In 1999, I was asked to be on the board of directors of the CMT (Collinsville, Maryville, Troy) YMCA. The Y was trying to build a new facility in Maryville. The Maryville YMCA site is about 4 miles from Troy. The Y had been raising funds for years. They had acquired the property and accumulated over $1 million in donations and pledges. The new Y was to cost about $3 million and would be about 25,000 sq. ft. The dream became a reality and the Y broke ground the summer of 2000.

Later that fall, we begin to read about the "Sports Mall" being planned for the park. The facility was to have indoor ice skating, soccer, basketball, climbing wall, racquet ball, food court, exercise area, etc. etc. I thought it was ridiculous. Up to that point, no one had publicly opposed the idea. Seven elected park commissioners that manage the district. I had been involved with the park years earlier and I had known several commissioners. Most of the people I knew had resigned. I contacted a couple of these ex-commissioners and talked to them about the Sports Mall. They thought the Sports Mall was a bad idea, but they were in the minority. One by one they eventually resigned. As they resigned they were replaced by people that supported the Sports Mall. One ex-commissioner suggested I go and talk to one of the current commissioners. The commissioner he suggested is also a police officer.

I made an appointment, and went down to the police department and introduced myself. He told me he supported the Sports Mall. I asked why, and he said because his child could ride his bicycle to the Sports Mall. I told him I opposed the idea and I planned to run as a park commissioner. He told me

"You can run if you want, you won't get elected, and even if you did you can't stop us."

I resigned from the Y at the end of November. On Dec. 14, I published a letter to the editor in the local paper. This article had two basic points. First the Sports Mall was unnecessary due to the large number of similar facilities, and secondly this would be a financial burden on the taxpayers. Much to my amazement there was no public reaction, positive or negative.

On January 11th, I wrote my second letter to the editor. This time, using the YMCA as a yardstick, I tried to determine what the operational cost would be on a 166,000 sq. ft. facility. It wasn't pretty. In this same article, I tried to calculate the tax burden would be on a homeowner. Again, it wasn't pretty. Once again, no public reaction. Nothing, zero, zip, NADA. . . I began asking myself questions. Are people afraid to speak up? Maybe, people think this is a good idea? Maybe I'm thinking wrong?

On January 25th, I wrote my third letter to the editor. The weather the last two months had been very cold so in this letter, again using the YMCA as the yardstick, I tried to determine the utility cost to operate the proposed Sports Mall.

Finally, the world noticed. Be careful what you wish for. The next week, Louis Simpson the current park president, wrote a letter to the paper.

Todd Moore

Immediately after the filing deadline, people wanted to get involved. One of the first people to step up was Bob Moore and his son and Todd. Bob owns a construction company, and Todd is the president. I have know Todd for about 20 years. It was great to have Bob and Todd helping.

One of the next people that jumped on board was Terry Ball. Terry had sent Dena Hayes (Drew's wife) an email after Drew's article was published. Even though Terry lives just down the street, we had never been introduced. Terry was an officer in the TBSL (Troy Baseball Softball League). The TBSL is part of the park, and he had worked with the park board. His support was very important. It took courage for Terry to speak out against the Sports Mall.

Terry Ball

I knew early on, that to defeat the Sports Mall would take hard work, and intelligent, well thought out ideas. One of the first people I tried to enlist was Ray Hicks. 25 years earlier Ray and I worked together on the Khoury League board. This was the park baseball program prior to the TBSL. Ray was responsible for starting the girls softball program. After Khoury League, we lost contact. We re-discovered each other on the YMCA board.

Ray is a retired engineer. He is extremely intelligent and I have always enjoyed working with him. I asked/begged him to join the quest, to defeat the Sports Mall. Ray told me he was resigning from the Y at the end of January. I told him that on February 1, his butt was mine. Much of what happened was due to his hard work. Thanks Ray.

Tri-Township Park

• Five out of the seven commissioner positions are up for election,
• four of the positions are for six year terms,
• and one position is for a two year term (completing a partial term).
• four incumbents are running, three of them for a six year term and one for the two year term
• one new candidate is running for a six year term and he is pro-sports mall
• the one incumbent running for the two year term is a woman - the first woman park commissioner

• I am running as a six year candidate - opposed to the Sports Mall - and I am alone!
• The deadline for filing has passed!

We started to consider a write-in campaign. We thought that we should try to find a woman candidate to oppose the woman incumbent. This was going to be an uphill fight.

Barb Wright

A write-in campaign is tough. You need to find popular people, that have a passion for the issue, and they have to have an easy to spell name:-) We were in luck . . . Terry Ball, Todd Moore, so far so good. Our answer for the woman candidate Barb Wright. Barb has lived in Troy for 30 years, and she is currently the Jarvis Township clerk. In fact she was already on the ballot, unopposed, for her clerk position. I've known Barb for almost 30 years. She is Todd Moore's mother-in-law. I was the best man in her son's wedding. We go back a long way. Barb and her husband Harry have been involved in numerous civic activities. She was perfect, AND with an easy to spell name!

It's now the first of February . . . two months from the general election.

The park board was trying to gather public support by going to various public and civic organizations talking & promoting the Sports Mall, so why don't we do the same thing?

Ray and I started "brain storming" on an anti-Sports Mall presentation. In our opinion, the best way to challenge the Sports Mall was with facts and figures. This was a problem. The Sports Mall did not have a public feasibility report. YES, the park had paid for a feasibility report, but it had not been released. We found this to be incredible - two months before a major election, and NO FEASIBILITY report. It told us, that they knew the feasibility report had some serious problems, and they knew we would tear it to shreds. Our "Anti-Sports Mall" presentation had to be compiled from the information we could glean from newspaper articles and other public sources.

Park districts hold public meetings. Citizens can ask to be on the agenda. So why not give them a public presentation on why the "Spots Mall" was a bad idea?

Ray and I were ready with hand-outs and view graphs. About a 15 - 20 other anti-sports mall people also came to demonstrate their displeasure with the board. They milled around in the parking lot. I went in the office and was told that a spot was reserved for me downstairs in the meeting room. Downstairs and found a small room with limited seating. Most seats were already filled. A few had "RESERVED" signs on them. Just when the meeting was to start, the remaining "anti-sports" mall people tried to make their way downstairs. That's when the trouble started.

A man named Randy Winn, blocked the front door and wouldn't let anyone in the building, citing fire code violation. I'll talk more about Mr. Winn later in this document. The people, taxpayers, were not allowed down stairs. You could hear loud voices and pushing and shoving. People were being denied access to a public meeting and tempers were short. Eventually, the board decided that these people were not going to be denied. The meeting was cancelled and rescheduled for the following week at the Wiesemeyer Center.

The next week, the meeting was held in the Wiesemeyer Center. This is the community Center and it holds 160 people. Signs were posted on the door stating the seating capacity. During the week the "anti Sports Mall" movement had continued to grow. We started keeping a spread sheet of everyone that called that supported us. We titled the list of names THE ARMY. About this time, another key person stepped up to help, Ms. Dori Mutchek. She had knowed Ray for a long time and really wanted to be involved. She was our moral compass, and a workaholic in our effort. Thanks Dori - We couldn't have done it without your help.

Russ Wiesemeyer Community Center

During this week the park had released in the paper, that the tax rate increase would be $.50 to $.70 (a 250% increase). Prior to the release I had tried to calculate the tax burden on a homeowner. Using a mortgage calculator I calculated the annual payments assuming a $20 million dollar loan, 5% interest, and a 20 term. Using the current EAV from the courthouse, I backed into a tax rate that would be needed to make those annual payments. We calculated a $.89/$100 EAV tax rate. The assumption here is that there would be no growth in the EAV. There would be no new development, and homes would not appreciate. A $120,000 home was going to be looking at over $350 per year in additional taxes, times 20 years was a $7,000 tax bill.

During my opening remarks, I concentrated on how I calculated the $.89 tax rate and why the park proposed rate was only going to be $.50. I went on to explain that my scenario, wasn't realistic. Existing homes appreciate, and new homes and commercial property will be developed. I called new development "new growth" and the appreciation of existing homes as "old growth". The question is how much "old growth" and "new growth" would there be for the next 20 years? I really wanted to determine what my tax bill was going to be for the next 20 years. So we took a current homeowner and researched their historical appraised values. We plotted the appraised values, and then forecasted the values for the next 20 years. Then we simply multiplied each years new appraised value by the $.50 tax rate, and added up the values. Frankly, I think the math was probably over most people's heads.

The park was going to raise the $$ through bonds. When the park released the tax rate we asked, through the freedom of information act, for information regarding the bonds. We received a bond pay off schedule and the bond proposal. The math didn't add up. The bond underwritter was a company from Chicago. Ray called them to check on the bond pay off schedule. The pay off schedule that we were given and that was published in the paper was for $.55 per $100 eav - opps! Ray told them that there schedule was wrong and sure enough we received a new schedule the next day.

Using the bond schedule I showed how the "Sports Mall" would cost the taxpayers over $34 million during the next 21 years (the length of the bond schedule). I was preaching to the choir. People were mad. I finished the presentation with a map of the area. Ray and I had identified all of the various public workout centers, ice skating rinks and other recreational facilities, located within a short distance of Troy. We were surrounded. I finished within the 15 minute time limit. The crowd cheered and clapped. Then people started asking questions. The questions soon became acquisitions. Again, it started getting ugly. Soon that portion of the meeting was over and everyone left leaving the room empty except for a few people the park commissioners and staff.

Randy Wiesemeyer

That night, I met Randy Wiesemeyer. Randy is the youngest son of Russ, one of park's founders. Randy had been sitting on the sidelines watching the Sports Mall issue heat up. He walked up to me, shook my hand and said he wanted to help. I had know his Russ for years. He was a commissioner for 30+ years. There would not be a Tri-Township Park without Russ. We had our fourth write-in candidate, he had name recognition, the problem was getting people to spell Wiesemeyer.

In the next week or so, the Troy Baseball Softball League (TBSL) was having sign-ups. Terry Ball had told me that at the previous sign-ups the park had drawings of the proposed Sports Mall on display. They were talking to people at the sign-ups, selling them of the idea of the Sports Mall. The sign-ups were being on a Saturday, in the Wiesemeyer Center. Terry suggested that I bring up a card table and pass out information in opposition. This was really an in your face move. We decided to do it. After all we had been invited, by a member of the TBSL and it is a public building. Todd, Ray, and I made plans to be there....

On Saturday we arrived at the Wiesemeyer Center and started unloading card table, chairs, and brochures. I was spotted by the Park Director and was told to leave. We were not invited. I told him we had been invited by Terry Ball, and after all it is a public building. He locked the door. So we started handing out information outside. The park director called one of the park commissioners, who also happens to be a police officer. The remaining commissioners were also called. I made it clear that I was not going to leave. If they were advertising for the Sports Mall, I had every right to be there opposing it. I told him that I wasn't going to leave and I was prepared to be arrested. I sent Ray home to get his digital camera, and called Claudia and told her I was about to be arrested. I asked her to come, bring a camera, and to start taking pictures.

While we were waiting on the police and park commissioners, I asked if I could re-enter the hall and retrieve my card table and chairs that were still locked up inside. As we were going inside the park director told me

"I know exactly what you are doing, you don't care about this park.
All you want to do is protect your g## d### YMCA."

Obviously, he was mad. I turned around and with my left hand touched his arm and said

"Calm down."

Whereupon I was told

"Don't you touch me."

I retrieved my belongings and waited outside. Todd and I continued to pass out information as people entered the building. The police and park commissioners began to arrive. The police/park commmissioner told me I would have to leave the park. I could stand outside the park property and hand out information. I told him that I wasn't going to do this and I was prepared to be arrested. About that time my wife arrived and starting taking pictures. The commissioners huddled at the corner of the building. Eventually, the park president came over and told me I would be allowed in the building, but since the park wasn't actually handing out any pamphlets we could not hand out our brochures, bumper stickers, or buttons. We were allowed to pass out a one page document we had prepared that had various quotes out of the newspaper. I agreed. Then one of the funnier moments, one of the commissioners came over to Claudia, and introduced herself (Claudia had been standing off to the side). The commissioner asked Claudia her name, whereby Claudia replied "Claudia". Then she said and who are you with. Claudia said I am with Phil. She obviously had thought Claudia was a reporter! Oh well, whatever works...

During the TBSL sign-ups not many people stopped by to talk to us. Later on the president came over and talked to us. He was friendly. Then the park director stopped by our table. We had another pleasant conversation. I guess they wanted me to forget the whole ugly situation. The next Thursday, my fourth and final letter to the editor appeared in the paper.

While my letter to the editor appears on page 8 of the paper the front page has the story, and it reported that the police were called after I had placed my hands on the chest of the Park Director and pushed him. In an act of fair and impartial journalism, the newspaper never called me to ask about the pushing incident.

The newspaper was having a field day. Every week letters to the editor. The anti-mall opposition was gaining steam. I was a hero with the morning coffee boys at McDonald's.

Next we began meeting with various organizations talking about the consequences of the proposed Mall. In the first week of March the park finally released the "so called" feasibility study. They decided to charge anyone $26 that wanted a copy ($.50 per page). It was worst than I imagined. What a piece of fiction.

First it should come of no surprise that the study said...

"After reviewing all demographic information and the current recreation services available in the trade area, there is a market and value in building a community recreation center in Troy. The Tri-Township Park District is ideally positioned to have a financially successful community center with a sufficient base. The ability to recover a large portion of operating expenses with revenue appears to be possible for the facility but a plan for continued use of existing operating revenues or operations subsidy may be necessary to make the project vaible. Use of the facility by non-residents will be essential to keep the deficit as low as possible and the financial operations burden for the residents of the Tri-Township Park District at a minimum. Based on the outcome of the performa that suggests a 97% recapture rate, the Tri-Township Park District should seek alternative funding to establish an endowment fund sufficient to adequately cover operational shortfalls and future capital needs."

First let's examine "After reviewing all demographic information and the current recreation services available in the trade area,"

The study listed a number of recreational facilities in the area. It also noted that the YMCA in Maryville was under construction. Guess what they choose to ignore? Ten miles to the east of Troy the new Korte Recreational Center opened in January 2001.

Now keep in mind, anyone can come and use the Korte Center at any time. Just pay the daily fee. Now I ask you, how did they miss this thing? Not only did they miss it, the report also states...

"There is no full-service, public, community based recreation centers located within the Tri-Township service area currently in existence."

Next let's take a look at their cost projections...

The center was suppose to be open 105 hours per week, and was suppose to be 163,000 sq feet in size. One of the first things that jumped out at me was this thing was suppose to me cleaned daily by only three people. OK, so everybody works 40 hours a week, but you also have to take into considerations vacations, holidays, sick time etc. Basically you can figure you only have two workers on-site on any one day. If you think that the average home is 1,800 sq ft. The Sports Mall equates to 91 houses. Each person has to clean 45 houses every day! This doesn't count the outside work! Man these guys must be good.

Life guards were suppose to be paid $6,50 per hour - good luck. The YMCA has trouble finding lifeguards at $7.00 per hour. Now a simple supply and demand curve tells me that when the demand for lifeguards goes up the price will also be increased.

Another real kicker in this plan was ice skating lessons ... the feasibility study predicted income of $441,600. They expected over 8,000 people per year would take ice skating lessons. Keep in mind there are only 8,800 people in all of Troy. That is 8,000 people taking ice skating lessons every year.

Here are a couple of more good ones...how about renting space for birthday parties and making $42,500, or $16,000 worth of baby sitting fees.

Keep in mind after our taxes went up we still have to pay to use the center. It would cost a family only $425 per year. This was beyond stupid. Now for the real kick in the head...

The feasibility report was written by Jeff King from Ballard * King Associates. The report eventually compares the proposed mall to other recreational centers. The only other center that is close to proposed Sports Mall (163,000 sq. ft.) in size is the St. Peters Missouri Rec Plex (143,000 sq. ft.). All other facilities are considerably smaller. The St. Peters facility has two ice skating rinks but no indoor soccer. The annual operating expenses for St. Peters was $3,370,544. Keep in mind our Sports Mall that is bigger is only suppose to have $2,001,234 in expenditures. The St. Peters facility lost over $335,000 a year! I'm not done.... the director of the St. Peters Rec Plex is .... Mr. Jeff King, the author of the feasibility study! UNBELIEVABLE!

My problem is the election is just weeks away, It is crunch time. We started getting organizaed for election day. Ray made yellow cheat sheets that told the voters how to do the write in's. Then we got maps of all the voting locations. The law says you have to stand 100 feet from the door, so we measured every location, and make a chalk mark at the 100 ft mark. We started making posters for people to wear "VOTE NO NO". The NO NO was because there were two referendums on the ballot ($.25 each). I started contacting the people on the army list to see who could stand outside the poles and pass out information. Dozens of people volunteered. Some people took off work. We worked out a work schedule and tried to cover every entry point into a polling place. Claudia was assigned to bring ffod and drinks to the workers. I had another lady stationed at her home and people could call if they needed a ride to the polls. It was a lot of work.

Tuesday, April 3, 2001 - I'll never forget it - first it was Claudia's birthday. I don't thinkI slept a wink that night. The polls opened at 7. We were all staked out at 6:30. As they day wore on I realized that the Sports Mall was dead. People were driving buying and honking. They were waving the yellow write-in slips. Some of the people that were standing on corners passing out information refused to leave they were having too much fun. I started to think that the Sports Mall was going to be defeated, and I was probably going to be elected, but what about the write-ins. I potentially could be on a board with people that would like to see me take a long walk off a short pier.

The polls closed at 7:00 - I was realieved. We had done the best that we knew how. I had also planned to have vote counters in each precint. I went to a party at Bob Moore's, then the election results started coming in. We did it! We were consistently winning every precinct. The Sports Mall lost by a 10 to 1 margin. I was winning in a landslide and it looked like all of the write-ins were going to win as well. One precinct was overwellmed by the write-ins. They just boxed up the ballots and sent them to Madison Count. They didn't count the write-ins. It didn't matter they all won!

The election was the talk of the town and the entiree community. It was a truly amazing experience. The bottom line the park district spents over $136,000 on a Sports Mall that less than 400 people voted for. Included in those dollars was $76,156.21 paid to Ward, Dresham, a fund raiser, that failed to raise one dollar. The piece of crap called a feasibility study cost the park over $23,000. After we took office the board voted to ask for refunds from Ward, Dresham and Ballard & King.

after a kick butt election like that you would have thought we would have had some smooth sailing... wrong. To follow our exploits, and see how the story plays out check out the year in review. What did we get ourselves into?

If you think this is interesting you should have been there.