Citing Ruzicka Letter, Resident Complains To Ste. Genevieve Aldermen About Budget Priorities

During the public comment portion of last Thursday’s Ste. Genevieve Board of Aldermen meeting, Karen Stuppy expressed agreement with a recent Guest Commentary published in the Herald and written by Randy Ruzicka, a former alderman.

Stuppy also expressed frustration with the need for Proposition P, which passed in April to increase police department salaries.

“I just want to say I’m here to support the letter that was written by Randy Ruzicka,” Stuppy said.

The guest commentary by Ruzicka, a former Ward 4 alderman, published in the May 8 Herald, responded to comments made in a brainstorming session of the Tourism Advisory Council on April 23 regarding ways to “educate” aldermen as to the benefit of tourism and its effect on the local economy. Ruzicka reiterated his belief that the city should focus on “necessary” services such as police, fire, water, sewer and street maintenance.

“He wrote this article concerning the tourism budget for our city,” Stuppy said. “He hit the nail on the head with this one — and it goes along with the whole Prop P that was passed on April 2, 2019. This is one of the reasons I’m so upset as a taxpayer that Prop P was put on the ballot in the first place. You and the aldermen and the mayor should have had budgets, salaries, and found alternative ways within the budget to give these police officers a substantial raise instead of automatically putting this on the ballot. …”

The proposition was put forward after police chief Eric Bennett informed the aldermen that it was becoming harder and harder to recruit and retain quality law enforcement officers after the Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff’s Office personnel implemented raises. He pointed to wages in other surrounding communities as well.

See complete story in the May 15 edition of the Herald.

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