have become dangerous, as illustrated by their drive to remove the city attorney, audit firm, and attack aggression toward our chief of police. Their actions will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in the coming years.

 

Hays and Guccione are so close and so much alike they could be Siamese-twins. In five years of sitting on the board, Alderman Nickolas Guccione had absolutely no initiatives, and introduced nothing. As mayor for two years, his claim to fame is a double-fine zone experiment and getting the ethic's policy brought back to allow him to take private donations so he can bring more than one basket to the Mayor's Ball. The policy which may will be repealed is what Mayor Paul Lambi plead guilty to, and was consequently fined by the Missouri Ethics Commission.

If Guccione were to put as much effort into bringing city facilities up to code, or making this a Charter City, or fixing employee morale, Wentzville could be a model for the county, instead a lack of humility drives him to seek more stuff to bring to the Mayor's Ball. Feel-good things, these are what our mayor is all about. Budgets, personnel problems, and legal matters are boring, uninspiring, and so fraught with political pitfalls that he steers clear. So, with seven years of pseudo government under his belt, Guccione has put Wentzville on a "double-fine zone" road that leads to his idea of Candyland, where he will go skipping along with his arms full of baskets to the Mayor's Ball. He wants this blog off of his back, but as long as he ignores the business of the city and indulges himself in feel-good legislation, The Wentzvillian will be here to "rat him out."

 

Then there's Hays. This gentleman spent ump-teen years on the Planning and Zoning board doing exactly the same thing he has done for the past year on the board of aldermen ... sleep nothing, but stare blankly at his computer screen. He reminds me of one of those iguanas that sits so still you start wondering if he's breathing, I find myself watching to see if his tongue flicks in and out. This is precisely what his benefactor, Guccione did when he sat in that exact same seat ... sleep nothing. Anytime Hays adds anything to a discussion it's to parrot what someone else already said—don't believe me, just watch him.

 

Hatred and misguided revenge describe best what drives Aldermen Kross and Shryock. Rather than trying getting down to the business of the city, they have focused on upsetting the balance of power in opposing the President of the Board, Rick Stokes. Kross is especially baffling with her voting record, no one knows where she stands, but nine out of ten times when there's a 5-1 vote, she is the dissenter. Last week during the regular board of alderman meeting she was the only one to vote "Nay" to accepting our newest (full-time employee) City Administrator, Mr. Robert J. Bartolotta. Her vote came with the pregnant pause that she has been using with annoying frequently—is she truly just making up her mind at that moment? How is it that Mrs. Kross knows more than the rest of the board, consistently? Some pundits are forecasting that if she continues with her erratic method of legislating into the coming year, her base could diminish significantly making it difficult for her to be re-elected in 2015.

 

By the way, when our illustrious leader, Mayor Nickolas Guccione attempted to read Mr. Bartolotta's name, he stumbled over it all three times and never once got it right. His inability to read the name was nothing compared to the total embarrassment felt for our city when he floundered read a proclamation presented to our Timberland Wolves soccer team after they won second place in the state. Go Wolves! For two years the city has watched Guccione stumble, bumble, and fumble while reading out loud, in public. He should have given it to one of the teenagers being honored and asked them to read it for him. I hate to give him any good ideas, but if he were to let one of the aldermen read the proclamations, it might make Wentzville look better.

Now we come to Shryock, she is running on pure emotion due to her hatred of Stokes and Chief of Police, Lisa Harrison. Surely, she knows she made a huge mistake running for office—illuminated by her withdrawal from the election roll. It's uncertain how she is going to respond backing out of the election, some think she'll throw support via money or campaigning for the long-shot against Stokes, Linda Wright. Others say she cut a deal with Wright and Guccione—support for assistance in getting certain grace with the city. It is a known fact that Shryock and Wright are having conversations, they don't hide it very well.  For myself, I'm really not sure, but I am almost certain that from the dais she is going to publicly trash Stokes and Forrest Gossett—a classless act atributed to only the most petty and hate-driven politicians. Chris Gard may be spared, we'll see.

Shryock is may be going on a witch-hunt to find the phantom who is leaking information to the press from executive session meetings. She's alluded to the her fact that the snitch is Stokes and she may wants him to pay for perceived crimes against the city. I would state under oath that no alderman has given confidential information to The Wentzvillian, wittingly. Carefully worded questions asked of the appropriate individual and a little deductive reasoning is all you need to get the answer you seek. Most people are terrible liars. If she hunts too hard she may find that it was she who divulged the secret location of the new city hall; confidential information that was taken from executive session to The Wentzvillian. The only thing I can say is; when you're in the public eye, quit doing things you shouldn't be doing and maybe no one will find out!

There will probably be very little city business spoken about by Shryock in her last two months on the board, she will could easily spend her remaining days in public office being Guccione's zombie. Guided by the master of trash and Mayor of Candyland, she will could be resorting to his slash and trash tactics for which he has become so famous, he won't get his hands dirty. She needs to talk with some of his past political associates to find out that he blames others and feels no remorse when he throws them under the bus, but she knows that. Shryock will could be doing the dirty work and letting Guccione make a fool of her in the process. I'm sorry for that once "cute little mom" that brought sensitivity to the board, she is showing that politics has the effect of change, even on the nicest of people who get too deeply involved. Shryock entered the political arena for the wrong reasons—personal. Her hope for greatness was thwarted by the gleam in her eye, now it's misguided revenge—in the end nothing will change, no one will benefit, and Wentzville will lose. I would hope she shows good judgment and bows out of political life gracefully and just say "no" to helping Guccione in his quest to destroy any rationality in Wentzville.

I seriously doubt the day will come when Guccione, Hays, Kross, or Shryock are no longer in office that they will have a warm and fuzzy feeling about the time they wasted spent in politics. I know of only a handful of mayors and/or aldermen, even the good ones, who remember their time in Wentzville politics fondly. These are not the good-old days.

 

Election of April 2014

 

It's been a month since I posted here and in that time the goofy things going on with the city of Wentzville has continued. I won't get to those things today, but I promise some juicy stuff will be posted here soon. Right now, since the deadline for candidate registration has passed I want to talk about the coming election and some surprising developments that have arisen. We now know who is running, the question remaining is why some of them are seeking office; I will try to answer some of those questions today.

Unfortunately for our fair city; a few years ago a short-sighted group of aldermen pushed through an election to extend the term of mayor, we could have been throwing out the trash in April, instead we are condemned to endure our current situation for two more years, ugggg! The intent was to extend the alderman's term but that initiative backfired, consequently giving us the privilege of suffering through an appalling two more years of Nickolas Guccione. God, I don't want to think about that development anymore!

Ward 1 Candidates are; incumbent Forrest Gossett, Robert "Rob" Hussey, and Jay Webber. Gossett, who is seeking a second term is well versed in processes and procedures, he continuously tries to bring order to a mayor who just learned to bang a gavel (in all fairness, it only took Guccione one year to master that task). Gossett was difficult to read at first, but I believe he has evolved, and is a legitimate asset to the Board of Aldermen, he has earned a second term.

Robert Hussey failed in his bid for the Ward 1 seat last year against Cheryl Kross, and has come back this year to take another shot at it. A fair-haired apostle of Guccione who tried to slip him into the Wentzville City Administrator job, when that failed Guccione supported him heavily to take down Kross. During that race, Hussey held fund-raisers in St. Louis County and brought a large $6,000 war chest to the campaign. One of his biggest hurdles during the campaign was in trying to overcome his job history which included being fired by a nearby city from his City Manager Job. Guccione, will once again be plunging a lot of effort into Hussey's campaign to unseat Gossett, Guccione needs allies on the board to take complete control.

Jay Webber ran an unsuccessful campaign in 2012 in a two-candidate race against Gossett, he was one of Guccione's hand-picked hopefuls. Jay Webber is a nice guy, I like him, but I'd like him better if he would drop out of the race, because I don't think he can win in this three-way election. I believe Guccione has him running to split the vote, but that could also backfire by taking away anti-Gossett votes from Hussey, but I'm not sure either of them can beat Gossett, alone or in tandem.

Ward 2 Candidates are; Patrick Vining and Michael Rhodes who were initially going to take a run at the incumbent Sonya Shryock. Shockingly, Shryock withdrew from the race leaving her new found political advocate and benefactor, Nickolas Guccione, twisting in the wind. This was a pivotal key-seat for Guccione, Shryock had become his sock puppet right along with Michael Hays and Kross, they had tipped the balance of power. That seat is now lost to Guccione because the rumor mill is saying that both Vining and Rhodes have a very strong dislike for Nickolas Guccione, imagine that.

At the moment I'm not sure who I'd like to see win this race simply because of their feelings about our mayor. Both men have strong points and could be good for Wentzville. Vining filed for the election of 2011 but didn't campaign because he didn't want to run against Chris Gard, who he respected. Rhodes is a well-known and highly-respected businessman in Wentzville, and he could have a large following of voters. I'm very pleased to see a Wentzville business owner run for office here, its been since the 1980s that one has had enough guts to do it, thank you Mr. Rhodes for your courage!

Ward 3 Candidates are; Rick Stokes and Linda Wright. The selection between these two candidates should be a no-brainer, Stokes has two strong terms behind him,  and been elected President of the Board of Aldermen for the last two years. According to The Wentzvillian poll, Stokes is the strongest alderman on the board. His job approval is second to none, although Gard is a very close second. He was instrumental in helping Wentzville get back on the fiscal track.

Stokes record speaks for its self so I'll move on to his opponent, Linda Wright. Wright was a pawn for Guccione in the election of 2013, she was inserted to draw votes away from Darrel Lackey and give Hays an advantage. It worked, Wright gathered 142 votes and Lackey lost to Hays by 6 measly votes, Guccione's "appointment" took the election with a paltry 39 percent of the vote.

There is talk that Linda Wright will become the Donna Sherwood of Ward 3, Sherwood ran in every election for three consecutive years prior to this one. She finally gave up when she drew the lowest amount of votes in the election and being crushed by no-name Sonya Shryock.

In Conclusion: Guccione has stated in public that he's going to throw every bit of dirt he can find (even if he has to make it up) at his arch-enemy, Rick Stokes. It won't work, Stokes is a great alderman and Guccione has a reputation as the 'trash man,' he has an uphill battle carrying Wright up a very large hill. Guccione's only hope to maintain status-qua is to beat Gossett with either Hussey or Webber. He still has his sock puppets Hays and Kross, but he can't be sure with Kross, because she wants to take his office in 2016. I think anytime Kross gets a chance to let Guccione hang himself, she just might do it.

If Guccione cannot beat Gossett next April, he's going to have a miserable year, just like before Kross and Shryock flipped to run with his screwed-up agenda. If I were Kross, I'd mend some fences with Stokes, Gossett, and Gard, and prepare for trying to be re-elected in 2015 before she messes that up. Let Guccione go crazy with frustration, he'll screw up his chances of ever being re-elected—all by himself.

I'll be keeping up with developments of the election of April 2014 and keep you informed.

P.S.S.: Kross is going to be really upset after the election when Stokes is elected President of the Board for the third consecutive year, and Guccione will be going crazy sitting right next to him for two more years. LMFAO!