Volume 18, Number 46
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Mehlville community OKs Prop R with nearly 73 percent of the vote By GLORIA LLOYD Staff Reporter In a historic victory that shocked even those who expected it to pass, the Mehlville School District community approved Proposition R last week with nearly 73 percent of the vote. The 49-cent tax-rate increase passed on a one-issue ballot Nov. 3 with 17,905 “yes” votes — 72.53 percent — and 6,783 “no” votes — 27.47 percent — according to unofficial results from the county Board of Election Commissioners. Campaign organizer Kimberly Hanan-West said through tears at the victory party at Andre’s South, “We didn’t just pass Prop R — we changed the culture of this community.” Oakville Elementary Principal Chad Dickemper called the nearly 3-to-1 landslide the “Mehlville Miracle.” Prop R is historic in more ways than one — it is Mehlville’s first tax-rate increase in 15 years, with the largest margin of victory since 1984. The district only keeps records dating back to 1970, and in the 45 years leading up to Prop R, no tax-rate increases for operations ever broke the 60-percent mark. Two-thirds of voters rejected the last two tax-hike attempts, in 2006 and 2010. (See VOTE, Page 3A)
Bea Corbin photo
Mehlville School District residents celebrate the ‘historic’ passage of Proposition R at a victory party at Andre’s South last week. Reacting to the news that Prop R passed with nearly 73 percent of the vote, from left, are: Bernard Middle School eighth-grader Samantha Gindler, Oakville Elementary School parent Jane Kolb and Kimberly Hanan-West, who led the Mehlville-Oakville United Committee that promoted passage of the measure.
Passage of Mehlville School District’s Prop R makes history, defies experts By GLORIA LLOYD Staff Reporter Experts said it couldn’t be done, but a committee of volunteers made Mehlville School District history with last week’s passage of Proposition R.
The 49- cent tax -rate increase passed on a one -issue ballot Nov. 3 with 17,905 “yes” votes — 72.53 percent — and 6,783 “no” votes — 27.47 percent — according to unofficial results from the county Board of Election Commissioners. Campaign committee Mehlville-Oakville
Furrer warns business owner property could be taken for use as grocery store By GLORIA LLOYD Staff Reporter Sunset Hills officials have rarely said the words “eminent domain” in the decade since they made national news for approving measures that would have resulted in the razing of 254 homes in the Sunset Manor subdivision, but Mayor Mark Furrer recently warned a business owner that the city could use it. During a recent meeting of the Friends of Court
(See DOMAIN, Page 8A)
(See DEFIES, Page 7A)
Board weighs measure seeking $45,000 more from mall owner By MIKE ANTHONY Executive Editor An ordinance approving a second amendment to an initial funding agreement with the owner of the former Crestwood Plaza was scheduled to be considered earlier this week by the Crestwood Board of Aldermen. The agreement, which requests an additional $45,000 from the mall owner, was set to be considered by aldermen Tuesday night (See MORE, Page 5A)
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Drive — who oppose a potential commercial development on the tornado-damaged area on their street — Furrer told residents that property owned by Sunset Ford is on his radar for redevelopment as Mark Furrer a grocery store and that he mentioned the possibility of taking it by eminent domain to
United, or MOU, raised more than $50,000 and scored one of the biggest victories in Mehlville history using only volunteers, organizer Dan Fowler said Nov. 3 at the Andre’s South victory party.
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Republican candidates for Missouri governor emphasized their own strengths rather than attack their opponents in a debate organized by Cole County Republicans. Most attacks were reserved for Chris Koster, the leading Democratic gubernatorial candidate. To read more, visit www.callnewspapers.com.
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Call Publishing, Thursday, November 12, 2015 - Page 3A
• Vote Trakas works polls against Mehlville’s tax-rate increase (Continued from Page 1A)
Board member Lori Trakas was the sole dissent on the 5-1 vote to place Prop R on the ballot Aug. 17. Jamey Murphy was absent due to a work commitment. In an unusual move for a sitting board member, Trakas worked the polls against Prop R the day of the election, according to a Facebook post by former board member Drew Frauenhoffer. Trakas was unavailable for comment before the Call’s press time. But last week’s margin of victory ends detractors’ ability to criticize current district officials for decisions made by longgone board members and administrators, the “ghosts of Mehlville past,” board President Venki Palamand told the Call. “The past is truly the past, and the voters are ready to move forward toward a brighter future,” he said. “It’s morning in the Mehlville-Oakville community.” Prop R stands for Restore, and the campaign committee, Mehlville-Oakville United, or MOU, maintains that the future of the district, its education and residents’ property values hinge on its $8.3 million in additional annual revenue. Without Prop R, Mehlville faced a “financial cliff,” Superintendent Chris Gaines said — cuts of up to $5 million to an already-lean budget, on top of the $3 million that went into effect this year. Gaines, who came to Mehlville from Wright City July 1, said in his victory speech that he will seek suggestions from the public on how to save money just as he
would if he had to slash programs — but with Prop R’s passage, he can focus on saving, not cutting. “We’re going to show the community that we’re going to spend the resources they give us effectively and efficiently on behalf of the 10,500 kids and 1,300 employees that come through our doors every day,” he said. “And those employees spend their money locally — the district is an economic driver for the community. It has been, and it will continue to be.” With a historic win at the polls only three months into his tenure as superintendent, Gaines ended the night with his own version of a “mic drop.” “If this was a concert, I’d just grab the mic, say, ‘Thank you,’ drop it and walk away,” he said. Both MOU and the group that led the campaign against Prop R, Secure Mehlville Oakville Future, were active on social media — a key factor in the nearly 40-percent voter turnout, Palamand said. Secure MO Future’s Linda Bowen posted a flurry of videos and updates to Facebook the days before the election, including an open letter from Trakas asking residents to vote against Prop R. In a statement on its website, Secure MO organizers said they see positives in the defeat. “Although our opposition to the tax increase failed, it was hugely successful in engaging the community and drawing attention to the need for improvement in the district,” the group wrote. “For that we are very pleased.” Visit www.callnewspapers.com to read more of this article.
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• Defies Everybody will benefit from Proposition R, Haefner says (Continued from Page 1A)
“This committee did something that experts said could not be done,” Fowler said. “The experts in the Mehlville School District that were consultants in the past had given up on Mehlville and said it couldn’t be done. Tonight, without experts, we won this. We won it.” The decisive vote totals indicated that every district demographic voted yes — including senior citizens, Fowler added. “And we let go of the myth that seniors in our school district do not support education,” he said. “It is obvious tonight that they do. History was made tonight as our community said ‘yes’ to our schools.” As Oakville Elementary Principal Chad Dickemper left Andre’s on election night, he said he couldn’t wait to see his teachers’ faces the next morning. OES teachers started a trend Nov. 4 when they lined the school parking lot at parent pickup holding “thank-you” signs. Hagemann Elementary teachers followed Nov. 5, and teachers at Wohlwend Elementary and Oakville Middle School joined forces Nov. 6 to stand along Telegraph Road and the driveway leading up to their schools with “thankyou” signs as parents arrived. Students districtwide showed their appreciation at voters saving their schools from millions more in budget cuts in a thank-you video, and students at Point Elementary and Blades Elementary posed holding “thank-you” signs, along with Blades Principal Jeremy Booker.
Before the vote, Superintendent Chris Gaines outlined two paths for the district to take, and said he didn’t want to take the second one, where he would have to make budget cut after budget cut. With the $8.3 million from Prop R, Mehlville will hire 16 reading coaches, bring back tutoring and student clubs, buy new library books, textbooks and computers for the 1:1 laptop program that was cut this year. Mark Haefner — son of Rep. Marsha Haefner, R-Oakville — was the most prominent Republican to endorse Prop R, and the veteran of south county elections said the “beyond believable” vote totals left him speechless. “Let me tell you who won today: The ‘no’ voters won today. The ‘yes’ voters won today. The private school parents won today. The elderly won today. The parents of the district won today and, especially, our students won today,” Haefner said. “Everyone is going to benefit from the passing of Proposition R.” Fowler and Gaines both credited the win to Joplin Superintendent Norm Ridder, who telephoned supporters at Andre’s to congratulate the district and the crowd of roughly 300 on the win. Ridder served as the interim superintendent for Mehlville last year after the departure of former Superintendent Eric Knost, now at Rockwood. Fowler also read a series of text messages from Knost, who texted “Two words: Slam dunk” when the first wave of precincts reported and then later added, “Three words, not two: Slam freaking dunk. Absolutely awesome. Very proud of the Mehlville community.”
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Call Publishing, Thursday, November 12, 2015 - Page 6A
By Mike Anthony
Residents make right call by voting to pass Prop R Mehlville School District residents made the right call last week when they approved Proposition R with nearly 73 percent of the vote. Residents should be proud of themselves for uniting to support their school district and community and approving Mehlville’s first tax-rate increase in 15 years. The Prop R 49-cent tax-rate increase will generate roughly $8 million annually and allow district officials to begin implementing Mehlville’s new strategic plan by buying textbooks and hiring 16 reading and instructional coaches for struggling students. Funds also will be used to restore some of the $3 million in budget cuts that went into effect this year, including tutoring, student clubs and library books. Prop R is a game-changer for Mehlville, as district officials will not have to make $3 million to $5 million in cuts for the coming school year. Prop R has no shortage of heroes. A great deal of credit goes to Norm Ridder, who served as interim superintendent for the 2014-2015 school year. Under Dr. Ridder’s direction, the foundation for Prop R was paved with the creation of the strategic plan. The strength of that plan provided a seamless transition for Chris Gaines, who assumed the superintendent’s post on July 1. Dr. Gaines clearly articulated what Prop R would do for the district and what the consequences would be if it failed. Members of Mehlville-Oakville United worked tirelessly for Prop R and are to be applauded for their efforts to rally residents to support the school district and the community. Another hero would be prominent Republican Mark Haefner, who had the foresight to realize that failure of Prop R would not only devastate the school district, but the community as well. He had the intestinal fortitude to buck the anti-tax, anti-public education stance embraced by the majority of south county GOP leaders. Then there’s board member Lori Trakas, who voted against placing Prop R before voters. Trakas continually puts the interests of a handful of self-serving Republicans over the educational welfare of the students she is ethically bound to represent — not to mention that she reportedly worked the polls against Prop R on Election Day. In a letter to the editor opposing the passage of Prop R, Trakas wrote, “Our kids deserve better.” Believe it or not, Trakas is correct — Mehlville’s children do deserve better than her.
Reader urging residents to vote in trustee election To the editor: If you are a resident of the New England Village subdivision, you need to make sure you vote in the upcoming trustee election. You can vote at the annual homeowners’ meeting that will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at Point Elementary School, 6970 Telegraph Road, or you can send in your vote via proxy. Every homeowner will receive a letter from the subdivision with information about the trustee candidates, and a proxy to cast your vote if you cannot attend the meeting. If you use the proxy, please do not give the existing Board of Directors the power to cast your vote. Fill out the proxy, granting the trustee candidate of your choice the right to vote for you. Your vote matters, so please attend the meeting or grant your proxy to your candidate. Jerry Foerstel Oakville Editor’s note: Jerry Foerstel is a resident of the New England Village subdivision.
MOU treasurer thanks Mehlville-Oakville community for backing Prop R To the editor: I want to thank the Mehlville-Oakville community for its overwhelming support of the Mehlville School District’s Prop R on Nov. 3. Being passed at nearly a 3-to-1 margin shows that we are united in supporting our schools and leading our community to a brighter future. We are on the path to being a destination district and all the benefits that brings. Although this was quite an accomplishment, our journey did not end with the election. Our goal is to improve academic achievement through the effective use of Prop R funds. This is also what positively influences property values. To do this, our Mehlville School District administration has a plan to effectively use Prop R funds, leadership to execute the plan and Finance Committee oversight. The last crucial element rests in the hands of our community. This is to continue the level of community engagement we have today. Being engaged will mean we are better informed, making educated decisions on how we believe our district should proceed, and communicating what we feel is important with our school dis-
trict leadership. To help support this ideal situation, the MehlvilleOakville United Committee will refine its mission statement over the next few weeks to support community engagement. The end result will be a more effective and sustainable education system. Thank you again to everyone who supported Prop R. I look forward to what we will accomplish as we continue the work to improve our schools, property values and community. Kevin Schartner Oakville Editor’s note: Kevin Schartner serves as treasurer of the Mehlville-Oakville United Committee.
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Volume 18, Number 48
1 Section, 20 Pages
Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015
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Proposition R tax-rate increase carries every Mehlville precinct By GLORIA LLOYD Staff Reporter With record turnout on the way to a landslide victory, the Mehlville School District’s Nov. 3 ballot measure Proposition R carried all four townships and every precinct across the district. The Board of Education accepted the certified Prop R results last week. The 49-cent tax-rate increase was approved with 17,905
“yes” votes — 72.53 percent — and 6,783 “no” votes — 27.47 percent. The highest support for Prop R on the one-issue ballot came at the South County Education and University Center on Meramec Bottom Road, where 81 percent of voters cast a “yes” vote. Even at the precinct with the lowest support for Prop R — Calvary Presbyterian Church in Lemay (See CARRIES, Page 4A)
Mehlville Board of Education votes to name meeting room after Fowler Science, technology learning takes flight
Colorful tissue paper balloons are ready to float high above Sperreng Middle School as sixth-grade students learned about lighter-than-air flight concepts by building their own functional hot-air balloons. Students in Eric Robb’s technology class first learned about the science and technology that make a hot-air balloon work. Then they built balloons of their own using tissue paper and wire. Robb helped the students launch their balloons using a turkey fryer as the heat source.
By GLORIA LLOYD Staff Reporter The Mehlville Board of Education honored the architect of the district’s historic ballot measure Proposition R by naming its meeting room after him last week. The board voted 5-2 to name the Daniel S. Fowler Board of Education Room after former Board of Education President Dan Fowler. An Oakville insurance agent, Fow-
ler served on the board for nine years and led or spearheaded the campaigns for all of Mehlville’s successful ballot measures in the last three decades, including Prop R, the 49-cent tax-rate increase that nearly 73 percent of voters approved Nov. 3. Board President Venki Palamand, Vice President Larry Felton, Secretary Samantha Stormer, Jean Pretto and Lisa Dorsey voted (See FOWLER, Page 12A)
Crestwood board adopts second amendment to funding pact with mall owner By MIKE ANTHONY Executive Editor The Crestwood Board of Aldermen recently adopted an ordinance approving a second amendment to an initial funding agreement with the owner of the former Crestwood Plaza. Under the terms of the amended pact, Crestwood Missouri Partners LLC, a subsidiary of mall owner UrbanStreet Group of Chicago, agreed to provide a total of $170,000 to
the city as preliminary funding for costs and fees associated with the proposed redevelopment of the mall. UrbanStreet Group, which purchased the mall property last year for $2.625 million, submitted the only response to the city’s request for proposals, or RFP, to redevelop the site. The mall owner is requesting nearly $28 million in tax incentives, including tax-increment financing, or TIF, for a roughly $99.5 million mixed-use project that includes 225 apartments.
Aldermen also adopted an ordinance amending the city’s original agreement with Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, or PGAV, for planning services related to the mall site. The city’s initial contract with PGAV called for the consultant to perform eight tasks for a total of $61,000, according to City Planner Adam Jones. But Jones noted in a memo that besides completing work for the redevelopment plan, “PGAV performed additional
(See FUNDING, Page 6A)
Grant’s Farm’s future subject of competing visions by St. Louis Zoo, Busch family member By GLORIA LLOYD Staff Reporter Competing visions for the future of Grant’s Farm emerged last week — one from St. Louis Zoo officials and one from a Busch family member who wants to keep the south county landmark the way it is. Zoo officials announced last week they
ing costs, zoo officials said. The zoo proposal also hinges on the outcome of a lawsuit filed by four of the six children of beer magnate August A. “Gussie” Busch Jr. against two of their brothers, Billy and Adolphus, who support Billy’s competing $24 million bid to buy the property. The six siblings comprise the
Busch Family Real Estate Trust that owns the 281-acre property, which has been open to the public since 1954. In a statement, Billy Busch said maintaining family ownership of the property was important to his father, who mentioned that wish in his will, and he wants to keep the (See FUTURE, Page 14A)
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Mehlville School District officials have decided to implement a snow schedule, when appropriate, during the winter months of the school year. On days when the district operates on a snow schedule, classes will begin two hours later than their normal start times. To read more, visit www.callnewspapers.com.
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• Carries Felton says results indicate ‘universal support’ for Prop R (Continued from Page 1A)
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— had 63-percent support for Prop R. “It really shows we had universal support for Prop R and the message we put out,” said board Vice President Larry Felton, who ran an analysis of the voting trends — what he called the “gee-whiz numbers.” Before the election, some residents were skeptical whether senior citizens living on limited incomes in Lemay would ever vote for a tax-rate increase, but 70 percent of Lemay voters approved Prop R. Oakville Township precincts saw the highest turnout and the highest support — nearly 75 percent. Tesson Ferry Township had the second-highest approval at 72 percent. Concord Township voters approved it by 71 percent of the vote. “Even Ronald Reagan didn’t do that well,” Superintendent Chris Gaines joked. “I didn’t look at the breakdown, I’m just like, ‘Thank you.’ All our parents, they really got behind us. They worked hard.” Rogers Elementary in Oakville had both the highest voter turnout at 50 percent and the second-highest percentage of “yes” voters at 80 percent. The group that opposed Prop R, Secure Mehlville Oakville Future, contended that parochial parents would oppose the measure, but the second-highest voter turnout came at Queen of All Saints in Oakville, where voters matched Prop R’s districtwide approval of 72.5 percent. Campaign organizer Kimberly HananWest said pastors and parochial parents rec-
ognized the long-term importance of Prop R because if families left for other school districts, churches would lose parishioners and eventually, their own schools would close. Another Prop R organizer, former board President Dan Fowler, said he had never seen anything as decisive as the Prop R results in 27 years of working on Mehlville campaigns. “When you analyze it, it clearly shows that every demographic group in the Mehlville School District voted for Proposition R, and that includes people over 70,” Fowler said. “You do not get 73 percent of the vote without everyone coming together.” He was surprised by the high turnout at Beasley Elementary, which had the thirdhighest approval at 79 percent — 845 voters for and 212 voters against, with 41-percent voter turnout. Green Park City Hall had a relatively low voter turnout — 32 percent — but voters there approved Prop R by one of the largest margins, 76 percent. Bierbaum Elementary was another surprise for Prop R organizers, with 75-percent approval from 36-percent voter turnout. The voting data showed that the precincts with anti-Prop R poll workers approved the measure at the same rates as voters at precincts with no poll workers against Prop R, Fowler said. As one example, 72 percent of voters cast a “yes” vote at Blades Elementary, where board member Lori Trakas worked the polls against Prop R and former board member Drew Frauenhoffer worked the polls for it, according to a Facebook post by Frauenhoffer.
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