Infrastructure

Highway 109/100 infrastructure, roundabouts, costs 

In the view of many, the MODOT Hwy 100 resurfacing project is a spectacular success. Federal & MODOT funds combined to cover most project costs; we paid the leftover fractions. 

•  Hwy 100 west of Hwy 109 was literally among the worst stretches in Missouri, some parts of It hadn't been surfaced in over half a century. 
• Work started AND finished in 2025; City cost-sharing moved the timeline forward two years and helped fund vital safety improvements at a number of intersections. 
• MODOT wouldn't consider stoplights on this arterial highway due to traffic flow.
• J-turns, like roundabouts, "take some getting used to", but well-planned ones are proven to improve safety, traffic flow, and efficiency, and I've found them better looking and more convenient than stoplights.

Village Green 

More than any other St. Louis suburb, our green spaces make Wildwood a great place to live. 

• The new Village Green will cost-effectively accommodate City events of all kinds.
• The all-inclusive "Unlimited Play" playground will be a focal point for many local families.

Internet Access 

 Poor-to-nonexistent Internet access was an unacceptable drain on rural folks Quality of Life.

• I began diligent, time-consuming volunteer work on the problem in ~2008. 
• There was strong evidence of bad effects on property values, as buyers looked elsewhere.
• Now, kids can do homework, adults can work from home, and stream video, and so on. 
• Unfortunately, there's still more work to be done.

Erosion and Flooding  

I’ve participated in Wildwood Watershed Erosion Task Force (WETF) since it began.

• Flooding and erosion in all of our local watersheds is causing property damage, topsoil loss, and danger to livestock, wildlife, and human life. 
• Some Ward 6 horses and cars made the national news floating past TV cameras in 2019, but every Ward has flooding and erosion problems. 
• Fixing the problems won’t be cheap, but inaction will cost much more in the end. 
• I’m hopeful that the City and the WETF can find workable, affordable solutions. 

My Priority 1 has been and always will be to minimize aesthetic and environmental impacts. 

In Ward 6, there has only been ONE significant development since 2020. 

• 12 homes (6+ ac./home) were built in a treeless field on the 68-acre "Theiss place".
• Over 40 acres of the original mature forest screens the site on all sides. 
• Great care was taken to "over-engineer" well and septic systems and manage runoff.
• When finished, mandated plantings at the entrance will reduce visual impact to near-zero.  

No City Council Member has worked harder to reduce development impacts

• Increased visual screening of any new construction, in all Wards.
• Enhanced environmental protections, erosion control, and tree preservation standards.

Residents including myself refuse to sacrifice future quality of life to promote development.

• Issues of law, fairness, convenience, and economic health of our City make this harder.   
• The rights of particular property owners sometimes conflict with those of nearby residents.

I currently participate in the 3rd Wildwood Master Plan 10-year Revision Committee.

• I hope to increase but streamline development scrutiny via this Committee and elsewhere.
• I’ve opposed increasing physical, visual, or light pollution, or congestion on rural byways. 

Sign regulations, including LED signage: I OPPOSE visual and light pollution. Period. 

• I'd be reluctant to relax lighting regulations, but I’m warily open-minded. 
• Some residents support limited use; others oppose an LED signage “approval precedent” 
• LED signage might have a place IF it's shown to increase safety and reduce light pollution. 

Ethical Government is the least we can expect and in fact, we should demand it. 

• I take this issue very seriously, in light of Issues prior to my tenure. 
• I stand firmly on the side of Gov't openness, ethics and integrity.

Email privacy, “open records” requests, and Council Member communication with residents

• This is an area of personal interest to me. I've published peer-reviewed research on online identity privacy and security. I highly recommend reading it if you have trouble sleeping.
• I supported the initiative to change the MO State law that required municipalities to reveal private citizens’ private information in response to Sunshine requests. 

Wildwood Economic Development 

• Wildwood's low population density presents a challenging environment for businesses.
• Economic Development is one of the pillars of our Master Plan. 
• I believe the City should support local businesses and actively promote Town Center.
• Properly managed, such efforts can cost-effectively attract and retain desired businesses.

Budget Priorities 

• We're among the very few STLCO municipalities with NO local property tax OR sales tax. 
  •  Sales tax rates in surrounding communities range from 0.5% to 3% higher than ours. 
• Nevertheless, our City has always enacted balanced budgets during my tenure. 
• City revenues are rapidly declining due to reduced utility tax and "Pool Tax" revenues.
• Many City projects in prior years drew on our reserves, but there have been no withdrawals from our very large reserves during my Council Service.
• In theory, I would support well justified one-time reserve expenditures to benefit our City.  

City Parks & Trails sales tax 

• Everyone loves our parks, events, and services. Nobody likes taxes. 
• With strong resident support, I'd be willing to consider seeking voter approval for sales tax support for our outstanding park & trail system. 
• Alternatives may be grim: not in reductions of "cool new stuff" but in deferred maintenance, reduced city services, fewer events, and other painful cuts.