Update: Ward 1 Meeting Monday Addresses Freymuth, New Construction, Taxes

Editor's note: Lake Saint Louis Patch has added information to this article for clarification purposes.

Ralph Sidebottom and Larry DeGroodt hosted a meeting of Ward 1 residents on Monday at .

Fourteen Ward 1 residents attended.

"My job is to represent you in this ward," Alderman Ralph Sidebottom said. "Tonight, we will go over some things going on in the city that are going to affect you."

Larry DeGroodt, who took over the seat vacated by Harry Slyman on July 1, said, "It’s our job to take care of the city in a fiscally responsible manner. Don’t be afraid to give us a call. If we don’t hear from you, we’re just going to give it our best shot."

First on the agenda was a discussion of the changes to Freymuth Road. On display were a series of three large aerial photographs with details of the prjoect. The most notable change, Sidebottom said, was where the road has currently been diverted to enter and leave

That change was made years ago, he said, to discourage truck traffic from going through the city from Highway 40 to Highway A via Dauphine Drive and Freymuth Road. The new plan moves the roadway back to its previous location. The roadway will have a center island with a left-in, left-out entrance to Founders Park.

Initial work will start on the project this year.

The Freymuth Road sidewalk will be relocated from the C.A. maintenance shed to Founders Park so that it will be on the west side of the road, above the treeline.

Addressing public concern about the sidewalk on Freymuth hill above Dauphine, "Every tree on the hill has been categorized. The city will be meeting with parks staff and arborists to try to save the older mature trees, and to save as many trees as possible," Sidebottom said.

"For years, I’ve been fearful that someone will be hurt or killed walking up that hill," Sidebottom said.

The project will also address water problems that have been associated with Freymuth. "Stormwater will be diverted across Rue Grande and into the little lake," Sidebottom said.

"There are more streeet and stormwater problems than we have money for, but we’ll just keep chipping away at them," DeGroodt said.

New Businesses in Lake Saint Louis

Sidebottom then went on to talk about new businesses in the community. Construction has started on an 18,000 square foot Nike store at , which is slated for a spring 2012 opening.

Also new at the Meadows are a Parmida Home store, which will be on the south side of the mall near , and a See's Candies, which will be open just for the holiday season.

Over at the Shoppes of Hawk Ridge, Sidebottom said, construction on the TJ Maxx store is ahead of schedule and should open in October. These businesses, Sidebottom said, are a "shot in the arm for the community." He also mentioned that a Goodwill store will be constructed across from Lowe's, and there is interest in several of the open lots.

The discussion then turned to plans for the Page Extension and then to the city's sales tax rate.

A resident asked how Lake Saint Louis' sales tax rate stacked up against other cities in the area. "At 7.45 percent, it's equal to or lower than all the other rates in our area," Sidebottom said. Even when TDD taxes are figured in for Hawk Ridge and the Meadows, those two districts are still lower than Wentzville, which is 8.95.

Concerns were also brought up about the property tax rates per hundred dollars of assessed value and an announcement in Newstime about a public hearing raising the rates. Sidebottom encouraged residents to attend Tuesday's Board of Aldermen meeting for a public hearing on the proposed property tax rate. Sidebottom, who will not be in attendance at that meeting, has gone on record that he is not in favor of raising the per-hundred personal property tax rate.

Resident Ann Finklang made an announcement about the city's Root Ball, which celebrates the city's 10th anniversary as a Tree City USA. "We want people to love trees and preserve trees," Finklang said. The ball will be at the Meadows on Sept. 17, and tickets will be available through Sept. 10.

Karen Vennard, Ward 2 alderman, reminded everyone about the city's 9/11 memorial event, at 1 p.m. Sept 11 at Veterans Park and features speakers and patriotic song. "Please come and remember that day with us," Vennard said.

Sidebottom also had a reminder about a Neighborhood Assistance Preservation Program (NAPP) project that start on Tuesday. Chairman Joe Snell is the driving force behind the volunteer project, Sidebottom said, which "makes the city a more presentable place to live, and helps those who aren’t able to do it for themselves.”

The evening ending with a discussion of residential construction in the city. A builder is interested in purchasing and developing 70 lots at Heritage of Hawk Ridge. Sidebottom had some encouraging words about the new construction. "We’ve already running well ahead of new construction starts compared to last year.”