The "paper" has called us "mis-informed" citizens!
Well, now the local "paper's" editor has decided that THF should get more funding for the Crestwood Swim club buy out! Why, he Even goes so far as to say that in years gone by he didn't favor any public funding for a "private entity."
He now said that the "paper" was against it long before it has become "fashionable by a small, mis-informed faction of the City," so what happened to change his mind, you tell me!
Well, guess what? The spot's have changed, and now he is all for it! Excellent, said I! Here we have a non-resident telling us to forgo tax monies to pay for a private pool! Why is that you say? I have no idea, but since were going to pay for it, call the lad and ask him where he has a dog in the fight!
Better yet, tell him to put out a jar to collect funds at the office to send to the developer to help defray the costs!
Did we have a "deal?" I have never been able to find that paperwork Mr. Editor, but if you know where it is, please say so!
Tom Ford
NO. 355
He now said that the "paper" was against it long before it has become "fashionable by a small, mis-informed faction of the City," so what happened to change his mind, you tell me!
Well, guess what? The spot's have changed, and now he is all for it! Excellent, said I! Here we have a non-resident telling us to forgo tax monies to pay for a private pool! Why is that you say? I have no idea, but since were going to pay for it, call the lad and ask him where he has a dog in the fight!
Better yet, tell him to put out a jar to collect funds at the office to send to the developer to help defray the costs!
Did we have a "deal?" I have never been able to find that paperwork Mr. Editor, but if you know where it is, please say so!
Tom Ford
NO. 355
posted by Crestwood Independent at 19:35
87 Comments:
Tom must be sore the board voted last night to hand out the meeting notices to the press.
No, Tom is just pointing out the liberal slant of the "paper." It's your money, and if your not a swim club member, how do you feel about higher residential taxes, with a loss to a private entity?
Tom Ford
I agree with the first comment! lol! Go figure! Give proof of the swim club generating higher taxes for residents! It ain't true! I investigated where crestwoods money goes before I invested well over $250,000 in real estate!
While your out there "figuring" please tell us how long at 1% extra tax will it take to pay off $295,000.00, and will the extra 1% effect sales at Kohls and the rest of Crestwood?
Someone is going to make up the shortfall, and the business community has been taxed to the max! Now please tell me just who is going to make it up?
$250,000.00? You must have a very nice home. I am glad to see you invested in Crestwood. Please tell us what your tax bill is next year, and see if it hasent "increased."
I am more and more convinced that the "prop S" increase is only the start of the increases to come. Not only here but in every community as well as the County.
In my humble opinion we can no longer give these "perks" to developers and stay in business. There's a hole in the dyke, and it will only get worse if we don't start fixing it now.
Tom Ford
What are the steps needed to disincorporate and be governed by St. Louis County?
Prop S was just the beginning. After Prop S was passed, more spending. Ten new police cars, radar guns, a dump truck, and who knows what else. Crestwood is quickly ceasing to be the bargain it has been all of these years. Oh, and watch your speed or else you'll likely get pulled over and ticketed.
I heard a few residents from the annexed area asking how they could go back to St. Louis County.
I think you mean unincorporate. I think that would be a great idea. I think the county should be deciding what services they feel you need and not what you want. At least in Crestwood you have a say in your cities future. You think the county council gives a Rat's behind what you want. That is why municipalities incorporated. So they could provide better services for their citizens.
Before you look into unincorpoarating, look for a higher paying job. Your going to need the extra money to pay your higher taxes.
8:02 true, more taxes are on the way.
7:55 Good points. Now do you think that Crestwood BOA gives a rat's behind as to what we want, do you?
8:31 I can only tell you that i call my Alderman regularly and he has encouraged me to continue expressing my viewpoints. he claims to get very few calls from residents and wishes more would do so.
2:01 Thank you for your post. Communication is a two-way street and I will try to communicate with the city more. Have a good weekend.
poster 8:31
Or for that matter do you think anyone of our elected officals give a rats behind about think?
If the citizens of Crestwood use only the Journal, Times, Post to keep them aware of what was going on at BOA meetings, then they are misinformed. The Journal reporter hasnt been to a BOA meetingin over 6 mths and the Times reporter only covers fluff stories, she never shows up for work sessions or committee meetings. The Post has had under 30 stories covering Crestwood in the past 4 years. If the Call hadnt covered Ms. Tate's report about the storm facing the City, none of us would have had a clue about what is going on.
In fact this blog hasnt broke any news except for Swim Club stuff in over a year and up until recently got all it's news by linking to the Call and still uses the Calls storys as the basis of its postings.
So without the Call we would be misinformed.
Perhaps you should buy an honorary subscription. As for me, I'll pass.
You don't have to. It's FREE on the World Wide Web!
And try as you might, no one passes on the Call. Without them you would not know bout the storm! and Tom wouldn't have much fodder for this here blog! Like it or not, they make a hell of a lot more difference than the rags mentioned above!
Tom has all the ammo he needs with or witout the "paper."
They do serve a purpose though, if you want a one sided liberal slant, with a vendetta against Crestwood, well, the "Editor" will provide it for you!
And since the up-coming "cub reporter" he sends to the meetings has "drank the coolaid," he will help as well!
Tom Ford
Tell us again, Tom, why you can't link to the newspaper in question.
6:08 PM blogger: In case you are not aware of it, Sigmund Freuid's definition of innsanity is "doing the same thing over, and over again, and expecting a different result!"
The same thing applys to your inane question.
Tom Ford
4:22 PM
I thought they offered honorary subscriptions. Yes, while they are free-mailed to you and on the web-you should purchase one since you're such a fan. Enjoy.
"Without them you would not know bout the storm!"
I could see the storm clouds coming once the spending started again.
Tom can not link to the Call's website due to a racist, xenophobic joke he posted here that implied that immigrants to this country are lazy and do not work during the day. The Call told him to cease and desist from linking to their site. Now you know the real story...why didn't Tom answer?
7:21 Pm Blogger: Raciest, Zenophobe joke? Well LIBERAL that's your feeling. Mine is a bit different!
You wish to steifel any remarks, or jokes not "approved" by your God forsaken, guilt ridden LIBERAL thinking!
I, on the other hand will continue to "tell it like it is," through humor, or whatever it takes to get the point across! Assuage your LIBERAL guilt somewhere else, cause were all stocked up here!
If your consience will not allow you to read this blog, stay the heck off of it!
Tom Ford
3:55 p.m. July 13
I would sure like to know how someone can feel informed by a newspaper that consistently fails to get the facts straight...
Martha Duchild
Martha, this passage may help explain it.
" It is your job to see through the trendy makeup and fashion that hides the true personalities of the people who insist on wearing these masks. The key is to not be fooled by those who are hiding behind a facade that is built more by society than by them. "
This is from my "horoscope" today, and it really nails it, no?
Tom Ford
So Martha, what paper do you suggest we read to get our facts straight?
Crestwood Connections! I mean where else can you find scoops like the mayor wanting you to eat at the new restaurant Fletchers in the mall and Las Margaritas? I'm sure those places are dandy but how do you think Sweet Tomatos or Applebees feels? Does the mayor NOT want people to eat there? It's all so interesting! That and his statement that the city is in strong financial shape! That's a laugh after reading the real story in the Call and hearing it from my aldermen! I mean who you going to trust? A paper with a legal duty to get the facts straight? Or a charter breaking, lying bully? You know Martha was pretty strict when it came to the charter commission a few years back. But now she puts that scrutiny and questions aside for her buddy now that he's mayor and does not even care if meetings are posted and or if the public and the media knows about it. Closed doors and closed minds. That's the ticket! Seeing how she and others were more strict than librarians with bad attitudes before and now lay down so easily for their pal Roy, that is what I call being STUNNINGLY and EMBARASSINGLY full of it!
5:48 p.m. July 14
If you really want the facts, attend the meetings (or read the meeting minutes).
9:56 p.m. July 14
What is obvious by its absence is any credible proof of your accusations.
Martha Duchild
I guess if you're not one of the 15 people in the whole city that attend meetings you're not credible. PLEASE. Most of us have something called LIVES and we depend on the papers to get us the info.
9:56, is that you tim ?
To 11:29 July 14
I suggested two more options for obtaining unbiased information so that you do not have to depend solely on the papers for your information. I have no idea why you inferred that only people who attend the board meetings are credible.
Martha Duchild
Martha, this person coulden't care less about being informed, just arguing.
No matter what you, or for that matter, anyone else said they woulden't believe it so why bother!
"Liberals, it's not that they are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so"
Ronals Reagan!
Tom Ford
So Martha, tell me is YOUR information unbiased? Is Tom unbiased? Of course not. I find it very hypocritical to call someone else biased when you in fact are too! No big deal. Just calling a spade a spade.
Yes, she's biased towards the facts! Try it sometime, your world might make more sense!
1:42 blogger: well if you take out the "out of context" remarks so often found in the "paper." The fact that they printed the full text of the Sunshine Law themselves (Jackie Stock has that copy,) I guess your right.
You see in the "sunshine law" printed by them it states that a news entity must contact the City for dates and times of any meeting being held by the City.
In the past they had a direct pipeline to City Hall through an official that is no longer there. Their feelings are hurt, and sure, why not bash Crestwood (the Same community they once gave the "Sunshine award to!)
Biased? Well lets just say I am the antithesis of their line of thinking, and let it go at that.
Tom Ford
I just pulled up a copy of the St. Louis County Planning board 2005 annual report.
So what you say, well, and I quote " Missouri law requires that municipal TIF commissions in St. Louis County include THREE County Representatives"
Do I miss my guess or were we short these on the past two TIF commission's? I can think of rep's from two law firms, THF, and three City people, but for the life of me I can't remember any County people.
If you would like to read it please go to the St. Louis County department of planning, and look for the "Transportation and Re-development report.
Oh, and one other thing. How did the "paper" miss this bit of news?
Tom Ford
The BOA room can hold 150 people, there are over 12,000 in Crestwood, so attending the meetings is not the answer. Try to read the minutes of the meetings on the City Web Site and you will find a lot of the minutes are not posted, like the CIvil Service review meetings of which Ms. Duchild was a member.
If I understand the liberal position of Ms. Duchild and Tom (who rarely attends any thing anymore) the papers cant be trusted, so we should only trust this blog? Only the choosen few under this plan will have a clue of what is going on, just like a liberal to want to keep the people uninformed.
4:30 PM blogger: Tom and Martha Liberals? Good grief, what have you been doing all day?
Sorry my friend, conservitives, yes, liberals, not only no, but heck no!
Try again, you missed that one by "that much!" as Maxwell Smart used to say!
Tom Ford
"out of context" is only the sophisticated way of covering yourself for a dumb comment. I'm glad we have a paper that quotes people's real words instead of "well this is what I meant to say"
"Dumb comment?" Nice try, but no cigar! You don't agree, so it's a dumb comment?
Well my friend, I have let you ramble on about what a wonderful source of information this "paper" is.
However, please in the future, try to see the way this "paper" has worked to put down Crestwood, and then tell me how wonderful it really is!
We have a person here who loves to low rate our City every chance he get's! A person who spend all his waking hours trying to find the worst possible problems in Crestwood, and then delights in printing them, and we are supposed to revear him?
Well, I do not, nor do I think much of the desheveled, tie undone, hair messed up, immage he tries to project. If he is to wear a tie, fine, please wear it right, or do away with it, period!
The only man I know who could (and did) pull that off was John Auble, and he was four times the reoprter that the editor is, so, please "square away" Mr Editor.
Tom Ford
Maybe you could give him some of your fashion tips.....
Yeah Tom that whole suspenders vibe you're going for is a little stale no? Now that's an image of modern fashion!
Tom,
You dont think it is good for a paper to report the bad things going on in our City? Does that mean we in Crestwood should only be told good news? Well if that is what you believe, then what are you going to do when a citizen attends a BOA meeting and hears bad news? Why are you afraid of the citizens knowing the bad new about Crestwood? Why would you only want good news like the Times prints every week and by doing so keep everybody who it reads it and the Crestwood Connection in the dark? What are you trying to hide from us?
The Call reported the Audit Report of the 2006 surplus just as the Times did so dont say they never report any good news. But the fact is you and other memebers of your old gang the CCFR dont like the Call because it prints what people say word for word in quotes and if that makes them look like fools, is that the papers fault for reporting what they said? Why is it wrong to publish the things wrong with our City? Is it because you now support the Mayor in office and most of the aldermen?
Someone called you and Martha a liberal but I think they were wrong, you both want the media controlled to the point where you think its ok to not publish govt. meetings or report to the public what goes on at the meetings and who says what. That is not liberal behavour, that is facist behavour.
So Tom, what was wrong with a paper having a direct pipeline to our City Hall and then printing for all of us to read what they found so we can form ideas and views about how our elected officals are performing? What is wrong with that? What are you trying to hide from us for your friend the Mayors sake?
4:30 PM, July 15, 2007
Yes, it would be nice if more residents of Crestwood attended meetings. I too would like to see the city post all meeting minutes on a more timely basis.
However, I cannot recall Martha Duchild or Tom Ford taking a "liberal" position on anything. If Tom wants to keep residents uninformed, then why on earth would he have this blog? If he doesn't cover an issue, you can cover it with your post - anonymously. He allows you to post almost anything you want. Martha speaks before the board and writes letters to the editor. How is that trying to keep residents uninformed?
2:01 PM, July 13, 2007 : If you are encouraged to express your opinion, why can't you stand behind your name? Tell us who you are!
Kudos to Martha Duchild
11:37 PM, July 13, 2007! Thanks for having enough guts to post your name!
crestwood swim club won thier swim team conference division for the 2nd time in a row, or so they say! I doubt that is true, don't you Tom? If it IS, where did they get his coach and WHAT is the secret to all their success? Do they put steroids in the water or is a board member sleeping with an official? Conference is HARD to win! I can't judge harshly becaue I dont' know the skill level of the swimmers... LETS ASK FOR THE STATS! Just thought Tom would like another chance to slam the club!
11:19 7-15-07 Who is "us"?
11:41 Well that's absolutely wonderful. Terrific. I'm so overjoyed. Maybe the call will do an article for you.
11:41 PM blogger: If the swim club will send me the names of the swimmers, and what place they came in, and I will post them here!
By the way why do YOU suggest that their may be "hankey pankey" going on there?
Seems to me that with YOUR remarks, no one need's to (or would want to) "slam the pool members," YOU have just done a very fine job of it yourself!
Sounds to me like you may be trying out for Don Imus's job, and, guess what, your not going to make it!
These are hard working athletes, and deserve praise for their efforts, not some inane remarks like YOU just made!
Remarks like that are despicable, and I think YOU owe these kids an apology, don't you?
Tom Ford
Suspenders? why yes, I do wear them. I have never stated that I am a "fashion plate," but then again very few can say that from what I have seen!
The whole tie un-done look attempts to convey the "hard working" editor, so put upon that he has no time to clean up before the news must go out.
I on the other hand, do work rather hard (blue collar you know,) and I need the "braces" to keep everything in its rightful place!
So there, now you have the "rest of the story!"
Tom Ford
8:43 PM blogger: WOW! Now Martha and I are "Facist's!" Now thats a "great remark" from a liberal who has just run out of facts, and things to say!
Personal attacks, like swear words, and violence are the last refuge of the under educated, liberal, who is so frustrated that they can no longer stick to the topic!
Tom Ford
Tom is making fun of the editor's appearance not a personal attack too? Maybe that's your "last refuge" and you've run out of things to say
8:43 p.m. July 15
It is true that the Call prints what people say "word-for-word" but they do not print the entirety of the speakers' comments (I know this from personal experience). As a result, the quote is taken out of context, and the information the reader receives is distorted.
I never claimed to be unbiased (someone else made that remark). All I did was answer what I thought to be a sincere question on how to get the most unbiased information. My recommendation reflected the fact that the only way to get unbiased information is to hear it or read it firsthand, in its entirety, before it is filtered by a third party.
Martha Duchild
The minutes of the BOA meetings are not word for word either. Any other suggestions?
Attend the meetings or listen to the tape at city hall.
BOA room holds 150 people, Call and other newspapers go to every home in Crestwood, tapes who knows when they are ready to be listen to. Remember what happened when the reporter from the Call tried to listen to them, was told no by City.
Reporter only able to listen to them till after the Call went to press which meant the meeting was not covered by any media since the Times and Journal are no shows. (what was the City hiding?)
So if everyone in Crestwood followed your suggestion, that would mean only 150 could hear the meeting in person. Wonder how many could listen to the tapes?
Which means as an earlier poster said read the papers for the local news, even those who attend the meetings must do that based on their postings.
so Ms. Duchild admits to being biased, then can we believe her posts with out taking them with a grain of salt?
What examples does she have of the Call quoting only a part of her statement? Since there are tapes of the meetings, it would be easy enough to check her claim against the proof in the tape.
Are you unbiased 4:30PM poster???
4:27 PM
Gather as much info as you can and decide for yourself. Yes, BOA room holds 150 people. Anywhere from 10-30 people attend a BOA meeting, leaving room for 110-140 more. Everytime I asked for a tape, I was allowed to listen to it.
4;30 PM blogger: I have one for you, she was quoted by the "editor" as saying "this is a load of crap!" What he managed to leave out was part of that remark! What she said was "For lack of a better word, this is a load of crap!"
Now where did the first part of that quote go when he quoted it?
Very convenient to change the context to make her appear less than the intelligent woman that she is!
Explain that to us!
Tom Ford
9:27 PM blogger: Not a bit of it my friend! I have plenty to say, and I shall continue to say it!
Tom Ford
Tom you were at the meeting where Ms. Duchild is quoted?
Several bloggers on this site have entirely too much spare time and too much wrath. It looks like 2 ex-aldermen from Ward 2 and/or the Mrs's are overwrought a lot. Good Grief, listen to yourselves. You are pathetic.
That you Jimmy?
No, not this time either.
5:44 PM blogger: No I was not at that meeting. My source for this was Martha herself, and two other wittnesses.
Believe what you will, but you can take it to the Bank that the "editor" seems to loose parts of the conversation when it goes to print.
I don't fault him though, he learned under the master, the Post Dispatch! They are the best I have ever seen at that, and, well, it just rubbed off.
Tom Ford
To 5:44 p.m. July 17
Tom is correct. I did preface my comments by saying "For lack of a better word."
Martha Duchild
Martha, I guess when speaking in public you need to find "better words". Your comment was definately distasteful. Good thing meeting minutes are not word for word.
The fact that what the call writes is written before the boa meeting could easily be remedied. Send the paper out a day later. Also one of the writers of the much discussed matters never comes to the boa meeting. I would think in order to write about it they would have to be in attendance taking notes. And the editor wasn't allowed to listen to the tape? Who said that? Also why would we not see the name of the young person who won the swim meet not be in the paper? With such a great accomplishment, I would think they would deserve some recognition.
9:08
YAWN
9:08 - Anonymous
I think her words were right on! If it looks like crap and smells like crap, it must be crap!
My wife says something like that - if it looks like crap, smells like crap, then it must be my cooking!
Martha and the mayor need to attend an etiquette class. He seems to like to rant on at meetings that are unecessary and unprofessional. They do get along, don't they? Wonder why....
I read the quotes of the Mayor's in the papers and it just doesnt sound like the same person who is writing in the Crestwood Connections as the Mayor. Wonder who really writes that for him?
You 'wonder' a lot, don't you?
Obviously someone is writing for the mayor in the Crestwood Connection - thank goodness.
Weren't the articles about Crestwood in this weeks issue of the Times and Journal outstanding? What coverage, what insight, what in depth reporting. Compare the articles about Crestwood in the Call this week (3) to those in the Times and Urinal (0) ZERO!!
Keep keeping us informed Call, the other papers aren't worth a darn.
9:04 Am Blogger: Are we talking about the same Martha, and Roy here?
An "etiquette" class? Well "Miss Manors," I think you may have faild the class before you got there!
Would it not be correct to sign your name to any suggestion, or invetation you send out?
Please! that is the silliest thing I have seen here in a while!
Roy is a plain spoken, straight forward guy who believes in Crestwood, and Martha exudes more class from her little finger than you will know in a lifetime!
You want it your way, well, become the Mayor, and you got it! However if you want to bash Marth Duchild, you need to stay home and practice, because if an even debate, you loose every time!
Tom Ford
4:43 PM "Urinal" ??? That's not nice...
Board of Aldermen Regular Meeting Agenda 07-24-07
Notice of Closed Session 07-24-07
Work Session Agenda 07-24-07
July 24, 2007 | Related Documentation
City Administrator Executive Summary
Memo re Court Ordinances
Memo re Panchero's Restaurant
Memo re Starbucks Coffee
Memo re Strategic Planning Retreat Date
Memo re Telephone - Voicemail System Update
Memo re Telephone Line Service
Ordinance re Cond. Use Permit - Panchero's Restaurant
Ordinance re Cond. Use Permit - Starbucks Coffee
Ordinance re Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Ordinance re Intermediate Driver's Licenses
Ordinance re Minor in Possession of Alcohol
Resolution re Media Notification of City Meetings
Telephone Line Pricing Index
Two PH Notices Pertaining to Sappington Square
FYI,
Tom Ford
The whole THF Kohl's deal with Crestwood Swim Club is full of rotten tomoatoes and eggs!
Maybe that is why the sewer hook-ups are not recorded.
Is it true that a privacy fence is going up around the Crestwood Swim Club with a sound proof barrier?
Is it true that the Crestwood Swim Club is buying smaller table umbrellas to hide their privacy?
5:01 July 20th I agree Tom. If every person in this city were as fair and honest as Martha, we wouldn't have half the problems we have now.
Leave Martha alone, bloggers and stop insulting her cause she voices her opinion in a more intelligent way than you. She has more courage than you and I, just by signing her blog comments. I wouldn't do it in a million years as some on this blog are way too rude.
I think those who are rude are only angry because she tells the truth and is usually "right on" with her comments which are so very contrary to their's.
Good work, Martha. I will keep reading your comments since they make sense and do not try to "hit below the belt" at people.
I applaud your courage. Always have and always will.
Another week of great newspaper coverage about Crestwood.
Times zero
Journal zero
Call one
If you can't make the meetings at City Hall, dont have a way of reading or listening to the minutes of the meetings, and you care about what goes on at City Hall, how are you going to become informed?
Do you think this is why our City leaders don't want the Call to have access to what happens on at City Hall, they don't want us to know what is really going on?
Don't recall the issue of the Sunshine Law being a cause for concern in the last few years. Think this was a creation of the CALL. A ploy to create a headline on a slow news day and a way to discredit this administration. Who cares, who really cares. Anything this obvious is not worth a tinker's dam. If a newspaper is concerned about meetings, they should give a call to city hall. Meetings are regularly scheduled, they know the web site. What is the big darned deal? Please, tell me about the secrets, maybe I am just unaware. If it was the City Administrator's call, then maybe he had best remember his position allows for interaction with the Mayor and Aldermen come decision time. What we don't need is trumped up trouble, age old pool politics and city administrators who turn into hungry for power mongers. Enough already! As long as the CALL insists on making mountains out of molehills, our city will suffer and who does that hurt, right taxpayers.
8:59 July 27th
Here's an idea: Call your alderman. Actually, call any alderman, as I'm sure all would be happy to update you.
Martha Duchild
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