Please click on the header to seee if this reminds you of someplace!
The way things are going with the lack of needed cut's in our community I fear this is more than an errie similarity!
Aas you will not their problems didn't jump up overnight, and our didn't either. Our Board and mayor have had ample time to see this coming and do something about it! Did we? No we didn't because they believed that the beloved Plaza, and now Crestwood Courts would save us.
Well we now know that it's not going to happen, so I think it's time to forget the deck chairs and start closing the water tight doors before we follow the good ship Vallejo!
Please gentlemen, can we now look at the Sappington House, the muni pool, the dog catcher, and other albatross's around our necks before it's too late for us?
Tom Ford
NO. 573
Aas you will not their problems didn't jump up overnight, and our didn't either. Our Board and mayor have had ample time to see this coming and do something about it! Did we? No we didn't because they believed that the beloved Plaza, and now Crestwood Courts would save us.
Well we now know that it's not going to happen, so I think it's time to forget the deck chairs and start closing the water tight doors before we follow the good ship Vallejo!
Please gentlemen, can we now look at the Sappington House, the muni pool, the dog catcher, and other albatross's around our necks before it's too late for us?
Tom Ford
NO. 573
posted by Crestwood Independent at 16:41
15 Comments:
This citizen committee that was to come together to scrutinize our city's botton line. Was wondering if it would be possible to eliminate the familiar group who played a role in the last few tax increase adventures and notifications to the public. For now, could they give it a rest?
In reading the City in California that declared bankruptcy...Apparently their Public Service emplyoees are paid much better than Crestwoods.
Also, the retirement of Crestwoods employees is nothing even close to theirs. After 30 years of service our employees average approx. 26 to 28,000 (thats high end)a year.
What do you get when you cross a pond and a stream?
Wet feet.
Retail store closings across the country. I suggest you ask if they will be there before you pick up a gift card this season!
Stores that are planning to close after Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even though the cards will be worthless January 1. There is no law preventing them from doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as 'Bankruptcy Planning).
Below is a partial list of stores that you need to be cautious about.
Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
Ann Taylor 117 stores nationwide closing
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's to close 150 stores nationwide
Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January
Cache will close all stores
Talbot s closing down specialty stores
J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots)
Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots)
GAP closing 85 stores
Footlocker closing 140 stores more to close after January
Wickes Furniture closing down
Levitz closing down remaining stores
Bombay closing remaining stores
Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January
Whitehall closing all stores
Piercing Pagoda closing all stores
Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January.
Home Depot closing 15 stores
Macy's to close 9 stores after January
Linens and Things closing all stores
Movie Galley Closing all stores
Pep Boys Closing 33 stores
Sprint/Nextel closing 133 stores
JC Penney closing a number of stores after January
Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores.
Wilson Leather closing down all stores
Sharper Image closing down all stores
K B Toys closing 356 stores
Loews to close down some stores
Dillard's to close some stores
From the web site:http//gestbiz.com/usa-store-closings-and-layoffs/
Tom Ford
Just read in the post disgrace that the county wants to fund a multi-million dollar county wide public safety communications package.
My question is "will Crestwood's new police radio system be compatible with this new systems or did we just piss away more money?"
Anyone read the County Urinal, or does no one pay for the paper?
The more important question is...
When will the City share information with the citizens as to exactly how much money can be saved if they contract with St. Louis County Police? With another Fire Protection District?
You will never hear them tell us, even though they have the figures.
Instead of forming another committe to find ways of increasing revenues, which if any is minute, they are irresponsible in the duties if they don't research this MAJOR cost saving decision.
It's time for some hard decisions to be made, an unpopular one, but one that would really increase the City's fund as police and fire is the biggest portion of the budget.
Do you ever wonder why we never hear them talk about this if they are truly intent in making the city sound?
5:08 PM blogger: Trust me, we never, never, ever want to go to the County Police!
There is no County fire, so we would be stuck with a "district!"
By the way, Crestwood is a Fire Protection district, and as such will remain long after we are gone.
Tom Ford
St. Louis County will be significantly cheaper and the savings can be put back into the community for streets etc. thereby raising the property values (hopefully after this economic recession)
I am also aware of the pros and cons regarding St. Louis County Police and having our own fine police dpeartment who have spoiled us over the years with fine service.
We currently contract fire protection now for our last incorporated section, which was another stupid move, and we have already received a bid to provide protection cheaper than we are paying. Remember? The Mayor said that Crestwood was back and it wasn't needed.
Short of contracting these services for savings..there is nothing left for the city to do. They can nickel and dime here and there, cut this and that, refuse to fill vacant positions, form numerous committes, but it will never come up to the amount needed and each year we get further and further behind.
The bottom line is, it's either that or vote for a property tax increase, neither of which are popular alternatives.
This will have to eventually come up and the citizens will have to decide for themselves if they want to pay to keep their own police and fire departments.
I hope I am wrong but I fear this decision has to be made in the near future.
The Crestwood Fire Department is just a small portion of the St. Louis County "mutual aid" protection. It will not be around if the citizens refuse to fund it.
Tough choices for tough time. Like I said, both very unpopular alternatives.
11:28 PM blogger: St. Louis county will always come in with a very cheap bid for the first year!
Then when you have sold off you assets (cars, radios, people,) the rate will go sky high! What then my friend?
We have a two minute or less response time in Crestwood, would you like to make it 10-15 minutes, because that's what will happen if County takes over!
Don't believe me, as anyone in the UN-incorporated ares just how thrilled they are with their service (both police and Fire.)
We NEED our Police and Fire departments else why have a city?
Tom Ford
That said...Mark my words. That will be the option which will be given to the residents.
The BOA came close to saying this once about 3 years ago when they were talking about sevices that may have to be cut but stopped short at that time.
I'm familiar with County Police and response times. The point is, if the rsidents want their own police and fire-they will have to vote for it with a tax increase.
Another question is, will the majority of the citizens share our views or just look at the money aspect?
Also, from what I have heard from members of the pd, more than 1/4 of the uniforms on the street or relatively "new hires", as we are loosing our experienced officers to other departments. More are in the process of leaving. This downturn economy may stop this momentarily because of possible job freezes but as soon as it turns around, they will be leaving again.
This is not the same pd as it was years ago. You yourself have pointed out the problems and you know more than the ordinary citizen of what is going on there.
I believe the residents realize this and may opt for contract services.
Enough said. We will see within the year.I hope I am wrong. Have been frequently.
You betcha we are all appreciative of things the way they were in the past when the mall was a vibrant retail meca, we had 3 firetrucks, a larger than life Police Dept and a humming municipal pool. The sky was the limit. But this is not today, this is yesterday. We had excesses we could afford. Our tax base was enviable and we were sitting on top of the world. In the recent past when those in charge ignored the train coming down the track, and the financial risks were starting to surface, there were actually those in prominent positions that had the gall to hire an architect and design city hall to the tune of 14 Million which would have made this pipe dream part of collateral for an LOC of 3.5 Mil which was needed to help pay the electric bill. This incredible fact has thusly kindled the fire of distrust among voters who pay attention to this kind of detail and who are still having a tug of war with the city leaders to get real!
Some on this blog are hardset on preserving our service departments in their familiar way; those involved with city budgeting don't seem to want to even think that residents would question a whole new fleet of cars for a town of 4 sq miles as a stretch, or unapproved raises, employee cars, and excessive legal bills.There are those who think that without a tax increase, we're sunk. This is a "hostage" situation. Residents are way too lukewarm on this based on too many past mistakes, too little sunshine, and too much politics and conflicts of interest.
Facing facts seems to be difficult in this city. I have watched for the last 3-4 years, enough of a decline in operating budget to make it an obvious mandate to realign the entire city's way of doing business. I sense there are some who chose to keep things status quo even while the drains need a plug called tax increase, so we can live according to the style in which we have become accustomed.
So many things need to be considered now such as innovative steps like mutual services. We just keep seeing a postponment of reality. 72% of voters apparently are losing faith that the elected officials are capable of making the decitions needed to make ends meet preferring to talk it all to death, form yet another committee and refuse to consider alternatives. There has been too many people crunching figures, too many aldermen unwilling to hunker down and dig in. Too many translations of the budget, too many personnel changes. Other cities are facing the same dilemmas as Crestwood. Other cities consider alternate police and fire possibilities. Three cities did not buy new phone systems; they went in with a central unit and now all 3 are dispatched by a central unit. No one here wants to explore this business with the Sappington House, in the meantime it is a drain. It seems like this city is so hardset on past ways of doing business that considering alternatives is verboten. Quicksand.
So, does this mean we just watch things die on the vine. Or, does someone want to start speaking up and start reminding of the fact that belt tightening is going to be in vogue for a great while and this city should be first in line and that the mall is in a dark place and we are clueless. It seems like when someone starts laying things on the table, we start hearing about police leaving and morale in the tank and I just have to say, "join the club." It is not going to get better for a while. It's as if someone states the obvious, they stand to get publicly ostrasized. Why?
When we further streamline things, and accomodate the actual needs of our times, there will be more funds to promote pay raises. If employees lack the loyalty to hang in there, it is probably best they go to greener pastures, but good leadership can change this perspective. Many don't have that opportunity today, they are on unemployment. The Big 3 are going to have to hunker down, why can't Crestwood?
Very well said. I agree.
Very well said. Aldermen Nieder and Miguel are trying to bring reality to the finances. Help the aldermen by attending the meetings and supporting them. I aasure that the bully mayor will not be allowed to berate you at the meeting for epxressing your opinion.
I feel we have an excellent police and fire department. Please don't bring on the misfits from the Mehlville fire district. When you look at the firefighter that was arrested for murder and the other greedy individuals. Thank heavens for what we have in Crestwood.
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