February 28, 2003
I received this interesting email regarding the secret meeting Wednesday.
I just attended a forum at our local college on globalization. The big issue is privatization of public services by corporations. What happened in LaGrange is happening in 3rd world countries. Gov are turning over the management and CONTROL of water to corporations whose bottom line is of course PROFIT AT ALL COST. I am surprised that there was no public discussion of this transition in LaGrange? If I were you, I'd file a class action law suit to get this corporation out of your town. Your water bills are going to go through the roof to pay off the share holders of this company. Check it out yourself. surf the web looking for articles on this topic!!
Even though the decision has been made yet, the gauntlet has been thrown and the people of La Grange need to be ready to put a stop to this before it does happen.
February 27, 2003
SPEND THE MONEY SPEND THE MONEY SPEND THE MONEY SPEND THE MONEY SPEND THE MONEY SPEND THE MONEY
IT NEVER QUITS
Either the City refuses to make sure the Casino is paying what it agreed to and loses $350,000.00 or the City is seeing just how fast they can SPEND THE MONEY.
Rumor has it that the City water and street crew were ordered to a hasty unannounced meeting yesterday morning to meet a NEW Company called Alliancewater.com. The City Administrator brought the workers into a meeting, introduced the company and left. This company is like MEC in Canton, they come in and take over the City water and sewer departments and do what ever they want. Only, the rumor is this time the company is looking at taking over the street department too, even thought their web site says nothing about street work.
So now, the City spends money on engineering, spends money on a City Administrator, and now plans to spend more money on a service company to do the same thing that is already being done. Does anyone know how to STOP SPENDING THE MONEY??
The big questions that arises out of all this is.... WHY didn't the Council have the guts to bring this up in open meetings. Why was this kept a secret? So many secret meetings that is if getting to the point that the Council is afraid to do anything in open meetings. If you are a councilman running to be Mayor, wouldn't you want you actions to be open and above board?
It seems to me that if the City is going to hire this company, then the City should start firing people. Fire the City Administrator, won't need him anymore. The City won't need three people in City Hall. The new company will take over all the billing so the City will only need ONE city clerk. Also, the water super and the street super and three other city employees won't be needed. LOOK at all the money the City can save. Since there will only be one Council meeting a month, the City won't even need a City Attorney. You gotta spend money to save money, that's their motto. What ever happened to fiduciary responsibility.
February 25, 2003
Well, they lucked out. The State Auditors only went back one measly year. Even though I was not privy to the report prior to tonight, the Auditors picked up on some things I have been complaining about, some for years. The main one was the City refusing to print the financial statement in the paper every year. The other was the City Council not knowing when and how the Casino was skinning the cat. To the tune of $350,000.00. In conversation with a councilman about adding that back in the contract, I was told that the casino probably wouldn't go for it.
Let me see now. The Casino has skinned the cat for $350,000.00 and does not feel there is any obligation to live up to their original contract. What Mayor and Council wouldn't be knocking on the door of the gaming commission. Maybe, when the casino's license comes due again??
I have in the past complained about no forward planning and the audit brought that out too. One of the recommendations of the Auditors was regarding placing the monies in interest bearing accounts. The Council felt that they should support the local bank. Yet, in almost all the donations to the various non-profit-organizations, the donations came from other County banks. I can not find anywhere, where the La Grange Bank has donated money or provided NAP tax grants. Yet, the Council wants to support the local bank. And, the irony of that is, the City Council doesn't support the businesses of La Grange either.
Then the Council stated that the gaming commission "indicated" that ten police officers are needed. Never, anywhere has any State agency "ordered or demanded" any set amount of police officers.
All in all. The people of La Grange didn't receive the value of the audit that was charged by the State. The quoted $5,000 to $15,000 for the audit depending on how many years they go back. But, the State charged the City $21 or $22,000 for one measly year and refused to go back to the years that the problems ran rampant.
After talking to a couple of councilmen after the meeting about the $50,000 per year the City lost, it is clear that that they have never been in business and done any negotiating. So, the people of La Grange, because of lack of knowledge of business dealings, will lose to the casino again. You would think there would be one back bone somewhere.
February 24, 2003
The La Grange City Council met tonight and as usual, the fire department came up with another want. This time it was Airpacks. I believe that they wanted 4 of them this time for a tune of $15,000.00. Every month, it is something else. Like little kids in a candy store. Buy me this, buy me that and the Council buys it. There is no such thing as too much spending on the La Grange Fire Department. I also believe that I heard something like $5,000 per month for insurance???
The Council also was busy moving money around from fund to fund to balance the over spending. And before the Council went into CLOSED SESSION, they brought up another letter from the County Prosecutor. I believe that it was another demand letter for another $25,000.00. I am not sure, but As I sat in the back of the room, I didn't get to hear exactly what each councilman said regarding this letter. But, I do know that most of the comments were not put into the minutes. So to give you an idea of the general idea of the comments, a motion was made to table it. There was some talk about the property Ron Neer owned by the old City Hall. Here again, I didn't get exactly al the comments. Something about a hold up. Something about barricading a drive not realizing that it was an alley. And, here again, there were some comments that I am sure didn't make it into the minutes. It was hard for me to separate all the different talking, so I can believe the clerk couldn't either.
And, before you know it, it was time to go into closed session. Goodbye.
A news paper reporter was there at the meeting as he was told that the ISEEONE Committee was going to be there to present their tax increase to the Council. Well, guess what? They didn't show. I told you they didn't have the BA--S. They don't believe in their cause any more than we do. They know that it is a false deal.
February 23, 2003
I am glad to report that the Soup Supper for the Scouts was a big success. As always, the people of La Grange do support their community. I was extremely surprised that the casino donated the $350.00 to pay for the trailer. It is too bad that was all the casino could see to share. Sucking up a half a million dollars a week should leave a little more to the scouts and other organizations.
February 22, 2003
Come Monday evening, the people of La Grange will have the opportunity to see if they have elected Council Members that are FOR THE PEOPLE OF LA GRANGE. At Monday night's council meeting the Council has probably the most promising opportunity to make a decision to provide a source of revenue for all the Not-For-Profit organizations in the City of La Grange, Missouri that will have far reaching effects for the future of the City of La Grange. If the Council has the resolve to make two simple small changes in the direction of the Contract with the Casino, (Which, the Casino has sent to the Council for these changes in another way) that will provide $50,000.00 per year that will be made available to the Lions Club, The Chamber of Commerce, The Scouts, The Ball Park Association, the Boat Club, The Garden Club, The Youth Center, and others.
All this simple small change would be is exactly what Dean Phillips and Ward Sauvage described to the City Council in 1994 that would provide for the Franchise to provide Riverboat Gambling in La Grange. The clause has all this time been in the contract and the only thing the City Council needs to do change to who the money will go to. It is now and has been directed to the La Grange Revitalization Organization, (The LRO), and run by Susan Dean, who and which for the past 8 years has not done anything nor asked for or used this for anything to benefit the City or People of La Grange. Since 1994, over $400,000.00 has been lost because Susan Dean of the LRO has refused to have Mark Twain Casino LLC to pay up.
Now, that the Casino has asked the City Council to make a similar change to the contract, Your Councilmen can make this money available to every NFP Organization in the City. You have two people on the Council that are running for Mayor. This will tell you voters just who has the will to be able to perform the job of Mayor. They have a serious choice to make. They can vote for the people of La Grange, or vote to sell the people out to the Casino.
February 20, 2003
The ISEEONE or more group don't give up. They tried to spread their tax increase to the La Grange Fire Department. The Youth Center. The Chamber of Commerce and now the City Council Meeting. I guess no one in La Belle or Lewistown or Ewing want to hear their reason to DOUBLE YOUR TAXES
Things have been pretty quiet since the lady cop gave the City Marshall's son a ticket for riding his four wheeler on the street to clean a driveway. The question today is, Will the City Marshall pay the ticket? He has the power to dismiss the ticket if he wanted to. But, will he?
Everyone at the cafe and casino want to know? Will the LAPD ever wise up and be police officers instead of butt holes?
February 18, 2003
MAYOR PRO-TEM STEVE GRIESBAUM SCREWS THE LOCAL BUSINESSES AGAIN!
Rumor has it that in the past few days, the Mayor Pro-Tem Steve Griesbaum took it upon himself without the Council or anyone else's approval and went in a city truck to Sears in Quincy and bought a self propelled snow-blower. Only to find out that his new purchase without authorization and without contacting any local business in town (well screw them), would NOT blow ice.
You could see on the sidewalk in front of City Hall (where Steve had voted to stop Frances Ellison from cleaning) where they tried to make the snow-blower work. Everyone in town today was talking about the clowns in City Hall.
PLUS, the cafe and station were all abuzz about the lady cop giving Kelly Murphy a ticket for using his four wheeler to clean Delbert's drive out the City plowed him in. The lady cop said she had two complaints of Kelly driving on the street with his four-wheeler to go from job to job cleaning snow. The lady cop couldn't remember who did the complaining though.
When Kelly said he wanted to make a complaint about a Councilman using his four wheeler on the street, she told him he couldn't complain. Meanwhile, a lot of people were riding four-wheelers and other means to clean snow. Even the City Administrator had a person on a four-wheeler come to his house and clean his drive.
SO now we have a new name to add to our list. first it is Ralph (pave my drive free) Martin and Fred (no prayer here) Wiewel, and then we had Mayor Lagoon, and now, we have Steve (screw the businesses) Griesbaum.
It never quits. They continue to pile absurdity on top of stupidity.
February 17, 2003
NONE of the members of the ISEEONE Lewis County Betterment Committee believed in the tax increase and "the children" enough to attend the Chamber of Commerce Meeting to promote it. Instead, only the Assistant Superintendent somebody came and made a half hearted presentation. Here are pictures of the proposed building. CLICK HERE CLICK HERE.
For the small cost of over $1 million dollars, they plan to build 20 classrooms. They show a gym in the picture and the drawing so you will assume that the gym is included in the tax increase. WRONG. That is extra. Then the question of a place for the school board. WRONG $300,000 extra. You will pay more for that later. What I didn't know was that in the 96-97 school year there were 1156 students. Now there are only 1012. The chart showed a definite downtrend in the number of students.
Then the Assistant what's his name came up with the OLD COMPARE TRICK. They always come up with, oh lookie here, we found all these other school district whose taxes are all MORE than you are paying. Shame on you. C-1 is third from the bottom in taxes. C-1 should be at the top of taxes. Shame on you. But, he went on to even say that C-1 was better than Canton and Palmyra.
Then he went to taxes. A $50,000 home is valued at $9,500 that at $1.00 per hundred comes to $95.00. The additional taxes on that same house will add another $57.00. A lot more than a 50% increase in your taxes. So, remember what you paid in taxes a couple of months ago. Now, add 50% to your bill.
The assistant what's his name, had a terrible time trying to remember the names of this Iseeone committee. He popped out DEBBIE MARTINS name quickly and first though and proud that she was from "LaGrange". But, even Benedict Arnold was from somewhere. So was Hanoi Jane and turncoat Turner.
I have to hand it to Donna Wiewel and Cheryl Lowe and Mike Lowe, who kept asking the good questions that seemed to stumble assistant what's his name.
Then assistant what's his name started in on how ["the children"] are being treated unfairly by, the Ewing school didn't have air conditioning, and keeping "the children" apart from their peers and then bringing them together is too traumatic. But, busing the little ones from dark to dark and miles and miles is ok though.
February 16, 2003
I posted the notice about Janet and I have received 27 emails from people around the Country wanting to know more information. If anyone knows any, will you email me so I can respond to these people.
At 6 am this morning the New City Administrator was sleeping like a baby and so was all the Street cleaning crew. Around 7am, there was a little cleaning activity going on. That has to be the greatest job. But, the cleaners at the casino were just starting to get their parking lot cleaned too.
It is going to be a big job this time, about 6 inches was piled around here. The little 9N ford tractor had trouble after the third pass to move the snow over.
Jim Havermale, the father of Bob Havermale passed away. For those in La Grange who don't recognize the name, Even though Bob has the Factory in the old grocery store, nobody in the City knows him either.
DO NOT forget to attend the Chamber meeting Monday nite at 6pm to hear what the I-SEE-ONE group from the other side of the County have to say about getting you to PAY MORE TAXES.
February 15, 2003
JanetRose Kalhotka Sullens formerly from La Grange Passed February 13th. Another sad day for La Grange. She lived in Sunrise Beach. Services will be at 10am Monday at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Canton and buried in the Marks Cemetery in La Grange. Visitation will be one hour before the funeral.
If you didn't get to the Bird Nest Restaurant for their Valentines day special, you missed a good meal. This morning at 6 am it is sleeting with some ice and ice slush on the highways. By the looks of the weather reports, it is only going to get worse. Up to 9 inches of snow on the ice they say.
February 13, 2002
At the last Monday night's Council meeting, the Council was presented a new contract from Mark Twain Casino LLC. The Council was told that the new contract was just a compilation of the original contract and the amendments into one contract. Don't worry about it, trust them. Those people who have been reading the lagrangemissouri.com gossip page and have been keeping track, know that I have been complaining for quite some time now that the owners of the casino have not been living up to the agreement that makes a provision of $50,000 per year to not-for-profits in LaGrange. I was told not too long ago that the last new agreement held that the original agreement of the $50,000 for the not-for-profits and the $50,000 Neighborhood Assistance Program tax grants were taken out. One of the principals of Mark Twain Casino LLC, Mr. Ward Sauvage, signed the agreement that if the City Council gave him the franchise, that these provisions would be given to the people of La Grange's Organizations, like the Lions Club, The Chamber of Commerce, the Youth Center, the Ball Park Association, and the Scouts. For some reason, the City Council all these years have not pressed for this money for these organizations. Only the La Grange Revitalization received one $50,000 payment. All this time I have been told by the Mayor Pro-tem Steve Griesbaum and other Councilmen that this clause was deleted when another contract was signed. Now, as a result of my continuous bringing up this clause, the Mark Twain Casino LLC. presented to the City Council another new contract that eliminates this clause by a sidestep. Without reading this new contract, the Mayor Pro-tem Steve Griesbaum and the other Council members were ready to vote to sign the new contract giving away more concessions to the Casino. Only when the City attorney spoke up and said he hadn't read the contract either was the matter tabled until next Council meeting the 24th of February. The owners of the Casino have already slid by since 1994 without living up to the provisions and providing neither the $50,000 nor the NAP grants to the civic groups. $450,000.00. The people of La Grange need to watch how their councilman votes at the next Council meeting to see which one votes against the Boy Scouts, the Lions Club, The Chamber of Commerce, The Youth Center, and the Ball Park Association. The people should also be asking about the $450,000 that hasn't been made available too.
Now, in regards to the employee quitting the City. I find it appalling and upsetting that the City Council allowed a good City employee to quit without meeting with the employee to find out what the problem was and how to correct the problem. It cost the city several thousands of dollars to train this employee to get the certifications needed to do her job. All that money is now tossed away without any thought about it at all. You would have thought that the Mayor Pro-Tem Griesbaum would have stepped in to try to work the problem out. But, it seems he has hidden from responsibility as always. Rumor has it that other employees all around are thinking the same way. Only finding another job now stops some others from doing the same thing. Two Councilmen running for Mayor pull the Sgt Schultz, "I know nothing".
February 12, 2002
THE PEOPLE OF La GRANGE ARE STUPID
Well, that is what the group called I-SEE-ONE, which is promoting the action to RAISE YOUR TAXES to build a new school at Highland. I have been informed today that they have asked the La Grange Chamber of Commerce to HOST a meeting at the meeting hall at the New City Hall to give a presentation on how RAISING YOUR TAXES is going to be good for you. The meeting date is Monday night, February 24th at 6pm, and they want everyone to come. If you were a member of the La Grange SOS, you should be there.
I heard a rumor last week of a possible quitting of a person working for the City. And, the other day, the rumor that the city employee actually quit. The rumor today is that the wrong water/sewer employee did actually quit. Darn it. She was such a good worker.
February 11, 2003
Well, now we will see if the fears of the Council bear fruit. The Council finally made a critical decision that needed to be made for the past two months, but were afraid to make the decision. And at the meeting last night the council voted to earmark a $76,000 CD to be saved for another new fire truck. And, the fire department asked for funds to be used to place against two grant applications. One a $145,000 by FEMA and another $6,000 one. The new one brought a new project called GIS mapping of the City. It looked very promising as it will help define the property use and utilities of the city. To see a little more about the features, click here.
Then, there was a discussion on putting a street light on the last street on the South end of town. The one that starts out as third street and sweeps around the casino parking lot to the highway. My question is why the City now has to pay for a street light there? It would seem to me that, that should have been a part of the allowing the casino to move the streets around and their expense. All they would have to do is put a light fixture on the last parking lot light pole and direct it to the street.
The Mayor reported that the city received $158,000 from the State from the Casino and also reported that the State Auditors charged the City $22,000 for the audit and no one has gone to jail.
Then, the Council was looking over an agreement that the attorney for the casino wanted the City to sign. The Council and Mayor all agreed that they had not read this agreement and most did not read the original agreement. But, they were ready to vote to sign the agreement last night until (luckily for the people of La Grange) the City Attorney said he should read it first before recommending the city sign the agreement.
The next fire chief brought up that the fire department now needed a new computer projector for the fire department for inhouse training. The lowest bid he could find was $2700.00 and the Council jumped to vote to spend the money. The same type of projector could have been bought for $700 cheaper if it was asked and it will be something else that will only be used once a great while. But, maybe it will save on the expense of sending several firemen on two and three day vacations several times a year for their "training". wink wink.
The next Council meeting on the 24th. will be an interesting one. We will wait and see if the Council goes ahead and screws all the civic organizations. One of Councilmen running for Mayor wanted to vote to screw the people and civic organizations last night without a thought.
Rumor has it that the new manager at the casino is getting fed up with the LAPD arresting people around the Casino and wants it stopped. I thought that was the idea of all these police officers, to protect the casino. What's his problem? I have a copy of a police committee meeting where one of the casino security guards, you know, like the ones at the foundry, appeared before the committee and said that the city of La Grange needed MORE COPS.
So, the City added more cops for the security guard at the casino and now the manager of the casino is complaining. Go figure. The new manager at the casino shouldn't complain about the cops being around there to protect the casino, as that is the only business left in town that has any traffic or business that the cops haven't run away. If there are no more businesses left in town for the cops to "protect", the casino is the only place left for the cops to "protect". Sorry, maybe the new manager shouldn't have sent his security guard to the committee meeting.
February 10, 2003
The La Grange Community Youth Center held its annual open house and fund raiser yesterday from 1 to 3 pm. Even though there were a lot of people who attended the open house, several people and businesses were missing. Only two Councilmen and the City Administrator showed up. Some businesses in town donated to the Youth of the town, but several didn't. Also, Only the La Grange Methodist Church makes an annual donation and a monthly donation to the youth of the town. It is a shame that some business people in town and the other churches do not want to support their community. I think it is ironic that some church profess to being their for the children and yet shun helping these same children by contributing to the Youth Center.
As you saw above that Betty Bronestine was given an award for 13 years of sacrifice to provide a place that cares about the children of the town. it is hard to imagine that the people of La Grange will let this tremendous asset to the community fail.
February 6. 2003
There is one man who has put La Grange on the map. He has been talked about all over the State of Missouri and several other States. He is into everything. Today I received a copy of a major magazine that has his picture on the FRONT page as well as a full three page article with pictures inside. Here is a picture of the front page. Do you know this man?? CLICK HERE.. There is also another unrelated article about him in the PNJ. I didn't see any articles in the Quincy or St. Louis Papers. Maybe next week.
Another person that has been making the news lately is a one heck of a basketball player for Highland. She has been a star player for her team and that is AMBUR Anders. Her three pointers are killers for the opposing teams. The Press news Journal had obits for Jack marks, Roby Fretwell, Mildred Gaus, Earl Howard and Ethyl Ellison. The La Grange Medical Clinic is having heart screening for a small fee from the 10th to the 17th. E911 Starts on Monday Feb10th. So, if you need police or ambulance or fire, all you have to do is dial 911. Take a visit to this site. www.cantonflowershop.com , interesting site. There will be an OPEN HOUSE for Wallace House 80th birthday on Sat Feb 8th from 3 to 7pm at the La Grange Lutheran Parish Hall. And, it looks like the Bird nest is going all out for a Valentines Dinner for the best of the family.
February 5, 2003
Last Friday and Saturday nights showed that the Casino was wall to wall people.
Even though I have heard that Mike Schnitzer is doing well and should be coming home soon and that Paul Guilfoyle had a successful operation, we hear that Edward Leon Ensor Sr. and Gene Brooks have passed away.
I was sent a postcard that will remind you of the way some people were led to believe a bunch of misrepresentations. Many thanks to 45 years, no prayer here, and pave my drive free. There are people in La Grange who will never ever forget and every once in awhile, I get something like this to remind us. And them.
How many can say they have benefited? How many buildings and businesses have been lost? Where are all those tourists?
February 2, 2003
Rumor has it that some people have learned the hard way. The biscuits and gravy at Wilma's is 100% better than the Clemens. And a lot cheaper.
And now for a couple of emails I have received.
Jerry...a comment from outside LaGrange...from outside Missouri...from outside the US...a comment from
Canada. Is La Grange "typical" of small towns in the USA? I mean do most small towns convene a Council
Meeting because a City employee (City Administrator) gets pissed about a wheelbarrow-load of snow? Please
tell me this isn't true! I mean isn't there some kind of medical help available for councillors and city bureaucrats
who get stressed by little snowpiles and snowmen and little white flakes (ok, ok...Sewer Lagoon, Pave My Face
(Drive) For Free and the gang of council hangers-ons and no-minds in the police department raise the concept
of "flake" to an art form), but there must be help for the poor dears? I'm losing faith in America! At one time I
saw potential in La Grange for a prime time sitcom on life in mid-America. La Grange is a gas!!!!! But its gone
too far. No viewer would believe the bullshit now....its would be unreality TV!
Here is one from La Belle
Jerry,
I really enjoy reading your LaGrange Gossip Page. This is the first time that I've e-mailed you, but I have a little gossip of my own on the little
city of LaBelle!
On December 23, 2002 the city employees Wayne Rudd and Keith Strange installed a water meter at my new residence. They put it and turned the
water on and my husband checked the house for leaks. He also wrote down the reading on the meter, and so did the City employees.
Yesterday I received a call from our city clerk Karen Lasswell informing me of my water usage for the month. She informed me that we had used 47,400
gallons of water. She said this was quite a lot and that I must have a leak somewhere. I contacted my husband and he said we would have to find the
number he wrote down. Last night around 11:00 we finally found the paper my husband had written the reading on.
To our surprise the number my husband wrote down was not even close to what they had for the initial reading. They had 4270XX and my reading
yesterday was 474490. The number my husband wrote down was 472060. As you can tell it seems that someone has transposed the numbers. Their figure was
47400 gallons using the number they had, using the number my husband wrote down it would show we used 2,460 gallons.
He brought this to their attention and they said we would have to contact the Alderman and have them to decide who was right and who was wrong. The
city workers insist that they did not make a mistake, and they never have.
The City Clerk says we probably had a leak and fixed it. So in so many words they're calling us liars and dumb butts.
If we would have ran 47,400 gallons of water down the toilet, don't you think we would have noticed it. And if it ran on the ground, it would be
saturated. The Mayor says we have to go to the council meeting because he can't do anything. Everyone my husband and I have talked to have been in an
uproar at the obvious mistake someone made at City Hall, it's a $424 mistake that we have to pay for their neglect to keep accurate records of where
meters were pulled and what the readings were at that time.
My husband did some figures on the diameter of our water lines verses water pressure and viscosity and it averages about 3/4 to 1 gallon per
minute. If the water were to run full force through the lines at 3/4 gallons a minute it would be 32,400 and 43,200 if it ran a gallon a minute. That's
the max that could run through the small diameter pipes we have on our mobile home. Also, our pipes were frozen for four different times where we
had no water in the house. If the water was leaking so bad it would have not have froze. Oh well, we are the crazy ones that don't know anything.
So, we will be going to the City Council Meeting on February 10 at 6:00 p.m. and in the mean time telling as many people as possible and trying to
get them to attend.
P.S. Thanks for having a web page for those of us that need to blow off a little steam!
La Grange isn't the only town with people who don't care.
FEBRUARY 1, 2003
SAY A PRAYER FOR THE ASTRONAUTS
I called down to the police station to see if they had placed the flags of the City at half mast. I was told that it was up to the administration and they weren't interested.
If you didn't get your order in for sausage at the Lions Club, they sold out by 8am. By the way the people were coming in the doors all morning, I won't be surprised if they don't run out before noon.