Yesterday, April 15, 2008, I had the distinct pleasure of signing a Proclamation naming the First Annual Tree Day in the City of St. James. Naming an annual "Tree Day" in the community is one of the formal steps required for the St. James Forestry Board's endeavor to earn designation as Tree City U.S.A. This formal recognition provides the opportunity to apply to the Missouri Department of Conservation's Tree Resource and Improvement Management Program( TRIM) for grants which are part of an effort by the MDC and the Missouri Community Forest Council to assist communities in the care and maintenance of trees.

The timing of the Forestry Board's action is particularly timely given that next week Missouri, the Nation, and most of the world celebrate "Earth Day" (April 22) and "Arbor Day" (April 25).  Trees are a renewable resource, can prevent erosion of topsoil by wind and water, help clean the air and moderate our summer temperatures, increase property values, and provide habitat for wildlife.

Thanks to the generosity of The James Foundation, responsible for over 20,000 trees being planted in our community in the late 1950s and 60s, we enjoy "Tree Day" 365 days a year, but will celebrate it annually on April 15.

Perhaps it hasn't gone unnoticed that many of our neighboring communities are experiencing dramatic increases in their utility rates while St. James' rates have remained fairly constant. The reasons for this are many, but part of the reason is the current five year electrical contract negotiated by my predecessor, Mayor Jim Morrison and the Utility Board.  That contract, however, is set to expire January 1, 2009.  Active discussions and negotiations are on-going in an attempt to lock in new and reasonably priced sources and suppliers for the electricity and natural gas our residential, commercial, and industrial customers use. Customers of the St. James Utility Department will be kept informed of those discussions and likely impacts as they occur.   

A quick reminder that Saturday April 26 is the Community Wide Clean-up Day and that on the regular Sanitation Department's pick-up days the following week, the department, with the assistance of the Street's Department will pickup up the discards of homeowners cleanup efforts. For more information, call the Utilities Department at 265-7011.