COMPLIMENTARY

stlamerican.comVol. 84 No. 43CAC Audited

JANUARY 24 – 30, 2013

From prison time to Sweetie Pie’sPage B1

Miss Robbie and Tim give a second chance to an ex-offender from Alabama –

By Rebecca S. RivasOf The St. Louis American

The $18-million O’Fallon ParkRecreation Complex finally opened itsdoors in North City on January 21.

Hundreds of residents and communityleaders flooded in to tour the 76,000-square-foot center on Saturday. Familieswere excited to see the indoor and out-door pools, both with two-story water-slides. The double gymnasium has 12basketball hoops, volleyball nets and anelevated running and walking track.

The YMCA of Greater St. Louis willoperate the center, and the city’sDepartment of Parks, Recreation andForestry will oversee it. The Boys andGirls Club of Greater St. Louis will pro-vide youth and teen programs.

“It was a day of people standingtogether and being proud,” said Alderman

North City recreation center opens – finallyPride emerges after victory over inclusion and fees

“There were battles fought along the way, but what’s important nowis people have a place to improve their health and be safe,”Alderman Antonio French said at the opening of the O’Fallon ParkRecreation Complex on Saturday.

Photo by Wiley Price

See CENTER, A7

By Eugene RobinsonWashington Post

WASHINGTON – President Barack HusseinObama’s second inauguration was every bit as

historic as hisfirst – not becauseit said so muchabout the nation’slong, bitter, unfin-ished strugglewith issues ofrace, as was thecase four yearsago, but becauseit said so littleabout the subject.

Reflect for amoment: A blackman stood on the

Capitol steps and took the oath of office as presi-dent of the United States. For the second time.Meaning that voters not only elected him once –which could be a fluke, a blip, an aberration, acosmic accident – but turned around and did itagain.

‘We are made for this moment’Obama’s second inaugurationfocuses on legacy, not race

See OBAMA, A6

By Rebecca S. RivasOf The St. Louis American

The City of St. Louis has thefinest-tasting tap water in thecountry, according to the U.S.Conference of Mayors.

In water-quality studies amonglarge cities, St. Louis has longbeen in the top 10 cities, whileIndianapolis ranked 90th. Whyshould St. Louis care aboutIndianapolis’ water quality?

Because the same companythat Indianapolis hired to operate

its water system, Veolia Water, was recently selected to be the city’sconsulting company to “improve” St. Louis water and the WaterDivision’s business functions. Indianapolis paid Veolia $29 million toend its contract 10 years early, and citizens filed a class-action law-suit against the company for overcharges on their water bills.

WATER FIGHT ATBOARD OF E&ASlays pushes for outside consultant after Sinquefield urges privatization

See WATER, A7

By K. Michael JonesOf The St. Louis American

A diverse group of 20 outstanding African-American professionals, under age 40, has beenselected as the 2013 class of Young Leaderaward recipients.

The awardees will be profiled in the February21 edition of The St. Louis American and will behonored at the St. Louis American Foundation’sthird annual Salute to Young Leaders

Networking Awards Reception, Thursday,February 21, at the Chase Park Plaza.

This impressive class of Young Leadersincludes a senior manager of corporate givingfor the largest St. Louis-based company. Anotheris the CFO of a major non-profit entity.

Another is the supplier diversity manager forthe nation’s largest minority-owned firm, withmore than $4 billion in annual revenue. Anotheris the club director for a nationally-acclaimedboys and girls club. Another is an assistant pro-

fessor at a prestigious university, with a doctor-ate and a master’s degree in public health.

What do they all have in common? They areall high-performing, young African-Americanprofessionals who have distinguished themselvesin their professional field while also giving backto the community.

“A critical element of the sustainable progressand success in a community is able, committedleadership,” said Donald M. Suggs, president ofthe St. Louis American Foundation.

The 2013 Young Leader awardees are:

Imani Anwisye-Mashele, MD, MPHFamily Medicine Resident St. Louis University

Dominique BeeksSenior Credit Analyst Bank of America

L. Jared BoydChief of StaffSt. Louis City Treasurer

2013 class of Young Leader awardees chosenRecognition event set for Feb. 21

See LEADERS, A6

� Veolia toured thecity’s Water Divisiononly three months afterSinquefield’s Show-MeInstitute released areport urging the city toprivatize its water utility.

President Barack Obama takes the ceremonial oath of office administered by Chief Justice John Roberts during the 57thPresidential Inauguration Ceremony at the United States Capitol on Monday, January 21, 2013. President Obama was sworn in forhis second term of office.

Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post

� “My fellowAmericans, we aremade for thismoment and we willseize it, so long aswe seize it together.”

– President BarackObama

See story video atwww.stlamerican.com

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JANUARY 24 – 30, 2013 A7

Photo by Wiley Price

WATERContinued from A1

CENTERContinued from A1

Antonio French, of Ward 21where the project is located.“There were battles we foughtalong the way, but those are inthe past. What’s important nowis that people will have a placeto improve their health and besafe.”

French was speaking abouta political battle last summerto secure discounted member-ship fees for residents. Frenchpushed for $25 annual youthmemberships for city residentsunder 18 years. The YMCAoffers discounts of up to 90

percent for low-income cityresidents. Other membershipsrange in price from $33 to $44per month for adults.

The event’s speakersincluded Mayor Francis G.Slay, Board of AldermanPresident Lewis Reed,President of the AldermanicBlack Caucus Terry Kennedyand state Senator JamilahNasheed.

“It is a landmark facility inthat it’s state of the art, righthere in North City,” Kennedysaid.

Inside the center, a plaquedisplays all the names of theAfrican-American AldermanicCaucus who pushed to get thefacility built and to make sure

a workforceinclusion ordi-nance passedbefore its con-struction.

“We wanted tomake sure peoplethat looked likeus were workingto build it,”Kennedy said.

The projectemployed 33 per-cent minority workers – about98 percent of whom wereAfrican-American.

Although many said itcouldn’t be done, the projectexceeded the city’s 25 percentminority workforce goal, saidZachary Hamilton, vice presi-

dent of KwameBuilding GroupInc., who was theconstruction man-ager for the center.

Aside fromworkforce, 40 per-cent of the project’scontractors and sub-contractors wereminorities, andeight percent werewomen, which

exceeded the city’s goal of 25percent minority-owned busi-ness enterprises (MBEs) and 5percent women-owned busi-ness enterprises (WBEs).

At several points in theprocess S.M. Wilson, the gen-eral contractor, asked for addi-

tional money – $2.174 million– to achieve the minority par-ticipation goals.

In a Feb. 9, 2012 letter,S.M. Wilson VP Fred Jaecklestated that achieving theseminority participation goals“has been difficult and ourcompany has experienced thetremendous hardship in findingminority firms to meet therigid requirements establishedby the St. Louis CityOrdinance 68412 and S.M.Wilson’s agreement with theCity of St. Louis.”

The City of St. Louisawarded $1,173,888 to S.M.Wilson because of their “hard-ship” in achieving the minoritygoal. However, Comptroller

Darlene Green said she wouldnot approve any furtherrequests from the contractor.

Had the city paid S.M.Wilson everything the compa-ny asked, the project’s totalcontract value would havebeen about $19.6 million.

According to city records,Kwame advised the city notpay any additional charges.

“The facility came outunder budget, and we met thegoals we set out to achieve,”said Tony Thompson,Kwame’s CEO and chairmanof the board. “You did nothave to pay a premium to havethat level of minority participa-tion. The city did a good job ofholding their feet to the fire.”

� The projectemployed 33percent minorityworkers – about98 percent ofwhom wereAfrican-American.

More than 50 people from envi-ronmental and social-justice groupsprotested a contract with Veolia atthe Jan. 16 Board of Estimate andApportionment meeting, where themayor, Board of Alderman presi-dent and comptroller were preparedto vote on the contract.

Protesters said Veolia Water, aFrench firm and the largest privatewater services provider in theworld, has left a smudge on othercities and also operates under ques-tionable environmental standards.

Anticipating the protests, theBoard of E&A removed the con-tract from the Jan. 16 agenda anddid not discuss it. The contract aimsto “improve business practices,”according to the city’s request forproposals.

Protesters first came out in num-bers at the Dec. 17 board meeting,where the contract was placed onthe agenda just one day prior to themeeting. There, aldermanicPresident Lewis Reed questionedVeolia’s track record, andComptroller Darlene Green fol-lowed Reed by requesting an inves-tigation into the citizens’ allega-tions.

Reed said he’s been workingclosely with the citizens to repre-sent their concerns at the Board ofE&A and will continue to do so.

However, Mayor Francis G.Slay stood firmly behind the com-pany, citing that the city had agood relationship working with asubsidiary company of VeoliaEnergy North America, Trigen-St.Louis Energy Company, whichoperates an underground steamloop that provides heat to down-town residents.

Veolia Water’s controversy isnot new to St. Louis. InSeptember 2010, Veolia toured thecity’s Water Division facilities –only three months after RexSinquefield’s Show-Me Institutereleased a May 2010 report urgingthe city to privatize its water utili-ty.

Sinquefield is a huge contribu-tor to Slay’s mayoral campaign.However, at the time the mayorsaid it was nothing more than avisit. Slay said he has no plans topush for selling the city’s waterservices to a private company.

The Riverfront Times reportedthe news about the Veolia consult-ing contract in November, aftertalking with employees whofeared the loss of their jobs.Though the contract is just to con-sult for the city, opponents –including the Missouri Coalitionfor the Environment and the St.Louis Palestine SolidarityCommittee – said it was just astep towards an end goal of sell-ing the city’s water services toVeolia.

“The extensive information

about this company’s record acrossthe country and around the worldmakes it clear that St. Louis shouldnot be doing business with it,”Kathleen Logan Smith, executivedirector of the Missouri Coalitionfor the Environment, said in a letterto board members.

Veolia has come up against sev-eral lawsuits, almost all ending insettlements where the companyclaims no wrongdoing.

In November 2012, VeoliaEnvironmental Services and its sub-sidiaries agreed to pay $15 millionin a class-action lawsuit for over-charging its customers in multiplestates over a period of nearly 10years.

The nonprofit San FranciscoBaykeeper sued Veolia twice, in twodifferent California cities, forallegedly releasing millions of gal-lons of partially-treated wastewaterinto San Francisco Bay.

In 2004, the city of Angleton,Texas, terminated its wastewatertreatment and street cleaning con-tract with Veolia, claiming that thecompany failed to provide sufficientstaff and overcharged the city formaintenance and administrativework.

“St. Louis tax dollars and waterpayments should not go toward sup-porting environmental destruction,unfair labor practices, corruptionand human rights abuses,” the St.Louis Palestine SolidarityCommittee said in a statement.

Ron O’Neal of St. Louis walks the route towards Powell SymphonyHall during the 43rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. march indowntown on Monday morning.

Celebrating peace

B1BUSINESS

MAY 9 – 15, 2013

BUSINESSBRIEFSSBA Deputy Administratorvisits St. Louis

Marie C. Johns, DeputyAdministrator of the U.S. SmallBusiness Administration, visitedSt. Louis on Monday to helpkick-off Eastern Missouri SmallBusiness Week and to deliverremarks at the Association forEnterprise Opportunity annualNational Conference. She high-lighted SBA’s microloan andlending resources for entrepre-neurs in underserved communi-ties at the conference.

Stylists, science teachers meet in St. Louis in May

Some 6,000 stylists gathered in St. Louis for theState Beauty Supply Show, May 5-6, at theAmerica’s Center convention complex. The NationalScience Teachers Association Stem Forum and Expowill take place in St. Louis, May 15-18, at America’sCenter. Other groups meeting in St. Louis in Mayinclude Junior Chamber International JCIConference of the Americas, United States LactationConsultant Association National Conference, and theFraternity Communications Association AnnualConference.

Nominations being accepted for Nurse of the Year

The Missouri Chapter of March of Dimes ispreparing to honor nurses who exemplify an extraor-dinary level of patient care, compassion and cus-tomer service. It will accept nominations for Nurseof the Year from May 6 to June 30. Exceptionalnurses employed in Missouri and the Illinois coun-ties of Jersey, Madison, St. Clair, Clinton, Monroeand Randolph are eligible. Nomination forms andmore information are available atmarchofdimes.com/missouri or contact Ann Fisher-Jackson at 314-513-9962 or jfisher-jackson@mar-chofdimes.com.

Securities Division issues an investor advisory

Secretary of State Jason Kander’s SecuritiesDivision has issued an investor advisory providingbasic information on the types of financial servicesprofessionals and their obligations to investors. “Itpays to understand the differences between a broker-dealer agent, an investment adviser representative,and a financial planner,” Kander said. For moreinformation or to request a copy of the advisory,contact the Securities Division at 800-721-7996.

PEOPLE ONTHE MOVE

Dr. Susan Colbert-Threats wasnamed to the Best Doctors inAmerica List for 2013 by herpeers and colleagues.Approximately 5 percent of doc-tors practicing in the UnitedStates are selected as a BestDoctor. Her practice is atRichmond Heights InternalMedicine in Richmond Heightswith the independent physiciangroup Esse Health. A native ofnorth St. Louis, she is a Fellowin the American College ofPhysicians.

Steven Hill has been elected tothe Board of Directors of UnitedWay of Greater St. Louis. Hill isthe area mid-market sales manag-er for Microsoft Corporation forthe North Central Small,Medium, Solutions and Partnersbased in St. Louis. He recentlywas appointed the DiversityChampion for the Midwestregion and has been recognizedby the Black Data ProcessorAssociation and the NationalSociety of Hispanic MBA.

Tara Leigh Buckner has beenelected president-elect of theNational Alumnae Association ofSpelman College. Previously,Buckner was the NationalAssistant Recording Secretaryfor the association, having alsoserved as the Saint LouisChapter Recording Secretary andPresident of the Twin CitiesChapter. She is the formerExecutive Director of the GreaterSaint Louis RegionalEmpowerment Zone.

Dr. SusanColbert-Threats

‘Understanding consequences and rewards’

By Robert JoinerOf The Beacon

When Edward Spann first heard about theMen on Deck tour, he had no idea it wouldmean beginning his day at a jail and endingit with an undertaker. These were among theextreme destinations that he and other youngmen journeyed to discuss the consequencesof making good or bad choices in life.

In addition to visiting a funeral home anda jail on a recent Thursday, the men visitedthe Better Family Life Cultural Center,

People’s HealthCenters, St. LouisCommunityCollege, the NewLife EvangelisticCenter and theFather’s SupportCenter.

“I realize fromthis tour how deci-sions I make rightnow can make adifference for medown the road,”says Spann, 22. Hesays the cautionary

tales he heard will make him work harder inhis studies in computer technology atVatterott.

Another participant, Rashad Gladney, 21,says, “Right now I’m in school to be a bar-ber. But from what I’ve learned, I’m deter-mined to use that to think about owning myown shop.”

Better Family Life runs the Men on Decktour as part of a grant under the federalWorkforce Investment Act. One of the pro-gram’s placement and retention specialists,Maukiesch Howard, says the tour amountedto “a reality check, pointing out the conse-quences of choices these young men make.”

Cecilia Ray, a program life coach, saysthose in the program often face challengeslike being foster children, runaways orhomeless. Many, she says, are schooldropouts.

Norman Miller, another placement andretention specialist, hopes the tour will makeyoung men “think through decisions andmake better choices to change their lives in apositive way.” The idea, he says, is to offerthem “an empirical understanding of the

consequences and rewards of their choices.”

‘Not where you want to be’

At the tour’s first stop, the Pine Lawn jail,officers spoke to the young men about how tobehave during a traffic stop, among other

things. Police Chief Rickey Collins con-cedes that some police officers do makemistakes, and he encouraged citizens to usetheir cell phones to record incidents and filecomplaints when they believe that they have

WorkforceInvestment Act

funds program toreach troubled

young men

See ACT, B6

By Charlene CrowellCenter for Responsible Lending

A broad coalition of state andnational organizations is push-ing to preserve a key federalprogram that has helped morethan 1.1 million troubled home-owners and reduced mortgagepayments by a median savingsof $546 each month. The HomeAffordable ModificationProgram (HAMP), created inresponse to the nation’s housingcrisis, is set to close shop onDecember 31. In its remainingmonths, housing and consumeradvocates are urging the U.S. TreasuryDepartment to reconsider.

A March 26 letter to Jacob J. Lew,U.S. Treasury Secretary, was co-signedby 14 national organizations such as theLeadership Conference on Civil andHuman Rights, National Fair HousingAlliance, National Urban League and

the Center for Responsible Lending(CRL). Additionally, another 22 state

and local groups including theCalifornia ReinvestmentCoalition, Mississippi Centerfor Justice and New York’sEmpire Justice Center joinedwith their national colleagues tofight for more foreclosure assis-tance.

The letter states, “Researchhas shown that foreclosure anddelinquency rates have dispro-portionately impacted African-American and Latino families,and median household wealthhas dramatically declined. . .

High foreclosure rates in communitiesof color have also impacted those home-owners neighboring foreclosed proper-ties, and estimates show that these prop-erties stand to lose $1 trillion in homeequity as a result.”

Push to preserveforeclosure assistance

By Caroline PufaltSierra Club, Missouri Chapter

Water is serious business, and the citizensof St Louis are rightly concerned about arecent plan to change the operation of city

water through a pro-posed contract withVeolia, Inc. Veolia isa private, multina-tional company whichprofits from manage-ment of municipalwater systems.Concerned citizensfear the proposedcontract with Veoliawould disadvantagethe city.

In a recent editori-al, Veolia spokesperson David Gadis tried tocounter those concerns by claiming the propos-al is a public-private partnership through whichthe city would still own water infrastructure.That is true, as far as it goes.

Water isseriousbusiness

See WATER, B6

Home Affordable Modification Program set to expire by year’s end

See CROWELL, B2

Steven Hill

Tara LeighBuckner

BUSINESS OPINION

CharleneCrowell

Marie C.Johns

Jeffrey Irons with Employment Connections talks to young men at the Father’sSupport Center last week during the Men on Deck Tour sponsored by BetterFamily Life. This youth program, funded by the Workforce Investment Act, triesto guide troubled young men to think through possible life-changing decisions.

� “You have thepower and abilityto transform yourlives in the waythat nobodycould imagine.”

– Malik Ahmed,Better Family Life Inc.

Photo by Wiley Price

� Keeping allaspects of pubicwater public ispart of bestpractices tokeep city waterclean andaffordable.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • MAY 9 – 15, 2013B6

WATERContinued from B1

Alarming questions wereraised when a draft Veolia con-tract with St Louis was anony-mously leaked to the media inJanuary. That draft or templatecontract gave Veolia rights tointellectual property and toresults from the consultingcontract, which could alsolimit citizen access through theSunshine Law. It would also

have virtually forced the cityto move from consulting to alonger, costly implementationcontract with Veolia.

In March, a news itemposted on Mayor Francis G.Slay’s website acknowledgedconfusion over the contractand stated a desire to clarify“what it is and what it isnot.” That’s good, too, as faras it goes.

But there has been little orno public or written confir-mation of parameters for theVeolia contract with the city.

A spokesperson for the mayorrecently told our group thatthe contract will not limitaccess to information and itwill not tie consultation withimplementation. Thespokesperson also stated thatthe choice of Veolia as a con-sultant was separate fromapproval of the details of thecontract.

We think citizens deservea transparent look at both.

Water is too important forits citizens not to be fullyinformed. St. Louis city faces

real problems with an agingwater infrastructure, leakingpipes, lack of efficiency andcostly treatment materials. Inaddition the city’s populationbase has changed, and manycitizens have limited income.

We face some toughchoices ahead, but we are notwithout options. Water isincreasingly recognized as avalued resource, and tech-nologies for treatment anddelivery are increasing andimproving.

Our organization, the

Sierra Club, opposes thechoice of Veolia due to itsquestionable environmentalrecord and concerns about theaffordability and fairness ofthe services that might resultif it manages city water. Wealso question whether the cityeven needs one far-reachingconsulting contract to addressall issues in water delivery.

The Water Division shouldseek to build as much expert-ise in-house as possible with-out falling dependent to out-side consultants. Those con-

sultants will naturally alsomake a profit on their services.Keeping all aspects of pubicwater public is part of bestpractices to keep city waterclean and affordable.

It’s time for definitive andcomplete information from theMayor’s office as to why theysupport Veolia and exactlywhat would be the details ofthe contract.

Caroline Pufalt is conserva-tion chair for Sierra Club,Missouri Chapter.

been mistreated.The chief then led them to

the jail, a drab room contain-ing five gray cells, each aboutthe size of a small closet andall lacking a toilet.

“This is not where you wantto be,” he tells the men. “ButI’m showing you where youare going to end up if you arewith the wrong guys.”

The next stop was theBetter Family Life CulturalCenter. Better Family Life Inc.started in 1983. It later bought

the vacant EmersonElementary School andreceived a loan and grants toturn it into a cultural, educa-tional and business center. Thenonprofit’s founder and CEO,Malik Ahmed, told the youngmen they can gain inspirationfrom the company’s rise.

“You have the power andability to transform your livesin the way that nobody couldimagine,” he told the men.

“We will teach you what ittakes to become entrepreneurs,create your own jobs. It’sabout moving us forward as acommunity, protecting thiscommunity and watching itgrow.”

Deborah Ahmed, the cen-ter’s senior vice president ofcultural programs, says shehopes the tour inspires the mento embrace their cultural roots.“We firmly believe that whenyou have knowledge of self,you have the foundation onwhich to stand and to grow. Ifyou don’t have that, you leaveyourself open and vulnerablefor others to imprint who theysay you are.”

After People’s HealthCenters, where the young menwere urged to take better careof themselves through routinecheckups and screenings, thenext stop was the AfricanAmerican Male Initiative at St.

ACTContinued from B1

Louis Community College atForest Park. Jason Parker,campus coordinator of theinitiative, told them that col-lege is a challenge for somemale students. “A lot of timethey lack a support system,”he said. The initiative offersintense tutoring, older studentmentors and an academicalert system to track the stu-dent.

Following stops at NewLife Evangelistic Center andthe Father’s Support Center,the tour bus headed for theRonald Jones FuneralChapels. Jones talked aboutwhat causes so many youngpeople to end up under his

care.“They’re victims, really,”

he says, citing an example ofone young man who got intoa vehicle with two strangersbecause he wanted to go for aride. What he didn’t know,Jones says, was that an AK-47 was on the floor betweenthe feet of one of the menand that they were on theirway to a drive-by shooting.The shooter ended up killingthe wrong person, in additionto shooting several other peo-ple, Jones says. The youngman who got in the car for ajoy ride was the only onewho was caught.

“He kept insisting he had

done nothing wrong, not real-izing that he was culpablebecause he was in the car,”Jones said. “They don’t under-stand that decisions that theymake have a profound effecton their future.”

Jones says he reaches out toyoung men like those on thetour because “somebody sawsomething in me that I didn’tsee in myself. I used to thinkthat people were meddling, butthey turned out to be peoplewho cared. If I can help justone, it can make a difference.”

Edited for length andreprinted with permission fromstlbeacon.org.

By Legal Services ofEastern Missouri

The recent Hazelwood tor-nado left many tenants home-less and with questions aboutthe status of their securitydeposits. Some tenants couldnot find a copy of their leasesin their now condemnedhomes, while others had theirlease but spoke with a landlordwho told them not to expectthe return of a deposit.

There are also special cir-cumstances tenants should beaware of

with regard to their leases

and security deposits after los-ing their home in

a natural disaster. LegalServices of Eastern Missourisuggests the following advice.

Remove everything fromyour dwelling unit when youvacate. Clean the dwelling.Take photographs to documentits condition. Keep your photo-graphs in a safe place in caseyou need evidence to challengeany damage claims.

Schedule an appointmentwith your landlord to deliverthe keys and possession of thedwelling. During the appoint-ment, conduct a walk-through

inspection withyour landlordto review thecondition ofthe dwellingand to discussany charges ordeductions thelandlord mightadd to yourfinal balance.

Your landlord does not haveto return your security depositbefore you move; your land-lord has 30 days from the dayyou move out to either returnyour deposit or give you anitemized statement of any

amounts with-held by yourlandlord.

Your land-lord can applyyour securitydeposit tounpaid rentand/or dam-ages.

Legal dam-age charges are only for dam-ages caused by you that arebeyond normal wear and tear.

You should make a writtendemand for the return of thesecurity deposit, and keep aphotocopy of your demand let-

ter as proof that you request-ed your landlord return thesecurity deposit. In yourdemand letter, provide yourlandlord with an address tosend you the security deposit.You are not obligated to giveyour landlord your new homeaddress. Use a P.O. Boxaddress or other addresswhere you do not live orwork.

If the landlord refuses torefund your deposit or to giveyou an itemized statement ofamounts withheld, you mayfile a Small Claims Courtlawsuit against your landlord

for up to two times the amountof the security deposit with-held.

If your landlord believesyou owe any money, yourlandlord may file a counter-claim against you in your secu-rity deposit lawsuit.

Under the Missouri law, alandlord cannot legally chargeyou more than two times themonthly rent for a securitydeposit.

Make sure you obtain areceipt or any other type ofproof of your security depositpayment to your landlord.

Renter’s rights on security deposits� You should make awritten demand forthe return of thesecurity deposit, andkeep a photocopy ofyour demand letter.

COMPLIMENTARYCAC AuditedOCTOBER 24 – 30, 2013

Royal FlameSTL gospel rapper debuts at #3 on iTunes with seventh record

Page C1

stlamerican.comVol. 84 No. 30

See VEOLIA, A7

Training servants of the underserved

By Sandra JordanOf The St. Louis American

Training medical students to focus on underserved commu-nities is a career quest of Michael V. Drake, M.D., the chan-cellor of the University of California, Irvine, distinguishedophthalmologist and leader in workforce diversity.

Last week, Drake delivered the 2013 Homer G. Phillips

Lecture at the Washington University School of Medicine(WUSM). He spoke on the topic, “Improving Public Healththrough Academic Medicine-Community Partnerships.”

Will Ross, M.D., associate dean for Diversity for WUSM,welcomed an audience that included health professionals,patients and friends of Homer G. Phillips Hospital, the pre-

See DRAKE, A6

Dr. Michael V. Drake delivers 2013 WUSM Homer G. Phillips Lecture

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

Mayor Francis G. Slay’s administration hascaused an uproar among city aldermen and envi-ronmental activists, by claiming that the boardapproved a $250,000 consulting contract for con-troversial Veolia Water North America when itpassed the city budget in May.

Several aldermen on the Ways and Meanscommittee called this claim of Slay’s “insane”and “sneaky” at a public hearing on Tuesday.

The contract has been criticized by aldermanicPresident Lewis Reed and the St. Louis Dump

WaterfightAldermen opposemayor’s view thatVeolia contractwas approved

See LANDFILL, A6

By Bridjes O’NeilOf The St. Louis American

The Missouri Coalition for the Environmentheld a community meeting last Thursday alertingresidents to what organizers described as a“shocking discovery” at the West Lake LandfillSuperfund Site in Bridgeton.

Researching documents on the landfill, inde-pendent researcher Debi Disser discovered thatthe current fire smoldering underground near thelandfill, which contains radioactive waste fromthe Manhattan Project, is not the first fire there. A

Documents soughton radioactivelandfill fireFire at Superfund site inBridgeton is not the first,researcher discovers

See COGIC, A6

By Bridjes O’NeilOf The St. Louis American

Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. said he is over-joyed to return to St. Louis once again for the Church ofGod in Christ’s 106th Holy Convocation, to be heldNovember 4-12 at the America’s Center.

“St. Louis has been so hospitable,” Blake said. “Thepeople have been so kind. The leaders of the city havebeen so accommodating and receptive to us.”

He described Convocation – held in St. Louis since

2010 – as an “in-gather-ing of the saints.” Morethan 40,000 faithful areexpected to attend thisyear.

“They come togetherfor biblical instruction,for inspiration, for wor-

ship, to share with one another and to support theChurch of God in Christ itself,” Blake said.

COGIC returns to STL106th Holy Convocation to be held here Nov. 4-12

Presiding BishopCharles E. Blake Sr.

The life and legacy of gospel legend Mother Geneva Gentry were celebrated at a musical service in her honor held Friday atSouthern Missionary Baptist Church, 5630 Page. The National Convention of Gospel Choirs honored her in song during theservice. She passed recently at the age of 101.

Song for Mother GentryPhoto by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

Last weekMichael V. Drake,

M.D., the chancellor of

the University of California,

Irvine,distinguished

ophthalmologistand leader

in workforcediversity,

delivered the2013 Homer G.

Phillips Lectureat the

WashingtonUniversitySchool ofMedicine.

Photo by Maurice Meredith

� “St. Louis hasbeen so hospitable.”

– Presiding BishopCharles E. Blake Sr.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 24 – 30, 2013 A7

VEOLIAContinued from A1

Veolia Coalition, among others. Opponents say Veolia Water, a

French firm and the largest privatewater services provider in the world,operates under questionable environ-mental standards.

“In certain cities, they have beencalled out for pumping raw sewageback into the water system,” Reedsaid. “They have been thrown out ofcities all across the United States.With other competent, qualified ven-dors readily available, why not choosesomeone else?”

Alderman Terry Kennedy, chair ofthe committee, said he decided to holdpublic hearings to investigate a legalopinion that the Slay administrationrecently sent toComptroller DarleneGreen.

In an Oct. 4 letter toGreen, City CounselorPatricia Hageman, who isappointed by the mayor,said Green must sign thecontract out of “ministeri-al duty.”

Green has not signedthe contract. Kennedy hasasked Green to wait untilafter the aldermanic com-mittee has held its investigative hear-ings.

Several times earlier this year,Slay encouraged members of theBoard of Estimate and Apportionment– the city’s chief fiscal body thatincludes Slay, Green and Reed – toapprove the contract, but failed togain their support.

However, Hageman said the Boardof Aldermen approved the Veolia con-tract when it approved the city budget.She said the Board of E&A gave itsrecommended 2014 fiscal budget tothe Board of Aldermen, which “con-tained, among other things, appropria-tions for the water department.” Theboard approved those recommenda-tions, and that was enough to moveforward with the contract, Hagemanargued.

At the hearing on Tuesday, alder-men said that’s not how things work.

“The typical process is for thesethings to go back before E&A,”Kennedy said.

When the board approves a “gener-al category of expenditures,” Kennedysaid, that doesn’t mean the board

members are approving a specificcontract, as Hageman stated in the let-ter.

“That’s ridiculous,” Kennedy said.“And that’s what they are trying tohang their hats on – that by appropri-ating this general fund, we were alsoagreeing to this contract. That’s whywe had this hearing. We had no inten-tions of that.”

Kennedy said all the committeemembers were surprised to hearSlay’s argument, as delivered byHageman.

Alderman Craig Schmidt said hedidn’t know whether to call it a “com-edy or a tragedy.”

Alderwoman Dionne Flowers said,“We were told that the Board ofAldermen had nothing to do with thecontracts. Contracts such as this aremade and decided upon by the Boardof E&A.”

Several aldermen saidthat if Slay pushes forwardwith this argument andtries to legally force thecomptroller to sign thecontract, then he will havebroken both the aldermen’sand the public’s trust.

Alderman Scott Ogilviesaid if the alderman startacting under the city coun-selor’s legal assumptions,then it will have “uninten-tional consequences” in

how they review next year’s budget.They could potentially cut depart-ments’ professional services out offear that they would be passing a con-tract unintentionally, he said.

Kennedy agreed.“If that is the case, then we would

have to require every department toline item each and every budget item,which means there’s no way a budgetcould get passed within the time peri-od that’s set out in the charter,”Kennedy said. “It would halt city gov-ernment a great deal. I disagree withthe city counselor’s interpretation.”

Kennedy said the aldermen mayintroduce a board bill next week thatwould take away the funds appropriat-ed for the Veolia contract. CityCounselor Michael Garvin testifiedthat such a board bill would halt thecontract because there would be nofunds appropriated for it.

In an interview, Kennedy said hewanted the public to know, “It’s notover.”

For analysis, see Political EYE.

� “The typicalprocess is forthese things togo back beforeE&A.”

– AldermanTerry Kennedy

RasheenAldridge,a young

St. Louisactivist,

protestedthe low

minimumwage and

the mayor’saggressive

push for a water

divisionconsultant

on Tuesdayat an

aldermaniccommittee

hearing.

Photo by Wiley Price

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 24 - 30, 2013A8

In a public hearing on Tuesday, the Board of Aldermen’s Ways and Means Committee picked apart all the reasons why City Counselor Patricia Hageman, an appointee of Mayor Francis G. Slay, believes the board has approved the Veolia Water contract to consult on the city’s water division.

First, she claimed, a five-member selection committee chose Veolia as their top choice for the consulting contract. Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed disputed this as a concrete reason because the committee’s choice was just a recommendation. The Board of Estimate & Apportionment is the final decider, Reed said. However, Hageman said that each member of the Board of E&A (that is, Slay, Reed and Comptroller Darlene Green) knew that Veolia was selected before they approved their recommendations for the water division’s appropriations. Therefore, she said, they didn’t need to vote on the contract.

Second, as part of the budget process, she said, departments can submit “BD8” forms to support their budget requests. Hageman argued that the water division submitted this form, requesting “a $250,000 appropriation for an outside contractor for operations assistance.”

This would have been the only “written” notice about a $250,000 appropriation given to the Board of Alderman before they cast their votes on the city budget. However, that form was never actually submitted to Budget Director Paul Payne

(more on this in a minute).Third, Hageman said Public

Utilities Director Curt Skouby “expressly testified” before the Ways and Means Committee that the water division’s request for funds included the Veolia contract.

On Tuesday, the committee publicly reviewed the tapes from his May 29 testimony. In fact, Skouby never spoke about the Veolia contract on his own accord. A few times, when pressured by aldermen, he said the contract could go to a vendor “like Veolia.”

Dierker on Dierker

Hageman chose an interesting court case to support her legal opinion – City of St. Louis vs. Virvus Jones (1990). First of all, Virvus Jones, then comptroller, lost the case. It was, in fact, this case that made all professional service contracts go before the Board of E&A, based on the ruling by Judge Robert H. Dierker Jr.

City Counselor Michael Garvin testified at the hearing on Tuesday, saying that the comptroller could be forced by a judge to sign the contract, if the judge agreed with Hageman’s legal opinion. However, he said, Slay didn’t want that to happen.

The EYE can see why. Judge Dierker, who ruled in the 1990 Jones case, would likely be the same judge to decide this case. However hard Hageman might bluff in her slightly bullying letter to Green, if Dierker rules based on the case law he himself adjudicated, as surely

he would, it’s not likely he would side with Slay.

In City of St. Louis v. Jones, Hageman argued, “the court indicated that approval of an appropriation is sufficient to constitute approval of a particular contract,” if there is a “recorded recognition” stating that the public funds would go towards a specific contract. Hageman said she has such a recording from when Skouby testified before the Ways and Means committee (which, as the replay of Skouby’s testimony proved, is itself doubtful).

However, Reed said that within that same case law, there is a paragraph that points to exactly why the Veolia contract would have to go through E&A – and that’s because it was not written into the budget.

“What the city counselor would like us to believe is that it’s okay for things not to go before the Board of E&A, if there is a line item in there that says ‘professional services,’” Reed said “If that were true,

there are tons of contracts from the airport commission and everything else that we would never have to issue an RFP for. The other problem with that is we have an open documents law we have to abide by. How would the public really understand what their money has been spent on?”

Rex factor

Controversy over Veolia Water is not new to St. Louis. In September 2010, Veolia toured the city’s water division facilities – only three months after Rex Sinquefield’s Show-Me Institute released a May 2010 report urging the city to privatize its water utility.

Sinquefield is the single largest contributor to Slay’s massive mayoral campaign warchest. However, at the time the mayor said it was nothing more than a visit. Slay has said he has no plans to push for selling the city’s water services to a private company.

Then in November 2012, a committee selected Veolia out of several proposals for the $250,000 contract. Though the contract is just to consult for the city, opponents – including the Missouri Coalition for the Environment – said this contract is just a step towards an end goal of selling the city’s water services to Veolia.

“On its face, it’s not a good deal for the city,” Reed said. “Do we need to make upgrades? Absolutely. But we have to be careful at the same time we are not getting ourselves in a situation where we are upcharging the residents for the services the system can pay for within itself.”

Roth-mongering

Eddie Roth, Slay’s new director of operations (and former Post-Dispatch editorial writer), gave an adamantly pro-Veolia presentation when he testified before the Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday.

His voice was shaking – with either passion for his boss’ pet company or fear from the amount of opposition he faced in the room. Perhaps the trembling sound reflected a man trying desperately to right his own blunder.

Here’s how Roth messed up. The only written piece of evidence that Hageman points to in her legal opinion is a budget form that the water division submitted to Roth, but not to Payne, the budget director. Roth said he told all departments to submit the form to Payne directly, but Skouby did not follow that instruction. Apparently, neither Hageman nor Roth knew this when she wrote her legal opinion, so it looked like someone was lying.

For someone who was trying to make good and win over opponents, Roth’s presentation was less than graceful. He started off by insulting the 100 or so people behind him in the audience, saying the “small group of dissenters” were “fear-mongering” and “destructive.”

Then he tried his own hand at fear-mongering by saying that without the Veolia contract, water bills would go up and “people are going to be hurt.”

Most of his comments evoked moans and grunts throughout the room, not just from the audience. But his show-stopping performance came after Alderman Antonio French’s comment to Roth.

French said, “It seems, for a practical matter, if you are going to start playing these games, where we have to get clear on the record of every dollar being spent, that’s a slippery slope to go down. We operate best if there is some degree of trust. I think this is sneaky.”

The audience broke out in applause.

Roth replied, “I can’t recall a time when people have said there is an element of sneakiness or distrust, and that is not Mayor Slay’s way at all.”

Roth’s declaration that Slay is a trustworthy straight-shooter was met by laughter and snickers.

Aldermen shred Team Slay

Aldermen Jennifer Florida (left) and Frank Williamson (right) follow the Board of Aldermen’s Ways and Means Committee public hearing led on Tuesday by committee chair Alderman Terry Kennedy. Photo by Wiley Price

COMPLIMENTARYCAC AuditedOCT. 31 – NOV. 6, 2013

State playoffs get underwayA schedule for this week’s postseason action

Page B3

stlamerican.comVol. 84 No. 31

Pastor and captain

See LUSTER, A7

See SLAY, A6

By Sylvester Brown Jr.For The St. Louis American

For the past two years, I have urged the SweetPotato Project youth to see themselves as “urbanpioneers.” I tell them they will lead a food-basedeconomic movement in long-neglected, impover-ished neighborhoods.

Today, they are planting sweet potatoes onvacant lots. The yield is used for the sweet potatocookies they will sell in a couple weeks. I ask themto imagine whole blocks where food is grown in

‘Agricultural renaissance in the city’Sweet Potato Project bringsnational movement to STL with help of SLU

By Bridjes O’NeilOf The St. Louis American

Wayne Luster is a captain in the St. Louis FireDepartment today because he was a pastor first.

Some 25 years ago, Luster was an associate pas-tor at New Jerusalem Cathedral Church of God inChrist (COGIC), where he noticed a recruitmentflier for firefighters on a bulletin board.

It had been posted by Wendell H. Goins, a mem-ber of New Jerusalem Cathedral and a foundingmember of the Firefighters Institute for RacialEquality (F.I.R.E.), a fraternal organization forAfrican-American firefighters.

“Wendell Goins is the one who brought me on,”

Wayne Luster serves ‘spiritual and natural’ needs

See PROJECT, A6See LAW, A6

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

After almost a year of protests against a$250,000 consulting contract with Veolia WaterNorth America, the controversial company hasdecided not to do business with the City of St.Louis, according to Mayor Francis G. Slay’s repre-sentative who spoke at an aldermanic committeemeeting on Tuesday morning.

Slay’s office spoke with the Metropolitan SewerDistrict (MSD) on Monday about taking on therole that Veolia would have played – improving thefunctions and efficiency of the water department –said Mary Ellen Ponder, the mayor’s special assis-tant.

However, Slay’s announcement did not stop the

Slay loseswaterfightVeolia is out, MSDwill consult on citywater division

Wayne Luster isfounding pastor atVictory OutreachMinistries Churchand a captain inthe St. Louis FireDepartment.

Photo by Wiley Price

By Chris KingOf The St. Louis American

Last week the Washington UniversitySchool of Law hosted a celebration of the65th anniversary of the Shelley v. Kraemerdecision, where the U.S. Supreme Court

unanimously ruled that housing covenantsrestricting home ownership based on raceviolate the 14th Amendment.

The event, held in the law school’s mootcourtroom, was also a celebration of African-American legal community.

Kimberly Norwood, professor of law andof African and African-American Studies at

Washington University, was the first in aseries of powerful speakers. She rememberedvisiting with Margaret Bush Wilson, leadattorney for the Shelleys in the landmark 1948case, not long before the legal legend passedin 2009.

Celebration of legal communityWUSTL School of Law hosts event in honor of Margaret Bush Wilson

Sweet Potato Project students Keith Young,Darryeon Bishop and Marquitta Williamsprepare a batch of sweet potato cookiesunder the supervision of Chef BryanRogers, a sous chef at Saint LouisUniversity’s Salus Center.

Photo by Wiley Price

Journi Williams, 7, and her cousin Anayiah Neely, 8, work their magic on pumpkins Saturday at the Moonrise Hotel in theUniversity City Loop. The annual Pumpkin Carve & Glow event is the fall kick off in the Loop.

Pumpkin magic

F.I.R.E. IN THE PULPIT

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCT. 31 – NOV. 6, 2013A6

PROJECTContinued from A1

SLAYContinued from A1

LAWContinued from A1

“Her father was a real estatebroker who sold the Shelleystheir home in 1945,” Norwoodsaid of Wilson.

The home with the restric-tive deed covenant that theShelley family purchased waslocated in theLewis Placeneighborhood, justnorth of theCentral West Endin St. Louis.

Wilson hadgraduated fromthe LincolnUniversity Schoolof Law in 1943,so as a beginninglawyer sheobserved seasoned civil rightslawyers begin to prepare theShelleys’ case.

“She told me that exposureto those lawyers cast the moldof the kind of lawyer she want-ed to be,” Norwood said ofWilson.

Next to take the podiumwas John G. Baugh, professorof African and African-American Studies at

Washington University and thefirst person to hold a newendowed chair in Arts &Sciences named for Wilson.He told another tale of thelocal African-American legalcommunity involving, of allpeople, future U.S. SupremeCourt Justice ClarenceThomas.

At the time, in 1974,Thomas was himself a green

attorney freshlygraduated from lawschool at YaleUniversity, strug-gling to find a job.U.S. Senator JackDanforth, whograduated fromYale with divinityand law degrees,suggested thatThomas move toSt. Louis and take

the Missouri bar exam. “They happened to be din-

ner mates about this time, andthe senator asked MargaretBush Wilson where ClarenceThomas might live in St.Louis,” Baugh retold the storyWilson had told him. “And shesaid, ‘He will live with me.’”

That summer, Thomas livedwith Wilson and her family. “Itwas the first truly intellectual

black family Clarence Thomashad ever seen,” Baugh said.“He watched her husbandRobert do the New York Timescrossword puzzle every day –in ink.”

At the end of his stay,Baugh said, Thomas askedWilson what he owed her.“You owe me nothing,” Baughsaid she responded. “Whenyou find someone else in need,help them.”

The event’s featured speak-er, Theodore M. Shaw, profes-sor of professional practice at

Columbia University School ofLaw, was introduced by RufusJ. Tate Jr., principal of the TateLaw Firm. Tate spoke withawe about Shaw, who was anattorney with the NAACPLegal Defense Fund for 23years, serving (among otherroles) as associate director-counsel (1993-2004) and direc-tor-counsel and president(2004-08).

“This man is always oncases that go before the U.S.Supreme Court,” Tate said ofShaw. “He doesn’t touch any-

thing unless it’s going to theSupreme Court.”

Shaw then took the podiumand proceeded to share withthe sizable audience, com-prised mostly of African-American students, what life islike at the top of the civilrights legal profession. Notsurprisingly, for a field basedon arguing, it is contentious atthe top.

He reminded the audiencethat the NAACP LegalDefense Fund, where heworked, was separated from

North St. Louis, processed andturned into products that canbe used locally and soldregionally or nationally.

I have told them they willbecome entrepreneurs, busi-ness owners and employerswho will run spin-off business-es such as bakeries, grocers ortrucking companies. Is this apipe dream?

Absolutely not, says ChefSteve Jenkins, director of theFood Innovation andEntrepreneurship Programwith Saint Louis University’sDepartment of Nutrition andDietetics.

Recently, the Sweet PotatoProject partnered with SLU toproduce sweet potato cookiesand other products. It is a goodfit, Jenkins contends, consider-ing that Mildred Mattfeldt-Beman, chair of the depart-ment, is a pioneer in theregion’s locally grown foodand product movement.

“She understands the powerof food and the issue of socialjustice within our food sys-tems,” Jenkins said ofMattfeldt-Beman, “and sherecognizes the disparities thatexist within them.”

Working out of SLU’s SalusCenter, Jenkins’ crew providesbreakfast, lunch and snacksmade from locally-grown har-vests to public, private andcharter schools. The depart-ment also trains students in theart of culinary entrepreneur-ship.

A food-based revolution isexploding in America. TheEvergreen Cooperatives inCleveland, Ohio are worker-owned cooperative groupscommitted to local job creationand sustainable workplacesand economic development. Itsspin-off initiatives include theCooperative Laundry, OhioCooperative Solar and theGreen City GrowersCooperative.

Detroit’s Black CommunityFood Security Network is anon-profit, grassroots organi-zation engaged in urban agri-

culture based on a mission toaddress food disparities and“grasp larger control” overfoods systems to build “self-reliance” in urban communi-ties.

The Hattie CarthamCommunity Garden inBrooklyn, N.Y., reclaimsempty or abandoned spaces inthe Bedford-Stuyvesant neigh-borhood, which are used forurban gardens and communityeducational centers. Theagency grows fruits and veg-etables, as well as medicinalherbs for local residents, andoffers entrepreneurship pro-grams.

According to Mike Sorth,executive director of GatewayGreening, St. Louis is uniquelypositioned to join this revolu-tion.

“We were founded on thefur trade, and we grew on agri-culture,” Sorth said of St.Louis. “We’re surrounded byfarms in southern Illinois andthroughout Missouri, but mostof what’s grown are commodi-ty crops (corn, soybeans, etc.).We need more of what’sknown as ‘specialty crops’ –the food we eat daily or buy atgrocery stores every day.”

Gateway Greening supportsmore than 200 community gar-dens and urban greening proj-ects and offers about 75 schooland youth-focused gardens. Italso operates the City SeedsUrban Farm program on a 2.5-acre vegetable farm down-town, where disadvantagedclients are mentored in horti-culture and job training while

learning hands-on vegetableproduction and landscapemaintenance.

Karen Davis, regional horti-culture specialist for LincolnUniversity’s Urban ImpactCenter, believes the possibili-ties for urban agriculture areendless, especially if we utilizethe recently passed House Bill542. Signed into law this year,it allows local municipalities tocreate Urban AgricultureZones (UAZ) within low-income communities. Theseareas are eligible for tax incen-tives for “systematic repurpos-ing of blighted areas” in thestate’s urban core.

Although Kansas City hassigned on, Davis contends thatcity aldermen must beinformed and urged to promotepassage of urban agriculturezoning in St Louis.

“There’s a bunch of usworking to educate the alder-men to get it approved in St.Louis,” Davis said. “If we do,it opens the door to even morepossibilities – tax write-offsfor businesses, farming onvacant land tax abatements,and allocations to start urbanfarming programs in schools.We’re on the cusp of an agri-cultural renaissance in the cityof St. Louis.”

This is the second of a four-part series that explores thepossibilities of economic turn-around in long-neglected areasof St. Louis.

For more information , visitsweetpotatoprojectstl.org orcall 314-341-4071.

� “Weneedmore ofwhat’sknown as‘specialtycrops’ –the food we eat daily or buy at grocerystores every day.”

– Mike Sorth,Gateway Greening

�“We’reon thecusp of an agri-culturalrenais-sance inthe city of St. Louis.”

– Karen Davis,Lincoln University’s Urban Impact Center

Ways and Means Committeemembers from approving aboard bill, 5-2, to officiallyblock the Veolia contract.

This month, Slay angeredboth city aldermen and envi-ronmental activists by claimingthat the board had approvedthe Veolia contract when itpassed the city budget in June.Several aldermen on the Waysand Means committee calledthis claim of Slay’s “insane”and “sneaky.”

To clarify any differingopinions on the legislativeprocess, Alderman TerryKennedy introduced Board Bill216 on Friday to “unappropri-ate” $250,000 from the water

division’s budget. This wouldforce the consulting contract togo before the Board ofEstimate and Apportionment,which has long been the stan-dard process, he said.

Slay’s claim that the Boardof E&A did not have toapprove the Veolia contractcaused a lot of confusion aboutthe budget process, Kennedysaid.

“There is still a larger issuethat we need to look at,”Kennedy said. “Whatever wecan do to legislate and makethat process clear, we shoulddo that. I would never want tosee this committee and thisboard go back through thisagain.”

The Veolia contract hasbeen criticized by aldermanicPresident Lewis Reed and theSt. Louis Dump Veolia

Coalition, among others.Opponents say Veolia Water, aFrench multinational and thelargest private water servicesprovider in the world, operatesunder questionable environ-mental and human-rights stan-dards.

Despite Slay’s statementthat Veolia does not want to dobusiness with St. Louis, Reedand activists remain on guard.Reed said Slay may try toemploy Veolia on a subcon-tract with MSD. He is not tak-ing Slay’s word for it thatVeolia has truly stepped away,he said.

“The Mayor’s Office is justtrying to go around theprocess,” Reed said. “I don’tthink they’ve given up.”

Lance LeComb, spokesper-son for MSD, said MSD cancomplete most of the work in-

house. However, when askedabout concerns that Veoliacould be a MSD subcontractorfor the work, LeComb said hecould not comment. MSDwould use its consultant selec-tion process for any outsidesubcontractor, he said.

At this point, the agreementbetween the city and MSD isstrictly verbal, LeComb said,and more details on costs andresponsibilities will be final-ized in the coming weeks.

In Ponder’s testimony onTuesday, she said several timesthat the Veolia contract was“politicized” over the pastyear. Improvements to thewater division have been heldup by politics for too long, shesaid.

Alderman Antonio Frenchresponded, “You keep sayingthis is politicized. I don’t thinkthe people out here are here fora political reason. This wholeprocess highlights how thisadministration does not get

along well with others.”French said Slay disrespect-

ed the Board of Aldermenwhen he suggested that thealdermen had approved theVeolia contract – without theirknowing it.

“The worse example wasthis letter to ComptrollerDarlene Green, demanding thatshe sign the contract,” Frenchsaid. “That’s not really howyou get along with other offi-cials. I hope the administrationhas learned something.”

In an Oct. 4 letter to Green,City Counselor PatriciaHageman, who is appointed bythe mayor, said Green mustsign the contract out of “minis-terial duty.”

Kathleen Logan Smith,director of environmental poli-cy for the Missouri Coalitionfor the Environment, agreedwith French.

“The Mayor’s Office waspoised to approve a Trojan-horse contract, and it would

have cost the rate payers of theCity of St. Louis an unknownamount of money,” Logansaid.

Logan said she believesMSD is a good choice to com-plete the work because the dis-trict is currently under legalscrutiny. In June 2007, thecoalition, the State of Missouriand the EPA filed a lawsuitagainst MSD – in part, becauseuntreated sewage was flowinginto the Mississippi River. InAugust 2011, the EPAannounced a settlement agree-ment that calls for MSD tospend $4.7 billion over thenext 23 years to eradicate over350 sewer overflows.

Because of the settlement,MSD is being watched veryclosely, she said.

“It was shocking andencouraging that Veolia hasdecided to swim downstream,”Logan said. “It speaks highlyof citizen involvement.”

� “When youfind someoneelse in need,help them.”

– Margaret BushWilson, toClarence Thomas

the NAACP by the IRS in1957. So when Wilson wasserving as president of the St.Louis NAACP and theMissouri NAACP, as well aschair of the national NAACPBoard of Directors, she wasleading organizations that hada shared history with the Fund,but the organizations were dis-tinct and, in fact, often in con-flict. In the 1980s the NAACPeven sued the Fund, unsuc-cessfully, for trademarkinfringement.

“I joined the Fund in theearly ‘80s, when that wasgoing on,” Shaw said. “Therewere titans on either side. Thelawyers from the two organiza-tions had relationships. It wasa complex time. I and othersunderstood who MargaretBush Wilson was and her com-mitment to civil rights, butinstitutions have egos – andegos are realities.”

First among the event’smany co-sponsors was theMound City Bar Association.Mound City President NicoleColbert-Botchway and VicePresident Jared Boyd bothgave brief remarks. Norwoodsaid the event was the “brain-child ” of her soror, Colbert-Botchway.

Kimberly Norwood,professor of law andof African andAfrican-AmericanStudies atWashingtonUniversity, listenedintently as TheodoreM. Shaw, professor ofprofessional practiceat ColumbiaUniversity School ofLaw, spoke on civilrights landmark legislation last weekat WashingtonUniversity School of Law.

Photo by Wiley Price

I’m a bit late to the topic, but the Washington, D.C., professional football team really ought to change its name. As encouragement for the franchise’s stubborn owner,

we should just stop saying the offensive word.

The term “redskins” -- it’s hard to write a column about a word without using it, I’m afraid -- is a racial slur. Fans of the team, myself included, have

pretended not to notice this uncomfortable fact for many years. Now we’re beginning to confront it.

The name fails the most basic tests of acceptability. Can you imagine employing it to address someone? Would you use it to describe anyone not associated with the team? If you overheard someone using the term in a non-football context, would you think more of that person or less?

The answers are obvious. To be honest, they always were.

We ignored the fact that we were uttering a vile and condescending insult – often, during games, yelling it at the top of our lungs – because we loved the team. So we told ourselves that hey, it’s just sports, and maybe everybody should lighten up. But we knew that this was a dodge. No one can seriously argue that sports are somehow insignificant or

tangential to American life. Of the 20 most-watched

broadcasts in U.S. television history, do you know how many were Super Bowls? All of them.

The national movement to get rid of racist team names and mascots is decades old by now. It’s odd, when you think about it, that the practice of naming sports teams after American Indians became so widespread in the first place – Braves, Chiefs, Seminoles, and so on. Apologists say it was a sincere attempt at paying homage to fierceness and bravery. I have my doubts.

George Preston Marshall, the owner who in 1933 changed the team’s name from Braves to Redskins, was a notorious racist. For more than a decade after other pro football teams began putting African-American players on the field, Marshall’s team remained an all-white bastion. Covering a game against the Cleveland Browns, legendary Washington Post columnist Shirley Povich once wrote acidly that the great fullback Jim Brown, “born ineligible to play for the Redskins, integrated their end zone three times.”

So it strains credulity that Marshall intended the new name to be a “badge of honor,” as current team owner Dan Snyder claims. More likely, it was casual racism of the kind that isn’t practiced in polite society anymore.

In May, Snyder told USA Today, “We’ll never change the name. It’s that simple.”

But public opinion is clearly shifting. Earlier this month, Snyder took what he must have intended as a more empathetic approach: an open letter to the team’s fans. It was pretty much an unmitigated disaster.

Snyder’s missive was a convoluted mixture of arrogance, petulance and historical fantasy. He essentially argued that since the name has been used for 80 years, and since he went to his first game when he was 6, and since some Indians apparently don’t consider the name offensive, it stands to reason that ... well, it’s unclear just what those elements were supposed to add up to.

The fact that a slur has been used for many years does not impose a duty to keep using it. Language and attitudes evolve; Snyder’s problem is that discomfort with the team’s name has gone viral. We can all think of words in common usage eight decades ago that would start a fight today.

Snyder’s vision is clouded by nostalgia and an unjustified sense of grievance. Fans of the team should sharpen his focus by simply declining to use the name – and calling the team “Washington” instead. If fans don’t allow the slur to pass their lips, at some point the name shifts on the balance sheet from tradition-steeped asset to embarrassing liability.

Eugene Robinson’s email address is eugenerobinson@washpost.com.

By Kelvin R. AdamsFor The St. Louis American

Close your eyes and think about Vashon High School.

What images come to your mind?

If you have watched television news or listened to radio reports or read newspaper stories for the past 10 years or so, your images of Vashon may not be very positive. Are

you ready to have your eyes opened?

It’s time St. Louis gets to know the real Vashon High School. New Principal Joseph Williams III has re-energized the student body at one of St. Louis’ most challenged high schools with a hands-on, caring approach to learning that may become the model for other urban high schools to follow.

Starting in November, Williams will introduce the Vashon Honors Program for the school’s top 50 freshmen. Membership in the Vashon Honors Program is a privilege and must be earned through academics, attendance and citizenship. In short, the Vashon Honors Program is for highly motivated learners.

Students accepted into the Vashon Honors Program will

take Honors Level courses in English, algebra, American history, biology and American government. These students will be subjected to a rigorous and differentiated curriculum and will learn higher-level thinking skills and problem-solving techniques that will more than prepare them for college and beyond.

Are you starting to see different images of Vashon High School? Keep reading.

One of St. Louis’ most respected companies, Wells Fargo Advisors, has forged a

partnership with the students of Vashon High School to provide tutoring in reading and math, financial literacy and incentive programs to mark progress. Nearly 75 Wells Fargo Advisors employees leave their office each week to work one-on-one with Vashon High School students. They

have seen the real Vashon High School and they look forward to their tutoring sessions each week.

Inside a beautiful, state-of-the-art building, Vashon High School students are truly focusing on academics. Many seniors are earning college credit through a dual-enrollment partnership with St. Louis Community College. Career-minded students are gaining real-world experience in areas such as marketing, computer networking, desktop publishing and fashion through valuable internships.

Despite poverty levels nearing 90 percent, more than six out of every 10 Vashon graduates continue their education at a two-year or four-year college.

At one time, Vashon was one of St. Louis’ most revered high schools, turning out notable graduates such as New York Yankees star Elston Howard, jazz musician Clark Terry and U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters. Today’s Vashon students have that same potential. They just need the rest of St. Louis to see them in that light.

I encourage you to take three minutes and visit www.slps.org/ShowMeVashon to see today’s Vashon students in the proper light.

Kelvin R. Adams, Ph.D., is superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools.

All letters are edited for length and style.Letters to the editor

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 24 - 30, 2013A4

The largest weekly newspaper in Missouri

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Continuously published, without interruption since 1928

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EditorialChris King - Managing Editor

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The St. Louis American 4242 Lindell,St. Louis, MO, 63108.314-533-8000Fax: 314-533-2332www.stlamerican.com

Commentary

Thank the governor

The last few weeks have seen some harrowing moments, not the least of which has been the threat of lost funding for a certain population of Missourians who utilize the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

With one in six Missourians living in hunger, I would like to thank the governor for withdrawing his previous proposal to cut back the federal waiver allowing healthy adults with no children to receive assistance. There are more than 58,000 men and women who will benefit from this decision.

I understand that there are times when a preemptive move is in the best interest of the state. However, I also believe that able-bodied, healthy citizens make a strong state. Reversing this decision and allowing the waiver to stand is, without a doubt, continuing the construction of a solid platform needed to raise needy Missourians back up so they can stand on their own feet.I would also to thank the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus and various community organizations for continuing to stand strong with me on this issue.

State Sen. Jamilah NasheedSt. Louis

Very thankful

We are very thankful that Gov. Nixon has ordered the Department of Social Services to pull back the proposed rule change on SNAP. We invite those who want to send a thank you message to the governor to visit our Hunger Task Force webpage at http://www.masw.org/programs/hunger.php.

Jeanette Mott Oxford, executive directorMissouri Association for Social Welfare St. Louis

Nominations caught up in politics

I believe both Dave Spence and Pastor Freddy J. Clark were excellent candidates for the police board, but their nominations were caught up in politics. I do not believe there was enough thought put into the potential consequences of

this legislation. The result is we have an ordinance on the books that has deterred potential candidates and jeopardized the operations of the police board.

Our staff has worked for weeks to try and remedy the stumbling blocks created when the County Council passed new legislation regarding candidate qualifications; however, as Mr. Spence indicated in his statement, the questions around privacy and the use of this information could not be answered completely and he felt it necessary to withdraw. I understand his concern and I share it.

Finding candidates is not the problem; we have had excellent candidates who have refused to go forward after discussions about the new legislation. I certainly hope that as we move forward the Council will examine their true intent and find a remedy for this situation.

County Executive Charlie A. DooleyVia email

Another devastating loss

I was devastated to receive word today that we have lost yet another young person, James Moore, to the senseless violence that occurs too often in our city. My heart goes out to this young man’s family as they cope with this devastating loss. This is a wakeup call for our community as we deal with the reality of an environment where the lives of young people are at risk even when waiting for a school bus. We must come together to change this culture of violence and create a place where our children can be safe and secure, and where they have the opportunity to grow into successful adults.

State Rep. Joshua PetersSt. Louis

A strong choice

The NAACP has made a strong choice in appointing Lorraine Miller to serve as interim President and CEO. Lorraine has a long history as a dedicated public servant and community advocate, having served as the first African-American clerk of the House of Representatives, an aide to Nancy Pelosi and John Lewis, president of the Washington D.C. chapter of

The new Vashon

ColumnistEugeneRobinson

the NAACP and a member of the NAACP’s National Board of Directors. I was honored to work with Lorraine during her time with the House, and I look forward to partnering with her in this new capacity as we continue the fight for economic, civic, educational and social equality for all.

U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings Washington, D.C.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

An old slur is still a slur

Guest Columnist

Kelvin R. Adams

Editorial / CommEntary

Slay, Nixon take defeat differently

“Whatever else it may be, the Charter of the City of St. Louis is undeniably a masterpiece of diffusion of power.” Thus spake Judge Robert H. Dierker Jr. in his 1990 ruling in the City of St. Louis vs. Virvus Jones, a local landmark decision requiring that all professional service contracts in the city go before the Board of Estimate and Apportionment.

The diffusion of power in the City of St. Louis and the State of Missouri has resulted in new political defeats for the city’s and state’s chief executives, Mayor Francis G. Slay and Governor Jay Nixon. For reasons that are difficult to grasp, given only the known facts, both pushed this month for very unpopular policy changes. Slay pushed – far harder than a mere $250,000 contract would warrant – for a French multinational to be awarded a consultancy with the city’s water division, without this specific contract being approved by the Board of E&A, the city’s chief fiscal body that includes Slay, Comptroller Darlene Green and aldermanic President Lewis Reed. Nixon pushed for the state to make unilateral cuts to its federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that would have deprived 25,000 unemployed people in the St. Louis region alone of food stamps.

Slay was opposed aggressively by environmental activists, Reed and most city aldermen. As a result of this opposition, Slay said, the contractor, Veolia Water North America, stepped away from the table, which we consider to be the mayor’s attempt to save face rather than admit to a political defeat. Nixon was opposed by the Missouri Association for Social Welfare, state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed and this newspaper. Unlike Slay, the governor did not pout or seek to pin the loss on someone else. While the ink was still wet on our editorial last Thursday, Nixon decisively withdrew his proposal to enact cuts to SNAP. We regret his initial misstep and commend the governor for retracting this needlessly hurtful proposal and accepting a political rebuff like the skilled

navigator of diffused political power that he is.Slay and his senior staff have a much more

difficult time gracefully navigating the diffusion of power. Over many years they have shown skill in exploiting weaknesses in the city’s diffuse power structure, such as having their way with critical boards (civil service, public service) that one might expect to be diffuse in their governance but actually are run by compliant mayoral appointees. See, for example, the career of Fire Chief Sherman George or the large mass of Slay campaign contributors who are annually awarded public service contracts.

But when Slay and his senior staffers lose, they turn petulant and insulting. Chief of Staff Jeff Rainford has been the administration’s principal voice of public insult, but he recently shared the microphone with Eddie Roth, Slay’s new operations chief and former editorial writer for the Post-Dispatch. Roth made extremely condescending comments about the city voters who opposed the Veolia contract. He also told his former colleagues at the Post that the city’s pattern of arresting the wrong people for crimes and detaining them indefinitely is not one of the many things he “worries about.” If you or your loved one has been wrongfully arrested in this city, isn’t it good to know that one of the mayor’s most senior appointees isn’t worried about your problems?

Lewis Reed warns that Slay has not conceded defeat on Veolia because – for reasons, again, that remain unclear – Slay has not given up his fight for this unpopular contract. “The Mayor’s Office is just trying to go around the process,” Reed said about Veolia reportedly withdrawing from the deal. “I don’t think they’ve given up.” We have bad news for the mayor. He may not have given up the fight, but he is not the only person or institution that has not given up. And as long as power remains diffuse in our quirky democracy, he is going to have to learn to live with that reality. Ask Jay Nixon for pointers.

n Starting in November, Principal Joseph Williams III will introduce the Vashon Honors Program for the school’s top 50 freshmen.