Musings on the Board Of Alderman meeting last Tuesday Night.
Of course I was not there, but the "cub reporters" were, so with that out of the way, let us continue to the gist of the meeting.
My congratulations to Mrs. McGee on her post as Ward one Alderman, replacing her husband "Mac" who We tragically lost a short time ago.
The meeting was sort of HO HUM (so I am told) until a female resident of Crestwood stood to the mike and requested reasons for the Police pay raises, as well as the promotions, minus the BOA approval. This was followed by a dissertation from his Honor about the up-standing and cost saving reasons for doing same. After roughly 10 to 15 minutes of pontificating from the Dias, there followed a couple of statements of what a good job his Honor was doing, from the Mayors supporters.
Then Alderman Nieder mentioned the fact that minus an ordinance in place, and duly voted on by the Board, we really have no City Administrator in place yet! The City Attorney, Mr. Rob Golterman (of the law firm of Lewis Rice) didn't think we needed one until Alderman Nieder pointed out that ALL previous C/A's were done that way. At this point Mr. Golterman (of the law firm of Lewis Rice) said he would research it, and have an ordinance ready to vote on at the first meeting in October (if needed.)
Alderman Nieder asked the City Administrator, Mr. Jim Eckrige to answer a list of questions, that after he (Mr. Eckrige) saw, He agreed to answer in written form by the next meeting. I trust the q and A will be read into the formal minutes of the next meeting so we all have a chance to see, and read them.
Tom Ford
NO. 552
My congratulations to Mrs. McGee on her post as Ward one Alderman, replacing her husband "Mac" who We tragically lost a short time ago.
The meeting was sort of HO HUM (so I am told) until a female resident of Crestwood stood to the mike and requested reasons for the Police pay raises, as well as the promotions, minus the BOA approval. This was followed by a dissertation from his Honor about the up-standing and cost saving reasons for doing same. After roughly 10 to 15 minutes of pontificating from the Dias, there followed a couple of statements of what a good job his Honor was doing, from the Mayors supporters.
Then Alderman Nieder mentioned the fact that minus an ordinance in place, and duly voted on by the Board, we really have no City Administrator in place yet! The City Attorney, Mr. Rob Golterman (of the law firm of Lewis Rice) didn't think we needed one until Alderman Nieder pointed out that ALL previous C/A's were done that way. At this point Mr. Golterman (of the law firm of Lewis Rice) said he would research it, and have an ordinance ready to vote on at the first meeting in October (if needed.)
Alderman Nieder asked the City Administrator, Mr. Jim Eckrige to answer a list of questions, that after he (Mr. Eckrige) saw, He agreed to answer in written form by the next meeting. I trust the q and A will be read into the formal minutes of the next meeting so we all have a chance to see, and read them.
Tom Ford
NO. 552
posted by Crestwood Independent at 17:24
19 Comments:
Please remeber there was no cost savings. At best, an expenditure reduction was put in place. A savings does not occur unitl the expenditure reduction is captured and available for future reference. This is accounting 101.
Government at all levels seems to spin the words and the true definitions so that we hear what they want us to hear.
Ask your alderman, the mayor and the city adminstrator if the savings is stashed in a CD and is avaialble for other uses, at will.
Test the new city accountant and ask him about the definition of expenditure reduction and savings. I hope he knows or this City is still in big trouble with finances.
There is one thing that you missed in your summation of the last BOA meeting. There was an agenda item entitled Report on Civil Service Board Rules and Regulations. This item was tabled. The reason cited was that the discussion should wait until the full board was present.
But there could be another reason it was tabled. Roy stated in an earlier meeting that Martha Duchild’s tenure on the Board comes to an end in October. Roy probably has the exact date circled on his calendar and he will be gleeful when that day arrives. Somehow, I don’t think the BOA will vote to extend her term on the Board! I think the mayor and BOA plan to put off their discussion of this agenda item until Martha is no longer on the Board, or until everyone forgets about it. As of October, the Civil Service Board will consist of one member. I guess that will pretty much neutralize the problem.
I’m sure Roy will eventually get around to nominating someone to fill the vacancies left on the CSB, all he needs are two citizens who are easy to control and have no minds of their own (unlike the present members). I don’t think his last nominee is going to be topping the list, Ethics Commission or no Ethics Commission, after her nifty little speech a while back (some of us still have blisters on our ears).
6:55 PM blogger: Indeed, but this is a "two edged sword" that His Honor had best back away from, as he will no longer be able to tell her "to just sit there!"
Imagine Martha Duchild free to say whatever she wishes, and whenever she wishes!
Now, if she could just "field dress a Moose!"
Tom Ford
Martha, per Mr. Golterman, is free to say what ever she wants, when every she wants, about what ever she wants.
Ask your cub reporter about the exchange between Trueblod and Golterman
Yes I would be very interested in learning what the conversation was between Trueblood and Golterman, if someone can tell me.
I can not attend the BOA meetings because I am too busy. I am so glad we have Tom to share all of the juicy details regarding what happened there. It's nice to hear it all firsthand from someone who is an eyewitness. Wait, Tom never attends meetings either. Why are we listening to him?
3:41 PM BLOGGER
YOu have to admit Tom seems to be dead on concerning the actions of your government.
By the way, if you are too busy to attend the BOA meetings and don't trust the blog why do you read and post here?
3:41 PM blogger: Why oh why indeed! Well there are two possible reasons for "listening to him." I am spot on,and you know it.
Second, your like a moth to flame, you just can't stop reading this blog (and you know that also.)
Tom Ford
3:41, so you attend the Board meetings? Then you know what has been said about Royal's (Freudian slip, I meant ROY'S, sorry.) behaviour is correct, so why do you bother to read this blog?
Much less post on it.
You all forgot the part of the meeting when Alderman Miguel back tracked on his previous assertions that the city was in fine shape financially when he quickly and quietly mumbled that we may very well experience a budget shortfall. Geez Alderman Miguel, where have you been the last year? Obviously you haven't heard that the country's economy is in a major tailspin. Oh and by the way I guess we can't believe your numbers any more than we can believe those coming out of city hall.
and Tom, shame on you, but I guess your cub reporter forgot to mention that to you. How convienient.
7:35 PM blogger: Why yes, there will be a shortfall in the budget, but not as catastrophic as you try to make it sound!
We will need to cut expenses, plain and simple. Every time the Mayor says he has made "Cuts" the people show up somewhere else!
We dropped the Park Rangers, nope they transferred to Public Works. We had two Police Officers leave, Yep, but we hired two new ones. The "Animal control officer" is still here, even tho I am told she is "out of position" to do anything more than that.
You want to cut the shortfall? Please stop the clandestine transfers, and MAKE THE NEEDED CUTS!
In case you missed it the entire Nation (thanks to a privileged few) is on the financial ropes, and all you want to do is low rate Alderman Miguel, SHAME ON YOU!
Tom Ford
This mayor has not made cuts, he just has not made replacements.
Chief Kessler was asked Tue night if he had enough firemen to provide fire service for Glendale, if City won their bid.
He said yes, we did it 15 yrs ago with only 3 more firemen than we have now. So in 15 years, we have lost 4000 in population but have only reduced our firemen by 3? When was that reduction made, check the records and it was before Roy was elected.
Same with the number of Police Officers, Parks, and Public Works we have, any reduction was made before Roy became Mayor.
Has the amount of money the City budgeted to spend gone down in the last 3 years? No.
Has Roy been aware of the decreasing sales tax income each year? Yes.
Where are the cuts?
10:37 Blogger
At no time did Miguel paint a rosy picture of the finincial picture of the city of Crestwood. The following is important to remember:
1) Despite the attempts by some aldermen to reduce expeditures, the city continues to increase expenditures each year.
2) The city needs to return to the basics of why it was founded for in the beginning. We taxed ourselves to provide police and fire protection and infrastructer maintenance/improvements (streets and drainage)
3)Animal control, Historic(Sappington House?)properties etc. are not part of the basics that we decided to tax ourselves for.
4) The tax increase requested would not have provided the funds to continue business as usual, just more money to toss around. We will have to suffer through the next three to four years to eliminate the debt resulting from the incredible bad money nmanagement of the past three adminstrations. Our situation will improve with patience and diligence. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
"Our situation will improve with patience and diligence. There is a light at the end of the tunnel."
How will our situation improve? Sales tax continues to drop. The mall is almost empty.
Wait a minute! Wait just one minute!
Isn't the mall going to revitalized? Something new and different? Something wildly exciting that will bring a whole lot of sales tax revenue to Crestwood? Hmmmm?
Right you are blogger 10:56, that's what our Mayor tood us. Wish I could figure out how he knows so much. One day says we dont need a tax increase, then he says we do and then after the election says he never thought we did.
Next he claims he knew nothing about the use of City property and resources to support the tax increase and it's supporters the Pro Prop 1 comm.
You can be sure of one thing with ROy as Mayor, we have a full time mayor for the cost of a part time mayor.
9:23 blogger
Our situation will improve with patience and diligence. There is a light at the end of the tunnel."
I was attempting, but did so poorly, to point to the time when the debt payments are finished.
The first debt retired will be with the funds supplied by PROP S. I would expect the government to ask the voters to remove the sunset provision. That would free up $500k per year.
The next debt retirement would be the final $1 million payment for the aquatic center due 2012.
Funds will then become available for street and drainage repair but only if you elect a mayor and aldermen with a frugal attitude.
Carefully measure your vote for the six positions open on the BOA in 2009 or the light will never be viewed.
Blog us when you can tell us which ones to pick when the time comes.
I would be glad too but that decision is yours to make after the evidence you require to make a decision is gathered.
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