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Gascony 2018 annual meeting
Met at Police Facility Dec 12th. Mayor Clement, Alderwomen Ottenad and Huether. Debbie Rodgers president; Janice Sansone Rick, Secretary; Brian Sweeney, Treasurer; Susan Bishop, DNI Community Manager; Susan Frolos, DNI Support Coordinator; Gary Hoeferkamp, Hoeferkamp Real Estate; Lou Salamone, Suburban Bowhunters.
Republic Services contract for refuse, yard waste and recycling has been extended for 5 years with a 1-3% annual increase locked in. Other municipalities finding it difficult to get this low increase due to recycling issues. Make sure you are not tossing your plastic grocery bags in with recycling – they do NOT belong there. Please drop those off at the designated grocery store bin.
Bulk trash can be called in any week of the year now. Residents are still limited to 2 pick ups per year, and up to 2 items per pickup. The next electronics/ metals recycling event at Schroeder Park is Jan 19th, then every other month on 3rd Saturday, 8-11am.
Police Chief Tim Walsh is retiring in January 2019. There will be a public farewell party for him on Jan 4th. Manchester is currently interviewing for the next chief.
Be careful of “porch pirates” when you have packages delivered, especially around the holidays. There has been an increase in reported thefts in the last week around the city. Bring them in quickly, have a neighbor watch for them, or pick them at the store.
Manchester Police offer free patrols by your home if you call in a “vacation watch” to 636-227-1410 ext 102. They also have free gun locks available to city residents at their main facility in the Highlands, ask a clerk at the station for a ChildSafe kit.
Substantial street repairs are underway from the Proposition S bond issue passed in April. They will increase in 2019 and 2020 as millions will be spent upgrading city streets.
Bow hunting for deer is in progress in CLW2 common ground, with approval from their trustees. 5 deer have been removed so far. There is a permit process to go thru for anyone wishing to obtain this approval, which Suburban bowhunting has. This costs the city no money, and the deer are either kept by the hunter or donated. Suburban bow hunters have been approved in several other West County municipalities since 2002, and have been harvesting without incident. There may be a discussion by the Gascony trustees whether to allow bow hunting for deer in their common ground. This would be per the city and state established guidelines and permit process, and only during state regulated bow hunting season, which runs thru Jan 15th. The hunter is to be at least 8 feet off the ground to guard against errant shots, and typically are performed early morning or at dusk. It is up to the trustees or landowners how notices, if any, to nearby properties will occur.
A small business group is forming in Manchester, the next meeting is January 10th at 7:30am at the Parks building. This is open to businesses in or near the city, no cost to attend.
Janice Sansone Rick was recently appointed to fill the open position of Gascony Secretary, and she was voted in at the meeting to continue her term. The special assessment was also voted on and extended, the same as this year. The trustees are developing a 10 year plan for the LaBonne medians, and will present the plan at a future time. They had several ash trees treated for disease by a city-approved tree service, to keep them healthy.