Pilgrim's Progress in Historic Soulard

We were so impressed when we read this item in the December 8, 2010 Soulard Restoration Group Board of Directors minutes:

"Sultry Donuts - William Billiter is requesting a letter of support from the SRG for a variance for occupancy permit. No liquor license being sought. Darcy Thomas - Studio Durham Architects was also present. Billiter wants to ‘bring Johnny’s feel to donut shop.’ They will offer fresh pastries, donuts brought in, coffee, juice, boxed lunches and soft drinks. The wateriness (sic) (waitresses?) will be scantily clad wearing lingerie, bikini’s (sic) and theme outfits. There were several questions about location, reason for the business and what kind of neighbour (sic) he will be. Billiter and Thomas were very willing to answer any and all questions about the possible business. Billiter has no plans at this time to serve alcohol. A motion was made by Billy Tomber to vote to provide Sultry Donuts with a letter of support on behalf of the SRG to change their variance from residential to commercial in order to obtain an occupancy permit. Motion was seconded by Jim Price. The motioned (sic) failed 5-2. Michael Pastore motioned that the SRG write a letter to P. Young and William Billiter stating that the SRG cannot support the opening of Sultry Donuts as presented. The motion was seconded by Dave Perry. Motioned (sic) passed unanimously with two abstained."

Other board members present included: Sean Cochran, Paul Sharp and Sherry Ruebusch. According to the minutes, Jay Morris and Roger Power arrived late, and Alice Stellhorn was not present.

What impressed us was the fact that a titty donut shop has been suggested as a contributing business in our historic district. What a wonderful way to further exploit and degrade what used to hold promise as a nice residential area.

But you cannot fight city hall - in all its ignorance - so we applaud Billy Tomber and Jim Price for their far sighted support of this project. As everybody knows, Jim blandly sells insurance and Billy edits The Soulard Renaissance, the neighborhood newspaper you see scattered all over the streets. We only wish that Billy would step up and take credit for his vision of the future of Soulard - as ground zero for a titty donut shop empire spanning the globe. If only he would print a story or a picture of himself in The Soulard Renaissance, so we could get to know him better, so we could gain further insight into his intellect, such as it is.

Soulard's Revenge: Our Wonderful Mardi Gras Scandal

This year the Saturday, February 13 Soulard Mardi Gras Grand Parade Day was the best ever. Nothing but pleasant memories. Of course, it was not the lame parade, consisting of truck floats dragging cargoes of port-a-potties and wannabe celebrities. And it was not the apres parade boozing. The drink prices were through the roof, and only the socially challenged would stand in trash up to their ankles, drinking in the streets of Soulard when the temperature is 35. Get a life.
No, it was the wonderful scandal which erupted within days of the parade.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch February 16, 2010 headline was: "With phone call, police commissioner springs nephew from jail." The lead paragraph read: "A St. Louis Police Board member, Vincent J. Bommarito, said today that a nephew who was arrested under suspicion of drunken driving in Soulard on Saturday was released to him at his request."

So Mr. B, as one poster called him, saved his nephew from spending Grand Parade night in the drunk tank. As a bonus, the nephew’s name was stricken from the police blotter, and he was given a ride by an official to elsewhere. Can you say "abuse of power?"

After publication of this breathtaking news, there erupted a self-righteous, defensive verbal battle between Mr. B, the Honorable Mayor Slay, and the Chief of Police, all indignantly spouting and bombastically beating their chests, just like some alderman caught farting in the cloak room. And all this gassy verbiage and finger pointing was captured, transcribed into sentences and lovingly printed in following editions of the Post-Dispatch.

I mean, you couldn’t buy entertainment like this.

Besides being amusing, the series of newspaper articles nudged aside the much embroidered curtain concealing the illegitimacy of the Soulard Mardi Gras and the incompetence of local government, whose most successful activity is to create a nesting ground for favoritism, cronyism, back scratching and what have you. Thanks to our very own Soulard Mardi Gras, the motto of our local politicians emerges: if you can’t govern effectively, at least be entertaining. In this they have been successful, playing the fools.

The Soulard Mardi Gras Grand Parade Day Drunk, the high point of a faux festival which is struggling to brand itself as the St. Louis Mardi Gras, always brings out the worst from St. Louis (and from miles around), providing an arena for underage drinking, drunk driving, minors in possession of alcohol, false ID’s, procuring alcohol for a minor, and, of course, what we are most proud of: lewd conduct, public urination, assault, property destruction, etc.

This is in addition to the above referenced abuse of power. This is not the first, nor will it be the last, revealing incident spotlighting those who benefit from Mardi Gras and from their official positions in St. Louis.

Someday, maybe somebody with a grain of insight will point out to such people that the Soulard Mardi Gras taints whatever it touches, just as its cancerous growth has disfigured Soulard. Until the St. Louis version of Mardi Gras becomes legitimate, Antoine Soulard will continue to wreak revenge for what it is doing to his namesake historic district.

Mayor's Mardi Gras Ball: Lost and Found

The following has been posted by Heather Dunn on Facebook and Craigslist and elsewhere:

“Did anyone go to the Mayor's Ball or know anyone who did???

“I was as the Mayor's Ball and someone picked up my digital camera (hopefully by accident). I just got back from vacation at the beginning of the week and all of my vacation pic's are still on there: my first trip to the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, China Town, Haight & Ashbury, etc. These pictures are SOO important to me, and all I want are the pictures back. I will offer a $200 reward for the return of the memory card alone, with no questions asked. I would even be extremely happy if someone uploaded the pictures to Face Book or sent them to me in any way! If anyone has heard of a camera being found, or could re-post this message, your help would be greatly appreciated!

“I'm truly desperate and I'm hoping someone will return the pictures.”

Well, Madame Chouteau certainly hopes Heather gets her pictures (and camera) back. Interestingly enough, there is an archaic French phrase that applies to this situation. It goes: “Lazy les beantowns rolaids?” Translated, it means: “You got robbed at the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Ball and you’re surprised?” At least, I think that is the translation. Maybe some cultured person has another translation. We solicit your ideas.

Collector of Revenue: Real Estate Taxes in Soulard Under Control

We have run several articles regarding real estate taxes being in arrears for Soulard businesses, including Clementines (2001-2003 Menard: two years in arrears, amounting to $10,309.91) and Great Grizzly Bear (1027 Geyer: three years in arrears, amounting to $22,066.20). We sent an e-mail - printed in the blog - to Collector of Revenue Gregory F. X. Daly on Jan. 27, 2010 asking about these two properties. We are impressed that The Honorable Gregory F. X. Daly is too important to respond, but delegated the matter to a talented underling. Following is the response:

"In regards to the businesses and property owners listed.

"I would like to clarify this information for you.
Both of these businesses are in compliance. The property is owned by a
separate entity and is not tied to the business. Any delinquent real
estate goes through our regular delinquent process.

"Should you have any further questions please contact:

"Thomas Vollmer, Deputy Collector of Revenue, City of St Louis, 314-613-7357
　
"Sincerely, Pat Ortmann"

More Soulard Crime Problems

Following is information relayed by Terry Hoffman from the neighborhood blaster of Lisa Otke:

Soulard Incidents:

Please read the following information regarding car break-ins (larcenies) that took place yesterday. Please note that the police believe the suspects of such crimes may be armed and dangerous. You should not confront suspects in case this is true. CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY!! Information that could be helpful to the police includes a detailed description of any vehicles the suspect(s) may be driving, descriptions of the suspects, location, direction of vehicles/suspects if they leave the scene.

Please be careful. Be aware of your surroundings. If something is suspicious, call the police.
********************
Thursday, January 28 at 3 a.m. a resident (near Victor and 18th) witnessed 3 males trying to break into several cars – they had a trunk open of one vehicle. The police were called and the evidence technicians also came to the scene. The locks were punched out of the cars that the suspects had tried or successfully broken into. Vehicles along Victor and 18th Street were vandalized.

While the witness was speaking to the police, they received a call that there were a group of males attempting to break into cars in the Shaw neighborhood where a girl tried to confront them and they shot at her.

The police returned to the witness’ residence at 4:30 and the witness accompanied the police to the location of a car (near Grand) which the police had stopped (3 suspects ran from the vehicle).

The witness was able to identify the car as the same car that had been occupied by the suspects in the Soulard break-ins. The car was stolen earlier from Eichelberger and stolen items such as radios were found in the vehicle.

Based on information from the witness and the police, this is an organized group which may hit as many as 20 cars in a night. They are usually armed and dangerous.
　

Pursuing Real Estate Tax Questions: Seeking Edification

The following e-mail has been sent to showerst@stlouiscity.com, the address listed on the web site of the Collector of Revenue:

To the Honorable Gregory F. X. Daly, Collector of Revenue, City of St. Louis:

Today your web site on the St. Louis Community Information Network indicates that owners of property under two bar/restaurants in Soulard are in arrears in paying real estate taxes. The bills include special business district tax, lateral sewer fee, commercial surtax, total original tax, penalty and recording fee, where applicable.

This issue has been addressed in several articles on a blog titled Gumbo, which may be found at http://gumbotheforumforsoulard.blogspot.com/.

The property owners include: Clementine Inc., owner of property described as 2001-2003 Menard, site of Clementine’s Bar, which is in arrears in the amount of $10,212.29 for 2009 and 2008. I note that the payment of their 2007 taxes was posted on 1/5/2010.

The other is Great Grizzly Blues LLC, owner of property described as 1027 Geyer, site of The Great Grizzly Bear. The property owner is in arrears in the amount of $21,865.38, the accumulated tax bill for 2007, 2008 and 2009. (A City of St. Louis Real Estate Tax System "Open Special Tax Bills Report" dated 10/02/09 notes that the same property owners were in arrears on their 2005 taxes, and before the year turned over, they were also on arrears in the 2007 taxes. Your web site only covers three years. Thus, I am unable to confirm whether these taxes have been paid.)

I note that the "St. Louis City Revised Code Chapter 8.02.010 Statement of Clearance - Required" ( http://www.slpl.lib.mo.us/cco/code/data/t0802.htm ) states:

"The License Collection shall not issue any merchants, manufacturers, franchise, business or occupational license or renewal thereof, to any person, partnership or corporation, or anyone who contracts for personal service to be performed by individuals within the City, which under the law the License Collector is empowered to issue, unless and until the applicant for such license produces a written statement of clearance issued jointly by the Collector of Revenue and the License Collector certifies that the current or past personal property, real estate tax, payroll tax, business license taxes and/or earnings taxes are due and payable to the City and a statement from the Director of Revenue of the State of Missouri certifying that the applicant is in possession of a retail sales license, if such a license is required."

It seems to me that Chapter 8.02.010 suggests that businesses need to be good citizens, i.e., that they pay their real estate taxes in order to do business. There is a failure to display good citizenship by these two businesses. It seems that this failure is being aided and abetted by the Office of the Collector of Revenue.

I make this statement because the License Collector, The Honorable Michael McMillan, states that the businesses at the above addresses are in full compliance as far as payment of taxes, etc., in order for them to receive business licenses from his office. "Neither company you named, Great Grizzly and Clementine’s Inc., requires compliance action," Mr. McMillan states.

You may think that this matter is really none of my business. In fact, I feel the issue is entirely my business, since I am among a number of people in the Soulard neighborhood who feel that bars and their customers contribute to undermining the quality of life here. Trash, noise, crime, accidents and other problems are created and aggravated by these two businesses. Their failure to pay their real estate taxes mirrors their contempt for the neighborhood and for the general community.

Further, the inability of City of St. Louis officials and elected leaders to collect taxes reflects badly on their abilities, undermining confidence in government and implying corruption and favoritism. Large numbers of lots in the City of St. Louis are fallow, yielding no tax revenue because they are owned by the City. That this is widespread signals a failure of elected officials to nurture an environment conducive to prosperity. Slapping the face of tax payers is that tax abatement favors have been given to numbers of developers, further gnawing at the tax base and consuming confidence in governmental priorities.

At the same time, elected officials talk of budgetary problems and cuts in services. The conclusion is obvious: if a city cannot manage its tax base, then it is out of business. The question arises: why are businesses which negatively impact the community and which reflect badly on leadership allowed to game the system so effectively?

On these topics I seek edification and correction. Thus, I turn to you. I look forward to hearing your response to these issues, as will the readers of the blog.

Neighbors Assume Greater Responsibility for Trash

"After Christmas I noticed that the alley trash dumpsters were overflowing and people were leaving trash next to them," commented Mary Ann Keitel, a Soulard resident since 1975. "The neighborhood was looking like a third world country," she adds.

"The only way to abate this problem that I could see was to get on the recycling bandwagon," she says, and "I had to get my neighbors to do the same thing."

Because of City of St. Louis budgetary problems, twice weekly trash collections are being reduced to once a week, Mary Ann learned after a short conversation with the Department of Streets, Refuse Division vehicle driver.

"So I started intensely recycling," she explains. Fortunately, as part of an extensive and thoughtful effort, the Refuse Division provides a row of dumpsters at the foot of Ann in Soulard for collection of recyclables. "And I started talking to my neighbors, asking them if they would help me," Mary Ann notes. She lives in the 2300 block of S. 11th Street.

Fran Cook, a Soulard resident for the last 7 years, immediately agreed that this was a good idea.

"I could see that the dumpsters contained a lot of stuff which could be recycled, and if we separated these items and took them to the provided dumpsters, then maybe we could reduce the problem of trash spilling into the alley," Fran believes. She is married and has two children.

She spent 21 years in the neighborhood while growing up. After she got married, she moved out to the county for a while before returning seven years ago.

"We are in this together," Fran observes, pointing out that "I am also talking to others in my building and to neighbors, just as Mary Ann is doing."

Going beyond her block, Mary Ann also solicited the assistance of Shirley Cartt-Cyr, 75, a homeowner on Sidney. "I am going to recycle with Mary Ann’s help," Shirley says. She adds that

"I sure wish the politicians were pitching in and working as hard as Mary Ann on this, since they seem to be the ones who spent all the money."

She adds: "Be that as it may, we all sort of need to pull together in tough times, to help each other, just like Mary Ann is doing." Meanwhile, Mary Ann has recruited others on her block, and she hopes other Soulard and City of St. Louis residents will step up their recycle efforts and encourage their neighbors to do the same.

Seventh Ward resident Maida Coleman, a community activist, observes that "what Mary Ann is doing is an excellent idea. She is coming up with solutions to make this new trash collection schedule work for everyone."

Maida says that "as city residents, we have to support the city in order to keep our services up to standard. We are all going to have to do a little bit more," she warns.