Historical Summer 2004 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Recent news stories in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Riverfront Times, West End Word, TV coverage on Channel 4, news releases from the Mayor, a court order, and more. What’s all the noise about? • Dirt and the dump trucks which bring it through the residential neighborhood • Future hauling of concrete to fill the tunnel being dug • Faulty workmanship performed by sidewalk contractor on Delmar • Lack of responsiveness to damage claims by small businesses on Delmar • Delays in Delmar Streetscape construction lasting more than two years • Lack of accountability Letters and e-mails have been written and leaders at the highest levels have made entreaties, including Congressman Clay, Mayor Slay, Alderman Krewson, and more.
Here are a few other voices: “The sidewalk poured less than 4 months ago is already chipped and uneven – and they are apparently expecting the city and city taxpayers to foot the bill. “A big part of the problem appears to be Metro’s structure. Other than tan unresponsive Board, Metro appears accountable to no one.
There appears to be no real repercussion to the organization if a job is not done well, not cost-effectively, or creates a negative economic impact on an area. “There appears to be no direct accountability or incentive to be sensitive to the community needs of the taxpayers footing the bill. St. Louis City officials (such as local alderman and city development personnel), residents of the area, members of groups such as the Delmar Commercial Committee and the Loop East Special Business District, property owners in the area, as well as business owners – have all tried to address (even plead) issues and concerns with Metro for months, but to no avail. “Metro responses have consistently been defensive and bureaucratic and the root issue is never addressed.” – From Gil Williams, MacroSun International “We all want a fair resolution.
It would be very disappointing that metro would accept substandard work.” – From David Mastin, Special Business District: “Metro also said it is a higher governmental authority than the city (as) an interstate compact between Missouri and Illinois approved by Congress.” – From the St. Louis PostDispatch, reporter Phil Sutin, 4/28/04 “Whatever caused this dilemma and whoever is responsible for it, it is not fair for Metro to solve its problems solely on the backs of the residents of the Skinker-DeBaliviere Neighborhood.
This is not their fault.” – From Mayor Slay “In response to your [Post Dispatch] editorial ‘Stay on Track,’ may I humbly submit that MetroLink has never been on track.
From the beginnings of discussions with the Skinker-DeBaliviere community, the director and staff have been arrogant, misleading and even have lied. Have you seen the dirt on the streets? Is there not a law that says vehicles hauling loads of dirt must have a covering? Your editorial makes the people of our area the culprits.
The MetroLink gang created the problem, and now they want the same people they talked down to and ignored to solve the problem for them.” – From Msgr. Sal E. Polizzi, St. Roch Catholic Church “Respect is earned, not mandated, and Metro will need a lot of respect when it runs out of money to operate the system it’s building and needs a tax increase in a year or so.
It won’t earn any respect by dismissing legitimate concerns and declaring itself omnipotent and infallible.” – From THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Metro Omnipotent’ by Eric Mink “These non-debatable edicts are not right (especially for a public agency using public money).” – From Alderman Lyda Krewson “Our contractor completely revised the sequence of the construction work to be performed to accommodate multiple building renovations on Delmar and to accommodate the construction of the Regional Arts Commission Building.
These issues impacted the project completion, scheduled by October, 2003, by four-five months.
The delays were the result of third party issues and Metro being accommodating to local development projects.” – From Larry Salci, President and CEO, Metro “Mr. Salci again, for the last time, wants to make Metro’s position perfectly clear – the meeting was agreed to as a courtesy to the Mayor’s office – this was not a publicity act; it was a courtesy. Metro agrees that these communications have become a total waste of everybody’s time.” – From Barb Georgeff, on behalf of Larry Salci “The issues are not debatable.” – From Elizabeth Johnson, Metro “We will be working toward change at Metro, whose current leadership obviously considers itself above other governmental entities and beyond ordinary courtesy.
In the past, neighborhood cooperation was solicited and attention was paid to the content of that discussion.
After all, we went through the construction of MetroLink more than a decade ago – without the bitter feelings engendered by the current management.
We even entrusted them with the Delmar Streetscape construction contract, believing we would be speeding up the process and gaining a coordinated transit plaza and business environment.
We never believed we would end up being the targets of court orders and with dump trucks rolling through our streets with no consideration for residents.
We could not have imagined that the CEO of such a major entity would blame delays and failures on the positive activities of neighborhood developers. It’s as if they could have gotten the job done if only they’d had a corn field to do it in, but since they had to contend with Joe Edwards and the Regional Arts Commission and people actually living near their worksite, they couldn’t cope except with edicts, court actions, and rudeness to everyone concerned.” – From the Delmar Commercial Committee At the 5/20 meeting of the Delmar Commercial Committee, it was decided that members of the committee would approach both County Executive Dooley and Mayor Slay to request a formal review of Metro’s authority by the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council.
We believe that it is important to articulate public opinion and put pressure on the agency to perform more cooperatively in the future. Comments and questions may be addressed to: jvatcha@peoplepc.com.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, Summer 2004.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2004_06.pdf, printed page(s) 4; PDF page(s) 4.
