Missouri
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City of Clarkson Valley Missouri |
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On
behalf of all of us involved in your City Government, we extend to you and yours
a joyous Holiday Season.
As
you read this newsletter, it's obvious the City Council will be making several
significant decisions next year. I encourage you to visit our web site
frequently to keep informed. The Lafayette Mayors Organization* (of which
we are a part) has requested its various police chiefs in conjunction with St.
Louis County to develop an emergency evacuation plan for the West County area.
Starting with some existing plans, they will develop a basic plan suitable for
all cities. The final product will be a standard uniform evacuation plan
for all cities with addendums specific to each particular city. Thus
providing an efficient and effective manner of evacuating one or more cities
should a natural or man-made disaster occur.
Safety
note about the Holidays - if you are planning a gathering at your home involving
a number of cars being parked on the street, please ask your guests to park on
one side only. Most of our streets are not wide enough for an emergency
vehicle to pass through when cars are parked on both sides. If temporary
"no parking" signs would be of assistance, call City Hall - no cost to
you.
Be
safe and enjoy the Holiday Season!
*Includes
mayors of Ballwin, Chesterfield, Clarkson Valley, Ellisville, Manchester, Town
& Country, Wildwood and Winchester.
Sound
Wall Law Suit
At
a closed session of the Board of Aldermen on December 2, 2003, a vote was taken
to initiate a lawsuit against the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).
The lawsuit will not seek any monetary damages, but the lawsuit will seek an
injunction to halt the construction of sound walls along Clarkson Road.
Additionally, the lawsuit will request the court to perform an unbiased,
independent review of the entire sound wall project. The City believes that
MoDOT has not complied with all applicable federal statutes and regulations for
sound wall projects. For instance, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation has
issued guidelines that require all highway construction projects in which
Federal funds are used "assure that
The
complete October 2002 letter that had been sent to MoDOT outlining these issues
can be viewed on the City’s Web site (www.ClarksonValley.org)
by clicking on the link entitled “Sound Wall Letter.”
A
municipal election will be held in the City of Clarkson Valley on Tuesday, April
6, 2004, to elect one Alderperson from each of the three wards, each to serve a
two (2) year term.
Declaration
of Candidacy for said offices must be received by the City Clerk, Monday through
Friday, during regular business hours. Filing begins on Tuesday, December
16, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. The closing date is 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January
20, 2004.
Qualifications
require candidates to be at least 21 years of age prior to taking office, a
citizen of the United States, an inhabitant of the City for one year prior to
their election and a resident of the ward from which they are to be elected.
For
additional information, please call the City Clerk at 636-227-8607.
Proposed
Marquette Entrance
Rockwood
School District has proposed a second entrance to Marquette High School.
Funds for this entrance, which would be located on Kehrs Mill Road west of the
current service entrance, were approved by voters in the April bond issue.
At
the December 2 meeting of the Board of Aldermen, representatives from Rockwood
explained that the entrance was needed for safety reasons. In the event
that the Clarkson Road entrance was blocked, Rockwood claims that another
entrance is needed for emergency vehicles to access the school. Several
residents who live in subdivisions along Kehrs Mill spoke against adding another
entrance in this location. The addition of safety hazards and traffic to
Kehrs Mill Road, as well as the deterioration of the area, were cited as
objections. A petition containing 168 signatures was presented to the
board. Other communication was received from 13 residents opposing the
entrance and 4 residents in favor of the entrance.
A
motion was passed by the Board requiring that an entrance not be constructed
before Kehrs Mill Road is improved in this area by St. Louis County. This issue
was tabled until the spring, when Rockwood will present the results of a traffic
study. At that time, the Board will vote on whether or not to approve the
entrance.
Wildlife
Committee News
Alderman
Susan Shea attended the November meeting of the West St. Louis County Deer Task
Force. It was the general agreement that communities must work together to
control the deer population. The number of traffic accidents, the extent
of property damage, and the deterioration of the natural habitat of birds and
other animals were the reasons cited. Municipalities are comparing their
ordinances related to hunting and the firing or discharging of firearms and
arrows.
A
meeting of the Clarkson Valley Wildlife Committee will be held on Wednesday,
December 10 at 5:30 at Fru-Con to discuss changes to City ordinances.
Architectural
Review Board Member Needed
There is an opening for a resident that is a licensed architect on the
Architectural Review Board. According to the City’s code, “The Architectural
Board shall inspect and study all plans and specifications for structures
accompanying the applications for building permits, and it shall determine
whether the proposed structure will conform in styling and architecture with
other existing buildings in the area in which it is proposed to be located.”
Please contact City Hall (636-227-8607) if you are interested in this position.
Spirit of St. Louis Airport Noise Compatibility Study
On November 18, the Study Advisory Committee met to discuss noise abatement
alternatives. The information can be found on the web page at
sus.airportnetwork.com. If you do not have access to a computer, you can obtain
a copy of the pamphlet titled Update Spirit of St. Louis Airport Noise
Compatibility Study, Fall 2003 from Michele at City Hall.
Alderman
Honora Schiller and resident Dianne Shapiro represent the City of Clarkson
Valley on the Citizens Advisory Committee.
Genesis
Proposal Withdrawn
The
Genesis institute has withdrawn its proposal for a new building on the southwest
portion of the Fru-Con property (Clayton and Clarkson Roads).
A
Clarkson Valley ordinance prohibits residents from allowing animal defecation on
public or other people’s private property. Another ordinance prohibits
the continual barking of dogs, which results in a nuisance to others. A third
ordinance requires that all pets be secured by leashes and not run at large.
Residents should notify the Ballwin police 636-227-9636 of violations of these
ordinances.
Trash
Removal Holiday Schedule
Christmas
and New Year’s Day fall on Thursday this season. Trash that is usually
picked up on Thursday will be picked up on Friday; trash that is usually picked
up on Friday will be picked up on Saturday.
The agenda for each month’s Board meeting is posted on the web site the weekend before each meeting.
