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BY CAROL ARNETT

Two recent shootings in the city of Florissant were discussed at the recent city council meeting. Mayor Robert Lowery was quick to assure city residents that the shootings were not gang related. He also promised that the city was aggressively pursuing ways to curtail violence, including adding three more police officers.

“We have re-organized the police department, and changed office allocations,” the mayor said. “I told the city attorney not to listen to the methods we will be using,” he said, but then added, “no, we will be constitutional, but we will be very, very aggressive.”

Lowery announced that he would be holding more special meetings to address the issue. The council unanimously approved a bill appropriating funds for the three additional officers.

In other matters, the council discussed the customs and regulations for board appointments. Some council appointments have been held up because the person appointed would be serving on two boards.

“Legally, you can serve on two boards,” City Attorney John Hessel said. “Some cities prohibit serving on two crucial boards.” Hessel noted that the council had discussed the issue approximately a year ago. “From that discussion, you didn’t want to prohibit serving on two boards,” he said. “If you decide you want to, we can draft that legislation.”

Councilman John Grib said he had no ill will to the people being appointed. “I know they’re good people,” he said. He also noted that the council was a different group a year ago when it was decided to let people serve on two boards. “I want to go on record as saying I said this in case it doesn’t work out,” he said.

In other discussion, the council discussed trash enclosures for business’s dumpsters. Councilman Tim Lee, who has been studying the issue in subcommittee with Councilman Keith English, briefed the council on their findings.

“For many years, we had a stipulation in the code that new businesses had to enclose their trash containers,” Lee said. “Recently, we added a provision that existing businesses had two years to enclose their containers.”

Lee said the subcommittee found two issues for the council to discuss. First, the aesthetic value of the enclosures, and second, the code enforcement issues that go along with the enclosures.

Lee said the current code was written as “appropriate screening material.” He asked the council if they wanted to include landscaping as appropriate. Also, the code required screening for containers of 40 gallons or more. Lee asked the council if they wanted to leave it at that size.

The second issue, Lee said, was the enforcement and the deadline for existing businesses to comply.

Council members Karen McKay and Mark Schmidt suggested that the council ask City Building Commissioner John Morgan for input. “I’d like to know how many businesses have already complied,” McKay said.

The council agreed to ask Morgan for his input.
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