GM, Sam's Club and Parks Top Mayor's State of the City Address

In his state of the city address, Wentzville Mayor Paul Lambi painted a picture of a city coming out of an economic downturn, led re-investment in the Wentzville plant by and an additional 1,260 jobs.

Lambi gave his address during the meeting Wednesday at CenturyLink. (His PowerPoint presentation is available under this article’s photos section).

“One thing we’ve seen, since General Motors made their announcement for their $380 million re-investment for addition of the Colorado pickup line, we’re starting to see developers and stockholders buy up land. We think that has had a big affect on stabilizing real estate prices, at least in our area and perhaps the entire county.”

Lambi said each of the 1,260 additional assembly line jobs would create another six jobs. He said it takes 4.56 workers to support each assembly line worker supplying parts and services. Then, there are additional jobs at bars, restaurants, dry cleaning and other businesses.

“Over the next 12 months, that’s going to create about 12,000 new jobs,” Lambi said.

“In 2012, this city is going to build like we haven’t seen in 10 years,” Lambi said. “Visitors here will see dirt flying and steel and wood going up.”

He said the GM decision to stay in Wentzville was made possible because of infrastructure decisions made by elected officials and voters, who approved a bond issue for waste water improvements in 2006. The city increased its wastewater treatment capacity, and that allowed GM to ma

“We estimate GM will double its water usage,” Lambi said.

Progress in parks

Lambi said that, after three attempts, the voters approved a half-cent sales tax for parks. Now, three parks projects are underway:

• A near Peine Ridge Elementary School, which will include a lazy river, slides, lap lanes an inflatable course and more.
• behind Dierbergs, which will include four new soccer fields, including at least one synthetic field. Lambi said the synthetic field allows for up to 150 games to be played in a week, while a grass field can handle just 15 games.
• will add ball fields, concessions, trails and other amenities.

Lambi said the parks—especially the soccer fields—would bring more visitors to Wentzville, increasing those shopping, dining and staying in Wentzville.

“A group of people have been inquiring about building a hotel, and this is what’s driving it: the soccer fields,” he said.

Each park will be built in three phases. Phase one will be completed in each park before moving into other phases so each section of the city will see immediate improvements, he said.

New businesses

Lambi pointed to the new opening in the city as a validation of the city’s emergence from the economic downturn.

“Sam’s and Wal Mart are the biggest retailers in the universe,” Lambi said. “They decided they would put one more Sam’s Club in Missouri, and they chose Wentzville to do it.”

Other new businesses that opened in 2011 or will open in 2012 are:

• , a senior care facility
• Store
• Re-opening of Century Motors

Lambi said critical to new business development is the city’s transportation half-cent sales tax approved in 1999.

“For every one-half cent that we bring in on that sales tax, another penny comes in, he said.

He said the measure sunsets in 2014, and the city likely will ask voters to renew the measure.

 “We have very good trends on sales and use tax,” Lambi said.

Sales and use tax receipts jumped nearly $2 million from 2010 to 2011. Lambi said city revenue increased each year, even through the economic downturn, while most other cities had downturns or flat returns.

The reason the city weathered the storm so well have been new and growing businesses, he said.

Mayor’s farewell

Lambi acknowledged that , but he didn’t dwell on his decision.

“It’s been a wonderful 10 years, eight as mayor and two as alderman,” Lambi said. “I’m very excited and optimistic about where we’re going in the future.”