James L’Ecuyer, executive director of the Skinker-DeBaliviere Association since 1966, has resigned effective Nov. 27. The association’s board of directors accepted his resignation Sept. 17 “with sincere and heartfelt thanks.”
L’Ecuyer, who says he intends to remain a resident of the Skinker-DeBaliviere area, has no immediate plans for other employment. He has vacation time coming from the job he resigned.
In his letter of resignation he stated he has been “dissatisfied with working conditions and resources of the Council” and his primary interest is in housing, which the Council “is not going to be directly involved in developing.”
He recommended that the board develop a full personnel code for all employees. For efficiency he also urged that the new director be given a private, air-conditioned office, a full-time secretary, and office equipment.
Calvin Stuart, president of the association, said that “Jim’s devotion has helped the Council keep going.” John Roach, a former president, described the job as requiring 24 hours a day and as “very bittersweet.”
At the Sept. 17 meeting of the Council, Arnold Dreyer of Grace Methodist Church reported that the proposal for a Danforth Foundation Grant for the neighborhood will be submitted in the near future. He said he feels that the foundation’s refusal of the grant last spring did not indicate an irrevocable decision or that the proposal was considered undeserving.
The sum asked for has been reduced from $500,000 to $250,000 over a three-year period. The money would be used to hire a program coordinator, group leaders, and secretarial help, as well as to finance various neighborhood projects.
“The key factor in the success of our programs will be a high-powered, well-paid director,” Dreyer said, adding that the Council would attempt to hire some one with experience in successful urban programming in another city, if the grant is received.
The Danforth proposal centers on the organization of the block units throughout the whole area and also “problem-oriented groups” concentrating on specific projects, which will be bi-racial. Dreyer said the overall aim of the program would be to get residents to identify their problems and also resources available to solve them.
Roach reported to the Council that West End Townhouses,Inc. has been extended $75,000 in credit by the St. Louis County National Bank to handle its immediate financial needs. A Committee has been appointed to look into sources of long-term capital.
He also reported that the city of St. Louis may declare blighted any area bounded by: Delmar, DeBaliviere, the alley between Waterman and McPherson, Laurel, the 5800 block of Westminster, the rear of Hamilton School, the alley south of 5900 Washington, and DeGiverville. The declaration will make the area eligible for redevelopment. There are no single-family homes in this area and few two-family buildings, he said.
Many property-owners in the area are delinquent in their taxes, and a declaration of blight would provide certain tax benefits for remodelling and demolition work. The proposal is not up for immediate consideration by the city, and public hearings will be held when it is. (THE PAPER will announce the dates and times of the hearings when they are . available.)
Sharron McPherron reported that the joint Washington University-Skinker-DeBaliviere Social Development Committee is planning to ask the national United Methodist Church to support a full-time worker in the neighborhood for two years. The support would come from the church’s Fund for `Reconciliation. If authorized, such a worker would concentrate on block units and special groups like that concerned with starting a day-care center.
She also announced that WU students had donated $1000 to the day-care fund from the proceeds of a carnival held last spring. The University is also planning to pay a graduate student to work with the community school board. Grace Methodist has promised to give six typewriters to the community school.
Stuart said he hopes the neighborhood association can reduce its deficit to nearly nothing by January. Washington University has increased its annual dues from
$1000 to $2000.
Originally published in The Paper, October 1970.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1970_10.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 10.
