Price To Be In The Know at SLDC: $17/month!

For only $17/month you too can know what is happening with seven different public boards operated by the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC). Yes, the SLDC operates seven different boards but the only way to know what they are talking about it is look for the agendas posted at 1015 Locust or pay $17/month to have them sent to you via U.S. Mail. Yes, in 2007 a major entity of city government is incapable of posting agendas online or even having an email list where they are sent out electronically.

From the SLDC website:

St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is an umbrella, not-for-profit corporation organized under Chapter 355 of the Missouri State Code with the mission of fostering economic development and growth in the City through increased job and business opportunities and expansion of the City’s tax base.

SLDC is directed by its own Board of Directors, and its employees serve as staff support for the City’s seven economic development authorities:

Industrial Development Authority (IDA)
Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA)
Land Reutilization Authority (LRA)
Local Development Company (LDC)
Planned Industrial Expansion Authority (PIEA)
Port Authority
Tax Increment Financing Commission (TIF)

The Executive Director of SLDC is also Executive Director for each authority. The agency’s department directors make policy recommendations to the authorities, the Mayor, Board of Aldermen, and the business community.

I had sent an email request under Missouri’s Sunshine Law to SLDC Director Rodney Crim asking to receive the agendas at the same time as the board members. It was my assumption, at the time, that this information was sent out via email. Monday I received a phone call from SLDC Legal Director Leslye Mitchell Yancey responding to my request, informing me of the price to know about public information.

I do understand that preparing and mailing out information doesn’t come free, I’m not asking to get something for nothing. Still, I’d kinda like to know the various issues they are addressing without having to make numerous trips to 1015 Locust each and every month. I enquired about receiving just three (3) agendas a month and I was quoted a price of $7.25. Basically it is pro-rated. The more you know, the more it costs.

As an example, the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) is meeting this afternoon at 1:30pm at 1015 Locust. Do I want to attend? I’m not sure, I have no idea what they are reviewing. I’m sure those seeking approval certainly know what is on the agenda. Those who have managed to make it to 1015 Locust to see the official posting know. For the rest of us we are left in the dark.

I should point out that the SLDC is perfectly compliant with Missouri’s Sunshine Law regarding meeting notices, they are posting meetings as required. Of course, there is a big difference between minimal compliance and open & responsive government. SLDC has a long way to go toward the latter.

I had to make sure it was indeed 2007. One would think such a large agency would be able to post these agendas online. Of course, I couldn’t find their annual report online to actually demonstrate how large of an agency they really are. I went to their press release section and noticed the most recent was from April 2005 — the only press release that year. Clearly the management issues for SLDC extend far beyond the posting of meeting notices.

Candidates for Aldermanic President Speak at 15th Ward Forum

Last night I attended the candidates forum sponsored by the 15th Ward Democrats, not to be confused with Democrats of the 15th Ward. They are not one in the same, but I will cover that later. The format was Mr. Shrewsbury had the first half hour and Mr. Reed the second half hour. They were asked the same questions. Below are videos for each opening statement, I included Mr. Reed’s closing statement as well to give him roughly equal time at Mr. Shrewsbury. Both vidoes are raw — I have not edited any content.
Jim Shrewsbury — current President of the Board of Aldermen (opening statement):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuayjEYA7CM[/youtube]

Lewis Reed — current 6th Ward Alderman (opening & closing statement):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KbjPchJAQQ[/youtube]

The nine questions asked of both candidates related to the following:

• TIF for St. Louis Centre
• Example of Impact You’d have on City
• School Board appointment in case of state takeover
• BJC/Forest Park lease
• Charter Reform
• Aldermanic Courtesy
• Air Quality
• Gentrification
• Large-Scale Development

For more detail of each question and each response see the summary prepared by 15th ward resident Steve Wilke-Shapiro.One question related to pollution/air quality. Mr. Shrewsbury spoke of legislation he passed related to prohibiting the burning of medical waste. Mr. Reed indicated he would support future legislation similar to the bill passed by Ald. Flowers prohibiting the burning of medical waste. So who sponsored the bill on medical waste? Well, quite a few aldermen did. In fact, the bill (now Ordinance #65701) had 23 sponsors out of a possible 29. It would appear both Pres. Shrewsbury and Ald. Flowers were the primary sponsors. Aldermen Carter, Bauer, Florida, Long, Roddy, Villa, Clay, Ryan, McMillan, Smith, Ortmann, Reed, Sondermann, Gregali, Krewson, Schmid, Conway, Ozier, Kirner, Kennedy and Heitert all joined in. So Shrewsbury was a sponsor and Reed was a co-sponsor. That didn’t help me in distinquishing between the two candidates.

In fact, not much was helpful. Overall I’d say Shrewsbury gave more direct answers with some specific examples whereas Reed stayed more general. Still, neither seemed to offer a radically different perspective on the questions. It was not like Democrats vs. Republicans debating gay marriage.

Immediately following the presentations the eligible members of the 15th Ward Democrats voted to endorse Mr. Reed in the race. I have inquired directly and on several sites as to the voting process. The reason I was curious is it seemed to me that half the room was people from the press or workers/volunteers for each of the two candidates. I estimate that roughly only 10 or so were from the 15th ward and a couple of those were not eligible to vote in the endorsement.

Remember that I said at the opening not to confuse the 15th Ward Democrats with the Democrats of the 15th Ward, let me elaborate. The Democrats of the 15th Ward is the old guard if you will, and that ward group is a closed ward. That is, the membership is not allowed to vote. I’m not even sure they have any actual members. However, the two leaders of that group, Greg Thomas & Jo Ann Perkins, were both elected in 2000 & 2004 to represent the Democrats of the 15th ward (in 2004 Thomas received over 1,600 votes while Perkins received over 1,700 votes). Neither were opposed in 2000 or 2004, just as Ald. Jennifer Florida was not opposed in 2005.

So this other group, the 15th Ward Democrats, is not elected by anyone. They are a political action committee (PAC) that was formed because they were unhappy with the closed ward group. Their website indicates they are an “open” ward where members are allowed to vote in endorsements. Yet, when I inquired about their membership numbers, how many voted last night and such I was told they don’t disclose such information. Doesn’t sound very open does it?

I can understand not wanting to indicate the outcome of the ward vote — they are indicating they as a group back the person they selected, in this case Ald. Reed. I have to respect that as they want to be a united group to support their selected candidate. Still, they can disclose the number of eligible voting members as well as the number of those that participated in the ward vote without damaging that united front. Again, I believe it to have been around 10 people that comprised the vote. Frankly I don’t care if it was 6-4, 9-1 or 10-0 for Reed, I want to know how representative these groups are relative to the number of residents and registered voters. In 2004 the 15th ward had 5,759 registered voters so personally I don’t see much difference between a “closed” ward where the two duly-elected democratic representatives endorse candidates and a small group of 10 people in an “open” ward endorse candidates.

UPDATE 1/11/2007 @ 8:45am — I totally forgot to mention, in order to comment on the “open” 15th Ward Democrats blog you must be a registered user of blogspot yourself.  This, of course, dramatically limits feedback they might receive.  The software offers other options for feedback while still controlling for spam but then just anyone could comment.

Candidates for Aldermanic President Not Impressing Me So Far

Incumbent Aldermanic President Jim Shrewsbury is facing a strong challenge from 6th Ward Alderman Lewis Reed in the primary election to be held on March 6th. Unless an independent petitions to be on the April ballot (deadline is February 12th, hint hint, nudge nudge), one of these two men will be the next President of the Board of Aldermen and the other will be out of political office, at least temporarily.
So far Jim Shrewsbury seems to be running on a platform of starting board meetings on time and following the law. Well, I would certainly hope so! Reed, on the other hand, is bragging about how much development has happened in his ward during his tenure. The problem I have with Reed on this issue is how he is trying to say he’d be a better board president because he has produced so many millions in development while Shrewsbury has not.

I see the President’s job to run the administrative side of the Board of Alderman and to vote on the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. The President’s job is not to start doing development deals throughout the city. Shrewsbury needs better arguments than simply starting meetings on time or following the law. Reed needs to think about what it is the President should be doing and suggest how he is better qualified to do those things than his opponent. Reed needs to understand that if elected his days of brokering development deals are over.  Right now neither candidate is impressing me.

We’ll see how they do at tonight’s candidate forum sponsored by the 15th Ward Democrats, 7pm at the Carpenter Branch Library on South Grand (see map). On-street parking is available along with a small parking lot accessible off of McDonald (a one-way street so you’d need to enter from the West). A bike rack is located on the Grand side near the main entrance. The library is also along the #70 Grand bus line.

Upcoming Events of Interest

The following are events that might be of interest to some of you:
January 9, 2007 – 2nd Annual St. Louis Regional Brownfields Marketplace

The 2nd Annual St. Louis Metropolitan Brownfields Marketplace will take place January 9 from 7:30 AM to noon on UM-St. Louis campus in the J.C. Penny Conference Center, Summit Lounge. The conference is free. The goal of the Marketplace is to offer a one-stop event to bring together the region’s top developers with brownfield/distressed property owners to establish connections, exchange information and initiate future development deals. Keynote speakers will be John Askew, Regional Administrator for the U.S. EPA Region 7and Jim Gilstrap, Missouri DNR Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program.

You will have the opportunity to meet with a diverse group of environmental professionals who can address your brownfield issues at our resource center. You will not want to miss this informative event; it only comes once a year! A feature of the conference will be Speed Networking – Present your brownfield properties directly to brownfield developers in our speed networking sessions. Register at www.stlmetrobrownfields.org. For more information, call Julie Stone at (314) 421-4220 or (618) 274-2750.

January 9, 2007 – 15th Ward Candidates Forum

We will be inviting all Democratic Candidates for President of the Board of Aldermen in the March 6th Primary to our January meeting:

Tuesday, January 9, 2007, 7:00 PM
Carpenter Branch Library (Grand & Utah)

Everyone is invited to attend!

See 15thWard for more information.

January 10, 2007 – St. Louis Community Clean Air Project Hosts Regional Panel to Discuss Reducing School Bus Emissions

The St. Louis Association of Community Organizations’ (SLACO) Clean Air Project is hosting a panel of experts to discuss the advantages for area school districts to reduce damaging emissions into the air. The event is open to the public. School administrators, school health care providers and transportation directors, and bus contractors are especially encouraged to attend. Experts from local school districts, health professionals, government officials and professional engineers will be on hand to discuss ways to implement a successful initiative to reduce school-bus idling and learn new ideas and approaches to this initiative in our area.

Presenters are: Richard Ruhl, Fleet Maintenance Supervisor for the Wentzville School District; Patrick Lanane Assistant Superintendent for the Lindbergh School District; Dr. Raymond Slavin, Medical Educator from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine; and Glenn M. Luksik, Regulations and Funding Consultant for Caterpillar Emissions Solutions. Ruhl and Lanane will discuss how they were able to implement and enforce emissions reductions within their schools – mainly focusing on idle reduction.

This free event will be held at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, JC Penney Building, Room 126, from 4 – 6 PM. Reservations are not required. Parking is available in Lot C. Go to www.umsl.edu/admission/tour/directions.htm for detailed directions, travel options (including MetroLink) and a campus map. For additional information, contact Erica Fendler, SLACO/CAP at (314) 534-9104 or Erica at slaco dot org.

January 11, 2007 – Passive Survivability

Alex Wilson, president of BuildingGreen, Inc. and executive editor of Environmental Building News and the GreenSpec® Directory will make the case for a new design criterion for homes, apartment buildings, schools, and certain other public-use buildings: “passive survivability.” As he uses the term, passive survivability refers to the ability of buildings to maintain livable conditions in the event of extended power outages, or loss of heating fuel or water. The program will be held at Missouri Botanical Garden’s Monsanto Center, 4500 Shaw Boulevard. Networking will begin at 5:30 PM; the program is from 6:15 – 7:30. The program is free to USGBC-STL members and students; $20.00 for nonmembers. To register, e-mail usgbc-stl@mobot.org or call (314) 577-0854. For more information, go to http://chapters.usgbc.org/stlouis/Programs_Events_07.html.

January 12, 2007 – Downtown Partnership Luncheon w/MoDot Director Pete Rahn

MoDOT should soon have a contract signed with the I-64 design-build team, Gateway Constructors, within the next few weeks. More details should then be forthcoming about sequencing and other aspects of the project. Downtown St. Louis Partnership will be featuring MoDOT Director Pete Rahn at its January 12 Issues & Answers luncheon with BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association). This will be an opportunity to hear some of these updated details. The event will be held at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM. Registration is $35 for members and $45 for nonmembers. For sponsorship and registration information, contact Jennifer Burgnone at (314) 436-6500, ext. 225 or jburgnone at downtownstl dot org.

Registration form — deadline 1/9/07!

January 15, 2007 – Martin Luther King Day – Act for Peace

Please join us in marching for justice and peace in the annual Martin Luther King Day march, Monday morning January 15. Gather
at the Old Courthouse across from Kiener Plaza (Market and Broadway), at 10 a.m. The march to Powell Hall begins at 11 a.m.

There is MetroLink service at both ends of the march (8th & Pine MetroLink station is near the Old Courthouse; Grand MetroLink
station is near Powell Hall.)

The weather forecast is cold and clear, so bundle up! Bring your peace and justice signs, wear good shoes and join the celebration, always strong and spirited.

Let our elected officials hear that we demand real change, now! – a rapid end to the disastrous Iraq war, and speedy redirection
of resources to human needs.

“The chain reaction of evil — wars producing more wars — must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of
annihilation.” — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

January 16, 2007 – Euclid Streetscape Improvement Project

Postcard received in mail indicates the following:

• Final public viewing
• Come Any Time From 5:00-7:30 p.m.
• Brief Presentation at 5:45 and 7:00 p.m.
• The St. Louis Woman’s Club 4600 Lindell Blvd.
• Sponsor: Central West End Midtown Development
• Host: Joe Roddy, 17th Ward Alderman
  

Sorry, no website or other contact information is provided.

January 17, 2007 – APA-SLMS Luncheon: The Mill Creek Valley Urban Renewal Project Revisited

You are invited to attend the American Planning Association-St. Louis Metropolitan Section luncheon to be held in the Community Room on the first floor of the Heritage House Apartments, 2800 Olive St., St. Louis. The luncheon begins at 11:30 AM. Ron Fagerstrom, a local historian, will take a critical look at the Mill Creek Project. St. Louis was one of the most active cities in the federal urban renewal program during the 1950’s and 1960’s.

The largest St. Louis project took place in what was referred to as Mill Creek Valley, an African-American community, in present day Midtown. Perhaps the most extensive urban renewal initiative in the country, the Mill Creek Project involved the total clearance save for four buildings of an area bound by 18th Street on the east, Olive on the north, Grand on the west, and the Mill Creek rail yard to the south. Although now developed, the land remained undeveloped for several years and was locally known as “Hiroshima Flats.” Fagerstrom will discuss how the residents of the neighborhood were shut-out of the planning process and how the fabric of a vital community was destroyed. For Fagerstrom, the Mill Creek Valley Project sheds light not only on development practices of the past, but on the continued razing of low income neighborhoods in areas like Maplewood and Brentwood in the name of the public good.

Please make reservations with entrée choices (Bake Madison Chicken Breast, Roast Beef or Meatless Pasta) by Monday, January 15 to Jason Jaggi, jjaggi at ci.clayton.mo dot us. The cost of the luncheon is $15 for members and $18 for nonmembers.

January 17, 2007 – Free APA Training – Introduction to the Planning Commission

You are invited to attend a free audio/web conference training session: “Introduction to the Planning Commission – Part Two” to be held from 2 – 4 PM, local time at the offices of East-West Gateway, Gateway Tower, One Memorial Drive, Suite 1600, St. Louis. The conference’s two hours of moderated discussion cover: zoning process and variances, plan implementation, subdivision regulation, how plans are amended, citizen engagement and resolving conflict in public meetings, how to work with the public and other appointed and elected officials, the roles and participants in public decision making, concerns of participants, and applicability of sunshine laws. Technical Briefs explaining these concepts are available for conference participants online at www.planning.org/audioconference/ipc2/participant.htm. Anyone with an interest in the subject is welcome to attend.

Please RSVP to East-West Gateway: Karen Kunkel at karen at ewgateway dot org or Gary Pondrom at garyp at ewgateway dot org or call Karen or Gary at (314) 421-4220 or (618) 274-2750. The audio/web conference series is sponsored by the APA-St. Louis Metropolitan Section, the City of Maryland Heights and East-West Gateway Council of Governments.

January 18, 2007 – ULI St. Louis – Meet the Mayor – Francis G. Slay, Mayor of the City of St. Louis

ULI St.Louis – Meet the Mayor Luncheon:
Featuring Mayor Francis G. Slay, City of St. Louis

Thursday, January 18, 2007
12:00 – 1:15 PM

– Location –
City of St. Louis
Mayor’s Board Room
1200 Market Street, Room 200
St. Louis, MO 63103

This is a ULI Members Only Event

Please join ULI St. Louis for our second Meet the Mayor Luncheon featuring Francis G. Slay, Mayor of the City of St. Louis; Barbara Geisman, the Mayor’s Executive Assistant for Development; and Jeff Rainford, Chief of Staff, on Thursday, January 18, 2007 from 12:00 – 1:15 PM.

This will be an invaluable and unique opportunity to spend quality face-to-face time with Mayor Slay and his staff. You will be spending the kind of time with the Mayorthat you won’t get elsewhere, discussing issues of interest to you and getting to know those with whom you will be working in the future.

This event is limited to the first 15 ULI Members to register. You must pre-register no later than January 16 to attend. There will be no on-site registration for this event.

Cost for all sectors: $50

Regisration for ULI Members.

January 23, 2007 – Transit Oriented Development

Citizens for Modern Transit will be hosting an informational program on Transit Oriented Development at 4 PM at the Des Lee Auditorium of the Missouri Historical Society, Forest Park. The featured speaker will be G.B. Arrington of Parsons Brinckerhoff Place Making. He is Parson Brinckerhoff’s most senior practitioner in the field of linking transit and land use. For the last 20+ years, he has played a key role in the Portland, OR region’s innovative experiment to reinvent the American dream of a livable community by
marrying transportation and land use. In the past year Arrington has lead three TOD policy studies of national significance – the Governor’s Task Force on Transit Oriented Development for Maryland, the California Statewide Study of Transit Oriented Development and the Mayor’s Special Transit-Oriented Development Task Force for Washington, D.C. His work with station area planning received a national award of excellence from Progressive Architecture and a First Place in the Livable Communities Initiative Transit Design Competition from the Federal Transit Administration.

The program also will feature updates on how Clayton and Shrewsbury are approaching TOD. The program will be followed by a reception and informal discussion. Registration will be $20 for CMT members and $25 for nonmembers. Go to http://www.cmt-stl.org/news/story_22.html for additional program information and to make your
reservation.

February 14, 2007 – Great Streets Design Workshop

East-West Gateway invites you to the Great Streets Design Workshop on Wednesday, February 14 from 8 AM – 12 noon. The workshop will be held at the Eric P. Newman Education Center, 322 S Euclid Avenue, St. Louis. This workshop will provide information on how to use the Great Streets Digital Reference Guide and how to obtain assistance on planning and designing a Great Streets project in your
community. The workshop cost is $25, with parking available for an additional $5. The Central West End MetroLink station is one block south of the Center. Advanced registration is required. Workshop information available and the registration form can be downloaded and printed or you can register on-line by going to www.ewgateway.org. For questions or additional information, contact David Wilson at david.wilson at ewgateway dot org or (314) 421-4220 or (618) 274-2750.

March 29, 2007 – APA St. Louis Metro Section 2007 Planning Workshop

SAVE THE DATE: APA SLMS has arranged for distinguished land-use attorney, planner, and author Dwight H. Merriam, FAICP, CRE to be the highlight this year’s Planning Workshop. Mr. Merriam will not only present the evening’s keynote address on eminent domain, but will also be heading up a technical workshop earlier that day. Mr. Merriam is a partner with the law firm of Robinson & Cole LLP in Hartford, Connecticut, where he practices land use law. He represents developers, local governments, landowners, and advocacy groups in land development and conservation issues. He has published over 180 professional articles on land use law, co-edited Inclusionary Zoning Moves Downtown, co-authored The Takings Issue, and authored The Complete Guide to Zoning. He is a Fellow and past president of the American Institute of Certified Planners, a former director of the American Planning Association and a previous chair of APA’s Planning & Law Division. He is also a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and The
Counselors of Real Estate, and he teaches land use law at Vermont Law School.

Welcome to the 6th Ward Circus

Tonight I had dinner at the lovely Pestalozzi Place restaurant, conveniently at the same time the executive committee of the 6th Ward Democracts were having a dinner meeting. At issue were a large number of new members that Kacie Starr Triplett brought to the organization. The executive committee, including opponent Patrick Cacchione, have suggested something is not right and wants most if not all the new members banned from voting at the endorsement meeting next month.  Triplett has a brief comment on her campaign website.
I have to say, if Kacie Starr Triplett thought she had a chance at getting the ward endorsement over the committeeman, Patrick Cacchione, she was kidding herself. Yes, she is on the executive committee but not as the committeewoman. You see Kacie, this is St. Louis and here we dutifully wait our turn. Your hard work and dedication has been noted and that is why you were given a leadership position but it is the committeewoman and committeeman that are the next in line to become Alderman. Once the committeewoman decides she no longer wants the position you coudl have been considered so that you’d be next up. Basically Kacie, you are being insubordinate for stepping out of line — shame on you. But at least you are not as rude as that Christian Saller guy — he just blows off the ward stuff altogether.

This is not, I don’t think, about race. I don’t believe that Cacchione or the others have a problem with a large number of black members joining the group — they have a problem with a large number of people of any race joining the group with the intention of supporting Kacie Starr Triplett at the endorsement meeting in January.

And all you voters out there who think you actually get to decide the election in March don’t kid yourselves either. Here we have two out of the three candidates packing a partisan ward committee with new members so they’ll be the endorsed candidate by that committee. Does this make any sense? Why not just have non-partisan elections and let the voters in that ward weigh the pros and cons of each candidate and make a decision? Why must we go through this whole circus of holding a committee-level election simply to hold a ward-level election?

Christian Saller is the smart one of the three in all of this, staying clear of this party in-fighting. No wonder our city has declined to the point it has over the last 50 years, when our leaders are not passing legislation to add or remove a stop sign they are spending time debating by-laws relative to how to pack a ward committee for an endorsement. Give me a break…