Brentwood Recreation Complex

Brentwood mayor Pat Kelly asked the aldermen to discuss the future of Brentwood's Recreation Complex for 20 minutes at the May 21 meeting, which resulted in a much longer discussion with no consensus reached.

The city considered bringing a $9 million bond issue to the voters last year to renovate the complex but it never got out of the ways and means committee.

Alderman Keith Robertson had advocated for the bond issue last year. He was in favor of a plan to bring the building up to code, improve the ice rink, and add a fitness center and multi-use gym.

Alderman Andrew Leahy was concerned that voters wouldn’t approve a bond issue in the midst of the down economy. He had voted against the proposal in April.

This year, new alderman Cindy Manestar said she was in favor of keeping the ice rink, and not turning it into a fitness center, and Maureen Saunders said she’d like to fix up the ice rink, and add a teen rec center.

Mayor Kelly has made coming to a decision on the future of the 37-year-old facility a priority.

City-paid insurance for elected officials

At the May 21 Board of Aldermen Meeting, resident Julie Pozzo asked about the 100 percent city-paid health insurance the mayor and some of the alderman receive.

Since that meeting, City Administrator Bola Akande has said there is nothing illegal about the practice, and Mayor Pat Kelly defended it in an article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch and also in an interview on KMOV.

Approximately eight Brentwood residents were out walking the streets on Sunday distributing fliers comparing the compensation for Brentwood’s elected officials with those of nearby cities. (Included with this article as a PDF)

They were also encouraging participation at the May 11 meeting.

Karen Smith and Julie Pozzo were two who were out.

“Folks seem concerned that the city has been offering these benefits,” Smith said. “No one has known about them. I am sure there are many who will feel that they deserve it, but I think it should have been out in the open.”

Pozzo said she believes it’s up to the residents to hold Brentwood’s elected officials accountable for their actions.

“I see their actions as an abuse of power and we the residents and taxpayers are the only ones that can hold our elected officials accountable for the way they spend our tax dollars,” she said. “The Board of Aldermen meeting is a good place to do that.”

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., in room 104 at the Brentwood Recreation Complex.