O’Fallon Update The Official Quarterly Publication of the City of O’Fallon, Missouri Spring 2015 • www.ofallon.mo.us
Working together to preserve our safety “I feel safe in my home and neighborhood!”
Councilmembers to host forums throughout the City This spring, O’Fallon’s City Council will host a series of community forums to discuss issues with residents and allow residents to ask questions of both their elected officials and City staff. Councilmembers from each ward will host a session focusing on their ward, but residents are welcome to attend any of the sessions if it is more convenient. The forums will be: March 18 at 1 p.m. Ward 2 Forum RSC Multi-purpose room March 23 at 7 p.m. Ward 4 Forum City Hall Gymnasium March 25 at 7 p.m. Ward 5 Forum City Hall Gymnasium March 30 at 7 p.m. Ward 1 Forum City Hall Gymnasium April 1 at 7 p.m. Ward 3 Forum Cuivre River Electric Offices, 8757 Highway N
In this issue 3
Proposition 1
4
O’Fallon Jammin’
5
Police Bulletins
6
Upcoming Events
8
Public Works
11 Roscoe’s Den
A
sk nearly every O’Fallon resident why they live in this City, and the odds are that feeling safe is one of the top reasons. As residents of O’Fallon, we know that we can jog through our neighborhood on a beautiful spring evening or allow our kids to walk to their friend’s house. It is a great feeling, and it is one that we should never take lightly. O’Fallon has developed a well-earned national reputation as one of the safest cities in America. Whether it is a resident calling to report a suspicious person in their neighborhood, a neighbor simply reminding the person next door to close the garage door at night or a business owner installing a new light in the storefront, we all contribute to keeping this area safe. Furthermore, the partnership between our Police Department and our residents and businesses is truly a model for how a community can work with their officers to provide a safe environment. It’s truly a special relationship, and it helps to foster the sense of caring in our City. For much of the past two years, we have been analyzing our needs to determine how we can protect this great City. From this process, we identified the need for a new home for our Police Department as top priority. It is a significant undertaking and investment. But, we believe it truly is a necessity in order to ensure that we have a Police Department that can continue to grow with this City. When you go to vote on April 7th, you will be asked to consider Proposition 1. This ballot issue asks voters to consider allowing the City to issue bonds for construction of a new Police Station and Municipal Court building. The cost for the average O’Fallon homeowner would be about $17 per year. That is less than the cost of four cups of coffee at your local coffee shop! Please take a few minutes to review the Proposition 1 information on page 3 of this newsletter. You also can find more information online at www.ofallon.mo.us/prop1. I am strongly in favor of this proposition, and I encourage you to research it thoroughly and consider supporting it when you come out to vote this April. On behalf of all of us here at the City, thank you for doing your part in keeping our City safe. You have helped build this wonderful City into what it is today, and together, we can make sure O’Fallon remains one of this country’s great cities for generations to come! Sincerely,
Bill Hennessy, Mayor