2018-2020 GOALS AND OUTCOMES
I was sworn in as Mayor on May 1, 2018. Since then, I’ve kept track of City issues that I advocated for, organized and many cases “lead the charge”. Many of these accomplishments fulfilled campaign pledges. Some goals represent brand new initiatives. The success of all accomplishments require a helpful staff, supportive Board of Aldermen and superb City volunteers willing to work!
• Formation of a local residents group w/police department concerned about local issues of gun safety, suicide, and opioids. Outcome was a 2019 Safety Summit. There were plans for similar event in 2020, and then the pandemic shut the City down.
• Initiated regular open meetings of small business owners.
• Out of small business owner meetings, I encouraged the formation
of a local business community. It launched and was/is named the Manchester Business Association: MBA.
• Initiated regular open meetings with residents: Conversations with the Mayor (mornings and evenings) occur every other month.
• Hired a new Chief of Police (retiring)
• Replaced the City Attorney
• Hired a new Parks Director (retiring)
• Hired a new City Municipal Judge, replacing a retiring judge.
• Formed a Veterans Planning Team to explore local veteran needs and plan veteran events.
• Work of Veterans Planning Team led to formation of the Veterans Commission in late 2019.
• City was awarded two military designations: POW-MIA City and Purple Heart City.
• To achieve those designations, I led City team through a POW-MIA presentation at the Jefferson Barracks POW-MIA board. (Repeated the presentation in St. Charles County.)
• Encouraged expanded use of City social media.
• Advocated for deer management through bow hunting. Revised the deer regulations to make bow hunting more accessible. Sought City subdivision and Parkway support.
• Promoted bow hunting in City parks (Schroeder and Stoecker) during 2019 deer-hunting season.
• Advocated that St. Louis County manage their deer population in county parks. Spoke (at St. Louis County Council) in support of county council support for managed (MDC) hunts in county parks.
County Council approved managed hunts. I spoke at a news conference in support of county managed hunts.
• Started negotiation with Republic Services soon after election for renewal of trash contract. By early action, the City maintained curbside, single-stream recycling.
• Sought BOA support for, and then advocated for a higher speed limit for Hwy 141 (45 mph to 50 mph). The Board of Aldermen approved the recommended change.
• Expanded Stoecker Park through quick reaction by City to
purchase adjacent property.
• Memorial Day 2019 was a big, beautiful community event. All
City departments helped with the event.
• Appointed ten women to City boards and commissions. (Women remain under represented.)
• Actively worked against Better Together. Held eight informational sessions to discuss BT and Freeholders formation. Spoke before 600+ local residents. Collected signatures for Freeholders.
• Manchester collected more signatures (1800) in support of Freeholders than any other municipality.
• Worked with West Newsmagazine to use their publication as a way to communicate parks offerings for senior adults. City passed a twelve-month trial period spending $300/mo to pay for communication.
• Appointment of Tree Board membership
• City was awarded Tree City USA designation.
• City celebrated Arbor Day 2019 and 2020 with the planting of a community tree and Arbor Day ceremony.
• Initiated meeting between City attorneys and Code Enforcement to seek tighter zoning code to aid Code Enforcement change long-term problem houses.
• Introduced and encouraged the use of “Thank-you” cards by City Directors and me.
• City remembered the POW-MIA day of recognition on Sept 20, 2019.
• Using friends and contacts, helped a Manchester veteran family, evicted from a City apartment complex, find new housing. This was an amazing story of community support for the family. The veteran was confronting the effects from PTSD.
• Helped guide the construction of a veteran page on the City’s website.
• Organized and led a City community service team that packed food kits (Feed My Starving Children) at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Community team numbered 36 members.
• Spearheaded the City’s transition from co-pay insurance coverage to HSA plan. Made 2020 the last year to offer co-pay insurance. Insisted that the City front-end load the City’s contribution for HAS coverage.
• Met with Parkway Superintendent and administrator to broaden areas of City/Parkway partnership.
• Realized that City’s sustainability/green initiatives need to be organized under a single umbrella (City-focus), rather than individual city departments working independently from one another.
• In late 2019, I identified the City’s failure to have a current database that identified sidewalks that pose “trip” hazards. By May, 2020, a new online system was in place and all sidewalks had been walked, examined and where hazards existed, the joints were photographed and prioritized by severity. Those slabs creating the greatest hazard will now be fixed in order of greatest risk.
• Early in the 2020 pandemic, I convened a Small Business Task Force to help guide Manchester in ways to support its small business community. The task force included small business owners, City staff, West County Chamber of Commerce CEO and State Representative Trish Gunby. Key outcome was to establish a City staff representative to be the “point person” and principal point of contact for business owners, City staff and me.
• In 2020, due to pandemic, I hosted virtual Arbor Day and Memorial Day ceremonies.
• With blood shortages, and being an active blood donor, I arranged for the City to host a two-day Red Cross blood drive in April 2020. The event was so successful, that the Red Cross has asked to come back. The City has agreed to host two more events: a three-day event at the end of June and again, at the end of August.
• Spent considerable time in April and early May, 2020, working with City staff seek ways to cut expenditures as the City faced reduced sales tax revenues because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cuts and closures included the City’s Aquatic Center and most summer and fall programming.
(The above list of goals and accomplishments occurred up to mid-May, 2020).
2020 BROUGHT NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE
• In May 2020, I was asked to serve a two-year term on the Executive Board for the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis. The two prior years, I had served the same organization on their Legislative Affairs Committee. The Muni League is the strongest advocate for, and supporter of local government. This is truly a great honor.
• In May 2020, I was asked to serve on the District 3 (St. Louis County) Small Business Approval Team, a team that would review applications and decide those businesses that qualify for the Small Business Relief (SBR) program. The SBR program will provide $2.5M for small businesses in each St. Louis County District. That invitation came from St. Louis County Councilman Tim Fitch.
THE CITY OF MANCHESTER AND OUR VETERANS
WHAT WE’RE DOING AND WHAT WE’VE DONE IN 2018, 2019, 2020
2018
From recent and past Boards of Aldermen’s decisions, three Manchester streets and a park were recognized and dedicated to remembering local veterans.
With considerable civic pride for our Veterans Memorial, City took steps to better utilize the memorial.
On short notice, City purchased a property immediately adjacent to the Veterans Memorial. Will be used for future expansion and growth of Margaret Stoecker Park.
Memorial Day 2018: after long lapse, an official ceremony in City’s Veterans Memorial.
Formation of Veterans Planning Group started in 2018, charged with planning recognition events for veterans. Its role expanded in February 2019 to identifying ways to help/support local veterans and families.
New Veterans Planning Group included key local veterans representatives and strong advocates for the veteran.
City made intentional effort to connect with local veterans groups, particularly American Legion Post 2018, Greater St. Louis Honor Flight and the Kaufmann Fund.
2018: Flags of Valor (and City flags) flew on Flag Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Veterans Day.
Veterans Day 2018: Veterans breakfast at the American Legion Post, hosted by City parks and administrative staff. Flags of Valor were put up!
Active duty military get free access to City Aquatic Center.
2019
City informally recognized the importance of the eight City Police Officers that are also veterans. Their first-person interactions with the community veterans are priceless. Their views on helping the local veterans carry considerable weight.
Five police officers will be sent for advanced Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) training, training that specifically prepares police for the veteran in crisis.
May 20, 2019: Manchester was awarded/designated as: 1) Purple Heart City and 2) POW-MIA Cities.
After POW-MIA recognition, the POW-MIA flag flies under the American flag on all public flagpoles. It flies on its own flagpole in the Veterans Memorial.
City has placed an engraved POW-MIA recognition plaque in City Hall.
Memorial Day 2019: large, well-attended ceremony in City’s Veterans Memorial. All veterans, from WW II to present were honored.
2019: Flags of Valor (and City flags) flew on Flag Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Veterans Day.
Purple Heart flag flew at the Veterans Memorial on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Aug 7, a day of remembrance for Purple Heart veterans.
There was a veteran’s booth at Homecoming 2019.
A veterans painting class starts on Thursday, Sept 12; part of programming provided by “Visions for Vets”.
Sept 20, 2019: Remember and honor POW-MIA veterans at City’s Veterans Memorial. Ceremony will include a Missing Man Table at the memorial and at local restaurants.
September/October 2019: Board of Aldermen approved the formation of a Veterans Commission.
Veterans parking places provided at City Parks Dept, Justice Center and City Hall.
Special veterans tent provided at special parks event (Fourth of July) offering free drink and food item to veterans who come to the tent.
Veteran’s recognition at certain community concerts (Manchester Community Band Concerts)
City issues veteran proclamations year-round.
POW-MIA and Purple Heart designation road signs will greet at entrances on both Manchester Road and Hwy 141.
Veteran’s remembrance boulder, dated May 30, 1994, relocated to Schroeder Park.
POW-MIA and Purple Heart stickers placed on new City patrol cars.
City POW-MIA team asked to meet, greet and present our City’s veterans’ story to St. Charles County POW-MIA gathering.
Active duty military gets free access to City Aquatic Center.
City looks for well-qualified veterans to hire when job openings become available.
In October, a veteran family was encouraged to reach out to City Staff (Mayor and staff) after altercation, a PTSD veteran was notified that he and family were being evicted from Manchester apartment. Meetings with apartment management arranged for an extension for the family to find new housing. Friends of friends showed available housing the family. Pending: a new rental home to move into!
Veterans art exhibit, “Home of the Brave” opened at the Parks Building on Friday, Nov 8.
Veterans Day 2019: Veterans breakfast at the American Legion, hosted by City administrative and parks staff. Flags of Valor flew at the Veterans Memorial.
Copyright 2024, Mike Clement
Paid for by Clement for Mayor Committee, Gloria Clement, Treasurer