4 Days To The Election, and...



I can't let go of just how important this election is, we have only four days left and every vote counts.

Ward 1

Cheryl Kross

Ward 3

Darrel Lackey

Municipal Judge

Steve Martin

Today I'll write about Mayor Nickolas Guccione's goals and objectives presented at the Strategic Planning Session March 23rd that I watched via a City provided DVD, thank you. In my opinion, his goals and objectives were the same as last year and by his own confession based solely upon a few citizen's suggestions. Nothing revolutionary, nothing new, just the same old feel good rhetoric.

1. Four New Police Officers: Exactly the same as last year and a safe one to say that will always garner support from everyone, paying for it is an entirely different question. I have to give you a direct quote credited to our illustrious mayor, "I want to have the best police department in the city." I have to ask; how many police departments do we have in Wentzville?

2. Lower Retail Sales tax: This is a noble statement made by every politician seated or campaigning since taxes were invented. A lengthy discussion followed this goal regarding just how it could be accomplished and from my interpretation of the debate, it can't be done. CIDs, NIDSs, TIFs, TDDs, and a plethora of other tax incentives to businesses just can't be renegotiated, but it was a good try, maybe next year.

Five of the six Aldermen weighed in on lowering personal and real estate taxes as an option. Guccione couldn't offer that one because it's been too well advertised that this has been the objective of the Board for the last four years. It would be difficult to steal that idea since everybody knows who is and has been doing that very thing. Guccione made a statement against the reduction of personal and real estate taxes to the effect: "The personal and real estate tax reductions have only averaged a savings of about $25 or $26 to residents so far." I can't believe that a Mayor would minimize a tax reduction to residents suggesting that the City shouldn't have cut these taxes.

I mentioned that one of the Aldermen said nothing during the half-hour discussion and that one was Guccione's appointed buddy, Alderman of Ward 3, Michael Hays. He has been truly a disappointment in his lack of desire to engage in any debates by the Aldermen.. Hays is running against Darrel Lackey for the Ward 3 seat and when Lackey wins it will be the first time Ward 3 has had a full compliment of Aldermen in six years. Some of you may puzzle over the length of time but it's simple, Guccione took up space in that seat for five of them.

3. Better Snow Removal: Guccione wants a new truck that can dispense a chemical agent that will be actively melting snow for 72 hours. Great idea, we can always use another very expensive vehicle in the stable that will be used four or five times a year. My question is, how are you going to pay for it?

4. More Entertainment: Guccione wants the Economic Development Director to more aggressively seek out "bowling alleys, teen-towns, or other events." Another feel-good request that will get the respect of citizens and has been asked of every mayor since 1872. Our mayor must have forgotten that the taxpayers have just paid for a new $20 million dollar park system that has yet to be completed, but that's another story.

5. Pearce Blvd. Beautification: He is requesting amenities i.e. park benches, lights, and new signs for Pearce Blvd. I think I know where this request came from but my question is; don't you think repairing sidewalks, or even putting sidewalks in areas along Pearce Blvd. that don't have them might be nice first?

6. Beautification of the Overpass at Hwy 61 and Pitman Ave.: The mayor wants to repaint the overpass that belongs to MODOT (Missouri Department of Transportation). He may also want to paint the railroad overpass which belongs to the Norfolk Southern Railroad. I don't think I need to Comment on this request.

That's it, Mayor Nickolas Guccione's vision for 2013. Alderman Shyrock said it best; "I agree with all of these Mr. Mayor, but how do you propose to pay for them?" To this Guccione responded with a classic; "That's why we have a staff." I'm still shaking my head trying to figure out what the hell he was talking about. President of the Board Rick Stokes said; "I don't see how you can dump this off on staff to pay for this. Everything here costs money."

The Goals and objectives portion of the meeting was ended with a statement by Alderman Stokes; "Mr. Mayor, I thank you for presenting your goals and objectives. I look forward to seeing your proposal on how we reduce revenues by reducing sales taxes and manage increased spending to accomplish them." Me too!

Storm Water Utility "Tax" Revisited

It's been four years since the City of Wentzville proposed the implementation of a "Storm Water Utility Fee"and had the first and second reading on this controversial ordinance. The third and final reading was postponed indefinitely until a lawsuit against the St. Louis MSD (Metropolitan Sewer District) who inflicted a similar "fee" on its citizens was resolved. From this point forward in this writing, the term "fee" will be replaced with it's actual definition; "TAX."

This bastard tax was brought forward by then City Administrator, Andy McCown in an effort to keep from paying the $300,000 per year expense from the general fund to update and maintain Wentzville storm sewers. It was picked up on by "Lurch" (Bill Schuette) combined with other Lurch-like aldermen and Mayor Lambi who thought they would hang their hats on saving the city by putting it in ordinance form. Then came the MSD law suit. Like the chicken-shits they were, the "Lurchettes" seeing the uproar of St. Louis citizens and fearing a similar situation here, back-burnered it instead of giving it an up-or-down vote. Wouldn't a normal person see—if St. Louis citizens are mad enough to bring a law-suit against MSD, maybe something is wrong with this whole stinking thing? 

Time went on, McCown retired, Lurch and the others faded away, and the ordinance was left hanging in limbo. Waiting, ever waiting until it could be brought back before an unsuspecting new Board of Aldermen who, not knowing it's implications, could have the final reading with only a 24-hour notice. Then in May of this year Dianna Wright revisited the Storm Water Utility Tax at a board meeting trying to drum up support for it. In an effort to inform our citizens and new aldermen I posted; "Bend Over Wentzville, Here Comes a New TAX," which outlines the history.

I would implore our aldermen to bring the Storm Water Utility Tax back and either inflict it on our homeowners and businesses or vote it down. It's been hanging over our heads for over four years now and it's time to take action. This current Board of Aldermen has shown great strength standing up against the mayor and the bureaucracy in city hall. They have made great strides toward fiscal responsibility and now they have the opportunity to make a difference by showing Wentzville once again that they really care about its citizen-homeowners and businesses.

A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot!

The work session of August 3, 2011 was an historic event. I saw and heard things that I've never seen and heard in a meeting of the board. First, Alderman Rick Stokes, who was obviously on vacation (probably in some tropical place) was on a conference speaker phone set up right in front of the Dias. It was an indication that something very important to the City was going to be discussed. I was correct in my assumption, it was the expenditure of $20,000,000 of taxpayer dollars.

The discussion which dominated the meeting was the bid process for the new sports parks and Aquatic Center. The aldermen were questioning the process by which the staff selected the contractor that would build these projects. Without boring anyone; basically, they wanted to know why the sports parks and aquatic center weren't bid out separately, rather than lumped into one contract. The aldermen believe that the companies that specialize in sports parks, or aquatic centers only, were at a disadvantage to companies who do both. The staff presented their position of why they selected a certain company to do both. The mayor was on the defense offering his usual diversions and usual ridiculous similes.

Mayor Lambi said something to the effect of; you can't change a flight plan when your taxiing to the runway and that the aldermen need to stop politicizing this project. After he got done telling the aldermen what they can't do, he said; "If you don't take staff recommendations, you don't need a staff, you can do it all yourself." Alderman Tow, angrily retorted; "I resent your remarks." Alderman Stokes, obviously insulted said, "I am not politicizing this, you are and I resent your statement." Alderman Guccione said, "If we passed everything staff puts before us without questioning it, we are just a bunch of bobble heads." Alderman Gard was angry pounding his fists on the Dias, "If this Board doesn't look for ways to make things better, and represent our constituents who elected us, we don't need a board."

This subject went on for what seemed like hours, it was the greatest aldermanic demonstration of getting the city on track, that I've ever seen. The staff was on their heels and Lambi had humiliated himself—again. Someone needs to tell him that a closed mouth gathers no foot! I'd heard about board meetings in the 1970s when some members had raised their voices and hated the mayors but in those days the boards were filled with aldermen who had axes to grind and special interests. This group of alderman's special interests lay in saving the citizens of Wentzville tax dollars, and they are in agreement about how to do it. 2011 is the year of the people of Wentzville.

The next meeting of the board of aldermen promises to be round two—they will vote on several issues that have been vigorously debated over the last few weeks. I recommend that you make plans to see your aldermen defend you against a city staff who is hell-bent on spending as much as they can and a mayor who can't find his ass with a radar screen. If you can't make it, make sure you watch the video of it on your computer next Thursday, it should be a daisy. Catch it at http://www.wentzvillemo.org/.

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