Grantwood Village: What Sets Us Apart

Friday, four Grantwood Village Trustees filled potholes on two Village streets (ok, so I was more of a supervisor than a worker...). You're probably wondering why this wasn't covered in our street maintenance and improvement contract we approved at our May meeting. Two reasons. These holes were becoming large enough to warrant emergency status, plus, the recent weather has shut down asphalt production, but residents were still calling and the holes needed to be fixed ASAP.  Fortunately, our newest Trustee has extensive background and training with concrete and asphalt.  Add that to three other willing and able Trustees, and you now had the ad hoc Grantwood Public Works Department. In the end, the holes were patched, residents stopped by and visited, and no one was hurt.

St. Louis County is home to many small municipalities. Some would like to see disincorporation or mergers, an end to tax revenue pooling, and even a City-County merger.  But here in Grantwood, the conversation does not include any of the above. Yes, we are small, we do not have a commercial base, and we do not have any employees. We contract our Police services with St. Louis County. We also have no debt. We owe nothing on our Town Hall, and our finances are strong. We have a National Park site and the 9th most visited St. Louis tourist attraction within our boundaries. Our residents volunteer their time, services, products, and expertise to improve our Community. We are thriving with young families and original homeowners. We are proudly served by the nationally recognized Lindbergh School District and Affton Fire District. We have open and inviting board meetings where attendance has steadily increased and residents can speak freely.

Sure, we're not perfect.  Anyone in Goverment, or any organization, knows you cannot please everyone all the time. But we can certainly try. That is what is great about a small municipality. We have more bringing us together, than tearing us apart. You can call your neighbor who is your Trustee and tell them about the large pothole in front of your house and the problem is solved. You can stop while walking your dog and speak to the resident who is on the Lindbergh School Board. You can be a voice and a vital part of your community. Add a neighborhood with mature trees, a shared love of history and our founding families, and residents and Trustees going above and beyond to serve one another. And that is what sets Grantwood apart.