Veronica O’Brien Should Resign Effective Immediately

I’m done with St. Louis School Board President Veronica O’Brien. The school system has many differences of opinion and issues to resolve and her presence is only complicating matters. The school board president, in my view, should be the leader that all respect to help guide the district through the rough times. Veronica O’Brien is not that person.

So, I’m asking her to resign as President effective immediately. I’m asking all of you to do the same by signing an online petition I have created. Click here to read the petition, sign if you agree.

UPDATE 1/31/2007 @ 9:30am – I have verified that current SLPS VP Bill Purdy has signed the petition (#7).

UPDATE 1/31/2007 @ 1pm – Fox 2 has interviewed me regarding this issue, look for the story in the 5pm-6:30pm time slot. Also, just to clarify — I am asking that she resign as President of the board, not necessarily resigning from the board altogether. I belive we need one of the other members to step up and show leadership where Ms. O’Brien has not. Added image to post from press conference announcing Dr. Bourisaw as acting superintendent on July 17, 2006.

UPDATE 1/31/2007 @ 2:30pm — Further reading:

Suburban Journals:

• O’Brien skips workshop on being a better board member
• Board Splits O’Brien’s Power to Sign Contracts
• School board declines to conduct survey on takeover

PubDef Weekly:

• Highlights from Public hearing on 1/30/2007
• School Board to Meet to Protect the District from O’Brien’s “Sabotage”
• iPods for O’Brien
• O’Brien Aside, Bonner makes $75K

Campaign Contributions in the 6th Ward Race

The three candidates in the 6th ward aldermanic race have raised the following cash through January 20th:

• Triplett, $13,715
• Saller, $7,370
• Cacchione, $7,330

Someone is bound to look at Cacchione’s 40-Day before the election report and tell me I am wrong, his report shows $8,580 raised. Well, yes and no. If you look closely you’ll see three (3) contributions totaling $1,250 received the day after the reporting period. Without knowing what the other two candidates, Triplett & Saller, received after the close of the reporting period it is impossible to include these in a comparison.

Cacchione has also put $5,000 of his own money into the race, a classic method of the underdog to show he is serious about a race. I advised Republican Pat Herod to do the same last year when he ran against Mike McMillan for License Collector.
Saller has received quite a bit in the way of in-kind contributions, however, the above figures include neither in-kind or personal loans. As such, we see Triplett out ahead of the other two by a large margin with Cacchione trailing immediately behind Saller. Triplett received $2,000 from a single donor while another donor gave money to both Saller & Cacchione.
It remains to be seen if receiving the 6th Ward Democratic endorsement will help Cacchione attain more contributions during the next reporting period (January 21- February 22) or if he will remain in third place behind Triplett & Saller, respectively. Saller’s strong showing will likely help him as the campaign enters the final month.

Of course money has nothing to do with issues.  Hopefully we will see a good discussion of issues at the 6th ward debate to be held at the main library next Monday, February 5th.  The event starts at 6pm with the debate starting at 7pm.

Poor Design Alert: New ADA Ramp Blocks Sidewalk

Last week I did a post about a sign blocking a sidewalk. “No big deal” was the attitude of some while the owner quickly removed the offending sign. In the post I asked if others new about similar issues. Well, thanks to a reader I got a tip on the following issue being built at the moment on Olive, just around the corner from The Tap Room. Like the issue with sidewalk parking on 14th street, I had seen this work happening but never stopped to take a closer look until someone brought it to my attention.

The attractive buff brick building on the left has been offices for at least a few years now. The dark brick building is now getting a makeover as well — a welcomed change. But, some of the work is problematic. Before we get to that, let me explain the issue.

Many of these old buildings had several steps leading from the sidewalk to the main level which presents a challenge during a renovation for meeting the access requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To make matters worse, Olive Street actually has a downward slope as you go from the west to east (left to right, above).

The generally accepted solution is what you see above. The sidewalk is allowed to follow the natural grade of the adjacent street while heading to the entrace is a ramp to the door. Depending upon the grades & floor heights the walk to the entrance might simply be level but in this case it required a slight upward ramp.

The only potential issue here, and I am not sure if it is or not, is what is know as “cross-grade” — the angle of the sidewalk pitching toward the curb. While trying to push a wheelchair an excessive cross-grade might sent someone toward the street with them constantly having to compensate. Again, I’m not sure if this is within limits or not as I don’t yet have a digital level.

But moving east to the work being done on the dark brick building and we encounter an obvious problem.

The generous width of the ramp leaves little room on the actual sidewalk for someone walking, much less in a wheelchair or mobility scooter.

From the other side you can see how constrained this space is.

I don’t see how this can possibly be acceptable. How this got through the design firm and past the city’s review process is beyond me. Even then, you’d think someone on site would stop and think about this when they laid out the forms to build the foundation for the brick wall. The footing would have been inspected by someone from the city’s building division.

The irony of creating an accessible entrance that actually limits those that might use it from reaching your door is rich. Many professionals were involved in decision making and review of this project and yet common sense did not prevail. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes, reviewing a project’s drawings, would catch mistakes such as this before any concrete is poured. To chose firms out there designing and buliding work in the public right of way, consider bringing in someone such as myself to spend a couple of hours reviewing the project and site conditions to see if costly situations such as this can be avoided.

I do not know who the developer, contractor or designer are for this project so I am unable to reach them directly. However, I have brought it to the attention of 6th Ward Alderman Lewis Reed as well as Dr. Deborah Dee, the city’s director of the Office of on the Disabled. Basically, I feel the new brick wall needs to be removed and rebuilt in such a manner as to not constrict the sidewalk. The adjacent ramps at the buliding next door serve as a good model.

Circus Day Foundation Offers Lessons in Life & Juggling

Yesterday I attended the annual bike swap meet organized by the St. Louis Regional Bike Federation. As always, the event grew ever larger — attracting more vendors and more customers. This year we had entertainment, the St. Louis Arches — a youth circus group that takes classes at the City Museum through the Circus Day Foundation. The foundation’s mission statement:

Circus Day Foundation teaches the art of life through circus education. We work to build character and expand community for youth of all ages, cultures, abilities and backgrounds. Through teaching and performance of circus skills, we help people defy gravity, soar with confidence and leap over social barriers, all at the same time.

They answer the question you may be asking, why circus?

Circus is a performing art that children and adults appreciate and value. Circus Day Foundation uses circus arts to teach and inspire children of all ages and backgrounds. Our performances entertain and thrill audiences of all generations with the ageless delight of the circus.

Even more so than other sport, cultural or artistic activities, circus is not associated with any particular race or gender. Many arts or sports activities have either a gender or race bias. Circus combines both art and sports aspects, involving kids who might not normally consider doing anything artistic and kids who might not generally attempt anything physical. Circus has an across-the-board appeal that other sports and artistic fields do not have.

The life skills we learn, as children, are the tools we take with us into adulthood. If we teach children when they are young to overlook differences and focus on similarities, to focus on working together to fix something rather than abdicating responsibility and blaming instead, those skills could result in a more peaceful future. When you are trying to do a human pyramid, you need to know the technique and the terminology so that you and your partner are speaking the same language physically and verbally. You learn fairly quickly, that to succeed in performing the pyramid, you cannot blame each other if something goes wrong but you must figure out what you can do together to make it work. Whoever you are and wherever you are from, there is some circus skill that you can accomplish because circus is an art made up of a variety of skills.

Circus teaches life’s lessons. Participation requires cooperation, individual and group responsibility and control over mind, body and emotions. Children learn these skills through circus arts and apply them to everyday life. Circus teaches the art of life.

You could see it in the kid’s faces, they were having a really good time all the while working hard and really focusing on each other. We were treated to a wonderful show complete with gymnastics, balancing acts and juggling. Since it was a bike show, they concluded their 40-minute or so performance with bike tricks. Enjoy the show:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBEXixZTaSc[/youtube]

For more information, including how to become a sponsor, visit circusday.org

Board of Alderman “Perfects” Controversial BJC Lease

Today two board bills were passed perfected by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen related to a section of Forest Park. The area located between Kingshighway and Euclid has been under lease by BJC since the 1970s for use as an underground parking garage. Above the garage is a green park with mature trees, racquetball courts, a playground and tennis courts. If the new proposal is approved by the city’s Board of Estimate & Apportionment BJC will be granted the rights to develop what is now a park.

Citizens opposed to the plan have obtained the signatures required to require a citizen vote whenever leasing or selling park land. Today’s vote is an attempt to get this deal done prior to the citizen vote in April to consider such a requirement.

The usual 29 members (28 Aldermen + President of the Board of Aldermen) is only 28 these days since 19th Ward Alderman Mike McMillan resigned to assume his new role as the city’s License Collector. Only two voted against the deal — Board President Jim Shrewbury and Jeffrey Boyd (D-22).

Four Aldermen were either absent from the meeting or abstained from voting on the bills related to this lease: Charles Quincy Troupe (D-1), Jennifer Florida (D-15), Terry Kennedy (D-18) and Frank Williamson (D-26).  Update #2 1/26/07 5pm — Troupe & Florida were not present for the meeting today.  Kennedy & Williamson, although present for the meeting, were not present for this particular vote.

The following aldermen voted in favor of the bill(s):

• Dionne Flowers, (D-2)
• Freeman Bosley, (D-3)
• O.L. Shelton, (D-4)
• April Ford Griffin, (D-5)
• Lewis Reed, (D-6)
• Phyllis Young, (D-7)
• Stephen Conway, (D-8)
• Kenneth Ortmann, (D-9)
• Joseph Vollmer, (D-10)
• Matt Villa, (D-11)
• Fred Heitert, (R-12)
• Alfred Wessels, (D-13)
• Stephen Gregali, (D-14)
• Donna Baringer, (D-16)
• Joseph Roddy, (D-17)
• Craig Schmid, (D-20)
• Bennice Jones-King, (D-21)
• Kathleen Hanrahan, (D-23)
• William Waterhouse, (D-24)
• Dorothy Kirner, (D-25)
• Gregory Carter, (D-27)
• Lyda Krewson, (D-28)

Update: [The bills will come up again next week for final approval. If approved,] the Board of Estimate and Apportionment (E&A) will determine if this deal goes through. The three members are Mayor Francis Slay, President Jim Shrewsbury and Comptroller Darlene Green. Slay has announced he will support the deal while Shrewsbury has indicated he will not (and judging by his no vote today I think it would be odd to flip flop). So, this puts the decision of the park in the hands of one person — Darlene Green. Right now she holds all the cards so I’m guessing there are some backroom conversations and deals being hatched right now. The old what will it take to get your vote?

If Green supports the plan she will be upsetting voters who have worked to place the issue on the ballot. If she votes against the plan she risks getting shut out of the political establishment backing the deal. From my perspective, Green can’t help but play politics somewhat but I think she tends to come down on the side of good fiscal policy. The question becomes, is this deal now good enough in her mind?

Last week her office sent out the following statement:

The comptroller believes people on both sides of this issue have strong points. On one side are the citizens and taxpayers who want to protect their parks and have a say in plans to develop park land. On the other side is the city’s largest medical facility that serves thousands of disadvantaged residents each year and is an economic engine for the community.

The comptroller intends to move forward in an effort to bridge the gap on these two very valid viewpoints and hopefully reach a compromise solution. She is working now to hold meetings beginning next week with both sides that focus on common ground and building consensus instead of rehashing differences. This issue is too important to our community on a number of levels for us to settle for anything less than a mutual agreement.

“The comptroller is reserving comment on the new lease plan revealed today until after these meetings and, hopefully, a compromise is reached.

I just asked the Comproller’s office if they have a new statement in light of today’s vote — I’ll let you know when they respond.

The next debate is if this will, or will not, affect the upcoming race between incumbent Jim Shrewsbury and challenger Lewis Reed. Shrewsbury is opposing the current lease while Reed supported it.

NOTE: I updated this post roughly 30 minutes after originally posting. I had indicated the bills had passed when in fact they had only been “perfected.” They will be brought up again next week for final passage. I adjusted a bit of the above language to reflect this as well as adjusting the headline.