Joe Edwards is still pushing to get this fiasco running. The community has lost millions of dollars and businesses have been disrupted. This should never have happened and now there is talk of taking out the tracks and cables. Let’s move on. Written by Paul Dribin
The trolley situation is still a mess. KWMU had a story which documented the large number of businesses which have gone out of business, at least partly due to the trolley construction. Also, The Riverfront Times published an article about the fact that the automatic ticket machines for the trolley are in before the trolley itself and these machines do not make change. An individual who needed change would need to send in the receipt through the mail and wait for change from the Trolley Association by mail. Overall, the whole thing still seems like a fiasco. One piece of good news, the Loop Business Association has hired Rachelle L’Ecuyer as Executive Director. She is top notch and has done a great job as Economic Development Director in Maplewood. I wonder how long it will take her to clash with Joe Edwards. Written by Paul Dribin
Tony Messenger has written in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that when the Joe Edwards group applied for federal funding for the trolley, they promised $5 million in private funds. Not one dollar of these funds has ever appeared, yet they are asking for more money from St. Louis County. What gives? How inept can people be? Written by Paul Dribin
County Executive Steve Stenger has said he will probably not approve another $500000 of county money for the loop trolley project. I consider this project a boondoggle. Good decision
Once again some more stuff. Joe Edwards, the head of this fiasco has informed the community the trolley needs another $500000 from St. Louis County. This is in addition to the $53000000 or so that has already been spent on a project over budget and behind schedule. Worse, the US Department of Transportation has stated that if the project does not get off the ground pretty soon, St. Louis will lose future transportation funding. Need I say more. Written by Paul Dribin
This is the gang that can’t shoot straight. Now the opening of the trolley is delayed again because one of the three cars needs repairs and the parts are not available. There are also rumors of dissension within the ranks of the Loop community due to the number of businesses that have been lost during the construction and the lack of leadership from Joe Edwards.
The St Louis Contrarian 