Mayor to hold a "town hall meeting" on September 12, 2009!
This should be very interesting folks, the topics are to be "animal control," and Sappington house!
Animal control was to be eliminated ( so the Alderman told me) at the end of December when Ms. Susie Sutton retires, so why discuss it?
I trust the Alderman did not fib about the decision to eliminate the position (we also pay county,) as I was assured by a couple of them that it was a done deal.
The Sappington House, well you tell me why we shouldn't give this to the County and let them operate it as we have a contract from the git go with them anyway.
More on time and place when it becomes available.
Tom Ford
NO. 659
Animal control was to be eliminated ( so the Alderman told me) at the end of December when Ms. Susie Sutton retires, so why discuss it?
I trust the Alderman did not fib about the decision to eliminate the position (we also pay county,) as I was assured by a couple of them that it was a done deal.
The Sappington House, well you tell me why we shouldn't give this to the County and let them operate it as we have a contract from the git go with them anyway.
More on time and place when it becomes available.
Tom Ford
NO. 659
posted by Crestwood Independent at 20:25
23 Comments:
I would listen to the mayor's statements using a large dose of skepticism.
Please remember that at previous town hall meetings the mayor told us a tax increase was required to survive. The city had cut expenses and could cut no more.
Two years later we have learned or are learning to prosper while spending less money. The adventure toward acheiving goals without consuming enormous sums of revenue is a huge accomplishment the tax payers of Crestwood should be proud of and desire to continue.
Listen to the mayor but do not trust the information offered.
I can only say YAWN.
10:14
I agree with your post.
The only phrase I would have a slight problem with is "spending less money." While dollar/cents and spreadsheets totals may be decreased, boa/admin spending habits remain the same such as raises at the beginning of the year, fresh off of the devastating defeat of Prop 1 and consideration of a truck purchase.
I spoke to an Alderman today who told me that the "Animal control" position WILL be eliminated at the end of December as there is no funds to keep it going!
Mr. Mayor, perhaps you should come clean with us and admit that this will be the case as you can't have a new truck and a dog catcher too.
Sorry but some things have to go in all of our budgets, and animal control when we have a County officer has to be one of them.
Of course if your that adamant about keeping it I challenge you and the Alderman to forgo your salaries to pay for that Department! Even then we would fall a bit short of the $50K needed to fund it.
Tom Ford
You are very good at reading betweeen the lines.
You are correct about the raises etc.
One item I would add is the fact that the budget for 2009 spent $600k more than the expected revenue. Spinning it a different way would be to say DEFICIT SPENDING.
I hope our BOA, mayor, and city administrator remember this poor planning.
DEFICIT SPENDING... violation of the Charter! Who will stand up and say it first?
I want the mayor to explain why he treats the Charter as something that just gets in his way instead of something he is supposed to obey?
"DEFICIT SPENDING... violation of the Charter! Who will stand up and say it first?"
Well, I will! In fact I shall send an email to all of the Alderman,the C/A, and the Mayor today saying that same thing (and post it here as well.)
Then at the Board meeting we can ALL follow up with our own individual questions and remarks.
I gave the Mayor a suggestion that is in this weeks Call, so we shall see if he follows it at the next meeting!
Tom Ford
Here is my email to the BOA sent just minutes ago.
Subject: The charter and the budget.
Date: Aug 20, 2009 9:21 AM
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I write to you today on a very important subject reference the Crestwood Charter and deficit spending. As it stands now we plan to spend $600,000.00 over the expected intake of funds. I ask each of you to please explain how you plan to square that fact with the words of the Charter which specifically requires a "balanced budget?"
There have been a few attempts to over ride the Charter in the past to make it conform to the wishes of the people wishing to accomplish their own agenda. I give you the Civil Service Board proposed amendments which if you read the Charter sections covering them is clearly in violation. I know the City Attorney has interpreted it differently, but we the citizens disagree completely. You see it needs to be read word for word as it was written and adopted, not as some would like it to read.
The Crestwood City Charter should be held inviolate as should the United States Constitution. These documents are not "fluid," or subject to the whim of some, but the bed rock on which our Nation and City were formed!
In closing, I ask that each of you uphold our Charter AS IT WAS WRITTEN, and when the time come to review it ask for the changes then (it will require a vote of the people,) and that means you will have to rein in the spending to balance the budget.
Respectfully,
Thomas C. Ford
Ward 2
Crestwood, MO.
I have one response from a Crestwood official who has "explained" to me that they will use "UN-encumbered" funds (IE Cash reserves) to "balance the budget!
Wonderful, now lets say we use the reserves and suddenly we have a major catastrophe that requires those funds, what then?
This guy missed his true calling, he should have joined the Navy and became a Destroyer skipper! This is one of the best "smoke screens" I have seen in some time!
Well there you have it folks, it's legal, it's not against the charter per Se, and it allows the administration to do whatever with our money.
I just love it when they think we are too stupid to know what's going on with the books!
Tom Ford
Speaking of Sappington House-a fundraiser for it will be held September 10 at the Two Hearts Banquet Center on South Lindbergh.
Does anyone find it unusual that a fundraiser for the Sappington House will be held at a banquet center and NOT the Sappington House?
I thought that Sappington House was such a treasure and wonderful entertainment center for our city ... so why have its fundraiser somewhere else?
"Speaking of Sappington House a fundraiser for it will be held September 10 at the Two Hearts Banquet Center on South Lindbergh."
Not really, you see I believe a good friend of the City, and it's hierarchy is (or was) a business partner in the "Two hearts" operation.
If that is so, it should answer all your questions, if not, well there is still one question and that is, why take it out of Crestwood when we really need it? Oh wait I know, Sunset Hills needs it more!
At any rate I find it interesting that the "fund raiser" for a Crestwood landmark is being held (out of town) only two days before the mayors Town Hall meeting reference same.
I say five will get you ten that "His Honor" will Herold this event as the biggest thing to happen in the history of Crestwood! Expect him to laud the throngs of supporters, and the vast amount of money raised at the gala on the tenth!
The spin on this deal on the 12th. should be really fun to watch. And here we thought the Iranians had a really fast centrifuge!
Tom Ford
I just hope our mayor's version of ACORN the Fire Fighters Union isn't at his town hall meeting to "keep the peace".
Another town meeting? Wonderful. Was it 2 or 3 years ago we were asked to please help keep our animal control person long enough for her to retire? Didn't we do that? How many people in their 30s or 40s are out of work. Do we really need the animal control? Why is it so difficult for smart people to see what's important? We need smart people to lead us. It seems like once we elect people they turn into some kind of self serving idiots. I give up!
9;55 PM blogger: Yes it was, and now we will be TOLD that she is not going to retire but go on perpetually (or something of that nature.)
I would like to point out that the police are now asked to remove the animals (if there are any) as she is "out of position" at least 75% of the time.
This is an expenditure that we can't afford! We have County animal control now, so I think our City leaders need to get that completed, and move on with budget savings (and QUIT BORROWING FROM CASH RESERVES TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, JUST STOP SPENDING!)
Oh, by the way, never give up, that's just what they hope you will do so they can continue with the ridiculous spending!
Tom Ford
Now let me get this straight....we have an animal control person...we have county animal control...but the Police are doing the animal control work sometimes...and we are cutting back the Police department.
We are hiring admin people at city hall (I think...I guess it is a secret), and buying new vehicles. We are also cutting Fire department people.
IS THIS NUTS???
John,
On top of that, the city is considering red light cameras. They are having a work session to study the matter.
On red light cameras:
I think the city is planning a financial windfall, with huge amounts rolling in. The figures I heard don't look like it to me. And an officer has to look at all the pictures, and approve the fines.
You either pay the large fine, and shut up, or go to court, and get points on your license. This sounds like coercion to me.
In the city, at least, if you stop just over the line you get a ticket. If you turn right on red with a stop, you get a ticket. Will that be the case here?
I always thought traffic laws were for safety, not income.
QUOTE: In the city, at least, if you stop just over the line you get a ticket. If you turn right on red with a stop, you get a ticket. Will that be the case here?
I should hope so, as those laws being enforced in the city are laws applicible throughout the entire state of MO.
Anymous 2:07pm
Au contrair, mon ami.
Missouri Revised Statutes
Section 300.155
right turn on red light, when
(3) Steady red indication
(b)...may cautiously enter the intersection to make a right turn but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traffic proceeding as directed by the signal at the intersection...
The above are excerpts. but you may look up the law for yourself if you like.
http://www.speedtrap.org/speed-traps/view/40906
Anymous 10:54 am
The comments on that web site are sometimes interesting, and do give you info on where trouble spots are.
BUT...both people who apparently got tickets said they were speeding (and one was at a different location) so...what is the problem? The police were doing their job. Should there be a sign "police car ahead"? Or maybe sit with all their lights on?
Based on that thinking, maybe hunters should stand in a field with a flashing light on their head, and blowing a whistle, and see how many deer they get.
Shouldn't people strive to obey the laws? Or are some exempt?
I might be bit late with this but I have heard no one else approach the subject of "equal protection clause" and due process problems
DUE PROCESS:
The problem is the camera does not identify the driver of the car. You receive a ticket stating your car went through a red light at this intersection. Sign the ticket and return it with the assessed fine which is self incrimination. The ticket is requesting you to admit you where driving the car. The burden of proof is on the court not the driver.
EQUAL PROTECTION:
RED LIGHT CAMERA: NO POINTS ASSESSED
OFFICER TICKETS YOU: TWO POINTS ASSESSED
One person is treated one way and another person is treated another way for the red light infraction.
What happened to equal protection under the law.
I hope the BOA answers these questions before voting on the red light camera ordinance.
SMN
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