This weeks edition of the Call newspaper (click here to read!)
Ladies and gentlemen this weeks edition of the Call has a great letter to "all of us" in Crestwood from Ward four Alderman, Mr. John Foote, as well as an interview with City Administrator, Jim Eckrige, and me.
I ask that you read ALL of the comments from the three of us and make a decision as to what you really want in Crestwood considering the economic times were in.
I do not want anyone to think I have "all the answers" to our problems, but I do want to start you thinking about what it is we REALLY NEED verses what we would like to have.
We live in very interesting times my friends, and we must adjust to them before it's too late! Think about the following, and call your Alderman, tell them what you wish to pay for (and what your not,) give them the direction they ask for to get the job done here!
By now you all know that my position is rock solid on expenditure reductions before I even look at tax increases. It appears that Mr. Eckrich is willing to do something about that as well, so, WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED?
By the way, time is of the essence here as we must act by the middle of May to get onto the August ballot, so please do not hesitate to make these calls, and appearances at the Board meetings!
I am well aware that we have a "lame duck" Bord up there, and that replacements will be mad in April, but please do not let that stop you from making your list, and posting it. In fact if you want to give me your suggestions here I will see that the are given to the Board in person.
Tom Ford
NO. 597
I ask that you read ALL of the comments from the three of us and make a decision as to what you really want in Crestwood considering the economic times were in.
I do not want anyone to think I have "all the answers" to our problems, but I do want to start you thinking about what it is we REALLY NEED verses what we would like to have.
We live in very interesting times my friends, and we must adjust to them before it's too late! Think about the following, and call your Alderman, tell them what you wish to pay for (and what your not,) give them the direction they ask for to get the job done here!
By now you all know that my position is rock solid on expenditure reductions before I even look at tax increases. It appears that Mr. Eckrich is willing to do something about that as well, so, WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED?
By the way, time is of the essence here as we must act by the middle of May to get onto the August ballot, so please do not hesitate to make these calls, and appearances at the Board meetings!
I am well aware that we have a "lame duck" Bord up there, and that replacements will be mad in April, but please do not let that stop you from making your list, and posting it. In fact if you want to give me your suggestions here I will see that the are given to the Board in person.
Tom Ford
NO. 597
posted by Crestwood Independent at 18:14
25 Comments:
If Crestwood was really serious about saving us money they would have formed an expense committee instead of a revenue committee.
Why not also eliminate any vehicles that are allowed to be taken home as well?
The employee compensation increases and promotions need to be removed from this year's budget if the City is going to have any chance of passing a tax increase...
Service cuts of $1 million loom for Crestwood's budget in 2010.
The title of the article is deceptive. It suggests that somehow the $1 Million equates to all service cuts.
I am horrified that the Call stated that they are considering getting rid of animal control.This service needs to be kept here. Our citizens are very lucky to have this service, as most municipalities do not. I will write, call, and scream. I want this service kept in Crestwood.
Wonder why most municipalities do not have their own animal control officer?
Wonder why most municipalities do not have their own dispatchers?
I am all for getting rid of the animal control officer. Mainly because she will set the traps, but then tells citizens to call the police if any animal is caught. The police are not trained to deal with rabid animals or animals with distemper. We already pay for county animal control, lets use it!
I don't think the title was deceptive at all. If you bother to read just a few more words, you'll see that the city had a $13 million budget this year.
And they're wanting to cut $1 million of that $13 million. Not a hard concept, folks.
Make sure to read John Foote's letter to the editor in the Call too!
That's the first time I've seen someone on the board realize that cuts have to be made before the voters will ever approve a tax increase.
Alderman Foote, thank you for your letter to the Call. You certainly got my attention. I would hope all of Crestwood reads it!
8:09 AM Feb. 19th
Jerry Miguel and Steve Nieder have been pushing for cuts for well over a year, and have received no support from their fellow board members, including Mr. Foote.
Mr. Foote has consistently pushed for a tax increase, and is only now supporting (in theory only) expense reduction in the hope that it will pave the way for a tax increase.
I'm happy that Mr. Foote's letter got your attention, and I hope that you will also give credit to those who have been pushing for expense reduction long before Mr. Foote decided to write his letter.
Martha Duchild
10:24 PM blogger: No need to be "Horrified!" We will still have animal control, only it will be performed by St. Louis County (which we already pay for now.)
I suggest you talk to any of our Police officers and ask them if "Animal control" is ever in position to respond?
All too often the answer is a resounding NO! So for $50,000.00 of our tax money, I say we use County and move on!
Remember, we have to make adjustments to survive, and that one is an obvious start for sure!
Tom Ford
It's about time Mr Foote got in touch with reality. Cuts before tax increases! Including our beloved but under worked and over paid Animal Control Officer
Well kids the "special commission to improve revenues" headed by Alderman Pickel has given us their report!
This will take an entire thread, so stand by
I am having a very hard time understanding why we spent heat, lights, and a room for this!
But, please do not form an opinion yet, as I will post their report by Saturday!
Tom Ford
I agree that we need to keep animal control and the community center open. I live in Crestwood and I have voted for the tax increase in August 08. If you want to cut expenditures, I suggest getting rid of the fire department would be the first place to start.
These are the recomendations that I am going to tell my Alderman.
Things like the Grants Trail, other parks, and the recreation center are the only things that make Crestwood worth living in.
You start cutting things that make it worth living here, you are
never going to get young people
with higher incomes to live here.
Having lived in Crestwood for 11 years, I have gotten a good feel for the typical resident. Basically a lot of folks are still living in the 1960s and not faced up to the facts that a massive amount of retail base is now gone. Some of us are willing the pay for a good quality of life which is more than sitting home and watching T.V.
People don't move to communities for animal control. Heck, judging by the way developments pop up further and further out. Police, Fire and parks don't even play into people's decisions to buy a house. This younger generation at large doesn't want our old, small, inefficient homes.
The last 2 bloggers are living here, WHY, since they think we are all living in the 60's in inefficient homes, unable to understand the fate of the city and how to bring the city around while watching tv; in denial over the loss of the plaza. Could it be that dashed expectations have soured the nature of some?
My "nice" neighborhood is full of young families, many of whom have moved here in the last 5 years and are contributing greatly to the familiar ambience that is Crestwood. I don't think they feel our city is undesirable or without hope. That the best thing we could do is plow the city under and make it a landfill.
Reading this blog one begins to think animal control is the big Kuhana. The one thing we cannot live without. Some of the bloggers seem willing to give up fire, others police, parks, trails, and so forth, but god save the animal control and Whitecliff. Focus folks, focus and perhaps logic! We want them all. We don't all use them all, but we want them all.
When/if the city gets to the point that the cupboard is completely bare, will we all scream "animal control," "Sappington House," Whitecliff? What will we scream?
Time we all get on the same page. We don't want our employees unhappy, but they probably want to keep their jobs. I do think tho that $92,000 for a rookie CA is high and raises this year a stretch. Jobs cannot be protected with unreasonable demands during these our Dicksononian times. Rationale is that cuts across the board must happen. Salaries included.
Do too many city employees take home city cars and spend city gas on them? Why is the code person living at the little house and with fringe benefits? Is Code enforcement itself, iffy, considering our finances? Probably too many white shirts in PD. Why don't we share dispatching? How much do we pay our Mayor and Aldermen? Isn't our C Attorney a tad expensive? WHY!!!Four sq. miles and how many parks? Whew! choices. Haven't all these things been on the table during the whole time we have been experiencing sinking revenues? No big secret here.What has been done to assure/impress voters that city hall sees it like it is????
Opinions, ideas, needs ... are varying and opinionated. The city where ideas linger and linger and linger and we watch things go from bad to worse while postponing the inevitable,changing the board stances each April, ignoring the aldermen who stand firm on finances, and asking for raises for employees who have been more recent hires. What percent of the budget is our Fire and Police (remember 4 sq. miles)? How long has this train been coming down the track? How many Props and ballot bailouts have been put before us? How many passed and how many did not. Did we learn anything? How many ways can one keep the faith? Since then what has changed except the annual pleas in April and Nov. for help. This need for restructuring has been going on how long now having not been realized sooner rather than later? Does city hall think voters are not in tune with real facts, and have expectations that are too high? Do they think we expect them to get blood out of a turnip? Yep, we do.
Since tax increases are not popular here due to lack of clarity or faith, it stands to reason that if good sense had always prevailed at city hall, as soon as we saw retail relocating in leaps and bounds to Fenton and Kirkwood, thought would have prevailed. Not plans for a new city hall. Remember, though, that City officials dependent on info supplied by 4 different city administrators in the last years have not been conclusive or sufficient. Remember also that some of the pathetic political games that have taken place are unforgiveable and have cost this city immeasurable grief.
The one sure common denominator is sinking tax revenue and a forsaken plaza. So now I ask you, in the scheme of things, don't you think that if we could be impressed with voting yes for a tax increase we should be allowed our high expectations, continued cuts, and the fact that we will all have to learn to live with changes which could well change the complection of the city?
There is only one way to get it all it would seem. A tax increase. But if it only serves to again loosen the purse strings, all is lost. Crestwood must live with restraint and we must elect those who agree with this discipline from day one. All new candidates for office should make sound municipal economics clear, and plan for fallout if they do not adhere to it.
It is possible animal control and tag team politics might not remain the big Kuhana. And it is clear we must quit lollygagging and unite on priorities. Our city employees do not have time to spin straw into gold.
Keep the ideas coming. They all count.But we must be willing to focus on what is good for the majority. And we should support our officials as they endeaavor to face our realities. If they do not respond to your notes or calls, or engage in serious and reasonable dialog at meetings, simply do not vote for them again.
Tom,
I just found this site from the article in the newspaper. I think it is great.
I notice that everyone but you has the same name...I hope I am not breaking any rules by using my actual name.
John
5:06 AM blogger: Welcome aboard John! Using your real name is perfectly OK here, as most do not have that sort of courage!
Pass on the information to your friends and neighbors, the more the merrier, and who knows, it just may happen that our "leaders" will take note and follow our wishes!
Tom Ford
On a somber note. I just learned through church that Mr. Mike Argent, candidate for Alderman in Ward 3 passed away on Thursday. Mr. Argent was active in Rotary and Our Lady of Providence Mens Club. He would have made a great contribution to our city. A prayer for his family is in order.
"If you want to cut expenditures, I suggest getting rid of the fire department would be the first place to start."
I'm sure this person would reconsider if they were lying on their floor with severe chest pains, or at the bottom of the stairs with their leg bent like it shouldn't be.
Or standing in their front yard watching all their possesions go up in smoke.
When you have a real emergency, you can't believe how good those approaching sirens sound!
Actually, I'm sure this person was kidding, or being sarcastic, since most people would not want to live here without an excellent fire department like we have.
6:23 PM blogger: John, you would think so now wouldn't you. Unfortunately we have a few Learned thinkers in Crestwood who think they know best, and they are not afraid(?) to say it (albeit anonymously!)
Now they think that it really doesn't matter who the fire department is, they will be saved! Little do they know the truth!
Anyway, Crestwood is a "Fire district" of it's own, so it's pretty much a moot point as they will be the last to go!
Save your blood pressure med's John because believe me, you "ain't seen nothin yet" from these sage posters!
Tom Ford
Tom,
Is there a place I can look online, to see info on our city organisation and manpower?
I did see a chart of the new police organisation, and I think the fire dept, but I don't think I have ever seen public works, and recreation, and parks.
Is there any payment to the elected officials?
How about the city budget?
I think we need to educate ourselves on what the city is doing now before we can decide to vote for or against possible tax increases.
Thanks
John
What possible good does it do to blabber that those who write under anonymous lack courage? How inviting is that? This blog would not last long with 3-4 bloggers who sign their name (goodie for them). It is not a badge of courage however. It is their way, their choice. They are neither wiser nor more courageous. That is not necessarily the way of blogs, the prerequisite. People who sign their name and accuse those who do not are diminishing the blog, wasting time,space. What possible difference does it make? And if this subject which keeps coming up is getting shorts in knots, perhaps the posts are unimportant and this is all a lark. The posts, signed or unsigned, all make points and if people take the time to post, well good.
The advantage to a name, or number, or screen name, or whatever, is that you can respond to a comment, or follow a persons train of thought and discuss a topic sensibly. If almost everyone has the same name, it is harder to find your last post, or for someone to respond to an idea, or question.
There is nothing wrong with either way.
John,
The city website has some of the information you've requested.
Try
www.ci.crestwood.mo.us
For budget information, go to
http://ci.crestwood.mo.us/docs/departments/finance/Budget%202009%20-Board%20of%20Aldermen%20Final%2012-9-2008.pdf
To Anonymous 6:24pm,
Thanks!!
I got the budget info, and I will look around some more on the city site. I have looked around a number of times, but didn't have any luck. Try, try, again I guess.
Thanks again.
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