Crestwood BOA meeting for Oct. 23,2007 agenda, and plan
Ladies and Gentlemen, here (in PDF form) is the meeting agenda for the next BOA meeting on Oct. 23, 2007.
This is the place to find out about the budget, the legal fees, and whatever else you want to know.
We will have all our leaders arrayed in front of us so why not attend, and if you have a question of one, or more of them, ask it!
Crestwood has a lot of things coming in the very near future that will concern all of us who own a home, or property here, so let's get up there and toss in our two cents.
I know I am probably the worst for attendance, but this time unless all goes south, I will be there!
Tom Ford
NO. 402
This is the place to find out about the budget, the legal fees, and whatever else you want to know.
We will have all our leaders arrayed in front of us so why not attend, and if you have a question of one, or more of them, ask it!
Crestwood has a lot of things coming in the very near future that will concern all of us who own a home, or property here, so let's get up there and toss in our two cents.
I know I am probably the worst for attendance, but this time unless all goes south, I will be there!
Tom Ford
NO. 402
posted by Crestwood Independent at 19:42
40 Comments:
Will we get the truth on how much Atty Robert Golterman makes from the City of Crestwood?
What is his hourly rate?
Does Atty Robert Golterman receive a salary from the CIDs, TDDs, and TIFs? If so, how much?
Will we get to ask and get an answer to what the the real reason for the extra $30 g is for?
Will get the truth why Ms. Brown is on "leave of absence"?
Will we find out if the the extra $30g and her leave are connected?
10:13 and 10:53 Am bloggers: If you come to the meeting, and you ask to address the Board, why yes you will get those answers.
Why, because if you don't the rest of us will make darn sure you do, or we will have our own filibuster until we do!
Believe me, I can talk long enough to make Mssrs. Miguel, and Labore look like a couple of mime's!
I was told that if we would just ask, they will give us streight forward answers, and truthful at that, so what say we try it?
Tom Ford
$30,000 for legal expenses?
Why, are we still trying to feed all the Attorney's in St. Louis? Is there no way to avoid these roadblocks to our future? Whose idea was this? What is it based upon? What are the facts??
As for the C. Attorney, please, his time is up!
This city needs 3 things:
A new city attorney.
A very serious agenda.
A city administrator with strong financial talent. We don't need a traffic director.
You just can't cook a meal without groceries.
5:02 PM blogger: I am going to start a new thread along those same lines. Hold that thought!
Tom Ford
To Crestwood Citizens:
Have you seen a TDD sales tax sign on Kohl's doors in the City of Crestwood?
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2007/10/05/five-ideas-what-do-you-think-about-these-events-ca/
Five ideas: What do you think about these events that came up in the news this week?
By Lee Logan, Morgan Cook and Grant Smith
October 5, 2007 | 2:41 p.m. CST
Taxation without representation
Starting last Monday, that $5 meal at the Columbia Mall Food Court began costing an extra 2.5 cents.
Outraged? Sales taxes like this one — charged by the Columbia Mall Transportation Development District — cost shoppers in Columbia an extra $1.8 million last year. One of 12 in the city, the mall’s TDD plans to use the extra money to pay for road projects in the Stadium Boulevard corridor that funnels traffic to its retailers.
The Missouri General Assembly is trying to make sure consumers know when they’re being charged extra. Under a law that took effect in August, businesses within TDDs must prominently place a sign showing their sales tax rate.
TDDs are on the rise in Columbia. They surround the new Super Wal-Marts, the Bass Pro Shop development, the length of Stadium between Interstate 70 and Broadway and several retail centers along Range Line Street. The phenomenon is occurring as the city struggles to keep pace with infrastructure needs. A cornucopia of ideas for funding have been proposed, but in the meantime, through TDDs private developers are taking matters into their own hands and collecting millions in extra sales tax without having to ask voters for permission.
Are TDDs the best way to pay for road improvements? Should the public have a greater say about the tax rate they pay? Why or why not?
Here is the problem as I see it, regardless of how we got here, the city needs more money to keep current levels of service. It is either more money or less services.
That decision is ours the voters to make, no one else has that right or responsibility. The elected officials of our City now know that the increase in property tax to pay for the bonds aka "notes", was not enough. Bad leadership caused that.
Now it is time for the same elected officials to show us if they have learned a lesson by moving NOW to have on the ballot in April of '08 a increase property tax. Failure to do so will but nothing but pure politics on our elected leaders part.
If the increase is on the ballot in April '08 and if the voters turn it down, then the elected leaders of our city will know with out a doubt that the voters want a reduction in current services. If the increase passes, then the leaders will know the voters of the city want to keep our services.
But, it is our call to make, no one else has that right or responsibility. Demand your Alderman grow a set of man things and stand up to the Mayor and demand he either make cuts NOW or put on the ballot in April '08 a tax increase. We have till end of November to make this happen.
Surely you jest. Until we get some sound and solid facts, answers and truths, why should we vote for a tax increase? We already tried that route. Sounds to me like we need the State Auditor to intervene. The sooner the better. We also need a sound reason for all these new employees and what they do, how much they make and the rationale. Our Aldermen cannot run this city with all these unanswered questions and a city attorney who isn't so hot at civil law.
Or, possibly someone on this blog is just trying to create problems by planting rumors and making the board look bad. Maybe, say,an ex official. However, there are 9 men men up there now who are in charge. ALL responsbile to us for the right answers. And the right questions. No sense of planting derogatory untruths here, as they won't wash if not proved.
Either way, we can't afford more politics. Politics just does not work in this city. Or did you notice!
Demand from your alderman and Mayor to know how we can afford two new staff cars, yet we cant afford a new phone system at City Hall, instead we will just have to wait 3-5 days for repairs. So, I'm a crook and I hear that 911 calls can't get to the police or fire depts., what do you think I'm going to do during those 5 days?
And demand to know why the Mayor thinks we need an extra $30,000 for legal expenses concerning the Mall?
I know I have and guess what, its not about the Mall.
This is not politics, it is getting the truth regardless how painful it might be.
Will we get the truth on how much Atty Robert Golterman makes from the City of Crestwood?
PEANUTS... compared to what Chris Hesse milked us for! Why didn't you complain about that? It was only $250,000 in lawyer fees and then another $270,000 to settled with Leichliter.
Factor in that this was money borrowed and the whole bill comes close to $600,000.
JIMBO Roberston and TOMMY Fagan... two other lawyers... can tell you why we wasted this money better than I can.
12:50 PM You will never get the answer out of those two lawyers. It would be admitting that they made a few mistakes along the way.
A few mistakes!!!
Say what you will about Robinson, but Robertson and Fagan were the beginning of the end. When you turn the city over to someone like Greer and then coast, you are toast! Neither of these exers should ever even consider holding a public office again. Ever.
4:25 I agree with you 100%. The one thing this mayor did that Fagan or Robertson would have never done was get rid of Greer.
Maybe that alone isn't enough to make Roy Robinson great in some people's estimation but to me, it was a "grand slam" for the employees and residents. Greer wanted to bankrupt us totally with his visions of grandeur and the board fell for it while he threatened and scared the employees have to death if you were not his chosen people.
I am not saying that I am totally happy with what we have now but considering the mess we had for so long, I don't think anybody could bring us back in only 3 years, no matter who is mayor at this point in time.
We now have the disadvantage of slow sales tax and a thin commercial corridor to contend with. It's just like a virus, we can't kill it with antibiotics. It is going to take longer than just 3 years to get us back.
Of course, we still have the never-ending antagonists who were all so happy with the smart young lawyer and the older lawyer before him who had so much more carrisma than this mayor. They spoke and carried themselves like professionals and could make you believe anything. But a big title after a man's name doesn't mean they couldn't screw up and it didn't give them infallability like some people think.
And as far as those two making a contribution to the betterment of Crestwood, we will spend another 3 years or more before we can straighten out that whole mess.
To have the likes of either Fagan or Robertson back in city hall, I would rather be annexed by the county first.
Amen, you can say that again and add Tblow to the list not to mention K-her & G-Vi. What a colossel mess.
Roy has a long way to go to outdo those varmits. A loooooooooong way.
poster 6:28 You are the last supporter of Roy after the last 2 wks of more of his failures. Cant you move on to what is facing us now? I guess in a way you hope if everyone focus on the past they will not see the current failures of our mayor.
11:46 Failures? Did you think anyone was going to be able to come in and get this mess straightened out in 3 years? Then you don't really know what kind of shape we were in 4,5 and 6 years before that. Nobody said he had supernatural powers.
The city fathers have been lied to for much longer than you think. Our money problems have been growing for a lot longer than you realize.
But that is OK because if you have got someone who can do us better after April, 2008, we shall see how well he/she does.
Remember, on top of everything else that has gone wrong for the last several years, we are stuck with lower sales tax coming in.
Oh but I'll bet your replacement for Roy, which I am sure will be the best we ever had, can pull money out of his rear end, and everything will be better. Right?
A plan, a plan that 's all I hear about Roy didn't have a plan like he said; shame on him! Well Don Greer, Tom Fagan and Robertson sure did, didn't they?
Maybe Roy didn't realize the manure he was going to have to clean up before he took office. I don't think anybody realized the shape we were and are in.
You cannot do much if you don't have money. And if the Ways and Means Committee is telling the mayor and board that we need cars or trucks or whatever and it isn't what you feel is necessary, then I would say there is enough blame to go around more than pointing fingers at just the Mayor.
You see it's like this; if your favorite person didn't get elected mayor, shame on this mayor. If your favorite person did get elected, you wouldn't even be saying one word against this mayor on this blog or anywhere.
Well fella, we shall see what your candidate for mayor comes up with. I just hope this blog is still churning then because you will get your day back with every little thing he/she does. And YOU will be the one defending whoever it is.
At least I don't play politics like you. And Politics is what you are playing and it stinks.
Three years is nothing when you have had the last 8 to make up for.
You have to be a total morone if you think that 3 years was all we needed to clean up the problems we have had.
5:09 Comments to your latest rant by the paragraph. Better take your RX now.
1 You mean Roy ran for the job without knowing what he was getting into?
2 Who are these "City Fathers" and were do they live?
3 They couldn't be more ill-equiped for the job than Roy is.
4 Gee, who refuses to allow the Board even to talk about that much less make plans, why it is ROY, that's who?
5 I do not care to comment on what people pull out of their rear ends, that is between them and their partner, partner.
6. So you now admit Roy didn't have a plan? You now admit you are supporting someone you know is a liar? Got to question your thought process.
7 I bet Roy didn't know what he was voting for when he voted on the Capital Improvements Tax Sunset Extension. Do I see a common thread here running through Roy and his supporters, they just didn't know?
8 Roy could always quit, in fact he still can, I hope he resigns before the issue with Ms. T. Brown goes public.
9 Wow, time to loosen up the jaw muscles a little bit, try to breath deep and remember, your man won the election. No one had a gun on him and made him take the job.
10 Bitter, bitter, bitter, you really don't care how well the City goes, just as long as your candidate wins the election.
11 Interesting position your taking.
12 Well I agree with you this point, you would have to be a total moron to think you could clean up this mess in three years, and that is just what Roy did, asked for the job.
Final question for you to think about, assuming that Roy didn't know what he was getting into when he ran 3 years ago, since he is running again, he can't make that claim again can he?
That being said, what is his plan this time to fix the problems if he is re-elected?
7:43 P.M.
This blog is most interesting. Especially since blogger mentions 'situation with T. Brown.' Since this is most likely a personnel matter then only the BOA and the Civil Service Board know the story. This discussion can only take place in private. How is it you know blogger? Unless of course we have an alderman who feeds info to you, or you are an alderman, or Ms. Brown told you. Otherwise, you have absolutely no business sticking your nose into this until is is released by the powers that be. This is the way it goes. So, it would seem you are really trying very hard to see what you can stir up. But, then, this is what you do best. Isn't it?
By the way, did you know Valerie Plame was CIA agent?
Ho Hum!
Who is Valerie Plame?
"'situation with T. Brown" - It doesn't take a high IQ to figure out that there is trouble in river city regarding an employee who is hired and very shortly after goes on paid leave of absence. Or maybe it is one of the Civil Service members leaking info. I know I have addressed that subject with an elected official and got no information. So....something smells.
8:32 am I agree with your comment. Previous blogger says I am sticking my nose in it about T. Brown and it is a private matter. I agree that it is a private matter as long as IF it has to do with a public official, the PUBLIC is told the truth instead of it being covered up. History shows the previous pattern to be the case, like two female police officers who were sexually harrassed by a Greer soldier. They received money and the MAJOR'S misdeed was never forthcoming.
As far as 7:43 goes, no verbal rebuttals from me. Just shows what I said BEFORE, wait until your candidate gets in and we will see how much better he/she will do when faced with the same situations as Roy. I will be first in line to criticize his/her every move. Other than that, the comment deserves one big YAWN.
MISINFORMED AGAIN: Someone is speaking out with misinformation !
Inasmuchas I was AT the BOA meeting, Oct. 23, 07, Jerry M did NOT
say " DILLARDS IS LEAVING"....WHAT he said is " there is concern that
ANOTHER ANCHOR store may leave "...I fully understand that many
residents are unable to attend, HOWEVER, something needs to be done
to confront all this " wrong " news being sent to this BLOG from those
who were not in attendance. Even then, news can get taken out of context.
Jacque Stock
REGARDING MEETING POSTING.....Apparently some do not
understand the City web site. EVERY meeting IS posted..
Just click on the Board you want to know about ! Also, it
would help if a person read the CHARTER to know who
can meet with whom and when. It IS right there in print.
Jacque Stock
In my humble opinion I believe we all need to let the T. Brown question alone! This is none of our business, and we will be informed if, and when we need to be(read the HIPPA act, and you will see that this is a private matter.)
Believe me there is more to look into than that (TIF, TDD, CID, developer welfare,) that will have a much greater impact on Crestwood than whether we have an economic director or not!
Folks, to that end, I will remove any, and all posts from this blog that have any reference to this in the future!
Tom Ford
Why would you remove all post regarding an unknown set of circumatances? If City money is spent on an issue between an employee and the City dont we have a right to know how, why and how much $?
If your remove future posts then I would suggest you remove every post you have so allowed to published that mentions former Mayor Robertson, Mrs. Grave and the two police officers that have been talked about here. What is the difference between them and the person you now state can not be talked about?
8:24 PM blogger : Thank you for your suggestion! However the two things you mentioned are not the same by a long shot.
The posts reference the "former" employees are of things that are in the past, and well documented. The current issue (if there is one) is on-going, and therefore not an item that should,or can be discussed due to privacy matters.
I can assure you that no Alderman I have talked to will discuss anything about this, nor will they either confirm or deny it.
This tells me that we must be patient, and await a formal announcement which I am sure will be in the works at some time.
On this matter, I am willing to trust my City Government to work through whatever it is, and tell me about it later, all I ask is that you do the same.
Tom Ford
Well Documented? Show me where I can find these documents.
7:13 PM blogger: If you were to request same from the various law firms involved, and provided the needed forms, you you will have it.
Failing that, take a FOIA form to City hall and obtain the records.
Simple, but you will have to work for it!
Tom Ford
If that is the case, why can't we talk about the current possible scandal at City hall?
It will all be available shortly anyway?
Does that mean I can get all the information about what really happened with Ms. Grave and the other Mayor and the two female police officers and the Major?
I guess it does!
But you are no more sure that it will than Tom Ford is sure that City Hall will give all the documents regarding the MS. Grave, two female police officers issues, are you? Instead it is just a nice tidy way of deflecting the request of Tom to drop all other post that were mentioned by poster 8:24, isn't it?
12:04 PM If speaking about the past is old news, as many on this blog have stated over and over again, and talking about issues that are long gone is wasting time, why would anybody care what happened with the two female cops or Mrs. Grave?
People have been complaining for several years about looking forward and not backward.
So why would anybody such as yourself care to see any information? Can you tell me what good it would serve? You must be unsure of your own conclusions or it wouldn't matter.
However, if you insist, you should be able to get information on any issue at city hall. If it is so important that you need to absolutely know, you should perhaps get the name of the lawyer who took on the case of the two female cops. These officers are long gone from Crestwood but I am sure that if you get their names, they would have no problem speaking with you directly.
As for the other case, I am sure you can go to city hall and get the information. If that doesn't work, call Mrs. Grave and ask to see her paperwork.
You can do your own research if you reach a dead end. Or hire your own investigator if it means that much to you.
Then again, you can always ask the X-Mayor. He's a lawyer remember? That makes him infallable.
If I were you, I would stop this stupid game you are playing by trying to flush the game out of the bushes. It ain't gonna work.
Lighten up poster 4:35, if you can't see the irony of Tom claiming Ms. Brown is off limits to current posts, while at the same time Mr. Ford's blog is full of references to Ms. Grave,(some by her own hand) and with in the last 2 weeks the 2 police officers issues, well I guess you are deaf, dumb and unable to see.
Ok to talk about that stuff over and over, but not about Ms. Brown?
9:06 Blogger I really do understand what you are trying to convey, and I also understand your analysis and comparison.
I too would hope that the whole Brown issue would be forthcoming. But, if this employee issue involves an official at city hall, the official will most likely be protected from scrutiny, and don't hold your breath waiting to hear the real facts from city hall. The powers that be only listen to the lawyers, and the lawyers don't get paid by the victims.
In the past, personnel matters have not always been solved without compromise. So, don't be surprised if a city official is involved, that this employee ends up being treated like the wrongdoer.
Maybe things will be dealt with fairly for once, and the issue will be opened to the public no matter what the circumstances.
Who knows?
You miss one important point, the other stuff did involve officials at City Hall and that stuff didn't get covered up, why must this?
I'll tell you why this the case, it's not what was done, but who did it the matters.
8:47 No, the other previous issues were definitely covered up because they involved a mayor and a major in the police department who was Greer's close friend.
Nobody was ever told the real reason why the mayor resigned and why the name of the major was never revealed to the public. He was just asked to leave, the female cops got their money and that was the end of it.
Now it looks like the same thing could be occurring again. So this issue may or may not be treated the same way but it is just speculation right now. Nobody knows for sure what has happened.
Hopefully, this type of cover up will not happen again.
After all this speculation, the money in the budget could be for something else. In the meantime, nobody really can tell us for sure, so why speculate unless you hope that it is of an official nature to shove this issue in the city's face.
so when did posters on this blog worry about shoving issues into the face of the city?
Further, Per Tom Ford, if you want the information on the past, all you have to do is ask for it at City Hall or some lawyer, check what Tom said below.
7:13 PM blogger: If you were to request same from the various law firms involved, and provided the needed forms, you you will have it.
Failing that, take a FOIA form to City hall and obtain the records.
Simple, but you will have to work for it!
Tom Ford
7:28 PM, October 27, 2007
7:28 There are people on this blog that really do try to understand issues and will ask a lot of questions.
However, it has also been stated several times on this blog that you can do your own research and go to city hall and request information, through the freedom of information act, and get any data to assist you in your desire to play Sherlock Holmes.
That would be far better to do rather than speculate on things that may be very misunderstood by many of us.
With your over-zealous attitude to hang out this administration for keeping things from residents in this Brown issue, and because you cannot wait to show everyone that the mayor is repeating what happened before, you are jumping the gun.
Instead of automatically assuming that this administration has indeed pulled the wool over our eyes as was done before, you need to wait and see what happens.
This isn't easy to do, especially when you dislike this mayor and can't wait to find another way to slam him.
I, too, hope things are not covered up, but I will reserve my finger pointing when I find out more.
ah,umm, poster 5:25, I don't know how to tell you this but Tom Ford was the person who, err, posted 7:28
10:42 PM Sorry. I meant to comment on 4:17 pm who used Tom Ford's words. I stand by my comment and it is my opinion.
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