Saturday, June 23, 2012

Announcing the first annual BBQ cook off contest at The Sappington House!





Ladies and gentlemen, please mark your calender's to attend the first annual BBQ cook off to be held at The Sappington House Barn on Saturday, August 25, 2012 from 11:00 AM till 6:00 PM.

Participants from all four wards are invited to compete (sign up forms will be at City Hall,) and the judges will be invited from the following City offices:

The mayor.

Public Works (Roseann has accepted.)

The Police Department.

The Fire Department.

A "traveling trophy" will be inscribed with the winners name and displayed at City Hall, with "smaller" trophy's being awarded to the second and third place winners. The decision of the judges (honest to a fault) will be final.

As of this writing we will have members of the Trappers of Starved Rock, reenactors group in attendance dressed in period clothing to explain life in the late 1700- early 1800 period to all interested parties.

This will be a great family fun day for all, and we know it will be a great way to showcase our fair City as well as the Thomas Sappington House. Our City was voted the best place to raise children in Missouri, and this is but one way to show the area why.


Tom Ford

NO. 1031

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Crestwood Courts (Nee Plaza) where the big stores are not!

Ladies and Gentlemen, it would appear we are at the crossroads of either making something out of what is fast becoming nothing, or just sitting on the sidelines watching the rest of the County pass us by.

In my opinion we can no longer sit idly by and wait for yet another proposal from the good folks at Centrum properties to filter down to the City Fathers. We expected great things when the new owners took the helm, after all they were "locals" who grew up at the old Plaza. So far what we received is not exactly the greatest thing since, well, anything.

I for one believe it's time to play a bit of the old St. Louis hardball with our friends from Chicago. We should advise them of our ever growing concern over the lack of use, and the potential for vandalism and crime that empty space seems to bring with it.

Tell them that we expect (and demand) that something be done, and very soon else we move to blight the property in the very near future. It's been four years of ever growing tenant loss to the point now that about all that is left is an eyeglass store.

Now as to the viability of a TIF, TDD, CID to "help" the developer along the way, I say absolutely not! Why, well we already have one of the highest retail tax rates in the County and we do not need another percentage point anywhere in Crestwood. Also every time this is done our school district looses funding that they can ill afford.

Now, what are your thoughts, and why please.


Tom Ford

NO. 1030

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

When I was a kid we didn't have 'that green thing!'

From an old shipmate of mine in the 60'.




Checking out at the store, the young cashier
Suggested to the older woman that she should
Bring her own shopping bags because plastic
Bags weren't good for the environment. The
Woman apologized and explained, "We didn't
Have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The cashier responded, "That's our problem
Today. Your generation did not care enough to
Save our environment for future generations."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the
Green thing in its day. Back then, we returned
Milk bottles, pop bottles and beer bottles to the
Store. The store sent them back to the plant to
Be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could
Use the same bottles over and over. So they really
Were recycled. We refilled writing pens with ink
Instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the
Razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away
The whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an
Escalator in every shop and office building. We
Walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into
A 300-horsepower machine every time we had to
Go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have
The green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's nappies because
We didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried
Clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine
Burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really
Did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got
Hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or
Sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that
Young lady is right. We didn't have the green thing
Back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house
-- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small
Screen the size of a handkerchief (remember
Them?), not a screen the size of the county of
Yorkshire . In the kitchen, we blended and stirred
By hand because we didn't have electric machines
To do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile
Item to send in the post, we used wadded up old
Newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic
Bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine
And burn petrol just to cut the lawn. We used a push
Mower that ran on human power. We exercised by
Working so we didn't need to go to a health club to
Run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But
she's right. We didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank water from a fountain or a tap when we
Were thirsty instead of demanding a plastic bottle
Flown in from another country. We accepted that
A lot of food was seasonal and didn't expect that
To be bucked by flying it thousands of air miles
Around the world. We actually cooked food that
didn't come out of a packet, tin or plastic wrap
And we could even wash our own vegetables and
Chop our own salad. But we didn't have the green
Thing back then.

Back then, people took the tram or a bus, and kids
Rode their bikes to school or walked instead of
Turning their mothers into a 24-hour taxi service.
We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an
Entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.
And we didn't need a computerized gadget to
Receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000
Miles out in space in order to find the nearest
Pizza joint.


But isn't it sad that the current generation
Laments how wasteful we old folks were just
Because we didn't have the green thing back then?


Tom Ford

NO. 1029

Monday, June 11, 2012

BBQ AND CHILI COOK OFF ANYONE? We have an idea for a fun day courtesy of Mr. Chris Miller. Ward 4.



Ladies and Gentlemen this plan to have a cookoff in Crestwood is in the infency stage as we do not have a venue or a date set yet, but we do have the idea courtesy of Mr. Chris Miller, Ward Four resident smd hopefully committee member.

If you read the last part of the thread below you will see how Mr. Miller brought the idea to the table so to speak, and Ward Two Alderman Tim Trueblood adopted it as a way to showcase Crestwood this summer.

Ms. jackie Stock and I will be visiting the Westlake Ace Hardward store today to visit with the management and get a handle on their feelings referenc holding it on the parking lot there.

Stay tuned, and please make any suggestions to run or improve here as we will be forming a committee soon and they will be passed on. By the way, would YOU like to serve on that commettee? If so please contact Jackie Stock. Alderman Trueblood, or me for further.

Tom Ford
341-2307

Friday, June 08, 2012

Suggestions from a business prospective on City debt reduction.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been suggested that we start a thread for the Ad Hoc purpose of discussing how to reduce our debt in Crestwood until things get better (if they ever do.)

As most of you know I have spent over 40 years in business management from working for others to owning, running, and retiring from the HVAC field only to return for another fourteen years of fun. That will come to an end on June 28, 2012 when I retire for the second time and take up consulting to the industry locally.

The above outline is given only so you know I have more than a passing idea of how and what it takes to succeed in good and bad times. We now face the 'bad' times what with the Courts closing, and the general business climate in disarray. The chance of the Courts reopening any time soon is Nil as even if they started tomorrow (they won't) it would be five to six years before we saw any revenue from the new entity.

Now what would I do if this were a business I was placed in charge of? Well the first thing would be to have an audit preformed on EACH department so I would know for sure what was, and was not vital to running same. Secondly I would review the managerial salaries of each department head and if needed ask the managers to take a cut until we get back to profitability. Third I would review EACH position to determine what was needed and what was in fact an amenity and not a necessity.

Once these things were evident I would then make the hard decision to cut employees, excessive salaries, vehicles and equipment not needed, and place a strict budget (no exceptions, no summer interns, no fooling) in play for ALL the department heads. Would it surprise you that there is a budget request for an 'intern' in the Public Works Department? It did me as we can't afford this sort of thing now even if it's a close friend or relative you want to put to work!

The bottom line is to close what is not needed or is a duplicate service (both County and we provide,) cut where it must be done, and then run on an austerity program till the economy perks up, or we have more revenue.

We elected representatives to speak for us and to vote the way their constituents wanted them to vote, not just rubber stamp any willy nilly idea that comes before them. That said, they need to step up and make the hard decisions needed for the foreseeable future, else were in trouble.

I have heard the words 'tax increase' so many times it's pathetic! I am more than willing to make PROP -S a 'full time' increase, and I bet all of you would join me in that endeavour as well. However I oppose any further increase until and when the City fathers decide to make the changes above (or ones like them) to reduce the excess spending.

Well now you have my ideas on what must be done (and very soon) to stop the bleeding, so may I have yours?


Tom Ford

NO. 1028









Saturday, June 02, 2012

Is it me or is the Government out of control?




This latest ban on soft drinks over 16 oz's in New York is a classic example of the "nose of he camel in the tent." What we have here is a out of control do gooder in the form of a politician who is telling Americans what the can, and can't eat, drink, and yes, season their daily intake of food.

I know that some will say it's for the right reasons, but a usual it turns out to be for all the wrong results. Does this clown really think that the American people are so stupid as to not order TWO if they want 32 oz's? Or is it that the real idea all along is to TAX the soda twice thus making more for the "tax and spend" crowd to squander?

What to do? Well for openers I will NEVER visit New York City as long as that fool is in office, nor will I EVER buy anything on line that comes from there. As the old saying goes, hit em in the wallet and maybe the light will be seen.

For once before I die I would just like to see democrats and Republicans keep out of our lives and leave us to our own devices, please!

Tom Ford

NO. 1027



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