Paid for by Kespohl for Council, Russ Still treasurer

Ten former Columbia City Council members, including two who served our city as Mayor, have publicly endorsed the candidacy of Gary Kespohl for Ward 3 Councilman.

Together, the ten former city leaders have contributed some six decades of public service to Columbia in elected municipal offices. Together, they announced their support in weekend newspaper advertising for the candidacy of Gary Kespohl, a long-time civic volunteer.

Endorsing Gary Kespohl are: Former Mayor and Ward 4 Councilman Bob Pugh; Former Mayor and Ward 3 Councilman Rodney Smith; Former Ward 3 Council Members Phil Hanson, Bob Hutton and Ed Kaiser; Former Ward 4 Councilman Jim Loveless; Former Ward 5 Councilmen John John and Dick Walls; Former Ward 6 Councilwoman Sharon Lynch; and Former Ward 1 Councilman Larry Schuster. Kespohl was also pleased to announce the endorsement of Tim Crockett, son of the late Ward 3 Councilwoman Donna Crockett;

“I am grateful for the public expressions of support of these outstanding community leaders, who have told me they support my priorities of fighting crime, enabling job creation and renewing common-sense values on the Columbia City Council,” Kespohl said. “Columbia citizens have trusted these leaders’ good judgment for decades, so their backing is of special significance.”

A small businessman, Kespohl is also endorsed in Tuesday’s election by the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

Kespohl with family

This blessed weekend marks a sacred time of prayer and reflection for many in our community. I hope this Easter weekend finds you with family and friends, affirmed by your faith tradition. I ask God’s blessings for you and yours at this special time. In my own faith tradition, Easter provides an inspiring message of renewal and rebirth. May it be a time of rejuvenation and reflection for you, as well.

There is also a message of renewal in one of our great American traditions that many of us will observe this coming Tuesday. That is the opportunity to achieve the highest act of citizenship – casting our votes. Election Day renews our faith in democracy, because everyone’s vote counts.

Please take time to make your voice heard on Tuesday. Voting is an American tradition most worthy of upholding, and it is among the foremost of common-sense values.

I would appreciate your vote on Tuesday for Ward 3 City Council. Thank you for your consideration, and for your participation.

Kespohl with grandkids

The safety cameras are common-sense tools that can help police and prosecutors. They have already proven their value in helping secure convictions against five men who attacked Adam Taylor last summer in downtown Columbia. It is horrifying to view Adam’s savage beating at the hands of a gang playing a perverse and violent game called ‘Knockout King.’

Keeping Columbia safe is no game, it’s serious business, and our police and prosecutors need all the support we can give them. I stand with our police and prosecutors. Incumbent Ward 3 Councilman Karl Skala opposes the cameras, calling them `stupid technology,’ and Skala is standing with those who want to deprive Columbia’s police and prosecutors of this valuable enforcement tool.

I call for paying for the city’s share of deploying the safety cameras with a reallocation of $25,000 from the city’s $40,500 annual travel budget.  During Skala’s term the Council travel budget has increased some 20 percent, with nearly all of that increase being gobbled up by Skala.

FOR THE RECORD: Kespohl versus Skala on Safety Cameras and Proposition 1

Kespohl put his foot down on the issue of crime when he offered support for downtown surveillance cameras and red-light cameras as law enforcement tools. Skala said he felt there were better ways to enforce the law, calling cameras “stupid technology.”

–Columbia Daily Tribune, January 30, 2010-03-29

One issue he (Skala) has spoken passionately about is downtown surveillance cameras, which he does not support — unlike his opponent Kespohl.

–Columbia Daily Tribune, Sunday, March 14, 2010

Kespohl favors deployment of downtown surveillance cameras, which Skala strongly opposes.

–Columbia Daily Tribune editorial, Sunday, March 28, 2010

Gary Kespohl called Wednesday for a “common-sense reallocation” of $25,000 from the City Council’s taxpayer-funded travel budget – which Ward 3 Councilman Karl Skala has consistently overspent – so the city can pay for its share of installing downtown safety cameras.

Kespohl renewed his call for an immediate moratorium on Council spending of taxpayer dollars for out-of-state travel, and repeated his pledge not to take taxpayer-funded trips if elected Ward 3 Councilman.

“I will keep faith with Columbia voters, who I believe will join me next Tuesday in overwhelmingly approving Proposition 1 giving the police chief authority to deploy safety cameras,” Kespohl, a businessman challenging Skala’s re-election.

Skala has consistently opposed the city’s deployment of downtown safety cameras, calling them “stupid technology.” This is one of several clear differences between Kespohl, who has been endorsed by the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, and Skala, who consistently voted “NO” on key job creation projects as well as rejecting downtown safety cameras.

Kespohl has revealed that Skala spent more than $16,000 in taxpayer funds for gourmet junkets to vacation destinations including New Orleans, Orlando, Charleston, S.C., Washington, D.C., Chicago, Albuquerque, San Antonio, Seattle, Portland and Louisville. Skala and his party billed taxpayers for lavish meals including Surf and Turf, Filet Mignon, Duck, Lamb and Oysters on the Half Shell, plus fancy desserts.

Skala consistently over-spent his annual allocation of $4,500.00 for taxpayer-financed travel, and he consistently spent more on meals than is allowed under the city’s longstanding travel policy for rank-and-file city workers. Skala routinely spent more than the mayor to attend the same out-of-state meetings, and Skala often extended his junkets by adding travel days beyond official conference dates.

After learning his pattern of wasting taxpayer dollars on gourmet junkets was under investigation, Skala claimed he had suddenly agreed with un-named Council colleagues to limit meal spending to the amounts spelled out in the travel policy. There was no public discussion, public vote or public comment about the supposed Council agreement claimed by Skala.

“Karl Skala refuses to apologize for wasting tax dollars while hard-working Columbia residents deal with the worst economy since the Great Depression. So I am calling for an immediate moratorium on taxpayer-funded Council travel,” Kespohl said. “And in the next city budget, we must get our priorities straight. I propose a common-sense reallocation of $25,000 from the Council’s $40,500 annual travel budget to pay for the city’s share of downtown safety cameras.”

Kespohl noted the irony of Skala’s declaration to Columbia Missourian that on one of his taxpayer-funded junkets, he learned about “the proper perspective to approach budgetary problems” – even as Skala disdained the idea of “home-grown solutions.”

Kespohl said Columbia’s small business owners and families know the proper perspective on budgetary problems without taking junkets: “You set budget priorities and stick by those priorities, including reallocating resources to make the most of taxpayer dollars.”

The Council travel budget has grown more than 20 percent since Skala was elected three years ago, to a total of $40,500. And Skala’s lavish travel spending has gobbled most of that increase. “It’s hard to find other segments of Columbia’s economy that have grown in prosperity by some 20 percent since 2007 – so we clearly need a common-sense reallocation,” Kespohl said.

“For myself, I will not take taxpayer-funded trips – not when most Columbia families couldn’t afford to travel like Skala during this week’s Spring Break,” Kespohl added.

“I stand with our families and businesses in calling for the City Council to place the highest priorities on fighting crime, enabling job creation and renewing common-sense values in Council decisions.”

I’m so sorry to learn of the passing of our former Columbia Mayor Clyde Wilson. I wish Betty and his family and friends peace and comfort in the Lord, and I applaud Clyde’s fine legacy of service to our community through the years, as Mayor and before that as Ward 6 Councilman.

In the worst economy since the Great Depression, struggling Columbia taxpayers have financed more than $16,000 in gourmet junkets as Ward 3 Councilman Karl Skala jetted to vacation destinations from coast to coast.

Surf n Turf

Karl Skala is living high and indulging his gourmet habits at the expense of Columbia residents who are counting every dollar in this tough economy. His gourmet destinations included Orlando, New Orleans, Charleston, S.C., San Antonio, Austin, Albuquerque, Chicago, Seattle, Portland and Washington, D.C. Spending close to $100 on some dinners, Karl Skala and his party savored Surf & Turf, Filet Mignon, Lamb, Duck Breast, Raw Oysters on the Half Shell and other high-priced seafood, plus expensive desserts – all at taxpayer expense.

Columbia taxpayers are enabling Karl Skala’s gourmet lifestyle, despite a longstanding City Travel Policy (Council Bill PR 176-99A) stating: “The Mayor and Council members shall exercise careful judgment to keep travel expenses to a reasonable amount.”

But for Karl Skala, Columbia taxpayers covered conference fees, air fare, and multi-night hotel stays plus meal expenses, with tabs for some trips running into thousands of dollars – more than any other Council member and in many cases, more than the Mayor.

Gary Kespohl, a small businessman and community volunteer who is challenging Karl Skala in the April 6 election, called the incumbent’s gourmet travels a waste of taxpayer money. Kespohl pledged Tuesday that as Ward 3 Councilman, he will not take taxpayer-funded trips.

Raw Oysters

The City of Columbia’s reimbursement amounts for rank-and-file city employees traveling on the job are $7 for breakfast, $10 for lunch and $25 for dinner. But public records show Karl Skala blew right through those limits.

In New Orleans, the tab included a $32.00 Filet Mignon, $24.95 for fresh raw oysters on the half shell, $12.75 for an Oyster Po-Boy and a $6.00 bowl of Turtle Soup.
Seafood and beef headlined the menu in Orlando, with $48.00 Surf & Turf, $34.00 for fresh Red Snapper, a $14.00 Short-Rib Sandwich and $7.50 New York Cheesecake, $3.50 Espresso and $9.00 noonday room-service Empanadas plus room service charges.

There was more fine dining in Albuquerque: a $22.00 Duck Breast, a $29.00 Filet Mignon, $8.75 Calamari, $9.75 Antipasto and $6 Tiramisu for dessert.

In Charleston, South Carolina, Karl Skala and his party enjoyed the freshest seafood at the swankiest restaurants praised as gourmet hotspots by The New York Times. There were servings of Salmon Cake and Mahi-Mahi at $7.95 each, Stuffed Tilapia at $17.95, Braised Grouper at $20.95 and Shrimp Salad at $9.00. Karl Skala’s party didn’t neglect four-legged delights, with a $33.00 order of Lamb. Don’t forget dessert: A $6.50 order of Pistachio Ice Cream with extra sauce and walnuts.

Duck breast

Karl Skala has repeatedly busted the annual allocated budget for travel by Council members. He ran up the largest amount of overspending on his gourmet travels of any City Council member during his first two full fiscal years in office. And in his third full fiscal year as Councilman, Karl Skala’s gourmet junkets have already cost more than the travel expenses for any other Council member.

Karl Skala’s gourmet junkets happened as both public entities and private companies, as well as citizens, are cutting spending and holding the line on travel costs, including staying home for Spring Break. Major Columbia public employers, such as the University of Missouri, are slashing travel spending in the interest of responsible stewardship of public money.

Karl Skala recently told the Columbia Daily Tribune (03/14/2010) that he might just run for mayor someday – but for now, “I’ve got lots more work to. I’m just getting the feel for being in city council.’’

$40 dinner plate

Karl Skala has definitely gotten a feel for expensive taxpayer-funded meals, and he didn’t even bring us a doggie bag.

Karl Skala’s pattern of handling taxpayer money to satisfy his own whims includes his support of a $100,000 special fund for Council member discretionary spending – while he declined a downtown organization’s offer to spare taxpayers half the cost of installing safety cameras downtown.

Columbia CANNOT afford three more years of Karl Skala’s squandering. Gary Kespohl will NOT spend taxpayer funds for travel as your Ward 3 City Councilman.

On April 6, vote for a Common-Sense Change: Gary Kespohl for Council.