Election Questions: You Asked, Patch Got Answers

Several weeks ago University City Patch readers to participate in the election process by telling us what they would ask the candidates for City Council.

We asked the candidates for office to respond to your questions. The following are the answers provided by incumbent  and ; First Ward;  and , Second Ward. 

Our ran Feb. 27 so some new information may have come to light between the question being asked and the candidates answering.

 asked: The Mayor and City Manager are currently violating two council resolutions where the Council specifically voted, and obviously intended, to use the driving range lights. The U City Charter and Municipal Code constantly states that "...the true intent and meaning of the city council may be fully carried out. "Would you vote for turning the driving range lights back on immediately and keeping them on until at least 9 p.m.?

• Terry Crow — "The lights need to come on – no question. I’ve been consistent on this issue, and I’ve been working to explain this issue to a broad group of citizens with often conflicting interests. There are significant fiscal impacts of the decisions to leave the lights off for us as a community – turning off these lights has already lost over $16,000 of net income for the 2011 golf season plus an additional $31,824 that the City Manager, with the Mayor's approval, returned to the St Louis County Municipal Park Grant Commission. None of this makes any sense when literally many hundreds of residents want the driving range lights on (according to signed petitions) and we need the money for course and range improvements. Additionally, as long as the lights are off, the city is continuing to lose more money every day."
• Carol Wofsey — "We all hope for a compromise in this matter. For a compromise solution to be effective, it would need to be (a) cost-effective and (b) a result of substantial education, consensus building and buy-in among the residents in areas neighboring the driving range. So far no such compromise has been proposed. Should the issue come to the City Council for a vote--and so far no Council member has asked that it be put on the agenda-- I would vote “no” to a proposal to turn on the lights as currently constituted."
• Jan Adams — "I disagree with the premise of the question. I would vote to correct the offending lights."
• Paulette Carr — "Yes. I would support turning the lights back on, especially since having them on has been supported by the citizens committee that was asked by the city manager to look into this matter. Since the lights have been turned off by the City Manager, the city has lost money, broken contracts and compromised the good will of neighboring communities." 

 asked: We have a very serious crisis in governance of U City by the Mayor and City Manager violating two council resolutions. Ordinances are laws and have penalties if they are not enforced. Resolutions, according to the current city attorney, do not have to be adhered to in the same way as ordinances. Would you support an ordinance that states that resolutions must be carried out with the same strength, and with the same penalties, as ordinances?

• Terry Crow — "At the end of the day, when a majority of the city council votes to take action – either by resolution or by ordinance – that action needs to be followed."
• Carol Wofsey — "I am not aware of the City Manager or the Mayor violating any resolutions. I agree that such behavior would be a serious issue if it occurred. I see no reason to pass an ordinance which essentially turns each resolution into an ordinance—why not just pass an ordinance instead of a resolution in the first place, if that is what is desired."
• Jan Adams — "I disagree with the premise of the question. Citizens may write to Council members and speak during the public comment segment of Council meetings to urge Council to withdraw a proposed Resolution and substitute an Ordinance so that the issue has the force of law."
• Paulette Carr — "The majority on the Council has steadfastly sought to have the lights remain off and to eliminate a vote on the issue. We are being told the decision is an administrative one (one the city manager would make). However, when the driving range was built, it was the council who voted to pass a resolution determining the hours of operation for the lights. Now, the new city attorney has advised the council that they are not bound by past resolutions. If the council is not bound by its resolutions, then why pass any resolutions at all? It is the council’s responsibility to make policy. With the actions of the present administration, how do we prevent the council from abdicating responsibility for policy decisions whenever they might like to avoid them?"

 asked: Do you support Lehman Walker?

• Terry Crow — "I’m certainly deeply concerned about the recent for ethical violations committed by Lehman Walker. However, I believe that is it time to put our differences aside and work together in the best interests of the citizens of U. City in an effort to continue make this a great place to live."
• Carol Wofsey — "I like Mr. Walker and generally approve of his management of the City in the 19 months since he became our City Manager, particularly his handling of the restructuring and reorganization of City operations. I don’t believe that council members should focus on supporting-or not supporting—a city manager or other employee. Council members should regularly assess the effectiveness of a City Manager in managing City operations, City staff, City planning and development, and the City’s relations with the public, surrounding communities and other parties important to the City’s well-being."
• Jan Adams — "I do not offer unqualified support to any person, other than my children and grandchildren. I support many of the actions of Lehman Walker, specifically those actions that have improved our financial status and continue adequate city services without a tax increase."
• Paulette Carr — "Though some would like to characterize this election as being about supporting or not supporting Lehman Walker, I view this election as about the deciding on the future of University City. I believe that our best days can still be ahead, but how we manage our city could make a difference between whether we thrive and flourish or we fail to realize the promise of this wonderfully diverse community. I want our city to thrive and flourish. If elected on April 3, I will be one of 7 elected voices on the council and plan to work with ALL council members and the City Manager in a professional and respectful manner."

 asked: The law firm of a sitting council member has represented the city manager in bringing a personal lawsuit against a U. City resident. Since two of the candidates running for council are attornies, please ask whether either of them has ever represented Mr. Walker in any lawsuits or complaints brought against him.

• Terry Crow — "I have never represented Lehman Walked in any capacity."
• Carol Wofsey — "I have never represented Mr. Walker at all, including any representation of him in any lawsuits or complaints brought against him."
• Jan Adams — "Our professional code of ethics does not permit lawyers to answer questions about private practice." 

 asked: Do you support the City Manager's hiring of a Washington, D.C. lobbyist and if so, can you cite examples of cities similar to ours who have done so and how they have benefited from it?

• Terry Crow — "I would have appreciated the opportunity of knowing about this before he did it. However, since this decision has already been made, we will need to monitor this relationship, as well as the promised deliverables very closely."
• Carol Wofsey — "My understanding is that the consulting firm in question is charged primarily with seeking out/assisting with grant opportunities rather than with lobbying. In any event, I probably would not have hired such a firm myself if I was the City Manager."
• Jan Adams — "I support hiring grant writers and lobbyists who work to procure additional resources to help us manage our City, on the condition that they prove to be effective and that we are paying a reasonable fee for the service."
• Paulette Carr — "To date the City Manager has not publicly stated that he hired the Washington, D.C. lobbyist or clearly articulated the purpose(s) for hiring the lobbyist. Specifically, what types of projects are we looking to fund with federal dollars? Unless better explained, the selection of a Washington, D.C. lobbyist does not seem a critical needs area for our city. We already receive this type of guidance and assistance from the Missouri Municipal League, the St. Louis County Municipal League and the East West Gateway. Additionally, federal agencies, such as FEMA and Department of Natural Resources, provide instruction and tutorials on grant writing. Historically, our city staff has been strong grant writers bring in tens of millions of grant dollars. Do we still have that capability on staff? In the long run, federal monies are not a stable source of revenue, especially in these times. We really have to work on a strong economic development plan for U City’s future."

 also asked: City Manager Lehman Walker recently made a public withdrawal from the ICMA citing the cost to the city ($1,040 annually) as a primary factor. Do the council candidates support the idea of city administrators holding memberships in such professional organizations (the ICMA in particular, as employees like the City Manager are contractually obligated to follow their ethics standards)? If not, would they advocate for all city employees with current memberships to drop them, and if so do they believe the taxpayers should incur the expense or rather the individual employee(s).

• Terry Crow — "The Mayor of U. City, the Mayor of St. Louis, as well as the leaders of many other municipalities, (including both mayors and city managers) are members of number of professional organizations and attend professional events, including the ICMA, the St Louis County Municipal League, the Missouri Municipal League, the United States Mayor’s Conference and the US Conference of Mayors, to name a few. Membership and attendance is standard practice for both of these elected and appointed city leaders – in an effort to study best practices, network, and share ideas across municipalities. As this is part of the job requirement, each community should pay for membership and conference attendance when required."
• Carol Wofsey — "I support memberships and participation by City staff in professional organizations germane to and beneficial to their City employment and believe that payment of fees for such associations can be made by the City in individual instances as part of an employment package when the City derives benefit from the membership or the payment of the association fee for the employee is necessary as part of keeping the City’s benefit package competitive."
• Jan Adams — "City Administrators should be provided the necessary money for memberships in professional organizations, if the cost is justified by the benefits of the organization.  I would not advocate that all city employees with current memberships drop those memberships, but I would ask for a cost/benefit analysis to justify continued memberships."
• Paulette Carr — "The current Council and Mr. Walker believed membership in this professional organization was important enough to include in his original contract. I believe that City Managers, much like lawyers, doctors, architects, etc., gain a great deal from professional organizations in terms of professional development and support, i.e., grant identification and writing. Contracts or employment agreements are usually provided for positions, which are not civil service positions, like department directors. Continuing education is important to the development of those employees and we are the beneficiaries of that development. Whether professional membership will be paid for or included in the employment package is a matter for the city manager to determine when he offers the contract. That may be a part of attracting the best and most qualified candidates.