A copy of a letter from Brentwood Mayor Chris Thornton to the civil engineering firm, Thouvenot Wade & Moerchen Inc., dated December 7, 2017, approves preliminary design work on the Manchester Road project to begin ‘immediately,’ approving charges not to exceed $10,000. The letter is dated 11 days before a city board of aldermen meeting where they were expected to consider the firm’s proposal.
In the Dec. 3 board of aldermen meeting Alderman David Dimmitt pointed out that Thornton had approved costs relating to the city’s Brentwood Bound project totaling over $40,000 prior to the board’s approval.
A copy of the letter was sent to 40 South on Friday. The envelope had no return address. A sticky note on the letter stated: “FYI This is habitual”
The text of the letter is below, followed by a photo. The sticky note was removed for the photo.
Mayor Chris A. Thornton
City of Brentwood
2348 S. Brentwood Blvd
Brentwood , MO 63144December 7, 2017
J.R. Landeck
Thouvenot Wade & Moerchen Inc
720 Olive St. Suite 200A
St. Louis, MO 63101Dear J.R,
It is my understanding that TWM has completed its conceptual design for the Manchester Road project in Brentwood which the Board of Aldermen approved this summer. It is also my understanding that there is an immediate need to begin work on the preliminary design work. I understand that if TWM is not authorized to begin the preliminary design work immediately, we may run the risk of losing significant support from MDOT for our portions of the project and/or the opportunity to receive grant funding. I understand that the City has received a proposal from TWM for the preliminary design work. I intend to have the Board of Aldermen consider that proposal at our meeting on 18 December 2017. Accordingly, I am hereby authorizing you and TWM to proceed with the preliminary design work on the Manchester Road project immediately. The City will pay TWM’s charges incurred between now and the close of business on 18 December 2017 not to exceed $10,000.
City Administrator Akande or a member of her team will be in touch with the Board of Alderman’s decision on 19 December 2017. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding this Letter of Authorization.
Thank you,
Christopher A. Thornton
Mayor, Brentwood Missouri
This just keeps getting better! Last night at the BOA meeting other than some basic whining, not one person really brought to light two MAJOR points:
1.) Mayor Thornton doesn’t follow the law and spends funds for a pet project that will NOT pay for itself – The city is in a consistent DECLINE, with a waste of a Comp Plan and about to blow $70M+ on a PARK… that doesn’t create REVENUE.
***Can’t wait to see how much the Mayor is going to make in kickbacks and unethical dealings on Brentwod Bound…
2.) Mayor Thornton nor the City has ever produced anything substantial to justify why the Mayor is allowed to unethically (potentially illegally) use the city and Brentwood Police Department as a guinea pig for his company’s product / service.
***BONUS TIP 1: By using this UNPROVEN system, Mayor Thornton / City / PD has changed how the Police Department is running patrols and allowing a growing number of Property Crimes to happen in Brentwood. He can’t argue the data.
***What happens next, Mayor Thornton doesn’t want to replace Police Patrol Cars and Wants to Spend $500k “Upgrading” City Hall?????
FOLLOW THE MONEY Folks
Dont worry folks. In a month or so, a prestigious law firm u probably never heard of will appear at a board meeting in designer suits. They will declare (after an extensive investigation) that the Mayor did nothing wrong and the city of Brentwood is lucky to have a man of his caiber at the helm. Afterward, the board will meet accompanied by the current labor attorney, who is a lackey for both the city and the investigating law firm. After a half hour of hardy laughter and fist bumping, everyone will head for refreshments. I dont understand what everyone is worried about.
You just don’t have all the information, ah-ah….we did this because of that, that because of this, ah-ah….roll call please! It’ll be just like the old days.
It appears the Mayor like to give away money “not to exceed $10,000”. Just like the new video which was just under the wire at $9,977.67! Amazing isn’t it.
Under what wire. He’s not authorized to spend anything.
Hey look at the bright side. He wasn’t paying Jamboretz to make robo calls or mail out marbles and jars of jamb like some psychotic little midget did several years back. People get the government they deserve.
So, time was of the essence, and this work had to be done immediately??? Is this how this $70+ MILLION project will be managed? As a crisis? Seems pretty unprofessional. Is this the quality of management we can expect on the rest of the $69,990,000? Or was the mayor just trying to ram through some spending before anyone could question it, by violating city policy? Either way, this mayor is not qualified (or have the ethics) to be in his position.
On this specific expenditure –
If the mayor can show that his statement regarding the necessity of beginning design work on a project which was eventually approved by the board is true, well then, no harm, no foul. I have doubts that the city was really up against the wall such that 10 days would have been make or break, but if he can prove that, he gets a pass. On this specific expenditure. As to the rest of the smoke surrounding Thornton’s spending city money to the edge of his authority, well, it’s getting to be quite a lot of smoke.
Wish we still had Ald. Saunders in there to name the people who stand to get rich from this Brentwood Bound thing. I’m guessing that a lot of old favorites are on the list.
Not saying the project isn’t needed, just tired of the way these things are done in Brentwood.