Please join me in welcoming our new City administrator, Mr Jim Eckrich!
This is one appointment I can say I fully agree with! I have known, and worked with Jim on several occasions, and I have always found him to be honest, hard working, a great family man, and just the type of person we need in these troubled times!
For once I must say I am impressed with the choice! Please join me in welcoming Mr. Eckrich to his new position, and may we find a replacement Director of Public Works who is as well qualified!
Tom Ford
NO. 521
For once I must say I am impressed with the choice! Please join me in welcoming Mr. Eckrich to his new position, and may we find a replacement Director of Public Works who is as well qualified!
Tom Ford
NO. 521
posted by Crestwood Independent at 19:27
30 Comments:
Sounds like you are introducing the bride and groom at a wedding reception Tom.
But aside from that Mr. Eckrich is a great choice and I wish him well.
Jim is a nice guy and very capable. But I don't know whether to congratulate him or give him my sympathy!
9:42 PM blogger: Well you have to be a bit "flowery" when "the newbie" comes aboard, if for no other reason than to lull him into a sense of security! (just kidding!)
That said though, I know you will like his management style, and he is NOT A YES MAN!
Tom Ford
Tom Ford
Not a yes man? Can the mayor take being told NO?
6:46 PM blogger: You bet he can, as well as the rest of the BOA!
The way I see it, any of us can be "told no!"
My stand? "A Crestwoodian voting for a tax increase is like a chicken voting for Col. Sanders!"
Now there is a NO for you!
Tom Ford
Ouch, That hurt.
"The chicken voting for colonel Sanders" Isn't he dead? Come to think about it, they both are.
8:43 QAM blogger: You do have a point there, in fact three things are dead in this simile!:
Col. Sanders
The chicken
The tax increase
Tom Ford
Is Mr. Eckrich the right person for the job as City Administrator?
Does he has any experience as a City Administrator?
He had none as a Parks and Recreation Suppervisor,yet they put that department under his suppervision. He could care less about the Parks or Aquatic center.
How about his relation with a past city administrator,Don Greer? He never stood up to him, but why would he, Greer hired him.
9:39 AM blogger: In a word, YES! Mr. Eckrich is an engineer by trade, and that makes him very analytical, and we need that sort of thinking.
He is also a detail oriented person who will dot the i's, and cross the T's before he releases something (another good trait.)
I deal with mechanical engineers every day, and I can tell you they are demanding, accurate, and very good at their jobs (even when they're wrong!) But I digress, too answer you again, yes, he is a very good choice, and I for one applaud it!
Tom Ford
9:39 am blogger: I agree with your statement 100%. A person with a backround as a City Administrator would have been a better choice.
And the Board does not trust his judgment!
Remember Jim wanted a car for the Public Works director and the Aldermen insisted on an SUV?
Yes, if I remember, Jim would have been happy with a Taurus. Plus, it would have been a lot cheaper.
A little digging shows that Jim Eckrich was 'temporarily' appointed Public Works Director by Don Greer when the previous one was fired. He was just an engineer in public works at the time. He somehow managed to hang on to this position despite his lack of experience. Now he is somehow being promoted to City Administrator?
I'm sure he's a nice guy, but it sounds like we didn't hit the mark for the experience we needed to manage a city in crisis. One would think some public administration background and especially public finance experience would have been put ahead of promoting from within.
Roy has proven he's good at promoting people that aren't ready for the job, look at his friend the police chief...he's running employees out in droves. Let's hope Mr. Eckrich is a better choice.
Don't forget, the board of aldermen had to approve the mayor's choice of hiring of Jim Eckrich. They interviewed him and agreed on his promotion to CA.
You seem to always fail in remembering that the 8 board members do have to approve things before they are done and not just the mayor.
Will Jim continue to storm out of meetings and stomp his feet when he doesnt' get a new car or get his way? How childish?
Will Jim continue to allow our Mayor to run the city?
Greer chose Eckrich over John because he wouldn't question Mr. Greer.
John had a Master's degree in Engineering plus 10 or more years in public works.
When you say "Yes" as an Administrator, you are legally responsible for the city?
I give him one year.
We need an experienced City Administrator to straighten out the mess and to tell the truth.
Tom,
Who wrote the article on the City's Parking in the Crestwood News?
They forgot to mention about the Rosebrook Real Estate Company and Crestwood Swim Club receiving $850,000 from the Crestwood TDD!
The City's Parking Lot should be renamed to Crestwood Swim Club Parking Lot.
You can't even visit city hall in an emergency when there is a swim meet or a party! Great emergency planning!
But maybe the City doesn't even own their own lot!
How about moving the city hall to Whitecliff? It is so pretty over there and then we can tear down the city hall and give the land to Rosebrook Real Estate/Crestwood Swim Club to have more parking and a second clubhouse for their fun raisers.
John who?
Let's wish Jim Eckrich well in his new position as Ciy Administrator.
Does Jim know what he is getting into,probably not.
A person with a backround as a City Administrator would have been a better choice. Time will tell if we,the citizens are going to experience the days of Don Greer all over.
Correction to July/August 2008 Crestwood Newsletter
Crestwood Swim Club Rosebrook Real Estate Company Government Center Parking Lot
In May 15, 2003 the THF Crestwood Point Transportation Development District (TDD), L.L.C. was created by the St. Louis County Circuit Court and funds were designated to be used for several transportation improvement projects. The parking lot improvement project will be funded through the Crestwood Point Transportation Development District (TDD), L.L.C. The Crestwood Point TDD has financed several transportation improvement projects immediately adjacent to the Kohl’s development, including improvements to Sappington Road and the construction of the cross-access roadway between Watson Plaza and Kohl’s, and Rosebrook Real Estate Company Crestwood Swim Club new pool. The Crestwood Government Center parking lot was originally included as part of the Crestwood Point TDD, and the improvements were a part of the original TDD budget for Rosebrook Real Estate Company Crestwood Swim Club new pool. These TDD expenses are completely unrelated to the City of Crestwood budget, and funds allocated from the TDD cannot be used for anything other than transportation improvements within the limits of the TDD except for Rosebrook Real Estate Company Crestwood Swim Club new pool.
Beginning in the summer of 2008 the parking lot at the Crestwood Government Center will receive some much needed improvements. These improvements will include new concrete, new curbing, improved lighting, revised landscaping, new fencing, retaining wall improvements, and new asphalt riding surface. The contractor for this project will be Gershenson Construction Company. The construction portion of this project is estimated to cost $580,000.
The City of Crestwood looks forward to the completion of this project. Should you have any questions regarding the proposed parking lot improvements, please contact the Crestwood Public Services Department at (314) 729-4720.
Questions: Who are the subcontractors for Gershenson Construction Company?
How much did Rosebrook Real Estate Company Crestwood Swim Club received from Kohl’s TDD, CID, and TIF monies? $850,000? $1.4 million? $2.4 million?
Which lawyers and law firms received salaries from the Kohl’s deal?
Why was Rosebrook Real Estate Company Crestwood Swim Club parking lot and tennis courts included in the 1998 Kohl's TIF deal?
Please thank all of the Kohl's shoppers for paying for Rosebrook Real Estate Company and Crestwood Swim club new swimming pool, new parking lot, new lights, and a new sewer. It is a beautiful save pool with free parking at the City Hall and at St. Elizabeth of Hungary.
Be sure to send a thank you letter and personally to former Alderman Gary Vincent who lives in Sunset Hills, former Alderman Breeding, former Alderman Duwe, former Alderman Kelleher, Alderman Pickel, Mr. Green from Planning and Zoning, and Mayor Roy Robinson.
Has their Rosebrook Real Company stock increased in value? Who has the most Rosebrook Real Estate stock?
If this was a truly registered St. Louis County Commercial Business like Kohl's, the Rosebrook Real Estate Company Crestwood Swim Club would need 200 or more parking spaces on their own property.
But, who really owns the City of Crestwood Parking lot?
Rosebrook Real Estate Company by their indefinite lease?
I thought there were no more posts about the pool allowed.
From my post on the tax increase thread above.
I trust this will stop per my request, but if not, I will delete them unless relevant to the topic.
" Crestwood Independent said...
I see your back Cathryn. Please try to stick to the issues of the thread. We have been all over the pool issue for two years, and I think it's time to give it up!
It is what it is, and no one on this blog can change it, so unless it springs a major leak, it's there for the duration!
I hope you will understand and continue to post."
Tom Ford
4:02 PM, July 14, 2008
Has Jim Eckrich signed up for Masters in Public Administration UMSL program to understand his new job?
Jim is an engineer. He may be very good at reviewing specifications for street work and can tell you why concrete curb and gutter is more cost effective in the long run than rolled asphalt.
However, can he explain why Crestwood's Gasoline Tax Revenue isn't keeping pace, even though gas prices are going through the roof? (As Tom mentioned when he fills his F-150) Any seasoned CA in the St. Louis Area can tell you why.
Call Jim and ask him. I bet my next paycheck he can't give you the correct answer while you are on the phone.
This is the type of information that our CA needs to know now, not in 3 years after he has gone to UMSL night school.
Just my 2 cents..............
I cannot believe an engineer is now CA. We need a financial genius and an administrative professional. This is where our money should go.
What on earth is this board and mayor thinking. This is not the surge we need, is it? Why ruin this man's career. Meyers could not handle it and he had experience. Please do not ask for more money from me until I see some rational thinking.
We tried the "from within" thing with Greer. You saw how that worked out. This new guy, had best keep his nose clean - real clean. The temperature in the city is not at a good degree right now.
Yea, I have to agree.... What experience does Mr. Eckrich have with actually creating a budget?
All I've seen is that he didn't overspend his, which probably wasn't that difficult to do considering most of the costs were probably fixed, like personnel and benefits.
Better yet, what are his credentials pretaining to the mall redo? Does he know a TIF from a CID dor DUD?
We may end up saying "NO" a assistance package, but we need someone who can speak the language and give us a professional qualified opinion without having "research" or get back to us.
As mentioned above, credentials are essential as Crestwood trys mightily to keep its head above water. Primarily, is City Administrator, City Attorney and Financial Wizzard.
Here's a question: On a scale of 1 to 10, where do we stand on the above mentioned employees?
Do you want to give city hall more money with the answer you come up with?
With no offense meant to Mr Eckrich, does anyone wonder, like I do what, the caliber of the 29 other applicants that applied and were not picked, if like what has been posted is true, Mr. Edkrich might be under qualified?
From the looks of things Licklider, Greer, Myers were all unqualified. But the first two left with a handful of our money and Myers simply keep us at a standstill. Who the heck is hiring these dudes? No wonder a dark cloud is looming. Our city gov't should be satarized on the New Yorker. Only it really isn't funny.
I think people are just concerned that we truly need fiscal and legal expertise to the nth degree. No second best. Soomeone who will persist, stay, dig in and present only the facts. And we need an administrator free from a long learning curve who can juggle all the oranges while we are in these trying times. Get rolling with the facts of budgeting, employee engagement, staffing and stay out of politics. We don't have time right now for less than the best we can get due to the state of our finances and the plaza and the economy and our less than fruitful past. So, if this man can hit the ground running and move into the position with both feet and prove that he is willing to put great skills to work, then fine. But 2 of the last 3 city administrators took this city for a wild ride and frankly enough is enough. We are now ready for sound and specific facts. We have the right to ask for this. The crony system simply won't do. It is certainly my hope that the new man will prove to have the credentials we need. I hope for the best, of course. Municipal leadership is a calling, few get rich unless there is corruption. Crestwood presents a true challenge. The last 3 did not meet the challenge. Perhaps this one will strive to march to his own drummer. Perhaps his past job proves dedication and talent and caring and lets hope it is transferred to his new position.
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