On April 7 Maplewood voters rejected the city’s Proposition M, to fund improvements to city hall, so the city council will meet in a work session, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, before the regularly scheduled meeting, to discuss, “Municipal Facilities Strategy Following Proposition M.”
City Manager Amber Withycombe reviews the full situation in the meeting packet.
In it, she says, [Prop M] “addressed police operational deficiencies, building systems failures, accessibility barriers, workspace constraints, secure records storage, technology infrastructure limitations, and community meeting space inadequacy. It was comprehensive because the problems are comprehensive. We cannot keep applying band-aids to problems that require surgery. Incremental fixes are costly and only delay the inevitable comprehensive renovation the building requires.”
The proposition received approximately 53% yes votes. It needed 57% to pass. A (4/7) super majority was required because it was a general obligation bond issue, per Missouri law.
The meeting will be open to the public, and will also be broadcast on the city’s YouTube channel.
See also: Editorial: We’re Voting YES on PROP M. Here’s Why
The building city hall is in once also housed the Maplewood Library and the Fire Department. It looks like some poor choices were made with what to do with the extra space when those areas were vacated. I believe a comprehensive plan to better utilize that space is long overdue.
Here’s a novel idea, combine Shrewsbury, Maplewood, Richmond Heights and Brentwood into one? How many fire departments, police departments, overhead is needed in 20 square miles? Then don’t have so spend 4X on all the same things. Taxes have gone up from $2500 to $3900 in 10 years, where’s that money going?! Time to run it like a business.
I think they did attempt this a while back, 10 or 15 years ago, combining Brentwood, Clayton, and Richmond Heights fire. Talked about combing them.
I can see many ways the city could stop wasteful spending… how about not tearing out a brand new concrete streets for utility work? There must be a way to find out when utility companies have work planned. How about hiring quality workmanship? The new driveway aprons the city had done on my street had to be torn out and replaced 3 times, because of mistakes. And lets talk about the “speed humps” that cant be seen with the naked eye. There are 8 on Flora alone. There are none on streets with schools. Trees block the signs warning us of them. I was told by Anthony Traxler that they were going to paint the humps a highly visible color. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED. I hit one when a delivery truck was parked in the street, blocking the sign, and knocked my catalytic converter heat shield loose. I’m all for upgrading the police department, but let’s try cutting some of the waste before taxing us out of our homes.
Worst timing ever to ask people to pay even higher property taxes to make sure city leaders have nice new offices. Sure, the police dept needs more and better space, but can’t the existing spaces between the two be reconfigured and reassigned? Is there no other feasible method to raise money for improvements? No other revenue-generating possibilities? Or to tap into existing funds? It just seems very ill advised in this climate of higher prices on EVERYTHING to go to the property owners for more money. Isn’t half of Maplewood populated by renters? Higher property taxes would not affect them, so how can they help to fund the city’s request? Let’s see some creativity among the council and ward reps.
Higher property taxes wouldn’t affect renters?
Jerry, Do you think?
They need to find a way to fund it without raising taxes. I have to live within my means. So should governmental entities. Real estate taxes keep going up and I struggle to come up with the money to pay.
Gary Lee, did you know that every time a multimillion-dollar house gets built, the whole system calculates that every home value has been increased? This is what has happened to California. I do not think this is a fair system.
Horrible timing-while the improvements are clearly needed, the timing couldn’t be worse with inflation, medical costs, property values/home costs.
NO ONE wants more taxes at this time. Full stop.
Enuff already. How can Maplewood, MO, compete to be the next Clayton with that shack?
the next Clayton??!! Are u eating paint chips? Maplewood isn’t even close to being the next Clayton for countless reasons.
Give me some of the Reasons. Please.
Tell Mayor Greenberg.