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BY CAROL ARNETT

The Florissant City Council Monday night passed a bill approving an agreement with AT&T to provide video services in the city. This allows AT&T to offer television services to city residents.

Charter Cable will also continue to offer television services and had opposed AT&T’s plans to compete for services here and in other county municipalities.

“I stand fully behind this proposal,” Mayor Robert Lowery said. “It is good for residents; it will be good to have competition.” Lowery said after the meeting that residents should “see AT&T’s presence in about 30 days.

Florissant’s fourth ward has a new councilman. Keith English was sworn in at the council meeting this week. English fills the seat vacated when former councilwoman Geri Debo resigned because she moved out of the city.

English thanked Debo for all her help, noting that he has known her since she was his history teacher in high school. English also thanked his parents, and all the people who helped with his campaign. He said they were a dedicated group and they inspired him.

In other council news, the council heard from Brain Hoelscher, Director of Engineering for the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD). He spoke to the council about what is happening in MSD, including the rate increase that is currently proposed.

Mayor Robert Lowery said he was very concerned about the rate increase. “We have a major problem in certain areas of the city along Coldwater Creek,” Lowery said. He said homeowners in that area are paying exorbitant fees for flood insurance. Lowery asked who was responsible, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or MSD. “FEMA blames MSD, and MSD blames FEMA,” he said.

Hoelscher replies that the requirement that homeowners have flood insurance is based on FEMA maps that show if the property is in a flood plain as defined by FEMA. He said the insurance companies set the rates.

“I’m not happy with that process,” Lowery said, “not at all.”

Councilman Tom Schneider asked Hoelscher if MSD was working to come into compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Hoelscher replied that MSD is working with the EPA to come into compliance. He said MSD has reduced the number of overflow drains that drain into creeks from over 500 to 350. “All are illegal as of 1974,” Hoelscher said.

In other matters , the council passed a bill authorizing $1,000 for reconstruction of the walk-up payment windows at the court.

Mayor Lowery announced some new developments in the city’s future at the Florissant City Council meeting this week.

“Maloney Manor has been purchased,” Lowery said. Maloney Manor is on Parker Road near New Florissant Road. A previous developer began a villa development there several years ago, but only a few were built. Lowery said that church and school in front of the property were also purchased by the same developer, who plans to put a senior center at the site.

“We have someone interested in the Parker / New Halls Ferry area for redevelopment,” Lowery said. Lowery said the residents near this area were promised redevelopment several years ago when the area was annexed by the city.

Lowery also announced that the city had reached an agreement to Johnny Londoff Chevrolet to purchase the former convent building on the Our Lady of Fatima site. The city will pay $1,000 for the building and will use it as a business incubator, Lowery said. He said the city would work with the St. Louis County Economic Council on the incubator, and they should be able to work with 20 businesses at a time.
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