Public Hearings Overwhelm Florissant City Council

The Florissant City Council spent a major part of its Monday night meeting on two public hearings, and neither ended with a clear picture.

The brought several citizens to speak their thoughts about it, while the day care public hearing put a couple of councilors in uneasy positions.

Resident John Engelmeyer presented the council with his own cost analysis of the budget and also questioned expenses and funds of the budget. His line of questioning, however, caught the council a bit off guard as many appeared stunned and confused.

Ward 4 Councilman Keith English told Engelmeyer that while he couldn’t answer all of his questions off hand, he would research and find out the answers.

Engelmeyer proceeded to present his findings and question the council on parts of the budget. Engelmeyer told the councilors that he presented his findings during the public hearing as he would not have any opportunity to speak during .

“This is a public session, and I have a right to speak,” he said. “I don’t intend to be confrontational when I’m trying to find out information about the budget.”

Ward 7 Councilwoman Karen McKay said that the council must go through its necessary processes before being able to thoroughly answer some of Engelmeyer’s questions.

“It’s a proposed budget,” she said. “It’s not written in stone until each line item is discussed.”

McKay informed Engelmeyer that she would make some time available on Tuesday to talk with him and answer as many questions as she can.

Once Engelmeyer sat, resident Kevin O’Donnell stepped up to the podium with his laptop and presented an example of cuts that he made to the proposed budget in the information dechnology department.

“The IT department is the least deserving of any money,” he said. “Look at the city website, it’s a shame.”

Once O’Donnell concluded his presentation, the council closed that public hearing and opened the next.

Caring for day cares

Building Commissioner Philip Lum presented the planning and zoning commission’s recommendations for commercial day care centers in Florissant.

Lum presented and compared the state’s minimum requirements to Florissant’s current standards, and then he showed the revisions, which included a 1,000-square foot play area, a specific area for drop off and pick up of children, and a suggested 250 feet minimum distance between a day care and place that sales liquor.

If an ordinance would be passed, it would only affect commercial day care properties. Those existing day cares would be grandfathered in and not affected either.

Ward 1 Councilman Tim Lee said he wasn’t prepared to vote on anything yet as he hadn’t read the proposed ordinance.

When Councilwoman McKay motioned to continue the public hearing, Ward 8 Councilman Mark Schmidt questioned the purpose for continuing it and said he didn't want to rush this process. 

McKay said it was not a rushed process as the day care study has been in the works for a year, and she said she'd be happy to sit down and discuss it further with him.

The council voted to continue the public hearing until its Oct. 24 meeting.