Ward Two and Four Candidates debate to be held on March 19, 2012 at 7:00 PM in the BOA chambers, City Hall

As of this writing I have firm commitments from the following candidates for Alderman in the April election.

Ward Two: Tim Trueblood, Mary Stadter

Ward Four: Steve Nieder, Dan Tennessen

(All Alderman and the Mayor will be invited, but only candidates will be debating.)

The format will be as follows, each Ward will have one hour for questions from the audience which must be hand written in advance with the questioners Name and Ward on it (can be first name only.) The forms for the questions will be available at the door starting at 6:30 PM.

Your questions will then be asked by one of the three moderators (Jackie Stock, Roger Anderson, or Tom Ford.) Each Candidate will have three minutes to answer the question and their opponent will have three minutes for rebuttal if needed.

Each Ward will be given a total of one hour for their portion of the debate, and we will stick to that time frame so as to give everyone a chance to ask and answer.

We ALL ask that the candidates not attempt to "stack" the audience in their favor as we expect fair play from all involved.

Please remember that there is no food or drink allowed in the chambers and your keeping the room as we found it will be greatly appreciated.

We hope to see ALL of you there for this most important debate, and remember, as the man once said, "You get the Government you deserve.

Tom Ford

NO. 996

The Economic Development Board: Please click here to review the Economic Development Board meetings, and their results.

There have been recent comments below reference the great work of our vaunted Economic Development Board, and the stunning results of same. Now I am not the most intelligent person on the planet but I fail to see ANY results of the efforts put forth by this commission.

If you pull up the meeting dates and notes (just click on the header, go to the part where it allows you to choose and click on Economic Development Commission, ) you will see that most of the meetings have been cancelled, or not scheduled at all, so how could there be?

I am thinking that we need a change of personnel on this Board from the City representative on down since it would appear that no one attached to it seems to be concerned enough about the for sale, for lease, for rent signs that continue to appear in our business communities windows to Even hold a meeting every Month.

Can anyone out there show me a positive thing (forget the "reports," show me the "brick and mortar" results,) that can be directly attributed to the commission? By the way, the Crestwood Courts is out of the discussion as WE have no say in what happens there, it's totally up to the Chicago group that owns it.

Tom Ford

NO. 995

We seem to have an issue with incompatibility between the Mayor, the Board of Alderman and the new City Administrator for some reason.

As stated in a previous thread the new City Administrator for what ever reason is not at all happy with the legitimate requests of our elected officials. The latest flap was over the check register of all things. I would have guessed that she would know that the elected officials are certainly entitled to see the books (as are we,) and in fact that's why we elected them in the first place.

At the ways and means committee meeting she produced the check register, but only for $2,000.00 and above, and not the entire register that had been requested by the committee when the request was placed.

I am a firm believer in full and open disclosure of public records which leads me to believe we should be requesting the credit card statements for each Crestwood credit card issued to employees and they should be reviewed monthly by the ways and means committee in open session.

This will no doubt cause a further rift in the already cool relationship between the C/A and our leadership which leads me to a suggestion.

Ms. Eastman, if your not happy in your position or with the way things are done in Crestwood, it's perfectly alright to resign and move on to another location that may be more compatible with your views of how things should be done.

I looked on the computer to find Government positions that are now available to assist you in your search should you decide that resigning is the proper thing for you to do. I found 756 Government openings in and around Missouri, and here is the web site should you choose to look them up.

http://www.career-hound.com/jobs/register.jsp?job=government&location=Missouri City&r=1&CID=484&SID=5462451&OID=341&return_url=http://www.career-hound.com/jobs/resultsRedirect.jsp

Whatever your decision I trust that a new spirit of working together to better Crestwood will prevail at City Hall and we can move forward as a team to improve our beloved community.

Tom Ford

NO. 994

"The more things change, the more they stay the same!" Or a report on the ways and means committee meeting this afternoon.

As I am sure you can tell form the tile of this thread, I attended the Ways and Means committee meeting at City Hall this afternoon.

Our new C/A Ms. Eastman was asked by the members of the committee to present them with the proposed cuts in the budget that CAN be made to bring us back into line with the disaster known as the "recession," she did not. No in fact she tried to defend every position in her department as well as others as being 'inviolate.'

Now I have never been a fan of Charles De Gaulle, but he did say one thing that is relative here, and that is, "The graveyards are full of indispensable people!"

I will not bore you with my comments as you can see them next week if your interested but suffice it to say that I disagreed. In fact I also disagreed with a lady who said "shame on you (the committee) for not proposing a tax increase!"

Crestwood does not need a tax increase, not at all, rather Crestwood needs to learn to live within it's means, and not come to US every other year for a hand out! Ms. Eastman the days of wine and roses are over, we have granted increases to every C/A since Lord knows when, and they have ALL been squandered, so forget it!

Ms. Eastman, you owe the taxpayers of Crestwood an explanation as to why you refuse to make the needed cuts in expenses, salaries, positions and whatever else is needed in order to fulfill the reason we hired you, that being to run an efficient City!

Tom Ford

NO. 993

Visitor's Guide to Driving in St. Louis (from a friend in IOWA. of all places!) Talk about nerve.

Visitor's Guide to Driving in St. Louis


If you live in St Louis you'll understand this. If you've ever visited
St. Louis you'll understand this. If you've never been to St. Louis
consider this your Visitor's Guide to Driving in St. Louis.

1. There are 75 "unofficial neighborhoods" in the City of St. Louis. St.
Louisans commonly give directions--especially for restaurants--to
strangers based on these neighborhoods, which aren't marked on any maps
that are handed out by the tourist board, the AAA or MapQuest.

2. There are 54 school districts--on the Missouri side alone--each of
which has their own school bus system with scheduled times to block
traffic.

3. There are 91 official municipalities in St. Louis County. Each
municipality has its own rules and regulations, and often their own
police departments.

4. More importantly, most have their own snow removal contracts so it's
not uncommon to drive down a road in winter and have one block plowed,
the next salted, the next piled with snow and the last partially cleared
by residents wanting to get out of their driveways.

5. Snow plowing is never a problem in the City of St. Louis. They plow
nothing, and if the forecast calls for snow, they close everything.
Except on "The Hill" (refer to #1 above) where each homeowner goes out
to the street and shovels out one car-sized rectangle and then stands
watch over it.

6. Any car parked longer than 4 hours in the city is considered a parts
store.

7. The City of Ballwin actually proposed that drivers use connecting
strip mall parking lots to get from place to place rather than drive on
Manchester road to cut the traffic on Manchester. (And for good reason.
There is a stoplight at every intersection on Manchester).

8. Laclede Station Road, McCausland, Lindbergh, Watson, Reavis Barracks,
Fee Fee, McKnight, Airport Road, Midland, McKelvey, and Olive
mysteriously change names as you cross intersections.

9. Gravois Road, Spoede and Chouteau can only be pronounced by St. Louis
natives. (Highway 40 as is pronounced as "farty".)

10. A St. Louisan from South County has never been to North County and
vice versa. West County just has everything delivered.

11. No native St. Louisan knows that Lindbergh runs from South County to
North County. And if you tell them, they will not believe you.

12. Lindbergh belongs to every neighborhood except Kirkwood, who had the
nerve to creatively change the name to Kirkwood Road." (Which may be the
reason for number 11.)

13. There are two interchanges to exit from Highway 40 onto Clayton Road
and two for Big Bend. Stay alert, people!

14. If you need directions to O'Fallon, make sure to specify Illinois or
Missouri. This is also true for Troy, Maryville, St. Charles,
Springfield and Columbia.

15. The Page Avenue extension and Airport expansion projects took over
20 years to get approved. St. Louisans lost track of how many political
figures claimed them as their own ideas.

16. St. Louisans were aghast when the federal government required them
to redo the highway signs to indicate that the federal highways went to
cities in other states instead of local municipalities.

17. Drivers are starting to cut their OWN plates rather than go through
the Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles to get new tags. You can also
purchase tags from dealers behind Quick Shops in the city. They are
cheaper, the clerks are nicer, and the service is faster.

18. Lambert Field and St. Louis International Airport really are the
same place. The East Terminal, however, is a different place.

19. Highway 270 is our daily version of the NASCAR circuit.

20. You can go all four directions on Highway 270: North and South in
West County, East and West in South County, and East and West in North
County. Confused? So are St. Louis drivers.

21. The outer belt is Highway 270 which turns into Highway 255 in South
County. The inner belt is Highway 170. Highway 370 is an outer-outer
belt. Highway 40 is the same as Interstate 64 (but only through the
middle part of St. Louis). If you are listening to traffic reports and
they are calling it 64, the traffic jam is in Illinois. If they are
calling it 40, the traffic jam is in Missouri.

22. The morning rush hour is from 6:00 to 10:00 AM. The evening rush
hour is from 3:00 to 7:00 PM. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday
morning.

23. Never ever try to cross a bridge in St. Louis during rush hour
unless you have a sack lunch and a port-a-potty in the car.

24. "Yield" signs are for decoration only. No native St. Louisan will
ever grasp the concept. (Actually, the drivers who are supposed to yield
will not, and the drivers who are not supposed to yield will wait
politely for the ones who are supposed to yield, so it all works out.)

25. If someone actually has their turn signal on, it is probably a
factory defect, or has been on for the last 17 miles.

26. Construction on Highways 40, 64, 70, 255, 270, 44, 55 and 170 is a
way of life, and a permanent form of entertainment.

27. All blue-haired old ladies in Cadillac’s driving on Olive west of 270
have the right of way.

28. In West County, 20 cars will go through a yellow light. Longest
yellow lights I have ever seen. If you slow or stop on a yellow light,
you will get rear-ended or someone will angrily sound their horn at you.

29. It is called a rolling stop at any stop sign intersection. Only
native St. Louisans can do it just right.

30. If it snows or rains, stay home!!!!!!!!!!!!


Tom Ford

NO. 992

City Administrator Eastman seems to have a problem with our Alderman seeing the check book. (read the story in the Call by clicking here.)

As Chester A. Riley used to say, "what a revoltin development this is!" I am at a loss to understand why the Cities check register and expenditures are not automatically shown to the Alderman, after all isn't that why we elected them, to watch the money?

I think we ALL need to make the Ways and Means committee meeting on Tuesday February 21, 2012 at 3:30 PM and ask our new City Administrator why she believes WE shouldn't be able to see where OUR money is going!

I know she is not much of a fan of the FOIA form and all it can produce, but unless she grants the wishes of the Alderman I strongly suggest she gets ready for a few more from me, and whom ever else is interested in the expenditures.

Ms. Eastman, you wanted bonuses and salary adjustments that well may necessitate the City coming to US for a tax increase, no? Well I for one will never support an increase unless EVERY inflated salary has been adjusted back to reality, the take home cars (other than Police and Fire Chiefs) are removed from service, and WE the citizens are privy to the check book register and ALL the expenses this City has incurred.

The time for hand outs has passed long ago, now it's time to cut every 'duplicate' expenditure, and every non essential item before it's too late. Ms. Eastman, will you please listen to the Mayor and our other elected officials and give them what they want, or are you going to 'stonewall,' and thus raise more questions?


Tom Ford

NO. 991

Just for giggles how about a new take on "West side story." Please click on the header to be directed to the video on you-tube.

This is a very clever adaptation of the movie "West side story," by a group of very talented college kids. If your into the Internet and computers I believe you will enjoy the presentation.

This was posted by a friend on Face book this morning, and I thought it was time to 'lighten up' a bit, so............


Tom Ford

NO. 989

Group forces Congressional hearings on 1st. amendment rights. (please click here for the story.)

No matter which side of the coin your on, this is a development that cannot be ignored.

Our Constitution mandates the right of free speech and public decent with some exception's, and now we see that the current Government would usurp those rights for reasons that are not At all clear.

Fortunately we see that a private group has launched an investigation of their own into these possible civil rights violations, and apparently none too soon.

Stay tuned to this one folks, it's your freedom and liberty that is at stake here as if one pillar falls, can the rest be far behind?

"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing!"


Tom Ford

NO. 988

WELL WE HAVE BEAT UP THE DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN,LIBERTIARIAN, INDEPENDENT THING TO THE POIN OF NO RETURN, SO I WILL SHARE THIS.

This came from a good friend in Texas, who like all of us is sick and tired of watching our so called leadership make fools of themselves on the world stage!


"A NEW PHRASE IS BORN:"

"I knew someone would find a name for
our election process this coming year!"




ELECTILE DYSFUNCTION: the inability to become
aroused over any of the choices for President put
forth by either party in the 2012 election year.

Tom Ford

NO. 987

Abbott and Costello explain the Bureau of labor statics 'job report's' (please click here to read it from the FreeRepublic.

So as I understand this, it is quite possible for any Washington denizen, be they democrat or Republican to cook the books in their favor. Well I knew that anyway, but it does give the best explanation of this so called economic indicator that I have seen to date.

This is posted for your edification and entertainment only, so please read it that way and forget the snide remarks about either party as I will just delete them anyway when I see them.

Tom Ford

NO. 986

Crestwood Aldermanic candidates discuss the 'Courts' project and more. (click here for the Call newspaper story please.

Please click the header for a report by the Sun Crest Call newspaper on the candidates for Alderman meeting that Jackie Stock and I sponsored in January.

have questions as to what your candidate's platform is, or if your wondering about the state of Crestwood Courts as it relates to the forum ? This article will clear the fog for you and give you a better insight to the great candidates we have running for Alderman this April.

Tom Ford

NO. 985

Gasoline to top $4.00 a gallon by Memorial day! (click here for the story.

Interestingly enough the 'harmonic convergence' of labor unions, OPEC, and the Iranian problem see to have all come together for this problem.

In a related story the labor unions that represent at least 80% of the work force at our oil refineries have been told to stand by for a strike. The OPEC Nations are looking closely at lowering the oil output, and the Iranians continue to babble about closing the Strait of Hormuz.

I find it interesting that all this comes at a time when our political class is held in lower esteem than a twice indicted used car salesman. Now what if at just the right time a certain party could ride to the rescue and 'solve the problem' of high gas pricing just before the election?

Don't doubt the possibility for a second folks, this election is for the very soul of America, they know it and their willing to do whatever it will take to win it!

Oh, and by the way, not to be outdone the EPA has expanded regulations for generating electricity, as well as natural gas exploration that is sure to raise those commodities by at least 45%!

Please don't take my word for it, just 'Google' your query and you too will see what is going on. When you do verify it, get on the phone with your so called representatives and tell them it must stop!


Tom Ford

NO. 984