West Newsmagazine 12-14-16

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required by city code and more extensive
than what is done by surrounding cities.
McCutchen said she felt a councilmember
should have the ability to use
city resources if the person believes extra
public notification is necessary.
But Councilmember Joe Garritano [Ward
8] advocated getting a council consensus
for spending money for an electronic sign
or other additional notification.
WEST COUNTY
United Way salutes
community giving
The United Way has announced that its
West Region has raised $6,242,935.
“Raising more than $6 million for our
West Region is a tremendous accomplishment
for everyone because it represents a
significant investment in the communities
we live and work in,” said 2016 United
Way-West Region campaign co-chair Don
Kalicak, who also is Mercy’s vice president
of business development.
The West Region serves western St. Louis,
St. Charles, Warren and Lincoln counties
and funds raised through the community
campaign help more than 200,000 people
within those areas each year.
Overall, the United Way of Greater St.
Louis raised a total of $75,055,451 during
its 2016 campaign.
Monarch to acquire new vehicles
With a bid opening for a new ambulance
and Board of Directors approval to seek
bids on two other trucks, the Monarch Fire
Protection District soon will have a sizable
turnover in its vehicle fleet.
At its Dec. 5 meeting, the district’s board
opened two bids received on a new ambulance
and turned them over to staff for
evaluation and a purchase recommendation
to be considered at a later meeting.
The board also approved seeking bids
on a rescue pumper and a tanker. Plans are
to acquire the rescue pumper on a lease
basis and to purchase the tanker outright.
Depending on equipment and other specifications,
the cost of a rescue pumper is in
the $500,000 range while a tanker likely
will carry an approximately $250,000 price
tag, about the same as an ambulance.
Monarch sets filing
procedure for April election
Candidates for a seat on the Monarch
Fire Protection District Board of Directors
will have an even chance of having their
name first on the ballot regardless of when
they submit their papers on the first day of
the filing period.
The decision to use a lottery-type system
for first-day filers was made at the board’s
Dec. 5 meeting and will be in effect for
those declaring their candidacy Dec. 13.
Under the plan, any candidate filing on
the first day will select an envelope containing
a number. When that business
day ends, the name of the person with the
lowest number will be first on the ballot,
followed by the names of any other candidates
filing that day, from the next lowest
number to the highest.
After the first day, the names of other
candidates will appear in the order in
which they file.
In the upcoming April election, the seat
of Rick Gans, the current board president,
will be at stake. Gans originally served on
the Monarch board from 1998 to 2011. He
was reappointed to the board in April 2015
to fill the unexpired term of Steve Swyers
when he resigned.
Board candidates must have resided
in the district and been a registered voter
for one year immediately prior to seeking
office and be at least 25 years old.
Those seeking office also must file a
statement testifying they are qualified to
serve if elected.
In addition, Missouri law makes persons
guilty of a federal felony or misdemeanor
or a state felony ineligible for any state
elective public office and disqualifies
anyone who owes any tax or is a past or
present corporate officer of any fee office
that owes taxes to the state.
Fire protection district boards in St. Louis
County include three members elected for
six-year terms, with each elected on a staggered
basis every two years.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Council asked to issue
bonds for ice complex
County Executive Steven V. Stenger
wants the St. Louis County Council to
pass legislation authorizing the issuance of
bonds to finance an ice complex in Creve
Coeur Park that the St. Louis Blues, youth
hockey groups and others groups would
use for training and other purposes.
In a letter sent to the council on Nov.
28, Stenger said the St. Louis Legacy Ice
Foundation has proposed the multipurpose
indoor/outdoor complex on about 30 acres
in the park. The St. Louis County Industrial
Development Authority or the St.
Louis County Port Authority would issue
the bonds, to be paid out of the facility’s
revenue.
The county would approve construction
plans and the contractors.
“The facility provides the county with
a unique opportunity to increase tourism,
recreational and entertainment activities,
and enhance the image of the county as an
attractive place to live, work and recreate,”
Stenger wrote in his letter.
December 14, 2016
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
I NEWS I 11
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