Wednesday, January 2, 2013
"It’s one of the most idiotic things I’ve seen this board do. I’ll go on record with that," said Ward 2 Alderman Kathy Schweikert.
At the last regular meeting of 2012, Lake Saint Louis Mayor Mike Potter put a slate of appointees for city boards and commissions in front of the board of aldermen for approval. The only appointment that failed to be approved was former alderman John Pellerito. Pellerito, who lost his Ward 3 seat to Richard Morris last year, was one of Potter's choices to sit on the city's Tree Board. When the time came for the motion to be made to approve the appointments, Ward 3 Alderman George Rich moved for all the appointments except for the tree board to be approved. When his omission was pointed out, Rich named the other Tree Board appointment, but left Pellerito out of the motion. "John is very qualified, and we need people," Potter said, but Rich …
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
The city will limit the sales of tobacco paraphernalia to stores that specialize in tobacco products.
At their regular meeting Monday night, the Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen passed an ordinance putting limits on the sale of smoking-related items. The ordinance said that creating such limitations would allow tobacco users to still be able to obtain the products while at the same time ensuring that the products are tobacco-related and not for use with illegal drugs. Sales will be limited to stores where 70 percent of the business or more is related to tobacco, and related products like cigarettes, pipes, cigars or "smoking sundries." The bill effectively prohibits other retail establishments from carrying rolling papers, hookas and bongs and other items associated with illegal drug use. The board voted five to one to pass the ordinance…
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Two aldermen say the new bill "picks and chooses" who will benefit.
Hoping to solve some of the problems created by the city's first ordinance to provide for snowplowing of private streets, the Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen will be voting on a revised bill. The new bill defines private streets as "a street having residences with single-family homes, villas, or condominiums that are managed by a Home Owners Association (HOA)." In an email to Ward 3 residents, Alderman George Rich addressed concerns about the bill: A lot of false rumors have circulated about this subject. We have been advised by the city lawyer that this Bill does not violate the Missouri constitution as it addresses safety and health of citizens. And no Sunshine laws were violated as notification of all deliberations were given in …
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
The new Montessori school will be located adjacent to Andrews Academy.
At Monday night's Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen meeting, the board passed a special use permit and preliminary development plan for Hope Montessori Academy, a childcare center, which includes an outdoor play area and lighted soccer field. The 5.55 acre lot north of Feise Road, east of Henke Road and west of Hanley Road is adjacent to Andrews Academy. The Hope Educational & Research Center, which operates Andrews Academy, has been also been operating a Montessori school in the old Living Lord Lutheran Church site on Lake Saint Louis Boulevard. The Center plans to move that Montessori school to the new site. The site plan gained P&Z approval with the request that the soccer field lights not be used after 10 p.m.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
After two aldermen abstained from the vote to grant Rocktoberfest a liquor license, city staffers brought out a copy of Robert's Rules of Order to settle the issue.
Two events with similar names were at the center of a controversy at the Lake Saint Louis board of aldermen meeting Monday night. The first, Oktoberfest, is a fundraiser for the Lake Saint Louis Ambassadors, a Community Association organization that is dedicated to promoting and improving the city. Last year's one-day festival was so successful, the organizers made it a two-day event for 2012 and moved it from its original home at The Meadows to the Lowe's parking lot at the Shoppes of Hawk Ridge. Oktoberfest will be held Oct. 6 and 7. The second, Rocktoberfest, is the brainchild of Greg Jones, who has spearheaded many charity events for Lake Saint Louis and the Lake Saint Louis Pleasure Boating Club. Jones is working with two foundations …
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
City Administrator also outlined concerns about the bill at the board's public work session.
At Monday night's Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen meeting, Mayor Mike Potter told the board that he had sent a copy of a recently-passed ordinance to the Missouri Attorney General for an opinion on its constitutionality. Potter had spoken out against the bill, which provides snowplowing on private streets, and questioned its constitutionality when it was passed by the board on August 20. He vetoed the bill but his veto was overridden by the board on Sept. 5. The board had directed city staff to address any areas of concern in an amendment to the bill. During Monday night's work session, City Administrator Paul Markworth said that staff had three primary areas of concern: Markworth said that the condition that the city would not plow …
Monday, September 17, 2012
The agenda for the Sept. 24 meeting includes amendments to the new private-street snowplowing ordinance.
The Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen meeting scheduled for Sept. 17 has been moved to Sept. 24. The meeting will be held in the board room at Lake Saint Louis Civic Center (City Hall) as usual. A 5:30 public work session of the joint administration and finance committees will precede the regular 7 p.m. meeting. On the agenda for the 5:30 public work session: On the agenda for the 7 p.m. regular meeting:
Thursday, September 6, 2012
At Tuesday's meeting, Lake Saint Louis Mayor Mike Potter explained the reasons for his veto of a bill providing for snowplowing on private streets.
The Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen voted 4-2 Tuesday night to override Mayor Mike Potter's veto of a bill to provide snow removal on private streets in the city. Before he explained his reasons for the veto, Potter commented that his veto had little power, since city statutes allow four votes out of the six to overturn the veto—the same number that passes the bill in the first place. The bill was originally passed by the board at the Aug. 20 regular meeting by a 4-1 vote. The only nay was cast by Ward 2 Alderman Kathy Schweikert. Her fellow Ward 2 Alderman, Karen Vennard, had been outspoken in her opposition to the measure but was absent from the original vote. Vennard addressed some of the audience members who spoke up during the …
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Former Lake Saint Louis alderman Larry DeGroodt spoke out against the bill, citing the Missouri Constitution.
Mid Rivers Newsmagazine reported Wednesday that the Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen have passed a bill making provisions for the city to cover the expenses of snowplowing for the eight miles of private streets within city limits. The bill passed 4-1, with Ward 2 Alderman Kathy Schweikert the only nay vote. Ward 2 Alderman Karen Vennard, who spoke out against the bill at the Aug. 6 board meeting, was absent. Mayor Mike Potter indicated at the meeting that he may veto the bill. If he chooses to do so, the board may vote to override his veto. Wentzville Patch first told readers about the snowplowing bill in a story posted on July 17 about a worksession where Public Works Director Derek Koestel outlined options for handling the cost. …
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Lake Saint Louis Ward 3 Alderman George Rich updates residents on city issues.
George’s Alderman Highlights Real Estate Assessments: A significant part of our city's income is from real estate taxes. The County gives us assessment data several times a year and we just got our latest data. Assessments fell about 1% from the values used in the current city budget. The final number in late September is expected to fall again because of re-assessments requested by owners. We must set the city rate for next year's tax bills in September. The current rate is 59 cents for the General Fund and 42 cents to pay off city bonds. When it was set up years ago, the bond fund assumed assessments would grow about 1 1/2% every year until 2024. Of course that hasn't happened. We have a small reserve in this fund. So, do we keep it at …
Karen Clark
7:05 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013
Thank you, Doug. Yes, I was very involved in the Edgewater situation, which involved going door-to-door, meeting with fellow residents, conducting research, writing letters and attending meetings. It was when researching the Tree City designation for a column in the Journal that I discovered that the Edgewater development would be in violation of our own city ordinances. I immediately sent emails… more ›