We’re certainly not attorneys here at the Call, but we’d like to believe we possess some common sense.

For example, if you’re an attorney arguing a case before a judge, it makes a lot of sense not to berate, insult or demean that judge. Perhaps that’s a lesson attorney Kevin King has yet to learn.

King is representing Pulaski Bank, which owns the Sappington Square retail center on Watson Road in Crestwood. The bank is seeking a new redevelopment agreement with the city for the retail center. The original development agreement, which was approved in 2007, fell through when the center’s previous developer, Sappington Square LLC, defaulted on a loan it obtained from Pulaski Bank for construction of the roughly $13 million redevelopment project. The bank foreclosed on the property and bought it at public auction in December 2009.

At issue is the community improvement district, or CID, currently in place at the retail center. Some Crestwood aldermen have indicated they want to dissolve the CID and repeal the 1 percent CID sales tax collected on purchases made at the center. King has said Pulaski Bank wants to fill the vacant lots at Sappington Square as quickly as possible and eventually sell the property to a new owner. A new development agreement would help that effort because the bank could use CID proceeds to “incentivize” prospective Sappington Square tenants with lower rent, King has said.

On more than one occasion now, King has publicly tangled with aldermen — the people who have the power to grant what he is seeking for his client — over a new redevelopment agreement.

For example, King last month indicated Ward 2 Alderman Jeff Schlink, in particular, had obstructed discussion of the issue. King also contended he believed Schlink has been “closed-minded” about the issue.

Last week King contended Ward 3 Alderman Jerry Miguel was being “inappropriate” when the alderman asked King if he would be willing to negotiate the CID sales tax rate.

But the real capper came last week when King told Ward 3 Alderman Paul Duchild he was “insulted” by Duchild’s contention that Pulaski Bank hasn’t been willing to negotiate a new agreement. When Duchild later attempted to interject a comment, King told the alderman, “Wait a second. You had your say …”

Perhaps someone will give King a copy of “How to Win Friends & Influence People” this holiday season.