South County Not Alone in Protesting Senior Living Construction

The Town and Country and Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously turned down a proposal by Allegro Senior Living to build a 150-unit, luxury senior living development Wednesday night after hearing from dozens of residents who were vehemently opposed to the project.

The commission will make its recommendation to the Board of Alderman, citing seven reasons it opposed the proposal. Among these, the commission said there was "no public need" and that neighbors’ property values would be damaged.

Nearly 200 people came to City Hall for the commission’s meeting and most of those who spoke indicated that they didn’t want the project proposed for about 12 acres east of Mason Woods Village, at Clayton and Mason roads, to go forward.

"I haven’t heard any citizen yet speaking in favor of this," Bernard Zyk said. "The citizens have their imaginary pitchforks out."

( Love Investment Co.) and Allegro Senior Living were seeking a rezoning and approval of a preliminary site development plan for complex.

Residents expressed concerns about traffic, noise, effects on property values, and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. Many also said they wanted to preserve 1-acre residential zoning.
Several opposed a proposed special sales tax for a Community Improvement District to help the developer defray costs.

Residents were elated at the commission’s decision.

More at:

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/town-and-country-planning-board-rejects-senior-complex/article_935d3baf-1810-5541-addd-9a738ab683a9.html

The Debate Over Dumping: Video Report

Some South County residents are being fined for not having the correct trash service. They say it's not right. A video report is available at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/kplr-debate-over-trash-072809,0,4723207.story

Blog: South County Truth Spot

The following is taken from the "South County Truth Spot" blog site at: http://southcountytruth.blogspot.com/2008/11/staff-election-post-mortum.html

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"This blog has been created by a group of South County residents to refute the misinformation propagated by local bloggers, bureaucrats, public employees, elected officials, labor unions and their shills in the media. We are a bipartisan group whose only interest is to set the record straight and act in the interest of South County taxpayers.

-The election of Steve Stenger as 6th District County Councilman is a wake up call to South County. Stenger was hand picked by County Executive Charlie Dooley to get us into line. Stenger is a millionaire carpetbagger who lent himself $150,000 to defeat John Campisi. He has no connection to South County and will only tow the line for the Clayton bureaucrats. We will be announcing an effort to incorporate a new city of Oakville in the near future. It is time that South County takes it's destiny in their own hands.

For more information, visit http://southcountytruth.blogspot.com/

County Officials Select Trash Haulers for Three Districts Raises Serious Questions

County officials selected three trash hauling companies as the low bidders to become the haulers in three trash collection districts in unincorporated St. Louis County. They are:

~ IESI, low bidder in District 1, covers an area north of Interstate 270 between Florissant and Highway 367. IESI said monthly charges for once-a-week collection of trash and recyclables and twice-a-year bulky pickups would go from $12.09 in the first year to $13.14 in the third serving 12,134 households.

~ Allied Waste LLC, low bidder in District 5, covers the Affton area. Allied's monthly charge for the same service would go from $12.29 in the first year to $13.29 in the third serving 12,106 households.

~ Veolia Environmental Services, low bidder in District 7, south of Sunset Hills. Veolia's monthly charge would range from $12.40 in the first year to $13.28 in the third serving 8,386 households.

County officials expect winning bidders to start work on Oct. 1. The officials will spend several weeks reviewing the bids before asking the County Council to authorize contracts with the haulers. Seven trash hauling companies submitted bids.

Veolia in February won a contract as the hauler in the 3rd District, in north central St. Louis County. Its monthly charge for basic service in the first year is $11.60. Veolia will start work July 1.

The rates announced have raised questions by some in South County as to why and how Veolia can charge a lower rate to households in North County while charging a higher rate in South County. "Just doesn't make sense," said Mike Roberts, a south county resident. "Why can't Veolia charge the same in south county? The county is supporting Veolia while they screw us with a higher charge." Veolia will charge $11.60 in North County and $12.09 in South County.

"Also right now IESI is charging south county residents around $22 per month, but they're offering to pick up trash in North County for $12.09. IESI is also screwing south county residents. We're getting dumped on all around," according to Roberts.

Bob Spradling, who lives in District 5, said he has never cared who hauled his trash, only that he got a better deal."The last bill I got from Waste Management (of St. Louis, his current hauler) was for $79.20 a quarter," said Spradling. Under its bid, the price of basic service from Allied in the first year would be $33.18 a quarter, including the 10 percent discount for the elderly.

Dorothy Kohne, a resident of District 7, said, "I'm glad to be saving money, but I would rather stick with American Eagle," her trash collector. She said, "The company gave me a good deal and I think I should be able to stick with them if I want to." Unless Ms. Kohne is in a subdivision that opted out of the program, she'll be forced to change.

County Isn’t Listening

From "Letters to the Editor," St. Louis Post Dispatch, 2/21/08
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Regarding “27% opt-out of trash districts” : Does Saint Louis County realize what it is saying? When Garry Earls, the county’s chief operating officer, says that if individual residents were allowed to opt-out of the trash districting plan, the plan would not work, What is he thinking?

More than 12% of the subdivisions in Spanish Lake and more than 47% in Oakville asked to opt-out of the “monopoly plan.” Everyone in County government should be listening and making immediate plans to reevaluate. But no - it’s already been decided. With the complicated “rules” for opting out, we will see if any subdivisions are approved.

Mr. Earls says that if a lot of households were allowed to opt out, it would increase the cost of trash service. That tells me that the plan is seriously flawed. Residents should be given the choice. Many residents in both north and south county deliberately are being disenfranchised.

This is not the American way. The goal of easing truck traffic and encouraging recycling can be handled in simpler, better ways. Other cities and states are doing amazing things with recycling. St. Louis County is hitting residents with sledgehammers to make politicians and big corporation’s rich.

. . . . Barbi Diehl, Oakville

More 210 Subdivisions Opt-out Of County Trash Program

More than 210 Subdivisions have rejected the County’s trash program and chose to opt out of the assigned trash districts. This is for the entire St. Louis County Unincorporated area. These subdivisions include over 18,000 households and represent around 19% of the total households. Note, these statistics are estimates with the final totals expected to be somewhat higher.

The South County area is taking the brunt of this program with four of the eight trash districts included in this area. As of January 25, South County had 158 of 201 subdivisions requesting to opt out which included 11,572 households out of 17,079. This represents 67% of households not wanting this program.

This percentage parallels that of a county-wide survey taken last November by this website. The survey showed 66.5% of county residents do not want the County to select their trash hauler.

60.5% responded saying they felt the County program, as proposed, is not a workable program.

Hello?
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Where are our super heros when we need them?

Oakville Call Names County Officials' Unresponsiveness Top Story of 2007

According to the Oakville Call, St. Louis County officials have reawakened a sleeping giant — south county.

The Call's No. 1 story of 2007 actually is a combination of three stories that reflect county government's unresponsiveness to the needs of south county residents — the establishment of trash districts in unincorporated areas, County Counselor Pat Redington's decision to settle a lawsuit with Fred Weber Inc. over the company's plans to build a trash-transfer station in Oakville and a proposed half-cent sales tax to fund MetroLink expansion to west county and north county.

South county residents' dissatisfaction with the county's plan to establish trash districts was compounded last fall when they learned Redington had agreed in October to a settlement with Weber that would permit the company to construct the trash-transfer station at 5219 Baumgartner Road.

Nearby residents had opposed the trash-transfer station since it first was proposed by Weber in 2003. To challenge county officials' actions, two groups have formed in south county — Citizens Against Trashy Government is opposed to the trash districts and the trash-transfer station while Make Your Opinion Count LLC is working on an initiative petition to repeal the trash districts and halt the county's new minimum standards for trash collection.

Another south county group — Citizens Against Prop M — was formed to oppose a half-cent sales-tax increase placed on the Feb. 5 ballot by the County Council to expand MetroLink to west county and north county and provide maintenance to Metro light-rail trains and buses.

Before the group even began its efforts, the County Council removed Proposition M from the ballot after former Metro Chief Operating Officer Larry Salci's well-documented appearance on KTVI-TV's "You Paid for It'' program and after a St. Louis County Circuit Court jury ordered Metro to pay $2.56 million to a group of four firms that the transit agency had sued for $80 million.

But county spokesman Mac Scott has said that Prop M likely will appear in some form on a future ballot. We predict any future MetroLink proposal will receive exactly the same reception as Prop M in south county unless a regional transportation plan is developed that details MetroLink expansion, including costs and a reasonable timetable to bring it here.

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So. County Subdivision Residents Get Citations from County for Fence Painting

At least three residents of Golden Gables Subdivision in South County (63129) recently received citations for maintenance of their chain link fences surrounding their back yards. The County gave the residents until May to have the fences painted.

One homeowner commented that probably half the chain link fences in the county need paint. Another said he purposely let the fence go into a rust condition since the color blends in with the surrounding terrain making the fence almost invisible.

A check of a local fence company showed that chain link fences come in different colors - silver, white, green, brown and black. Now this raises a question. Which color does the County prefer?

Stay tuned for further developments.

Signatures Needed to Put Trash Issue on Ballot

Opponents of trash hauling districts in unincorporated St. Louis County on Jan. 7 will launch their campaign for an initiative to block the idea. They will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Oakville High School, 5557 Milburn Road, Oakville.

The initiative would:

> Remove the county’s authority to establish the districts from the Waste Management Code.

> Remove minimum trash collection standards from the code.

> Require the county to establish 18 drop-off recycling sites throughout its territory. The initiative says revenue from a county tipping fee at landfills would pay for the sites and that independent contractors would run them.

The initiative needs to collect about 23,000 signatures spread throughout the county to get the proposal on the ballot. Supporters will try to get enough signatures in time to put the proposal on the April 8 local election ballot, Tony Niskanen of Affton, the organizer of the initiative, said on Friday. The deadline to get into that election is Jan. 29. If the petition drive falls short by that date, the proposal could go on the Aug. 5 ballot, Niskanen said. That deadline is May 27. The initiative needs a simple majority to pass.

Niskanen explained that the supporters favor voluntary recycling, particularly with churches and other non-profit organizations operating recycling centers as a community service and organizational fund raiser. The supporters asked why should the county have any minimum standards, particularly since the code already requires homeowners to use trash collection, he said.

Currently, residents of the unincorporated area must arrange for their trash collection service. Most municipalities in the county hire a hauler to collect trash and recyclables. A handful of municipalities, notably University City and Kirkwood, collect such materials from homeowners.

The county divided the unincorporated area into eight districts with a single hauler picking up the trash in each one. Subdivisions can opt out of a district. The county would select a hauler for each district by bids. Officials plan to seek bids this spring and start the districts in August.

Many residents of the unincorporated area have complained for years about numerous trash trucks tearing up and wearing out subdivision streets, County Executive Charlie Dooley has said. To preserve landfills, the county also must boost the low recycling rate in the unincorporated area, he has said.

Opponents of the trash districts object to homeowners losing the ability to select their own haulers. The opponents worry that the cost would increase, particularly if they must pay for recycling pickups. The opponents are concerned they would have less leverage to resolve complaints. They worry the districts would drive small haulers out of business and reduce competition.

While most of the support for Niskanen’s effort comes from south St. Louis County, residents in North County are equally upset. Many subdivisions have already filed to opt-out of the County’s program with others in the process.

Some small trash hauling companies support the initiative, he said. Niskanen said he is trying to persuade some of the larger ones to join.
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South County Resident Says She Knows a Skunk When She Smells One

In a letter to the editor, Barbara Diehl says something smells. Her comments are in response to an earlier article in the Suburban Journals by Mat DeKinder regarding the County's trash program.

"I'm responding to Mat DeKinder's advice for South County to bury our discontent about the county's new trash plan in a landfill and get over it. I don't speak up very often any more, but your comments riled me. Yes, people in unincorporated South County are opinionated and feisty; it's a proud American tradition. People express their opinions on many subjects.

In South County, we are really tired of being threatened and tread upon. The trash districting issue is just one more example, in my opinion, where much of county government does not listen to its citizens and does not enforce ordinances or permit restrictions, nor will they enforce the state regulations for which it is responsible. All to monopolize a million-dollar-a-day business for fat-cat contributors and friends."Municipal entities" (meaning cities) may provide their citizens with trash service, but it is not 99.9 percent by any means.

If Mr. DeKinder would do a little research, he would know that 26 county municipalities do not provide trash service. And you're wrong if you think this plan is a countywide system. It doesn't apply to municipalities. Nor does it apply to any commercial, industrial, or government trash.

The county claims monopolistic trash districting is needed to increase the county-wide recycling rate from 30 percent to 50 percent. So why doesn't the ordinance apply to ALL of Saint Louis County? How is having a monopoly that only applies to 10 percent of county residents and none of the one million remaining residents or more than 40,000 county businesses help bring that percentage up? (By the way, they cite the wrong recycling rate, MDNR says we divert more than 42 percent of our trash from landfills).

The Health Department's rationale is a canard, plain and simple.This proposal will do nothing to eliminate illegal dumping. People and businesses that illegally dump still won't pay for trash service. Materials that still cannot go in our trash cans will still be illegally dumped by those too cheap or unlawful to properly dispose of it.

Like everyone else, I care that I get reliable, safe, timely, AND affordable service. Because this is America, I can usually choose with whom I associate and who gets my business. But with this plan, I have no freedom of choice or association. And the county executive wants to raise all of our taxes without a vote to pay for implementing this new system.

Do citizens in Wildwood or Florissant really want to pay more county taxes to administer South County's trash system? And it's funny you bring up a landfill, because again, Saint Louis County is playing fast and lose with the facts. Their own Comprehensive Waste Study showed that the metro Saint Louis area (both sides of the river and surrounding counties) has more than adequate landfill capacity for the next 100 years. What they don't tell you is that they want trash haulers to use Saint Louis County's soon to be lone landfill exclusively so that the county collects more tipping fees. As will the landfill operator.

Saint Louis County has already told South County subdivision trustees that residents will pay more for trash disposal to implement this plan. What Mr. DeKinder needs to realize is when the independent trash haulers are driven out of business then everyone's trash bill in Saint Louis County will dramatically increase.

Yes, Mr. DeKinder, you and your neighbors can expect your trash bill to double or triple in the next three to five years. Major cities with little or no competition in the waste industry have much higher rates than St. Louis County.

Since the county wants to eliminate extra/unnecessary trucks, how is exempting commercial or industrial waste going to help? With that logic, why not have only one parcel delivery company for the entire county? (Hmm, should we go with UPS or FedEX?) Why not let only let only one furniture company handle the entire county, or one restaurant chain deliver pizza?

In South County, we know a skunk when we smell one, and this ordinance stinks to high heaven.

. . . Barbara Diehl, South County

More Questions Keep Coming Up About Trash Program

Comments received in our mail point out that Councilman, John Campisi, will be unable to attend both meetings scheduled in South County since they are scheduled on the same date and time. Campisi is the only Council member who has been outspoken against the trash program. Councilman Campisi's district covers south county which includes two separate trash districts. Is this a coincidence . . . or did county officials, who are pressing for the program, plan it that way?

Some calls received were seeking information as to which district they may be located. While County officials have published "maps" of the trash districts, no detail description of the boundaries by exact streets and roads have been published. One such area is the boundary separating District 7 and 8.

Open mouth. Insert foot.

Subdivision Town Talk from Suburban Journals

Here are a few subdivision residents thoughts on activities in their own subdivision. These comments appeared in a recent issue from the Suburban Journal publications.

"What good is a subdivision association or indentures? Homeowners don't follow the rules and trustees don't enforce them anyway. Even in new subdivisions people don't cut the grass and trim. So much for good neighbors and associations."

"We lived in Maplewood for 36 years. We now live in Affton. There was only one trash hauler in Maplewood and we didn't pay for it. They were always dependable. We never had to call because of them forgetting to pick up our trash like we have to do now. It would be wonderful to have one trash hauler."

"This is in response to County living. I agree fully with the person that called in. I've noticed the same neglect in our neighborhood. A lot of people don't cut their grass and not only that, they leave their papers out day after day and actually week after week. It's also brush. We've noticed that people just pile up branches and leave them there. I don't know where the pride has gone in South County. It's sad. It's becoming like a slum area. People in South County, wake up and start taking care of your property. Have some pride."

"No need to pay to have your grass clippings hauled away. My neighbor stacks them over a foot high around the foundation of his home, which causes mold, flies, possibly rodents and bad odor. I called the county neighborhood improvement and was told there is no ordinance against this. If so, why not. I live in a nice neighborhood, a well-kept neighborhood."

Last Call for Last Meeting - September 24

The last in a series of three meetings sponsored by St. Louis County will be held this Monday, September 24, 2007. The date, time and location of the final forum is as follows:

South County
Monday, September 24, 2007
Affton High School (auditorium)
8309 McKenzie Road, 63123
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Each forum will include a presentation about the trash service proposal from St. Louis County officials as well as offer an opportunity for participants to provide feedback on the proposal. For more information, please call (314) 615-2520.

Residents may also submit written comments to St. Louis County via mail, fax or online:

Mail to:
Pubic Information Coordinator, St. Louis County Department of Public Works, 121 S. Meramec Avenue, 8th floor, Clayton, MO 63105

Fax to (314) 615-8156, "Attention: Public Information Coordinator."

Online at http://www.stlouisco.com/solidwastetaskforce/wastecomment.html.

All comments must be received by October 8, 2007.

North & South County Residents Opposed to Trash Proposal

There was a substantial amount of opposition among North County residents as well as South County residents at early meetings this year regarding St. Louis County's trash pick-up proposal.

As reported on the 5:00 p.m. news on KMOX radio this past Wednesday, September 12, there is a great deal of opposition to the St. Louis County proposal among South County residents. As a result, there is a large turnout expected for the final meeting to be held on Monday, September 24 in South County. One South County resident who spoke in opposition to the County proposal at the first meeting projected an attendance in excess of 500 people at the final meeting.

The two remaining meetings are as follows:

West County
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Parkway South Middle School (Cafeteria)
760 Woods Mill Road, 63011

South County
Monday, September 24, 2007; 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Affton High School (Auditorium)
8309 McKenzie Road, 63123

Each forum will include a presentation about the trash service proposal from St. Louis County officials as well as offer an opportunity for participants to provide feedback on the proposal. For more information, please call (314) 615-2520.

Residents may also submit written comments to St. Louis County via mail, fax or online:

> Mail to the Pubic Information Coordinator, St. Louis County Department of Public Works, 121 S. Meramec Avenue, 8th floor, Clayton, MO 63105

> Fax to (314) 615-8156, "Attention: Public Information Coordinator."

> Online at http://www.stlouisco.com/solidwastetaskforce/wastecomment.html.

All comments must be received by October 8, 2007.

Residents Speak Out on Trash Plan

From having nothing three and a half years ago, Michael and Bryan Barcom built their American Eagle Waste Industries up to 16,000 trash removal customers with 15 trucks. Though they would seem to be at the top of the world, the Barcoms worry a new Trash Districts Development Plan' prepared by a county Solid Waste Management Task Force would put him out of business.

They were among about 100 protestors of the plan who turned out for a public meeting on August 9 at Abiding Savoir Lutheran Church 4355 Butler Hill Road.

Michael and Bryan Barcom worry that the proposal to create 20 trash districts in unincorporated St. Louis. County and award one contract to a hauler for each district, along with additional requirements for bidders, would push out small haulers. It’s conceivable that the same hauler could be selected for all 20 districts.

From having nothing three and a half years ago, Barcoms built their American Eagle Waste Industries up to 16,000 trash removal customers with 15 trucks. Brian Barcom, co-owner of American Eagle, said; "We're throwing an uproar because we’re trying to save our livelihood as well as the people that work for us."

"They're just trying to corner the market. They're not making it fair," Bryan Barcom said. Barcom was hardly alone in his sentiments.

Celeste Witzel, 49, an executive secretary who has become a leader of the opposition, said the proposal would put a lot of small companies out of business.

County Councilman John Campisi, R-6th District, an opponent of the plan, urged people to complain to the County Council. "It's something you need to get involved in," Campisi said. "I represent my area and my area does not want this kind of thing to happen," Campisi said.

The plan, available on the St. Louis County government web site, was drawn up by a task force led by the county's chief operating officer, Garry W. Earls.

In a question and answer period, some went so far as to talk about incorporating a new city in South County. The last time South County residents voted on incorporation, in the· mid-1990s, they voted it down sharply. "The way the county is pushing now, I would be one of the front runners for incorporation," said one person.

One woman, though, was taken aback by the tone of the criticism. "I'm really shocked at hearing the arrogant, mean-spirited remarks about county government," she said, shortly before leaving the meeting.

For his part, Earls said he didn't think the plan would hurt smaller trash haulers. There would be districts in which smaller haulers would be able to compete, he said. But they would have to show that they could provide quality service. As for complaints, Earls said there might be a lot at the beginning, but not in the long-term.

Contracts for two districts would be awarded in the first quarter of 2008, followed by four others' and then the rest in the first quarter of 2009. "We're really trying to work towards supporting the huge majority of people, but there always is some minority that disagrees," Earls said.

He said American Eagle may be the cause of the criticism in South County, because it feels threatened by the process.

Opposition Continues for Trash Hauling Proposition

Despite outspoken opposition from thousands of south county residents, a task force of St. Louis County officials said there is merit to forming more than 20 trash districts in unincorporated areas during 2008 and 2009.

The plan will remove residents' right to choose their own trash hauler and transfer that responsibility to the County Council.

South County residents continued their opposition at a meeting on August 9 with the Tesson Ferry Township Republican Club meeting. John Campisi, Councilman in the 6th district, says he is against the plan. He said he voted for the trash district plan last December but claims he was misled by former 3rd District Councilman, Skip Mange, R-Town and Country.

In response to the criticism, County Executive, Charlie Dooley, implemented a task force in April to further study the ordinance approved in December. The task force is headed by Chief Operating Officer, Garry Earls, concluded recently that the trash district plan should be carried out in phases.

Items acted upon by the task force include the following.

• Establishing a trash-service fund to offset costs including payments to trash haulers.
• Formation of a Trash Service Commission to provide citizen input and advice.
• Concluded that county officials should establish a district boundary map and request for proposals and standard contract for services by December.
• Advertising for two trash district contracts by February 2008, advertising four more district contracts by August 2008 and awarding contracts to all districts by January 2009.
• Phasing in the implementation to identify problems and better learn the process.
• Start the plan in North County since many south county residents are skeptical of the plan.

The task force stated that south county citizens appear highly energized and opposed to the plan.

Each contract would call for a minimum of one trash pickup and recycling and two bulk waste pickups each year.

The task force feels that while some rates may rise for certain customers, its overall benefits will far outweigh any cost increases. They feel more efficient trash collection and more uniform prices far outweigh any cost increases.

For a copy of the St. Louis County Trash Development Report, go to: http://www.stlouisco.com/TrashDistrictsReport.pdf

How do you feel about the County's trash pick-up plan? Click on comments below and share your views.