Welcome Residents of Ward 10:
I wish you an abundance of health and prosperity throughout 2009. As always, it continues to be both an honor and a pleasure serving as your Ward 10 representative on the St. Charles City Council. Given that St. Charles will celebrate its 200th anniversary this year, we have a host of exciting opportunities in store for our residents, business owners and visitors. For your easy reference, here a few highlights:
. Allied Waste Contract -- effective January 1, St. Charles City residents now have access to single stream recycling thanks to the city's new contract with Allied Waste Services. Single stream recycling in St. Charles means residents will be able to recycle the following list of recyclable materials:
. Aluminum Cans, Trays and Foil
. Milk and Juice Cartons
. Steel Cans and Tins (including aerosol cans)
. Glass Bottles and Jars (clear, brown and green; no window glass, dinnerware or ceramics)
. Plastic Containers – plastics have an identifying code on the bottom of each container. Please refer to the website for additional details related to Code #1, Code #2, Code #3, Code #5 PP and Plastic Buckets.
For more information, please refer to the city's website at www.stcharlescitymo.gov (news section); also please be sure to refer to program guidelines and additional recycling updates recently distributed via the city's 2009 calendar. For more information, please call 636-255-6142.
. Cole Creek -- thought you might like to know the first phase of this project will be from Canary Lane to Hunters Ridge. The city's final plans should be underway soon, and from there the project will move into easement acquisition. In talking with the folks in Public Works, construction will utilize existing easements in some areas. In other areas, we will need to acquire temporary and permanent easements. Residents should expect to receive easement documents in the mail sometime in late February.
. Strategic Planning -- Famous Past, Fabulous Future is the focus behind our city's current efforts to develop a long-range strategic plan. These ongoing activities involving a wide range of residents and business owners has taken a closer look at how we can make an already great city even better. This process that began more than seven months ago, is now coming to fruition. As a result, issue groups have submitted their findings and recommendations in ten focus areas, including:
. Transportation . Riverfront
. City Services . Economic Development
. Infrastructure . Environmental Sustainability
. Arts & Culture . Housing
. Recreation & Leisure . Education
Stay tuned for more information as the next Town Hall Meeting to present the executive summary of our forthcoming Strategic Plan will be held at the St. Charles Convention Center from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, February 28. If you are interested in further details, please feel free to call the Strategic Planning Hotline at 636-255-6138.
. Air Products -- it is our city's good fortune that the folks at Air Products of Lehigh Valley, PA are building a new production facility at Fountain Lakes Commerce Center. Air Products will invest $27 million in their new building, land purchase and related equipment; they selected 12 acres in Fountain Lakes off New Town Blvd. for their new facility. Phase 1 of the project will include a 98,047 square foot building and some 55 jobs with starting wages at $40,800. Phase II will incorporate a 171,790 square foot facility adding an additional 45 jobs in the pipeline. The Millstone Company is the owner/developer of Fountain Lakes. Korte Construction, the building contractor on the project, is slated to have Phase I completed by mid 2009, with Phase II of the new plant to be on-stream in early 2010.
. Bicentennial Celebration -- as you may know, this year St. Charles will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the city's 1809 incorporation. A planning committee comprised of some 25 people are currently in the process of finalizing event ideas, including related dates, times and places. The celebration will begin March 27 with a Bicentennial costume ball at the Foundry Art Centre. Those attending will be invited to wear clothing symbolic of the passing of time from then until now. Other key events will center around the city's actual incorporation date on October 13. The key is that the anniversary will be all about the city, its residents and business owners. For more information, please refer to a recent article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
. Community Freedom Center -- based on the outcome of the August 5, 2008 special election, the city is moving forward in the planning of our new community center in collaboration with Show Me Aquatics & Fitness. This 125,000-square-foot center will be located on the former K-Mart site just off Veteran's Memorial Parkway, adjacent to I-70. I am pleased to let you know that St. Charles and Show Me Aquatics are jointly building and managing our new facility. Currently an oversight committee has been meeting regularly to flesh out the plans for this amazing, one-of-a-kind facility scheduled to open in 2010.
And, finally...in the event you're thinking St. Charles is all work and no play, don't forget to take advantage of our new iPod walking tour the next time you're on historic Main Street. Be sure to stop by the Greater Saint Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau, 230 South Main Street, and check out an iPod free of charge. This historical tour is surely one you won't want to miss, and it's an hour well-spent...I guarantee you'll learn something new and fascinating about our city!
In the meantime, please don't hesitate to call or drop me a line if there's anything I can do to assist you in Ward 10. I look forward to hearing what's on your mind, and also encourage you to raise questions and get involved in the future of St. Charles.
Again, it's a pleasure serving you--
Erv