Ward two meeting 3/18/06! In a word, outstanding!
Ladies and gentlemen, like many of you I attended the Ward Two meeting at City hall today. I don't know about you, but I was impressed by the turn out, and the questions asked.
This is what Crestwood has needed for a long time now, and I will tell you that if I am elected, I will have one every quarter. I met many of the citizens from Ward Two, including my opponent, Mr. Chris Pickel, and his wife (I am sorry Linda could not attend, she is recovering from Breast cancer, and is still gaining her strength back,) and I was reminded of what I had said earlier on this blog. That being, we are two very different people, with two very different ideas, as to the direction Crestwood should take. That said however, I feel we both have the City of Crestwod's future as our most important goal. Getting there is where the difference comes in, so I would hope that you will ask both of us the questions that are important to you, and come April 4th. Come out and vote for the person of your choice.
I am impressed by Mr. Frank Meyers, and I fully believe that under his stewardship, the mayor and the BOA will finally receive the information they need to make intelligent decisions. I am old enough to have been in the Navy when Destroyers were still used to lay "smoke screens" for the attacking cruisers, and battleships. Over the past few years, that's just what we have seen here, "smoke screens", by those who, for whatever reason felt "we" didn't need to know!
That's all changed now with the election of mayor Robinson, and with your help, the BOA will have four new faces who are committed to watching your money, and not connected to the former folks who got us into this mess in the first place.
Now, in closing, I would ask all of you to join me in thanking Mr. Tim Trueblood for his service to crestwood, and wish him well as he moves from law maker to Grandpa (as he stated). Tim, we did not always agree, but never the less, you always stated you mind, and your feelings, and I applaud you for that! Happy "Retirement"
"My name is Tom Ford, and I want to be your Alderman from Ward Two"
Tom Ford
Ward Two
No. 94
This is what Crestwood has needed for a long time now, and I will tell you that if I am elected, I will have one every quarter. I met many of the citizens from Ward Two, including my opponent, Mr. Chris Pickel, and his wife (I am sorry Linda could not attend, she is recovering from Breast cancer, and is still gaining her strength back,) and I was reminded of what I had said earlier on this blog. That being, we are two very different people, with two very different ideas, as to the direction Crestwood should take. That said however, I feel we both have the City of Crestwod's future as our most important goal. Getting there is where the difference comes in, so I would hope that you will ask both of us the questions that are important to you, and come April 4th. Come out and vote for the person of your choice.
I am impressed by Mr. Frank Meyers, and I fully believe that under his stewardship, the mayor and the BOA will finally receive the information they need to make intelligent decisions. I am old enough to have been in the Navy when Destroyers were still used to lay "smoke screens" for the attacking cruisers, and battleships. Over the past few years, that's just what we have seen here, "smoke screens", by those who, for whatever reason felt "we" didn't need to know!
That's all changed now with the election of mayor Robinson, and with your help, the BOA will have four new faces who are committed to watching your money, and not connected to the former folks who got us into this mess in the first place.
Now, in closing, I would ask all of you to join me in thanking Mr. Tim Trueblood for his service to crestwood, and wish him well as he moves from law maker to Grandpa (as he stated). Tim, we did not always agree, but never the less, you always stated you mind, and your feelings, and I applaud you for that! Happy "Retirement"
"My name is Tom Ford, and I want to be your Alderman from Ward Two"
Tom Ford
Ward Two
No. 94
posted by Crestwood Independent at 15:50
26 Comments:
Thank you Mr. Ford for reporting about the Ward 2 Meeting. Those of us who could not attend appreciate your consideration and the information. Actually thank you for being a candidate for our Alderman. You seem to be taking the high road in this campaign, and thus are representing my entire neighborhood, the church and our values. You are exactly what this town needs right now.
All is quiet in Crestwood. The Ward 2 meeting seems to have helped people become knowledgeable not only of the issues and on the tax increase as well. Keep up the positive momentum. Crestwood will be in a better place for it!
The latest Lawsuit is road going to Crestwood shopping center told by Mayor Robinson.
Who is buying up the property on road leading to Westfield Shopping Center?
Has all of Engineering and Architectural fees connected with Crestwood Police Station totalling $2.5 million been paid.
Alderman Gary Vincent of Crestwood,Missouri in his role as President of Rosebrook Real Estate Company was the seller of Rosebrook Real Estate Company.
Buyer(s) Final Closing Statement
Closing Date: 12/10/2002
Buyer(s): THF Crestwood Point Development, L.L.C.
Seller(s): Rosebrook Real Estate Company
Lender: LaSalle Bank
Property: 1475 So. Sappington Road Crestwood, MO
Totals: $850,565.89
Tom,
There is a legitimate concern that even with your good intentions and desire to support the mayor and Mr. Meyers in moving Crestwood forward, you will not be able to do so due to your conflict of interest. This question has been asked before and in all fairness to you, got buried by other posts and comments that where more interested in the Crestwood Swim Club than your answer. However that does not lessen the need for this concern to be addressed in the minds of the Ward Two Voters.
How will you be able to act on budget issues without your vote being a conflict of interest as your son's pay is a part of the budget? How will you be able to vote on a new pay plan when said action will have an impact on your son? Will you be able to vote on to approve a new police chief? As an alderman you are one of Mr. Meyers bosses...will that make actions by Mr. Meyers difficult for him if they in any effect the employees of the City, of which your son, who is proudly serving as a Police officer is one?
You have stated correctly that your son is not interested in politics, but the concern is not your son as he does not vote, he is not elected... The concern is with you and your ability to vote and represent Ward Two if you are elected. Mr. Pickel would have to recluse himself only on issues regarding the Swim Club/Pool. That can not be said by you. On issues from Health Insurance to Pay Plan's to Police Car policies you would have to recluse yourself due to conflict of interests. Maybe this time the pool haters and pool lovers will leave the blog site alone and not distract everyone from what is the central issue in this election. How will you be able to represent the people of Ward Two?
To answer your question, I will start by asking a question. Do we know for sure that it's a "conflict of interest" for me to serve on the Board while my son works for the City?
The code you speak of was written in 1965, and the very next "code" under it authorizes the "Mayor" to cary a concealed weapon while in Crestwood! Now we all know that "code" is out of date, don't we? Well, what about the one above it?
I have not sought legal counsel, nor have I asked the candidate's for the Board, or the current Board for their assistance in this matter. The day I registered for the Alderman's seat in Ward Two, I was not advised of this "code", or anything like it by the City Clerk, or anyone else.
Reguarding "conflicts of interest", I can imagine all sorts of possibilities coming before the Board that could be a problem for any one of the Aldermen, such as owning stock in a paint store that is wishing to sell to the City. Or, being a relitive of a contractor, who has bid on City work. I could go on, but I think you understand.
I have a keen sense of what is, and what's not a "conflict of interest". As a business man, I have had to back away from projects that I helped plan, such as the time I wrote the Spec's for an HVAC renovation of the Kirkwood police facility. In that case, I was a Kirkwood reserve officer, and a contractor at the same time. I wrote the spec's, to help the City, but I did not bid on the project!
Now, you have stated that this is "a central issue in this election", if it is, it's because my opponent, and his handlers have made it one.
How will I represent the citizens of Ward Two? Simple, I will hold Ward Two meetings every three month's, I will ask for citizen input, and last but not least, I will ask for devine guidance in all of my deliberations, as I do now, City related (I am a P&Z board member,) or not.
I am amazed at some of the post's I have read, one called me "A washed up, has been, old Navy man", well, better a has been, than a never was I would say. Yes, I am old, yes, I am a "has been", but while some were "home for the holiday's", I was off the coast of Laos, R.V.N., ET AL.
I am very proud of the time I spent in the Navy, as well as my time with Kirkwood, and the Beverly Hills police department's. I did my job to the best of my ability, and so help me God, if I am elected, I will promise you that I will do the same here!
"my name is Tom Ford, and I want to be your Alderman from Ward Two"
Tom Ford
Ward Two
The City of Crestwood should not be sad to see Mr. Tim Trueblood hit his term limit. For the past six years, he has voted for a lot of spending and has practically supported every tax that has come down the pike. He was so supportive of the multi-million dollar police station and is still bitter over its demise. His bitterness continues against the current mayor. He and his wife have embarrassed themselves trying to discredit the mayor and those who support him. Karen Trueblood even went so far to say that the firefighters, who supported Robinson, would let her house burn down! While Crestwood has myriad problems and is bleeding fiscally, Mr Trueblood took up half of a board meeting to make Don Greer the media contact of the city after Robinson tried to make one person the spokesman for the city. Furthermore, he has shown great disdain toward Ward 3 Aldermen Maddox and Miguel. He has told Mr. Miguel on several occasions that he doesn’t care what he has to say. He further showed his stripes when he and Kelleher voted against the Ewers drive reconstruction in Ward 3. I think Trueblood is more interested in political vendettas than the welfare of Crestwood. Good riddance!
what a nice thing to say about a man who has dedicated many years of service to the city. Whether you agreed with him or not--he ultimately had the best interests of his ward at heart and the city at heart. He always returned phone calls and you always knew where he stood--with no hidden agenda. keep your nasty thoughts to yourself
This is the same Alderman who gave Diana Madrid a glowing sendoff in the Call last week. PLEASE!
Sorry, but I won't "keep (my)your nasty thoughts to (my)yourself" Mr. Trueblood enjoyed his time as alderman. Unfortunately he used a lot of his time to play politics. The citizens of Crestwood will end up paying the brunt of the costs for the so called "service" of Mr. Trueblood and his friends.
Say what you will about Mr. Trueblood, he was a giant step above Mr. Kelleyher. They were a good tag team, however. Most of us preferred the less confrontational people on the board. Those who did not come to put on a show and waste our time.
Indira Gandhi:
You can't shake hands with a clenched fist.
City of Crestwood, Missouri
Year Ended June 30, 2003
By Claire McCaskill
Missouri State Auditor
March 2005
page 13
The city did not have a written policy or procedures for the disposition of city property or for approval of severance packages.
page 14
Without written policies the Board cannot readily ensure severance packages are reasonable and a prudent use of city monies. The Board should establish policies and procedures on severance packages establishing who should approve the severance package.
WE RECOMMEND the Board of Alderman
B. Develop policies and procedures on severance packages.
Has any of our Board of Alderman read the audit report?
How many severance packages have we paid without any logic?
The city gave the former city engineer a three month severance package totaling $23,747, which was approved by the Board and done through a written agreement. However, the former finance officer was paid for six additional weeks totaling $8,367 upon his resignation but there was no written agreement and no documentation of board approval.
When a former employee suits both the City of Crestwood and our Alderman for a $1 million dollars, then the city of Crestwood will have a severance package for all employees.
Albert Einstein:
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
How many times and for how much money is/are Crestwood residents supposed to foot the bill for severance packages. This has now gone way over the line, and the Licklider case is still out. (2 finance officers, 2 city administrators, 3 sexual harrassment suits)...
Wake up, Do the math, isn't it about time to demand accountability on this issue. Who,in their right mind is going to give this bunch of pushovers at city hall another dime until the facts are on the table. Seriously. When is this going to stop? If you accept the lame coverups, then you are not surprised this city is on the brink of disaster. Save the city so that the elected can give it away. Why? I'm open, I'll listen!!
Hopefully, it has stopped. We're almost rid of the people that caused this destructive process to occur. At least one alderman has accepted some form of responsibility for not overseeing the loss of revenue of $1 million dollars a year ten years ago.
Losing that money and other factors like decrease in sales taxes caused the city to GO into debt.
Wasteful spending on furniture, a luxury car and other impromptu items also helped put the city in debt.
And the liaison that was allowed to occur in city hall proper has cost the city money in averting lawsuits.( in the form of severance packages.)
Now both of those people are gone.
We sure did pay for it though. I agree with you on that.
We'll never know the specific answers to why lawsuits were averted..unfortunately. But in truth, we really do know the answer. Details are not as important as our knowledge that someone intelligent enough to think ahead, namely Roy Robinson, saw that the continued employment would have cost distrust, embarrassment and money. And lawsuits would have done the same. Thank God for that!
Now, when we can get aldermen on that board that have foresight we'll have our money managed wisely. It's up to the voters to place responsible people and not vote their group think.
I really do believe that Mr. Meyers is going to do a good job. He has already shown his foresight in not buying furniture and selecting and older city car as his visual representation of his commitment to restoring trust.
Now with the tax issue...if you indeed feel that the past problems are corrected please take the advice of all those that are speaking on this tax issue.
On one side, you have the ones saying that the tax won't solve all of the city's problems. They are right. It only solves the debt problems. Not the general fund problems. That issue is being worked on by economic development and a continued eye on spending.
On another side, you have the ones saying that we should continue to distruct out officials. I am not in agreement with that because our officials have shown in the last 11 months that they have solved a lot of problems and continue to work on important solutions.
Then on the pro Prop S side you have all the aldermen, the Mayor, all the aldermanic candidates except 1 or 2, the citizens and the city workers desperately trying to stabilize the city's finances by relieving the burden of paying off the incurred debt from being taken out of the general fund.
Please, if all you do is just consider the math,,, 2 wasteful employees gone, reduction of 20-30 city personnel, cost savings everywhere...city debt to be paid by a 20 cent increase which should have been assessed 10 years ago when we lost the $1 million per year...all this adds up to too little too late.
But if we don't do it..we're never going to get this city straight.
What one side suggests is to wait until they can have an accurate figure of what it will really cost to assess general funds needs plus debt payoff amounts. But by that time no one will trust anymore than they trust now! I don't get it!
let's just straighten out one mess at a time.
Improve the tax increase to pay off the debt ONLY, vote in new aldermen that have enough wisdom to instill trust, and go from there. If voters continue to show distrust in any tax increase believe me, no one alderman in their right minds, unless they have nerves of steel, will commit suicide by asking for another tax increase.
And the city and the residents and the property values will continue to slide into despair. While interest rates for paying off the debt will come out of the little that's left.
Not necessarily a problem with your logic. Here's more logic. Get rid of Kelleher, Breeding, Duwe. Sadly, Bland, Berry and Pickel are cut from the same cloth. Elect Wallach, Ford, Nieder, who are independent thinkers by the way. A new board sweeps clean, and most are sick to death of anything or anyone even remotely connected to Robertson, Fagan and Greer. A new City A is a great start, and old furn and car will have to do. The first sign of compulsive or hidden spending will bring the house down. As for Mr. Trueblood, you are very generous. He is an alderman who had every opportunity to prove he ran for office to support his constituants and our city. He failed miserably. You can take that to the bank. His allegiance was terribly misguided as he joined the pranksters up there who should have been on the playground, not on the dais at city hall. I think my expectations were too high. I misjudged his potential.
I agree. Let's fry today's fish before we catch tomorrow's fish. My dad used to say that.
We need to make one wise move at a time. Get the finances straight by showing our (skeptical, but allowed) trust.
Replace 1/2 of the board with trustworthy and respectable people. Disallow members of the old regime that proved they knew not what to do!
And for goodness sakes, will someone find Don Greer a real estate agent!
If Prop S does not pass, it is pretty clear whose fault it will be.So please direct all animosity toward those aldermen who refused to listen to all good advice given by Mr. Miguel and Mr. Maddox and a very very large contingent of residents who pleaded with the board on numerous occasions and then took to the streets to fight for their city. Yes, if we do not get a new board, there will be a very large microscope pointed at the dais. You can bet your life on that. Guess which candidates are so firmly attached at the hip to the Fagon/Greer/Breeding/Trueblood and Duwe faction that they would suffer separation anxiety if they had to work as independents.
Anyone notice the teenage antics on this blog? Surely we aren't to believe adults would act this way.
"Walk softly and carry a cell phone."
Eleanor Rigby
... and get those string bikini's "stretched" before the pool opens.
While I saw reasonable comments being made about opinions from the other posters, yours was by far the most juvenile. You must sit and smile at your computer when you can get a zinger in..this time on overweight people?
Where is the intelligent argument? This is all we get for meaningful debate? Sarcastic wit? Can't expect much more than that from a group that has proven if you don't fit into their caste system then you will be bludgeoned with sarcasm.
Why not just disagree politely with the opinions on this page instead of hitting below the "bikini" line?
People have posted their opinions on the candidates. Then you respond like that. Shame on you!
The more I see of those antics the more it makes me sick to think that I allowed your set of people to run my city. No wonder we're like gossip central around here!
now..I challenge you to please engage in a sensible meaningful dialogue. You seem to be offended by the above statements so let's hear your side.
What has FAgon/Greer/Breeding/Trueblood and Duwe, Kelleher, Vincent, Robertson or Licklider, Bland,and Pickel done to impress you.
I am all ears. You have the floor.
I would like to be educated on your opinions. Thank you.
Well, for openers, they all think alike, and they have all allowed (or would) the city to bleed red ink!
Other than that, I am at a loss!
You are lost
This paper has been so slanted I'm amazed we can still read it. I've heard so many people say, stop having it delivered. I believe it's time to do this. It's kinda like they can only say good things about Fagan, Fagan, and Fagan. Mr. Fagan, what can you do/ what have you done for this newspaper that they continually to support your hangers-on? There's something more here than meets the eye. When do you suppose the truth is going to sneak out? And even you know it is going to get out.
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