More Master Plan woes!

I was talking with a friend this weekend, Mr. Tom Durst, owner of Wentzville's Dairy Queen. He has conserns about the Church Street improvements scheduled to begin in 2011. According to the master plan, there will be a six foot sidewalk on the west side of Church Street and a nine foot sidewalk on Dairy Queen's side. The result is the city commandeering about another six feet of his property. In addition to the nine foot extension of the sidewalk there will be a bike rack and a bench. This all sounds very cosmopolitan except that Tom stated that the sidewalk would come right up to his sign standard.

The obvious question is why is the City planning on building the nine foot sidewalk on the east side where there are homes and businesses and not on the west side where there is mostly parking lots for most of the street. Well, this is just a guess but, the path of leat resistance may be why. Since the west side of Church Street is mostly parking lots, at first glance it would be the best choice to expand the sidewalk. But after looking at it, the path of least resistance may be considerably more expensive. It would mean removing the fences from St. Patrick's and MFA properties and rebuilding them which in the long run may be more expensive than taking the property from Mr. Durst and a whole block of homes and businesses where there are no fences.

I've found that most of the decisions made by the city is based on money. If you find the money, you find the reason. The problem which Mr. Durst and a host of others on the east side of the street could be facing is that the engineering may be complete and in that case, it would cost the City even more money changing the engineering and paying for a new fence or two. It's a catch 22. It amazes me how little thought goes into these major projects and how little consideration is given to residents and busineses of Wentzville.

I hope the folks on the east side of the street go before the Board of Alderman and lodge their complaints, it'll be a lot easier to fix now before the City starts breaking ground.

Beware of the Master Plan

The City is going through an extensive remodeling of the streets in the downtown area. Adding a center lane, better lighting, wider sidewalks, the whole nine yards. Old Highway 61 was to be the first with the work there almost completed. Church Street is next on the schedule with a completion date in 2012. Many more streets will be in line in accordance with the new downtown master plan.

This past Wednesday, at the Wentzville Board of Aldermen meeting the audience of citizens suffered through an agonizing two hours of political blathering even before they got to the Bills and Resolutions. The only oasis from the tedium was during public forum; A Wentzville businessman Mr. Rodney Sherman of Budget Towing explained to the Aldermen that the improvements to Old Highway 61 has presented his company with a problem. He explained that the curb cut leading to his building does not match up with his driveway. The Board discussed this situation amongst themselves and Alderman Leon Tow asked City Attorney Paul Rost, what the legal ramifications of this obvious oversight is to the City? Rost responded that the subject cannot be spoken about in a public meeting and suggested to call an executive session. Mr. Sherman was then told by Mayor Lambi that they would go into executive session just after the public portion of the meeting and that he would call him when they reconvened. It was at this point that I decided to leave. I wasn't about to sit around for another two hours while they scratched their collective asses. On my way out the door, Mr. Sherman pulled me aside and asked me what I thought was going on. I simply told him that it looked to me like he was about to get screwed.

I received a phone call from Mr. Sherman the following day and all he said was; "You were right!" I strongly urge residents or business owners to look carefully if you are in the path of the master plan. Be sure that what the City tells you and what the master plan says are the same.

They're off and running!

I really enjoy election time, whether it's National or Local, I follow them all. Most people find politics boring but once you get involved and experience the fight, you're easily hooked. I have no desire to run for office, although I have considered it a time or two and have had folks encourage me too, still I'd rather be on this side of the pen. It takes a special kind of person to want to come under the scrutiny of citizens and the press.

After sitting in council meetings for a number of years, you start to pick up on little nuances that are quite interesting in an otherwise droll situation. With an election not more than five months away, the horses are lining up at the gate. Prospective candidates start showing up at meetings some familiar, some not but the council chambers is a ringside seat for all who attend.

One seat in each ward will be up for re-election; Ward 1 Alderman Cheryl Kross will be seeking her second term and in this writers opinion, she has earned it. It is unknown who will be opposing her at this time. Ward 2 Alderman Peggy Meyer told me that she has not made up her mind yet and is contemplating possible retirement. I saw Lurch, (former ward 2 Alderman Bill Schuette) hanging around chambers recently perhaps looking for his old job back. Anyone having influence with Peggy Meyer needs to beg her to run for office again if for no other reason than to keep Schuette off the City payroll. In Ward 3, Nickolas Guccione will be vying to keep his seat and as with ward 1, it is uncertain who will be running against him. I did see former ward 3 Alderman John Luby at a meeting recently but I don't believe he will go against his good friend Guccione.

By this time next month we'll know for sure who will be seeking election but until then, I'll keep my eyes open.

It's Good To Be Back!

Thirteen months have passed since I fell off the scene in Wentzville. I wish I could say that I spent the time on a tropical island but alas, no such luck. I'll not bore you with the real facts of my absence, but I assure you I wasn't in Jail. I have however, kept up with what has been going on in my beloved Wentzville and I'm happy to report a good many positive developments have occured.

April 2010 brought about the election of Wentzville's first majority conseravative Board of Aldermen in decades and Paul Lambi was re-elected to his fourth term as Mayor winning 38.42 percent of the vote. Hardly a landslide, especially when his closest opponent was the infamous reprobate Bill Schuette. I was disapointed that Alderman Patrick Moody elected not to run again in Ward 1 but very pleased that Leon Tow came out of retirement to fill the vacancy garnering 98.33 percent of the vote. Ward 2 elected Vann Samples with 59.31 percent of the vote and Ward 3 saw John Luby defeated by Rick Stokes who carried 52.4 percent. I have returned to my old place at the Board of Aldermen meetings, I can't wait to see our junior Aldermen at work.

I am back now, unable to return to my regular job so I'll be spending lots more time here. I hope my posts help you in making your decisions in the upcoming election in April 2011.

Conform

Prior to modern big business franchising branches of their stores all over the world, small towns and even big cities had individual identities. Go to any town today and you'll see the same stores selling the same goods that you found in your own hometown. You can eat the exact same food from the same menu as those fast food places back home, or buy the same goods from the same stores that you usually shop. Unless there is some geological differences or landmarks, or the city has a particular theme, the charm of the area has been standardized by familiar sights.

Old Highway 66 was a perfect example of diverse and creative businesses. With its unusual variety of tourist traps, it called to travellers to stop and enjoy the gift shops, eateries, and strange museums that lined its entire length. When I was a kid and my family would visit relatives I loved seeing all of the interesting places, and reading the Burma-Shave signs. People remember the unusual or unique and identify a town with its landmarks. When travelling old Highway 40 through Wentzville, I remember the Southern Air restaurant, the train tracks over the highway, and the A&W root beer drive-in (now Pete's Drive-In). Today, I smile every time I turn the corner at the Southern Air, go under the tracks, and see Pete's Drive-in. It takes me back to simpler times when the summers were longer and every day brought new adventures.

Wentzville used to have a little ice cream shop known as Smiley's, I still hear people talking fondly about it. As with many small family-owned businesses, Smiley's was faced with stiff competition from modern business. Fritz's, Woogies, and of course Dairy Queen, which all combined took their toll on a small town ice cream shop. Smiley's finally sold out and became International Dogs & Cream. The new owner tried for several years to keep the small-town feeling but like Smiley's, they were overcome by modern marketing.

International Dogs & Cream was sold to Brian Koessel and became Goody's Ice Cream. Brian understands marketing and at his ribbon cutting, what he presented was a splash of color that has not been seen since the NBC peacock. The front of the shop is pink with multicolored pastel bubbles. On the patio are six tables with brightly colored umbrellas made of what looks like Hawaiian hula skirts. Goody's is an eye-catcher, and even though it's set back and tucked between two strip shops, Goody's will not be ignored. What Goody's lacks in location, location, location, it makes up for with unique ice cream desserts, food menu, small-town service, and color, color, color!

In the two years since opening, Goody's business has steadily grown and a neighboring franchised sandwich shop has felt the pinch of competition. Free enterprise works, but with success comes another whole set of problems. Unfortunately the City received a complaint about Goody's exterior appearance and signage, which started the code enforcement people to stir. Brian received a letter from Public Works that his signage is in violation of City ordinance and was given X number of days to come into compliance. There is no consideration that the signage has been there for years; it's a simple matter of ordinance. There is an appeal process and Brian has secured the services of a local attorney to plead his case.

In my not so humble opinion, in this case, it is unfortunate that the City's actions are driven by one competitor's complaint, but if Brian's frustration with the system can be tempered until the process has been brought to completion, perhaps Wentzville may be able to keep one of its newest landmarks. Brian has already been heard saying that he's considering closing up and moving to a town where they appreciate a small family-operated business running a unique shop in its community. Fifty years from now I wonder how many grown men and women will drive by where Goody's used to be, think about their childhood, and smile to pleasant memories of simpler times, longer summers, and every day bringing new adventures.

Another Day, Another Millon Dollars

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

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

Some of the suggested cuts were:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Back To Business!

Wabash Days is over for another year, what a great event. I was so happy to see the residents of Wentzville having such a wonderful time enjoying the festivities with their families and frends. I was also extremely pleased to see that Elvis is alive and well and was living in Wentzville for three hours on stage. (I wonder if he visited with Chuck Berry while he was here?) Bravo to the City of Wentzville, The Wentzville Community Club, The Chamber of Commerce, The Wentzville Downtown Business Association, and The Wentzville Community Historical Society for a successful weekend.

Now, it's time to get back to business! Next year, 2010 is an election year for 3 of our Aldermen and Mayor. With the way our City government has been functioning in recent years, I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of tax issue on the April ballot too, I'll keep you posted. Mayor Paul Lambi will be running again, his campaign committee has already announced a fund-raiser trivia night. He is seeking a fourth term as Mayor of the fastest growing city in St. Charles County. Word around town is that he's lost some of his sparkle that won him his first three terms. Complacency and lack of follow-through on promises are just a few of the things being talked about in local barber shops and gathering spots. It will be interesting to see his platform and what he plans to promise in order to turn back some of the negative talk.

Lambi's opponent(s) are still uncertain, although Nickolas Guccione, Schnucks butcher by day and Alderman of Ward 3 has announced a couple of fund-raisers at local lounges, namely; The Olde Towne Pub and Caddyshack. He told me that he is testing the waters to ascertain if he could raise enough interest in his campaign to dethrone Lambi. If presented properly and knowing many of Guccione's supporters, he could be a contender. Guccione seems to be connecting with the people of Wentzville, this could be an upset.

Another suspected candidate is Ward 2 Alderman Bill Schuette. Schuette, a two-term Alderman is a diesel mechanic on garbage trucks who has wrenched his way onto the Wentzville wall of shame on numerous occasions with his lack of tact, knowledge of governmental inner workings, and political skills. He told me several months ago that he is not going to run for the office of mayor but Schuette is not beyond telling the occasional fib. I hope he runs because in doing so when he loses, he will also lose his seat on the Board of Alderman, this would be a very good thing for Wentzville. If he doesn't seek the higher office, whoever runs against him for his Ward 2 seat has my vote.

Lurking in the shadows of indecision is Ward 2 Alderwoman Peggy Meyer and retired Ward 1 Alderman Leon Tow. Tow ran against Lambi in the 2008 election and made a good showing. Had he campaigned a little more, he could have been seeking his second term as Mayor. At any rate, he told me he's thinking about it but is really enjoying his retirement and being reunited with his golf clubs. Good for you Leon! Rumors have been circulating for the past few years that Peggy Meyer could be interested in the top spot but she's keeping it pretty close to the vest regarding her intentions. We'll know soon.

Regardless who runs, our country is facing huge problems and although we as citizens seem to have little impact at the National level, our votes count heavily in our City elections. I've seen Wentzville mayoral races won by as few as 7 votes. Get registered, let's not let Wentzville's government think we don't care how our city is run. Get acquainted with the candidates and vote in April, 2010.