West Newsmagazine 11-13-19

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14 I NEWS I November 13, 2019 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE Your life, your way And your home at the new Cedarhurst of Des Peres Assisted Living | Memory Care Formerly Provision Living, the new Cedarhurst of Des Peres understands that each assisted living and memory care resident has a unique story. We want to hear yours. Together, we’ll build a relationship centered on a customized care plan and supported by trust, community, safety and fun. We promise: • The optimal balance of independence and support • Committed, compassionate caregivers and staff • Life-enriching activities • Chef-prepared dining options • More of what you want; less of what you don’t To schedule a personal tour, or to hear about our introductory time-sensitive offers, please contact us at (314) 582-0887. Not just a place to live. A place to thrive. 12826 Daylight Circle | Des Peres, MO 63131 CedarhurstDesPeres.com @WESTNEWSMAG WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM Board of Freeholders nominees pass despite some concerns By JEFFREY BRICKER St. Louis County Executive Sam Page got the majority of his slate of Board of Freeholders nominees passed by the County Council on Tuesday, Oct. 22. But the vote did not come without dissent and disappointment from some council members. Passed by the majority of the council, former Bi-State Development Board CEO John Nations, stoked strong negative feelings among the minority of the council. “One of the factors by which I judge a leader is his or her self-awareness,” council member Kelli Dunaway [D-District 2] said before casting her vote. “… last week I gave Mr. Nations a number of opportunities to accept any responsibility for the state of Bi-State Development. In all of those instances, he passed the buck on to someone else. That’s not a leader I see [as] a fit in a project of this magnitude.” Council member Tim Fitch [R-District 3] openly concurred with Dunaway’s assessment and also voted against Nations. After Tuesday’s meeting, Fitch elaborated on his vote. “I just felt like during his tenure at Bi- State he, like council member Dunaway eloquently stated, took absolutely no responsibility for the decline of Metro and Bi-State,” Fitch said. Fitch also noted that Nations said, during his time being questioned by the council, that he never attempted to build his own police force. That’s an assertion that Fitch said he knows “absolutely to be untrue.” Pedal the Cause director steps down Jay Indovino has announced his plan to step down as executive director of Pedal the Cause, though he has agreed to stay on in his role for several months to ensure a smooth transition and to maintain the positive momentum of the organization. The organization’s executive committee has begun a search for his replacement. “It has been a fulfilling experience launching Pedal the Cause and helping it grow into an organization that is an important contributor to advancing cancer research at Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital,” Indovino said. Indovino has served in this role since December 2010 and has overseen the growth of Pedal the Cause from a grassroots bike ride to the region’s most successful peer-to-peer fundraising event. Bi-State Development has begun a series of service reductions for routes in parts of St. Louis County. Several county officials including Page have questioned the rationale for those reductions, all the while challenging Bi-State to do more to curb crime on Metro. Earlier in the month, the council voted to withhold a significant portion of its annual funding to Bi-State in a move aimed to force more productive conversations between the stakeholders and more proactive actions by Bi-State officials. Nations wasn’t the only candidate with which Fitch took exception. He also voted against the election of Alex Garza, Mark Mantovani, Carol Stroker and Jason Wilson to the Board of Freeholders. When asked about his votes, Fitch explained his concerns were larger than any one candidate nominated by Page. “I was very disappointed that only one of those eight people live in unincorporated St. Louis County,” Fitch said. “So, we have one person who is going to represent the 300,000-plus people who live in the unincorporated [portions of] St. Louis County?” Fitch said he was “hoping to make some room” among the eight candidates for a more representative slate of Freeholders. He said he expressed his observations and concerns to Page prior to the Oct. 22 vote but to no avail. Dee Joyner was unavailable to meet with members on Oct. 22; however, her appointment was approved by the council on Oct. 29. “Pedal the Cause and Jay Indovino are synonymous,” BJC President and CEO Rich Liekweg said. “Because of his passionate, servant leadership, Pedal the Cause has raised over $24 million for advancing discoveries and cures for tens of thousands who turn to our Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids for their care. He has helped unite a community, pushing us closer to a future day without cancer. Although Jay is stepping down as the executive director, he will be forever part of the Siteman family.” Participants have already raised an additional $4-plus million in 2019, which will be added to this total. Fundraising concluded on Oct. 31. The 2019 grand total raised will be revealed at the Pedal the Cause Check Presentation on Nov. 21 at Ballpark Village. This event is open to all community members and participants to attend.
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM By JEFFREY BRICKER The future of Lambert International Airport could be one of the most pivotal questions impacting the region for decades to come. The issues around the future of the airport and the processes and players involved are quickly becoming the center of a brewing political storm. “This is a regional asset that will affect tens of millions of people in the region,” St. Louis County Council member Ernie Trakas [R-District 6] told reporters after the council’s Nov. 5 meeting. “So, the idea that somehow that should be considered for privatization by a cabal of paid consultants who will gain if privatization goes forward is at heart [of the issue].” Those strong words from the council’s presiding officer came immediately following the passage of a lengthy resolution condemning the process and people behind the review of the airport’s future. The resolution was passed 6-0 with one council member absent. “… the current policy of the city of St. Louis to pursue only its own interest regarding such a critical regional asset in complete disregard of all interests outside of the borders of the city of St. Louis represents a reversal of a long-standing policy as well as an abandonment of the regional cooperation and support …” the resolution read in part. The Airport Working Group has answered similar criticisms in the past by pointing to its website, www.fly314.com, which it claims is a depository of working documents, meeting minutes and related items. After the passing of the council’s resolution, Trakas disputed this claim. “The simple fact of the matter is that [the Airport Working Group’s website] is designed to create the illusion of transparency,” Trakas said. “No minutes of closed sessions are contained in there. All business is done with that group of consultants in closed sessions so there’s no way for the public to know what discussions or decisions are made … the idea that the website provides all the transparency the city needs to provide is an illusion.” Trakas didn’t mince words in his postmeeting comments making it clear he believed the current process not only lacked transparency but was likely marred by corruption. “Many members of the council spent two years peeling back the corruption onion that was existing under the Steve Stenger administration,” Trakas said. “So, the idea that somehow the city is beyond the ability to conduct nefarious operations behind closed doors … we’ve proven it here in the county that it can happen.” Trakas and the council aren’t the first to raise concerns over the Airport Working Group. Members of the St. Louis City Council along with the mayors of several municipalities surrounding the airport have questioned the perceived lack of transparency in the group’s work. On Nov. 6, the Airport Working Group released a list of 18 organizations that responded to the group’s call for qualifications just over a month ago. That call is seen as the first step toward a formal request-for-qualifications process. “The Airport Working Group is looking forward to reviewing the responses from all of the respondents,” said Chairman Paul Payne. “It is our goal to review the RFQ responses and to provide the public with more details about the respondents next week.” The Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] has accepted a preliminary application from the city of St. Louis to privatize the airport. Although Lambert sits entirely November 13, 2019 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I NEWS I 15 St. Louis County Council condemns Lambert privatization process Lambert International Airport [Facebook photo] within the geographical jurisdiction of St. Louis County, the city has long maintained full operational authority over the airport. When asked by a reporter if the resolution passed Nov. 5 was anything more than symbolic, Trakas admitted the resolution lacked any binding authority over the Airport Working Group or the city of St. Louis. His hope, he said, was to compel more transparency and cooperation with all impacted parties in regard to the future of Lambert. County Executive Sam Page has met with St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson on several occasions to discuss the fate of the airport. However, Page did not make himself available to answer questions from the media following the Nov. 5 council meeting. THE FUTURE OF CARE IN WEST COUNTY INTRODUCING THE NEW BARNES-JEWISH WEST COUNTY HOSPITAL. What if the design of a hospital was as advanced as the technology inside? What if the care you received felt like it was personalized especially for you? Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital is just that place. Every detail of our new hospital brings together the science of care with the compassion of caregiving. Take a virtual tour or find a doctor at BarnesJewishWestCounty.org/Explore
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Page 7 and 8: Local Outings You Will Love Our Act
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West Newsmagazine 11-13-19

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