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West Newsmagazine is West St. Louis County's
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Community Briefs |
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| Chesterfield
Arts Commission dissolved In one of its busiest meetings of the year, the Chesterfield City Council moved to dissolve the Chesterfield Arts Commission on June 16. Chesterfield Mayor John Nations said the move is being made due to the fact that Chesterfield Arts has been providing contract services to the city. “I’m glad to announce that the arts have grown so much in the city of Chesterfield that the art programs are essentially run for us now through Chesterfield Arts,” Nations said. “A couple of years ago, the city had a proposal put into the budget for the city to establish a contract for services with Chesterfield Arts to provide art programming and services in the city. We funded those programs to the tune of about $75,000 a year.” Nations also noted that many members of the commission also are members of the board of directors at Chesterfield Arts. “The Chesterfield Arts Commission was like a lot of other citizen advisory groups, but as Chesterfield Arts has come on and done a tremendous job, it’s really more appropriate for them to function essentially as the arts commission for the city,” Nations said. “What has happened over the past few years is that the eight people I had put on the Chesterfield Arts Commission were essentially the same people that I was putting on the Chesterfield Arts Board and the commission itself was not meeting separately as a commission as such and it didn’t make sense for it to.”
Going wireless Officials on June 16 approved a contract with Network 1 Communications for wireless Internet. The wireless Internet contract with Network 1 Communications of O’Fallon will essentially give Chesterfield residents the opportunity to subscribe to wireless Internet service plans starting at “I expect for it (wireless Internet) to come online here frankly in not many months,” Nations said. “Network 1 is ready to get things going and as soon as they get approval they start looking at buying and installing the equipment. I would say that in the next few months the service is going to be available.”
New road The Chesterfield City Council on June 16 approved funding for Central Park Road and the construction of a soccer pavilion at the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex. Central Park Road will link Lydia Hill and Burkhardt Place as it runs along the border of the city’s Central Park and property that Sachs Properties is developing for Downtown Chesterfield. The road will be constructed by J.M. Marschuetz Construction Co. for approximately $2 million and the funding for the road will come through a combination of proceeds from the bonds and general fund reserves.
“Central Park Road helps us bring our downtown into better focus and ultimately allows access to our planned amphitheater and our planned veterans’ memorial,” Nations said. “It will be a closer and more direct connection between the YMCA and Central City Park.”
EllisvilleFinancial stability A recent audit of the 2007 finances for the city of Ellisville concluded that it the city is in good standing. The report found that the city has assets over liabilities. The city's general fund increased by approximately $2.3 million last year. According to the report, it is able to receive revenue and pay off debt. Of the city's funds, it is able to use 46 percent and spend any way it deems necessary. Ellisville Mayor Matt Pirrello said at the June 18 Ellisville City Council meeting that it is a good sign during a "floundering economy."
"We continue to be on a course to provide stability for the city and its residents for many years to come," Pirrello said.
Town & Country
Urban deer
A group of concerned residents who strongly oppose any initiative that would allow hunting or any form of killing of urban deer or other wildlife in the city of Town & Country has started an informational Web site: urbandeer.info. According to the Web site, the mission is to promote knowledge and provide residents with facts “based on scientific data and publications as it pertains to Immunocontraception (PZP Fertility Control) and other non-lethal methods of urban deer management.”
It also seeks to promote co-existence of residents and wildlife as well as teach children tolerance and ways to resolve issues regarding urban deer and other wildlife.
West CountyDispatcher retires Central County Emergency 911 as well as fire and EMS service providers in the St. Louis County Area recently recognize the retirement of Shift Supervisor Dispatcher Toni Cavin. Officials said that Cavin has been instrumental in the region for more than 20 years as an emergency services dispatcher. During the June 19 Board of Director's meeting, Central County E911's Executive Director Michael Turner and the Board of Directors recognized Cavin for her years of service and accomplishments. Cavin is expected to officially retire on July 4, but officials said that her knowledge will be carried forward for years to come with current dispatchers whom she has trained. She has held the position of training officer for the organization for more than 10 years. Cavin also has be influential in the implementation of the Missouri Mutual Aid system that moves critical assets such as firefighting equipment, HAZMAT Teams and Heavy Rescue Teams to disaster areas across the state of Missouri and Eastern Illinois.
Average income of those in need drops Circle Of Concern officials said that the average income of families that the charity is helping is declining. "The poor in Southwest and West County are getting poorer," Circle Of Concern Director Glenn Koenen said. "Paycheck income is not increasing with the cost of living and more people are getting squeezed out of the work force." Circle Of Concern requires each household getting help to bring in information on their income and expenses each time they receive food or other help. Periodically, Circle reviews that information from an entire month's worth of households helped. Circle recently completed a review of the families helped in May 2008. The results were as follows: * The number of households with paycheck income is dropping. Just half of the families receiving food in May had paycheck income, down from almost three-quarters of the families in 2006. A growing number of workers are unable to find jobs with traditional employers. They try to survive on day labor and cash-based work.
* The average paycheck is smaller. A growing number of employed adults can only find part-time or 'as needed' work. In May, the average monthly paycheck income for families with working adults was $1,222.50 - essentially unchanged since 2006. (After allowing for inflation that is about a 5 percent decrease in purchasing power in two years.) The average paycheck income for families of four was $1,366.90, which is just 77 percent of the federal poverty level for a family of four. * More working-age adults are joining the ranks of the disabled. A growing number of baby boomers are being forced out of the workforce by physical or mental issues. Often, due to the uncertain nature of employment during the 1990s and this decade, they only qualify for Supplemental Security Income. The current SSI benefit is $637 per month. "The soaring cost of gasoline has forced many working families to decrease their spending on food, rent, utility bills and other essentials," Koenen said. "Out here beyond I-270 public transportation is not an option. Families have to keep a car on the road so the paychecks keep coming. Add in increases in food prices, higher rent and medical costs and it's easy to see why a record number of families can't make it without help from Circle or other charities."
This year Circle Of Concern's pantry is feeding a record number of people. In May, for example, Circle fed 1,105 people – 14 percent more than the charity helped in May 2007.
MissouriCongressional candidate forum The League of Women Voters of St. Louis is sponsoring a candidate forum for Democrat candidates running for U.S. Congress (Dist. 2) in the Aug. 5 Primary Election. All Democrat candidates running for this office have been invited. The forum is slated for 7-8:30 p.m. on Mon., July 7 at the St. Louis County Library - Thornhill Branch (12863 Willowyck Drive in Creve Coeur). The forum is free and open to the public. For more information, call (314) 961-6869 or visit lwvstl.org.
Red Cross seeks funds for disaster relief The American Red Cross is currently helping the victims of flooding and tornadoes across a seven-state region in the Midwest even though money is largely depleted from the National Disaster Relief Fund. While continuing the relief efforts in Missouri, Illinois and five other states, the Red Cross is now urging the St. Louis Area community to donate. Since April, the Red Cross has initiated 30 disaster operations during the record-breaking tornado season and severe flooding that has impacted hundreds of thousands of people. Over the past six weeks, the American Red Cross and its partner organizations have opened 100 shelters with more than 9,000 overnight stays. Nearly 1,800 Red Cross workers and 89 emergency response vehicles have served more than 360,000 meals and snacks. In addition, first aid and mental health caseworkers have deployed to provide counseling and support to individuals throughout the Midwest. This series of disasters is expected to cost the American Red Cross at least $15 million; however the National Disaster Relief Fund currently has less than $5 million. Even with the Disaster Relief Fund nearly depleted, the Red Cross continues to provide emergency assistance to clients; disaster clients are seeing no change in Red Cross services which include immediate food, shelter, emotional support, clean up supplies and other emergency assistance. However, without the funds in hand to provide these services, the American Red Cross must borrow money to cover disaster operating expenses. To make a contribution in support of disaster relief, call (800) RED-CROSS or donate on-line at redcrossstl.org.
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