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September 27, 2016 — Meeting Minutes
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The three meetings and numerous 25 phone calls that we have had to date have been very Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000
59 1 cordial, with each party being respectful of the other. 2 The meetings started with each side sharing a stated 3 common goal, of understanding each party's position and 4 to ultimately obtain a resolution of our differences, 5 that would result in an accord being reached between 6 us. 7 We all wanted to achieve a signed 8 memorandum of understanding, which we had hoped to be 9 able to announce at this meeting tonight. It is the 10 belief of the Crescent representatives that progress 11 has been made towards this endpoint and we want to 12 thank Bob Clark and Centene for the project alterations 13 that he has already mentioned this evening. 14 However, although we feel that we are 15 close to signing a memorandum of understanding, we are 16 not there yet. There are still some issues to be 17 resolved before we can do that. 18 We believe that the Crescent residential 19 committee has, and will, continue to act in good faith. 20 We look forward to completing the task of future, 21 positive meetings with Bob Clark and Centene. 22 We ask for the support of our mayor and 23 our board of aldermen to help us achieve a successful 24 and harmonious outcome. It is our desire that Centene 25 and the Crescent be good neighbors. We look forward to Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000
Thank you for the Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000
57 1 opportunity and I will definitely be brief. As you 2 know, we have all given our opinion. The Urban League 3 is definitely in support of this proposal. 4 Centene has been an excellent partner to 5 us. When we worked in Ferguson, for example, Centene 6 was the first company that really stepped up to the 7 plate to make a difference. 8 When we needed someone to assist us, to 9 build our new center, Centene was there. When we 10 needed someone to invest, Centene was there and when we 11 have needed them in so many different ways throughout 12 this region, Centene has been there. 13 So we are definitely in support of this 14 project. Centene has transformed the corporate 15 landscape in St. Louis. As many different companies 16 have moved out, cut jobs, cut funding, cut civic and 17 charitable involvement, Centene has stepped up to the 18 plate and made the difference and helped us in so many 19 ways. So we definitely urge your support and thank you 20 for your consideration. 21 THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Mr. McMillian. 22 MS. FRAZIER: So Mike Miller, you will be 23 after Mr. Sitrin. 24 MR. MILLER: Okay. 25 MR. SITRIN: Good evening. Thank you, Mr. Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000
Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000
58 1 Mayor and Board of Aldermen. My name is Hal Sitrin and 2 I am one of the three members of the residential 3 community of the Crescent, which is the governing body 4 of the residential component of our condominium 5 building and I represent the rest of the residential 6 community. 7 During previous meetings of Clayton's 8 Architectural Review Board, several of our residents 9 have spoken about the Centene project and on a repeat 10 basis, it was stated that the Crescent is in favor of 11 Centene's expansion in Clayton. 12 However, it always was and still is our 13 hope that the project would be accomplished with the 14 sensitivity to the interests of its immediate neighbors 15 and the surrounding greater Clayton community. 16 This same message was repeatedly delivered 17 during the several meetings representatives of the 18 Crescent have had with Bob Clark and the Centene 19 officials. 20 Most recently, at the request of several 21 officials of the City of Clayton, the three residential 22 committee members, along with a representative of our 23 Clayton interface committee, sat down with Bob Clark 24 and Centene officials. The three meetings and numerous 25 phone calls that we have had to date have been very Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000
We look forward to Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000
60 1 that. We look forward to working with Centene. Thank 2 you for your interest in his matter. 3 THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Mr. Sitrin. 4 Thank you. That is good information and good news. 5 Thank you. 6 MS. FRAZIER: After Mr. Miller, will have 7 Brian Roy. 8 MR. MILLER: My name is Mike Miller and I 9 live at 7500 York Drive. I was a longtime resident of 10 Clayton. My children went to the Clayton schools. I 11 moved away for a while and came back in 2012, after my 12 wife passed away and I bought a duplex that is about 13 half the size of the house that I came from and about a 14 quarter of the lot that I had. 15 I noticed -- I don't know if this is the 16 appropriate time to talk about this or not. The 100 17 million dollars of tax relief that is going to go to 18 Centene as a result of this project. 19 THE CHAIRMAN: That's not on the board 20 here at all. In fact, that's not even a part of our 21 conversation tonight. 22 MR. MILLER: Okay. Well, I will come back 23 then, when that is part of the conversation. Secondly, 24 the other point that I would like to make is that 25 having lived here now for almost four years, five Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000
Secondly, 24 the other point that I would like to make is that 25 having lived here now for almost four years, five Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000
61 1 years, going on five years, I don't think I try to 2 drive down Hanley Road any morning or any evening that 3 there hasn't been some sort of construction project 4 during the day, that has gone on, on Hanley Road, that 5 has caused delays in traffic and continues to this day. 6 I wonder what that traffic on Hanley Road 7 is going to look like during the construction of this 8 gigantic complex that we are talking about here. I 9 also heard their traffic man talk about -- the guy who 10 talked about traffic, he talked about after the 11 development was complete. 12 As I understand it, the development will 13 take almost seven years to complete. What happens to 14 the flow of traffic during that seven year period of 15 all of that construction? Now, are we going to be 16 digging up Hanley Road every two days, as we have in 17 the past or is that going to be different? 18 THE CHAIRMAN: Why would we be digging up 19 -- 20 MR. MILLER: Because you are digging it up 21 now, almost every time I drive down Hanley Road, there 22 is another construction project going on, on Hanley 23 Road. I am just curious. If this study was done after 24 all of this was completed, what does the traffic look 25 like during the seven year period when the construction Concannon & Jaeger St. Louis, Missouri (314) 421-1000