So far, Maplewood Ward 3 council member Barry Greenberg is the only candidate running for mayor in the April 2017 municipal election. He was in Stone Spiral Tuesday collecting the final signatures on his petition. He planned to turn it in on Tuesday, the first day possible. Update: Patric Jugo picked up a petition to run for mayor on Nov. 1.
Greenberg sat down with 40 South and mentioned some of his priorities.
He said communication between the city council and citizens, and the council and commissions is at the top of his list. “People on commissions are putting a lot of time and energy into their decisions, and we need to make sure that we take that into consideration.”
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He doesn’t have a problem with anonymous online comments (such as on 40 South News, he said), but would like an online city forum where commenters would be identified. “I need for people to be responsible for their comments,” he said. He said he has corrected misapprehensions in comments on 40 South, which he said are logical, but incorrect.
People would like to have a larger voice in the city, but don’t necessarily know how to do it. He said he gets calls and emails on hot button issues, like Craft Beer Cellar, but would like to expand that. He said some seniors aren’t computer proficient, and suggested a senior cafe at a coffee shop with internet access.
A lot of Maplewood seniors are isolated, he said. He’s seen houses where the second floor hasn’t been used in 20 years because the owners can’t navigate the steps, and a lot of them don’t have a full bath on the first floor, which is a problem. He wants to provide affordable senior housing in Maplewood. If housing could be provided for 20 seniors, that would open up 20 houses for new families to move into Maplewood.
He’d like to extend the business district all the way east on Manchester to the city limit, and work with city alderman Scott Ogilvie to develop the businesses to McCausland.
Extend the business district west to the Metrolink station, which he said is tough because of the types of businesses at the west end of Maplewood, he said it will be more walkable because of the work being done by MoDOT.
He said he thinks there’s a strong chance Maplewood could get the western portion of Manchester Road as it passes through Maplewood. It’s now owned by the state.
Patty, What I would like to see happen is that an affordable senior community be built somewhere within walking distance of our central business district. This would allow senior residents with age related disabilities to live in a supportive familiar neighborhood without the burden of maintaining a 100 year old home and the typical 5 steps to the front porch, stairway to the second floor sleeping areas and, in most cases, no full bath on the first floor. If a desirable alternative could be developed, the available houses would be very desirable for young families looking to relocate in Maplewood and wanting to fix up an older home and contribute to the community. I realize that it will be difficult to find the right property and the right developer to put together a project that Maplewood residents could afford AND want to live in. Too many seniors are isolated because of there housing situation and lack of access to services. That is why I am pushing to create a Mid County Senior Commission with Richmond Heights and Brentwood (and maybe others) to help fund programs such as a counselor that could sit down with our seniors, find out what their specific needs are and help coordinate the many resources that are currently available. Speaking of resources, I encourage everyone to vote for St. Louis County Proposition S next month. It will help county residents to age in place and provide needed services. The ballot language can be found at: http://lwv.thevoterguide.org/v/stlouispd16/race-detail.do?id=14823969.
Great!
I guess what concerns me about the proposition is that it will increase the seniors taxes once more, and their fixed incomes cannot support it. I wish there was a way to help seniors with tax caps so that after a certain age and with a certain income they would have a cap on their taxes.
I would love to be on a senior commission. I have experience with seniors and trying to keep them in their homes. This is of high interest to me. Some of your ideas, Barry, sound valid and doable.
There is a program administered through The State of Missouri known as the “circuit breaker” program that assists seniors with property tax. Go to: https://revenue.stlouisco.com/Brochures/SeniorPrograms.pdf for more information.
I like the idea of expanding the business district to the east. There are some great storefronts along that way. It would be great to connect the current business district to that area.
Barry, I’m confused by your comment about senior housing. How would you open up 20 houses to new families? Are you suggesting moving the seniors out of their homes, so that they could be sold to incoming families?
By moving 20 seniors into senior housing, their former homes will be on the market.
I would prefer that the city see the value in keeping seniors in their homes instead of moving them into senior housing. The taxes are already going so high for a senior on fixed income. Maybe we could look at ways to reduce their taxes so they can remain in the homes they worked hard to have instead of ‘moving them into senior housing’ so we can sell their houses to younger families. I am not sure I am liking your proposition.
Every month there are utility bills, there’s the homeowners insurance and then add property taxes to name a few ongoing expenses.
On going cost of owning a home: Appliances age, plumbing can malfunction and the roof or the furnace could need replacement. So while you may have burned the mortgage, there are expenses with owning a home that have to be accounted for. Making the two-story home wheelchair-friendly is an entirely different situation. If you need any in-home supportive services such as housekeeping help or aide visits to assist with bathing and dressing, there is a cost. In-home skilled nursing is of course the most expensive. According to the 2013 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, the national average cost for in-home health aide services for elder care is $19 an hour. Depending on how many hours of help you need on a daily basis, this can add up very quickly. http://www.laureategroup.com/about-senior-care/obstacles-moving/
Barry for Mayor!
Both ideas are great! I would like to see a “Seniors Helping Seniors” program as has been described in the AARP magazine and elsewhere. Let us share our strengths and support each other! and when we are ready to leave our homes, I would love to have reasonable senior housing right here in the
heart of the heart” of our area!
Riscor, this is how I read it, too. Surely, this cannot be what Barry is saying.
Please refer to my response above. I should have included it in this string, but I made it a separate comment. I would certainly like to hear more about the experiences and needs of our citizens as they grow older in Maplewood. As stated in the article, we need to organize social events at which seniors can interact not only amongst themselves but with the community. Tablets are reasonably priced that can access the internet and perform basic functions like reading the news and communicating through email and social media. If we can get those people who can’t afford internet service to a free wifi location (like one of our great coffee shops or better yet, library) we can provide training on use of computer technology and enable everyone to participate and have a voice in their community. Having a senior commission would be greatly helpful, but we need to reach those citizens that need that help most. At some point, I would like to solicit donations of outdated but usable tablets and computers and solicit some of our computer proficient citizens to work with our less tech savvy seniors to create a connected community.
I believe what Barry had meant was that by making 20 accessible apartments available would allow for 20 willing residents to relocate and remain in the area while opening up their houses for their relatives or other inhabitants. I believe it was intended as an example than a hard and fast number, with an emphasis on willing.
Barry will make a great Mayor! Go Barry Go!