Better representation in ward two.
Ladies and gentlmen, Is it me, or do we need to look at the representation in Crestwood, ward two? I have sat and watched our elected representivies bicker over the least little thing since Mayor Robinson was elected. At the last B.O.A. meeting Mr. Trueblood demanded that Mr. Greer be the spokesman for the city, even going so far as to demand a vote on it (which he won). No doubt that produces theatrics for the media present, but it does nothing for the City! In meetings past we have heard from Mr. Kelleher, who seems to be on the same page as Mr. Trueblood. While this may be all fine and dandy, I submit that all this silly in-fighting has done the City of Crestwood more harm than good! I would like to remind Mr, Trueblood, and Mr. Kelleher that Mr. Fagan lost the election! Mr. (and Mayor) Robinson won, and if we are too move ahead, and prosper as a City, we need to have a cohevisive plan with everyone backing it! Gentlemen, put aside your feeling's, back the mayor, and get us back on track before it's too late!
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posted by Crestwood Independent at 19:45
5 Comments:
Folks in Crestwood your BOA just borrowed $3.5 million dolars to run your city, seems our days of tax spend, borrow continue. Alderman Trueblood will now push to place a GO Bond on the April 2006 ballot much like the one voters turned down in 2005. Come to city hall Tuesday November 8, 2005 at 8:00PM and see the BOA in action.
Last night the BOA OK'D lending terms of Southwest Bank to obtain two loans, both are secured by collateral (city hall and our public works building). Five aldermen voted yes two were absent and Alderman Trueblood voted no. The two loans one for $2 million payable over 7 years with twice a year payments of $142,860 and can be paid off with out penalty. The other a line of credit LOC for $1.5 million is callable and must be paid off in a year from its date of issue. Alderman Trueblood is now upset demanding the issue go to a vote of the residents, he suddenly is against long term borrowing?
One resident at the meeting asked Chief Greer if we had passsed the GO bond last April 2005 would we have needed to borrow the $3.5 million? Chief Greer stated no we would have had enough money to operate the city and pay off our debts!
Golly gee folks let us review where we are now and how we got here. January 2005 long term debt (principal and interest due), (Aquatic center $10.1 million dollars) police and Government building rehab $13.9 million dollars, line of credit Southwest bank $1.1 million dollars. This put city debt at $25.1 million dollars. Seems as if some how we redisigned the police building twice loosing $1.6 million dollars but who is counting? Alderman Trueblood and five others on the BOA voted to proceen with the Police building, agreeing with mayor Fagan, stating we had the money and could afford to build it. Things would be just fine if you voters would give us a GO Bond paid for with taxes on your homes of oh about 24 cents per $100 this might get us close to $6 million dollars we could borrow for 10 years to keep from having to cut fire and police service.
Unfortunately you voters added up our debt and did not like owing $30 million dollars and you refused to pass the bond in April 2005 plus you also elected a new Mayor Roy Robinson.
Things went down hill from then on, for two thousand dissidents signed a circlated petition and after some talk BOA voted to defease the $14 million COP'S bond II cutting long term debt down to less than $10 million principal and interest (owed through 2012). This also freed up $733,000 in annual payments due each year from the Capital Improvements fund. Unfortunately this money cannot be used, some thing about not using tax funds designated as special funds for payments due from other funds? Seems we allready borowed from the main funds and each owes the other so we have to pay off these debts? This borrowing plus mone lost in design added up to $2 million dollars. $1.1 million was needed to defease the COP'S II bonds in the Capital Fund to restore the $1.6 million wasted desighing a police station. The BOA did cut costs by reducing employees thus saving $300,000 a year but our city still needs money.
Alderman Trueblood has voiced his demand to press for GO Bonds stating our residents must vote on long term debt or the city is in violation of state law,
Yes this is the same person along with others who have run the city in the red over the last five years but I am sure he has seen the error of his ways?
One can only wonder indeed! Why is Alderman Trueblood voting no when "the bridge loan" was our only salvation not long ago? I wonder what the GO bond's are going to do for us (other than run us further in debt). It seem's to me that the best way out of this mess, is to raise the tax rate on homes, and businesses. We have enjoyed a lower rate than our neighbor's for some time now, but we must start looking at an increase to balance the book's!
We have a very important election coming up in April, 2006. Do we return the devisive board in tact, or do we get behind our Mayor, and back his strategy to bring our City back to it's rightfull place?
Folk's the current board seems to have far too many supporters of the old Mayor on board! I would have hoped they would have respected our wishes (the election), and moved tward a cohesive group intent on bettering our City, but if you attend a B.O.A. meeting, you will see that's not the case. In my humble opinion, There seem's to be far too much "political posturing", and not enough "save the City" going on!
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Board, I have a very novel idea, how about you put aside your petty political jealousy, and work for the betterment of Crestwood for a change!
The name Trueblood keeps turning up synonymous with Crestwood. Is this man the bottom line, some sort of icon? If he has really been around so long, and has so many answers, why is Crestwood struggling so much? He seems to be a one man show with some puppets all moving in a direction that is totally wrong for Crestwood.
Trueblood's posturing for one reason: He only has six months left to do maximum damage. He'll try to replace himself with another Trueblood puppet who likes to stick her finger in a person's chest while making a point. The only antidote to this poison is that "the people should rise up as one and slay them" (politically speaking). Replace those power hungry people with aldermen who care about the city!
If replacing a Trueblood with a another is the plan, and it is allowed to happen, the people deserve what they get. Is she being allowed to "posture" herself for candidacy at BOA Meetings? If so, then all candidates must be given equal time. Actually she is an embarrassment, but then this would qualify her for the job as replacement in kind.
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