Potholes now mark the already rough Brentwood Boulevard, and it’s questionable when the road might be resurfaced, though county workers were patching holes with asphalt Monday.
Brentwood Ward 4 Alderman Tom Kramer reported to his ward in February that funds might be available to refinish Brentwood Boulevard this year.
The road was used as an arterial route during the Highway 64/40 renovation in 2008-2009, and wasn’t resurfaced following that use, as detours in other cities were.
Ward 1 Alderwoman Maureen Saunders asked St. Louis County Council District 5 Pat Dolan’s assistant, Eric Fey, why Brentwood Boulevard wasn’t resurfaced following its use as a detour, she told constituents and others in an email Monday.
Saunders said Fey said other cities, such as Ladue and Webster Groves, had a written agreement with St. Louis County to resurface their roads.
She said she told Fey Brentwood Mayor Pat Kelly claimed that Brentwood had a letter that served as an agreement with St. Louis County, and Fey said, “St. Louis County Executive, Charlie A. Dooley, said the county never had an agreement with the City of Brentwood.”
She said she asked Fey if the letter, which Kelly found last year, would serve as an agreement, and Fey said, “His office had no copy of the letter.”
Saunders said Fey told her Brentwood Boulevard is scheduled for resurfacing in 2015, which has been the case since Dolan took office in 2011. He said there are many worse roads in the county.
In the email, Saunders suggested turning the letter Kelly found over to the county to see if resurfacing could be pushed up to 2014.
All Saunders explained to us was the was the following.
Seems to me Brentwood dropped the ball unlike Maplewood or Ladue, who as part of the Highway 64/40 improvement got the county to sign an agreement to resurface streets because of the detours the highway repairs created. Brentwood Boulevard received an abnormal amount of use and thus damage. Because our current Board and Mayor at the time did not get an agreement like neighboring municipalities
we now have to live with a road in bad shape. Now our road fix has been and was set by the county and not a single elected official in Brentwood can change the time frame, nor should they try to claim ownership of a fix that has been in the system for years.
One has to love politics.
Said the candidate “As your elected official I will make sure the sun rises in the East tomorrow.” Uneducated voter, “Thank you, that is great to hear, you have my vote.”
Why do the facts and what are elected officials have to say never seem to align themselves?
Perhaps this article would have been more balanced if Tom Kramer had been contacted for a status update on his long-standing, on-going efforts.
I attend city meetings and this issue was openly discussed more than a year ago including the letter the mayor looked for, found and as noted by the prior commentator was reported as submitted to the County.
Ultimately. it appears we either did not get a firm committment from the County to resurface Brentwood Blvd upon the completion of highway 40 or the County did not fulfill their obligation per the letter of intent as per our expectations.
Facts remains – This has been on radar for years, Brentwood Blvd still needs resurfacing and we appear to be scheduled for 2015.
Thank you Alderwoman Saunders. I drive an older vehicle. The potholes affect my car negatively, and I can’t be the only older person driving an older car!
OMG, seriously?!! Ald Kramer’s been all over that for about…at least four or so years I can remember. The “letter” i think she’s referring to, he said was presented over a year ago to County. It was on the news. I rremember hearing about the meeting. Where has Saunders been? By my reckoning, she is extremely late to the party. She “pushes”? With her reputation preceding her, you see the response. Good grief Doug. Guess she A.) doesn;t watch the news, , B.) doesn;t read the paper, C.) doesn;t read the minutes of her own aldermen meetings in the Pulkse? Comical.
Thank you Maureen.
Thank you Alderwomen Saunders. Brentwood blvd is in terrible shape. A
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