Both candidates in last November’s controversial Ward One alderman election in Clayton stand in the way of a recent university proposal for a new South Forty dormitory and parking lot expansion.

Bev Wagner, who won the election, and John Porter, who after losing returned to his duties as chair of the Clayton Plan Commission, are both involved in the approval of the Washington University plan, which calls for a new residential hall, additional parking, and a new roadway on the South Forty.

The plan must receive approval from the Plan Commission, and if approved, it will proceed to the Board of Aldermen. The Aldermen can only overturn a decision made by the Plan Commission with a super majority vote of 5-2.

Wagner questioned Porter’s legitimacy during the campaign last year, because his wife, Sarah Russell, is an associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and the couple rents a university-owned home. Porter has also stated that Wagner is generally opposed to the university.

“She has for eighteen years been anti-WU, complaining unrelentingly about things that WU has wanted to do,” Porter said.

Wagner’s campaign claimed that Porter, if elected, would have to recuse-or excuse-himself from voting on any issues related to WU.

Porter, who has served as chair of the Clayton Plan Commission for six years, stated that his voting record shows that he holds no bias either toward or against WU projects.

“WU has come up on the agenda many times since I’ve been on the board. I’ve voted for some things and against other things. My voting shows a record of fairness, and the way I run the Commission is based on common sense,” Porter said.

Wagner has a somewhat different relationship with WU. She was a founding member of the Good Neighbors Coalition, a group of citizens known for criticizing WU’s interactions with the Clayton community.

The Coalition has objected to campus noise levels, WU’s past property purchases, and campus parking accommodations, among other issues.

“I’ve had to distance myself from the group since being elected Alderman,” Wagner said, when asked about her current relationship with the Coalition.

Last Monday, both officials attended a conceptual review presentation given by WU regarding the new dormitory, expansion of parking, and changes to Shepley Drive. Wagner said she was impressed with the thoroughness of the recent presentation of the South Forty construction plan, but also has a few reservations. At the meeting, she voiced her concern about the aesthetics of adding another level to the parking lot by Hitzeman, Hurd and Myers residence halls, the possibility of retaining the pedestrian sidewalk running along University Lane, and the potential for increased traffic through the area.

Before last Monday’s meeting, Porter asked a city attorney to prepare a legal opinion on the conflict of interest issue that Wanger had raised during the alderman

campaign, in order to resolve the question of whether or not he could vote on the present construction proposal.

According to Porter, the city attorney simply told him that there was no conflict of interest and that he was indeed free to vote. But Wagner and others wanted a written opinion.

“It was not clear what [the verbal] opinion was based on, so we asked the city attorney to put it in writing and base the decision on the Clayton Municipal Ordinance of 1997, which governs conflict of interest issues,” Wagner said.

A written opinion was presented at the Monday meeting.

Contact Annie at [email protected]

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