County Council - Regular Meeting

What Rory means, because Tim said, are we voting on this tonight? I said, well, Claire said we are. But then Rory said, no, it doesn't. What he's saying is you vote on the proposed, and then you don't pass the final. You pass the final. Is that how it goes?

No. We adopt it tonight by resolution. So we're going to vote on the resolution tonight. And then what happens?

Is it changeable? That's not what Roy said.

Why are you asking about it?

I don't understand. Because Tim asked me if they were voting on it tonight. And I said yes, and Roy said no.

I'm not really worried about her.

um um

I would like to make a motion second second roll call

Councilman Swanson? Yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazel? Yes. Councilman Hammond? Yes. Councilman Elam? Yes. Councilman Hollander? Yes. Councilwoman York? Yes. Councilman Baker? Yes.

All right. We are ready for the session.

Okay. It didn't sound like it was working, but it was on. No. All right. I'm going to go get my water, my glasses, my phone, all of it.

testing

Thank you.

oh yes

All right so with that I would entertain a motion.

I make a motion to return to open meeting. Do I have a motion? Second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed?

All right, so we are back out of the closed session. We will take a break until 7 o'clock.

Thank you.

How are you? Fine. Is this your number? That's funny. Yeah, okay, fair enough.

Fair enough.

Fair enough. I will do that. Well, I didn't put a whole lot, but I just wanted to be considerate of stuff and help people. . . . . I don't know if I had it. What's the due date? I don't know. yeah yeah We ain't going slow today. We'll be tired. We're going to lunch. What about the yeah yeah

How's it going? Pretty good.

You know what? I just got back from vacation. We were in Northern Europe. It was beautiful. Yeah, I know. I could actually get a tan without a sweat. Yeah. Yeah.

I got some interesting analysis of the election. I'll share it with you. I agree. That's the one that's sad.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

oh no I'm say I got some that's what you know yeah Good evening everyone. Welcome to the

Monday, August 31st, 2026, St. Charles County Council meeting. We will start tonight with an invocation. Larry Rice is with us, the director of New Life Evangelistic Center. He's going to lead us in our prayer, and our Pledge of Allegiance will be led by me. If you'd please stand and remove your caps. Larry, it's good to see you. Thank you, Bruce.

Father God, we're coming to you tonight asking you to open our eyes and our heart to the suffering in our communities, Lord. Help us, Lord Jesus, to remember that you said as often we've done it to the least of these, even so we've done it unto you. I thank you, Lord, for each one that is here, and I ask that you be with each one of the councilmen and women in the decisions they make. We ask you to guide and direct us. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Please join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. You may be seated. Please call the roll.

Councilman Swanson. Here ma'am. Councilman Brazel. Here. Councilman Hammond.

Here.

Councilman Elam.

Here.

Councilman Hollander.

Here.

Councilwoman York. Here. Councilman Baker.

Here. Starting up tonight with conditional use permits, starting with Bill 5516.

Bill number 5516, an ordinance granting conditional use permit CUP 26-05 for used automobile sales to 501 Partnership, Kenneth C. Hawkins and Margaret J. Hawkins, Ronald S. Bowers and Ruth Ann Bowers, property owner, and Daniel Kleesner, applicant.

with the presentation in public hearing. 3 weeks ago and the record is now closed any final discussion on this. Seeing none please call the roll.

Bill number 5, 5, 1, 6, an ordinance granting conditional use permit to you p 26 dash 0, 5, we're used automobile sales to 5, 1, 1, partnership with Kenneth see Hawkins and Margaret Jay Hawkins run of best powers and Ruth and Bowers property owner and Daniel Kleesner applicant. Councilman Swanson, yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazel, yes. Councilman Hammond, yes. Councilman Elam, yes. Councilman Hollander, yes. Councilwoman York, yes. Councilman Baker, yes.

Bill 5516 passes. That gets us to Bill 5517.

Bill number 5517, an ordinance granting conditional use permit CUP 26-06 for a landscaping contracting service to Theodore Hafner, property owner and applicant.

As with the last one public hearing was 3 weeks ago public record is closed any final comments.

seeing none please call the roll bill number 5517 an ordinance granting conditional use permit cup26-06 for a landscaping contracting service to theodore hefner property owner and applicant councilman brazel yes councilman hammond yeah councilman elam yes councilman hollander yes councilwoman york yes councilman baker yes councilman swanson yes ma'am

Bill number 5517 passes up next is a public hearing on the 2027 to 2031 wow 2031 capital program is strategic plan. I think before we do the public hearing part there, I think Mister summer is going to come up and he's going to do a presentation then. Will entertain Mister Dino's comments.

But did you guys get his hard copies on this.

You should all should receive electronic copies once it's approved by the constant kind of council you'll get a hard copy.

We're going to prove it this evening. I thought we weren't proven to see.

We're voting on it tonight.

Yeah, you're I'm sorry you're approving the the plan this evening, but again until the budget is finalized in 2 months time. I mean again, it's a resolution of the Council so the plan is just a plan until the budget is finalized until it's time.

To that point it's important for everyone to understand what Mr. Summers going to talk about the plan we're going to have a public hearing on what's before the Council tonight is a resolution which basically says we we saw the plan anything that's in there has to come back individually everything that's in there has to come back individually before the Council and will be voted on individually this is not a blanket approval We're about to sign off on the next 4 years of everything that is not what this is just to be clear. This is only a resolution that we're voting on tonight.

So with that I apologize you guys are reading my notes are ready, but that that's OK. Hey this evening before you have the Saint Charles County capital plan program a strategic plan for 2027 in the years that follow that. This currently is a 5 year proposed capital plan that will not be fully funded in for the 27 year until the operating budget is approved by the county Council later this year. The plan covers equipment maintenance upkeep major repairs and construction projects from 23 different funding sources. The 29 different County departments and 18 County buildings, the family arena highway sheds emergency communication towers and 19 current County parks. This is a $96 million plan for the calendar year 2027 as opposed to $89 million for the prior year 2026 and a $105 million plan for the year 2025. Basically the items in the plan that have a value of a million dollars or more include $1.8 million for flood resiliency at the airport of which 95% will be reimbursed by the FAA, $5 million for the Henges Park construction and development. $1.5 million for the Heritage Museum Center construction. $1 million for the National Equestrian Center for repairs and improvements. $6 million for the Pet Adoption Center at the National Equestrian Center. $5 million for the Spring Bend Park Phase II completion. $1.2 million for the finishing of two new courtrooms for the circuit courts. $1 million to begin courthouse annexation renovations. $7 million for the Justice Center Phase III renovation. $1.3 million ballot tabulation system for the election authority. $1.4 million for the fleet vehicle replacement program. $1.3 million for the Microsoft licensing for Windows and Office 365. $1.4 million for the vehicle and equipment road and bridges. And once again $40 million for transportation plan planning during the calendar year, 27 for the road and bridge improvements and the maintenance. So if there's any clarification needed, I know some of the department heads are in the House tonight and glad to answer any questions you have. But once again, this is just a plan that will not be funded until later this year.

Mister Baker. I know we we cut 3 million out of the budget from capping the personal or removing the county's portion of the personal property taxes that is that a correct amount.

What about 3 million move 3 million.

Right.

You pull that microphone down please.

It's it's that that's that's not our show where is where where is that that will be reflected when you get the operating budget in November that's going to be the operating budget and November does not cut is not doesn't impact the capital budget does not cut the capital budget. Thank you.

Go ahead. So Mike, how much is in the next year? What's in parks total?

Parks total? I don't have the plan in front of me. Councilman York, do you have your hard copy with you tonight? $32 million is what I'm hearing out of the back. For just one year? For just one year.

Councilman Baker, did your wall get put under this capital improvement?

No, that's something separate.

Is that supposed to be in here?

Is that something different? That's the road board.

I'm just going to say that I'm not going to vote on this tonight because I was under the impression that we usually got hard copies, I always thought. where we can look through it not after or don't because how can we review it if we don't have hard copies prior to because you know it's it's how many pages and it's I'm just saying I mean you guys before but I'm not because it was e-mail that I know I was out of town of university don't go home last meeting and this is me and with my daughter so that's why I missed it but I what I thought we would have had a hard copy just to review how you might say but I'm not prepared to understand OK yeah.

We did this last year and I think the same way those of us who aren't used to doing it. I like the hard copy to write on but that comes later and we do it all by computer right now.

Any other questions.

Yes, Mister yeah, so yeah, I know I brought this up to Robin the highway department, but I look through the look to the capital plan and I and I I've said this a lot and I know there's no no recourse at least right now, but we funded some stormwater studies that people are getting flooded. I'm every time it rains, it's pretty bad and I'm not seeing any. any avenue to to to try to address that so that's that's my biggest concern about this capital plan, but I mean we had another go at it back in November, that's fine and that's what you're saying right like that we get a I mean we get another go at this in November.

Anything that's proposed in the capital plan they will come to us individually this is showing you this is the proposed plan over the next 4 years he proposed plan over the next 4 years. anything that's in here for example the 202 million dollar road projects we're not approving 202 million dollars in road projects tonight it's just there is 202 million dollars in road projects over the next 4 years that are in this particular plan every one of those road projects like it has always been Every one of them has to come back to us for individual approval just like we do with this is not our budget that we're approving like we do in November, December.

Every item in the capital plan will be included in the operating budget that you'll see later on this year.

You'll get that the first week of November. What I would like, and I'm not saying we're going to fund it. I'd just like to see if we were to fund these specific problems that we have, which Cinnamon Hills is $7 million. It's not small change. I would just like to see how we go about doing it. If you were to present us addressing it, I'd like to know what would be impacted. Is it the road impact? is it slap repairs that you know it and just I just want to would like to see a plan now whether that plan gets adopted. I just you know I just like and all that detail will be included in the operating budget, thank you.

I remove myself, but I just want to reiterate that we will have time that we want to change something in this portion of it if we will be able to do that while we're doing the the whole budget. This is one part of the budget this is

Though this is a proposed proposed capital plan for the next 4 years proposed capital plan for the next 4 years, this is not approving the capital plan for the next 4 years.

But even if we want to change something in this plan we can do it before when the when the budget.

When they come when you look at the but you will amend them before the correct. Yes, correct.

And Mister chairman it's it's just like the thing we do on the on the property tax in April we pass a resolution saying this is what we intend to do for our property tax, but and we're required to do that by a resolution, but then later on in the year we actually do approve it so that this is the same sort of idea and the whole idea of transparency you know this is this kind of give people an idea what we're thinking of doing the next 5 years now whether we do any all all of it or any of it's going to be up to 4 people on sitting up there.

And once the Resolution is done and you get the hard copy for those of you who want hard copies if you have issues with anything that is in there. That's when you can start talking to the administration about revising something that you want done adding something else that you want done. This again I cannot stress. And this is not a finalization of a plan Mister Brad.

I'm just going to say for the record, I remember last year on the capital per plan or items on it and I didn't agree with and i was told to me well you voted for it on the capital improvement plan so it's harder for you to you know they thinking that you're back out you know well you supported it once so that's why when you guys are saying that um well it's just a resolution doesn't really count that will be said at the time we're talking about it well you supported it once so that's what i'm just i'm telling you it was said last year so that's just for the record you know to be fair though that was

A capital improvement plan that we did approve and then the issue came up with an individual. I'm a program that got done. I'm not that was in the capital improvement plan.

I don't know what I'm talking about that was that was a different.

Any of the

Yes, in fact I can just say one more thing it's important that the county council look at this between now and then but also want to make sure the county council approves the resolution because the department heads need this information because they're operating budgets, the first draft are due to the finance a week from Friday which would include all the information in here.

Any other questions or comments?

Thank you.

Sarcastic remarks. Okay, thank you Mr. Summer. Now,

Thank you very much Mister chairman members of the County Council, my name is Arnie see a CD North County public advocate. First of all because the controversy and I also was unaware that was going to pop up on the agenda. But I did find out today that it was on there and I did some background and some research. But I'd request Councilman Brazel and Councilman Baker to continue the public hearing. to the next September meeting of the County Council that would give additional fairness to the public to weigh in to digest to read the proposed capital improvement plan for 2027 to 2031. It's only the right thing to do in light of the circumstances. This is the first time I've heard the council actually have a few even though my new discussion about the capital improvement. Well playing usually it's rubber stamped and pass through whatever is presented by the Department of Finance in the county executive it's usually rubber stamped and pass through without discussion debate fact finding in 0 interaction on capital improvement. I think last year's come from Brazil said is the first year that there was some remote interaction in some discussion. These are not my new dollars or talking about these are hundreds of millions of dollars and they have a lot of ramifications. and a lot of direction which I'll get into here in a moment. But I would like to see a workshop a number of workshops set up with the County Council to actually have some interaction discussion debate do some research asked at the end up questions because you have to be accountable responsible for every dollar spent on the project and I'll tell you one project of the election authority so far has failed us and I'm asking that the facility department hold that contractor accountable which I'll get into in a moment. So the first issue that I want to bring up is fleet management. Our county, we are now 433 citizens and I believe that we have roughly over 500 vehicles countywide in terms of all departments. It's to the point where we need to establish and build our own fleet management department, which we have two personnel in the Department of Finance. But we need to actually be bringing the work in-house, under roof, like some of our municipalities do. The vehicle maintenance and repairs, we currently contract with Firestone is one that I know for sure that the county car sitting out of Firestone I'll tell you what they're in the business to make money and they're making 30 to 40% of what it would cost us actual cost to replace tires breaks oil changes and do the maintenance in the proper things to keep our our fleet in top shape. So instead of paying that out with that additional profit, I think we need to have a plan to build our own fleet management facility. The city of O'Fallon will be opening up their own fleet division and their own standing division of building in a couple months. We need to keep our vehicles longer. And what I mean by that is they are meticulously maintained, probably better than any citizen across our county. They're maintained we have record management to tell them when the oil changes do and I could tell you from talking and interacting with County employees if they don't get it in there on that day fleet management bother or the fleet employees are bothering them to get it over the Firestone or to get it to the appropriate contractor and they have low mileage. These vehicles that were selling at the family arena. They have very low mileage. Transportation and planning department. They want a new vehicle this year. They want $30,000 in the capital plan. And I think that that is ludicrous. They've never had a vehicle, number one. They don't have one currently. And why can't we repurpose a youth vehicle, a youth police car, a youth health car, an assessor's car with low mileage? Why can't they access the fleet and check out a vehicle like the election authority does? Why do we have to go out and spend another $30,000 for another vehicle? So I would ask that you X that from the Transportation and Planning Department. The county corrections and holding facility across the street or down down the Hill on 2nd Street, you know that the dinosaur building that building was outfitted and bill for population of a 150,000 actually a 100,000 population and we have outgrown that building but yet this County Council and this administration mainly Joanne Lycum is pushing for 156 million dollars to put in a dinosaur building that we could we have a land out on time to never behind the county police and the emergency management agency and we could build the envy with top technology in the envy across the country for about 75 to $8 million a brand new facility. But we keep pumping this money into an old dinosaur down on 2nd Street that is even fit and do we want our prison population to be in our downtown urban area of Saint Charles City. So $156,000 over the next four years is a waste of money. We just floated a $50 million bond to pay for part of the renovations, and I think we're just pouring it right down the drain. The county family arena, the cost of upkeep and maintenance keeps going up and up and up. As a matter of fact, in this fiscal year, you want to spend another $1.3 million. It doesn't make a profit. I know we keep hearing from Bob Schnarr. It's his pet project. I think he wants to keep on to that because it gives him a consulting job at $75, $80 an hour when he's collecting loggers as a retired assistant county director of administration. Funding and upgrades and replacement of the county equestrian center located in Lake St. Louis. Those studies that I've read state that we have to come up with $33 to $35 million. We have not discussed that I've not heard the County Council have any discussion or debate of where that over $30 million is going to come from the Joanne and Ryan Graham the parks director boy they want to just stick it right down your throat and say you're going to do it and they think they got it in the bag, but I've heard no discussions of fiscal financial management of where the money in the funds are going to come from to pay for that. Funding for renovation of the St. Charles City Hall. As you all know, we took ownership of the City Hall, including the parking garage. And again, those studies that I saw from St. Charles City of why they're abandoning that building and building a new City Hall is it's going to take $30 to $35 million to retrofit and renovate that building. And so again we've had no discussions offered is Joanne like them tell the courts people that we bought the building and we don't worry about the money will find the money but I heard you're the ones who are accountable for fiscal responsibility of fiduciary accountability and I haven't heard a debate here before the County Council. The construction of the Western Animal Control Facility in Western St. Charles County, and I believe it's going to be in Lake St. Louis at the Equestrian Park. From the figures that I've seen that the county's needs and wants, it's going to be $5 to $7 million, and I think I heard our director of finance say State that's going to cost 6 million dollars to build that shelter again. I've heard no not one ounce of iota of where the funds are coming from because guess what the people behind me and our citizens are sick and tired of tax increases and we don't want another tax increase another burden on our shoulders building and opening up of the park in the city of Saint Paul and Hackman Road. We've owned that property for going to say 15 years now uh from babe hackman when are we ever going to open up that park to the public it's a beautiful piece of property it's got a lake on it i believe there's not much that needs to be done to open it up but yet it's sitting there in reserve not being open to the public because babe hackman as part of her will said to the county that she wanted that to be a public park And you're not honoring her wishes when you took on that responsibility that part why Ryan Graham and the parks board is sitting on that property. It needs to be discussed. And I asked that you finish the other half of the parking lot improvements of our County election authority facility off of Missouri 79. I asked you correct the flooding issue which the flooding issue has flooded now 3 force of the handicap accessible parking spot. with unresolved contract obligations that still are not done by the current contractor. You know, I asked Steve Bellman, and Steve Bellman worked out with the county councilor, because the county councilor gave me a hard time about seeing the plans to that parking facility, because I worked it with the presidential election, trying to get people as fast through the process as we could and park them. Not once did county facilities contact the employees of the election authority and ask what would work and what doesn't work. I've asked to see those plans. I've been to Christine's office at least twice asking to see those plans and they still haven't gotten back to me when I can come and see the plans. So if somebody can make that happen, I'd love to see that go to fruition. Councilman Baker brought up flood water surface water control and for guidelines at the state and county level requirements catch basins erosion control and neighborhood mitigation. We have in our County 6 watersheds that crisscross and go into several municipalities and villages in unincorporated neighborhoods. We need to look and present this project is a countywide issue. We need to either form some type of board or commission to look into these issues. We need to stop flooding our neighborhoods. We need to look at development and responsible growth in our county from west, east, south, and north. Water is a real big issue here. We need to address this issue from a regional and a county perspective because we're being surrounded. We are surrounded by the Missouri River, the Mississippi River, and the Quiver River. And so we really need to look at each watershed. We shouldn't be looking at it from municipality by municipality, which some of them have a half cent sales tax directing it towards those issues. We need to look at it as a regional accounting issue. And I think citizens are tired of it being put on the back burner after the back burner, year after year after year, because guess what? It's getting worse and worse. St. Charles City hit a 1,000-year flood for the last three times this summer, in June and July, and one house flooded two or three times, the same house in a neighborhood in St. Charles. If you look at the footage on TV with the news media, there were cars where the water was all the way up to their doors. We have to solve Our flood issue in our flood mitigation issues and have better retention and detention of structures and capital improvements in comply with the M for regulations. County robo projects. It depends on who you are what your pop political muscle is what type of power you have or access to cover the county government is how you get funded through the county report. I'm opposed to funding and paying for private roads for mercy complexes in both the city of one so in the city of O'Fallon which will cost approximately 3.5 million dollars each entity. We should not be paying for a private hospital that makes hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of profits and is a 401c3 designated not-for-profit corporation. They have to spend down certain funds to be in compliance with federal treasury revenue codes, and they can't keep a lot of assets. So they have the money to build these roads on their own initiative. But no, they're crying for the county government into the county road board. And I'm asking when it comes to this kind of Council that you defeat each one of those projects in the city of O'Fallon in the city of one film tell mercy that they have a hundreds of millions of dollars in their coffers to pay for that 3.35 million dollar road on their own initiative. Spring Bend Park phase one. I and I know Councilman Baker started the initiative. I'm backing and supporting him 100%. It's about public safety and keeping families off the roadways. There was a presentation made last week which I was at the County Road Board asking for a sidewalk and a multi-use path. And I guess there's resistance. at that County road board and I'm not so sure it's going to get past and I would ask and challenge Councilman Baker to with every threshold of his being to stand his ground biggest feed in the scene and asset that puts gets put into the capital improvement plan this year. I didn't see Ryan Graham at that meeting. But I did see the county engineer that meeting and I don't think he's really thrilled about doing that project. It's about the safety of our residents and our families to be off of the streets walking to this major Park that we're getting ready to open up and pending before the county road board and I would ask that we get that in the capital improvement project.

Mister Dino I appreciate you walking us through every item there, but we've got a lot of people who want to speak tonight can you get to the end of the police. I'm just trying to be considerate of everyone else who's standing by and seeing them come to that point thank you.

So just to sum it up are building upgrades for just 2027 is 13 million $315,000. I wrote a bridge construction is 40 million $400,000. And so I'm not sure what the definition is the finance could more put those parameters out between now in the next 2 weeks. Classification summarize by year what is that clock classification. What exactly does that word mean in terms of our capital improvement plan funding source summarize by year and I'm just going to the highlights. Mister chairman capital projects are going to be 4 million $341,000 the family arena is a $1,227,000. Park use tax is $32,452,000 and transportation and planning is $40,230,000. And finally, I just want to reiterate what I stated, that I would ask Councilman Baker or Councilman Brazel to please continue the public hearing to allow citizens to weigh in between now and the next meeting and that you schedule a workshop session to talk about in depth about these issues because you're well paid a public salary pension and expenses and i think that the public deserves to hear the debate of these hundreds of millions of dollars worth of projects that we're getting ready to spend over the next four years thank you mr general next week that's the only speaker card i got i don't know if there's anyone else anyone else to speak in the public hearing

Seeing none that will close the public hearing for the capital program and strategic plan with that I would entertain a motion. Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to move the oral report in the county executive in front of public comments we have a second. The motion to have a second second all those in favor say aye aye any opposed. This county executive.

Sir, sir, we didn't.

No, it wasn't. No, I just. Public comment's still happening. We didn't. Yeah, we just switched. No, you didn't go away. Yeah, we just switched. We just flipped them. You're all good. I know. You've been waiting patiently. I appreciate that.

Three years.

Yeah. Mr. Executive.

I'd like to ask the chief of police to go ahead and give the report for me tonight.

Chief.

Chief Perez.

He's coming.

I think he's brought some other folks with him as well if they'd like to be available. It's up to him.

So I wanted to bring your attention. I know you saw it in the media. Several weeks ago, just a few weeks ago, we were doing an audit of the ElastiPlay reader system. We found an employee, one of our users, that had... unusual amount of inquiries into the last play reader system. So we meet when it's brought to my attention. We immediately took initiated internal affairs investigation suspended that users access to the system and as well as all the other databases that she had access to until we can complete our investigation. Immediately a place that employee and then paid leave absence while the investigation played out. Some things to that we initiated a criminal investigation. I outsource that to another agency. So there was a outside look and transparent look at it and that investigation continues today. Subsequently to that the employee opted to resign. So I think the message is here and that will be present that case will be presented the prosecuting turns at some point in time in the next few weeks. I think the message is with all the news around license plate reader systems is the system worked we conducted an audit we we found something didn't look right we dug into it we took immediate action. So we also did a more comprehensive audit into all of our users and found no other unauthorized inquiries into the system. Happy to answer any questions.

Any questions? All the flock cameras have been canceled and you guys bagged them all?

Yeah, the 29 flock cameras we had have been... The legal counsel sent notice to flock that we're just continuing that and those were bags were placed over those cameras when you point out there's a 125 private flock cameras. And so yeah, there's a the fusion folks advisor there are infusion folks to your folks but there's about a 125 over 200 blocks camera systems in the county still miss Paul and private in a 125 of those are so are privately owned.

But you have no control over the county. No, we have no control of that. No.

No.

Any other questions?

Chief, how are you going to assure the residents of St. Charles County that something like this isn't going to happen again?

Well so prior to all this happening we're already in the process of reviewing and editing updating our audit policies and procedures for all of our criminal justice data systems to include license plate readers. So all this kind of happened at the same time, but I think this proved that it works and why you always have hope to be able to head off the problem. I think the earlier you can identify the problem and eliminate it the better so while we're able to do that in this case after Many, many unauthorized inquiries were made in the system. We would like to call it sooner. I think in the future with our updated practice. Refuse to work with people on that.

The issue is the storage of this data at all. It's a violation of our rights. We want there to be no data to abuse in the first place. I believe we can support good policing and effective policing without accepting every new camera network that comes along.

Our public places should remain places or county director of administration. All votes by each individual council person is allowed by law. Any employee related actions and other financial penalties and liability to our county. We need to have a monthly mandated audit disclosure report to the community county police local church.

One of my favorite things about Mateo is his dedication to his PlayStation. At around seven years old when they fled their hometown, his mother told Mateo to throw the most important things in a backpack. Mateo just packed his PlayStation. One night his mother told us in tears that the PlayStation haunted her from his backpack every night that they had to sleep under an overpass in Dallas looking for help and shelter. Since our work moved here to Missouri, I've met more kids like Mateo. One family has more than a handful of kids, but the brightest of them is a girl named Momina. Momina wants to be a dentist. Being new to English, we mostly focus our time on reading when I tutor her and her siblings. School doesn't scare Momina, but the children at school do. In two years living here, she hasn't made any American friends. She's told me more than once that white kids won't play with her on the playground. Every week I ask if she's made a new friend, and every week I'm disappointed by the answer. In January, five-year-old Liam was detained by ICE in Minnesota, steps away from his own door. This month, another five-year-old named Liam was pulled over with his father on their way to a Sunday soccer game in Austin. He was supposed to start kindergarten, but instead was sent to a detention center and deported. And this bloodlust for children is also close to home. Just 20 minutes from where we're sitting right now, Hillsdale Police deputized under a federal immigration contract, like our own two 87 G agreement showed up at Rinder middle school, asking about three students without a judicial warrant council members. These are not abstractions. These children with backpacks and PlayStations and worship songs and dreams of being dentists, St. Charles County's own two 87 G agreement puts children, children in our schools, one traffic stop away from being detained tonight. I'm asking you to reconsider your allegiance to the two 87 G agreement. and consider taking up the cause of these children.

Alderman Robert Hussey.

Good evening. My name is alderman Robert Hussey and here I got alderman chantelle summers with me we represent the city of Wentzville and first thing I want to say to you guys is I appreciate what you guys do being an elected official sometimes there's some hard decisions that have to be made and have the people like you and half the people down so I appreciate you guys put in the time and effort and what you do. What I'm here to talk about tonight is a railroad quiet zone. the western part of the county and in Wentzville the board has sent us to ask a request from you the city of Wentzville is moving all their railroad crossings to a quiet zone so the railroad doesn't blow the horn at 3 a.m. as I've gotten many concerns over the years from residents about that and When I first was elected I didn't even know there was such a thing and when somebody finally asked me and I knew the information I said yes, actually we could probably help with that. What I need from the county is there is a railroad crossing that shaper road that is just right on the edge of the city limits of winsville and and that is completely surrounded by unincorporated Saint Charles County and Also, the county may want to also help Forestel because I know they have a couple members that are interested in doing that as well, but Forestel is a small town, so they may need some help. But with that, we can actually sleep through the night without hearing the railroad blow its horn at 3 a.m. Of course in Wentzville we have South Point Prairie, Hepperman, Wilmer, Linn in Old Town and East Pittman that we're going to be taking care of. We just ask that the county take care of Shaper Road just on our border. So maybe you want to add that to your capital improvement plan or your budget. So I appreciate your time and I make that request you please and thank you. Thank you.

They're not going to be coming back. Do you feel strongly about it.

Yes, I do okay.

First and foremost, I'm not prepared for this. What I'm doing tonight. I've been looking at this most of my day. I did a lot of research a good phone was looking for over dinner tonight. I found what I'm looking for. Four years ago, I filed a complaint against this county for a problem with the neighborhood, weed infections, et cetera, et cetera. It went on for a year. I couldn't get the county response, Sunshine Act, et cetera, et cetera. Ultimately, it came down to a problem with what I felt with Mr. Sullivan. He is not, both you guys may remember me. Hey, can you, wait, wait, wait. Can you? Okay.

Don't take my time off.

Can you pause that for a second?

Please. What did I do wrong?

Well.

I wanted to see who he was.

I appreciate that. So I appreciate that.

And I want everybody to see he's the acting county counselor, and he has been for five, six years. All right, hang on. Hang on. Why are you interrupting me?

I'm going to start your clock again. I'm trying to get you to a point. Here's my request for you. Stay in that box, okay?

I now know what I mean, Mr. Chairman.

I'm just...

He violated the space up here earlier and went over there and stood next to our clerk when they were supposed to be doing something else. And I'm not, I appreciate the fact they didn't complain about it, but I don't know. I don't understand.

I'm going to call you Steve because I watched you say questions three years ago and you never answered this. All right, hang on. You're here to do public comment.

You're here to do public comment.

We're just trying to make sure that everybody started clock. Sir, turn your comments this way.

Sir, you're either going to speak to the council or you're going to be done.

They ask me questions.

They're not. It's our meeting. So speak. TO THE COUNCIL. IT'S PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE COUNCIL, NOT PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING.

ISN'T IT A REQUIREMENT OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY THAT IF YOU'RE AN EMPLOYEE MAKING A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LIVE IN THE COUNTY? NO. NO COMMENT. NOBODY'S EVER COMMENTED. IT'S PUBLIC COMMENT.

THIS IS FOR YOU TO TALK.

MR. ELMAN, I ASKED HIM. I STOOD HERE THREE YEARS AGO, AND I'VE NEVER GOTTEN MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED. I'VE ASKED FOR SUNSHINE LAWN DOCUMENTS. I'M MEETING WITH AN ATTORNEY TOMORROW. You have never, ever, ever this group. And again, it was not my intent to come here. I'm not prepared. I have no documents, have no paperwork, have nothing. I had all my notes, but I found what I was looking for today. It is a requirement of St. Charles County that all employees be living in this county. He didn't answer this question. Three years ago, neither one of them, look at them, they're laughing at me. I reached for Elman's website. He should have retired. He wanted to retire. Mr. O'Sullivan, I can give you probably 30 emails. Neither one of these guys ever responded to me. I'm Kansas City born and raised, go Chiefs. I'm not a Swifty adoptee, which annoys the heck out of me. I moved here 30 some years ago. I spent over $100,000 in taxes in this county. Roy won't give me the sunshine documents that I'm entitled to, that I've been asking for. I filed another complaint last week because the problem's gotten worse and worse and worse. Long story short, a neighbor is violating weed code, and you guys aren't doing your job. I'm sorry. As I said, I wasn't prepared. I don't have my documents. I don't have anything. I'm sitting over dinner, and I found the document I'm looking for. I'm coming after you guys.

I've got an attorney to meet with tomorrow.

Pastor. Somebody like you is a master. He works.

Sir, thank you.

He makes a couple hundred thousand dollars a year. Thank you, sir. We're done. He lives in St. Louis.

Thank you, sir. We're done.

Yes, sir, thank you for coming. Final speaker.

And that will be an eventful wrap-up of public comment tonight. We will now move to the consent agenda. Any items to be removed from the consent agenda? Seeing none, I would entertain a motion. Motion to accept the consent agenda.

And seconded.

Motion and second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Consent agenda is approved. That will get us to our first resolution this evening.

resolution number 2609 sponsored by council as a whole a resolution reappointing luke kehoe to the board of trustees of the greens bottom levee district number two whereas the greens bottom levee district number two which may occasionally have been referred to as the greens bottom levee district or the greens bottom drainage district as the greens bottom drainage and levy district as established by the st. Charles County Court on April 16th 1929 pursuant to article 4 chapter 28 of the revised statue of Missouri 1919 and whereas the greens bottom levy district number two has since been reorganized as a levy district organized by a County Commission under the provisions of chapter 245 RSMO as reflected in the order of June 16th 1987 of the former st. Charles County Commission whereas with respect to levy districts organized by County Commission's under the provisions of chapter 245 RSMO section 245 point three three five provides that County Commission shall appoint three directors of levees in such districts who shall be landholders within the county for the levy district of which the county is whole or part thereof and whereas section 245.335 rsmo further provides that when such directors are first appointed one shall hold his said office for the term of one year one for the term of two years and one for the term of three years and until their successors are duly appointed and qualified and that the county commission shall annually thereafter appoint one director to take the place of the director whose official term expires whereas pursuant to the st. Charles County chart charter article 10 section ten point six zero eight and section two four five point three three five RSMO the County Council passed a resolution 1014 appointing three owners or representatives of representatives of owners of land within the greens bottom levy district number two to its board of directors for the staggered terms stated in that resolution And whereas the current directors of Greensbottom Levee District number two are Luke Kehoe as representative of owner Duckett Creek Sanitary District, Larry Ostman and Mark Ostman. And whereas the County Council now seeks to reappoint Luke Kehoe to a three year term pursuant to the provisions of chapter 245 RSMO. Now therefore, be it resolved by the County Council of St. Charles County, Missouri as follows. Section 1, the St. Charles County Council reappoints Luke Kehoe to the Board of Trustees for the Greens Bottom Levee District No. 2 for a three-year term beginning September 14, 2026. Section 2, after the expiration of the term set out above, the council shall appoint or reappoint, as the case may be, the director or a successor to serve a three-year term thereafter.

Any questions or comments about the resolution? Seeing none, please call the roll.

Resolution number 2609, a resolution reappointing Luke Kehoe to the Board of Trustees of the Greens Bottom Levee District Number 2.

Councilman Hammond? Councilman Elam?

Yes.

Councilman Hollander? Yes. Councilwoman Newark? Yes. Councilman Baker? Yes. Councilman Swanson? Yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazel? Yes.

Resolution 2926 09 passes that gets us to resolution 2610.

Resolution 2610 sponsored by Council as a whole resolution adopting the 2027 to 2031 capital program and strategic plan. whereas the Saint Charles County charter article 6 section 6.301 requires the county council to adopt the capital program and strategic plan no later than two months prior to the final date of submission of the budget and whereas the Saint Charles County charter article 6 section 6.201 requires that on or before the fifth day of november or the first working day after the fifth of november each fiscal year the county executive shall submit to the county council a budget for the ensuing fiscal year and an accompanying message and whereas the county executive has presented the plan to the county council is required by the charter a public hearing has been held on it and it has been made available for inspection by the public on the county's website under the department of finance now therefore be it resolved by the county council of st charles county missouri as follows Section 1. The plan attached here to his exhibit a known as the capital improvement program years 2027 through 2031 is hereby approved section to compliance with the terms of the capital improvement program years 2027 to 2031 shall be the responsibility of the county executive.

Any questions or comments about the resolution. Seeing none please call the roll.

Resolution 26 dash 10 resolution adopting the 2027 through 2031 capital program and strategic plan. Councilman Elam, yes. Councilman Hollander, yes Councilwoman York, yes. Councilman Baker, yes. Councilman Swanson, yes ma'am. Councilman Brazel, Councilman Hammond.

Resolution 2610 passes that gives us the bills for final passage starting with 5518.

Bill number 5, 5, 1, 8, an ordinance amending the zoning district map of the County of St. Charles, Missouri, by rezoning land from a agricultural district to our single-family residential district per application RZ26-04.

Any questions or comments about the bill? Seeing none, please call the roll.

Bill number 5, 5, 1, 8, an ordinance amending the zoning district map of the County of St. Charles, Missouri, by rezoning land from a agricultural district to our single-family residential district per application RZ26-04. Councilman Hollander. Yes. Councilwoman York. Yes. Councilman Baker. Yes. Councilman Swanson. Yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazel. Councilman Hammond. Councilman Elam.

Yes. Bill 5518 passes last bill for final passage 5519.

Bill number 5, 5, 1, 9, an ordinance authorizing the county executive or designee to execute a memorandum of understanding between the County of Saint Charles on behalf of the Saint Charles County regional drug task force and the Drug Enforcement Administration Saint Louis field division regarding the reimbursement of certain law enforcement equipment expenses incurred in support of joint fentanyl and methamphetamine investigations.

Any questions or comments about the bill. Seeing none please call the roll.

Bill number 5519, an ordinance authorizing the county executive or designee to execute a memorandum of understanding between the County of St. Charles on behalf of the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Louis Field Division, regarding the reimbursement of certain law enforcement equipment expenses incurred in support of joint fentanyl and methamphetamine investigations. Councilwoman York? Yes. Councilman Baker? Yes. Councilman Swanson? Yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazel? Councilman Hammond? Councilman Elam?

Yes.

Councilman Hollander? Yes.

Bill 5519 passes. That gets us to bills for introduction, starting with Bill 5520. Okay.

Bill number 5520 requested by Mike Herlberg, sponsored by Mike Elam. An ordinance designating the Avon Place Disaster Risk Reduction Area, DRRA, within St. Charles County, Missouri, for purposes of the local voluntary buyout program funded through Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery, CDBG, DR4451 funds.

Any questions or comments about this bill? Next we move to bill 5521.

Bill number 5521 requested by John Lyons sponsored by Mike Elam. An ordinance establishing new traffic regulations and establishing penalties for violations thereof.

Any questions or comments about this bill?

Seeing none we move to 5522 number 5522 requested by Amanda Brower sponsor by Council as a whole an ordinance authorizing the county executive to execute an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Wentzville for use of Saint Charles County transportation sales tax funds road improvements needed to support the economic development mercy hospital Wentzville development project.

Any questions or comments about this bill, yes, it is very quickly to talk to the mayor of Wentzville and a couple of their other alderman they're all in support of this.

Yes, sir, thank you I guess is do we think that without this funding that they wouldn't come to Saint Charles County. Steve.

I don't think it's a matter of whether or not mercy would come it's a partnership that we do here in doing and filling the roads as part of the economic development.

It is correct that the economic development project that I'm I'm still not a big fan of I'm and when we have when we have problems in the county. Call highway and that we still need to address and we're given money to developers are to to private industries i mean i'm just i i brought this up we talked about this in the budget i don't support this i think this is a bad bad use of money it's a public road i well okay it's a public road that they would have to build and that we shouldn't be building and we shouldn't be paying for it i know we do it under the guise of yeah they're going to hire so many employees and so that's why we should do it I just I just don't like that I just don't like that and I don't know if the if the council approve this before I became a member, I'd like to know how this came about or we we put I think it's 10 million dollars of our of our County road board money into this pot for to entice. A workforce that may or may not benefit the county but in the amount of what we're paying for the road. I just I just I just don't like this and and I think we need to have a bigger discussion as a council to see if we still want to contribute money for economic development purposes where we can get a better use for it for road projects that are needed for safety and other reasons not for not for economic development. But that's my comment. I'm sure I'll I talk about it more before we get the final vote, but that's my thoughts.

It can we get a like a map or some kind of a show us where this is what the road is going to be and we're going to go I looked at the information we have so far that we don't have anything. To look at it to see just where the road goes at that are at that are you can do it at that by the next meeting be fine, thank you.

I would point out that on our road board money half of that money is city money and the city gets to make that request is Mister Swanson said the city of Wentzville put this request in and said this is the city of Wentzville is allocation of road board money. That is being done with that so we control this the county count all of the road board money that comes in we split half of that money with the cities of Saint Charles County and they put projects in that they want done in their city and they request the funds and then the road board, yes, Rob.

The funds go to the city. They don't go to the individual businesses that may locate on that road.

The cities request the money and the money go to the city.

Yeah, but normally we put roads in for safety. You know, we've got a lot of roads that require safety. We've got to, I mean, we have a quality of life issue that we just heard from the city once but with regards to train train crossing. I just think that putting money toward road projects that just for the purpose of a developer where they would they would pay for these funds and I know we're we did as part of the sale of or the purchase of the city Hall and I just I just don't think that that was the intent of when the voters pass the hats and sales tax was for economic development where a developer or this case mercy hospital would pay for the road project irrespective of whether we put funding to it and now we're paying we have the citizens paying for a road project that in otherwise would have been paid by the hospital and i just think there's better use of that money and i've talked about here in nauseam and i'm sure i'll talk about it again in november when we get the budget the capital improvement the road projects but You know I just I personally just haven't have an issue with with the money going that's being set aside for economic development where this road would be otherwise paid for by the developer.

Any other questions or comments.

Chairman yes, sir, yeah, I think Mister Baker is referring to the but for test which is the plot of other economic development stuff including tips and just to give you a little history on this this Council. myself, before I ever got here, have been big opponents of TIFs, mainly because the cities got to decide whether or not our money, our sales tax money and property tax money, would go into the TIF. The problem is, people said, well, but what else can we do to promote economic development? And basically, I think the first week that I was in this job is when we came up with this idea. And the problem, of course, is, you know, if somebody wants to come in and do an economic development project, yeah, they could apply. They could apply through the regular road board process, and the county would pay 80% of the cost. But they'd have to wait three years. And as you know, if it's an economic development project out there, they can't wait for three years. They need to know whether they're going to be able to do this or not. So it's the timing that created this whole new set of ways to spend road board money.

And again, the

good part about that from us is we don't have to pay 80 we only have to pay 50. uh but but yeah there's been at least what six or eight of these uh we did one the first the second first one we did i think was with saint charles and then uh and then we did uh i think back when duchenne uh drive went went on through the fifth street that was the first one we did then we did one with wentzville uh which was out by the uh uh The GM plant and there was somebody one of one of their suppliers wanted to come in there build a big building spend a lot of money they needed a road to get to it and and we did we did it on that we did it on. Street Saint Charles because in return for that they agreed not to do it. So this in a sense is just this is what we have tried to do to promote economic development without taking money away from our other funds. So each one of these projects has to be approved by you, and you certainly don't have to support it, but I just want to make sure that you understand

Where this all started and what we've been trying to use but I will say you can look around the county and see a lot of developments going on where we are paying for them and so and I think the idea that these things aren't going to happen unless we pay for the roads is I don't know if I subscribe to that. So that's my point.

But they're not they're not all equally. Sure serving I'm sure you think this one is undeserving you make the point.

I just think it's undesirable all of the money going to something like this world. I mean you know I got like I said I mean I know it's a separate pot of fun, but I've got residents that can't sleep at night when it rains because it floods we've got roads in the county that are dangerous and we have other things that I think look at the criteria would meet where we should spend our money before we spend it on economic development for a hospital that's my come.

Any of the comments. Seeing them move on to 5523.

Bill number 5523 requested by Amanda Brower sponsored by Council as a whole in ordinance approving a transfer of funds within the transportation planning fund of the 2026 annual budget and corresponding intergovernmental agreements.

Questions or comments about this bill? Seeing none, we'll go to 5524.

Bill number 5524, requested by Travis Welge, sponsored by Mike Elam, an ordinance authorizing the county executive to execute an agreement with the City of O'Fallon, the City of St. Charles, the City of St. Peter's, the City of Wentzville, the City of Lake St. Louis, the City of Darlene Prairie, the City of Weldon Spring, and the City of Cottleville, Missouri, to share costs for high resolution, geo-referenced aerial imagery from pictometry.

Any questions or comments about this. This is where if you go on the county GIS map and you can select that area part that's what this is that's where you tend to that's where all of those pictures come from which makes it very easy for you to figure out where we're going and help standing please show clients where their property is so there you go Danny. With that that's going to wrap up our bills for introduction we're at announcements and miscellaneous Mister Swanson.

Yes, the second branch if you could reach out to the city of once filled maybe learn a little bit more about the railroad quiet zone and what they need from us specifically that area because having to improve some of those crossovers I know when we're moving the railroad track now part of the deal was to stop some of the accurate crossovers I don't know if the Schaefer road was part of that or not.

but if we could help them out with quiet zone as the two aldermen asked us to do I'd appreciate that and then just get back with me that's all I have sir anyone else announcements from this like mr. Baker would it be possible for these LPR cameras to put it to the voters I mean is that even a possibility to let them decide if this is something that that they want an unincorporated County that's always a possibility And when's the earliest we could have something like that on the ballot?

You mean as a binding thing or a non-binding? Binding. Probably next April. It's definitely too late for November.

Oh, sure. Okay. Thank you.

Any other questions or comments? just so everybody clear when we do public comment. It's for the public to comment to the council and you have 3 minutes in which to talk it is not a debate between someone from the audience and debating with us so when someone stands up and they say why won't you answer us I just want everybody and understand That's 3 minutes for you to be heard not to debate with the Council so I wanted everybody to understand because I know from time to time that comes up and people will come up and they want to do a back and forth with the Council. Not the way the meeting works. So I didn't what people I know someone with. And I said this is our meeting I didn't mean it's not our meeting as a county but He was turning around and facing the audience and debating with the audience I wanted him to understand he is here to talk to the Council not to talk to Saint Charles County he wishes to do that there are other ways to do that. All all that being said that was an exciting evening can we agree. At the end of the day. we hope mr hammond is feeling better i hope mr brazel's horse is okay uh i appreciate everyone's patience because i know tonight went long for a little while on some comments especially so thanks for hanging around with that i would entertain a motion to