April 2022 Connection Header
A Publication of St. Charles County Government - April 2022
Top Five
vote button on American flag

1. Vote: General Municipal Election April 5

Be sure to exercise your right to vote on Tuesday, April 5. If you don’t know the issues, or would like more information about them, visit the St. Charles County Election Authority webpage and click on “View sample ballot” under April 5, 2022 General Municipal Election.
On the ballot is Proposition R, which asks voters if they want to extend the County’s ½-cent Transportation Sales Tax. The tax is used for traffic relief, roadway safety improvements, and to construct, reconstruct and repair roads and bridges, within St. Charles County. First enacted by voters in 1985, the sales tax has been reauthorized three times – in 1994, 2004 and 2012. This is a no tax increase proposal. Learn more by reading Councilman Joe Cronin’s blog in this issue of Connection!

blue pinwheels

2. Raising Awareness for National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Child abuse is an important, yet difficult, topic to address. The St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (SCCPA) and St. Charles County Police Department (SCCPD) work diligently to combat child abuse and raise awareness in the community. In recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month this April, the SCCPA and SCCPD are joining with community partners for a Pinwheel Garden Ceremony at the Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri (CAC) April 1. The pinwheels placed represent the number of substantiated cases of child abuse for St. Charles County; 260 cases were reported in 2021, compared to 268 in 2020 and 247 in 2019. Learn more about the SCCPA’s efforts and educational resources from the CAC.

emergency dispatcher

3. Recognizing Dispatchers for Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

Dispatchers have the critical task of connecting individuals encountering an emergency with the help they need from first responders. St. Charles County Emergency Communications provides dispatching services for all fire and EMS agencies within St. Charles County, as well as the St. Charles County Police Department, Sheriff’s Department, and Department of Corrections. In 2021, dispatchers across St. Charles County answered a total of 138,807 911 calls, averaging 3.6 seconds to answer. More than half of all calls were answered by St. Charles County Department of Emergency Communications dispatchers. Follow St. Charles County Government on Facebook and check for posts during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week April 10-16 to learn more about the department and career opportunities as a dispatcher.

  • Congratulations to System Engineer Mike Fridley and Radio Systems and Technology Division Manager Dwayne Kinley on being recognized as Information Technologist of the Year and Radio Technologist of the Year, respectively, at the 2022 Missouri Public Safety Communications Conference in March. Learn more about these recognitions.
prescription drugs

4. Clean Out Unwanted Medications for Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Unwanted, unused, or expired prescription medications can be a public safety issue when used improperly and by someone other than the prescribed user. To help fight prescription drug abuse, the St. Charles County Police Department collects unwanted medications 24/7 at a kiosk in their station lobby.

Additionally, the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department will be hosting a drop-off collection site in recognition of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday, April 29, at the 11th Judicial Circuit Courthouse.

Medications must be kept in their original container with personal information removed or blacked out. Please leave the medication name and dosage visible. Sharps, including injected medications and needles, cannot be accepted. View additional collection sites in the area. 

barn cat

5. Barn Cats Work to Help St. Charles County

Hundreds of feral cats can be found in colonies around St. Charles County. Because a female cat and her offspring can generate more than 400,000 kittens in just a few years, overpopulation quickly becomes a nuisance to the communities that surround these colonies.

Instead of just removing the cats from the area and having more return to that location in the immediate future, controlling the population is the best long-term solution. Through St. Charles County’s Sterile Feral program, Division of Humane Services staff and dedicated volunteers work with residents to trap feral cats. Then, the animal can be spayed/neutered to stop the breeding cycle that causes overpopulation and treated to prevent the spread of illness. Following that, the cat is returned to the location where he/she was found...MORE




Quick Clicks
  • Property Fraud Alert
    The Recorder of Deeds provides Property Fraud Alert as a free electronic notification service that alerts subscribers via email when a document matching their personal name or business name is recorded in St. Charles County. This service does not prevent fraud but provides an early warning system to allow subscribers to take appropriate action. 

  • Activities at St. Charles County Parks
    Spring is here! Find a park to explore and register for upcoming events and programs with St. Charles County Parks.




Steve Ehlmann

A Message From the County Executive

As I do each year in March, I presented the County Council with my annual report for St. Charles County government at a recent meeting. For this 2021 report, I focused on recovery, safety, and growth. I’ll be presenting the report at meetings throughout the county in the coming months but want to take this opportunity to give readers an overview. If you want to know more, you can access my slide presentation or watch my presentation to the Council…MORE


Council Comments

Joe Cronin

Joe Cronin, District 1

County government recently sent two mailers to all households in St. Charles County with information about the history and plans for the County’s ½-cent Transportation Sales Tax; one in December 2021 and one in March 2022. I hope you have had an opportunity to read them. I did, and I can tell you, I am impressed with how well that money has been managed...MORE




What's New on SCCMO-TV

Tornado Safety video
Lunch & Learn: EmpowHER
County Council Meeting
  • Tornado Safety: Watch the County News Update about the 11th Judicial Circuit Court's Drug Treatment Court program.
  • Lunch & Learn: A Special EmpowHER Edition: The St. Charles County Police Department hosts a panel discussion featuring women in law enforcement.
  • Live Meeting Broadcasts: Watch public meetings of the County Council and Planning & Zoning Commission live on YouTube.

Calendar

Calendar, Reminders and Directory

  • For more information on County events or meetings, visit our website.

  • To schedule a speaker for your group, visit our Request a Speaker page.

  • Sign up to receive emergency notifications and more through SCCMO AlertMe.

  • View the St. Charles County Government Directory for a listing of departments and contact information.




Stay Up to Date on County News!


View and subscribe to St. Charles County's e-newsletters—the Connection and Active by Nature—by visiting Notify Me at sccmo.org.




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201 N. 2nd St., St. Charles, MO 63301

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