A Blogger asked three important questions that we should be discussing here, so............
I moved them to their own thread so we can all make suggestions and comments. If were serious enough about our fair City maybe we can come up with some ideas that I will forward on to the Mayor and the Board of Alderman.
Please put your thinking cap on and give us your recommendations, you don't have to explain your suggestion, just post it and it will be read.
!.) What are the city assets?
2.) How do we use the assets to generate revenue?
3.) Where can we gain increased efficiency?
Tom Ford
NO. 883
Please put your thinking cap on and give us your recommendations, you don't have to explain your suggestion, just post it and it will be read.
!.) What are the city assets?
2.) How do we use the assets to generate revenue?
3.) Where can we gain increased efficiency?
Tom Ford
NO. 883
posted by Crestwood Independent at 08:21
35 Comments:
At risk of really getting people p.o.'ed, here are some of my ideas, if any one is listening.
City Parks land is a City owned asset.
What is the revenue brought in by the Parks divided by ALL costs to operate said Parks and Rec. Dept? This will be the "operating ratio" (O/R) of that Dept. Goal in a perfect world of Government spending would be 100%, IE: every dollar spend is offset by one dollar collected by user of City product. I doubt that a 100% O/R is attainable much less acceptable to the citizens, however...If the ratio of Citizen user to non citizen user is found, a truer O/R can be found.
Next determine the market value of the land and physical facilities of the City owned Parks. Reason for this is, would a current park be move valuable to Crestwood citizens if it were sold to a developer for the purpose of building new residential homes than its current O/R?
Bottom line is, for the number of Crestwood citizens who use their parks, are we spending more than need be? Would a better use of the land (if under used) be to sell the land to raise capital, reduce Dept. costs, increase City population, increase income from real estate taxes on new homes?
Next question, do we need a City Engineer? Why, what does our engineer do that we can not receive by contracting out the project? Does our Engineer do all the work on a street rebuild, or storm water project now? When was the last time our Engineer developed a project in house without using out side consultants? Hasn't the Dept Head of Public Works become a personnel administrator position vs a position requiring a Civil Engineer degree?
Just some ideas to stir up the juices a bit.
9:25 AM Blogger: Good questions ! I live on Spellman Park and most of the time you could fire a canon without hitting anyone. There is a very nice jungle gym set two tennis courts and a baseball back stop that are hardly ever used, unfortunate.
I do not believe we need a City Engineer as there are no plans created, or stamped in Crestwood anymore.
The job of Public Works Director is needed, but at the 'right salary.' When our last one was hired Mr.Eckrich said we could draw very qualified candidates for $64,000.00 per year (minus a take home car.)
Something happened since he said that as were paying him $91,000.00 WITH a take home car for the same job, why is that ?
No one is irreplaceable no matter how much they think they are. As Charles De Gall stated so eloquently "The grave yards are full of indispensable people."
Your right when you say these are "touchy" subjects but if we are to survive the coming storm we need them out in the open.
Tom Ford
9:35 poster
Excellent suggestions and questions.
No one get p.o.Ed.
Tom
Stop the song and dance about the city administrator-public works person known as Jim Eckrich. Budget time will correct the error.
1:29 PM Blogger: "Song and dance?" This thread is for SUGGESTIONS and money saving items, and that correction is certainly one of them !
Where do YOU think we can start saving money, pray tell?
Tom Ford
Crestwood's main problem is the cost of fire/EMS service. Sales tax paid the bill in past not any longer. You need to compare Crestwood to other cities that provide fire/ems service in St. Louis County. EVERY single one has a MUCH higher property tax rate than Crestwood. Time to pay the piper folks... nickle and dime cuts is only good to a point when the White Elephant is staring back at you!
Great idea. Would you be willing to chair a committee
That would recommend some best practices?
I don't think Fire or Police should be tampered with unless the city is "going down for the third time".
Parks could be looked at, but Whitecliff is fine as is. Maybe some smaller parks that are seldom used could be looked at, but parks do make the city a "nicer" place to live in.
The City Administrator/Public Works/Public Services, and the timing of the announcement, and closed meetings, seem like some kind of special deal was made. The details of this should be looked at.
There are several "special interest" services that need to be looked at also.
Not proposing "tampering" with the FD. It is nice to have have your own FD. However, sombody has to pay the bill. Those that shopped at the mall did and now the residents need to.
9:27 May 10 - As much as I hate to say this, in my view, you are correct!I know that those of us who thrived on sales tax money for years and who enjoyed the benefits of a low tax rate, may not agree, but it is time to get realistic.
We can get rid of some positions in the city and maybe some people can go part time; we could get rid of the Kiosk because people for years could just go to the city clerk's office for directions, for information and those who didn't know Crestwood very well who were looking for a particular street, found it very beneficial. It was no big deal to them - they did it every day.
But because Crestwood's low tax rate benefited everyone for years, I don't understand why some people - now that times are really tough - can't comprehend it's time to give back to keep what we have.
If we cut back on services and cut back on employees, it is still only a drop in the bucket to what we need;especially when we see that other communities have always had higher taxes and people did just fine paying it.
I know we are taxed to death, yes, but not by Crestwood and therefore, Crestwood should not suffer for the taxes imposed by other entities.
This idea does not set well with many of us senior citizens who live on a fixed income; but I would rather pay more and know that if I get sick, our police and fire are just minutes away and the ETA is much faster. The lives they save may be mine.
last night's boa meeting was conducted smoothly; however the boa themselves seems to be divided into two groups: spenders and those trying to save some of the city's money. More interesting is the way four boa members seem to vote lock step on ALL issues. It's incredible to see four adults vote as if they agreed to vote the same no matter what. I find nothing sader than watching an adult follow the leader rather than thinking for themselves.
Driving in from Ohio today i heard today the St. Louis police Department has taken away the "take home cars."
As i see it there are two, and three only positions that should have take home cars in Crestwood and they would be, Police Chief and Fire Chief.
All others need to stay at City Hall or Public Works to save the gas and maintenance costs.
Tom Ford
12:20 PM Blogger: Indeed, as General George Patton once said " If everyone is agreeing with everyone else, someone is not thinking."
The "tax and spend" side of Dias is one major reason why a tax increase will not fly in Crestwood for some time to come.
We have seen them renege in lock step on "sunset date" promises, spend what we don't have, and act as though "they" were the only ones that know what we need !
By the way, did you see that we are looking for a new City Administrator with BUSINESS EXPERIENCE ? This is an excellent idea, and should have been done from the start !
Tom Ford
here's a question: why do the police and fire chief need take home cars?
I believe that the Fire Chief, or Assistant Chief Respond to major calls direct from home.
That may also apply to the Police Chief.
I have no problem with these, but I don't think it is OK for people going to, and from work, or for personal business.
What's going on regarding the animal control officer? Did anyone ask about it at the board meeting. Remember how this was such a big rage a month or so ago? To listen to some people, she would have been gone by the time the mayor said "I do" to the Oath of Office.
1:33 John
It should only apply to the Fire Chief / Fire Marshal as they are the only department heads that actually live in the city. You should lose that "privilege" when you elect to move out of the city you serve.
10:27 AM Blogger: The real problem is that in most of Crestwood the purchase tax rate is 9.25% thanks to TIF, TDD, CID expenditures that are now biting us in the back.
Remember the private pool, the must have Kohl's store, the Apple bees center, and now the potential bail out of Pulaski bank? All of these plus restrictive sign ordnances, and a business UN-friendly climate have led to the box canyon we now find ourselves in.
We have had nine tax increases including Prop S in just as many years, and all the money has been foolishly spent as though it was the good old days of the Plaza.
We have quite a few things that MUST be done before ANY tax increase has a chance of passing, and we all know what they are, so I won't belabor the points.
The good news is that we have a new mayor who I am told has impressed quite a few citizens at his first outing, and we are looking for a City Administrator with BUSINESS EXPERIENCE. Add to that the fact that White Cliff will be paid off in 2012, and it begins to look quite a bit brighter.
Are we out of the tunnel yet? Well, no, but the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer a train, but rather a new day. for Crestwood.
The last election was not the "Beginning of the end, but rather the end of the beginning," (to paraphrase Mr. Churchill.)
Now where to begin the needed cut's ?
Tom Ford
It all makes sense Tom. For once, I agree with what you say. HA! I too am hopeful with our new mayor and a new beginning and understanding of the facts. Also, I am very happy about Whitecliff will be paid in 2012. I didn't know it so thanks for the good word. I do feel in my heart of hearts that we will survive our mistakes and by knowing them, we will go down a better path to solvency.
6:21 PM Blogger: Can I hear an AMEN ! Your right, we all have reason to rejoice in the knowledge that we in fact not only have a chance, but by the grace of God (and sound leadership) were going to do it !
Will it be easy? Well no, someone (or some group) is going to get their skirts mussed, but we will do it, I promise you that much.
Tom Ford
Tom.... Sorry TDD & CID having nothing to do with it. Kohl's is packed, Shopn' Save and Sam's is too. All have a TDD.... not stopping anyone from shopping at those stores. The Mall is DEAD no TDD or CID. It paid the bills and now it doesn't. Crestwood has made some modest cuts, but they are not enough to overcome the MILLIONS of $$$ that the mall brought in. TDD & CID didn't kill the mall... Gravois Bluff's/West County Center did.
10:24 AM Blogger: Well if you say so, but I have never seen the "throngs"you mentioned at either of those stores.
"Modest cut's?" There you have it my friend, in fact I would opine that it's no cut's at all.
We have inflated salaries with take home cars, overstaffed (for this economy) Departments, DUPLICATE services, and a silly bridge that we can't even use as a citizen !
Tax increase ? Nope, at least not until ALL other avenues have been applied. We have given increase after increase to the City, and all we see is more spending when less is the order of the day !
We have a new Mayor, who in my opinion will be a catalyst for growth in Crestwood, and when were rid of the "Tax and spend" side of the Dias things will change for the better.
Let's give Mayor Schlink a chance to appoint a new City Administrator, and repair the damage done over the last six years before we talk anything about a tax increase !
Tom Ford
Are you planning to give Mr. Schlink the same 15 months to fix everything in the city you were prepared to give the president to fix the whole country? It should be shorter, I think, given how small Crestwood is. Maybe 8 months or so.
8:41 PM Blogger: Well first off the president has demonstrated that he couldn't fix a one horse race !
Mr. Schlink will be making recommendations that will be not only workable, but profitable for Crestwood (business man remember.)
Mr. Obama is a socialist while Mr. Schlink is a "Conservative realist" so there is no possible comparison between the two other than they are both male.
Tom Ford
I also notice you didn't answer my question. Does Mr. Schlink get the same short amount of time to "fix" the city? I say, given how little time you gave the president for the whole country, that Crestwood should be operating just as it was when the mall was up and spitting out money in, say, 6, 8 months? Now that he's in office, all things should be completely recovered in that time? It sounds reasonable, given your standards for others.
I would like to offer one bit of information for comment.
If the taxpayers of Crestwood approved a doubling of the real estate taxes the revenue would only increase by 500k.
What is the point you ask?
Our revenues have declined over $3million from the peak.
Increasing property taxes does not seem to me to be a solution by itself.
4:34 PM Blogger: be careful my friend you run the risk of trying to be too cute by a half.
But since you want to play ridiculous games, Mr. Schlink get's all the time he needs to fix what your boy screwed up.
Now play with that for a while, and while your at it tell us what disaster YOUR President has in store for us in the future !
Tom Ford
4:34 Tom is a "party politician"; He would never say anything bad if a republican was president and would never find one thing wrong. It doesn't matter if OBama was the best president Tom would never, ever credit him cause he is a DEMO AND Not only Obama, but any Demo. who has or will hold office.
That's what I call crazy and wrong. Republicans eat, drink, sleep, play and are made of the same flesh and blood as all of us; they are human and have made some historically bad decisions, but you will NEVER, EVER hear Tom belittle them in any way just the Demos.
Don't bother yourself even asking Tom to answer your questions because he doesn't understand what you mean. And if you are upset with his slurs about this President or any other Demo on this blog, he will tell you, if you don't like it, start your own blog. He holds all the cards, comprenda????
To that I say my president gets all the time he needs to fix what YOUR guy screwed up for 8 years. Thanks for that. And I am perfectly happy to give Mr. Schlink all the time he needs.
There you go again Tom; you just can't stop yourself from making bad remarks about Roy. I don't understand your reasoning. Don't you want to move forward or do we always have to hear your rendition of Roy. Now that we have a new mayor, you just have to keep thumping the previous one.
I, too, wonder as the previous blogger, how much time you will give Jeff to turn things around. He's not God you know and he can't perform miracles. But because you have no demonic vendettas with this mayor, you sanction this new one.
I will bet if he doesn't get everything done in record time, you will probably blame it all on the previous mayor and once again we will have to hear you hammer and slam him. I think you will always be obsessing about him which is really not good for your health. Your blood pressure must be sky high!
Geez give it a rest. Whether you choose to believe it or not, this country as well as Crestwood are living in crisis times. Now you can blame it on whoever you want, but that's the way it is. But in your mind, I cannot believe that you can't see that this whole country started falling apart before OBama became President and Roy had nothing to do with the Mall closing. Spending habits were out of hand years ago and that's why we have had no reserves. Look it up in the minutes and you will see it for yourself. If you want to blame Roy, you will have to blame other mayors also.
But if it makes you feel better, blame it all on Roy and Obama. Holy Cow!!!!
Tom:
Both Kohl's and Sam's are very successfull. The Kohl's TIF paid off way early. Crestwood has cut nearly 30 employee positions from its peak of 125. These were cops, firemen, parks, and public works. The fact is that that Crestwood has a Fire Department that needs $2.6 Million of the General Fund. The fire sales tax generates $500,000. The General Fund is subsidizing the FD to the tune of $2 MILLION. A .50/$100 tax increase would cover this. Crestwood's property tax rate would be in line with Webster Groves. Residents of Sunset Hills are paying .62/$100 for the same service from the Mehlville FPD. So Crestwood residents would still be getting a great deal.
9:30 am May 19th - I agree with you 100% and I have been trying to ask people to compare our tax to what other cities have like Webster and Kirkwood. But trying to make people understand it, is another story and one that falls on deaf ears.
This money issue is now in the hands of the new mayor and board. If Jeff and the board have a different solution, I sure would love to know what it is.
We can scale down spending and staff til the cows come home and it isn't going to give us a drop in the bucket to what we need.
Before I would give up our fire or police departments, you bet I would vote for a tax increase. We have been taxed to death FOR SURE -But it comes from other entities and not Crestwood.
Thanks.
Muddling the issue with TDD, TIF, CID, and Animal Control Officer being the problem does not help. The fact is that we are trying to run a Cadilac service (Fire Protection\EMS) on a Chevy Budget. You can move pieces around and trim the "fat" but at the end of the day the numbers don't lie... FD cost $2.6 million. Fire sales tax generates $500,000. General Fund subsidy of $2.1 Million.
6:48 PM Blogger: Funny, I didn't mention any names, you did, and I am supposed to be the one who "can't let it go?" Very strange indeed !
Tom Ford
12:18 PM Blogger: OK, please tell us what makes you think that if we provide more money that it will not be spent on items we really don't need at this time (as the others were?)
I want to see Mayor Schlink's new Ward Two Alderman appointment at work foe a while before I grant one dime. Remember the "tax and spend cronies of the former mayor are still sitting up there waiting to pounce again. By the way, were all "bridged out" so what would be next ?
Tom Ford
6:29 PM Blogger: No, what Tom is would be classified as a realist ! I abhor waste and abuse no matter what side of the aisle (or Dias for that matter.)
Democrats are historically the party of tax and spend, and lately the Republicans are no better, and that's why I am a TEA PARTY member, and I believe it's time we all were.
By the way, you seem to ,like to say Tom is this and Tom is that, so where do you come down on any of this, or are you too ashamed to say it ?
Tom Ford
Good Grief Tom - Re: 6:48 - you think because you don't mention any names that we don't know who you refer to in your comments.
I swear, you are just like the energizer bunny - you just keep on going and going! Why argue the point? I gave my opinion of your comments? Nothing debatible! You would argue about a "bar of soap" for goodness sakes!
I am just saying.....in my opinion....you just cannot let the previous mayor alone. He was this ...and he was that. Who cares anymore; but you keep being so obsessed and want to blame him for everything. Not so!
Now that we have a new mayor.... you just keep beating a dead horse. So who cares that names were or were not mentioned. We all know who you refer to. Again and still, in my opinion, you just can't let your hatred go for the previous mayor, and most certainly blame everything on him because you like it that way. The old blame game is your forte. And the public being tired of the mess this country is in, they are eager to blame someone but it isn't that simple and you, being a smart man, should know it.
IN REALITY, TOM, if you did your research you would find out that the previous mayor didn't cause all of the problems we face today in Crestwood, and if you would read the minutes and do the research as I have, you would see it. Beware of those who have eyes and just can't see.
No need to keep this issue going - it's your blog - and I am giving my opinion, and that is all I am doing!
A man who has a blog or is a good newspaper reporter should know that people don't always agree with you and may even dislike what you say; but they have a right to say it. I defend your right to say it, but I don't like it because it isn't the truth. You have an ax to grind with Roy, and it interferes with what you say.
4:53 PM Blogger: OK, we disagree, case closed !
Tom Ford
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