To the editor:

Is the city of Green Park as great as it is proclaimed?

Are we united? Um, let me think — we went from a first-class city — St. Louis County — to a fourth-class city. I have a farm in DeSoto. Great place, but still a fourth-class city.

• Last year in Ronnie Hills we had two blocks worth of concrete replaced. This year no concrete will be poured. OK with that logic we have 16 to 20 blocks to be redone. That means two blocks every two years. In 16 to 20 years we should have new streets. At that time we start the process all over.

• At the intersection of Marbob and Patsy there is a cul-de-sac. Take a look at every other cul-de-sac in St. Louis County and you will see a storm inlet. This cul-de-sac has none. During rainstorms, property damage occurs. We had a chance to correct the problem when we got our two blocks worth of concrete poured. Of course, it was not addressed. There has been property damage and our mayor knows this, yet nothing is done. During storms, rain still runs straight into a neighbor’s garage. If this was happening to the mayor’s garage, would he direct the city to fix it?

• The new addition at Clydesdale Park is beautiful. I just can’t walk down Green Park Road to get there without getting run over. The new industrial park has landscaped and put trees in at the end of Kohrs Lane. One question, where’s the new sidewalk? Wouldn’t it have been an ideal time to put one in?

• Oh yeah, we get higher taxes.

• Last spring Green Park Road flooded at the industrial drive entrance and Green Park Road. I grew up on Musick Road and in over 47 years have never heard of this. Could it be from changing our zoning and letting 5,500-square-foot lot sizes run amok? There is no room for water absorption.

• I have suggestion for a new name, City of Asphalt.

• We still have a highway on Patsy. Al-though it is convenient for most, it is very dangerous and inconvenient for us. You need to look two ways and then check both ways again just to get mail out of your mailbox. If you don’t, you will be sure to get run over.

• New City Hall lease. Great investment of tax dollars — building great equity? When you rent spacious quarters just to look good with no investment or return, it’s not good business. Oh yeah, we can just raise taxes that will pay for things, like new streets sooner than 20 years.

• Five to six years ago I served on the city of Green Park’s Transportation Committee. We were asked to analyze the cut-through problem on Patsy. Our solutions were to extend Kohrs Drive through the new — at the time —neighborhood. Never happened, probably never will. At least two different proposals were shot down. Why? Because they don’t want cut-through traffic. Another solution was to extend Lin Valle Drive. Well, the city rezoned a key piece of property and now that connection is no longer a reality. It’s been built on.

• Former Mayor Kuban put flags up in every neighborhood on the Fourth of July but Ronnie Hills. Really a class act, wouldn’t you say? We all get along so great.

• If I had to do it over again, I would defiantly vote against becoming a fourth-class city. Do we get along? I think people get tired of fighting with each other. If it came up on a ballot to disincorporate, I would vote “yes.” This city is still a fourth-class small kingdom for the few, but the people are not really represented.

• Is there a petition to disincorporate? I will sign. I was happier when we all stuck together and rode buses to Clayton as a group.

• The speed limit on Green Park Road from Kohrs to Union to 30 mph. If you go 30, you get honked at or cursed at. Either raise it to 35 or 40, or enforce it.

Mark Friederich

Green Park