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Crime continues to be a concern for many of us in St. Charles County. St. Charles County and our municipalities continue to step up operations to combat crime coming to our county. I'm concerned that St. Charles County will not have the resources to meet the needs of our citizens in the near future. 

The County police department is the largest part of the County budget. Since the County budget relies only on sales tax for employee salaries and benefits, something needs to be done. The best solution would be a Proposition "P" that would solely help support the police department. This proposition would be a small new property tax rather than an increase in sales tax. I'm on a fixed income and don't like any tax increases, but Proposition "P" is the only choice that I see that would insure funding for a police department capable of fighting crime in our county. If we have a bad sales tax year, the County will be laying off employees rather than hiring additional police officers. The County is currently short of police officers as it is.

I would like to hear from you if you would support a Proposition "P" to support our police department. Please email me at dhammond@sccmo.org. If you disapprove please tell me why or if you have a better idea I would like to hear from you.

In the last decade, St. Charles County has seen explosive growth with many residents leaving St. Louis County and other urban areas for a more quiet and safe way of life. Just in the last two years, St. Charles County has had an explosion of apartments, over a 300% increase. Currently there are approximately 33 apartment complexes that take advantage of the federal voucher system for HUD housing. Local leaders will say we need housing for younger people and lower income workers. These apartments are approved by municipal city council members and only one has been approved by St. Charles County Council. 

There is currently a large development under consideration on property across from the Frontier Middle School and the Canine Country Farm property along Highway DD all the way up to Schwede Road. This developer approached me asking for four to six homes per acre, which I do not support and urged three acres per lot to maintain the rural atmosphere. At this point, the developer has approached the homeowners in a three-acre subdivision off Sommers Road and the owners of the cricket fields on Highway DD, attempting to have the property annexed into the city of O’Fallon. This development would bring hundreds of homes and destroy the natural beauty and character of our county.

These aggressive annexations and explosion of apartments is not good for St. Charles County. It brings heavy traffic and creates additional crime. It’s a zero-sum game and becomes a tax subsidy for other citizens in the county to maintain the roads and sewers, increase the necessary police officers to maintain safety and the extra burden on the school districts.

There are thousands of acres that make up the Busch Wildlife area of which citizens from all over come to enjoy for fishing, walking trails and managed wildlife hunts to maintain the wildlife habitat. Because managed wildlife hunts are allowed in the Busch Wildlife area, how dangerous would this be for high density developments surrounding this area? There needs to be state legislation drafted on these aggressive annexations, so we do not destroy the rural areas in this county.   

It amazes me how many people move away from areas they do not like anymore due to crime and poor schools, among other things, but then bring the same ideology to their new environment that they just moved from.

County government recently sent two mailers to all households in St. Charles County with information about the history and plans for the County’s ½-cent Transportation Sales Tax; one in December 2021 and one in March 2022. I hope you have had an opportunity to read them. I did, and I can tell you, I am impressed with how well that money has been managed. 

Did you know that if we hadn’t had this tax to contribute to important projects like Route 364/Page Avenue, the Gutermuth Road Interchange, and the Heritage Crossing Ramps, they wouldn’t be complete? And, that important projects like David Hoekel Parkway, Route K/I-70 Interchange and the Route 94 Widening might not even be in progress?

As you can see on the informational mailers, funding from this tax has been distributed equitably across the county. I’m pleased that each County Council member has been actively involved in making certain their district roads receive the funding necessary to complete important projects and thank the St. Charles County Road Board for doing the heavy lifting by evaluating and recommending projects for the Transportation Improvement Plan each year.

In District 1, the district I represent, these are some of the projects budgeted for 2022:

• Reconstruction and improvement of land configuration on Guthrie Road
• Construction of Phase 2D of David Hoekel Parkway
• Construction of Great Oaks Road Extension
• Improvements and reconstruction of Mexico Road from Josephville Road to Midland Park Drive
• Reconstruction of part of Peine Road
• Construction of US 61 West Outer Road Extension Phases 2, 2A and 3
• Reconstruction of Phase 3 of a section of West Meyer Road
• Reconstruction at West Pearce Boulevard and Meyer Road traffic
• Reconstruction on Josephville Road from Highway P south to Kersting Road
• Reconstruction of West Meyer Road from Highway W east to Duenke Road

As you read in this newsletter, reauthorization of this tax is up for your approval on the April 5 ballot. I encourage you to read up on all this tax is enabling us to do to improve the infrastructure of St. Charles County prior to making your decision how to vote.

I remember how our county roads used to be before the Transportation Improvement Plan program and enjoy the benefits from all the improvements. That is why I fully support the continuance of this small sales tax for our roads.