From: 
stupidRus@webtv.net X-WebTV-Signature: 
Date:  Mon, 29 Jan 2001 16:59:21 -0600 (CST)
To: jbrandt@gte.net
 (WebTV).iap.bryant.webtv.net>

ok..i dare you to put this letter on your web page..i read your page
every day to see what the latest gossip in this town is..i get a kick
out of seeing how stupid the people really are..but are they so stupid
that they believe that the reason there are 3 police officers on duty at
one time is because they want to "scare" ppl...did they ever stop to
think that maybe they have to go threw some training to learn how this
town works just like all the other towns around here do for there new
officers...and if ppl are scared to go anywhere because of what ppl
might or might not think if they are stopped then maybe they should
think about what law they was breaking to get stopped in the first
place...if you don't break the law then you wont get stopped...why don't
you give the police officers a break and stop trashing what they are
trying to do for this town ..they are stopping speeders,drunks,and who
ever else breaks the law..just like they are suppose to do..if you don't
break the law then what is there to worry about....and i would bet that
more than half of the ppl that are bitching about them are ones who have
broken the law and got caught...so i have one more thing to say to this
town...GROW UP !!!!!

My comment: If the City hired police officers just out of 420+- hours training and the City hires Officers that were working someplace else. Then why do they need MORE training. Plus, most people who have complained were stopped for a couple of miles over the limit, and other minor infractions that the people of La Grange have been doing without accidents or problems for years and when there are no officers on duty. Most of the stops are purely harassment. Most people in town just want to go about their business and go to work and go home and not have to worry about being harassed.

Today was a bad weather day. Ice everywhere. The Street Super was zipping around town as fast as he could trying to cinder all the streets. 

The La Grange Community Youth Center is having its annual fund drive open house. Having you stop by would be greatly appreciated. If donations keep up, it won't be long before a new building will start up.

Well, if all the people who have the new vote for ANDY AYERS FOR MAYOR signs vote for him, we will have a new Mayor and and clean City hall. 

Like most of the people in town, I vote by the process of elimination. Take for instance the candidates for North Ward. We have Mike Lowe, Phyllis Heindselman, and Ronald Powers. 

Mike Lowe is a nice guy. Does a lot. But, in all the years he has been on the Council he has not been a forceful Councilman for his ward or the people of La Grange. He has voted lock-step with Martini & Weasel from day one. We need someone who will stand on his own two feet. Mr. Griesbaum was reelected  and so far he has not shown much promise, but is loyal to the Mayor. Next, we have Phyllis Heindselman. Not knowing a whole lot about her reasons, but a person would have to assume that she wants to protect sonny. And that, my dear looks like a problem for the get go. So, even though I do not have any information on Mr. Powers, I would have to take the chance that he would represent the North Ward and also the people of La Grange, rather than the gambling boat and vote for him.

Middle ward: Here we have three more. Ed Cox, Jim Harscher and Richard Lumis. I know all of them pretty well and I do not believe any of them will sell us down the river like Ralph (pave my drive free) Martin has done to the people of La Grange. This will a tough one for me. I think Ed is running for the fact that he wants to get something done and I believe he will speak up and bring things out at the Council meetings. I think Jim Harscher will be an excellent Councilman and not sell out the City either like Martini has done. He will also be a good one to keep track of all the money that has been spent. Mr. Richard Lumis is one I haven't talked to to see where he stands. He is new to town and does not know all the back stabbings that have gone on. That may be a good thing??

I will VOTE FOR ANDY AYERS. Andy an I have never seen things eye to eye and there is probably no love lost between us. But, I believe Andy is running like I did, and that is to get La Grange back legal and above board. I also believe that Andy will make City Hall a big secret either like what has happened since Harold has been in office. 

Well, I have to bite my tongue to put this out. Today, the street super was out EARLY, and had most of the streets cleaned before I got out. Not only that I saw him not only plowing the snow, but was at the same time cindering what he had plowed.

But, on the other hand, the emails and calls and talk is about the GESTAPO police department. Everybody is bitching. Everybody is scared to death to drive through town for fear of violating something, they don't know what, but they fear they will be stopped for something. Plus, they fear that if they are stopped and a friend or neighbor sees them with 2 or more officers surrounding their car, they worry about the talk they may be involved in drugs or something to warrant so many officers.

But, Mayor Harold Ludwig, Weasel, & Martini love it and are just tickled to death. They are also doing everything they can to stop the Council from getting a City Administrator.

Did I read the Quincy paper correct? Anyone who is an elected official or was one within two years cannot go in the Casino?? Darn the luck Marinti & Weasel.

Is it child abuse to make your child sit in your van while you smoke?

Well, if any indication of the calls and emails, the Police Chief is sure stirring up the pot. Two police cars and three cops on at one time running radar both ways at the old Imperial gas station. One person that was stopped by three police officers and two cars was scared to death. You people should know that there is no way that there is enough money to support 4 police officers at this time. 

THEY HAVE TO ARREST YOU TO MAKE THEIR WAGES AND YOU WILL BE ARRESTED.

Now, on to the City Council and the Mayor. The Mayor and Steve Griesbaum are doing all the dirty tricks they know to stop the Council from getting a City Administrator. It is hard to believe any Councilman reasonably believes that the Mayor is intelligent enough to run the City with the boat money coming in. He can't even control the Street Super or the Police Chief now. He has no idea about what the Chief has in his possession or what he is doing, and frankly doesn't care. The street super has no direction at all. SO, there is no way he will be able to do any better with the boat money. He barely graduated from high school.  He even believes he is doing an excellent job as Mayor now. He knows better than to ask the people of the town their opinion. Steve and Roger and Mike had better get their act together and get this City Administrator on the way. Who knows who will be the next Mayor or even the next Mayor after that. At least with a City Administrator things will continue from Mayor to Mayor with continuity.

Take a look at the new format for the Gossip pages. Click Here

Boy, were there some pissed off people this weekend. Some applicants to work at the gambling boat saw the ad say the wages were to start at $10 - $12 per hour. But, when they got there, they found that the wages were really $4.75 an hour (plus tips). Now, there are some jobs that people don't tip for and some jobs people do tip for. So, the gambling boat people said that ALL tips were to be given to the company and then the company will divide it up with ALL employees. Can't you see yourself doing a good job at your table and get a $100 or $500 or $1000 tip and then know you have to give it to the dishwasher.

Don't forget to get your tickets to the Lions Pancake and Sausage. 

Tomorrow is the big day. Everybody in La Grange is being offered a job at the Casino. You get to allow someone to pry into your private life, your financial life, and your government files, if you have one. You get to be fingerprinted, photographed, and searched. They will know your bank accounts, your investments, and if and when you ever have been arrested anywhere, no matter whether you were charged or not. They will know you inside and out and else in town will know?

Who would have thought that a bunch of teenagers could turn the State of Missouri upside down and get funding for highway 61? This has been a great achievement. But, while everyone in the region has been working on this and trying to get funding, not one person from the City or Chamber made an appearance to represent La Grange. If I was spending millions of dollars to put a casino in La Grange, I would begin to wonder about these people. They all have come with their hands out wanting advances like little kids and then not work to make sure the casino customers had good roads to get there. I guess Martini & Weasel pulled a good one over Bill? 

We now have two new police officers. Let's see if THESE TWO will get out of their cars and meet the people they will be forced to arrest. Will they come to the coffee shop in the morning and visit and talk? Or will they hide like all the others. Already, emails are complaining about (3) officers on duty making stops of local drivers. I had one criticism about putting Gossip on the Gossip page today. Mostly about a past officer. 

Everyone knows that there is not a lot of love between a Brandt and a Rossiter, but I have to bite my tongue and say that Tim Rossiter is fast becoming an excellent Councilman. Who could have known. He has been spearheading the idea of the City having a City Administrator. This has been in defiance of the Mayor and Martini & Weasel. Even the City Attorney tried to stop him. And now, it looks like this may be done. The only one on the committee I see that will try to crash it is Mike Lowe. He has been in the back pocket of the Mayor and followed Martini & Weasel like a lost puppy dog for years. And he wants to run again. Who will pick up the leash?

Rumor has it that the Mayor and City attorney were so mad about Rossiter bringing in the Missouri Municipal League to explain how easy it was to hire a City Administrator that the Mayor and City Attorney walked out and stomped down the stairs. The Mayor had to be called back to finish the meeting, but the City Attorney who saw he was wrong "Left the Building". The Mayor even walked out leaving other company officials scratching their heads wondering what kind of Mayor the City of La Grange has. Roger "come from behind" Sherwood asked the MML people if the City would lose its charter or lose the casino and the MML people asked who made that stupid remark. Rumor has it they pointed out the window to the departing City Attorney.

One last thing. For the Councilmen that are scratching their heads and wondering how the police chief knows everything that is said in executive sessions. I know. And now you will know. The Mayor. He runs to the chief and tells him everything that YOU said. So those of you that are going off, guess what? 

I can always tell when something is going on around town. My email fills up with questions, and complaints I haven't put anything about it on the net.

Today, it was reported that the banker almost had a heart attack as he was told that there were pickets at the boat. He sped away like he was going to a fire. Rumor has it that Peters heating and air in Quincy got that contract, but are not union, and they started having sheet metal for the ductwork. I think this was quickly resolved by them being hired to do the work.

NOW, to the upcoming election. We have Harold Ludwig trying again and Andy Ayers running against him. The North ward has Phyllis Heindselman, Ronnie Powers and Mike Lowe. The middle has Ed Cox, Richard Lumis and Jim Harscher. And the South ward has Sam Henderson.

I guess Martini and Weasel will try later as writeins. Mike Lowe should have followed their lead as he as always done for the last 6 years. If we get a new mayor and council and Mike gets reelected, who will be the one to tell him what to do. All this time in the past, he has had Martini and Weasel to tell him how to vote and what to do. 

With the new work hours for some of the City crew, it is hard to know that when you see the street super in Walmart during the day if it is a valid time off.

And, the mayor still has not been able to tell the police that private property does not belong to the police department and instead of one policeman's car on private property, there are now three. Why did the City lease the property if they were going to take possession of it?

This morning on WGEM I heard hizzoner talking with the WGEM news crew. First he got the times and days mixed up on when the boat will hold its job fair. AND THEN, when Mark Magliari asked him about infrastucture, the mayor said "oh, they are piling dirt over all those streets". Mark was nice and went on. But, even he was surprised about the figure of 3000 people a day coming to town.

187 people have to be so proud. And we are all so tickled to death.

For all the Democrats. When did this Clayton do all this stuff for us he says he did? 

Go John Ashcroft.

Tuesday is the last day to sign up for Mayor and Councilman. It is weird that La Grange has a sign up date that is in violation of the City Charter for an election date that is different than any other State election. Why?, It is because of a decision by a stupid City Attorney. La Grange, being a Special Charter City was allowed for over a hundred years to have its own sign up deadline, (30 days before the election date). Then the City Attorney who took it upon himself to change it. "His opinion" over the history of 100 years.

Getting someone to run for Council that doesn't have his own agenda is very difficult now. Weasel and Martini have just about destroyed anything meaningful about being a City Councilman. Here, we have a Mayor and two Councilmen with three know nothings, who over the past six years have sold out our school and brought us a gambling boat and more police protection than Canton or even the County.

They have violated the Charter of the City or waived whatever law that got in there way so many times, it has made the Charter of the City of La Grange meaningless. I have always been a supporter of La Grange being a Special Charter City as it was unique. But now, I have to agree with former Mayor Irene Solter that it is time for the people of La Grange to vote to become a State Chartered City so that the City will have laws that the City Attorney cannot waive or all the Council to violate.

Just look at what has been done to the City since Weasel, Martini and the Mayor have been in office. Our downtown has been torn down. Our school has been sold out. Our Sewer system has been sold to BFI. Our water system has been subjugated to both the Clark County Water and the Gambling boat. And our police department has become an entity of its own and borders on being a gestapo regime.

With all the finagling of the books, it will take a new Mayor and Council months to figure out if anything criminal was done. But, ANY new Mayor has to call in the State to go over the City books, immediately, to make sure he isn't charged with any crime.

Certain members of the Council are said to be not running for office this time. Well and good. But, the real reason is, they and I do not believe any reasonable gaming commission will allow the boat a gaming license with them there. 

The City is in a paradox. Good people don't want to run and get involved with the gambling boat. Others, who do run, don't know all that they are getting into. 

The only hope is that whoever gets to be Mayor and Council, will have the intelligence to hire a experienced qualified City Administrator. One who has a major in Community Development and a minor in Business Administration. If this is not done, it is easy to see that with the past Mayor and Council, all the money from the boat will be squandered away like is already happening.

Today was big surprise for me. First I SAW the street super out sanding streets before it was too late. And, then I heard that he was out last evening sanding streets. Wow! What happened? I also saw today that Hizzonner is back from his extended vacation to Mexico. My that was quick. Went there, got off the plane, rented the room for the night, got on the plane and came home.

I also heard that the fire chief duped the City Council into buying tire chains for A fire truck to the tune of what was that $1,300.00. I also guess that the Council was shocked to see the cost of the new stainless steel sander.  Well, back to the gambling boat people for more front money. I have heard, but I have not seen the end of the year bonus payments to the fire chief and asst, but I have heard they are very good. The Chief keeps rewording the Fire ordinance regarding payments. Pretty soon he will have his retirement taken care of.

Speaking of the Gambling boat, I didn't take any picture this past week as "nothing was done". But, the boat is having a job fair, CLICK HERE, for more info.

Is the City police chief wanting 3 more, or is it 5 more, or is it 10 more police cars. Looks like he is trying to make the cost look good by leasing the cars. Any one who has ever leased a car knows how cheap that is. HA HA.

I guess the ice cream place is short of income, the meeting suggests the Mayor got preferential treatment on the taxes and got a refund. You, the people are out of luck.

I hope NINA PAINTER enjoys her trip to Florida. It is still cold here. Rumor has it that Ed Dickerson has had his long distant calling privileges revoked by Virginia. And, the Herman Smith family came South to La Grange for a few days to escape the cold.

Don't forget to sign up for Mayor or Councilman before Tuesday January 16th.

Rumors were running wild this weekend. An officer of the law is rumored to quit. It is rumored that the chief screwed over the City Council and may be out the door too. Rumor also has it that the Chief?, helped the move all weekend. Other rumors came in about a pregnancy, a discussion as to who is the daddy, whether a local or a State. WOW!    Then we have the rumor with a sheet of paper being passed around with the words (charges) something like (conduct unbecoming of and officer). 

Another rumor running around over the weekend is the number of NEW POLICE CARS (already ordered???) to be ordered. Rumor has it that three new ones have been ordered and 2 more to be ordered later. Where in the hell is the Council MAKING all this cash??

We do have a conflict here. The gambling boat people has stated over and over and over again that the Gambling boat WILL NOT bring with it corruption, crime, burglaries, theft, drugs, alcoholism, extramarital sex, and therefore the City of La Grange does not need to worry.

NOW, the Councilmen (no prayer here) and (pave my drive free) and (Mayor of the weenie wagon) say WE NEED MORE COPS.
At least TEN MORE COPS, maybe 25 more cops.  By the time the City gets done paying for MORE UNNEEDED COPS and MORE COP CARS. The money from the boat will be gone.

The Council meeting tonight will be interesting. Will the Council admit they are dumb and fire the Chief. But, in doing so they will have to admit that the previous Mayor was right all along by firing him twice. Are hard pill to swallow. But, two faced people do it well.

Hizzonner, did get his way of not allowing the raising of the pay to Mayor and Councilmen until AFTER the election signup. That is so no one else will sign up.  

I went to Quincy today and boy was the Quincy Post Office busy. It seems that the price of stamps are to go up to 34 cents and everyone was rushing out to buy all the 33 cent ones before that were all gone. Two people said they were selling them on Ebay and were getting up to 50 cents apiece for them. They were all sold out by the time I got there.

Received an email that was giving some praise to the street super. I was willing to go along and say that every once in awhile you will see him doing something useful. But, today, the sun was out, streets were melting and the street super put the snow plow ON. go figure.

Well, the rumor is the Council was snookered the other night. It seems that they were told that calls were placed to a potential officer who was interested in working the police department, but, the potential didn't come in to be interviewed. The council was supposedly told that the caller left several messages on the potentials answering machine. Word on the street is the potential didn't have an answering machine. go figure.

Rumor has it that the council is looking to buy (3) three NEW police cars. Seems the chief found a couple of "understudys" to teach since one left. Let me see now, a potential just graduated from police training school, and another potential has been an officer for some time now. Please explain why and what the Chief can teach them they don't already know. How to do stake outs out on Route P.? It seems that the past has shown that the one in charge really doesn't want anyone any smarter than he is. Still working.

Have you ever noticed that whenever thee is any articles in any paper or stories on any tv about "THE BOAT", that they always, always, include how much money the City will make, How many employees will be hired, how many tables, how many slots. Watch it, they do it every time.

Well, thanks to Project Brighter Future, trips to Jamaican were well enjoyed. Rumor has it that the flood relief will enjoy a trip to Cancun. Thanks, people of La Grange.

The City Council didn't do it. The Mayor didn't do it. The Street Super didn't do it. Only Sam knew to get the big snow plow out and push back the snow piled on the streets off the streets. 

Rumor has it that someone in the Council found a back bone and hired a police officer. Rumor also has it that the lady cop has decided to move on. 

Rumor has it that a Lewis County Deputy has applied for a police officer job here in town. Woops, that means an Indian will be smarter than the chief. Doesn't look good. Another rumor has it that the chief has apps in other towns. And another rumor is the Lady Indian is leaving. I thought the Chief was planning to add officers.

It looks like no one wants any part of the City Council. I haven't heard of anyone signing up. Who knows what legal and financial problems will crop up once the two leave office. First I see in the paper that the Council voted to give Ensor another $7500 to finish the fire station, then I hear that the firemen are donating their time, well some are, some I hear are getting paid. Then we see that the F & M Bank has made a donation of $7500 for the work. Add it up.

The road going from Route C to the school parking lot is still the same, yet today the Super is riding around town with the snow plow off and the spreader out of the truck. 187 people have to love the Mayor and his super. All other towns have their streets cleared and La Grange looks the same as the day it first snowed. And, what about the downtown area. Snow piles everywhere. Will the 187 peoples Mayor do anything? Yes, wait for the sun.

The other day, there was a show on the Scifi channel, one of those Rod Sterling movies about a man who sold his soul to the devil. The devil told the man that since the man didn't believe in God, therefore he couldn't believe he was the devil and got the man to sign over his soul. Let's see now, two councilmen, one who didn't want a prayer to be said.