2 Women Pray for Safety on the Eve of The County Council Meeting

Monday evening, two Oakville women came to pray next to the construction site of the National Church Residences (NCR) HUD senior living complex under construction on Telegraph Road.

Tuesday night, at the St. Louis County Council meeting, Sixth District  County Councilman Steve Stenger said he would try to reverse a zoning ruling that allowed the construction to proceed.

“This is a strong Christian community, and I don’t know why more people are not here holding hands and praying,” Michelle Martino said. “It’s out of our hands.”

Martino said it’s the wrong location for the senior housing.

“These people have million-dollar houses back here,” she said. “This community is very tight. The school district is awesome. We just want to keep it that way."

Martino fears NCR will change the purpose of the building.

“I’m going to tell you, two years from now, we don’t have senior citizens in here any more, we have drug addicts,” she said. “That’s what we fear.”

Sheila Sheppard said that’s what they’re going to pray about. “If it does continue, which they say it will, we’re just going to pray for safety, and for NCR to uphold their end of the bargain. We just want a safe community. That’s it”

Sheppard said her main concern is the way it was handled. “Our government officials need to be prayed for too,” she said.

“We don’t have an intention. We just have an intention for God’s will for whatever is to happen,” she said.