April 26, 2004

SAY A PRAYER FOR THE LARRY JOE BRADSHAW FAMILY

RUMORS RUMORS RUMORS

Rumor has it that the Casino is sold and a new owners will take over in 90 days.

Fireworks at the La Grange City Council Monday night.

La Grange City Police lieutenant demoted to patrolman.

The City Council issued the final vote to spend $427,659.65 on 5th street project.
The Council voted to spend over $25,000 for antique lighting on main street.
The Council talked about spending $12,832.50 for a drug dog and equipment. The Police Chief was not happy with the Council giving $7,900.00 to the N E MO Drug task force. There were many questions as to sending officer Salborn to 10 weeks of training school to train with the drug dog. Whether a contract should be made up. And about having Salborn move to La Grange of which he said he would not do. The council asked what happened to the special electric doors they had for the last drug dog and no one seems to know where they went. The council voted not to put almost $4,000.00 worth of security cameras in the police station to protect the police officers with guns. 

Councilman Henderson stated the new 10% water rate increase will only add on the average of 92 cents a month to the people of La Grange. Anyone can afford 92 cents. The Council then had the Ordinance read three times real fast and passed it 4 to 2 with Ron Powers and Rita Cox voting not to add the increase. The Council voted to put up for bids, boat docks as $15,000 has been budgeted for them.

The Council voted to put the chicken Bar-B-Que pits out at the new fire station and have the chicken ferried to the Lions Hall.

Then Sam Henderson let the Mayor know he was pissed with the "opinion page" of the City green sheet. The Council voted to censure the Mayor and not let him have his say. Then Councilwoman Rita Cox brought up about the Police demotion and the Council hem-hawed around that for a minute and decided to go into "Emergency" closed session and when they came out the decided to do nothing until next week.

April 25, 2004

To the out of towners wanting to know what is happening.

Here is a picture of the Mayor and City Council spending all the money. click here

Here is a picture of what happens when the City Council forces someone to demolish a building LAST YEAR. click here

Here is a picture of an unused City beach. Could be a nice place for a fishing derby. click here

Here is a picture of the work done around the mineral well. click here

Here is a picture of the new $80,000 road to the mineral well built last year. Still barricaded click here

Here is a picture of the new $350,000 road project at the City Park  click here

April 24, 2004

It was a nice spring morning as she slowly drove down the town hill. Looking both to and fro, searching. At the bottom of the hill she slowly turned south on main street and then around the block to come up from the river. Her eyes were glancing up and down the street, still searching. Then she saw his truck. It was coming down the street and turned into the convenience store and parked. She watched as he got out of his truck and looked her way. Quickly, she darted across the intersection to the convenience store parking lot and pulled next to the big white truck. Gently, she gets out of her car and walks over to the guy and starts talking. Excitedly she flipped her hair and she kept smiling and giggling as they talked. From a distance, I watched the serious conversation and the antics. Then, after a few brief moments of quiet talking with each other, she started to her car and then slowly turned and said good-bye again and again to the guy, and hesitantly she got into her car and left the parking lot and slowly drove up the hill looking back to see is he was watching her leave but, he had already went into the store. As I watched her slowly drive up the hill to home, and her husband and children, I wondered what was so important that Rita had to meet Ed on a dreary Saturday morning.

April 21, 2004

IT IS A CRYING SHAME, 
SOLDIERS DYING TO PROVIDE THE FREEDOM FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE
and only 152 out of 752 voted today in La Grange. 

Mr. Mayor, I feel for you. It has to be hard to be Mayor and try to get things going for the people of La Grange. They say in public that they wanted a school and then when called to support a school, it was a total turn down. And now over 600 of the people of La Grange didn't even take two minutes to vote for what soldiers are dying for everyday. 

It has to be hard to have a City Council that gets over a million dollars a year, many times previous Mayors had and see an out of control City Council put the City in debt. They act like they have a forever income with no end.

Face it Mayor, the people don't care and the Council don't care.

Jerry,
What is going on with the City Council? How can they raise the water rates? I thought that in the state of Missouri we were 
protected under that Hancock Law, amendments or whatever it is, that the people would need to vote themselves this raise. I don't understand some of the things that they are doing. If the lawyer starts talking about resigning, then I know something is wrong. If they are in debt, why spend this money they are spending? If you are printing everything the way that it is really happening, and I was planning on living in La Grange, I would be a real monster and have to report all of this to someone. What if, the casino would close on the morning of April 24, 2004, where would La Grange be financially? There is more money coming into this town than ever before. But to look around after 2 1/2 years of huge income the citizens see, bigger fire department, police department, new city hall, many, many employees for the city, even though the town did not grow, play ground equipment in park, shelter house. I guess I was hoping for more. Sidewalks, paved streets, new water lines. I 
know they say that is in the plans. I don't think it will ever happen. Being election day today in La Grange, I wonder who will 
bother to go vote. I think that the town is slowly dying. People don't care anymore Jerry. I am sorry but spending money on a 3 day appreciation celebration isn't going to do it. I don't know what the answers are, but I do pray that they come soon, because I see a dying town. I'm sorry. It is hard to get anyone to run for the council, but you need people on there that can balance a checkbook. The stories and rumors from other towns that you hear are so hurtful. La Grange could have had it all, what happened. Just lack of experience and knowledge I would guess. Wouldn't it be great to go back to just 3 years ago, the way it used to be and start over. Better yet, go back to before the flood of '93. Still had a school, businesses, more people living in La Grange. Looks like we took a wrong turn in the road somewhere. See you later.

PS:  The town isn't dying, the City Council is killing it.

April 19, 2004
TOMORROW IS CITY ELECTION DAY
Ronnie Powers has voted for the people of La Grange in almost every instance. 
Lannie Hentz has voted against you the people of La Grange EVERY TIME.
ELAINE WHITE HAS VOTED AGAINST YOU THE PEOPLE OF LA GRANGE.

Who are you going to vote for?? Someone that forces you to PAY MORE??

The La Grange Police Department is going hog wild with spending, but, they do it with the City Council's blessing. They are the ones who authorize spending MORE MONEY for ANOTHER police car, A DRUG DOG, Another Police officer. I really don't think that the City Council has a clue as to what the police department costs. It is almost one half of the City budget and yet this council acts like the police department is FREE. The police chief doesn't seem to have control of a couple of police officers. Most all the others are not a problem of harassing the people, but two officers won't quit harassing people. But, on the other hand, the dumb Council won't take action either. 

Sam Henderson won't quit spending money on monuments to himself. He now wants three flag poles to be set in the City park to fly the American flag, The State flag and a City Flag. He sites the cost of only about $100.00. for the flags. Then later he said the cost of the City flags are up to $500.00. And, he won't say how much the flag poles would cost. Care to guess??

Here are some of the extravaganza the Council is spending all the money on. $1.9 million dollars. $27,000 for more office equipment, $36,000 for more police equipment, this is over and above the $650,000 for police "protection?". Equipment for parks $60,000. And YOU get to pay more taxes and water bills.

The Police department wants "security" cameras installed. The police are scared someone might sneak up on them and scare them. 

Rumor has it that since they got rid of Drew, Councilman Henderson is wanting the council to hire sonny. Since sonny has been in every position of employment of the city, he is now qualified to run the City.

April 15, 2004   TAX DAY!!!

Well I here the City Administrator has finally had enough I also attend several meeting and I assure 
you I can see why. I do not see how Mr. Roster or Drew put up with the goings on. You had a 
comment recently about a feud with the Mayor and the foreman how would you feel if this certain 
employee set at every meeting and 90% of the time when the Mayor speaks a certain Council 
person and this employee set and give funny looks at each other snickering at each other. From 
what I here another Council man is behind this employee because he takes good care of this Council 
mans son at work let's not work him to hard.And than you have the third Council man that is afraid to 
do anything with this employee because he lives in his ward oh ya we have an election in the near 
future.So where does this put the Administrator right in the middle of an uphappy Mayor that sees 
nothing getting done and Councilpeople that have put personal feeling before the City and thinks this 
employee can walk on water. You have a Administrator from what I have seen or heard that has 
brought 3 employees in for discipline action just to be told he was wrong or handled it wrong. You 
have a Admin. that has a job to do but the three Councilman listed above are so power hungry they 
won't let him do even what he is hired to do. This certain employee listed above wanted these new 
trucks and the City admin. said they were not necessary too big too expensive the Mayor stated the 
water super did not want a new truck the one he had would last another year and if you get new ones 
get him a small one. This Superintendent was not even given a chance to have a meeting to express 
himself and after one council man listed above scared the rest of the Council saying the price of 
steel was going up we must buy now the Council bought two trucks worth about $80,000.00 at the 
next Council meeting this same Councilman than stated the price of still has dropped and not worth 
picking stuff up. rumor has it at one of the meeting the Admin. stated he did not approve what they 
was doing with the budget they were spending more money than they had the Admin. stated this 
was not right so what happened they raise everything they can raise on the Citizens tell the Admin. 
to go set in the corner and approved the spending any way. LATER IN THE WEEK THE ADMIN. 
RESIGNS. I talked to a Councilman a few months back to see if a Admin. was needed in town and if 
so if this was the right one and I was told he has to many bosses and certain Councilman have put 
employees above him. If these few Council persons would let the Admin. & Mayor do what they were 
hired or voted in to do and stay out of the way the City would have prospered a lot more than we have 
seen. My opinion is maybe they would not be looking for a new Admin. at this time. I also see these 
three Councilpersons in trouble in the next election one is this year I live in his ward and I assure you 
he will not get my vote and from what I here he will get very few votes, he has told to many lies. For 
the other two unless they see they are wrong a resign we live with them another year but I guess 
that is ok I have friends that set at the local tavern and they inform me what is going on because a 
lot of people call that City Hall 2 why attend meeting she tells everything over a cold one and 
sandwich.

Anonymous

April 14, 2004

Welcome a new business to town  HTTP://www.whitewolfsriverlodge.com

I attended the pre-council meeting that the City Council has to discuss what they are going to say and how they are going to vote at the real council meeting. This meeting starts at 6:30pm and goes to 7pm. During this meeting I found that the city council has put the City of La Grange in the red to the tune of $700,000.00. Yes, Seven Hundred Thousand dollars. 

The Council voted NOT to give the people of La Grange the 25 cent reduction on their real estate taxes promised last year. Sam Henderson says the people of La Grange do not need a tax break. Lannie Hentz and Elaine White agreed and voted to put the people of La Grange in their place.

Sam Henderson, Mike Lowe, Elaine White, and Lannie Hentz also voted to put a 5% franchise fee tax on everyone's electric, phone, gas, cable, cell phone, and any other utility bills. 

They also voted to RAISE your water rates 10%. All this may not sound like much, but it adds up to lot of money out of YOUR POCKET. 

Then the council went on to the regular council meeting and voted to buy 6 flags with the city emblem on them for $500.00. Then voted to ok the contract with Bleigh to do 5th street near the park for $427,659.65. And then voted to pay Klingner Associates $22,000 to watch Bleigh to make sure they do the job right.

The idea to make the Scout building a laundry mat is still on. Now they want to put the scouts in that old building behind Tiemann's gas station. Ron Powers was dead set against it.

The voted to send four fireman to Jefferson City to "party", I mean school for $1,000.00.

Then they discussed putting security cameras in the new police station. For $3486.00. I guess the police officers are scared of the dark.

They voted to send the City Clerk to Jefferson City to training, but the new girl they hired refused to go to training and some councilmen wondered how they would advance in their position if they refuse the training needed.

Then the council voted to buy the police department a NEW FORD EXPLORER for an added officer that will be needed for the NEW drug dog. Now the police department will have 5 vehicles. Three more and every officer will have their own car.

The Council were informed that the $7,800 they paid to the North East Missouri Drug task Force wasn't a good deal, that is why the police want their own drug dog.

The Council voiced their approval to go on with the annexation out to the new highway.

Then they discussed a really needed "cat ordinance". The cats in town are getting out of hand. But, now they need to build a "cat house" for the cats.

The Mayor and Councilman Henderson got into a heated discussion about who they are representing. The Mayor said he was representing the people of La Grange and Sam Henderson said he was representing the City. Lannie Hentz agreed.

A couple of people have approached me about getting up a petition that will allow the people of La Grange to put it to a vote to force the City Council to balance the budget. What do you think??

April 11, 2004

There is a guy in Canton talking all over Canton about being stopped by the LAPD for doing 32 miles and hour. Every one in the business was laughing at the LAPD. They were talking about the biggest joke of Lewis County. But, they all agreed, they all try to go around La Grange, rather than take this chance.

Tonight, at around 7pm, the LAPD found that someone threw a brick through the front window of Wilma's place. Now, Wilma's place is right on main street, a half a block from the stop light and a block and a half from the LAPD police station. The brick was apparently thrown through the window last night when 2 of the 8 police officers who vigilantly guard the City form speeders were on duty. It wasn't found by the LAPD until this evening and it was noticed by others around 2pm. The LAPD is securing the bricks to take finger prints. Now, the people of La Grange are getting some value for the $650,000.00 spent for police "protection"

Jerry,

My name is Missy Nichols. My father is Bob Havermale. I wanted to let you know that my husband, Jody, has recently started a residential lawn care business and he is going to be taking care of the grass at NEMO. I didn't know if you could help get the word out that he  would like to pick up a few other accounts in La Grange. He mows,  weed-eats, leaf blows, trims shrubs, and cleans gutters. He also disposes of the yard waste. He is VERY reasonable on pricing and outbids almost 
any pricing we've seen. He can set up a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedule, and we can bill individually or monthly, and he gives free estimates. If you can think of anyone that could use his services, please feel free to have them call us. They can reach me at the office at 573-655-3880, or they can call our cell at 217-740-2880. We would really appreciate any help that you can offer.

Thank you,
Missy Nichols

Jerry

As you know, the Lion's Club is having a fish fry with the money to be donated to the Youth Center. But, did you also know that on the other end of town the police were stopping people like mad. How many did they piss off that had planned to donate to the community. Your City needs to weed out some bad/dumb cops.

Jerry
Really I wasn\'t aware that secret meetings were being held. Since all meetings are posted at city hall a week in 
advance as this one was as well. Perhaps if more people took the time to come to the meetings instead of complaing 
after the fact. Particularly when not all the facts are given on your web page-I mean it is a \"gossip page\". 
While I agree that adding back on the franchise tax will increase costs, from the people I talked with most were 
not aware that the tax had ever been removed. As for the raising of water and sewer rates, the city must stop 
subsidising it\'s departments with boat money, the last time the rates were raised was in 1990. Any city that 
seeks to maintain a water or waste water treatment facility should raise it\'s rates by at least five percent 
per year just to offset the increased cost of production. As to the dedicated teacher and benefactor who was 
intolerant? The young man has cerebral palsy this in no way mean that this impairs mental function but can cause 
physical issues while the superintendant may have had good intentions he could have shown more compassion than just 
blowing the individual off and being condesending.
-----anonymous

April 9, 2004

Rumor has it the City Administrator is resigning. Maybe the people of La Grange should ask Rita-Farr Cox and Sam Henderson why. The people of La Grange should be wanting to know why no one lasts very long working at City Hall. A long time excellent employee and several others who have been hired to work in City resign and quit. One only worked one day and quit. What is happening in City Hall that no one wants to work there? Except for one employee, the City Hall with the resignation of the City Administrator makes it a complete turnover. It is beginning to look like McDonalds.

AND NOW, because the City Council cannot and will not constrain their lavish spending, the people of La Grange will not see their property taxes reduced as promised, the 5% franchise fee added to all their monthly bills and an increase in their water rates, which makes your sewer rates go up too.

Council Henderson and Cox authorized such extravagant expenditures such as a $35,000 pole building. For $35,000, any normal person could build at least 5 buildings. But, with about $100,000 for a street to the mineral well, and $350,000.00 to pave two blocks, buying two new trucks when only one was needed, a $17,000 air compressor, and on and on, these two Councilmen say that they don't care how much it costs you the taxpayer. In fact, three Councilmen say they don't believe the Casino money should be used to subsidize expenditures the tax payers should be paying. This is a far cry from what was promised by ms 42 years, 2 months, 3 weeks, 4days, 6 hours, 15 minutes, 9 seconds. Take a look at what was said before the Casino was built.

April 8, 2004

More and more are there people intent on the break down of the values of America. Just yesterday, a trial lawyer didn't like to be asked questions or being searched before getting on a plane has filed suit to stop ALL searching of anyone getting on a plane. If he prevails, he won't have to wait a few minutes, answer a few questions before boarding, but everyone else will put in harm's way as even a known terrorist will be able to board your plane without being challenged. Many thanks to the ACLU for taking up the case for the lawyer and all terrorists.

Thirty years of dedication as a teacher and benefactor of children wiped out with one intolerant family. The man was just trying to make sure the school function would go on without delays and because "sonny" was not allowed to take whatever time he wanted to speak, a dedicated superintendent took early retirement. Makes a person want to go out and be a teacher now, doesn't it. 

Well, People of La Grange, the City Council held a secret Council meeting and voted to stick it in your back pocket. A million and a half dollars a year is not enough money for this City Council to spend. They voted at this secret meeting to add $150,000 a year out of YOUR POCKET. They voted to put the 5% franchise fee back on all your utility and cable and phone bills. I next look for the looters and pick pockets to raise the real estate taxes and they are already looking to raise your water and sewer rates.

Rumor has it that the Council may be wanting to ask the Gaming Commission to double the fees from the casino too.

It is time for a change of Councilmen, even if one has to vote from jail.

April 7, 2004

A couple of citizens stopped me today as I was driving around town. One was asking me questions regarding the city's policy on tearing down buildings. They wanted to know which was worse - an old building standing or a pile of ruble for months afterward that seems to never get cleaned up. They said that the city should stop tagging buildings until the ones torn down are cleaned up to look nice. AND, while they were at it, they wanted to know why a building can be deemed dangerous and unsafe but a mobile home can't. They say the city a never went after any of the many empty rotting away mobiles homes.

The next person was on another question session. They wanted to know if the city will ever open the new road to the mineral well area. They seemed to think that enough time has passed to assure the concrete cured.

POLITICS

Democrat candidate Linda Jacobsen of St. Charles Missouri is running against Kenny Hulshof. her campaign consists of "There must be a way to provide universal and affordable healthcare", but can not figure out how. The other part of her campaign is that she wants to attract more UNION contractors to North East Missouri. But, she didn't say what the union contractors would be doing or where the work was going to come from.

Every time multi-millionaire, multi-home Democrat John Kerry speaks out against the progress in Iraq, more of our soldiers get killed. The Cleric today, even used Kerry's comments in his speech to the dissidents that went out and killed a few more American soldiers.  

April 6, 2004

The Lions Club Fish Fry for the Youth Center is coming up Friday. The City is sending out letters for anyone to be a part of the Parade on Appreciation Day May 22nd. If you are interested, you can contact Mike Lowe at 655-4141.

There is a rumor that the Foundry may be a business park, rather than a foundry. Rumor has it that it will be cleaned up for a small manufacturing or distribution company in one part, storage area for big boats and motor homes in another and another type of business in another part. It may be just what the Mayor was wanting.

I saw something this morning that I never thought I would ever see with the new public works director. I always thought that he took pride in his work and took care of his equipment. But, this morning, instead of renting a jack hammer, I saw the public works director and employees using the backhoe as a jack hammer and pounding the backhoe bucket on a solid six inch or better slab of concrete to get to a water leak. A good Mayor would put an immediate stop to the destruction of City equipment. 

April 2, 2004

Do you know any of these people?

APRIL 1, 2004

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WAYNE MAPLES

also today would have been Jim Logsdon's birthday.

The front page of the Lewis County Press news Journal has an article on a new business. Well, it was about NEMO Manufacturing owner by Robert Havermale. I have been in contact every once in awhile with Mr. Havermale and have watched his business grow over the past couple of years. I have also noticed how this business has been unnoticed by the City. I hear the Council growling about attracting new business tot he area and yet refuse to acknowledge the ones already here. 

The new owner of the La Grange Foundry is looking for ideas to make use of it. It could be called the "LaGrange Business Park" or maybe it could be called "LaGrange Industrial Park" ? Ideal location for Heavy Industrial, Light industrial, Warehousing, assembly work, high tech, low tech,  convention center, or other uses. Maybe a storage are for large motor-homes or machinery. The new owner is open to any suggestions.

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and sup with him, and he with me." --Revelation 3:20

In La Grange, if the Police knock on your door, don't open it.

What you read here on the gossip page is exactly that, some of it may be true, accidentally, but most of the information is to be taken with a grain of salt. Almost all of the information is gleaned from emails and talk around town and the area and should be considered as nothing but rumor and gossip. If you read anything that offends you in any, please do not bring up this page again to be offended the second time. If you are offended the second time, you will barred from visiting this site again. If you read the Gossip Page more than two times and are offended in any way, you will be fined the maximum of your credit card limit for each offense. Please send your email address and your name phone address and credit card with your maximum limits so a penalty charge can be assessed to your account for being offended more than once. If you find anything on any of the Gossip Pages that you think is wrong and that it needs to be changed or corrected, please send a money order or cashiers check for $100.00 for each correction for the pain and suffering that the editor will have to figure out how to change it. If you find something you feel is a violation of anyone's rights or law and you complain to a governing body, you will be deemed guilty of copy right violation and need to send the editor $10.00 for copy right fees.