Merger of St Louis City and County Research

Analysis of the Better Together Constitutional Amendment Proposal November 2020

A Constitutional Amendment will be on the Ballot November 2020, proposed by Better Together (a non-profit group, sponsored by Billionaire Rex Sinquefield, whose members for the most part, are not from the St Louis Area). As I understand it….and,

Taking out the emotional factors of this proposal, i.e.; said fragmentation being the cause of St Louis City’s failed Economic Development, it’s Crime/Murder rate, it’s failing Infrastructure, the fact that 40% of their land is not taxable cause its tied to nontaxable entities like hospitals, colleges, government buildings, charities, shelters, schools. Their continuous dropping Bond Ratings. The fact that their leadership has given away much of their remaining tax opportunities through TIF’s (the City of St Louis has just over 150 Tiff’s within its boundaries). The Cities inability to pick up trash consistently and policies of putting leaves in the streets that led to cars catching fire. The fact that our County Executive they chose to be 1^st Mayor for 6 yrs. was INDICTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

Let’s look at the proposal for what it says/means itself.

The proposal eliminates the entire Article 6, Sections 30-32, and replaces it. Which means the method devised by our ancestors - the Board of Freeholders, (which is meant to solve/merge these types of issues) will be eliminated from the Mo. Constitution and could never be used again.

The document states that the Metro City’s 1^st Mayor will be the individual that was in the St Louis County Executive position on January 1^st, 2021. Yet to be decided…

The Metro City style of government relies heavily on the Mayor having all the executive and administrative powers. The Mayor gets to appoint: The Metro City Lawyer, and 4 Deputy Mayors that will never be elected into office.

Let’s talk about this St Louis Municipal District. This district is made up of the old entire City of St Louis. It is governed by a new 5-person board that is again Unelected but Appointed by the Transition Mayor i.e. Krewson. With ANY of its successors being Not Elected but Appointed there after by the Metro Mayor. These 5 people will hold office until the Metro Mayor decides to replace them.

Now the Metro Council represents 33 “Municipal Districts” these districts are made up of St Louis County Unincorporated and the 88 Municipalities. __________ and Krewson get to pick which College/Colleges will decide the borders of these Municipal Districts. These borders should respect municipal boundaries “when practicable.” However, this is harder to do than one would think.

In the Amendments genius use of language it guarantees that the Charter created by (_______ and Krewson) goes into effect unless it is rejected by a 2/3 vote of the 33-person Council. 2/3^rd’s in nearly impossible to attain.

Once these districts are designed, the Council member has the authority to merge the municipalities within his/her district, “as their financial obligations diminish”.

Better Together touted that the municipalities would get to stay and run Parks, Admin and Planning and Zoning. However, the 33-person council gets final say over Zoning Matters-which means if they want to build a 12-story building right next to your home, they could override us and do just that and in many areas throughout the Amendment, it states “until the Metro City can provide”. This indicates that once the Metro City is capable of providing these services, the District Councilmember will merge all the municipalities within, thus eliminating them.

The “Metro City Government” will be located within the borders of the old City of St Louis. Bringing new employees to the Earnings Tax pool.

The 1% Earnings Tax will be used to pay off the City of St Louis’s, $2+ Billion debts. It is to be eliminated over a 10-year period, and new employees to the Metro City will get an end of year tax credit. With the City of St Louis having a 1.115 Billion-dollar operating budget, where will the money come from to run the day to day services of the City? The amendment allows for the Metro City to pay for the Services of the St Louis Municipal District, which means you and I will be paying for St Louis City Services, as they are confiscating Municipal Sales Taxes.

In order to make this work the Amendment CONFISCATES the Sales Taxes etc. of the County and its Municipalities and leaves the Municipalities with ONLY its Property Taxes and Utility taxes to Pay for its Parks and Administration duties as well as any remaining financial obligations, including Pensions for its remaining employees as well as the employees that the Metro City Confiscated to become their employees or terminated because they did not need them. Pension issues present several questions ALL their own.

If the above is not enough, let’s look at another objective of the Amendment.

The Amendment Terminates all Municipal Police Departments and merges them into One Metro City Police Department. It ensures that NONE of the Municipal Chiefs or Assistant Chiefs has an opportunity to be a leader in the new Metro City Police Department and again determines that the Metro City Mayor Stenger gets to choose the Chief of Police.

In the Amendments 2^nd Version it deems that the old City of St Louis’s Collective Bargaining Agreements become that of the new Metro City, this indeed opens many questions……

The Amendment CONFISCATES all Muni Equipment, Buildings, Employees, Trucks, Cars, etc. leaving us with only our Parks Facilities/Equipment and Employees.

In the 70’s and 80’s Municipalities typically incorporated because they were not happy with the level of services offered by St Louis County. This is especially true of Police Services and Street Department Services, both of which the Amendment is Confiscating from the Municipalities Authority.

Not to deter from the valued services of St Louis County’s Employees but there is a point when departments get too big and cannot equally service all.

Most municipalities can supply their communities with “Community Policing-(officers know most of us and our needs)”, 2-minute service times, Dare Programs, SRO’s, Neighborhood Watch Programs, officers at all community events, etc., etc.

The average service times prior to incorporation were 10-20 minutes. This was felt to be too long by those who incorporated and most of us today.

Our street departments perform various duties-yard waste, tree trimming, street cleaning, sidewalk repairs, grass cutting, Street Repairs.

How efficiently will all of these services be done, we can already see how “efficiently” the City of St Louis and the County have taken care of these…

But most importantly during the Winter Months Plow our Residential streets.

St Louis City does NOT plow their residential streets, which leaves their residents unable to get off their streets to even go to work in a large snowfall, till it melts.

So, one has to ask, “How does an Ambulance, Firetruck or Officer get to these residents in an Emergency?”

· The governing structure of this amendment will virtually eliminate 30%+ of the Minority Leadership in St Louis City and County, setting back advances that took decades to reach in this area.

· Presumably one of the reasons for this Amendment is to create Equity for all areas of St. Louis. Yet we need only to look to the very examples they shove at us: Louisville, Indianapolis, Nashville to see that equity for all has not been accomplished. In BT’s meeting on 3/20/19, Marius Johnson verified that Municipal Districts would be able to levy additional taxes to get better services- (inclusive of police and streets) so what about that Equity for all Claim???

· The new Metro City promised jobs to all current St Louis City and St Louis County Employees. Yet we see on page 6 that divisions, departments, boards, commissions etc. will be cut…

· They state we will save 50% of our Property Taxes yet this is only the “General St Louis County PPT” so a home worth $100,000 would approximately have a savings of only $58.00.

· Their financials were based on 2017 numbers, but legislation handed down after that year has affected budgets, and they failed to account for that in their numbers in totality.

Most Importantly!

Our most basic rights as citizens of these United States of America are to vote in Elections for public officials. This amendment puts city residents in the position of being governed by a County leader they did not Elect and County residents in the position of being governed by a City leader they did not Elect and won’t get to Elect until November 2022. It Effectively Cancels the Mayors Election in the City of St Louis which was due to be held in April of 2021. And this Amendment further waters down our voices by allowing the entire state of Missouri to vote in it – there by giving the entire state of Missouri authority over how we are governed and the rules by which we must live by.

Yet we do not get to Do that for them? Or will we?

In a public discussion someone explained to me why they thought they should be allowed to vote on this decision. They are against the Amendment but live outside of the St Louis Boundaries and work within them. Though we would love to have that support the truth simply put is:

• “It is not their tax base, i.e. (sales, personal property, utilities etc.) being directly affected.

• It will not be their Street Crews and the jobs they do for us, especially when it comes to snow removal that they will be losing. Or HIGH GRASS due to lack of enforcement as the Codes are now serviced by the new Metro City.

• It will not be their Police Departments that are being confiscated from them. Thus, they will not be losing additional police protections that we enjoy every day and pay extra for happily, to keep us from becoming victims of crimes before the crime happens versus after.

• They will not have to suffer through increased crime as a result of losing say 5 officers on the roads 24/7 that are replaced by 1 officer on the road 24/7 because the population statistics dictate that is all that’s needed.

• It won’t be them that has to live under a Government that they were NOT ALLOWED TO ELECT.

• It will not be them struggling to provide the standard of Park services we are used to due to the confiscation of our Sales Tax dollars and having to pay the Pensions of current, past and Metro City employees out of the Property Taxes and Utility Taxes we are left with.

(but of course, this is meant to work towards our elimination as a city to begin with).

• It will not be them that has to live under a Charter that cannot be changed except by a 2/3 majority Vote which is near impossible to attain.

Read the Amendment, it takes away our most basic Citizen Rights

This vote should be determined by Only the citizens of St Louis City and St Louis County.

Let’s let the Board of Freeholders work as it is designed to work, in this situation.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions. See http://www.stopmerger.org/ or http://www.facebook.com/nocitycountymerger

Paid for by Amy Poelker. (Alderman Ward 2 St Ann, Mo.)

St Louis City has over 150 Tifs, video above

https://fox2now.com/2019/01/23/millions-of-additional-dollars-could-be-coming-to-st-louis-general-fund/

1. What is the Goal/Plan of Better Together?

To create a new form of Government, not currently in the Mo Constitution called a Metro City.
From this we know that most authority of your current local governments will be confiscated from us and be under the authority of the Metro City. Effective two months after passage (January 2021) all cities in St. Louis County become Municipal Districts. These Districts continue to provide current services UNTIL the METRO decides to take over most services. Municipal Districts will ultimately have control over Parks and Trash, Limited Planning and Zoning Review and General Government Services. They can offer any service NOT being taken over by the METRO. Possibly forestry, senior programs, etc. As subdivision of the METRO, the METRO can DISOLVE any Municipal District at ANY time.

2. Who is better together?

BT is a nonprofit group advocacy group whose board members are made of St. Louis business, political elites with the goal of merging the City and County of St Louis, Mo.there is a list of sponsors on their site, this list had gone missing for some time from their website. It is comprised of many huge corporations, the St Louis Cardinals, Realestate, Utilities, Banks, Building and Construction trades and Rex Sinquefield. See their website for a complete list.

3. Would the BT Plan effect larger cities like Overland and St Ann.
Yes-ultimately, they will be eliminated and replaced with what will be called Municipal Districts of the same name I.E. The Municipal District of St. Ann or Overland which will be subdivisions of the METRO Government that will be authorized to offer limited municipal services, The METRO Government will be governed by a Strong Mayor form of government The Legislative Branch of METRO Government will consist of 33 Council Districts comprised of about 39,000 residents and represented by 1 Council member which for the 1st 2 years while the Charter is designed by Stenger and Krewson, these Council members will be handpicked by Stenger. It will only take a yes vote by 1/3 of this handpicked council to accept the Metro City Charter. After the charter is accepted it will take a 2/3 vote of the council to change it. You and I will never get to vote on it.

4. Would our police remain
No, all of the municipal police departments will be dissolved, and one force created. Stenger gets to pick the Chief and the amendment states basically that the muni police who are transferred to the METRO are not guaranteed continued employment.

5. Would our street dept remain
No, the street departments will be combined into one metro city street dept. which leads us to questions like: how often will our streets be cleaned? In a snow storm how long will it take to get to residential streets, or will they be done at all? We know the city of st louis does not plow residential streets. What about pot holes? There are many residential streets and county streets, city as well that need renovation and maintenance. What will the schedule look like for that? What about sidewalks? In 2016 St Louis County was replacing sidewalks and repairing them with Asphalt, even though their own code stated Concrete sidewalks are required.

6. Would planning and zoning remain
The Municipal Districts that replace Cities like St. Ann and Overland will have very limited P&Z review powers. The Board of Aldermen of these Municipal Districts essentially become the Zoning Commission that RECOMENDS to the METRO. The METRO has the deciding authority. I.E. if somebody wanted to put a 300 unit low\mod income housing project in the middle of single-family neighborhood, the Municipal District could recommend against it, but the METRO could still OK. BT has made reference to instating Inclusive Zoning within the METRO.

7. Would court system remain
No it would all go to one main court system

8. What would happen to employees/properties citizens have paid for?
Property associated with functions that the METRO takes over (Police, street department etc. becomes the property of the Metro City to do with what it wants

9. What would happen to pensions and insurance etc.
They say everyone will keep what they have.at least until the Metro City can provide for. This is one of the biggest concerns.

10. What is the BT Timeline see timeline
11. What will governance look like see timeline

12. Who would be the Mayor--- the Amendment states that the person in the St Louis County Executive position on 1/1/2019 will be the Mayor. Until 1/1/2025. Stenger.

13. Who would replace Stenger if something happened to him?
During transition-Krewson
After transition President of the Metro Council which you and I do not get to Elect. Special elections are prohibited unless both stenger and Krewson are dead.

Here I want to inform you of some of my accomplishment’s over the last 8 years 2011-2019 as your Ward 2 Alderwoman of the City of St Ann.

Before I got in office in 2010, I assisted Alderwoman Sherry Hoffman in her fight to prevent Prop S, a street prop that would have had St Ann residents paying to fix city streets for 20 years, so that by the time they were paid off…they would need to be fixed again. We successfully defeated this Prop. It was replaced with a Rock Rd TDD, ensuring revenue for street maintenance but only on roads leading to businesses.

2010 Suggested Camera’s in the Parks, structured to reduce damages caused to our parks like the 2 Pavillion fires, graffiti and holes cut into slides on the playgrounds, destruction of park benches, to protect our children.

1998-Present Actively involved with the Ritenour School District, thru PTO 13 yrs. & Volleyball 8 yrs., School Board meetings & the Ritenour Legislative Advocacy http://www.ritenour.k12.mo.us/pages/Ritenour_School_District/Community/Legislative_Advocacy_Committee and the Ritenour Parent Advocacy Committee in 2018, https://sites.google.com/ritenour.k12.mo.us/ritenourparentadvocacy/home

Once Elected:

2011 Assisted in the Creation of our City Animal Adoption Program. i.e. - Myself and 2 other Alderman Sponsored and pushed the program through the Board of Alderman https://www.facebook.com/St.Animal.Pet.Adoptions

2011 – We voted to Eliminate an entire Ward of the city, so we went from 5 Wards to 4 Wards by 2013. These efforts were to save dollars and be able to re-establish a Quarterly Newsletter to better communicate with the residents again.

2011-Present - Analyze and Question the City’s Budget and Financials monthly.

2011-Present -Pushed to bring the cities Technology use up to date. Currently we accept credit at the Community Center, Pool, Cityhall, with Golf to follow.

2011-Present - Work with neighboring cities

2011 pushed to return the CBD Grant back to the residents for use in repairing their homes. See my website @ www.amypoelker.com front page. Had to reinitiate this fight in April 2019 to keep the money in the residents use.

2011-Present I Actively Market Businesses & all Community Events on Email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Peach Jar, Nextdoor App… to get the word out as far as possible.

2011 Fought to get the street St Gregory Court properly named on the St Louis County mapping system, as residents had trouble receiving mail, packages and even pizza delivery.

2011 reopened the cities swimming pool, summer camp, St Ann Days and put the Easter Egg Hunt back in place after they had been stopped due to budget restraints in 2010, which were solved through fundraising efforts like Trivia, Mouse Races, and Glow Golf. (Thinking outside the Box)

2011 the BOA at the Mayor’s request established the Beautification Committee – its goals to assist those who have no one to help them maintain their homes. This committee also reviews housing March-September and awards per ward - 2 homes and a business based on exterior maintenance each season.

2011 Active member of the Economic Development Committee where in 2012 we successfully gained a Developer for Northwest Plaza now called “The Crossings at Northwest”. This project was always intended to be a mix of Business Offices and light Retail, the thought process being that the Business Offices would create a customer base for the retail businesses and help attract retail to the city again. Current new businesses are Menards, Rulers, Regions Bank, Raising Canes-still the busiest Canes in the St Louis Region, Generation 3 QT, Sprint, Bob’s Discount Furniture, Starbucks- still the busiest Starbucks in the St Louis Region, Charter Spectrum and their Training Center, Election Board, Work Force Mgmt., and a Satellite Assessor’s Office, Cricket, Cardinal Health Care, 3-4 other Call Centers in the 500 Building-plus many other offices, First Watch, Value City Furniture, American Family Insurance, Save A Lot Corporate Office, Fitness Edge and more to come ___________ and in other areas of St Ann, IE; Aarons Rent to Own, St Vincent Depaul, Family Dollar, Bus Loop Burger, Dollar Plus, SABA Pet Store, Brooks Bible College, Aldi’s, St. Louis Black Belt Academy, ATA Tae Kwando, Caterer, Vape Shop, Urgent Care, 3-4 Hair/Nail Salons, another Dance Studio, Dollar General, Waffle House, We Rock the Spectrum-Kids Gym, Manhattan Auction Marketplace (MAM), New Construction 10687 St Charles Rk Rd, new business to locate at 3191 Ashby, Market and Laundromat on June, a Senior Day Care, a Mobil on the Run and a LaundroMat, Deli, Cultivation Center and 2 Dispensaries.

2012 Fought successfully to get St Louis County to add a 2nd Tornado Alarm Tower to the City of St Ann, as we could not hear the one alarm placed on the east side of St. Ann. http://fox2now.com/2012/03/01/demand-for-weather-radios-spike-after-recent-storms/

2012 Created the St. Ann Business Association, and found a President for it. https://www.facebook.com/St-Ann-Business-Association-202804379876362/

2012 Aside from walking the business corridor to inform the businesses of the existence of the St Ann Business Association, I walk the Business Corridor to ensure they are informed on major events within the city.

2012 Fought to allow businesses to participate in St Ann Days. Parade attendees jumped from 30’s to as high as 52.

2013 Assisted citizen Maurice Gayden in his fight to Save our St. Ann Quik Trip, at Wright/St Charles Rk Rd. though we lost this battle originally, I initiated a whisper campaign to not shop in nearby QT’s and wrote the CEO of QT and found a replacement business, in the end we won when our Quik Trip returned August 2014.

2013 Burn Ordinance 2857

2013 Pushed and improved communication between the City and its residents. By Re Establishing the St Ann Newsletter, Pushing information out to the residents through self-paid articles in the Localite Newspaper since 2011, which hits every household in St Ann, engaging in Facebook, Nextdoor App, Instagram & Twitter with the residents and maintaining an Email list where I send out to residents information who are not on Social Media, Post Cards to the 70+, pushed and continue to push for City Website improvements, pushed successfully to get the city to create or improve use of Facebook Pages to reach out to residents for better communication with them i.e. - St Ann Neighborhood Watch, St Ann Parks and Recreation, St Ann Golf Course.

2014 Assisted my partner Aldermen, to push through the repairs of the Livingston & Wright Park Playground.

2014 Requested and Held a Public Forum on the Westlake Pipeline built thru our cities along St. Charles Rock Road. https://youtu.be/dXfiy7Fn6g4 and introduced my Airport Township Committeeman to the topic which in turn brought Senator Roy Blunts participation and a Bill before the Senate s2306 which passed. Also, informed Dawn Chapman that Maria Chappelle Nadal was one of Bridgeton’s Senators and would be a good source for bringing attention to the issues of the Westlake Landfill. These actions led to action by the EPA to remove the waste from Westlake Landfill, on March 6, 2018 I spoke before the EPA, to remove all the waste to ensure the safety of future ground waters as there were 2 Semi Trucks buried in the 70’s about 50’ down. I initiated the investigation in St Ann on this topic. The landfill in 2018 is under direct authority of the head of the EPA, currently there is a plan to Remove the waste up to 20’ and cap. The fight now lies in the Ground Water contamination issues.

https://youtu.be/-OfzM5eiHNc

2014 Assisted the St Ann Business Association in establishing their “Food Truck Events”. Most recently 2016, attained City Sponsorship for the Event. and here in 2017 the Parks Department has adopted the Event to combine it with their Party in the Park Events in Tiemeyer Park for a Grander event plus of course Combining it with their Halloween Event in October. https://www.facebook.com/events/474164286127957/

2014 assisted a resident with a Christmas Caroling project, about 25 residents sang on 2 evenings.

YEARLY - Very active member of our Neighborhood Watch Program.

2014 After forcing bids for trash service, I Negotiated a 2.5% SAVINGS for the City of St Ann SENIORS on their Trash bill above their 10% Senior Discount, for years 2015-2020.

2015/2016 Fought side by side with Municipal Mayors and Police Chiefs at the St Louis County Council Meetings to prevent Government Over reach by St Louis County Council…our own Councilman Sam Page voted to take away your Police Department. http://www.kmov.com/clip/12043856/st-louis-co-adopts-county-wide-police-standards-over-objections-of-some-mayors

Fought successfully to add a Hamm Radio system to our community Emergency response systems. Because as of 3/1/16 after 2 tornadoes we still had NONE.

Assisted my partner Alderman in her fight for a Sidewalk along Wright Ave for public safety. Yet to be installed, but on the list for Federal Grant Streets.

2016 assisted in securing the future of our Parks Dept. thru Prop R the results of which may also be tracked through the Parks Board notes and the City Budgets. http://stannmo.org/130/Parks-Recreation

2016/2018 Christmas Lighting Contest, yearly 2011- present Christmas Light Thank you’ s passed out.

2016 Attained the Businesses Benefits through use of our Community Center, Golf Course and Swimming Pool as a Corporate Membership

2016 Result the Missouri Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional for St Louis County to enforce their standards over municipalities.

2016 As a result of SB5 & SB572 and especially the new court mandates set by the courts, a million-dollar loss in revenue to the city, made it clear that if we are to maintain our current level of policing we would have to be willing to pay for it, just as then Senator Schmitt had intended when he wrote and passed SB5. The BOA voted to put that question to you the voters in April 2017. The result of that vote was 61% yes. Thank you for supporting our Police Dept.

2016 Assigned to the Mayors Golf Course Task Force, to determine its future and/or its needs. Result- Course operates at a deficit.

Sept 10^th of 2016 the First Dog Swim at our Pool took place, this satisfied 3 years of pushing.

2016 Moved to have the residents view the Entire Agenda Packet for our meetings so they could see expenses, revenues and bids etc. just as the BOA sees them.

2017 City received an A2 Moody Rating, praising the cities sound financial management.

2017 Resolution of the City of St Ann against a Statewide vote on a City/County Merger.

In 2017 the residents decided NOT to do a City-wide TDD to solve all the Street, Sidewalk, Trees maintenance issues into the future. We must seek alternative methods to fix our roads.

2017 Suggested and BOA agreed to Create a Street Committee to review our Budget for areas to cut, to move towards street work. I was given Lead on this, requested 2 residents per ward. 8/28/17 On April 23^rd, 2018 we had our 1^st meeting. After 3 meetings the Committee established that there was not money in the Budget to repair and maintain streets and that no cuts, we could make would be enough to get the work done, so some sort of tax would be necessary. After speaking with residents in their prospective Wards the Committee determined a Property Tax would not pass but a quarter cent Sales Tax was preferred, through this method everyone who shops in St Ann would assist in a Dedicated Street Fund for the next 40 years. Outcome-see 2018/2019

Reduced unemployment in St Ann from 9.2% in 2012 to 6% in 2016 to 3.02% in 2017.

2017 Solved a Street Light issue on St Francis, through Ameren Rep.

2017 Reduction in Resident Rates at Tiemeyer Pool from $6A/$5C Seniors $3 to $4A/$3C and Seniors FREE, this resulted in an 15% increase in use from $86,000/yr. to $102,000 in 2018.

2017 Updates to the Animal Code esp. ADA.

2017Established - You Tube Meetings so those who could not attend our Alderman Meetings can still see them.

2018 an Animal Control Board was established

2018 Outsourcing of Grass Cutting of residential violations, which allows city to accomplish the cutting faster and at the Bid Price vs a $500 fine, so the residents win as well by paying the bid cost of cutting only.

2018 Trash receptacle responsibility converted to Owner of property vs resident of occupancy. 3120

2018 City use of Blip Advertising – Electric Bill Boards

2018 Lake Renovation and 2019 Fall Fishing Derby’s reinstated

2018 Solved a 10 Yr hole issue on St Francis.

2018- Present, Playground replacements through grants. Beginning with Tiemeyer by Pavillion 1,2,3 in Fall 2019.

Fought for but lost the battle to allow residents to have chickens in the city-14/15. In 2018 assisted Alderman Murphy with a re-initiative on the Chicken Ordinance. On 8/6/18 the Chicken Ordinance passed with a 4-4 vote and the Mayor saying yes. It was signed into law on 8/30/18.

9/4/18 worked with residents to maintain our Private Property Rights- when the Chicken Ordinance suddenly took a turn that would have required your neighbors to decide if you could have chickens on your private property or not. Outcome- It was sent back to committee where it was decided to not bring it back for a vote.

2018 – Figured out American Water Co is responsible for painting Fire Hydrants and checking them, located contact person and began the process of getting our Hydrants painted in St Ann. November 2018 painting began.

2018 November - With use of the media, successfully sped up the repair work of the Water Co. on Ashby, St Gregory & St. Richard/St. Williams long over due from the water lateral repairs and sewer lateral damage on Ashby.

November 2018 created a Budget Spending and Revenue Chart for the citizens to better be able to understand how their monies are spent.

2018, December – Employee Job Descriptions begun for creation.

2018 November – You Tube to be used in Planning and Zoning Meetings to protect the city from he said she said etc.

8/2018 When County Councilman Sam Page stopped our Sav A Lot Corporate Office from coming to St Ann, simply because he did not get a copy of their Private Lease with the Crossings Developer, our Board of Alderman stepped in to ensure we did not lose this Corporate Office. This project was begun by the Mo. Economic Dev Dept., and Mr Page thought it had begun by the St Louis County Econo Dev Dept. he played politics with 328 Million Dollars of our Economic Development, for his own purposes. He believes that when he passed the County Election Board to come to St Ann that he was duped on the cost. To me this tells me two things: 1. He must not have read his paperwork. 2. As he did not have a concern till 2yrs later, this is simply a political move to remove Stenger during his election year.

2018 Achieved ground testing within the city.

2018 After a year of working with a Citizens Street Committee, achieved an 8-0 vote from the BOA on Dec. 3^rd to attempt a Citywide TDD to end the cities infrastructure needs. Outcome to be determined by a Vote of the People in November 2019.

Other -

Fundraisers for citizens in need i.e.; 2014 Women whose wrist was broken in a robbery on Ashby, 2015 Christmas Eve Fire on St Ann Ln, 2015 Family run over on the sidewalk by the Heroin overdose driver, 2016 St Damian Fire, 2017 another Ward 3 Fire. 2018 a Tablet for the 9-yr. old bit by the Pit Bull. 2019- assisted with fundraising and items of need replacement for the Family Fire on St Christopher that totaled the home.

2012 to Present - Continue to Fight Against the City/County Merger push...They are pushing for One School District like Chicago's which is 70 million in the RED, One Police Dept., One Fire Department, One Parks Department, One Streets Dept., One Executive Office/Mayor. They expect us to believe this will be less expensive but have left out information that differs from their agenda as seen here. http://citiesstrong.com/studies/ where 589 Million was left out of their study of Indianapolis versus St. Louis. Have you seen the condition of St Louis Cities infrastructure? Many of the muni’s have Services that St Louis County does not offer those would be lost. Your Government is only as good as the people in place. Current leadership would suggest that costs are unlikely to reduce/remain reduced. When the city took over their police dept. from the State of Missouri they claimed the citizens would see a 6 Million Dollar Savings…Current leadership is also NOT LISTENING to the people, as a matter of fact in one ST Louis County Council meeting they told a gentleman that speaking before the Council was only to be heard…NOT for them to answer his questions. Currently the fight is moving to eliminate the municipal police departments, eliminate zoning from municipal powers, eliminate the 1% city earnings tax, the B Sales Tax Pool and all sales taxes the munis collect. But leave the munis in place and combine the city and county unincorporated residents with all government offices to move to the city of st louis’ downtown region and a provisional government for 15 months while they set up a election to run what they establish during those 15 months. All signs look to include the SCHOOLS AND FIRE DISTRICTS in round 2 should they win round 1. This will be done by a statewide vote. https://nocofoshojrvbc.tripod.com/amypoelker/id75.html

Had a poll running on Facebook throughout St Louis City and St Louis County to determine whether the citizens of these two regions desire to merge or not. Poll result was 57% against. Even after Better Together and St Louis Strong asked their followers to vote in it.

Use of Federal Grants to Renovate those streets that qualify:
Industrial Drive - 2010
Ashby Rd Bridge - 2011
Breckenridge - 2012/13ish
Adie-2015
Ashby 2019/20
Old St Charles Rock Road - 2019
Federal Grant to apply for is for
Wright Ave and Pear Tree.
These were all typically Million Dollar streets which the Federal Grant pays for 80% of, leaving the city to pay it's 200,000.00.
unused St Louis County's Grant dollars by homeowner's we
redirected for the renovation of St Leonard, No worries the 2018 dollars are still available for use by the homeowners, $92,700.00

I wanted to share this information with you, to assist you in finding information on what you or maybe your kid could do beyond school to achieve a NICE PAYING job.
As I understand it, an apprentice will start at a good wage, right out of high school.
When you graduate you graduate with 40-45 College Credit Hours, and apparently, they have a program to help you complete your degree if you choose to go that route. Great benefits and in this particular union, they do a variety of work... HERE is where there is a lot of job growth currently as the Baby Boomers are aging out and it is getting more difficult to find people in these fields.
Lack of laborers affects us all...
Have you tried to get something fixed and were told it would take 2 weeks to get someone to you.
This is why - the industry needs more workers.
Think about it, if you are in need.
These jobs once trained pay extremely well!

LABORERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
35 OPPORTUNITY ROAD
HIGH HILL, MO. 63350
636-585-1500
apprentice@laborers-highhill.org
WWW.LABORERS-HIGHHILL.ORG