Exposing Corruption, Injustices and the Truth.
| O'Fallon Watchdog |
| Watchdog Headlines ! |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| O'Fallon Watchdog |
Exposing Corruption, Injustices and the Truth.
City Council rejects Wal-Mart retention pond
By Elizabeth Perry
Saturday, December 15, 2007 12:27 PM CST
The O'Fallon City Council on Thursday blocked a plan that would have enabled Wal-Mart to build a retention pond on a lot
in a subdivision in St. Charles Unincorporated County.
The City Council voted to reject the annexation of 302 Ernst Place, a single lot in Fort Zumwalt, where the company
planned to build a pond to capture water run-off from a Wal-Mart parking lot.
"I think it's great-they don't need it to ruin everyone else," Darlene Winkelman, a resident of the subdivision for 50 years,
said. Residents of the subdivision showed up in force to the meeting wearing hand-made tags proclaiming their opposition
to the project. They also distributed informational handouts.
The lawyers representing Wal-Mart and THF Realty, the company that owns the site of the proposed retention pond, also
had a sizeable presence at the meeting.
The measure to annex the lot, where an unoccupied house now stands, failed with a seven-member majority voting against.
Bill Hennessy, Ward 4, was the lone yes vote.
Plans for the project were approved by the O'Fallon Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 6, but were contingent on the
O'Fallon City Council voting to annex the single lot.
Neighbors said THF Realty paid triple the cost of the house. They said they feared the retention basin could be a health
hazard.
Deborah Greider, attorney for the subdivision residents, helped change the deed of dedication to forbid building open
sewage or drainage in the neighborhood, in the hopes of throwing up a legal road block to the annexation and ultimately
the retention basin.
Watchdog Response: The Watchdog is very proud of how well this group organized and got their message out. Including
a well put together website. www.responsibleofallon.com
However the elected officials voting NO to the annexation may have been more concerned about the upcoming April
election than being a good neighbor. So don't be surprised if this annexation doesn't come back up after the election.
THF has supported many of these elected officials campaigns and they do that for a reason.
The final vote was quite a surprise since the voting block has been Hennessy, Haman, Schwentker, Lucas and Conley with
(Haman, Christoff, Schwentker and Conley are up for re-election in April) Gardner being a little unpredictable and Christoff
being a total wild card. Yelich has been consistent in representing the citizens best interest and himself has taken no
money from special interest. Unfortunately Morrow seems to take the position of the last person who was able to have an
audience with her.
Also the homeowners of Fort Zumwalt Heights might want to consider making an offer to THF/ Wal-Mart. Maybe the
homeowners would approve the basin if THF / Wal-Mart made some type of fair and equitable payment to each of the
homeowners of the subdivision along with letting these folks have more say on how it's developed. If they allowed this basin
maybe make it a wet basin so it held water and fish all year and have the area properly landscaped like a park.
But don't hold your breath because it is much cheaper to buy elected officials that do the right thing by the citizens.
By Elizabeth Perry
Saturday, December 15, 2007 12:27 PM CST
The O'Fallon City Council on Thursday blocked a plan that would have enabled Wal-Mart to build a retention pond on a lot
in a subdivision in St. Charles Unincorporated County.
The City Council voted to reject the annexation of 302 Ernst Place, a single lot in Fort Zumwalt, where the company
planned to build a pond to capture water run-off from a Wal-Mart parking lot.
"I think it's great-they don't need it to ruin everyone else," Darlene Winkelman, a resident of the subdivision for 50 years,
said. Residents of the subdivision showed up in force to the meeting wearing hand-made tags proclaiming their opposition
to the project. They also distributed informational handouts.
The lawyers representing Wal-Mart and THF Realty, the company that owns the site of the proposed retention pond, also
had a sizeable presence at the meeting.
The measure to annex the lot, where an unoccupied house now stands, failed with a seven-member majority voting against.
Bill Hennessy, Ward 4, was the lone yes vote.
Plans for the project were approved by the O'Fallon Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 6, but were contingent on the
O'Fallon City Council voting to annex the single lot.
Neighbors said THF Realty paid triple the cost of the house. They said they feared the retention basin could be a health
hazard.
Deborah Greider, attorney for the subdivision residents, helped change the deed of dedication to forbid building open
sewage or drainage in the neighborhood, in the hopes of throwing up a legal road block to the annexation and ultimately
the retention basin.
Watchdog Response: The Watchdog is very proud of how well this group organized and got their message out. Including
a well put together website. www.responsibleofallon.com
However the elected officials voting NO to the annexation may have been more concerned about the upcoming April
election than being a good neighbor. So don't be surprised if this annexation doesn't come back up after the election.
THF has supported many of these elected officials campaigns and they do that for a reason.
The final vote was quite a surprise since the voting block has been Hennessy, Haman, Schwentker, Lucas and Conley with
(Haman, Christoff, Schwentker and Conley are up for re-election in April) Gardner being a little unpredictable and Christoff
being a total wild card. Yelich has been consistent in representing the citizens best interest and himself has taken no
money from special interest. Unfortunately Morrow seems to take the position of the last person who was able to have an
audience with her.
Also the homeowners of Fort Zumwalt Heights might want to consider making an offer to THF/ Wal-Mart. Maybe the
homeowners would approve the basin if THF / Wal-Mart made some type of fair and equitable payment to each of the
homeowners of the subdivision along with letting these folks have more say on how it's developed. If they allowed this basin
maybe make it a wet basin so it held water and fish all year and have the area properly landscaped like a park.
But don't hold your breath because it is much cheaper to buy elected officials that do the right thing by the citizens.