2011 in Review: A Look Back at the Year in O’Fallon

With the new year approaching, O'Fallon Patch takes a look at some of the most popular stories from 2011. 

Government: Laws, Leaders and Elections

• O’Fallon City Council adopted new ordinances amending the city laws banning synthetic marijuana and standardizing height regulations for grass and weeds at their first meeting of 2011.

• According to US Census Data released in February 2011, O’Fallon moved up from the 13th largest incorporated city, to seventh place with a 71. 8 percent growth that put the city’s population at 79,329.

• The City of O’Fallon announced in March, longtime Clayton official Lenore Toser-Aldaz would begin working with O'Fallon as assistant city administrator.

• On April 5, O'Fallon voters approved a city-wide smoking ban, a $18.5 million no-tax increase bond issue for the and a $10.9-million bond issue called Proposition HOPE for the .

• O’Fallon voters re-elected Ward 1 Councilman Bill Gardner, Ward 2 Councilwoman Rose Mack, Ward 4 Bob Howell and Ward 5 Mike Pheney. Newcomer Richard Battelle was elected to the two-year seat open in Ward 3.

• Despite Ward 2 Councilman Jim Pepper’s that the anti-smoking group Tobacco-Free St. Louis overstepped its bounds as a non-profit organization with contributions to Smoke-Free O’Fallon’s campaign and a to stop the smoking ban, the  voter approved smoking ban in O’Fallon went into effect on June 16.

O'Fallon Council Rejects Plain English Law, Embraces Policy

• The city council set guidelines to make ordinances more understandable, but stop short of making it a law. City staff said an ordinance would set the city up for legal obstacles. The plain English policy requires laws and regulations to be written so that a person of average intelligence can understand it.

• In July, voted 6-4 to increase the base rate and usage fees for the O’Fallon water district over the next five years. According to Director of O’Fallon Public Works Steve Bender, the average household will pay about $1.32 more per month starting in January 2012. Bender said the increases are being enacted to keep up with rising energy costs and to better maintain O’Fallon’s water system.

Council Approves Law Against Illegal Immigration

• In September, the council voted to declare O’Fallon a . 

This means the city publicly does not condone illegal immigration and intends to pass laws to deter illegal immigration in O’Fallon.

• O’Fallon Ward 5 City Councilman Mark Perkins resigns his seat on the council after six terms. A temporary replacement until the April city election may be named in January 2012.

• Council approved an amended resolution that will put in motion the hiring of a consultant to audit the city’s trash and recycling services and examine opportunities for improvement without intent of selling the department. A directed staff to issue a request for qualifications to hire a consultant who would analyze the assessed value of the Environmental Services Department and develop a request for proposals to potentially use for bidders in the sale of the department. 

• O’Fallon City Council voted 6-3 to approve the city’s $75.9 million 2012 budget on Dec. 9. The budget includes a few more police officers and a skating park but no major cost of living increase for city employees.

Projects: Roads, Parks, Renewable Energy  

• In March, engineers and city staff met with residents  to discuss four design options that would help traffic flow. 

City Council Approves Funding Agreements for Six Road Projects

• In the spring, council also took the first steps to approve six road projects to be compete in 2012. 

• The Energy Strategic Plan was approved in April, including several projects with the overall goal of decreasing O’Fallon’s carbon footprint by reducing electricity, water and natural gas usage by two percent by the year 2020.
• In May, the city began testing a renewable energy project, installing 104 solar panels and a 43-foot wind turbine at its street division maintenance complex. 

O’Fallon Partners With OASIS to Provide Activities for Older Adults in St. Charles County 

• This partnership allowed adults age 50 and older the opportunity to participate in more than 30 programs focusing on wellness, health and continuing education this fall in O’Fallon. 

Let's Play: Brendan's Playground Opens in O'Fallon 

• After months of ,  and construction, O'Fallon's all-inclusive  opened in  on Oct. 1. 

Check O'Fallon Patch tomorrow morning, when we bring you a list of 11 people in O'Fallon who made a difference in 2011.