Memorandum
Office of the City Administrator
TO: Honorable Jeff Schlink
Board of Alderman
All Employees
FROM: Petree A. Eastman
City Administrator
DATE: January 19, 2011
RE: City Administrator’s Report
Wow! Crestwood is named by Business Week as one of the Best Places in America to Raise Kids! Of course, we already knew it, but now the world does! How exciting for our residents. Between the excellent services (including our parks, Aquatic Center and family-oriented programs) provided by the City, the outstanding education provided by Lindbergh School District, affordable and high quality housing stock, awesome family oriented neighborhoods, the addition of Grant’s Trail and our central location within the metropolitan area, Business Week got it right. Kudos to all!
Employee Recognition-Fanny Roller
Fanny Roller was honored as the Employee of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2011. Fanny was nominated for her work ethic, pleasant demeanor and willingness to go the extra mile. As Employee of the Quarter, Fanny was awarded a $25 gift card to a local business, a certificate of recognition, and her name will be added to a communal plaque, which is located in the government center. Congratulations Fanny!
If you would like to recognize a co-worker’s hard work or innovative idea, please submit a nomination form to your Department Head or Nikki Koehnemann. Nomination forms are available through your Department Head or on the share (W:) drive.
Welcome Back to Rosann Shannon and Janet Gravagna. After a long month without one of our greatest cheerleaders, Rosann Shannon, our Code Enforcement Officer, has finally returned from sick leave due to a her knee replacement surgery. It was tough going not only for Rosann in her recovery process but also for the City of Crestwood. Her dedication to Crestwood and her lively presence was definitely missed. Welcome Back Rosann! Also back with us is our Accountant, Janet Gravagna, who took a nasty spill before Christmas and severely broke her leg. Janet is our payroll specialist and coordinates all of the employee benefits. We are very happy she is recovering and back with us too!
Passing of Ms. Audrey Walsh: At the next Board of Aldermen meeting, the City of Crestwood will be honoring Ms. Audrey Walsh who passed away on December 27, 2011. Ms. Walsh served as the City of Crestwood’s first female Alderman in the early 1960’s and was a key member of the Thomas Sappington House Foundation. She was critical to the purchase and restoration of the Thomas Sappington House. Ms. Walsh oversaw the first stage of restoration on the house and with her hard work, fundraising and watchful eye which was completed in 1965 and dedicated to the public in 1966. She was involved in the building of the Library of Americana and the Restaurant and Gift shop on the grounds. Ms. Walsh and her devotion to the Thomas Sappington House and grounds will be sorely missed.
Sales Tax Revenues: January sales tax revenues of $578,122 were 28.2% more or $127,215 more than the $450,907 projected for the month. You should be cautious in drawing too much from these numbers. As we have seen in the past, monthly sales tax receipts can vary greatly on a month-to-month basis and also vary greatly based on historical numbers. Higher receipts in January could be directly related to the timing of merchants filing their return.
On that front, we are sad to say that Barnes and Noble on Watson Road did shut its doors at the end of December. Staff and citizens made every effort to prevent the closure of this beloved store. Lease negotiations between Barnes and Noble simply failed and there was nothing we could do to prevent it. We hope all businesses know that we are available to help with negotiations so that you will remain in Crestwood. The sooner we know of an issue, the sooner it can get resolved.
We must also report that our longstanding Sears will be closing. The decision was made in late December as part of a nationwide reduction in stores by Sears. Sears has been a staple to Crestwood residents and the larger community for decades and will be sorely missed. The date of the closure is unknown at this time. Confidentiality laws prevent the City from disclosing the exact amount of sales tax revenue it will lose due to the closings of these retail establishments.
The closure of both Sears and Barnes and Noble will have a significant effect on our operating revenues and may affect the level of service we can provide to residents. Citizens should be aware that plans for the redevelopment of Crestwood Court is not likely to fill the gap left by the closure and departure of retail stores lost over the last number of years for some time. Thus, there will be a growing gap between the revenues we receive from all sources, including property taxes, and the costs of providing City services. As seen in our budget process, no additional significant cuts in budget are possible without jeopardizing our services. We also were unable to provide any salary increases to our employees for the third year running despite a nearly 5% increase in the cost of living since 2009, not including the double digit rise in the cost of benefits to employees. With little in our reserves, few options remain if we intend to provide a high level of service to our citizens, businesses and visitors.
Fire Department AFG 2011 Grants: The Fire Department has been approved for two grants from the FEMA Department of Homeland Security, Assistance to Fire Fighter Grants in the 2011 process. These grants were requested for the purchase of new thermal imaging cameras, multi-gas detectors and a new paramedic/fire engine. The first grant was for $19,900 for the purchase of thermal imaging cameras and multi-gas detectors. The federal share is $18,905 and the city share is $995. The second grant was for $360,000 for a new paramedic/fire engine. The federal share is $342,000 and the City share is $18,000. This is great news insofar as the City had been setting aside funds for the purchase of a paramedic/fire engine and now much of those funds can be used for other capital purposes. Congratulations to Deputy Fire Chief Mark Menning and all the staff that worked on this important grant.
Training Recognition: The Department received recognition from the Greater St. Louis Area Chief’s Association Special Programs Committee for completing 157 hours of advanced level fire training during 2011.
2011 Alarm Totals: The Department responded to 1410 calls for assistance in 2011. This is 26 more alarms than 2010. EMS accounted for 924 of the total alarms or 65%.
2012 Municipal Election: Candidate filing for the 2012 Aldermanic election officially ended at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, January 17, 2011. As of today’s date, the following individuals have declared their candidacy for the Office of Alderman:
Ward Two (unexpired term) – Robert Deutschmann
Ward Two – Mary Stadter
Ward Two – Tim Trueblood
Ward Three – Paul Duchild
Ward Four – Dan Tennessen
Ward Four – Steve Nieder
Alarm Supplier Annual Licenses: Applications for alarm supplier license renewals were mailed by the City Clerk during the first week of January to all registered license holders that sell, lease or install emergency alarm systems within the City of Crestwood. All alarm supplier license renewals must be received and paid by January 31, 2012.
Records Archival and Preservation: The City Clerk, along with assistance from the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office, will begin conducting research on document imaging and records preservation for the City’s permanent records. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office provides assistance to local governments with services such as on-site Archivists for microfilming or conservation evaluation, instructional publications, grant workshops and disaster preparedness. After data is collected, reviewed and complied, a report and/or proposal will be provided to the City Administrator, Mayor and Board of Aldermen for consideration.
Economic Development Commission: On Tuesday, January 17th, the Economic Development Commission met in the Board of Aldermen Chambers. Eric Garland presented on a number projected trends, and the Assistant to City Administrator provided a review of the 2011 economic climate. If you have any questions regarding the meeting or presentations, please contact Nikki Koehnemann.
Maintenance Crew Activity: Park maintenance personnel are in the process of grinding stumps which remain from prior street tree and park tree removals. Street maintenance personnel are currently sealing joints and performing random crack sealing throughout the City.
Snow Removal: On January 12, 2012 the Public Works maintenance crew was mobilized early in the morning to address the two inch snowfall which fell on the City. The snow and ice were removed promptly and the streets were clear by early evening. Kudos to the crew for making our streets clear and safe.
Rotary Pavilion: The Public Works maintenance crew recently installed a concrete walkway adjacent to the pavilion and has completed finish grading and seeding. The pavilion will be ready for use this spring. Rotary is preliminarily planning a ribbon cutting ceremony for March.
Bids for Public Works Projects: The Public Works Department is currently soliciting bids for 2012 contractual tree trimming and removal, the mowing of all City properties, the 2012 Asphalt Mill and Overlay Project, and the Electrical Lighting Fixture Supply and Replacement Project. Contracts for these projects will be submitted to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen later this year.
Whitecliff Park Service Bridge: All construction has been completed and the bridge is now open to pedestrian and City vehicular traffic. Final construction cost was $445,406, which is well below the $600,000 budgeted for this expenditure. The total cost for this project was $564,743, including design engineering and material testing. This also is well below the $720,000 initially budgeted for this project.
Sewer Lateral: During the month of December the City received twelve applications for sewer lateral repair, of which nine were approved. For the year of 2011 we received 66 applications for repair of which 53 were approved for replacement. A detailed report on the sewer lateral program will be provided to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen in May.
Planning and Zoning Commission: The Planning and Zoning Commission met on January 4, 2012 in order to consider a request for a Conditional Use Permit for a tavern (Pints and Rails) at 8920/8924 Watson Road. The Commission was deadlocked on this request (2-2) due to concerns about noise generated from the site and the proximity to the Crestview Senior Living facility. The Board of Aldermen will consider this matter on January 24, 2012.
Spellman Avenue Phase I. HR Green is currently finalizing the preliminary plans for the reconstruction of Spellman Avenue from Rayburn to Ponderosa. A meeting with the affected utility companies is tentatively scheduled for February 15. Once the preliminary plans are completed, City Staff will begin the process of obtaining the easements and right-of-way required in order to construct the project. Construction is scheduled for the spring of 2013.
Spellman Avenue Phase II: Public Works Staff has reviewed qualifications from the twelve engineering firms that responded to the Request for Qualifications for design services for the reconstruction of Ponderosa, Acorn (Ponderosa to Oak Ridge), Oak Ridge, and Holmes, also referred to as Spellman Avenue Phase II. HR Green has been selected and a contract has been negotiated in accordance with MODOT requirements. The Mayor and Board of Aldermen will consider approval of the design contract with HR Green on January 24, 2012.
Sappington Road: City Staff has recently contacted St. Louis County and Missouri American Water Company regarding the condition of Sappington Road. St. Louis County has informed us that Sappington Road will be overlaid from Big Bend to Gravois in 2013. The 20 inch water main under Sappington Road from Big Bend to Watson will be replaced prior to the project. Good news!
Park Board: The next Park Board meeting is scheduled to be held at the Crestwood Community Center on Monday, January 17, 2012 at 7 p.m. Discussion will be held regarding proposed improvements to Spellman Park.
Animal Control Report: The Animal Control Officer responded to 63 animal related calls in December, including five complaints, 21 requests for information, three wildlife calls, lost and found calls, ten adoption inquiries and one bite case. During the month of December, the Animal Control Officer picked up six dogs and four cats. Eight animals were adopted out during that period, including an elusive pit bull mix who had been roaming Crestwood since October. The shelter had 26 animals on hand at the beginning of December, and 26 animals remain on hand at the end of December.
Community Center:
- The Community Center is reserved for a party or trivia night every Saturday until the end of March.
- Staff is finishing work on the Spring and Summer edition of Pastimes for a Lifetime. The brochure should be out to residents in early March.
- Tickets for the annual Daddy and Daughter Valentine Dance are on sale at the Community Center for $25 a couple and $15 for each additional child. The dance will be held on February 11 from 5:30 to 8 pm.
- The 5th Annual Whitecliff Valentine Trail run will be held on February 11, 2012 at 10:00 am. Interested parties can register at the Community Center or mail in registration forms. Cost for participating in the run is $20 for the single division and $35 for the couples division.
- Crestwood Parks Department is hosting a Rajin’ Cajun Trivia Night on Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 6-10pm to help support the Crestwood Parks and Recreation Department and the Missouri Parks and Recreation Association. Team registration is $160/Resident Team and $180/Non-Resident Team. Each team can have up to 8 members over the age of 21. Team Registration will include beer, soda, snacks, door prizes, and lots of other surprises. To register you can stop in the Community Center or mail an entry form.
Burglary: A burglary occurred in the 600 block Fox Creek Court during the week of January 2, 2012. A resident contacted the police department on January 9th reporting a person walking in the area who matched the description of our suspect. Officer Michael Maloney responded and located the suspect and detained him in the area. While Officer Maloney was interviewing this person, Detective Ford drove a witness to the area who identified him as the possible solicitor seen on the day of the burglary.
Officers could not establish probable cause to make an arrest. However Detective Ford was able to link the man’s name to recent pawn shop activity. Detectives Ford and Berberich responded to the Sam Light Pawn Shop and identified a ring which had been taken from the burglary. Detective Ford entered an arrest order for our suspect.
The suspect was arrested on January 11, 2012. At the completion of an interrogation session with Crestwood Detectives, the suspect implicated himself as being involved in the burglary. He has been charged and we will be applying for warrants on January 13, 2012.
Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training Continuing Education Period:
The three year POST training period ended on 12-31-2011. Officers are required to have 48 hours of continuing education in six categories including legal, interpersonal, skill, technical, firearms and racial profiling. All Officers successfully completed the required training during this three year period. The required paperwork was sent to POST on 01-10-2012.
Missouri Uniform Crime Reporting Audit:
The Police Department submits reports to Missouri UCR every month as required by statute. The Missouri UCR program audits each agency every three years as part of their quality assurance review. The Police Department received their audit on Thursday, 01-12-2012 and received a successful audit. The representative from UCR reviewed ten sample reports and asked questions to see if the program is understood and being applied consistently.
