Alderman Duchilds presentation prior to the bridge vote, and what's he get for his work?

09/08/2009 (PLEASE CLICK ON THE HEADER FOR THE AUDIO VERSION.)
"One of the most attractive features of grant money is its ability to allow municipalities to take on projects without footing the entire bill. It is often referred to as “free money.” But there is no such thing as free money; anyone who pays federal, state, or local taxes provides funds for the grants.
As a member of this Board, I am entrusted with making sure this project is a good use of all taxpayer funds. Not only does this include a fiduciary responsibility for City of Crestwood funds, it also includes the same responsibilities for the federal grant dollars. Unfortunately, this project does not appear to be a good use of nearly ¾ of a million dollars of taxpayer money. For the following reasons, I cannot vote to continue this project in its current form:
1. The city has never provided cheaper alternatives for the replacement or rehabilitation of the current bridge. It is prudent for any budgeting entity to always consider less costly options.
2. To date, no structural study has been performed to determine how long the bridge, in its current use as a pedestrian crossing, will last or what the cost will be to rehabilitate the bridge for future pedestrian use.
3. The original bridge was built so that those who occupied the house in the lowland area had access to their property. That house has been torn down.
4. While the grant application states that the bridge is the “only manner in which emergency and maintenance vehicles can access” the area, it is a fact that adequate vehicular access to the area is currently available from behind the community center. Maintenance to the park has continued without interruption since the service bridge was closed in 2007.
5. There are other areas of Whitecliff Park that are inaccessible to fire trucks and other large vehicles. I doubt we intend to build bridges and roads to access those areas.
6. There is no debating the fact that the main function of this bridge is to allow pedestrians to cross the creek. However, to adhere to the grant, the bridge must be built by MODOT standards as if it were a highway or major roadway bridge. Consequently, the city will end up with a bridge that is overbuilt for it's major purpose. Not a very responsible use of tax dollars.
7. According to the MODOT Practical Design document, which is a document MODOT provided to the City as part of the grant process, states that for a low use rural bridge, a bridge width of 12’ per lane is desirable. According to the grant application, not only are we asking to replace the bridge, we are proposing that the new bridge be even bigger than the current bridge. The width of the current structure 12.5’ and the new bridge, as proposed, will have a width of 16’. The fact that we are exceeding MODOT recommendations by 33% is further proof that this project is over designed and will probably be over built.
8. In my opinion, the bridge estimate to obtain the grant was too high and some of the costs exaggerated. For example, the cost estimate lists $150,000 for materials and labor for creosote treated timber bridge decking. One could purchase a modest home in Crestwood for the price of the decking alone. It also lists $5,000 for temporary traffic control. With all due respect, I can install signs in about 30 minutes to instruct people in order to indicate the job site is closed. When asked to explain the cost estimates, the City Administrator indicated that the person who submitted the cost estimates was no longer with the city. The city administrator further stated he did not know how these estimates were calculated, yet, along with our current Mayor, signed off on the grant application and continues to support the grant application. An inflated estimate can lead to the acceptance of higher costs and an overbuilt structure. While the final cost of the bridge may come in under this estimate, we must assume for budgeting purposes that the entire cost will be incurred.
9. The decision to apply for this grant was made not long after the city asked citizens to help pay off the $2.5 million in debt the city accumulated from overspending. Knowing the financial condition of the city at the time, and faced with declining sales tax revenue, the Board still authorized acceptance of the grant and committed the city to an expense of up to $144,000. A decision, I believe, to be imprudent.
10. Finally, tonight, this board is being asked to commit to a 2010 budget item, yet we haven’t even seen the proposed 2010 budget. We still have time to thoughtfully reconsider this expenditure and a cheaper alternative. Please remember, the grant allows for one extension on this project.

I am convinced more than ever, that there is a cheaper solution than the one and only solution proposed by the city.

Respectfully submitted,
Paul Duchild, Alderman – Ward 3"


"At this time, I would like to put forth a motion:
I move that we table the 2nd reading of the engineering contract between The City of Crestwood and CDG Engineering, until such time as the city can hire a qualified structural engineer to conduct a structural study of the Whitecliff Service Bridge to help determine a (minimum and maximum) time frame the bridge will last in its current form and use as a pedestrian bridge. Included in this study or through alternative means, will be a cost estimate and/or bid(s) for the modest rehabilitation of the bridge to continue its use as a structurally sound pedestrian bridge."

For all of this hard work which could not be refuted by Jim Eckrich, or public works, he got NOTHING, not even the courtesy of time to study the expense! You call it what you will but for me it's disgusting!

By the way do you know that "his honor" held the "town hall" last night and didn't introduce the Board, City employees, or the City Administrator? Well he did, and not to be out done by that he told the masses that if we didn't have animal control it would be like Webster Groves where the Police "shoot family pets!" That is the most ridiculous statement he has ever made (and he has made quite a few.) I will be calling the Webster Groves Police Chief Monday to ask him if they really do that, and if so (they don't) if the officers have to fill out a "firearm discharge report?

The meeting? Well another venture into "King Roy's) realm where the sky is DEFINITELY a very different color (ROYAL!)

PS: Please click on the header for the statement of Alderman Duchild as it was presented to the Mayor and the BOA!

Tom Ford

NO. 670