Crestwood's Electeds Nix Notion of Going Digital for City Documents

What follows is a live blogging of the Crestwood Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday night, 7-9pm in Government Center.

7pm: The board unanimously agreed to waive the liquor license fee for Our Lady of Providence Parish, annually. It was not immediately known what the fee is. No discussion.

Grabber School of Hair Design wants to move into the former Lindbergh Cadillac building, with students and customers generating business., according to a spokesman. They would "spruce up" the front and convert to classrooms, he said. 

Staff is 15 people and 60-100 students in the school at one time.

Since 1981, spokesman said they've never had any problems with noise or citations in a different location.

"We would not have a detrimental effect," he said. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for the first shift. Second shift is 3:30-9:30 p.m.

Alderman Wallach says it's a great opportunity to increase the daytime population of Crestwood.

State Farm is moving out of the same building within the week.

Citizen Jerome Friedeck: When will it open?

Grabber spokesman: Hopes to get it in by December because there are tax advantages.

The school needs a conditional use permit.

Wallach: Introduces a motion to vote. 

Unanimous, 7-0 passed. Ald. Pickel absent.

Mayor Schlink welcomes the business to town.

City Finance Officier Greg Kremens to the podium to read off figures for 2nd quarter.

General fund: Revenue $2.3M, Spending $1.8M. Spent less than this time last year by paying off final note of Prop. S $311,000.

Capital Improvement Fund: Revenue $299,101 which is less than last year because of lower sales tax revenue. Spent: $111,365.

Park and Stormwater Fund: Revenue: $605,178 Spending: $1.5M. Transferred in $776,543 funds from the General Fund.

Ald. Miguel: Can we begin to pay back funds to the General Fund (from which the city has had to borrow for other expenses)

Kremer: Advises to wait until next April, when city makes last payment on city Aquatic Center.

Citizen Jerome Friedeck: How many dollars spent on storm water projects? Name 2 capital projects?

City Administrator: Zero dollars were spent on storm water projects this year. Examples of capital projects are the purchase of two police cars, dump truck, and a bridge. He's says it's likely eight years since the city has been in this financial situation.

Kremer: To continue his report says Gov't Wide funds, City revenue $3.2M, Spent $2.26M.

Mayor Schlink: to citizen advisory boards.

Motion to approve. Unanimous approve.

Citizen Friedeck: Calls for Crestwood to raise taxes, because it needs it, he says, and used Lindbergh School District getting a 65-cent tax hike last Nov.

Citizen Shannon: "I'm an employee and resident." She's calling for volunteers at the 2nd annual Car Cruise on Aug. 13, Sat. starts at 11am. Dancers, kids, poker run, scavenger hunt, prizes donated by businesses. Cruising between 4-6pm on Watson Road.

Sha Boom plays from 7-10pm. BBQ by Knights of Columbus and chocolate cake from Boy Scouts.

Citizen John Morrisette: Veteran Memorial Committee, to fundraise for a memorial, they will be at the Car Cruise event in a booth or table.

Ald. Wallach: Planning and Zoning meeting but there were no parking spots b/c of the swim club. "I had to park across the street at the church."

Mayor Schlink: "It seems like a reasonable request."

Ald. Duncan: What's going on with the 7Eleven? What about the Fifth Third Bank?

Ald. Wallach: I have not heard anything new.

Admin. Eckrich: Change of ownership with 7Eleven. Doesn't know anything about the bank.

"It's a tremendous accomplishment, that by April the city will be totally out of debt."

Walgreens request for liquor license. Passed unanimously.

Eckrich: "I like those" when it went through swiftly.

Motion for Mayor to sign documents. Perfunctory. Passed unanimously.

Motion for paperless packet options for boards and commissions.

Ald. Duncan: "How will my prepwork for a meeting change. I disagree with calling it paperless."

"So I'm not getting a Netbook loaded with that information? Am I? That's assuming I want all those documents on my personal computer. Who is going to guarantee I'm not going to get a virus on my computer? Who is going to update?"

Duncan had a conversation with a man in the audience who was not identified. He seemed to provide a few answers.

Ald. Duncan: Why are we using (software) 2007 if everyone else is going to (sofware) 2010?

Unidentified Man: Because the rest of the city is on (software) 2007.

Ald. Duncan: Other cities are going to iPads. "You have to take everything into consideration." Other places are doing it. "Webster Groves is about ready to pull the trigger."

"There was no polling about what we want. So I don't have to change the way I work."

City Clerk Tina Flowers: "This (proposal) is a working document."

Ald. Wallach: "The iPad low-end is $500." We are trying to find something within our means, just to view the document. Not use the keypad. I think with the viewing of the netbooks serves our need.

Ald. Beezley: "Like Ald. Duncan, I too am a dinosaur." She wants a compromise of some paper documents, too. "I would prefer we have a hybrid."

8pm

Mayor Schlink: Says he uses a computer all day, doesn't use his laptop at home. Asks the clerk what a change would mean for the city clerk's work.

City Clerk: "I really can't say. I'd have to try it. I relate to board members who want something in their hands. I'm neutral with this."

Mayor Schlink: "Fair enough, neutral." I wanted to give you a chance to say.

Ald. Beezley: "Maybe we can start with not getting some of the big documents."

Ald. Foote: He thanks Wallach for bringing up the paperless proposal, BUT says the savings in dollars is not very much. He wants to wait and do a little more research. Refers to workload of "our little lady," apparently referring to the City Clerk. He cautions that something better will come along in technology right after city goes paperless with Wallach's proposal.

Ald. Duncan: Do we each need a copy of things that aren't digitized?

Citizen Friedeck: I don't want this, as a taxpayer. Can this information be hacked into by the public?

Mayor Schlink: Once we get information, it's all public (anyway.)

Citizen Friedeck: Do you get a tax deduction if you use a computer for city business?

Mayor Schlink: The conservative answer to that is no.

City Clerk: I have a friend that works for the Kirkwood school district. Asked her if there are grants. Unfortunately, we don't fall into the categories that she knew of, most are education. Corporations were not forthcoming on that either, she indicated.

Ald. Miguel: "I have a challenge for someone? Who is going to train me on the system?" (LAUGHTER)  "But I would like to see it operational. I would like to go very slowly. A move in the right direction, but perhaps a need to have a transition period on something like this. I don't think cost is really the issue here. I'm really not up-to-date on technology."

Ald. Wallach: "I think as a city we need to look at every opportunity for savings. It's about $2,000 savings annually.

"The wave of the future is now. If you Google out there, you can see so many other cities have . . . 

"I get frustrated on this board, because we hash over an idea and look 6 months down the road. I think we should move now. I'd like to have us move forward. The dais up here doesn't have any electricity. We should have had that several years ago.

"I'd like to see us move forward as a board, instead of delay, delay, delay.

Ald. Duncan: "I disagree. Webster Grove is pulling the trigger right now. I think we are saying let's look at more options."

Citizen Steve Neider: He says his team of engineers at work is trying to go paperless. "We rushed into it. We need a whole new server, and that's another expense. It did not reduce the paper after 6 months of study. It actually increased the paperwork and the workload. We needed a person to monitor the whole process."

Ald. Wallach: We'd like to hear what you have. I'll be in touch with you.

Citizen Neider: "The group would be happy to share that. We've seen no reduction in the paperwork. . .or reduce personnel. What it has done for us . . .it has made us more mobil. That is the plus side. It's difficult to put hard dollars to that."

Ald. Knarr: "I've seen some of this in my office every day. I think the use of the system to just view documents is fine. He says the concept of going 'Green' is good, but maybe not this or now.

Mayor Schlink moves the meeting forward without other comment on paperless measure. No motion or talk of it.

8:10pm

Admin Eckrich: Whitecliff Bridge over Gravois Creek in Whitecliff Park, $600,000 estimated for the project. The majority of it, about 80 percent, is paid for by grants. The city pays 20 percent. R.V. Wagner, Inc. is the low bid of $434,187.

Ald. Duchild: "I am opposed to this project. We're building a road bridge that is really not necessary for the this location. Two years ago I read a full statement about this. It's a common sense vote. I believe a pedestrian bridge is the best bridge for this location."

Ald. Wallach: Is the insurance covering this?

Admin Eckrich: Yes. There are 75 work days in this project. Says it will be done about Dec. 1st. 

Citizen Friedeck: If it floods again, will it back up into anybody's property?

Admin. Eckrich: It will be the same. It backs up now, and would back up again. The water jumps the creek at this area. It's on a large curve. It's in essentially the same place.

Citizen Steve Neider: Cost? Will taxpayers be able to drive back in there to picnic?

Admin Eckrich: Bid is $434,187 and $22,000+ for change orders, etc. The bridge will be restricted to city vehicles, bikes and pedestrians. Unless something changes, it will be the same for vehicles.

Citizen Neider: "I'm just trying to understand why we are paying $500,000 for a pedestrian and bike foot bridge. Can the board remove that restriction?"

Ald. Duchild: Points out that $110,000 should be added to the total, with the cost for SCI Engineering to design the project/bridge, last year.

Citizen Neider: The total cost is $600,000 and change? Just wanted clarification.

Ald. Beezley makes a motion to move forward with bridge project. 

Vote: "No" vote from Ald. Duchild. 6-1 passes.

Duchild introduces motion to test materials for bridge project.

Vote: Duchild votes "No" 6-1 passes.

Ald. Knarr: Introduces motion to execute Spellman Avenue Phase II agreement. Vote: 7-0 approved.

Ald. Duncan: Discovers Crestwood has not been contacted by anyone about banning Sudafed purchase over the counter, which other cities have dealt with of recent, to prevent its purchase to make illegal drugs.

Duncan says she has model of "Social Hosting" ordinance passed by Sunset Hills. She's not ready to sponsor it or bring this up. But she's been contacted by the Lindbergh group about it.

Ald. Wallach: Says city should advertise the "Discover Crestwood" program deals more, next year.

Ald. Knarr: Went to San Jose restaurant, and get dessert, and was pleased to see both places were packed.

City Attorney: re Firefighters memorandum for a vote. Due to schedule conflicts among union, they have not been able to finish up with it.

Ald. Duchild: He reports out on Parks and Rec Board meeting last Tuesday and Terry Johnson won a national award for work with the American with Disabilities Act for Crestwood.

Mayor Schlink: He refers to the start of his administration saying— "Out of the gate, we had a few bumps in the road, but that's behind us."

"Now we need to hire a city administrator. (Eckrich) and I have gone through the resumes. We've done a few phone interviews. We'll have face-to-face interviews, and some of the staff will meet with them. It's important we don't rush through this. I'm going to ask the city administrator to talk about how we've saved some money with (staff) vacancies."

Admin Eckrich: Advertised twice for vacancies for staff maintenance job. Public Services secretary opening: the city administrator secretary temporarily has moved to fill in with public services.

Please note: The key city aid is filling in temporarily on a Public Services job vacancy at a savings for the city. She is expected to return to her post with the city administrator when that position is filled. A previous post got this wrong.

City Clerk recommended not filling a vacant position in that department at this time.

Mayor Schlink: He talked about pooling taxes fund, "A" cities and "B" cities, and St. Louis County. These are the three major players down the road. 

Mayor Schlink says he spoke to the Kiwanis Club recently. They were interested in Crestwood Court's status.

"We have two vacancies on the Planning and Zoning Board. One, was Ald. Knarr." Knarr was the architect on the board, so it would be nice to have another one on there. The other citizen was too busy and quit the board. 

Schlink says he was involved in a University of MO outreach program to get elected officials involved. He met with representatives of Sen. Roy Blunt's office. It may help down the road, Schlink said.

Citizen Friedeck: Any communication with the Affton Fire Dept.? We pay them $350,000 a year.

Mayor Schlink: No. He explains that this issue ties in with tax pooling whereby A cities would have to absorb B cities if they stop the tax pooling, and concern over fire district support in that case.

Ald. Miguel: Wants to respond to Ald. Foote's analysis of June 28. "It was flawed," Miguel says. "It was about total expenditures for 2009 and 2010. The 2009 exceeded 2010 by $1.2 million. "That's a swing of over $2M."

"The 2010 expenditures are still less than 2009 expenditures. But let me take it to the next level," Miguel says.

"The flaw in the analysis: It involved capital expenditures. One can not discard a $1.4M in 2009 and $287,000 in 2010 since they are not comparable."

The 2010 expenditure was 25 percent of total. The 2009 expenditure was much more, Miguel says.

"My concern is—I don't think it's a secret that Ald. Foote has been promoting a tax increase since he's been elected. But the figures he presented previously. . .that would be totally incorrect and misleading," Miguel said.

Ald. Foote: "I would not dispute Ald. Miguel's figures. I merely pointed out trends."

9:06pm Adjourn.