Retailer say's they are leaving the plaza! But why?
"JGoewert said...
As a retailer in Crestwood Mall, the rumor around there is that it is closing entirely as of Jan 15. Now that Dillards is leaving and Macy's is following suit. Small shops have 67 out of 150 vacancies... and the mall is really snippy when I try to talk with them.
My lease is over next month and I am out as well. No more tax money for you."
JGoewert, First of all the Plaza will not be closing in January, that's an "urban legend." Second, I also am told that Macy's will not be leaving any time soon either! Have you noticed that Sears is spending big bucks to renovate their store (near Dillard's?) Again, I seriously doubt that K-Mart / Sears would spend a dime knowing it was all for naught!
I spoke to the City Administrator, Mr. Frank Myers, as well as the Board of Alderman president, and I can tell you that if you will send me a private message via E-mail (it will be kept confidential) they will pay you a personal call to see what they can do to assist you! I will also be in attendance (if you wish,) as I promised to buy lunch for you, and I don't want you to think I was kidding!
I have lived here for 38 years, and I can tell you that Crestwood is a wonderful place to open, run, and grow a business! I know the economy is not what the pundents say it it is (I am in the HVAC business) but all things change, and I plan to be in the front of the line when it happens, will you please join me, and remain in Crestwood?
Tom Ford
tford60@earthlink.net
NO. 393
As a retailer in Crestwood Mall, the rumor around there is that it is closing entirely as of Jan 15. Now that Dillards is leaving and Macy's is following suit. Small shops have 67 out of 150 vacancies... and the mall is really snippy when I try to talk with them.
My lease is over next month and I am out as well. No more tax money for you."
JGoewert, First of all the Plaza will not be closing in January, that's an "urban legend." Second, I also am told that Macy's will not be leaving any time soon either! Have you noticed that Sears is spending big bucks to renovate their store (near Dillard's?) Again, I seriously doubt that K-Mart / Sears would spend a dime knowing it was all for naught!
I spoke to the City Administrator, Mr. Frank Myers, as well as the Board of Alderman president, and I can tell you that if you will send me a private message via E-mail (it will be kept confidential) they will pay you a personal call to see what they can do to assist you! I will also be in attendance (if you wish,) as I promised to buy lunch for you, and I don't want you to think I was kidding!
I have lived here for 38 years, and I can tell you that Crestwood is a wonderful place to open, run, and grow a business! I know the economy is not what the pundents say it it is (I am in the HVAC business) but all things change, and I plan to be in the front of the line when it happens, will you please join me, and remain in Crestwood?
Tom Ford
tford60@earthlink.net
NO. 393
posted by Crestwood Independent at 18:08
77 Comments:
Maybe he didn't do well. Maybe he didn't appeal to this market. I find it unusual that he ends his entry with "no more sales tax for you." Kind of like "ha ha, I'm gone".
Maybe he is leaving because the City has raised his merchants and sales tax while they have not raised the merchants license tax for service business? You know, business like PermaJack and the business Roger Anderson runs from his home but will not and has not paid his service business tax? Maybe it's the double standard of this bunch in City Hall that has got to him?
Or maybe he doesnt want to be the last one there when it comes time to turn out the mall's lights?
We have friends that closed their business at the Mall about 5 years ago because it is was then considered "2nd tier". When they opened their business in Crestwood it was their number 1 store. Then the Galleria opened and that became their best store and West County was redeveloped and that became their 2nd best store.
You're right. Wrong kind of business for this Mall. It wasn't always BUT now it certainly is.
An anchor store may stay because they don't have to rely on the smaller stores to survive and they can negotiate their lease.
For whatever reason (fill in your guess) they decided not to invest (big dollars) in this mall.
8:55 AM 9/29/07 I like your answer because you have gone back and researched your comment and didn't let your mouth go into overload like 9:29 AM 9/28/07.
9:29 AM just loves to use any problem to criticize the mayor when some problems started long ago. Double standard? Get over yourself and realize that you would use any excuse to blame this mayor for anything and everything.
Merchant license tax increase for our retail problems is really a far stretch unless your an idiot!
I agree more with the 3rd blogger that goes back 5 years to show that these problems have been there for a long time and have now come to the forefront.
But babble on if it makes you feel better.
Crestwood is a nice place, but it isn't a place where retail is thriving. The mall can't stay in it's current condition, and stores know it. I'm up there daily, there just isn't the clientele, and the 'shoppers' (I used that term sarcastically), certainly aren't area residents looking for serious shopping.
I saw a moving truck there yesterday, and I heard it was moving out Lady Foot Locker. As an area resident, even I know I won't find what I need up there anymore. Macy's may be there, but their stock is paper thin and they aren't carrying decent labels like the other Macy's in the area. Unfortuanly I have to drag my fanny to West County to get the basics that I need from Macy's.
Crestwood hasn't done a good job of cultivating dining establishments either, that includes all of Watson Road. More frequently than not, I have to take my dinners outside of Crestwood. I was hoping the new development at Old Sappington would recitfy that, but the news I hear on that front isn't good.
Our mall is dilapidated, the parking structure unsafe (ask the caretakers for the property if you don't believe me), I won't even venture down there anymore with chunks of it falling off daily.
It's going to take more than a little rah rah from the residents to get back what Crestwood used to have. New ideas, lots of money, and a look at destination shopping combined with finer dining and upscale housing opportunities will be needed. Unfortunately, I feel like many on this blog, that our current Mayor is only capable of running Mayberry, and we'll need much more knowledge and experise than he can provide to make a comeback.
Well, at least we still have the Creston Center to help stem the tide of falling tax revenues. Just think how awful Crestwood would be if instead of what is now on the corner of Watson and Grant, we had new villas along with new mixed life style retail there instead of what we now have. Thank goodness, the Crestwood Citizens for Smart Growth stopped that change from happening, we are eternally in their debt.
An internet search of the name 'JGoewert' revealed some gaming sites and this one in particular:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/user/jgoewert
from that site, there is a link to:
http://www.gameniteshop.com/
when that site is opened, there are two stores-one in South County and one in Crestwood, specifically 338 Crestwood Plaza. According to the site, the store specializes in "Board Games - Card Games - Miniatures - Chess - Poker"
1:04 PM
Provide a detailed analysis to support your position. Please include spreadsheets, economic data and references, and a few charts.
Yes and be sure to include the last known address of that "friend to man", Kelly Issurewood
Martha always was a big defender of Issurewood!
1:04 PM, September 29, 2007
Wasn't the proposal to give tax incentives to residential housing? Another brilliant move by those who made Crestwood a laughing stock.
7:13 PM, September 29, 2007
What are you a big defender of?
More taxes, the police palace, spending???
ARe you a former alderman? Gee, it must be tough...boo hoo!
Yes, the Creston Center is there today saving all of us thousands of dollars in increased taxes, while this bunch at City Hall fail to enforce the voter approved increase in Taxes on Service Business like Permajack.
Thank you Crestwood Citizens for Smart Growth.
Thank you Kelly Isserwood.
Thank you Crestwood Citizens for Financial Responsibility.
Thank you Mayor Robinson for your "plan".
Let me tune my violin ...
Ok, my violin is ready. Proceed.
11:43 typical
10:45 PM September 29
The voter-approved tax increase on gross receipts did not apply to the group of businesses whose taxes are based on square footage. How could it?
Alderman Miguel already asked if a comparable increase could be applied to the service businesses currently taxed on square footage and was told by the city attorney that the state's Hancock amendment would forbid the city from increasing the fee.
If you feel strongly enough about this, then tell your alderman or voice your concerns at a board meeting.
Martha Duchild
10:45 9/29 You are totally wrong with your comments about Perma Jack. And you are all over this blog with your incinuations.
I CHECKED with city hall on this because I got tired of hearing your lies. Perma Jack has ALWAYS paid their taxes based on gross receipts because their gross receipts are higher than their square footage and that is always how it is done on every business.
So, if you don't believe me ask the city clerk. She may not be able to give you figures but she can tell you that they have always paid based on gross receipts.
I, for one, am sick and tired of people like you that want to impress everybody with your knowledge when you don't know squat and just want to make the mayor and his family look bad. Had his wife owned a tire store, you would find something wrong with it too. You love spreading your propaganda because that is what people like you do.
Get a grip! People are tired of your whining and foolishness.
Maybe your tired of the other blogers whining, me I'm just tired of higher taxes and nothing getting done at city hall
11:51 am Tired of higher taxes in Crestwood and nothing getting done? Sir/Madame, we have no high taxes in crestwood. Look at your tax bill and see who you are paying higher taxes too. Look at the breakdown.
We should have been inching taxes up for the last 30 years little by little like other communities just because of higher cost of living increases alone. But our city fathers were too afraid to tell it to their people because they were too afraid they wouldn't be re-elected. So now we have declining sales tax and nothing to fall back on.
Because of what has transpired in the last 5 or 6 years, the residents do no trust the elected officials enough to make it happen. And we have two big factions with our elected officials, faganites and Robinsonites, which will always impair this city from getting ahead. They will fight each other tooth and nail, each saying that they really care about the residents which they do not.
Some residents are also afraid that down the line, we will be building another 1.4 million dollar police station, along with $800 per month car allowances, etc. etc. which peaked with the political faction that glorified a city administrator who held two big positions in the city and wanted total control and received it from the idiots in office.
So we are stuck, unless this administration and it's aldermen will work together - I doubt it.
Listen up, we have NO MONEY to do anything with, so when you say nothing is getting done at city hall, my fellow blogger, it costs money to get things done. It will take a good healthy property tax increase and a lot of people willing to work together for it before things GET DONE AT CITY HALL. And I have neither heard on this blog or in anything I have yet seen or read stating that we need a T for TAXES word. Seems like nobody wants to address it.
And if you want to blame things on this mayor for all of it or any of it, years ago we should have balanced our sales tax windfalls with incrementally higher property taxes (nothing humangus, just a little at a time) instead of counting on nothing more than sales tax. Had we balanced the boat instead of paying for everything from sales tax, we could sustain ourselves today.
Which brings up our employees. Why, if we have no money, does the City of Crestwood have more administrative employees than it ever had before, which I thought was one of Roy Robinson's campaign issues? Why does the City Administrator need three finance people, an assistant City administrator, an intern, an economic development person, and a secretary to manage our lack of finances in Crestwood? Why does our board keep approving these positions?
Also, a few hints have been dropped by some of our public service employees about the fact that the employees of Crestwood have seen next to nothing in raises since Roy took over. Obviously our finances are strained, but how long before quality, long-term employees start leaving. Instead of over-staffing an incompetent administration, why aren't the employees that do the work being addressed to insure that the residents keep getting quality service?
It's time for 8 new board members, a new mayor, and a new administration.
Ask the SWISS plate to donate!
Is this legal to drive around with a SWISS plate?
Is that where he or she banks?
Roger Anderson's business goes through his son's businesses not from his house.
Roger Anderson was on the Kohl's TIF Commission with Attorney Robert Golterman.
Tom,
List the Crestwood Smart Growth members.
John Foote?
Jerry McGuil?
Roy Robinson?
Roger Anderson?
Kelly Isherwood?
"Roger Anderson was on the Kohl's TIF Commission with Attorney Robert Golterman."
WRONG. Roger Anderson was never on any TIF Commission.
8:03 9/30 Then the aldermen need to tell the CA and Mayor that they need to cut these people. The 8 aldermen are the governing body! But if you think that by making those cuts, what maybe five or six people, we are going to be able to give good raises to the good workers Crestwood has, and also afford them some good health insurance, plus take care of all the other things that need to be addressed without a tax increase, you are just refusing to face the truth. We need a property tax increase, my friend, it is just that simple.
Now, add what you stated about this mayor, to what was dished out by the previous administration and city administrator/police chief, and you are looking at a large drain of money long before now. We had a lot of people who made a lot of bad decisions then too, who based everything on sales tax alone to get us through tough times.
Big problems deserve big solutions otherwise, we can all be part of St. Louis County. If that happens, you think you have much to bitch about now? Wait until that happens. At least you won't be able to blame this mayor for every, single, solatary problem that started years ago.
This Mayor said we do not need to increase taxes, that there other cuts to be made before that happens. Are you calling him a liar?
With a lot of help from a friend, we have the name of the retail store at 338 Crestwood Plaza who said he is going to leave.
http://www.gameniteshop.com/
Cut and paste it for information, and go visit with this gentleman.
Tom Ford
And what "make him an offer he can't refuse"?
12:08 PM
I am definitely not calling the the mayor a liar, but if that is what he said, "that we can get out of the red with budget cuts", he is wrong, in my opinion.
Now as you know, maybe that is what he said and maybe it isn't. On this blog, we have more than once heard lots of things that may or may not be true. Either way, I really don't care about what anybody says, I am telling you that for 30 years, we have lived off of sales tax alone. And we used it all up on many things and paid cash for many things because nobody cared about the 21st century and nobody was watching the store. All everybody did was give the mayor and aldermen what made them look good. When you put all your eggs in one basket, you reap what you sow.
For what we would need, money wise, to keep this city afloat, we are not going to be able to get that kind of money by budget cuts because we have been living on borrowed time now way too long and now it's pay back time.
Calling the mayor a liar or anybody else that really believes that we can sustain ourselves with budget cuts, just doesn't get it in my opinion, and if that is how our present mayor feels, so be it. Nobody ever said that we had to agree with everything he puts before us.
As far as I can see, we had candidates for mayor with much more expertise with the city that Roy, and they screwed it all up and listened to all the wrong people.
Unfortunately Roy hasn't had a lot of experience but there is nobody out there that wants to help him with our problems. The factions want him to fall on his face in spite of the fact that doing that shows that they are non-supportive of the residents and want to do nothing but play politics.
So there, that is all I have to say.
I've tried talking to Roy. In my opinion, he doesn't take advice too well - either he doesn't take it or doesn't want it - not sure.
6:47 PM Thanks for your input.
Well the previous mayor and his useless board didn't listen either. But maybe if 8 aldermen in concert could make a presentation of some sort, and do their own research and run good, honest budget numbers, they could change his mind. I don't know! There should be a way. We would never let this happen with our own personal finances.
Hiring more people to put numbers together isn't going to help. In house people, who have lived in Crestwood and know Crestwood are the only people I would consider qualified to do this. What about our Ways and Means Committee? Shouldn't they be able to convey the reality of our financial situation to the mayor and board?
I am not sure that this CA understands the real crisis. If that is the case, then I guess in order to see that this city is almost in a coma, it will come to the point where we reach the mountain top and there is no place to go but down. And as far as I can see, that isn't far away from happening.
You can't blame a business for leaving. They are just following the money.
I find it hard to believe that a multi-billion dollar company believed that the Mall could turn itself around without making an investment long ago. This definitely feels like a long term strategy. They've been playin' Crestwood for years.
Cheaper to keep the Mall and let it decline and take the depreciation than to fix it up and compete with your other 2 Malls.
A local grocer in town did something similar to keep competition out.
Or we could become part of the county if the Mayor and BOA ask for a property tax increase and it fails.
Or if we can't pay off our"note" or make payroll.
Question then is who gets to take over our local govt? the County or the State and how would all debts be paid off?
I think this is something our city leaders need to be talking about now.
1:30 PM It is up to the City officials plus residents who want to be part of the issue to make sure a property tax increase doesn't fail.
The residents of Crestwood need to be educated about the facts and presented to them so they understand.
First, our residents are not stupid people. Everybody has to be made to understand that even if we have budget cuts, those cuts are not a long-term solution. How far is a couple hundred thousand going to get us in 5 years if we make all the cuts we can make but our sales tax keeps dwindling?
We have to consider escalation costs in five years on everything including payroll, raises and health insurance to keep our employees satisfied; plus maintenance on some very old trucks in public works, snow equipment, and police cars.
Police cars are put through a lot of wear and tear, even though there are no high speed chases or bumpy terrain drive across. However, police officers have to keep those cars running all the time even when they are parked. That alone is hard on automobiles.
But, it is really almost useless to think it could happen when it seems that before our city officials accept it, the city is going to have to almost come to a standstill before anybody wakes up.
Not sure I would agree with you about people not being stupid. To wit:
1.Claims by those who voted for the extension of the Capital Improvements Improvement Tax Sunset, that they didn't know what the were voting for.
2.The voter approval of a "Note" because they were told and believed that it wasn't a "Bond", but instead was "bond like".
3. The voters who believed that the tax flow from the Mall would never end and by supporting a Mayor who said he would bring Crestwood back, could.
4. We aren't smart if we think the current Mayor will come out now before his re-election in April '08, and support a tax increase.
4:07 I agree with you that the people of Crestwood need to be educated about our financial situation. The problem is, WHO will educate them?
The board only knows what they are being told, and who is telling them? A mayor who wanted the budget to be a one page document so he could understand it? How about the city administrator who is running our current fiscal year on the previous city administator's budget, and couldn't present a budget for next year, but has 'his people' working on it. With as many people as he has, you'd think the budget would've been done months ago.
St. Louis County is able to balance their budget.........
Raise your taxes? Crestwood still will not be able to afford to repair your streets or fund the storm water projects.
It's easy to balance your budget in St. Louis County when you operate on a large surplus from reassessments...
4:40 PM Well my fellow blogger, I guess when I referred to the Crestwood residents not being stupid, I was only talking about people like you who obviously thought that the previous administration did everything right according to your previously numbered comments.
I am as upset as you about several things that this mayor and this CA have done that I feel are not correct; nonetheless, I am hoping that 8 aldermen will be there to assist him in making the correct decisions in the end.
Of course, since you are not stupid like the "voters" you so mentioned in your blog comment, maybe you can run for mayor next and save us all from wrath like "Spiderman".
Excellent post 10:33.
stupid is as stupid does.
10;33 So does that mean the 4 points listed were smart things to have done?
8:16 am Blogger at 4:40 PM is trying to tell us, (you and I) that hundreds of us voters are "stupid".
I say he is using the wrong word by saying (stupid). Come On! You are talking about lots of voters here. I say we were purposely mislead by the promoters of the capital improvement sales tax issue. But this joker doesn't want to blame the administration and administrator for deliberately deceiving us. No where in the whole senario of the cap.improvement sales tax issue did anything ever tell us or show us it was for a 14 million dollar police facility because they knew the voters would say NO. They didn't lie, they just didn't tell us everything.
Unless you were the "chosen few" and in the "loop", we, the voters, were duped by the administration purposely.
I am not impressed with a lot of things done by this new CA, but I know that the previous CA plus an inept board of aldermen was going to try to "build a new police facility" and call it Cap. Improvement. How can you IMPROVE" on something that isn't even built?
When you say that something is a cap. improvement you are improving on a structure that already exists.
This blogger is another that was brainwashed by Hitler.
The extension of the Capital Improvements Tax was an interesting issue. There was a little thing called a 14 mill police station thrown in the mix. However, for some reason, this was not mentioned in the ordinance nor in the ballot language. I wonder why?
I agree that a tax increase is probably coming, and that if it is presented, it will be AFTER the mayoral election.
1:12 PM Thank you, Thank you and Thank you.
I now feel that I am at least accompanied by one other blogger who understands how the scenario of events really occurred with this phantom police facility.
Even a smart lawyer like Tom Fagan should be man enough to admit he was wrong. Sometimes you loose a case because you are on the wrong side and he should own up to the fact that he was duped just like most of us by a sociopathic monster who wanted total control, and he gave one man too much power.
Had the powers that be explained what the cap. imp. tax was really for, the people would have voted it down to begin with. It stands to reason that since the voters had to take the initiative to stop it in its tracks, therein tells the story that it was never explained properly in the first place.
Like I said before, Crestwood residents are not stupid. The voters had to defeat it. That speaks volumes to me. Could this have been done had the voters really felt they were told the truth? No.
The blame is on those who purposely misled and deceived the voters. Those in charge were too busy speaking about it amongst themselves and too stupid to realize that sooner or later the public was going to tell them what to do with their misleading, underhanded foolishness.
And I hope we can stay alive enough in our city to wait until the next election to pass a property tax increase. I'll be patient.
Well I guess to think if the mention of a police station had been on the ballot, that you three would have read it is a broad leap of intellectual faith. Reason I write this is because you three must not have read any any of the three local papers which stated clearly what the extension was for in their articles and editorials or the Crestwood Connections which goes to every household in the City
Plus you must not have gone to any of the BOA meetings or work sessions where the subject, as reported in the 3 local papers of the need for and plans to build the police station was OPENLY discussed as per state law, unlike the illegal closed session meetings being held by the current group in City Hall that you are so hot for.
Now, tell me, who is stupid, those who don't read up on what they are voting on before they vote on it, or someone who still claims that those who don't see it their way are brainwashed by Hitler?
Poster 4:40 four points hit it right on the head. Plus, don't look for a ballot for a tax increase on April's ballot, too risky for our Mayor to let that happen, and all of you know it, and you know it needs to be done.
Yes, the police station was mentioned in the local papers and I believe ONE time in Crestwood Connections. But how come it was not mentioned on the ordinance and ballot language? Why the ommission?
If you want to turn the argument around and blame this administration for something, go right ahead. But I find it troubling that the police station or even the words "...and the construction of a new police facility" could not have been included in the ordinance and ballot language.
Yes, this issue is in the past, but it is something that Crestwood officials should not forget or do again.
When city officials ask its voters, better known as their constituents - the people they serve, at least be clear and factual and provide all necessary information.
5:01 PM I will tell you who is stupid, you are. You can publish anything, anywhere and anytime be it garbage or otherwise but when you don't put it on the ballot and the ballot says NADDA about a 1.4 million dollar police station, you are first in line for morone of the year.
You think everybody reads LOCAL papers. You can't count on just the local paper when you are speaking of a gigantic new building. And people can't always go to the board meetings. Our 8 aldermen are suppose to be keeping us informed. But they just went along with the Man Who Was King, the sidewinder that he was and he almost got away with it.
Doesn't the fact that the people ended up squashing it tell you, that they never wanted it in the first place.
That is pretty bad when the people have to do the work and the mayor and board of aldermen just don't care.
I have never heard of anything so devious in my life than people who deliberately mislead their residents with the improper and vaque ballot language and then call them stupid. What an insult.
I am glad 5:01 that you have time to read the newpapers because I don't. I am a working mother with four children and my husband is out of town thre weeks out of four for business. We both have to work and we work very hard.
If I do get to read the newspaper, maybe it is the Post Dispatch which is not a local paper. I expected my aldermen to do the job they was elected to do and if I can't trust him who can I trust. I spoke with one of them a few times and never heard the word 1.4 million dollar police station come out of his mouth.
In this day and age, I am sure I am not the only one who finally sits down at 9 PM to watch TV and ends up falling asleep because the next day I have to get up at 6 am and do the same things all over again.
So, I agree, as far as stupidity goes, you should be at the top of the tree. And if you think the ballot language can be deceptive and misleading and it's OK, you were probably one of the Faganites or a board member at that time that would never admit you made a awful big mistake.
Whether you were for it (the police building) or against, at least admit that it was very poorly handled. The size of the building changed a number of times. Biggest, Bigger to Big.
It may have actually been built had those in power taken only what they needed. The taxpayers were definitely not well represented here.
If your too busy to do what every it takes to learn about what your voting on then you shouldn't vote on that issue.
Isn't that how we got all the judges we all love to hate? Not taking the time to find out what they stand for or against before we vote for or against them?
I do find it a bit odd that you are too busy to read the papers, but not too busy to read and post on this blog.
Here's a post some of you may not have read due to your busy schedules.
"I believe the BOA are just trying to keep the business that already reside in Crestwood. More empty locations would be very bad.
Previous boards sought revenue enhancers and have been brought down on this site.
The annexation was to increase headcount in the city to increase revenue - now that was bad.
They wanted to provide mixed housing/retail which would have increased revenue but that would have possibly included eminent domain - that was bad.
They bent over backwards for Kohl's to occupy a parcel that was not producing enough revenue because it was mostly vacant - that was bad.
They gave Grewe $$ to increase occupancy - that was bad.
The voters wanted to increase revenue by changing the method of business licenses - now that is bad.
They provided studies regarding the Watson Road development - nothing has come of that...why?
They were blamed for shotty plans drawn up for a new city hall (2 times!) Still don't understand why the city did not hold the designers accountable. They gave them a budget 2 times and neither of the 2 proposals came close. If you ask me Crestwood did not get what they asked for - I guess it is not true that "the customer is always right".
They were blamed for trying to obtain an accounting software to help the city straighten out the mess left by Leighligher (sp?)
My point is - they were doing something to try and help the city.
What has been done by the current administration besides getting a tax to pay off the outstanding loans left behind? Most of the newer developments (Sam's, Kohl's, Watson Plaza and the Old Sappington/ Watson development)were already well past the planning stages prior to the current administration."
10:43 PM, October 01, 2007
"They were blamed for trying to obtain an accounting software to help the city straighten out the mess left by Leighligher" ....
Come on! Get me the shovel.
I emailed my alderman and he said they bought that software without even trying it before buying it. Didn't even know if it would run on their computers.
We're paying these people a lot of money to make these awful decisions.
10:50 You are sooo right but you have to understand that we are trying to deal with a lawyer and his flock who refuse to admit they screwed us up big time for "not doing their work". Had they done "their work", the ballot language worded as the cap. imp. sales tax, would have stated specifically construction of a 1.4 million dollar police facility.
That blogger is just one of the same old bunch of esquires who won't give up their case. Sorry but we don't buy it. You are paid the big bucks for assisting us residents, you know, the "stupid" ones who put you where you are to protect and serve US!!!! You guys are so used to cross examining everybody, you even question the lady with the 4 kids who blogged her message.
You guys along with your crew of minnions that believe if you have a law degree you are infallable just never stop.
I have it on good authority that the late Police Chief and then City Administrator Greer was questioned by the former Assistant City Administrator at the time about the size and cost of the proposed Police Palace and was told not to ask too many questions as there were going to be some changes coming. Is this true? Was there some type of conspiracy to silence opposition early on?
12:01 Yes, the assistant city administrator did ask questions lots of times to Greer, but no one dare ask too many questions or you would be put in your place.
Greer never wanted to devulge too much info to people because he had too much to hide, since he was building his own empire. Anybody that questioned him too much was demoted or dismissed. It was "Don's" World and that was no joke.
That is why the Assistant City Administrator finally left. All he could do was what Greer instructed him to do so that when things were brought forth in the open, Greer had him as his scape goat.
Mr. Greer covered all his bases; that's what you do when you lie or should I say, just don't tell the truth.
Somebody else always takes the fall. Ask anybody connected with a shady past. That's why they have foot soldiers to do all the dirty work; and never, ever for heaven sakes, put anything in writing.
The assistant city administrator was a fine young man and has pursued greener pastures. All he got from our so-called police chief/CA was lots and lots of frustration.
I think I will email Matt over in St.Ann a copy of the last tow posts and see if he minds giving some insight to your claims
3:57 PM Do that! He is a very intelligent young man and will go far in his career because he is honest and isn't self-indulgent and knows all about having integrity. You can also include this comment.
Tell him I said Hi!
Be glad to, why dont you give us your name so he knows who his admirer is?
You know, nothing so for on this string has produced any thing in any way that would be helpful in keeping Crestwood from going out of business and becoming a part of St. Louis County.
All this has become is a play ground for past issues that can not be undone. I think it's great, because of this blog, less people go to meetings, write letters to papers or their Aldermen, because they feel they have done their civic duty by posting or reading this. In the mean time, the City has one fewer day to get on the April ballot something that the voters might approve that would save Crestwood.
How about a non binding vote on if the city should use Stl County Police to save $? Or another fire district? Or a non binding question should city disband or raise property taxs?
Why not let the owners (all of us) give our view on these questions?
5:01 Town Hall Meetings should help. No! People don't go to the board of aldermen meetings, but highly publicized town hall meetings where the people can voice their questions and not have other agenda items to worry about should be good for this community.
The problem lies in that the mayor and board and the CA will then be put on the "hot seat" and I am not sure they want to do that.
They are suppose to be accountable, but I am not sure they are all prepared for what we have to stay.
I sit and wait in anticipation as to how they are going to spin the lack of merchants and sales tax into gold, and I want to hear somebody on that board say that we cannot live by sales tax alone. I want to hear somebody on that board say, we need to focus on uniting the city with a strong, promotional property tax increase and show the people with meetings and explanations how and why we need this.
Sorry, already tried that with Prop 1. Citizens didn't want to listen then...now the time has come to cut services.
I agree it should be done, but I wouldn't hold your breath for it to happen BEFORE the April 2008 election for Mayor.
The general theme of the blog below this one fits the subject on this string, also. I have never read so much about so little in so many words in my life as here. Clatter, clatter, clatter. Nevertheless, lots of progressive fodder for thought along with the to be expected fault finding of a steaming ex city official postulating from his usual loquatious negative position. Bottom line, today's leadership all 9, when several of them (around 3) step out of their political cocoon, are far susperior to their predecessors. The soapboxer from the past needs a new platform on which to stand. His reign quite simply was vastly inferior to the growth and financial needs of our community. Given time, citizen input, effort, board alignment and a more positive financial upturn; we can only hope Mr. Happy will recognize the error of his ways and join the rest of us in the Power of One.
12:02 Oct. 5
Just wondering ... what is the point of your note, blogger? Assuming you are a resident of Crestwood, why would you want to take aim at the mall in a way as to belittle, to jest? I think we all would like to see a big turnaround in its fate, or at least hope for one. But it belongs to Westfield and to whomever they sell it to. It is a victim of many things: the times, the changing economy, new concepts,location, financing, etc. Taking a comic stance really does not fit the task ahead. It would seem mature and admiral to offer support rather than sarcasm. But, then, we have all come to expect a certain number of bloggers on this site to find fault, so it must be your turn. Never fear, it seems you have lots of company in your constant pursuit of ho, ho's.
4:14 PM, October 05, 2007
Ahh, can't we all just get along?
Sure, let's have a party!
B4:46 PM, October 04, 2007
Be glad to, why dont you give us your name so he knows who his admirer is?
I doubt that Matt wants anything more to do with Crestwood after the way he was treated.
From reading the newspaper, it seems that he is doing a great job in St. Ann and according to people who have spoken with him is very happy.
11:22 am Matt Conley is a smart young man, as you state.
He could have taken Leichliter's job and done it very well having the knowledge and background with the City of Crestwood. But he would have had to contend with Greer who hated him because he asked too many questions, and Robertson who hated him because he worked closely with the previous administration.
Plus Greer was "kissing up" to Robertson for that job and never in a million years would he have said anything good to Robertson about Matt.
Greer's stragedy was simple. First seducing the mayor(s), then brainwashing the mayor(s) to do things his way, then seducing the girl. Even the God Fearing Minister on the BOA couldn't or wouldn't see what was going on. Shame, shame on him!
Too bad if you say something on this blog that is true, as I did regarding Matt Conley, somebody is always there to try to prove you're a liar.
Matt will be good at anything he does and will go far in his career because he is "first class" all the way and knows the ten commandments and treats people with respect.
And no, I wouldn't put my name on this blog for anything cause someone always comes along and is ready to fabricate and make up stories to destroy a person's integrity, especially when you are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Don't need the BS. Happens all the time on this blog.
Prove your not a liar, sign your name to your post, stand behind them like Tom Ford does, I could care less about Matt or Greer or anything else in the past cause it aint gonna help us in the future. So waste you time,but not mine, if Matt knows all the skeletons in the closet of the past, file a court order to get him to testify and give names and dates and then sue the City for wasting your tax dollars in the past. Send a clear message you will not stand for future wasting of your tax dollars.
Funny how you didn't sign your name.
"I could care less about Matt or Greer or anything else in the past cause it aint gonna help us in the future."
Maybe you would like to forget the past in this city. Well, that is your opinion and you are entitled to it. But those things that happen in the past bring us to today.
George Santayana -
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
tell that to Roy next time he has one of his closed legal meetings
Interesting point. The question is, does Roy want to hear it?
Hear what?
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