Storage Trailers, Mayoral Candidates and School Based Clinicians

These are a few of my favorite things
From the SN-L:

Deaver said that's not accurate. He said the city received one complaint in 2002 and 2003, but more during the following years. There were six complaints in 2004 and 2005, and nine in 2007, according to Deaver. Some of those calls were in regards to storage pods, which also would be regulated by the ordinance. Four complaints have already been made this year, Deaver said.

20 complaints since 2002. I think I have read in the newspaper more than 20 complaints about council's lack of oversight and lack of proper funding of the police/fireman's pension, and how the council needs to fix it --without a tax increase (like divert the parks tax maybe?)...What?....oh yeah, it's a lot easier to deal with storage trailers.

You sure you're not running for mayor, Gary?

LifeOfJason: Let’s start with the big question. Are you going to run to replace Mayor Carlson?

Councilman Deaver: Folks have asked me to consider it but there’s a lot of work to do. I really just want to keep doing my job everyday. A decision on future community service would hinge on my mother’s health because that’s a big thing that ties me to the community. I’m an only child and my mother is ninety-six and I really try to make the time to visit her every day so that keeps me tied into the community very closely

From the Comunity Free Press:

Where is
Mayor Carlson? Mayor Pro Tem Gary Deaver presided over his third consecutive City Council meeting on February 25. Mayor Tom Carlson last presided over a Council meeting on January 14 and hasn’t been at a City Council luncheon since January 22. On February 19, City Attorney Dan Wichmer suggested Carlson might be taking some vacation time. Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky gave another reason he might be avoiding the Chambers and free Council lunches. “I think that he is definitely disengaging and I think he’s allowing Gary Deaver to get some experience at the helm, with the idea that Gary is going to be a candidate for Mayor,” she said.

The Springfield Public Schools Summer 2007 Webnewsletter:

School-Based Clinicians see positive results. Originally funded by a three-year grant in 2004, the program clinicians helped reduce student substance abuse problems by 49 percent and behavioral problems by 38 percent. The clinicians were provided in response to increased incidents of school violence across the country. Clinicians attempt to help students with problem behaviors or who are in difficult life situations. “We give students skills so when a problem comes again they know how to deal with it,” said Ken Kabonic, the SBC at Central High School. “A lot of kids are in school who (otherwise) wouldn’t be in school and we’ve intervened to stop some violence in schools.” Susie Henderson, director of school-based services at Burrell Behavioral Health added: “The School Based Mental Health program has allowed us to deliver mental health services when and where they are needed and before the problems become more serious.” Burrell provides the clinicians.

From today's SN-L:

Board member Michael Hoeman also expressed surprise that administrators didn't recommend funding for 16 school-based mental health clinicians.

Those positions were added to the district several years ago when the district received a three-year federal grant.

When the expired last year, the district was able to work with local legislators to get replacement funding for this year. They worked with Gov. Matt Blunt, who adding funding for the positions in his budget proposal.

Administrators said they found out last week that the proposal for school mental health clinicians had been cut from the state budget proposal, though it's impossible that funding would be proposed again.

Superintendent Norm Ridder said it's possible funding could develop.