Update: The council packet for Thursday’s meeting is up. Normally in this situation, a resume of the prospective appointee would have been provided, but was not in this case (see last page).
At the risk of appearing a tad insensitive, I am going to discuss Arnold Mayor Ron Counts’ plan to appoint Nancy Crisler, widow of the late Randy Crisler, to the latter’s vacated council seat.
Some Arnold news .. Randy Crisler’s widow Nancy to be appointed to fill his City Council seat at Thursday’s meeting. Needs council approval.
— Leah Thorsen (@leahthorsen) September 30, 2013
First, this was a quick move. He took two-and-a-half months to appoint Crisler to the seat after Cricky Lang died (he waited until after the election). This selection was made within a month. This seat will be up for election in April 2014.
Second, I don’t think this is an appropriate choice. Sure, this type of thing has been done in places such as Congress when a member dies, but in those cases the spouse is involved in her own way. I’m not sure we’ve ever heard Mrs. Crisler’s name before in the context of city business. Is she knowledgeable on city issues? Last time around, Counts at least went through the charade of taking applications from interested Ward 1 residents. Did he revisit those applications before making this choice? In making both of these appointments, Counts has not been taking the best interests of Ward 1 into account.
Last time around, Mr. Crisler’s appointment was a last-minute surprise, announced the night before the meeting at which he was appointed. This time, we have a few days notice. But the agenda for Thursday’s council meeting agenda is still not posted publicly. It will be interesting to see when it goes up.
One thing we can say, though, is that Mrs. Crisler is up to date on her personal property taxes. We know this because Randy paid them two days before his appointment to the council.
Jefferson County Penknife 
And it is your opinion that he doesn’t have the best interests of Ward 1 at heart. This Ward 1 resident feels as though he does.
You and Doris have been nothing but rude and insensitive to their whole family through their ordeal. Maybe a public apology is in order.
LikeLike
I have been neither. We can’t just set aside rules, procedures, and proper operation of government because a person has unfortunately died. I have said nothing personal in either of my posts; I am focusing on city operations. How long would you have us suspend the rules in the name of mourning?
LikeLike
“One thing we can say, though, is that Mrs. Crisler is up to date on her personal property taxes. We know this because Randy paid them two days before his appointment to the council.”
And that isn’t considered a rude jab? I think you need to reconsider.
To be honest, I’m just happy it’s not Doris.
LikeLike
Pointing out the truth, and its hypocrisy is rude? How do you figure that, given these folks chose willingly to be hypocrites? No one forced them to.
In fact, there is a Federal lawsuit against the City and Diane Waller as a result. Doris beat Randy 75-25% in 2011. Pretty sure you were in the minority.
LikeLike
Hate to tell you but I was with Doris when we went to St. Anthony’s and dropped off a Get Well card to Randy Crisler….doesn’t sound insensitive to me..
LikeLike
Nice that idiots have to remain Anonymous when they make their snide remarks about a person who’s only agenda was the people!!!
LikeLike
You had several rude jabs and made it personal. And the comments Matt Hay left on the Post Dispatch page were disrespectful. He really showed his age and lack of experience on that one. This is nothing more than a blog that is directed by Doris, Matt and Bob. You should learn real journalism.
LikeLike
Then don’t read it if you don’t like the content I’m sure there are other sites you can remain anonymous on!
LikeLike
Ah, you have to love those who do not have the testicular fortitude to cast aspersions under their own names. My comments were not borne out of disrespect, though, Randy did little in life to deserve any from me, they were borne out of truth. Its seems there is an odd aversion to truth in Arnold.
Killing oneself with alcohol is not a noble endeavor. I say that now at 31 years immature as I will at 61. Those who successfully kill themselves with it should not be heralded as heros for the lives they selfishly destroyed in their wake. My age seems to be an issue for you. Are you envious or something?
LikeLike
Pot, Kettle?
LikeLike
You seem confused. I am Matt Hay. WrongOnRed is my WordPress account, which most folks are aware. I am rather sure everyone knows that, given I am credited as the creator of the very site it takes you to.
Your turn…..
LikeLike
Many of us remain anonymous so that we don’t get stalked and harassed or have our jobs threatened. Don’t ever voice an opinion that differs from these people or you might suffer the same consequence.
LikeLike
You mean like how the GOBs harassed my wife in an attempt to get to me?
LikeLike
Well, it didn’t take long for Anonymous to reveal her true identity. One only need to go to Topix to see more of her lack of common sense and logic. She has been declared non-existent there and rightly so. Banish her to her realm on Topix.
LikeLike
So it is ok for you to remain anonymous, and not suffer any consequences, but you will publicly call out Doris and make your remarks, put your identity where your mouth is or shut up!
LikeLike
Vickey,
I challenge you to disagree with them on something. They won’t back you up and will turn on you on a dime. Just like they did Counts and Lindsey.
And Doris, good luck banishing me to whatever realm. You are nobody’s boss and have no power even though you would like to think you do. It was thrown out there by someone that you beat Randy for the council seat, but when you ran for Mayor your OWN WARD voted against you by almost a two to one margin. That has to indicate that they didn’t like the job you did on the council to the point that they didn’t want you as Mayor.
I have to ask, are the comments thrown out there against the Crisler’s because you all are mad that one of your buddies are not being appointed to that seat? A bit of jealously perhaps. Counts did the respectable thing by waiting until after the election to fill Cricky’s seat. That way whatever faction that got in could fill it with someone who represents their values. It was fair. If he had appointed someone before the election and then he lost you all would be jumping up and down that he should have waited until after the election to do it. You can’t have it both ways. It just goes to show that no matter what they do they can’t win by you all because you will criticize everything they do down to the way they sneeze.
LikeLike
And you my dear nameless, faceless person, basically a 0, are supporting their cronyism. All I said to you was that I put my name by my comments. I also said that Doris is the only HONEST one of the bunch, I stand behind that statement and I also put my name out there.
LikeLike
Yeah, right. She’s so honest that she accused the Mayor of not paying the personal property tax on his business when:
1. It is a corporation so he is not personally liable under the law.
2. He did in fact pay it…ON TIME.
She’s such an upstanding person that I don’t recall her ever issuing an apology. She always makes accusations and never names names.
In order to have the public respect you, you have to have some self respect yourself.
Question: Since she insists the Gold Buyer of lying about harassment and says in not so many words that it was to defame her, why isn’t she suing him for defamation of character? She said on her Mayoral Facebook page that she feared for her safety from Mike Evans. Did she ever file a police report or go for a restraining order since she was so afraid for her safety? I would love answers to those question.
LikeLike
My wife Michelle posted this on the Patch on Tuesday; http://arnold.patch.com/groups/the-arnold-arsenal/p/randy-crisler-appointment
She also asked this question to those that subscribe to the Arnold Arsenal. At last count, I beleive she had received feedback via email from at least 8 residents. Some noting that they reside not only in town, but in Ward 1. These were not the “usual suspects” as the city attorney likes to demean them. But concerned residents! Not some. Not most. But ALL the replies were opposed to this appointment for a myriad of reasons. Some were vehemently opposed and even some expressing disgust in the mayors actions. She received absolutely NONE in favor of this appointment! Not even any that were neutral.
Some may claim that 8 (not sure if there are more now) is not a representative amount. Well, statistics show that in an area our size, 8 speak for at least 800 that don’t take the time or energy to make their views “known”, but feel the same way.
The mayor “claimed” that he had received those same emails from those same people, but I’ll call him out on this and challenge him to produce them. I’d be willing to wager that “if” he even really heard from anyone via email, none of them were from the same people that wrote to Michelle. Several of the other “usual suspects” (other council members) chimed up that they had received emails saying this was a good choice. Same challenge to them. Produce them. All of them. I find it absolutely incredulous to think that one council person gets 100% of the feedback to this as negative, yet ALL the other present council people only got positive? (Ken Moss was absent) As much as the mayor has personally been dishonest and flat out lied to me on numerous occasions, at least he admitted that he got negative feedback to this appointment with his “claiming” he got those same emails.
All in all, we can pretty much sum this up to “politics as usual” in Arnold. And this administration will stack the deck in its favor any chance it gets, as demonstrated over and over with making room for its allies to be on the ballot or appointed with back taxes due and bouncing those they don’t feel are allies for the same reason. And it’s the citizens of the city that pay the price. It’s too bad so many are asleep at the wheel and allow themselves to be abused by this administration!
PS. Want to get a glimpse of the real truth of happenings in Arnold’s government? Email hohmeierward2@gmail.com and ask to be put on the Arsenal Newsletter email list.
LikeLike
I notice you all a pod the questions at hand when it goes against your friends. Answer the questions.
And I voiced I was in favor of the appointment. Usually you only hear when people are against something. When they agree with it they usually remain silent. So that means 792 were in favor.
For a politician’s husband you sure do like to make assumptions and skew things to your favor.
I know for a fact that if your group was in power that they would appoint people that agree with their views, or stack the deck like you stated. It goes both ways and until all of you are voted out on both sides Arnold will have no rest.
LikeLike
You seem to like to make assumptions, skew things to your favor and are quite adept at jumping to conclusions. You wouldn’t know a fact if it was sitting on your nose.
LikeLike