In light of recent events concerning Crestwood and Wildwood, I am wondering if we have the right person in place to do the job of city attorney in Crestwood.

There have been comments by the Board of Aldermen of the city of Wildwood — St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Aug. 17, 2008 — as well as the comments that “mistakes were made” concerning the Aug. 5, 2008, election — the city attorney reviewed the outgoing newsletter, the mayor has said.

I am concerned that with the advent of the Crestwood Court shopping center coming soon, we have the right man for the job of city attorney.

We all know that these will be the type of negotiations that require complete expertise in such areas as TIF, or tax-increment financing; TDD, or transportation-development districts; CID, or community-improvement districts; and Chapter 353 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, or the Urban Redevelopment Corporations Law; and I fear that this may not be the venue of our current city attorney.

I am calling on the mayor, as well as the Board of Aldermen, to review the needs we now have and make a decision as to whether we in fact have the right man in place to do this.

Anything else would be tantamount to dereliction of duty by the board, in my opinion.

Thomas C. Ford

Crestwood

Editor’s note: Robert Golterman serves as city attorney in both Crestwood and Wildwood.