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Read more on Page 2A about this championship football team.

The St. Louis Rams honored the Mehlville Senior High School Panthers football team Saturday as its Missouri High School Team of the Year. To view a photo of head football coach Kent Heinemann with the trophy and a video of the award, visit the Call’s website at www.callnewspapers.com.

Web exclusive

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Name this tune and wina free classified ad. Details

in this week’s classified section.

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Green Park board purchases City Hall building

Oakville steering panelkicks off effort to breakfrom St. Louis CountyBy GLORIA LLOYDStaff Reporter

An Oakville steering committee met for the first time last week and decided on a name and an initial game plan to kick off its effort to break off from St. Louis County and form a new county.

Calling itself Citizens for Responsive Government, the group said the name sums up its concerns about how county government in Clayton responds to Oakville residents.

“Ultimately, the goal is to incorporate or form a new county,” said Rep. Marsha Haefner, R-Oakville, a member of the steering com-mittee. “This is not going to be a small project. It’s going to take dedication, and it’s going to take money.”

After an initial interest meeting in December attracted roughly 50 residents, a smaller group volunteered to serve as the effort’s steering committee. At their first meeting Jan. 23, they decided their

(See BREAK, Page 8A)

County Council votes 6-0 to OK revised Complete Streets bill; chairwoman abstains

Panel urges denial of permit to relocate tattoo parlor

Volume 17, Number 5 1 Section, 16 Pages Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014 callnewspapers.com9977 Lin Ferry DriveSt. Louis, MO 63123

By GLORIA LLOYDStaff Reporter

The County Council approved a revised version of Com-plete Streets legislation last week that could add more bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly features to county roads.

The council voted 6-0 to approve the bill. Chairwoman Hazel Erby, D-University City, pulled her co-sponsorship

of the bill earlier this month and abstained from the final vote.

The bill’s sponsor, 5th District Councilman Pat Dolan, D-Richmond Heights, submitted a revised bill that won the support of the county Department of Highways and Traffic by including provisions that the department would have the final say over the scope and cost of road improve-

ments. The department had come out in force against the first version of the bill, estimating that applying it to all county roads could cost more than $1 billion.

The wording in the first version of the Complete Streets bill repeatedly stated the county “shall” make improve-ments including bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly crosswalks,

(See REVISED, Page 4A)


The county Planning Commission recently voted on a series of devel-opments in south county, includ-ing recommending denial of a per-mit to relocate a tattoo parlor.

The planning panel voted to rec-ommend the denial of a condition-

al-use permit, or CUP, requested by tattoo parlor Steel and Ink Stu-dio owner Brandie Morton.

Morton requested the permit so she can move her business to a larger space in a nearby shopping center from her current location in the Ritz Center near the corner of Lemay Ferry Road and South

Lindbergh Boulevard.After the public hearing on her

request in December, the panel debated whether to recommend a new ordinance mandating that tattoo parlors be a certain distance from each other.

The panel recommended denial of(See URGES, Page 10A)

By KARI WILLIAMSStaff Reporter

The Green Park Board of Aldermen voted last week to purchase the building that houses its City Hall.

Aldermen voted 5-1 Jan. 21 to approve a resolu-tion authorizing the purchase of the Green Park Professional Building at 11100 Mueller Road for $1.39 million.

Ward 1 Alderman Tony Pousosa was opposed.

The city will pay an additional $10,000 over the appraised value of $1.39 million as reimbursement for recent upgrades to the building.

City Hall has been located in the building since the summer of 2004, first in Suites 2 and 3. Last summer, City Hall moved to Suites 5 and 6, nearly double the amount of space.

In December, building owner Ruby O’Driscoll ap-proached the city about buying the building, Mayor

(See PURCHASES, Page 5A)

Our town ..................... Page 2AElection 2014 ............. Page 3AOpinions ..................... Page 4ACalendar...................... Page 5AMehlville news ........... Page 6AObituaries ................... Page 7AOakville news ............. Page 8ASchool news ............... Page 10AClassifieds ................... Page 11ACrossword puzzle ....... Page 12A

Inside the Call

Up-or-down vote called foron Mehlville merit-pay planBy MIKE ANTHONYExecutive Editor

Mehlville Board of Education President Mark Stoner wants board members to take an up-or-down vote on the framework of a pro-posed merit-pay plan for teachers at their Feb. 20 meeting.

The district’s Compensation Review Committee, which has been studying the issue for roughly 18 months, submitted a plan that emphasizes district goals over individual ones when setting teacher pay. School board members discussed that proposal last week for more than an hour, but no clear consensus emerged.

Board member Larry Felton said individual goals should be placed ahead of district goals, while board Secretary Rich Franz said he wanted more input on the proposal from the Compensation Review

(See VOTE, Page 6A)

Mike Anthony photo

The city of Green Park is purchasing the Green Park Professional Building, above, at 11100 Mueller Road. City Hall has been located in the building since the summer of 2004, first in Suites 2 and 3. Last summer, City Hall moved to Suites 5 and 6, nearly double the amount of space.

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The Character Education Part-nership, a national advocate and leader for the character educa-tion movement, recently recog-nized five Lindbergh schools for developing ways to successfully reinforce character education as part of its Promising Practices program. To read more, visit www.callnewspapers.com.

Web exclusive

Preliminary Mehlville budgetprojects deficit of $5 million

Crestwood voters could be askedto have board supervise city clerk

Read more on Page 3A about an Oakville High stu-dent who recently attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

Calendar...................... Page 2AOur town ..................... Page 3AOpinions ..................... Page 4ACalendar...................... Page 5ACrestwood news ......... Page 6AElection 2014 ............. Page 8AMehlville news ........... Page 9ACounty news ............... Page 10AClassifieds ................... Page 11ACrossword puzzle ....... Page 12A

Inside the Call

By MIKE ANTHONYExecutive Editor

A proposed Charter amendment that would ask Crestwood voters to place the city clerk’s position under the supervision of the Board of Aldermen was set to be considered earlier this week by aldermen.

Aldermen were scheduled to meet Tues-day night — after the Call went to press.

At the board’s May 27 meeting, Ward 2 Alderman Tim Trueblood asked City Attorney Lisa Stump to draft an ordinance to place the proposed Charter amendment before voters.

The city clerk now is appointed by the city administrator, and is subject to the direction and supervision of the city administrator.

(See CLERK, Page 6A)


The Mehlville School District’s prelimi-nary 2014-2015 budget, updated after the Board of Education approved more than $3 million in salary increases, could run a deficit of $5 million if approved.

The board is slated to consider the roughly $110 million budget and a salary increase for administrators when it meets at 7 p.m.

today — Thursday — before the July 1 state deadline, at the Administration Building, 3120 Lemay Ferry Road.

The meeting will be the last at Mehlville for Superintendent Eric Knost, who is leav-ing June 30 for the Rockwood School Dis-trict. Current Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Norm Ridder takes the in-terim superintendent position at Mehlville

(See DEFICIT, Page 9A)

Primary opponents Dooley, Stenger agree to debate; date yet to be scheduled

Dooley signs order on minority goals for contracts

Volume 17, Number 26 1 Section, 16 Pages Thursday, June 26, 2014 callnewspapers.com9977 Lin Ferry DriveSt. Louis, MO 63123


After the County Council rejected a proposal last week to establish goals for minority participation in county contracts, County Executive Charlie Dooley issued an executive order that makes the bill law anyway — although he said he expects the council to override it soon.

“I fully expect those on the council in opposition to our efforts to take steps to weaken or even strip this

order completely — but they will have to explain why they want to continue to disenfranchise minori-ties and women,” he said at the June 18 signing.

An executive order that overrides pending council legislation is an unprecedented move in the county — one that critics of the executive action said was designed to rally Dooley’s base in north county in advance of the Aug. 5 Democratic primary for county executive.

(See ORDER, Page 10A)


Since County Executive Charlie Dooley released a decade’s worth of his tax returns this spring, he has maintained that he will not debate one of his Aug. 5 primary opponents, 6th District County Councilman Steve Stenger, D-Affton, unless Stenger also released a decade of tax returns.

Dooley debuted a campaign commercial last week that repeated that challenge, asking what Stenger has to hide— “Who is this guy, anyway?” — and why he paid $21 in taxes on $221,000 of income one year. By the end of the week, Stenger released state tax returns dating back to 2007, and Dooley accepted a debate invitation from St. Louis Public Radio.

A date for the debate is not yet set, but it is tentatively scheduled to take place at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where St. Louis Public Radio is headquartered.

Besides Dooley and Stenger, Affton resident Ron Levy is seeking the Democratic nod for the county executive’s post in the Aug. 5 primary.

(See DEBATE, Page 8A)

Mehlville tennis lessons in full swingTennis lessons are available for the remainder of the summer at the com-

plex in front of Bernard Middle School. The Mehlville Community Enrichment Office offers weekly camps from Monday through Thursday for children in three age groups ranging from 4 to 15 years old. The cost is $60. For addi-tional information, call the Mehlville Community Enrichment Office at (314) 467-5280 or visit www.mehlvilleschooldistrict.com. A story and another pho-tograph are featured on Page 15A.

Sappington to have more classroom spaceBy MIKE ANTHONYExecutive Editor

The Lindbergh Board of Education recently awarded a $75,700 contract to Hof Construction for renovation work to create more classroom space at Sappington Elementary School.

The district received five bids for the work, ranging from Hof Construction’s low bid to John Kalicak Construction Inc.’s high bid of $96,026.

Sappington Elementary now has two large kindergarten classrooms (See SPACE, Page 7A)

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Read more on Page 3A about this award-winning choir from Notre Dame Elementary School in Japan.

Sunset Hills news ....... Page 2ASchool news ............... Page 3AOpinions ..................... Page 4ANuptials ...................... Page 5ACalendar...................... Page 6ABirths .......................... Page 7ACrestwood news ......... Page 8AClassifieds ................... Page 11ACrossword puzzle ....... Page 12ASunset Hills news ....... Page 15A

Inside the CallVisit www.callnewspapers.com

for results of Tuesday’s primary election, which took place after the Call went to press. We’ll have results for the Democratic and Republican county execu-tive races and proposed amend-ments to the state Constitution that include a three-quarter-cent transportation sales tax.

Web exclusive

Incident between Furrer,bicyclist places city ininternational spotlight

Accounts by mayor, bicyclist diverge widely

By MIKE ANTHONYExecutive Editor

The Crestwood Board of Aldermen re-cently postponed approval of minutes from its June 24 meeting after Ward 3 Alderman Bill Boston said he believed the minutes were “very incomplete.”

At the July 22 Board of Aldermen meet-

ing, Boston noted former Ward 3 Alderman Jerry Miguel had addressed aldermen dur-ing their June 24 meeting.

“... He spoke of six or seven deeply con-cerning events that took place at City Hall over the past 16 months. He spoke of these (events) in detail. Nothing of what Jerry spoke about to this board was put into the

minutes,” he said. “I do not know why all this information and his comments have been left out of the minutes from that 24th meeting. I believe the minutes are very in-complete, and I believe this public infor-mation needs to be put into the minutes for our next meeting.”

(See MINUTES, Page 8A)

Mehlville board to consider resolution against coal energy

Crestwood board postpones approval of minutes from June meeting

Volume 17, Number 32 1 Section, 16 Pages Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014 callnewspapers.com9977 Lin Ferry DriveSt. Louis, MO 63123

Mike Anthony photo

In response to Fenton cyclist Randy Murdick’s alleged treatment and concerns about their own safe-ty on Sunset Hills roads, nearly 200 cyclists participated in a group ride Saturday morning through the city that ended with a rally at City Hall. Visit www.callnewspapers.com to view more photographs.

Green Park’s net positionsees increase of $742,000By MIKE ANTHONYExecutive Editor

The city of Green Park’s total net posi-tion increased by more than $742,000 in fiscal 2013, primarily due to infrastruc-ture improvements.

An audit performed by Hochschild, Bloom & Co. for fiscal 2013, which ended Dec. 31, reported the city’s total net position — the difference between assets and liabilities — increased by $742,097, or 6.8 percent.

The city ended 2013 with a total net position of $11,588,362, compared to $10,846,265 in fiscal 2012, according to Mike Williams of Hochschild, Bloom.

(See INCREASE, Page 10A)


If hundreds of Oakville residents who have written to the Mehl-ville Board of Education get their wish, the board could become the first elected body in Missouri to adopt a resolution against coal energy tonight.

The board will hear presentations from Ameren Missouri, the Sierra Club and local group Clean Land, Air and Water, or CLAW, when it meets at 8 p.m. today — Aug. 7 — in the district’s

Administration Building, 3120 Lemay Ferry Road.Local residents from CLAW brought the resolution to the board

since Rogers Elementary School is close to Ameren’s Meramec Energy Center, which opened in 1953 at the intersection of the Meramec and Missouri rivers in Oakville. The district built Rogers in 1991.

Since the board’s first discussion of the resolution in May, Ameren’s board of directors voted to close the Meramec plant in

(See RESOLUTION, Page 4A)


A bicyclist claimed that Sunset Hills Mayor Mark Furrer hit him with his car in an intentional hit-and-run last week, a charge the mayor denied and the St. Louis County Police Department is investigating.

Furrer and Fenton bicyclist Randy Murdick’s ac-

counts of what happened diverge widely.“The mayor of Sunset Hills told me to get off his

roads, then ran me over,” Murdick, an electrician and seasoned competitive cyclist, wrote on Facebook the night of the July 29 incident, in a post that went viral among bicycling circles nationwide.

(See DIVERGE, Page 2A)


Sunset Hills made national — and even inter-national — news last week when the allegation that Mayor Mark Furrer hit a bicyclist with his red Mercedes convertible after reportedly tell-ing the cyclist to “get off his roads” went viral.

Although the Sunset Hills Police Department voluntarily turned over the investigation of the July 29 incident to the St. Louis County Police Department two days later, bicyclists nation-wide scrutinized the local force’s handling of the case, poring over news accounts of the story and, before Furrer took it down, mining the mayor’s Facebook page for evidence.

“The perception is that the police are more interested in protecting the mayor than protecting the community — because had it been you, or me, or anybody other than the mayor driving that car, they would have been arrested on the spot and they would have been given a field sobriety test, and neither of those things happened,” Sunset Hills Triathlon sponsor and triathlon store owner Chip Self told the Call.

Concerned about Fenton competitive cyclist Randy Murdick’s alleged treatment and about their own safety on Sunset Hills roads, hundreds

(See SPOTLIGHT, Page 15A)

Mark Furrer

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