2004-06-07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Session 1923 June 7, 2004 Reverend Robert Huston, Mr. Gideon Baptist Church, 6505 Etzel Avenue, thanked the City Council for the work done on Etzel and Sutter Streets. Next, he commented upon the number of people his church serves, which amounts to ten thousand people per year, so his church needs financial help to sustain their program. They feed the hungry; that is the only criterion. Ms. Colquitt asked if volunteers run their program, and he said yes. Then she asked if they received people from the STEP Program who needed help, and he said they do. Mr. Wagner described Mt. Gideon's program as a "feeding ministry" for people who are hungry and without food, and asked if they required recipients to have any certain affiliation. Mr. Sharpe commented that there are Federal Guidelines which need to be followed in dispensing funds and that the grant money to be distributed is Federal money, and he wants citizens to understand that the City Council must observe these guidelines. Barbara Heise, 920 Golf Course Drive, said that she attends Council meetings because she is concerned about drug houses in University City. She informed Council of a few more areas that are supposed drug houses. She wants the City to act on these drug house problems. Her second comment was that someone south of Delmar is going to receive a $1,000 dollar fine for not cleaning a fence. 6814 Crest Avenue received a $50 dollar fine. She is concerned about the inconsistencies in how fines are applied. Richard Dockett, 6844 Crest Avenue, expressed his support for the program at Mr. Gideon Baptist Church to feed the hungry. He commented that the Salvation Army is also a religious organization, and he feels that the City Council should consider supporting the Mr. Gideon Baptist Church, too. He objected to the suggestion that the City fund the Jewish Food Pantry, because it is located in Creve Coeur, believing that funds should be directed to needy in the University City community Ms. Brungardt commented that the Jewish Free Pantry feeds many University City residents, in the same way that the Mr. Gideon Baptist Church does, and that both organizations need to be considered when decisions are made in respect of allotting funds. Mr. Dockett made the point that funds allotted to University City should be used to assist residents of University City. Mr. Dockett had a second point to make, which was to praise two women, Barbara Heise and Kathy Straatmann, whom he described as "pioneer women", for the work they have done to improve areas of University City, specifically in the Third Ward, and he feels that their work should be recognized. He also thanked Ms. Colquitt for her support of Third Ward issues. Kathy Straatmann, 6823 Crest Avenue 2 W, came as the spokesperson for the Roth Grove Neighborhood Association, regarding a property at 6901 Bartmer, a nuisance house known to be a drug house. She wants the Council to understand the history of this Page 11