West Newsmagazine 10-17-18

More documents

Recommendations

Info

8 I NEWS I October 17, 2018 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE @WESTNEWSMAG WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM Experienced Home Care You Can Trust your lifestyle. Rest assured, our experienced Caregivers are extensively trained, screened, bonded and insured. ♥ Personal Care ♥ Activity Assistance ♥ Hospice Support Care ♥ Light Housekeeping ♥ Errands/Shopping ♥ Travel Companion ♥ Meal Preparation ♥ Dementia & Alzheimer Care Affordable Care Plans from 1 - 24 hours | Calls Personally Answered 24/7! 636-391-0000 | www.HomeHelpersSTL.com Serving St. Louis & surrounding communities Ballwin City Hall construction as of Oct. 10 news briefs BALLWIN City to continue restricted fund account The city of Ballwin will continue transferring funds to a restricted fund account for government center improvements through the end of this year. The account was created in 2014 when city officials were considering whether to make improvements to the existing government center on Manchester Road at Seven Trails Drive or to erect a new building. Ballwin aldermen then transferred $1 million into the account from unencumbered reserves and have added 50 percent of any operating budget surplus annually since then. Transfers were to continue until the end of fiscal year 2017. Action by Ballwin aldermen at their Oct. 8 meeting extends the account and transfers to it until the end of the current fiscal year. Establishing the account was designed to minimize the need to borrow money for the improvements or the new building. City officials ultimately opted to build a new government center in Vlasis Park [shown above]. Construction began earlier this year; completion is expected next year. CHESTERFIELD 2019 budget planning continues The Chesterfield City Council’s Finance and Administration Committee is continuing its work on the city’s 2019 budget and has scheduled a third, and what could be the final, workshop at the end of this month. Meeting Oct. 8 as a committee of the whole, meaning that all councilmembers were present, the group pared some $11,000 from the preliminary budget by reducing proposed spending in a number of areas. Included were cuts in employee tuition reimbursement, councilmember training, chair repairs and economic development meetings. Although consideration of merit increases for employees was on the agenda, time ran out and the issue will be up for review when the next workshop is held Oct. 29 TOWN & COUNTRY Enhancements planned to I-64-Mason Road corridor A beautification project was introduced by Alderman Fred Meyland-Smith [Ward 3] during the work session before the regular Town & Country Board of Aldermen meeting on Oct. 8. The Interstate 64-Mason Road corridor is considered the front door of Town & Country; however, in its present condition, some have said it is an unbecoming welcoming point for the city. Thanks to gifts from corporations located at that intersection, Town & Country’s “front yard” is to receive beautification improvements. Greg Bratcher, director of public policy and government relations for Missouri Baptist Medical Center and the St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center, presented the city with a gift from BJC Healthcare of $100,000. An additional $25,000 gift from Lutheran Senior Services [LSS] was presented by Mark Schoedel, LSS’s chief development officer. In a presentation before the board on Oct. 8, Meyland-Smith proposed a predominantly maintenance- and construction-free landscape consisting of trees, shrubs and grass. He proposed a beautification task force to include himself, Alderman Lindsey Butler [Ward 2] and Alderman Sue Allen [Ward 4], representing the three wards at the intersection. The task force is charged with soliciting bids of potential landscape designs and architecture. A 2019 budget line item of $20,000 was requested to cover the cost of architectural design. The project could begin as early as next spring. “Thank you very much,” Meyland-Smith said to Bratcher and Schoedel. “A tip of the hat and sincere thanks to both Greg and Mark. You two are neighbors at that intersection and we can work together to make a change in your front yard.” Change order vote for Town Square landscaping delayed An hour-long discussion between Town & Country aldermen, regarding a change order for additional landscaping at the city’s developing Town Square, concluded without a vote on Oct. 8. The amendment for Change Order No. 11 for $92,439 was introduced at the Board of Aldermen’s Sept. 24 meeting and was up for a second reading and final vote Oct. 8. The funds were requested by builder Brinkmann Holdings, LLC. to provide additional landscape buffering and honeysuckle removal for approximately 11 residential and commercial properties that border Town Square. The landscaping budget currently is $287,229.75. Craig Wilde, director of planning and public works, provided a detailed map of where the improvements would take place; however, he was unable to detail how much money was slated for each residence or business. Concerns about the use of public funds to cover the cost of landscaping on private property were expressed multiple times by various aldermen. Alderman Lindsey Butler [Ward 2] maintained that, as part of the original site plan developed in creating the plans for Town Square, residents approved and signed off on their landscaping buffer and changing those plans would mean spending additional money unnecessarily. Alderman Jon Benigas [Ward 4] also verbally disapproved of the expenditure, saying that if the change order was not approved, the residents would still benefit from the original landscaping buffer. After lengthy discussion, Alderman Skip Mange [Ward 1] asked for a motion to continue the change order to the board’s Oct. 22 meeting with a revised landscape site plan and current development landscape budget. Alderman Tiffany Frautschi [Ward 2] seconded the motion. The motion carried with Butler and Alderman Matt Reuter [Ward 3] opposed. Wilde said he will request an updated landscape plan from the developer and design group. He also noted that because Town Square is now a circle, trees and plants may need to be shifted or re-imagined to fit the updated plans. Frautschi added that, should the landscape buffering not be sufficient upon completion of the project, the city may look at this issue at a later time.
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM WILDWOOD Wildwood Council advances ‘free speech amendment’ At its Oct. 8 meeting, the Wildwood City Council gave the first reading to a proposed ordinance by Councilmember Steve Taylor [Ward 4] that would allow residents to ask questions from the podium at city council meetings. The ordinance has been dubbed the “Free Speech Amendment.” The bill had received prior approval from the city’s Administration and Public Works Committee. With the legislation poised for a first reading on Oct. 8, Mayor Jim Bowlin surprised those in attendance at the council’s work session by announcing that: • He had met with Taylor and City Attorney John Young multiple times regarding the ordinance and approved the overall concept of the bill. • Beginning Oct. 8, members of the public, when at the podium during the council meeting’s public comment period, could identify a specific councilmember or staff member of whom to ask a question. • At the end of the meeting’s public comment period, time will be set aside for those identified councilmembers or staff members to answer questions, should they choose to do so. Additionally, warning lights at the podium used to alert speakers of the fiveminute time limit were removed. That move followed suggestions from residents and some councilmembers at multiple, previous council meetings. During debate after its first reading, the bill’s language was met with concern from Councilmember Dave Bertolino [Ward 5], who made a motion to refer the bill back to the administration and public works committee for further clarification. Bertolino also said the bill could serve to limit free speech by promoting further debate at meetings instead of eliciting comments and questions. Taylor and other councilmembers cited the referral back to the committee as “unnecessary.” He noted that the committee already had thoroughly vetted and approved the bill for consideration by the council. He also stated that the bill could be amended at its second reading if issues with legality or technical language remained. “I would strongly suggest that the Free Speech Amendment be given a fair hearing in the light of day,” Taylor said at the Oct. 8 meeting. Following council discussion, Bertolino withdrew his motion for the referral. The bill is currently scheduled for its second reading and a final vote at the council’s Oct. 22 meeting. October 17, 2018 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE Lose up to 20 pounds the first month! † I NEWS I 9 We repair what your husband “fixed” Recognized by KSDK as “HONEST & COMPETENT” Locally Owned & Operated • Computer Repair • Network Maintenance • Data Loss Prevention • Data Recovery • Device Integration St. Louis’ most reputable computer repair 12384 Olive Blvd. Just west of I-270 Right behind TGI Friday’s 314-878-2878 www.ComputerProblemBusters.com Monday - Friday 9:00a.m. - 6:00p.m. TURN OVER A NEW LEAF Join Us for a Destination Alaska Planning Seminar When: November 1, 2018 at 7pm Where: Travel Tyme 16017 Manchester Road • Ellisville, MO 63011 RSVP today by calling: 636-391-1000. Space is limited Medi-Weightloss ® is a physician-supervised, weight loss program that works. Our Weight Loss Experts give you the support, education, and tools you need to help you lose the weight and keep it off. † ACCEPTING INSURANCE* BEFORE Leesa, actual patient, LOST 75.2 POUNDS! † Call us for details: 636.489.1055 MediWeightloss.com CHESTERFIELD 16211 Baxter Rd. Chesterfield, MO 63017 Physician: Tana Settle, MD *Not all providers are in-network with all carriers. Not all services and products are covered. Contact your carrier for details. † On average, patients compliant with the Medi-Weightloss ® Program lose 6.4 pounds the first week and 14 pounds the first month. Rapid weight loss may be associated with certain medical conditions and should only be considered by those who are medically appropriate. © 2018 Medi IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 1 and 2: Vol. 23 No. 28 • October 17, 2018
Page 3 and 4: FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE WESTN
Page 5 and 6: Consistent Conservative Leaders Ded
Page 7: Well Capitalized — High Performan
Page 15 and 16: Zick’s Great Outdoors Serving the
Page 19 and 20: Coldwell Banker Gundaker - Town Cou
Page 21 and 22: Celebrating Women Nora Amato - Exec
Page 23 and 24: CELEBRATING WOMEN inWildwood Leslie
Page 33 and 34: #1 #1 Real Estate Brokerage in West
Page 39: FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE WESTN

West Newsmagazine 10-17-18

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?