Politics & Government

Meeting Highlights: Downtown Retail, Math Curriculum and More Discussed at Clayton Candidates Forum

The Mayor's Youth Advisory Council sponsored the event at Clayton High School.

The Mayor's Youth Advisory Council sponsored an election forum Thursday at . Candidates for Ward 3 alderman and the Clayton Board of Education participated.

The election is Tuesday. The following candidates participated in the forum:

This is a look at what happened. More information about Tuesday's election .

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8:33 P.M.: The meeting is wrapping up. Check out the CHS Globe's website, which will include a blog and video from Thursday's event.

8:32 P.M.: Redington said she sees a larger role for the committee. At the elementary schools, there are food-growing opportunities for students. It educates students about healthy choices, she said. The middle school will be getting a new kitchen. "The cafeteria has to be competitive with whatever else is out there," she said, because Clayton has an open campus.

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8:27 P.M.: Last question of the evening: How would you go about improving the nutrition of cafeteria food? Buttar said the district has a nutrition committee in place. The district's vendor has provided services to the schools for eight or nine years, she said. While she was hoping for "big, bold changes"—flash freezers, locally grown foods and so on—other issues including staffing had to be taken into account. The committee came back with incremental changes. "I think they've made great improvements" and there is a long way to go, she said.

Praiss said he sought incremental change. He agreed that there are limitations. He said things such as Pepsi machines have been removed over time, and he commended board member Brad Bernstein for his efforts that resulted in those changes. "We have invested money in special ovens" designed to cook food healthier, particularly at the middle school, Praiss said.

8:26 P.M.: Buttar said she doesn't know whether there has been enough community involvement. But she said district employees have tried to understand the board members' diverse perspectives on the issue.

8:21 P.M.: Next question: How will you move forward with the district's math curriculum? Redington said she will attend a meeting about the curriculum planned Tuesday. She said she is paying attention to the issue and commended the . Praiss said, "I think we are getting close to the end." He said it has taken time for various reasons, including a superintendent search. He said his biggest concern is that the district have a metric for evaluating the changes made to the curriculum. Buttar said the review has been going on for two years. Clayton students go to college as excellent writers but math proficiency at the district is "not necessarily like that," she said.

8:14 P.M.: Next question: How will you proceed with the search for a new superintendent? Praiss said the board has been through this twice. He said the values he will continue to look for are integrity, great listening capabilities and effective communication. "I think the process we had before had a tremendous amount of input from the community," Praiss said. He commended Chief Communications Officer Chris Tennill for his work toward that end. Redington said the district does a good job of being open and involved. Buttar is tearing up as she talks about , with whom she said she has become very close. She said the board will look for people who have worked in high-performing schools. She said best practices are key. "Mary has been able to hear this board and listen to us, truly hear us," she said. She said the district's interim superintendent—Dr. Sharmon Wilkinson, who serves as assistant superintendent for human resources and student services—will serve in that role for one or two years, depending on what the board decides. "We are very fortunate that Sharmon was willing to step in," she said.

8:13 P.M.: Redington said she also supports the voluntary transfer program. She said the issue at the heart of Turner v. Clayton is control. "As long as we maintain control (as a board), that is the most important thing," she said.

8:12 P.M.: First question: How will you respond to Turner v. Clayton, and how do you feel about the voluntary transfer program? Buttar is giving an overview of the legal dispute. The School District of Clayton has hired a lobbyist in consortium with other area schools, Buttar said. "We have to be able to control our population," she said. The district is proud of its student-to-teacher ratios. Praiss echoed Buttar. "We could not accept thousands of students, we don't have the facilities." He said he is optimistic about the prospects but projects it will take another one to two years for the case to work its way through the courts. Praiss said Turner v. Clayton and voluntary transfer are two separate issues. He said he has always supported the voluntary transfer program.

8:03 P.M.: Buttar is introducing herself. She has three children and is describing her past six years on the board. "It's been profoundly changing in how I view my service to the community," she said. Among the changes the district is facing: Its superintendent is departing at the end of this school year. She describes the lawsuit as "very risky," something that keeps her up at night.

8:01 P.M.: Praiss is introducing himself. He is describing the best decisions he's made: getting married and moving to Clayton. Up until the point that he decided to run for the board six years ago, he said, his life had been dedicated to his kids. "It's been a great experience," Praiss said. He said he's looking forward to serving on the board for another three years. None of the board positions were contested.

7:59 P.M.: Redington is introducing herself. She said she has lived in Clayton since 1976, when she was among the first attendees at . "I love everything about Clayton," she said. She said schools are its heart. She describes herself as an avid volunteer in the schools. 

7:56 P.M.: The Board of Education candidates are preparing to take the stage.

7:53 P.M.: Question: How can city and schools continue to work well together? Winings said he would like to continue to be part of that collaborative effort. Garnholz said the two entities do collaborate and that school board members serve on the city's economic advisory committee and on the parks and recreation committee, where they serve as voting members. "For the most part, it is a collaborative effort that works," she said. Maddox-Dallas said that while the groups have run into bumps in the past, they are all invested in the community.

7:52 P.M.: Question: How can Winings serve as a father and alderman without sleighting either obligation? Winings said he put a lot of thought into this issue. He said he has a supportive wife and sees it as an opportunity to teach his children about the government process. He said his children like counting yard signs. "I think we can make it work," Winings said. "I definitely appreciate the time commitment involved, and I'm willing to make that commitment."

7:49 P.M.: Question: Why did Singer support new Wydown Middle School building without asking for major design changes? Singer said the plan took four years to develop, and he said the community approved two bond issues to invest in schools. "It is probably the most carefully constructed building that has ever been built in Clayton," Singer said.

7:48 P.M.: Question: Is it a conflict for Holtzman to work for the county and also serve as a Clayton representative? He said he has checked with the county's attorney and that it is not. He said he would recuse himself from future votes regarding whether to accept Community Development Block Grant funds, which his office administers.

7:45 P.M.: Singer said the city should look at the example of other cities that have been successful, and he also pointed to the issue of parking. Winings said he would like to see more housing downtown, including that for people of various generations. He also said he isn't concerned with Clayton's parking situation. "Everyone wants to have more parking, but parking's not good to look at either, parking does nothing for the streetscape." He said the city doesn't need big parking structures. "I don't think it's right to pin our retail problems on a lack of parking," he said.

7:43 P.M.: Holtzman said the city's downtown master plan called for extra green space on Forsyth Boulevard near site of the old St. Louis County jail. He suggested the county might have the city's police station building and that the city could in turn get that site on Forsyth. A high-rise could be placed on that site that would feature retail. "That can become the city's new civic center," he said.

7:40 P.M.: Next question: Candidates' strategies for addressing retail vacancies. Maddox-Dallas said hiring an economic developer was a first step, and events that attract people downtown such as Clayton Restaurant Week will help. Garnholz said supporting the Chamber would be of benefit. She recommended having more events such as the Saint Louis Art Fair. She said she also supports the

7:38 P.M.: Holtzman said he is encouraging people who are both members of the church and residents of Davis Place to get involved. "The neighbors really think the church isn't being a good neighbor by their actions," he said.

7:36 P.M.: Next question: How to approach the situation at Davis Place with . Singer said the Board of Aldermen has a limited role because religious institutions are exempt from zoning ordinances. Winings said he is hopeful for a positive outcome for the community. He said he wishes the church wasn't tearing down houses but that this is the decision it has made. "Make it as good for the neighborhood as we can," he said.

7:34 P.M.: Maddox-Dallas and Garnholz are touting the hiring of an economic developer in the recent past as an effective means of addressing the economic situation and retail vacancies downtown. Garnholz said having a healthy reserve brings her comfort. "I would not want to draw down the reserve unless we absolutely had to."

7:31 P.M.: Winings said the city should stick with fundamentals, including keeping downtown "clean, safe, family friendly, appealing." He said the government's job is to provide the structure for continued service. "I, for one, like having that big reserve," Winings said. He pointed to other communities that are facing more challenging financial situations.

7:29 P.M.: Singer said reserves both provide security and allow officials to plan for the future. "We're doing a difficult job retaining retail other than restaurants," Singer said. "Really, a core issue is parking." He said it will remain a problem until the city comes up with a plan.

7:28 P.M.: First question involves how candidates feel about the city's $12 million budget reserve, and how they will address its economic and retail situations. Holtzman said some people he has spoken with say the city should spend down its reserve, but that "I'm kind of agnostic, at this point, on the reserve." He said he needs to do more research on his own before deciding what should be done with it. As for retail, he is describing his proposal for a business retention program.

7:24 P.M.: Winings is introducing himself. He says he could represent young families as a father of four young children. He also points to his job as a lawyer. "The lawyer's job is fundamentally to represent people," Winings said, and he would do the same as an alderman.

7:22 P.M.: So far, the comments from the Ward 3 candidates reflect statements made at a similar event Tuesday. The Clayton Chamber of Commerce sponsored that event.

7:20 P.M.: Singer is introducing himself, describing his involvement with . He said he is the only candidate with experience both as a business owner and as a public servant. He has served on the Clayton Board of Education for nine years.

7:18 P.M.: Holtzman is describing his work in the area of economic development. He said his position with St. Louis County requires him to manage an $18 million budget and a staff of 24.

7:16 P.M.: Holtzman is introducing himself. He said he feels he is at the right point in his life to serve in this role, something he has wanted to do for some time.
"You can consider me your home-grown candidate," Holtzman said.

7:14 P.M.: Garnholz says Clayton has had numerous accomplishments during her tenure. The city is now "virtually smoke-free," and Wydown Boulevard has been named among the best streets in the U.S. She also points to Sundays at Starbucks, a program of regular coffees that she and Alderman Michelle Harris set up to meet with constituents.

7:12 P.M.: "It's a great turnout. Congratulations," Garnholz tells the youth advisory council. She represents Ward II in Clayton, a position she has held since 2007.

7:11 P.M.: Maddox-Dallas has concluded her remarks. She said the city will continue to be faced with difficult decisions with regard to its budget.

7:10 P.M.: Maddox-Dallas is introducing herself. She has served as a Ward I representative for four years and is seeking re-election. "The decision-making process is very collaborative," Maddox-Dallas said of the aldermen. That teamwork helps define good policy, she said. She has served on the city's Economic Development Advisory Committee and its Ecology and Environmental Awareness Committee.

7:05 P.M.: Mayor Linda Goldstein is commending the junios and seniors who comprise the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council. They organized Thursday's event. She also commended the candidates. "I do want to thank all of the candidates here for their willingness to serve," Goldstein said.

7:03 P.M.: Candidates for Clayton Board of Aldermen are now seated.

6:51 P.M.: Organizers are discussing the format for the evening with the candidates.


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