Tuesday, January 8, 2013
The new task force will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Spencer Road Library in St. Peters.
The newly-formed Schools, Mental Health And Emergency Services Task Force will meet at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 8 at the Spencer Road Library. In December, St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann recently named 14 people, including St. Peters Police Chief Tom Bishop to task force in response to the Newtown, CT elementary school shooting. Tuesday's meeting will take place in Community Commons Room 240. The agenda for the meeting included an election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson and presentations scheduled from public and private schools, higher education institutions, law enforcement and mental health services. The task force will discuss next steps for the task force to take. The Task Force is accepting public comment in writing. …
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Current director Chuck Gross took job to lead Duckett Creek Sanitary District.
St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann has tapped Joann Leykum to be the next Director of Administration for St. Charles County. Current Director of Administration, Chuck Gross, announced his plans to resign in January and become Executive Director of Duckett Creek Sanitary District. Current director of the district Tom Engle plans to retire Dec. 31. Gross, 54, is a former state legislator whose expertise was a valuable contribution to St. Charles County, said Ehlmann in a press release. “While I thoroughly enjoyed county government, any time you are asked to assume the leadership of an already successful organization, it’s a challenge you have to look at, “ said Gross. Leykam has worked as St. Charles County Counselor for the past …
Monday, March 26, 2012
County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed a voting machines purchase that would cost $1.2 million. Election Authority Director Rich Chrismer argues the veto interferes with him performing his duties.
The St. Charles County Council may vote on overriding a veto on purchasing voting system equipment for $1.2 million during its 7 p.m. meeting Monday. County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed the bill after the council approved it 4-1 during its last purchase. He objected to having one bidder on such a large purchase. Ehlmann blamed federal and state regulations for creating a system in which just one company is certified to sell voting machines in the state. Ehlmann said the county should hold off on the purchase until another company is authorized to sell the equipment so they can receive a competitive bid. Henry M. Adkins & Son was the only bidder. Election Authority Director Rich Chrismer said they are the only company certified to sell …
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Wednesday, March 14, 2012
County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed a $1.2 million voting machine purchase because there was just one bid. Elections Director Rich Chrismer said that interferes with his job as an elected official.
- GOVERNMENT
- Joe Scott
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Wednesday, March 14, 2012
St. Charles County Elections Director Rich Chrismer questioned why County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed a a $1.2 million voting machine purchase from Henry Adkins & Son. “Why would the county executive, a man who has been a state legislator and a judge, want to jeopardize the right of the people to vote?” said Chrismer, who leads the county's Elections Authority. Ehlmann announced Tuesday that he vetoed the purchase of 260 voting machines. He said he did not believe the county should spend that much money when there was just one bid. “I believe that the director of elections should be given deference in determining the need to replace equipment and which machines to purchase,” Ehlmann said. “However, under the Charter, they are subject …
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The county executive said the county should get more than one bid for such a large purchase.
County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed a bill Wednesday that would spend nearly $2 million for new election machines. Director of Elections Rich Chrismer requested the expenditure in late February. Councilman Joe Cronin, R-District 1, was the only council member to vote against the bid. One of his objections was the absence of competing bids. “I believe that the director of elections should be given deference in determining the need to replace equipment and which machines to purchase,” Ehlmann said. “However, under the Charter, they are subject to county government regulations when it comes to personnel and purchasing.” Ehlmann said the issue is not with voting machines or with Chrismer, but with getting one bid for such a large purchase. …
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Councilman Joe Cronin says the purchase isn't prudent, but the rest of the council members approved new machines.
- ELECTIONS
- Joe Scott
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
St. Charles County will spend $1.2 million on new voting machines, but one county councilman thinks they would be better off keeping the old machines. The County Council voted 4-1 on Monday to approve the purchase of 260 optical scan machines that read paper ballots, two for each of 121 precincts and 18 emergency backups. Half of the machines are disability-capable. The bill still needs to be signed by County Executive Steve Ehlmann. If he vetoes the bill, it could be overridden by a five-vote council majority. Councilman Terry Hollander had stepped out of the room and was unavailable during Monday's roll call vote. Rich Chrismer, the St. Charles County Election Authority director, said he had budgeted money in the last six years to pay …
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
County Council members want to re-examine a 2008 pay study on addressing salary issues before the economic recession hit before taking more steps. The council did not vote on restoring a one-time pay hike for long-time sheriff's department employees.
- GOVERNMENT
- Joe Scott
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Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Deputy Scott Ginnever and other St. Charles County law enforcement officers asked St. Charles County Council members to restore a pay raise to deputies and to address a confusing pay scale for all employees. “It’s embarrassing to say, but I’m on government assistance,” Ginnever told council members during their Monday meeting. “I have an EBT (electronic benefit transfer for food stamps) card to pay for groceries.” He has eight children, and his wife doesn’t work, Ginnever said. He works overtime and other jobs to meet expenses. Meanwhile, pay advances haven’t come regularly, he said. Paramount among deputies' frustrations is that those with 10 or more years of experience in law enforcement don’t make much more than rookie officers, he said…
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The St. Charles County Collector objected to dismissing the fees, saying it's unfair to the majority of residents who paid on time.
- GOVERNMENT
- Joe Scott
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Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The St. Charles County Council waived penalties for residents who pay their real estate taxes by Jan. 23, 2012. The council passed the bill 6-1 Wednesday in an emergency session. The waiver is meant to compensate for real estate tax bills being mailed out Dec. 19, 2011, almost three weeks late. The deadline for them to be mailed out was Dec. 1, 2011. St. Charles County Collector Michelle McBride said problems with new software caused the delay. McBride opposed waiving the penalties, saying it wasn’t fair to those who made the effort to pay their taxes on time. Councilman Jerry Daugherty, D-District 6, was the only councilman to vote against the bill. “I still don’t think this is fair to the people who waited in line and made a good faith …
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
"Patch" takes a look at five items that made news throughout St. Charles County in 2011.
- GOVERNMENT
- Joe Scott
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Wednesday, December 28, 2011
1. Protesting funeral protests For St. Charles County, 2011 started with shouts of “USA” and choruses of “God Bless America” as a flag and sign-wielding St. Charles County and St. Louis area residents countered a demonstration by four Westboro Baptist Church members. The Topeka, KS-based church members were protesting outside the St. Charles County administrative building and the St. Charles City Hall. The protest was a response to a St. Charles County ordinance prohibiting picketing within 300 feet of funeral services one hour before and one hour after the ceremony. "Ten years ago, we didn't need a law like this because everyone respected people's right to mourn their deceased relatives," said County Executive Steve Ehlmann, at the time…
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Deputies testify about an uneven pay scale.
Law enforcement officials urged members of the St. Charles County Council to reconfigure the county sheriff department’s pay scale. The council on Monday held its public hearing for the 2012 budget. A good majority of the comments emanated from county law enforcement officials who argued that the uneven pay scale drove personnel to other departments. [Click here to read a previous Patch article about that issue.] Bret Jansen, a detective with the St. Charles County Sheriff Department, told the council that he and another member of his agency make the same amount of money – roughly $44,088 – as somebody who has far less experience. “How could that possibly be that a guy with four years makes the same amount as a guy with 23 years on him?” …
Torsten Deklerski
5:41 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Hello, I'm from Germany. In Germany it's absolutely unthinkable to use voting machines for a election. Why this is possible in the U.S.? The risk of manipulation is still very high, isn't it? more ›