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BY CAROL ARNETT

The Florissant City Council voted 5-3 in favor of passing the budget for fiscal year 2007. Council members John Moran, Karen McKay and Ben Hernandez voted against the budget. The city’s fiscal year runs from Dec. 1 through Nov. 30. The council is one person short since the resignation of Gerry Debo last month.

Moran said that his main reason for voting against the budget was the city’s golf course. “I’m concerned about the continuing losses of the golf course,” he said. This year, the golf course was over $200,000 in the red. He said that other municipal golf courses were able to make money or break even. For example, Moran said, other golf courses made money on pro shop and concession sales, but Florissant’s lost money in those areas.

“I have wanted an outside firm to come in and advise us about the course,” Moran said.

McKay agreed with Moran. “Consultants told the city in 1997 that the golf course should break even by 2001,” she said. However, she said, it has continued to lose money. “I am requesting for the record once again this year an outside consultant be hired to review the problems related to the golf course,” she said.

Mayor Robert Lowery responded that no facilities in the parks department make money, but they are there as a service to residents. Regarding the city’s financial state in general, Lowery said, “we are very stable for the future.”

Regarding construction of the nature center at Sunset Park Lowrey said, “It should start in three to four weeks.” The city is also working with Waste Management to collect cellular phones that are no longer in use. It will not only include cellular phones, but also inkjets. They can be dropped off at city hall, the police department, the JFK Center, and the Eagan Center.

“I would like to make mention of the fact that we’ve had another decrease in crime for the year so far,” Lowery said. He said he also wanted people to know that police would be patrolling shopping centers during the holiday season.

In other business, the council held a public hearing regarding a request by Penske Truck Leasing Company to open a truck and motor vehicle rental business at 2370 North Highway 67. This is the former site of Bomar Realty, across Lindbergh from the Target / Value City center.

The proposed business would rent vehicles from vans to 26 foot moving trucks. It would be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 8until 1 noon on Sunday. The owners said they hope to have the business open by Feb. 1, 2007.

“I think this is a great use for that location,” said Hernandez. The business would be in his ward.

In other matters , the council:
•Passed a bill authorizing STL Java and Café, a coffee house and café at 2123 Charbonier road, in the Shops at Koch Park, the center containing the new Shop N Save.
•Passed a bill allowing a Little Caesars Pizza at 340 Howdershell Road, in the Family Video plaza.
•Passed several bills relating to the budget.

The council voted to cancel the second meeting in December. Council meetings are normally held on the second and fourth Mondays of the month, and in December, the fourth Monday is Christmas Day.

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