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Statement to City Council at July 25, 2011 meeting - (scroll down)

Larry Mass's Statement to City Council at July 25, 2011 meeting -Listen online to audio in UCityCitizen Audio Gallery OR download audio to listen on your computer

Audio of July 25, 2011 meeting containing citizen comments about the decisons to disable the lights (Link)

Fallout from City's decision to disable the lights at the Driving Range

Early last May, the City Manager, Lehman Walker, made a final decision to keep the lights off at the Driving Range in spite of a great deal of citizen protest. In early January he had directed city staff to disable the lights. A special City Manager's advisory committee established to evaluate and recommend actions for the Golf Course and Driving Range (link), and the Park Commission (view or download below) also recommended the lights be kept on at night. Fifty percent of the cost of the lights was funded by the Municipal Park Grant Commission of St. Louis County .

On June 3, 2011 the Municipal Park Grant Commission of St. Louis County sent University City a letter:

Yesterday, the Municipal Grant Advisory committee met to discuss this at the request of the Municipal Park Grant Commission. It was the unanimous consensus was that:

All grant funded improvements should be used for 10 years unless

1) the useful life was anticipated to be less than 10 years,

2) that all requests come from the governing body (i.e. City Council),

3) that the request be made on the basis of health, safety or some significant reason,

4) that the city repay the full amount of the grant funded portion, OR

5) be ineligible for any future grants for the remainder of the 10 year period.

It will be recommended that the Commission adopt this policy at their August meeting before it considers other grants. It is not known at this time whether University City will be seeking a grant from the Municipal Park Grant Commission.

Even though the new policy can not be applied retroactively, the commission has the discretion to consider "other factors" besides its strict point system when awarding a grant. According to commission staff, failure to use an asset purchased with grant funds can be considered another factor when deciding on any future grants.

This is very similar to what took place with the return of a $100K Grant to the Mo. Depart. of Natural resources for the Bike Path through Ruth Woods (link) in that the City may have reduced or eliminated the possibility of future grants from the DNR.

It is important for residents to know that the cost of disabling the lights on the Driving Range is more than just the loss of profit, but adversely affects our reputation and could affect our future ability to receive grants from the Municipal Park Grant Commission.

Paulette Carr

July 22, 2011

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Statement to City Council at July 25, 2010 meeting

Council Members, City Manager, Mayor and Citizens of University City:

On June 3, 2011 the Municipal Park Grant Commission of St. Louis County sent University City a letter:

June 3, 2011

Lehman Walker

City Manager – University City

6801 Delmar Blvd.

University City, MO 63130

Dear Mr. Walker,

As you know, it has come to the attention of the Park Grant Commission that lights at the Ruth Park Driving Range, built with grant funding, have recently been left unused. We understand that you are reviewing the issue, which we support. However, it is difficult for the Commission to imagine that a city would utilize grant funds from the Commission, but then not use the asset built. Your grant application stated that “The range would be lit for night play…” which is significant. Moreover, we denied other requests in order to fund the University City grant, further reinforcing the expectation of cities to use funded facilities. As you consider your options, the Commission strongly urges you to weigh these facts.

The Commission has asked that I inform you that should University City continue to not use the grant funded lights, this could affect the Commission’s decision to award grant funding to University City in the future, amongst other actions. When funding is requested and then awarded, it is obviously implied that projects will be used.

The Commission does not desire to micro-manage any local facilities and therefore supports your research that considers the interests involved, including those of the Commission and taxpayers we represent.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Staff at 314-726-4747 or via email at staff@stlmuni.org.

Sincerely,

Tim Fischesser

Cc: Park Grant Commissioners

At the June 13, 2011 City Council meeting where the budget was passed, Councilmembers Price and Crow repeatedly stated that they felt this was a policy issue and the mayor strongly disagreed. This letter was in the hands of Mr. Walker and most probably Mayor Welsch at that time, but Mr. Walker did not share it with Councilmembers Price and Crow … did he share it with the rest of Council?

According to our Charter, the Mayor just one of seven council members of our City Council – an equal member. She cannot decide whether this is or is not administrative or policy by herself. She must take a vote if there are questions, but that did not happen. We now find ourselves in the position of having had decisions made by the City Manager that will cost us future grant funding from both the Municipal Park Grant Commission and the Department of Natural Resources. Both those decisions were clearly policy decisions: Is it the policy of University City to act in such a way as to limit future grants?

The action taken by Mr. Walker to disable the lights on the Driving Range that were purchased with grant money did impact our access to future grant funding – and that is policy!

It is not that a “good” or” bad” decision has been made by our City Manager, but that it should have been make by the City Council. The City Manager is merely an appointed official, whose role it is to administer the policy of the City Council – our elected representatives. I challenge this Council to assume the duties and responsibilities assigned to you by our Charter, and for which you were elected.

Thank you.

Paulette Carr

7901 Gannon Ave.

July 25, 2011

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• UCityCitizen.org • Paulette Carr, Ward 2 Councilmember, City of University City • University City, Missouri 63130 •