Biased Toward Good Government

 

I've had readers criticize me for "being biased" or "Picking on Mayor Nickolas Guccione and/or Mayor Paul Lambi." I assure my readers that I am biased, but on the side of good government, and I believe most or all of our elected officials would agree with that statement. Any time a mayor or alderman does anything unethical, stupid, or is not looking out for the good of Wentzville citizens, they will cross swords with The Wentzvillian.

Personally, I like Guccione and Lambi, and was friends with both of them, the problem with our friendships came in when they displayed unethical behavior in office and I disclosed proof here on this blog—I cannot stay silent. As a patriot of the United States of America, the State of Missouri, and Wentzville, It is my constitutional right, and my duty to  inform my fellow citizens of the wrong-doing of any elected official—if these officials dislike me for what I say here, maybe they need to change their behavior—not my reporting.

Lambi started disliking me when I discovered and reported on his unethical partnership with Mr. Ed Watkins, both have admitted and agreed with the ethics violations brought down by the Missouri Ethics Commission. It's unfortunate because I think Paul Lambi is a good and compassionate man and for the most part, one of Wentzville's best mayors, I truly believe he was misled by his former co-conspirator, it saddens me that we are no longer friends.

I was friends with Nickolas Guccione and his family for a number of years, but when I reported on his conspiratorial campaigns and his unethical method of getting elected, that all changed. He tried numerous times without success to discredit me personally yet never once thought that maybe I was correct and that he needed to change his approach to elections. The Aldermen thought my facts were in order and Mayor Lambi stepped in to pardon Guccione, saving him some hefty fines. He didn't learn anything from that because there were no consequences and he continued his unethical campaign tactics when he got Michael Hays elected. He violated the "Political Activity Policy," but the aldermen went after him for ethics violations covered under the "Ethics Policy," and failed, why they did that—I'll never understand. So where are we; Guccione and Lambi both dislike me for reports appearing here but The Wentvillian will continue as long as there is corruption in our City government.

I've reported about Guccione's inability to run City meetings and in the past few months he has improved. Under the tutelage of Lambi, he's learned to use a gavel and he even displayed sack enough to shut down Alderman Cheryl Kross last week for her side-bars, something has changed with her, she didn't used to be like she is today. Guccione is learning to control public meetings, congratulations. It may take another year and a half to master looking like a mayor, but that's not all a mayor is supposed to do.

Guccione is near sighted about his vision for Wentzville's future and I'm not sure he can fix that by himself. Issuing pardons for convenience store owners because they were late applying for their liquor license is not a good start, I can see a rush of bar owners lining up to get equal treatment. Guccione needs to talk about what he wants, and he needs to express a means of accomplishing his goal if he wants to be a successful mayor.

PSS: I'm bettin' it ain't happenin'.

 

 

Pardon Me?

In the contemporary history of Wentzville I have seen only one Mayor use his power of pardon on someone. Mayor Paul Lambi used his authority when he pardoned Mayor-elect, Nickolas Giuccione for violation of copyright laws. Guccione's violation was criminal and would have carried hefty fines from both; the City and the United States Library of Congress.

 

At the time Lambi issued the pardon, he had big problems of his own—the Aldermen had turned him over to the Missouri Ethics Commission and the County Prosecuting Attorney. He was angry at the Board of Aldermen for what he called "a witch hunt," and the pardon of Giuccione was his last great act of defiance—kinda like the mouse who gave a hawk the finger just before it swooped down and ate him. Although I don't agree with Lambi giving Guccione a pardon for crimes against the City, I can appreciate it's use for a crime of such magnitude. But as a tax-paying citizen of Wentzville, I am still ashamed that this city elected a man who was pardoned for crimes against the City, one week before being sworn-in.

 

All of the afore mentioned leads to the point of this post. The executive power to override laws is serious, and should be used for subjects of great importance, to flaunt this power on trivial matters is a dangerous commodity. Mayor Guccione has a record of parroting, and a steep learning curve when it comes to realizing his new-found executive powers. It started with Guccione's nine month long "it's my appointment, It's my appointment" speech, when he whined and whined to get his pal, Michael Hays in the Ward 3 seat. What a revolting development that turned out to be.

Anyway, Guccione tested his new found powers by pardoning a convenience store owner for being late on renewing his liquor license. My sources told me that there was going to be no monetary penalty but the store owner would need to wait thirty days before they could reapply. What a vulgar display of abuse of executive privilege, he just bought two or three votes—that is if the store owners even live in Wentzville.

I wonder if that means that anytime, anyone is late on renewing any kind of license, or doesn't comply with a non-criminal code, Guccione would wield his mighty sword of pardon and touch the shoulders of the kneeled non-compliant violator? Through the negligence of the applicant, he or she was granted a pardon from complying with the laws of Wentzville of which we must all acquiesce. C'mon, Is our mayor related to Obama? Evidence is building.

Mayor Nickolas Guccione has made blunders and screwed up on numerous occasions, but this is a poke in the eyes to all responsible business owners in the City. I'd bet that if any of my readers get a code violation or a non-compliance ticket, Guccione would run to you with a pardon in hand especially if your a friend or a registered voter. It must be fun to be the great and all powerful wonderful wizard of Wentzville—or a goose who just wakes up in a new world every day.

PSS: What say?

 

 

 

The Little Meeting That Couldn't

 

Last week's Board of Aldermen meeting of July 10th was interesting—to say the least. I brought my sleeping bag just in case because it was a four-page agenda and given our Mayor's record of running meetings I just knew it was going to end in the wee hours of the morning. Eleven items on the agenda dealt with community development and represented applicants from builders who are looking to build over 300 new homes in Wentzville.

 

I knew something was amiss when I saw Mayor Niockolas Guccione scurrying around before the meeting frantically from the City Attorney to the City Administrator. I saw sure panic on his face, similar to Wile E, Coyote when he realizes that the Road Runner's piano is about to drop on his head and he couldn't get out of the way—he was a mess. Aldermen Cheryl Kross and Forrest Gossett were seated when Alderman Rick Stokes arrived and Guccione approached him. Then the whole picture became clear—they did not have a quorum—three aldermen wouldn't cut it. In my almost fifteen years of watching Wentzville City meetings I have never seen a time when a meeting of the board was cancelled due to the lack of a quorum, but we never had a mayor like Nickolas Guccione.

 

The Mayor sets the meeting agenda, and for my money he's supposed to know what's going on, but again we're talking about Nickolas Guccione. He knew that Alderman Chris Gard would not be there because Gard announced it during the meeting of July 3rd, and Guccione received a call from Michael Hays informing him that he would not be there either, that alone should have hoisted the red flag. That leaves four, which is enough to conduct the business of the City; however, Alderman Sonya Shyrock had called the City Clerk to inform her that she would not be in attendance, old Wile E. just had the piano slam onto his head and didn't know what to do.

 

The chamber had numerous citizens and petitioners waiting patiently to be heard, but what they heard from our mayor was; "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" something we've heard from Nickolas Guccione many times over the last 467 days since he was elected. What we should be hearing is the citizens of Wentzville saying "We're sorry that we ever elected you," but after all, we only have to endure his ignorance of City business for around 1110 more days. Guccione has screwed-up many, many, many times since he was sworn-in, but this will probably make the history books as his biggest screw-up. All of the Directors of the City worked all day for the City and were at the meeting only to hear Guccione say he was sorry to those in attendance, he wasted all of his Directors time and he owes them more than an "I'm sorry."

 

The Mayor of any city is responsible for its meetings, and ours needs to take responsibility. His acceptance of responsibility for anything that goes wrong in Wentzviille has always been to say, "I didn't know," how many times do we have we hear that from our mayor before he is found to be the incompetent he truly is?

 

They pushed off a work session to put this agenda on the evening of July 17th, let's hope Guccione can get his ducks in a row before then. The City business is a week behind and the agendas are beginning to get longer, let's hope the President of the Board, Rick Stokes can keep things moving so the audience doesn't need to bring their jammies. I've watched a great number of City meetings but I've never had as much fun reporting on any mayor more than Wile E. Guccione. I guess the last time there was this much to talk about was the final days of Mayor Paul Lambi.

 

PSS: I kinda hope Stokes doesn't lead the meeting. I know Guccione has taken hammer lessons from our last mayor so he at least appears to the camera that he's competent at what he's doing, but those in the know, know!

 

 

Watkins, Gap-1, & The Missouri Ethics Commission

In 2011 and 2012 The Wentzvillian posted several articles which exposed alleged pay-to-play ethics violations by then-Mayor Paul Lambi and Mr. Ed Watkins. Lambi was outraged in Board of Aldermen meetings trying to defend himself against allegations regarding a mysterious $15,000 check and his connection with "Graduate America Priority 1," or "GAP-1." Executive sessions came frequently as the City Attorney, Paul Rost, Mayor Lambi, and Aldermen discussed the allegations. The Wentzvillian's speculations in the articles regarding the goings-on in those sessions are what spurred the City to have the St. Louis Police Department come and sweep the Wentzville City Hall for bugs.

 

This subject remained dormant as the Missouri Ethics Commission investigated the facts around the alleged play-for-pay scheme dreamed up by Watkins and Lambi—until a few weeks ago. The Board of Aldermen directed the City Attorney to draft a letter to the Missouri Ethics Commission to find out the status of their complaint, low and behold, last Monday case number 12E005 was filed; "Missouri Ethics Commission, Petitioner, v. Ed Watkins, Respondent; JOINT STIPULATION OF FACTS, WAIVER OF HEARING BEFORE THE MISSOURI COMMISSION, AND CONSENT ORDER WITH JOINT PROPOSED FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSION OF LAW."

 

After digesting these documents signed by Ed Watkins on June 8, 2013, I have more questions than Answers. Other than Lambi not being a Co-Respondent, under the "JOINT PROPOSED FINDINGS OF FACT" header, items 2: "Respondent Watkins is a founder, shareholder, and registered agent of WE News, LLC, which was formerly known as Westplex ENEWS, LLC."; Item 3: Respondent Watkins is the owner of the fictitious name 'Winning Endeveavors.'"; Item 4: "Respondent Watkins is the founder of 'Graduate America Priority 1,' or 'GAP-1.'" In or about September of 2011, Respondent Watkins, together with Paul Lambi, filed paperwork with the Missouri Secretary of State to incorporate GAP-1 as a public benefit non-profit corporation, but on February 23, 2012, Respondent Watkins filed articles of dissolution. In July 2012, Paul Lambi filed with the Missouri Secretary of State a registration of fictitious name for Graduate America Priority 1 identifying "WE News, LLC as the owner of the business name." Why would Lambi register the same fictitious name that Watkins dissolved just four months earlier?

 

Now to jump around a bit: Item 5: "Mr. Lambi was paid by WE News, LLC, as C.E.O. of Winning Endeavors, Paul Lambi was also the mayor of Wentzville, Missouri, from 2004 through 2012." Item 11: As the founder and owner of WE News, LLC, and doing business as GAP-1, Respondent Watkins sought to establish an educational facility in the City of Wentzville." Item 12: "Respondent Watkins approached Rankin Technical College with a proposal to locate an educational facility in Wentzville, and requested a fund-raising agreement with Rankin that would have paid Mr. Lambi through GAP-1 a salary of approximately $60,000 per year for fundraising."

 

I advise anyone interested to read this nine page public document for yourself, there is just too much to put here, but the bottom line is that Ed Watkins admitted to the facts in this document. So, where does this leave Lambi? Watkins got a $100 slap on the hand with the promise that if he violates any of the items listed within the next two years he would pay an additional $900. Some allege that Lambi may be in even more serious trouble, it depends on what the Missouri Ethics Commission does with the information they've gathered during their investigation. We could have to wait another two years, who knows?

 

I've linked just a couple of several posts revolving around this situation below. During that period of time there was a lot of excitement surrounding this case and the involvement of Mayor Paul Lambi. Time will tell, and I assure you I will stay on top of it.

 

"The Illegal Practice Of Using One's Influence..." (December 16, 2011)

"Den Of Bell-Tails" February 14, 2012

 

 

Divide and Conquer

There is an inordinate number of strange things going on in City Hall today. The finance department has been decimated and Mayor Nickolas Guccione has been handed a fissure in the unity of this once strong knit Board of Aldermen, which he will surely exploit to his advantage.

* * *

Last August, in an effort to find the City's investment accounts, the Board of Aldermen decided to abandon it's association with a long time auditor and go with another firm. At that time, the City had no idea how much or even where it's  money was invested—it's worthy to note that Nickolas Guccione was an aldermen when all of this was going on. Numbers have been thrown around over the past nine months in the range of $38 to $55 million dollars, that's a fair amount of dough to lose track of. As of today, the City believes they have located all of the accounts, banks, and investment firms holding Wentzville's money. The audit is still ongoing and will identify exactly how much money was invested and how much was retrieved. The Aldermen hope these numbers match and at this time they have no suspicion of wrong-doing or misappropriation.

Closely after the announcement to audit the City's investments using the new auditor, the City Finance Director, Dennis Walsh announces his retirement. Shortly after Walsh retired, the Accounts Payable Manager resigns, and then unexpectedly, this week the long-time Assistant Finance Director, Dana Belaska handed in her resignation. The question I had which was answered by President of the Board, Rick Stokes, was; "Can the City finance department function after losing these key employees?" I was assured that temporary employees have been brought on board and with the new Finance Director starting next week, everything is under control. The audit results will be public very soon and we will know if they located all of the City's investment accounts.

* * *

Mayor Nuckolas Guccione is an opportunist, he always lays with the side that looks like it's a winner, that's why he will never commit or take responsibility for anything. His appointed Alderman, Michael Hays, who was allowed to serve on the Board thanks to Alderman Cheryl Kross (when she flipped on her vote), never adds anything to the meetings. I've learned over my short time on this planet that people become engaged in things they know about, and Hays has definitely lived up to that. He served 15 years on planning and zoning and if there is ever a discussion about that, or other committees, he's all over it. Unfortunately, that kind of representation does not get the business of the City done, so he's become a follower. It is amazing how much he resembles Guccione when he was an alderman, they both live under the same mantra; Get along to go along.

With the recent split in the Board, Guccione will choose to stay with the side he feels will do him the most good, as of now, it looks like he's snugging up to Aldermen Stokes and Chris Gard. Since Hays is of the same cloth, he will do whatever Guccione does. Next year, Stokes will be up for re-election and I'm confident that Guccione feels Stokes will be a huge political threat to run against him for mayor in 2016 so he will pull every trick he can to have him replaced in the 2014 election.

I know that Guccione all ready has enormous targets on both Aldermen Sonya Shyrock and Forrest Gossett and if he gets them replaced, he'll have the split board he wants where he will break the ties. There are some folks who say that Shyrock and Gossett are easy outs and if that's the case, Stokes, Gard, and Kross had better mend the fences soon or they will be having the same miserable time that Kross had in her first year.

A better Wentzville is not Guccione's goal—power—that's what he wants. After next April, he could have the power to screw up the City more than he and the Lurchettes had five years ago. It's known that he is not a leader, it was proven in his first year as an alderman and it hasn't improved at all since. His rein of terror will last at least two years after next year when he brings in feel-good legislation that will cost taxpayers dearly.

For the sake of Wentzville, this current Board of Aldermen need to reattach and keep their eyes on the brass ring. I've seen divides like this in the past and they have always worked out terribly for the City. The reasons this board is splitting are trivial and have nothing to do with the business of Wentzville and how it's governed, but if it's not resolved it will have a paramount effect. They need to stop taking the business of Wentzville personally—do the job and move on to the next one at hand—or everything you've accomplished will go down the crapper. You will be to blame for the chaos to come!

Guccicare

I need to voice my opinion one last time regarding the move of the city to put a $28 dollar fee on the ballot to set up a department to fix broken water and sewer laterals. This issue was inspired by our ultra-liberal mayor, Nickolas Guccione, and it just doesn't make sense that this Board of Aldermen would go along with it. Guccione is clearly setting up the city as an insurance company and the Aldermen are underwriting it because they say; "It will be voted on by the people." If that excuse is acceptable to them, I have a few questions and requests on the subject of Government run insurance.

Regardless of what Alderman Cheryl Kross wants to think about this being OK, it's still another layer of taxes and fees which further burden taxpayers. She has fought fiercely against any additional fees and taxes but this one is perfectly all right with her. What this is, is a liberal plan to take care of those few residents who experience a broken main each year, and bitch about how much it costs, saying "It's connected to the City infrastructure, the City should pay for it." Water and sewer laterals have been the responsibility of the homeowner since the first outhouse became a water-closet, what's changed?

This is a feel-good issue brought forward by a feel-good mayor who otherwise has no idea of what leadership means. I have to ask; what idiot would vote "no" on this issue? It's a no brainer, which seems to fall right in Guccione's wheel-house. But why stop there? Mr. Mayor, when a resident's driveway starts to crack over the years and costs them thousands of dollars to have it replaced, why not set up an insurance policy and department to cover that? After all, it is connected to City streets, why shouldn't the City pay for it? How many voters do you think would vote "no" on that? I  fail to see any difference at all.

Alderman Chris Gard said, "I haven't had one resident complaining that the City should pay for broken mains," Guccione rebutted, "I had two complaints just last week," yeah right! There's a right way of doing things and then there's the Guccione way. Getting one or two complaints over the years does not constitute setting up an insurance department for a few instances per year, that everyone else will pay for. I trust the City will publish exactly how many water and sewer laterals break each year. This whole situation stinks, and I'm surprised the Board of Aldermen is going to allow it on the ballot, and give our touchy-feely mayor a bullet point on his campaign literature. "Oh, looky, looky. what I done. I gave you Guccicare."

The Time Is Short, They Need Direction—Again!

The fate of a new city hall building placement is at hand and in the very near future,  in an executive session, the Board of Aldermen will be deciding its location. A serious dialog has been going on for more than fifteen years and I really wonder how long our current board members have even lived in Wentzville. Therein lies a major problem of having a Board of Aldermen who have a maximum of four rears of service on the Board. In May of 2012 The Wentzvillian posted; "City Hall Opinions" which listed each of their opinions regarding location.

Public opinion regarding the location of a new City Hall building was huge then (and still is), it mandated the passing of a resolution by the City. In 2003, "Resolution 03-098" in part reads; "That the Mayor and Board of Aldermen state the location of a future site of City Hall in the downtown district is preferred." Mayor Paul Lambi took great interest in historic Wentzville and spearheaded the Board of Aldermen to work toward building a new City Hall building in the downtown area.

On March 22, 2006, the Board of Aldermen voted to accept a proposal by Holleran, Duitsman Architects (HDA), in the amount of $272,000 to provide professional services for the planning of a City Hall and Public Works Facility and authorize a contract not to exceed an amount of $275,000 for the study (by the way, it ended up costing more than the limit). There were hundreds of citizens interested in this project and attended numerous public meetings and surveys held by HDA to support a new location in our historic district. Four locations were identified by HDA with the favorite of the citizens to be at the intersection of Pearce Blvd and N. Linn Avenue.

Last Wednesday evening at the Board of Aldermen work session, they had a discussion; "(ID # 4567) Discussion of Wentzville City Hall Project." Questions asked by some of the Aldermen were quite frankly disturbing. It is disheartening that Aldermen, who are relative newcomers to our city, eagerly disregarding the wishes and hard work of those who came before them. Equally disheartening was the lack of leadership displayed by our mayor, Nickolas Guccione. He should have been all over this with his recommendation, but in his usual "follow the pack attitude," said nothing. This is your chance to shine and you need to take a stand.

City Administrator, T. Michael McDowell, started the discussion and boiled it down to two sites. One on the Wentzville Parkway by the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) and an undescribed downtown location. He further said; by going through the studies made "five or six years ago" he figured out the downtown location was where the old Commerce building sets today, the corner of Pearce Blvd. and N. Linn Avenue.

Ward 2 Alderman, Sonya Shyrock, asked if they could look at other places to locate the new building. She wants to take a ride around town with McDowell to show him her new choices. From what she said, it sounds like she wants to redo the study and public opinions given over the last fifteen years, but I could be wrong because she never named her choice(s). I think she's in favor of the downtown location, but I can't say for sure.

Perhaps the most frustrating question was brought forward by Ward 1 Alderman, Cheryl Kross, to paraphrase, she asked; "Was there a resolution made by the City recommending a downtown location?" I know for a fact that she does not want City Hall in the downtown location at Pearce and N. Linn, and suspect she doesn't want it at the LEC location. In a discussion with her a month or so ago, I found her reason to be somewhat cryptic: "If we build a city hall building on that site, people would be tearing down historic buildings on Pearce Blvd." That's a noble thought but I think perhaps there may be an underlying agenda for not placing it there. To Aldereman Kross, who is a staunch conservative, I say; The city has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on this project already, do we really need to spend more to make the right decision?

The discussion was left with, they would further discuss the location choice at the June 26th Board of Aldermen Meeting and make the decision in closed session. Citizens need to be at that meeting to express their opinions—again!

Wentzville is at the crossroads, the new City Hall building could be an enhancement to Wentzville's history, not just another modern building out on the Sprawlway having little or no impact on our city's image. A classic three- or four-story building downtown would become a landmark in historic Wentzville rather than just another throwaway bit of dated architecture out by the subdivisions. Our historic image could be ensured and we wouldn't have to rename our city "The Fountains, Missouri," or "Bear Creek, Missouri," or "(insert a subdivision name here), Missouri." It's frustrating to have to ask every time we elect a new rash of Aldermen but: To my Wentzville neighbors, if you have any pride in our city, you need to be heard. Call your Aldermen or write city hall, don't let them disenfranchise you and our city's founders. The time is short and they need direction—again!