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PrintAs neighbors of the new Ragtag Cinemacafe facilities we have experienced months of noise, dirt and inconvenience as construction progressed. Our driveway has often been inaccessible, requiring us to carry heavy sacks of groceries several blocks to get them to the elevator of our upstairs apartment. During this period of time, neither Mr. Sturtz nor any of his staff contacted us as to how they might alleviate our discomfort. Nor did they respond to the photographs we mailed them showing the negative impact of their design on our visual environment.
Similarly, no one from the Ragtag has volunteered to view from where we live the unsightly additions they have made to the second floor of their historic structure.
We are enthusiastic supporters of downtown living; that is why we live where we do. However, we have never before experienced such marginalization as we are currently encountering from The District’s movers and shakers at the Ragtag. This lack of basic neighborliness in this small area of the First Ward does not bode well for Mr. Sturtz’s response to other First Ward issues.
We have seen nothing to recommend a vote for Paul Sturtz.
Show Me the Errors 
Comments
Where is the driveway. There's a alley behind Downtown appliance. If that's the "driveway", there's another entrance off Broadway next to where the old Gunthers used to be. Never in downtown's busiest time did I have to park several blocks from my destination. Sturtz has been running for months now. nicely timed letter to the editor
Paul's not the owner of Ragtag; to suggest that it's his fault that your view was degraded or that he "marginalized" you is absurd. Tim Dance's comment about the timing of this letter is spot on!
According to his bio, he is not the owner of Ragtag. He was the founder and currently the program director. Ragtag is a non-profit organization that has a board of directors. According to the Ragtag website the President is Nola Ruth
Executive Director, Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies. Any complaint about the construction should have been directed to the board. If you had a problem with the cinematic fare that Ragtag was running, then Paul would of been your man. A little research would of pointed you in the right direction. No one was trying to marginalize you. Have to agree with Tim and Glenn. The ragtag construction has been going on for a long time and Paul has been running since October so the timing of your letter is curious.
Bill and Mary, this is an odd way for us to communicate, but since we've never talked or had an email exchange, let's start now. As I don't have your phone number (but just left a message for a couple that used to live on 8th with your names) or email address, let me give you my contact information: it's paul@truefalse.org and my phone number is 443-0881. Let's get to the bottom of this together.
BIll and Mary:
If your neighbor in the suburbs was doing a ground-up remodeling of his house, you'd have the same issues. That building is not just Ragtag, either - it's a bakery and will also house a video store.
Paul has little to do with this, and even if he did, I'd think this would be a poor reason to judge what kind of Council member he would make.
DK