Saint Louis
CitySide
St. Louis Front Page presents St. Louis CitySide, an overview of the City Government of Saint Louis. From time to time, we will take an indepth look at many of the projects in which the city is involved and how these projects will affect residents and visitors.
 Great River Ring Celebrates Five Years in Efforts to Connect the Region Through Parks & Trails
BJC Proposes New Deal for Forest Park Area
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Honored in St. Louis at 37th Holiday Observance
St. Louis Recognized for Urban Renewal Success
McKinley Bridge
Bikeway and Branch Street Trestle Add Vital New Connection for St. Louis Region
|
(L - R) Appointed transitional school board members Melanie Adams, Richard Gains and Rick Sullivan, held their first board meeting, June 15, at the St. Louis Science Center, voting 2-1 to retain attorney John Munich (seen at far left) as interim litigation counsel. Superintendent Dr. Diana Bourisaw (seen at far right) presented a report on school programs.
|
Transitional Administrative School Board Takes Charge of St. Louis Public School System
by Bob Moore, SLFP.com
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), June 15, 2007 - On the same day, June 15, the St. Louis Public School system looses its accrediation, the three-member transitional school board took charge of the governance functions of the district.
Rick Sullivan (nominated by Gov. Matt Blunt), who will serve as the district's CEO; Melanie Adams (appointed by St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay); and Richard Gaines (an appointee of Lewis Reed, President of the Board of Aldermen for the City of St. Louis) held their first board meeting at the St. Louis Science Center.
In opening remarks, Sullivan announced that residents and parents would have an opportunity to meet with them on Tuesday, June 19, at the St. Louis Science Center, from 5:30 - 7:30. "We will be available for you to share your thoughts and ideas. We intend to go where we are invited to reach out to community members and talk to them and ultimately incorporate that input into a plan to move the district forward and make this successful."
Dr. Diana Bourisaw, superintendent of the St. Louis Public Schools, provided a report with details on the North Central Association accrediation, the expansion of the Early Childhood Program, the expansion of the Gift Task Force, the Lab School and the Virtual School programs and the opening of the Alternative Schools.
Sullivan introduced attorney John Munich, whose firm, Stinson Morrison Hecker, had submitted a proposal two days ago to represent the transitional school board for the term of 120 days. "This is a challenge and we wanted to acknowledge that. There wasn't an opportunity to issue an RFP or bid this work."
Gaines expressed his concern that there would be a conflict with the firm based on others that they had represented in the past with the State of Missouri. He indicated that he would not support the contract with the firm.
He stated that there were other issues involved. He noted that in the future, when public relations firms were hired, they would be hired based on open and fair procedures.
He further stated that it was his belief that all professional services and all public services should look like its community. "I will do everything that I can do to see that it does look like its community," stated Gaines.
Sullivan responded by saying that he shared Gaines' position and that he assured the community that he would follow the process very carefully. "All contractual work with the district would be on an open bid basis. These are unusual circumstances and we needed representation beginning today," said Sullivan.
"If this is our only problem," said Sullivan, "I'll be happy with that." The board voted 2 - 1 to approve the contract.
Following the meeting, Munich told St. Louis Front Page, that his old firm had represented the state in a matter in which the St. Louis Public Schools were adverse. He stated that if anything comes up related to that case, he would not be involved.
Unique Public Sculpture Garden Planned For Gateway Mall in Downtown St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), June 10, 2007 - The City of St. Louis and the not-for-profit Gateway Foundation will partner in creating a unique public garden, with extensive landscaping and modern and contemporary sculpture, on a prime downtown setting, Mayor Francis G. Slay said in an announcement.
According to information released, the "Urban Garden," as the development is tentatively being called, will be on the Gateway Mall between Eighth and Tenth and Market and Chestnut Streets.
It will feature plantings selected in consultation with, and maintained by, the Missouri Botanical Garden; fountains and other water features; artistic lighting; seating; and 20 to 25 pieces of sculpture by internationally renowned artists. A café with indoor and outdoor seating is also being contemplated.
The garden, which is expected to cost at least $20 million, will be financed entirely by the St. Louis-based Gateway Foundation. In recent years the Foundation has contributed significantly to the revitalization of downtown's urban landscape with projects ranging from the lighting of the Gateway Arch, Old Courthouse, and Civil Courts Building, to the development of Triangle Park at Clark and 14th Streets.
"This garden will immediately become one of St. Louis' great new attractions for residents and tourists alike," the Mayor said. "There is nothing really like it anywhere in the United States. It will be a spectacular addition to downtown."
Part of the garden's uniqueness, the Mayor said, will rest in its openness and accessibility. There will be no fence surrounding it. And in the tradition of many other great St. Louis attractions, it will be free.
"The art will be world-class and broadly appealing at the same time - to art sophisticates and non-sophisticates, to adults and children," the Mayor said. "Although people inevitably have different opinions about public art, this garden will be designed to offer something to everyone. And the landscaping, lighting, and water features will add to the universal appeal.
"We envision downtown office workers and our growing downtown residential population using this garden," the Mayor continued, "We envision Cardinals fans strolling through it before and after games. We envision families having picnics on it. We envision visitors to the Arch and Old Courthouse venturing into downtown to enjoy it. We envision people driving in from all the metropolitan area, and we envision art enthusiasts and other tourists from all over the world coming here to see it.
"In short," the Mayor concluded, "just a couple blocks from Busch Stadium, we think St. Louis is going to have another home run. And we are enormously thankful to the Gateway Foundation for their generosity. This is one of the largest and most exciting gifts this City has received in many years."
The two blocks, covering 2.9 acres, are owned by the City. They are part of the 1.2 mile-long Gateway Mall, which stretches from the Old Courthouse on Broadway to Union Station. The City is currently overseeing the creation of a master plan for the Mall.
"We see this urban garden as the cornerstone of our Mall development," said Rollin Stanley, director of the City's Planning and Urban Design Agency. "It will jump-start the whole process, and it will set the bar for quality very high."
A bill calling for approval of the legal mechanism to create the garden will be introduced to the Board of Aldermen. Alderman Phyllis Young, whose 7th Ward includes downtown, is the chief sponsor. Aldermanic President Lewis Reed and 28th Ward Alderman Lyda Krewson are co-sponsors.
The bill calls for a 15-year agreement, which can be renewed in 10-year increments thereafter. Under the terms of this agreement, the City will continue to own and control the property on which the garden will be built. The Foundation will fund the entire cost of designing and building the garden, as well as the cost of ongoing maintenance, insurance, and any additional security deemed necessary. In addition, the Foundation will display, on loan to the garden, world-class art with an estimated value of $10 million. The City's only expenses would be for water, electricity, and mowing the grass.
Plans are for ground to be broken next Spring, with completion in time for the Major League Baseball All-Star game in St. Louis in July, 2009.
|
Saint Louis Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Saint Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com
All rights reserved world wide
© 1996 - 2008 Moore Design Group.
|
|
Click here for
Media Kit
How To Reach Us:
St. Louis Front Page
P.O. Box 1354
St. Louis, MO 63188
Voice: 314-771-0200
Fax: 314-771-0300
To submit news, contact:
editor@slfp.com
To advertise, contact:
advertising@slfp.com
|
