West Newsmagazine 2-20-19

8 I NEWS I
February 20, 2019
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
Enjoying the Wings of Hope gala on Feb. 9 are [from left]: Alan Schweiss, Jeanie
Hood, Brett Heinrich, Sharon Huber, Carol Enright and Marta and Marek Gaska.
More than 450 guests packed the Khorassan Ballroom at the Chase Park Plaza
and helped to raise a record amount for Wing of Hope’s medical air transport
program which flies individuals to lifesaving medical care from the nonprofit’s
Chesterfield headquarters at Spirit of St. Louis Airport.
news
briefs
CHESTERFEILD
City cites resident for
community involvement
Darcy Capstick, a long-time Chesterfield
resident and participant in city government
volunteer efforts, has been named a
member emeritus of the city’s Parks, Recreation
and Arts Advisory Committee.
The emeritus status is given to those with
a long record of service and whose future
participation is considered important even
though they may be unable to meet the
requirement of attending 50 percent of a
committee’s meetings.
Capstick has been active for many
years in the leadership of the Chesterfield
Citizens Committee for the Environment,
whose activities fall under the Parks, Recreation
and Arts Department.
The city council’s parks, recreation
and arts committee unanimously recommended
the emeritus status and the council
unanimously endorsed the move.
City renews audit contract
The city of Chesterfield has approved a
three-year renewal agreement for audit services
but not without concerns about doing
so without asking for proposals from other
accounting firms.
On a 5-3 vote, the Chesterfield City
Council approved the contract with the
Daniel Jones & Associates accounting firm.
Councilmember Dan Hurt [Ward 3] said
he had no problem with the company’s
work but believed the city should have
opened the contract process to include
proposals from other interested firms.
Councilmembers Michelle Ohley and Tom
DeCampi [both of Ward 4] joined him in
voting no.
Jones & Associates had completed a
three-year city contract for auditing services
and offered to extend that agreement
for three more years with no increase in
fee from the $21,580 charged for its 2017
audit work. The new pact covers auditing
the 2018-2020 fiscal year records.
The firm said it was able to offer the flat
fee structure “due to the manner in which
the city maintains its accounting records
and our familiarity with the structure of the
city’s accounting system.”
City seeks to redo its
informational videos
When Chesterfield City Administrator
Mike Geisel went to the city website to
find a video he could show those attending
the recent Municipal League of Metro St.
Louis meeting at city hall, he was disappointed
by what he saw.
As explained in a memo to the City
Council, the videos were not up to date due
to the numerous changes the city has experienced
in recent years.
An answer presented itself in the form
of a program endorsed by the National
League of Cities. The League is a Washington,
D.C.-based organization that advocates
and offers programs and services for
the thousands of communities that comprise
its membership.
One program enables a city to have six
brief informational/promotional videos
produced at no cost. CGI Communications,
a Rochester, New York, firm, takes responsibility
for all production and content creation
and also assembles a sponsor video
marketed to local businesses at a fee.
Sponsor funding enables CGI to recoup
its costs.
Geisel noted that the city can restrict
“offensive” businesses from sponsorship if
necessary. He added that he has reviewed
work done for other communities and concluded
it is a cost-efficient way to update
the city’s promotional materials with highquality
videos.
The council’s Finance & Administration
Committee considered the proposal at a
recent meeting and recommended it to the
full council, which has approved the concept.
Bruce DeGroot named to court
automation committee
Rep. Bruce DeGroot [R-Chesterfield]
has been appointed to serve on the Court
Automation Committee, the statutory committee
that oversees the state’s court technology
systems.
“I am thankful to be appointed to a committee
serving alongside many esteemed
judges and attorneys throughout the state,”
DeGroot said. “It has always been a desire
of mine to make the legal process more
efficient and accessible for citizens, lawyers
and judges alike. This appointment
allows me to further that goal.”
The committee was first created in 1994,
alongside the Statewide Court Administration
fund, with the goal of delivering an
evolving, efficient, flexible, reliable, responsive,
intuitive and user-friendly system.
Since then, the committee has worked to
develop and oversee a plan for a statewide
court automation system; and implement,
operate and maintain a statewide system
in accordance with strict standards for the
security and privacy of confidential judicial
records. The MCA is tasked to modernize
information processing activities in
all circuit courts and municipal divisions.
Envision Chesterfield
launches art contest
Residents of all ages are invited to participate
in the Envision Chesterfield Art
Contest by submitting either a photo of
their favorite building, park or space within
the city or a drawing of what they imagine
the city could be like in 20 years.
One entry per person per category is
allowed.
Prizes will be awarded to a group of
entries selected by popular vote. All art-
Now Hiring
Accounting Clerk
City of Wildwood is seeking an experienced Accounting Clerk. The ideal candidate will
be experienced in accounts payable, accounts receivable, licensing, and general office
duties. Experience with payroll processing is preferred, but not required. Candidate must
be proficient in Microsoft Office applications, automated accounting and general office
systems. Involves considerable public and staff interactions, performs various assigned
administrative tasks, and must exercise initiative and independent judgment. Effective
communication skills and accounting/bookkeeping experience required. Starting salary
range $39,498-$47,397 DOQ; comprehensive benefits package. Job description available
at www.cityofwildwood.com. Letter of interest and accompanying resume for this position
must be submitted to the City of Wildwood, by 5:00 pm. Thursday, March 14, 2019. This
information should be e-mailed to dawn@cityofwildwood.com. Please note “Attention –
Accounting Clerk” in the title bar of the e-mail transmission. EOE.