Larry Williams Should Not Seek Another Term as Treasurer

St. Louis has had one treasurer for over 30 years. Larry Williams first became treasurer when then mayor Schoemehl appointed him to the position in 1981. Williams has since been reelected over sand over, seldom facing a credible challenger at the polls.

What does the treasurer’s office do? The following is from the city webpage:

The Treasurer’s Office controls and monitors all the bank accounts of the City. There are currently over 30 accounts under this office’s control. Through daily contact with the Comptroller’s Office and detailed reconciliations of these accounts, this office provides a check and balance for the Comptroller’s Office. In addition, this office is by ordinance the depository for all receipts of the City and provides a means for departments to make daily deposits.

The Treasurer’s Office issues all payroll checks, deposits funds for federal and state taxes, funds for savings bonds and other payroll deductions.

The Treasurer is also responsible for making all investments for the City. This includes purchasing, selling and auditing the earnings on these investments as well as ensuring that City funds are safe and secure.

Treasurer Operations

Larry C. Williams has been Treasurer of the City of St. Louis since 1981. His responsibilities include that of being the head of the City’s banking systems and parking services operation.

As head of banking operations, he is responsible for the establishment of over fifty different City banking accounts, receiving deposits and reinvesting the intake of cash from a variety of City sources.

Treasurer Williams is the Custodian for the Police and Fire Department’s Retirement System, Chairman of the Fund Committee and Parking Commission, and a Co-Chair and board member of Downtown Now.

As supervisor of parking, he is responsible for the installation and operation of approximately 10,000 meters on the street, twenty-nine parking enforcement officers, and the daily operation of the Kiel Parking Garage (home of the St. Louis Blues). Other off-street facilities run by the Treasurer include the City Hall Parking Lot and the Justice Center Garage downtown, and the Argyle Parking Facility at Lindell and Euclid.

Revenues under the supervision and control of the Treasurer exceed $1.5 billion. The Treasurer is now currently focused on the efficient and effective distribution of parking in the City, especially the Central Business District. He believes our downtown should house a larger-living, urban environment. Mr. Williams’ way of achieving maximum revitalization of our urban center is through the cooperation and intercommunication of the public and private sector.

Wow, $1.5 billion? The treasurer’s office is not overseen by anyone on city government other than the treasurer. The treasurer has no duty report to the mayor or board of aldermen. It’s past time for change but that should come this year. Three political figures have announced they will run for treasurer: alderman Fred Wessels, head of city Democrats Brian Wahby and state rep Tishaura Jones.

The partisan primary is in August and the general election is in November. Unless one of the three above runs as an independent or Republican the race will likely be decided in August. Williams, now in his 80s, can do everyone a favor and not seek yet another term in office.

– Steve Patterson

Hartford Now Two-Way…Briefly

The other day I was driving westbound on Hartford heading to Grand (map) and I noticed the street changed from being one-way westbound to two-way for a short distance east of Grand.

This probably changed months ago but I drive so rarely I hadn’t noticed. But why change such a short distance and not the entire street? Most likely the city didn’t want motorists to be able to avoid the light on Grand at Arsenal to go eastbound on Arsenal. You know, use the street grid as designed.   All over the city we’ve destroyed the grid, forcing drivers to use the main roads, not allowing  the use of the grid. Cars sit and idle at long traffic lights that all traffic must flow through. Hopefully someday we will allow the grid to be opened so traffic isn’t concentrated.

 – Steve Patterson

St. Louis Central Library Opened 100 Years Ago Today

Saturday January 6, 1912 a new library opened for the citizens of St. Louis. The St. Louis Library was started in 1865 and was located in various buildings until this structure opened a century ago.

The site contained a building, less than 30 years old, that was razed for the library:

The Central Library building at 13th and Olive was built in 1912 on a location formerly occupied by the St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall and was designed by Cass Gilbert. The main library for the city’s public library system has an oval central pavilion surrounded by four light courts. The outer facades of the free-standing building are of lightly rusticated Maine granite. The Olive Street front is disposed like a colossal arcade, with contrasting marble bas-relief panels. A projecting three-bay central block, like a pared-down triumphal arch, provides a monumental entrance. At the rear, the Central Library faces a sunken garden. The interiors feature some light-transmitting glass floors. The ceiling of the Periodicals Room is modified from Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Laurentian Library. Renovation and expansion of the building began in 2010 and is scheduled to finish in 2012 (Wikipedia)

The library is a complex building as described above and as seen below.

The library closed in mid-2010 to undergo an extensive top to bottom renovation (see Beacon story w/video). The library will reopen later this year, most likely in the fall.They’ve put together a great website on the history of the building and the renovation plans, click here to view (highly recommended).

Prior to the closure the administrative offices moved to a newer building across 14th Street, freeing up more space for public use.

I live two blocks west of the library, I can’t wait for it to reopen.

– Steve Patterson

Best & Worst of 2011: World Series Win and Population Loss

Last week I had two separate polls asking readers to pick what they thought were the best & worst things to happen to St. Louis in 2011.

BEST

No surprise, the Cardinals 11th World Series win was the top pick among the best things to happen to St. Louis in 2011.

I’m not a sports fan but the civic pride after such an event is contagious. The second place item was the reopening of the Kiel as the Peabody Opera House after being shuttered for two decades.

I never saw the interior before the reopening, I was blown away by the beauty of the 1934 structure. Welcome back Kiel..er, Peabody. Here are the final results.

Q: Best thing to happen to STL in 2011 (pick up to 3)

1. Cardinals win their 11th World Series 90 [28.48%]
2. Kiel reopened as the Peabody Opera House 79 [25%]
3. Most public places became smoke-free 61 [19.3%]
4. Independent Scott Ogilvie elected to Board of Aldermen 20 [6.33%]
5. Pevely Dairy saved from demo 19 [6.01%]
6. Flying saucer (aka Del Taco) saved from demo 15 [4.75%]
7. Population loss not as much as in previous decades 13 [4.11%]
8. Cupples 7 saved from demo, although still at risk of collapse 7 [2.22%]
9. Other: 5 [1.58%]
10. Cardinals sign Carlos Beltran to 2-year deal 3 [0.95%]
11. Taxi stand removed from sidewalk in front of convention center 2 [0.63%]
12. Rams sold to Stan Kroenke 2 [0.63%]

The five other answers were:

1. Got a new job
2. Dorsa Lofts Sold Out
3. live music scene in STL is still AWESOME!!
4. DEL TACO, CUPPLES, AND PEVELY SAVED ; D
5. climbed the ladder to 3rd most dangerous city, Watch out Warez, your next!

Uh, okay.

WORST

The worst of vote also wasn’t a surprise, readers felt the population loss of nearly 29,00 residents on the 2010 Census was a downer.  The bad news came in late February 2011, as the US Census Bureau began to release 2010 figures for individual cities.  St. Louis’ official 2010 population was 319,294 versus 348,189 in 2000.

Q: Worst thing to happen to STL in 2011 (pick up to 3)

1. Population loss rather than gain 91 [37.14%]
2. Bob Cassilly died 74 [30.2%]
3. Albert Pujohls left St. Louis 31 [12.65%]
4. Redistricting 23 [9.39%]
5. Other: 10 [4.08%]
6. Most public places became smoke-free 9 [3.67%]
7. Rams sold to Stan Kroenke 7 [2.86%]

The ten other answers were:

1. we still have to many aldermen
2. Smoking by-law was much to weak. Should have been complete ban everywhere.
3. Aerostoplis didnt pass
4. Occupy Kiener Plaza
5. Continued deterioration in North City without a plan from the Mayor/Aldermen
6. Missouri’s special session dropped the China Hub and local control
7. Metro area homicides
8. Hostile state government: threats to tax credits, etc.
9. Add as a poll answer
10. tornados
11. Status quo remains unchanged

No doubt 2012 will bring both good & bad news for St. Louis. Let’s just  work to make the good more frequent and significant than the bad!

– Steve Patterson

Sustainability Summit Featured Majora Carter

Last month I attended a two day sustainability summit. The keynote speaker was the inspiring Majora Carter from the South Bronx NY.

Carter’s TED profile explains why she is important:

Majora Carter is a visionary voice in city planning who views urban renewal through an environmental lens. The South Bronx native draws a direct connection between ecological, economic and social degradation. Hence her motto: “Green the ghetto!”

With her inspired ideas and fierce persistence, Carter managed to bring the South Bronx its first open-waterfront park in 60 years, Hunts Point Riverside Park. Then she scored $1.25 million in federal funds for a greenway along the South Bronx waterfront, bringing the neighborhood open space, pedestrian and bike paths, and space for mixed-use economic development.

Her success is no surprise to anyone who’s seen her speak; Carter’s confidence, energy and intensely emotional delivery make her talks themselves a force of nature. (The release of her TEDTalk in 2006 prompted Guy Kawasaki to wonder on his blog whether she wasn’t “every bit as good as [Apple CEO] Steve Jobs,” a legendary presenter.)

Carter, who was awarded a 2005 MacArthur “genius” grant, served as executive director of Sustainable South Bronx for 7 years, where she pushed both for eco-friendly practices (such as green and cool roofs) and, equally important, job training and green-related economic development for her vibrant neighborhood on the rise. Since leaving SSBx in 2008, Carter has formed the economic consulting and planning firm the Majora Carter Group, to bring her pioneering approach to communities far outside the South Bronx. Carter is working within the cities of New Orleans, Detroit and the small coastal towns of Northeastern North Carolina. The Majora Carter Group is putting the green economy and green economic tools to use, unlocking the potential of every place — from urban cities and rural communities, to universities, government projects, businesses and corporations — and everywhere else in between.

“We could not fail to be inspired by Majora Carter’s efforts to bring green space for exercise to the South Bronx. We need more ideas like these to bring solutions to minority communities.”

Time

Most likely you weren’t at this summit to here her speak. Her presentation was an updated version of her excellent TED presentation, well worth 20 minutes:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ-cZRmHfs4

Over a decade ago Carter founded Sustainable South Bronx:

Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx) has been championing hope and opportunity for the people of the South Bronx and other urban communities since 2001. Our unique and comprehensive approach delivers integrated economic and environmental solutions, resulting in more prosperous and revitalized communities.

• We specialize in pairing economic and environmental solutions.
• We prepare workers for jobs in the growing green collar field while laying the groundwork for healthier urban communities.
• We inspire the members of our community to improve their economic conditions, and back it up with education and job training.
• We’re public advocates, determined to provide a strong voice for our neighbors.

We accomplish the following aims through innovative Green Collar Workforce Training, Environmental Education, and Community Greening Initiatives:

• Attacking rampant un- and under-employment in a community where nearly 30% of the population is unemployed.
• Creating access to jobs with living wages that offer opportunities for growth.
• Adding to the growing (local and national) green-collar workforce.
• Increasing residents’ consciousness of the community’s environmental degradation.
• Raising local awareness of the benefits of greening the community, and the many opportunities for citizen participation.
• Remediating environmental threats, through the activities of BEST and BEST for Buildings trainees and FabLab participants.
• Developing awareness of Environmental Justice issues, so workers and other residents can mobilize to protect and preserve their community.

Carter isn’t anti-development and says she has embraced her “inner capitalist” which has allowed her to bring sustainable projects to the South Bronx. Sustainable from an economic perspective, creating profit for investors and employing members of the community, sustainable from an environmental perspective by using green materials and techniques rather than the status quo. Hopefully we will see some real change in St. Louis.

– Steve Patterson