Board of Aldermen - Regular Meeting

Alderman Tyus. Alderman Boyd.

Present.

Alderman Aldrich. Present. Alderman Green. Present. Alderman Cohn. Alderman Sanye. Alderman Browning. Alderman Tyus.

Present.

Alderman Aldrich.

13 aye votes. A quorum being present will be led in an opening reflection by Jeanette Mott-Oxford.

Good morning. I'm delighted to be here to celebrate Pride Month with you and Pride in St. Louis. I'll be 72 in July. That's how I feel about it, too. And I've seen a lot in the past seven decades. I'd like to share a little bit of what I've seen in person over my seven decades today, rather than some comprehensive review of LGBTQ history. I grew up in rural southern Illinois. You probably want to know what high school. I went to Cave and Rock High School in a town of less than 500. I grew up in what I call the great silence related to LGBTQ people. My parents were in a gospel singing quartet with my mother's brother, a tent revival evangelist. I was in church or revival meetings at least 200 days most years. Same gender romantic feelings were not talked about in my family or church, and a rigid gender binary was unquestioned. The only exception was the hateful sounding word faggot, which I heard boys hurl at each other on the schoolyard. I wasn't sure what that meant, but it didn't sound like it was very good. Despite the fact that my school library had no LGBTQ-friendly books like Heather Has Two Mommies and Tango Makes Three, I managed to fall in love with the farm girl down the road. In the words of Kathy Matea's great country western song, you can't choose who you love. Love chooses you. That relationship did not last. The great silence didn't last either. In 1977, Anita Bryant, a former runner-up for Miss America, started a campaign called Save Our Children, claiming that an anti-discrimination policy, including sexual orientation, violated her right to teach her children biblical morality. Suddenly, discussions of lesbian and gay people were all around me, and I no longer felt welcome in the church of my childhood. I didn't hear much about bisexual or transgender people yet at that point. Many of my friends, though, were kicked out by their parents, and gay bashing on streets near gay bars and gay baiting and political organizing became common. But LGBTQ people were resilient and determined to build places our communities could gather. Gay bars and certain swimming holes were the most common places in Southern Illinois. College campuses were another relatively safe place to be out, and I got my first taste of activism and LGBTQ culture at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, with gay film festivals, visiting authors, and more. In the 1970s and 80s, I had a chance to practice courage on the SIUC Gay Speakers Bureau. I also discovered social justice issues from the death penalty to apartheid in South Africa through the Women's Music Movement. That's W-O-M-Y-N, in case you aren't familiar with the Women's Music Movement. Look it up sometime. My life in Missouri politics was made possible by what I learned there. In 1983, I met my wife Dorothy at a Fourth of July party, and by the next summer, we were a couple. We had to see an attorney and pay $500 for legal work that guaranteed that we could see each other in an emergency room if one of us had a car accident. We couldn't legally marry. After Illinois legalized marriage, we finally married, legally, on our 30th anniversary, July 4, 2014. Shane Cohn was an usher at that wedding. A year later, when Obergefell v. Hodges was decided 5-4 by the Supreme Court of the United States, we could have legally married in Missouri, something that we did not believe we would ever see in our lifetimes. But back for a moment to the 1980s. We lost many friends during the AIDS crisis, and we watched the amazing work that the LGBTQ community did to provide health care, housing, and memorials to people living with HIV and those who died. We learned a lot about justice organizing from groups like ACT UP, We found out how important humor was to survival. At a demonstration, when police put on yellow surgical gloves in order to drag the protesters off because they didn't want to catch AIDS, demonstrators began to chant, your gloves don't match your shoes! Your gloves don't match your shoes! In 1986, I moved to St. Louis to attend Eden Theological Seminary. While a student there, I received anonymous mail from the KKK letting me know that they were watching me. A church committee in southern Illinois blocked my ordination because of my relationship with Dorothy, but many people of faith continue to advocate for change. I gave up on ordination and went to work for the Reform Organization of Welfare, and hopefully you know me best for my work on economic justice. But my wife Dorothy was eventually ordained and recently retired after 18 years as a hospice chaplain. In 2005, I was the first person to run out as a LGBTQ person and be elected to the Missouri House of Representatives. One gay man, Tim Van Zandt, had served before me, but he came out while in office. At least 15 more legislators have been elected since then while running out. Yet Missouri still has not passed the Missouri Non-Discrimination Act to add sexual orientation to the rights code. Hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in the Missouri General Assembly during the past decade and some have become law, especially anti-transgender legislation. Will the progress that we've made and that we've seen in my lifetime be lost? We can prevent that Here's my current plan. Join me. Let's grow the number of people working to defeat Amendments 4 and 5, really stinky constitutional amendments, so that we have more people who know how to do campaign work, and then we'll use them in the November 3 election to defeat Amendment 3, which would ban abortion, and also greatly limit gender-affirming care, using transgender kids as ballot candy to try to entice people to vote. Yes, how evil is that? Let's do it together. Let's not lose this progress. Let's keep moving forward, remembering what Frederick Douglass taught us. Without struggle, there is no progress. I promise to stay in the struggle with you as we organize intersectionally to secure a world where there is liberation for all.

All right. We will dispense with line item four. Is there any introduction of honored guests? Alderwoman from the 10th.

It's coming. There it goes. Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I would like to have as my honored guest up in the galley two amazing women that I don't know why they're both here today, but it must be something we need to address or attend to because they are absolutely not only change makers, but solution and problem solvers. That is Ms. Tina Shannon, Senior Director of Government Relations for AMRA Missouri, and Ms. Samantha Williams, Manager of Local Government Relations for AMRA Missouri. Welcome.

Any further introduction of honored guests? Older women from the... Nope. Seeing none, older women from the 10th, you're recognized on the approval of the minutes from Friday, June 18th, 2026, and Monday, June 22nd, 2026.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board, I move that we approve the minutes from Friday, June 18th, 2026, and Monday, June 22nd, 2026.

It's been moved by the Alderman from the 10th, seconded by the Alderman from the 3rd, that we approve the minutes from Friday, June 18, 2026, and Monday, June 22, 2026. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Report of city officials.

Report of city officials can be found in A, B, C, and D of the agenda and has been placed in the Google Drive for review. DEAR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I HAVE THE PLEASURE TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE LIBRARY BOARD, THE APPOINTMENT OF SHARON SHAHID, THE APPOINTMENT OF CATHY SURRAT-STATES, AND THE APPOINTMENT OF GREGORY GLORE. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THESE APPOINTMENTS. SINCERELY, CARA SPENCER.

Alderwoman from the 7th, you are recognized on Mayor Spencer's appointments to the Library Board.

Thank you, Madam President. Members of the Board, I move that we move the appointments to the Library Board to the Legislation and Rules Committee.

It's been moved by the Alderwoman from the 10th, seconded by the Alderwoman from the 11th, that we send Mayor Spencer's appointments to the Library Board to the Legislation and Rules Committee. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed? Motion carries.

Dear members of the board, I have the pleasure to submit the following individuals for reappointment to the Forest Park Advisory Board. The reappointment of Jacob Jake Banton. The reappointment of Jay Tracy Boaz. The reappointment of Vin Cole. The reappointment of Denise Carlman. The reappointment of Maria Kevington. the reappointment of Gwendolyn Gwen Moore, the reappointment of Sally Mikulovic, the reappointment of Andrew Andy Schwartz, the reappointment of Andre Walker, the reappointment of Joanne Williams, the reappointment of Ann Lieberman, the reappointment of Thomas Milford, the appointment of Christine Mosley, the reappointment of May Brown-Ree, the appointment of Barry Rosenberg. I respectfully request your approval of these appointments. Sincerely, Kara Spencer, Mayor.

Alderwoman from the 10th, you are recognized on Mayor Spencer's reappointments to the Forest Park Advisory Board.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I move that we separate this appointment. I would like to move that we reappoint Jake Benton, Tracy Boaz, Denise Coleman, Gwendolyn Moore, Sally Nikolovich, Andy Schwartz, Andre Walker, Joanne Williams, Ann Lieberman, Thomas Milford, Kristen Mosley, Mary Kay, I'm sorry, Mary Brown Revy. These are our reappointments.

Thank you. It's been, there was a request to divide the question by the Alderwoman from the 10th, and then a motion and a second to take the reappointments separately from the appointments. Is there any discussion? Alderwoman from the 12th.

Are you good to reappoint? Yes, Madam president members of the board, I'm opposed to this, although there are reinforcements and 1 of them is either even the person that I supported. I'm opposed because we have new people who don't know these people and don't have a top of timeframe or reference to them unless you had send them to committee. I have steadfast. supported that whenever it was a citywide appointment such as this that we send them to committee and that way people have a chance they don't have to but they have a chance to hear what they've done or what their positions are and i would ask the other one from the 10th if she would uh reconsider her motion and withdraw it and send them all to committee i renew my motion

It's been moved by the Alderwoman from the 10th, seconded by the Alderwoman from the 11th that we approve the aforementioned reappointments to the Forest Park Advisory Board. All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed? No. Opposed? No. Motion carries.

Alderwoman from the 10th. Thank you. I move that we move the Mayor's appointments of Dan Coe, Mary Vatan, and Barry Rosenblum to the Health and...

Sorry, I couldn't hear what committee?

Is it Health and Human... What is it? Health and Human Development.

Health and Human Development. Okay.

Health and Human Development.

Thank you, Alderwoman Boyd. You're welcome. It's been moved by the Alderwoman from the 10th. Was there a second... Seconded by the alderman from the 14th that we send the aforementioned appointments to the Health and Human Development Committee. Is there any discussion? Alderman from the 12th? Or is your hand still up from previously?

My hand was still up from previously because I was asking for a roll call, but you already did it anyway. Okay.

It's been moved by the elder woman from the 10th, seconded by the alderman from the 14th that we send the aforementioned appointments to the Health and Human Development Committee. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Does anyone wish to take any bills or resolutions off of any of our informal calendars? We have none. First reading of board bills.

Board Bill number 55, introduced by Alderman Sanjie, President Green, an ordinance that amends chapter 3.160 of the City of St. Louis revised code of ordinances to add definitions in a section prohibiting the award of tax incentives to data centers containing a serability clause and containing an emergency clause. That is the extent of first reading of board bills.

Reference to committee of board bills.

To the HUD's board bill number 55.

Second reading and report of standing committees.

The following board bills was reported out of HUD's with a do pass recommendation. Board bill number 41 as amended in committee, introduced by Alderwoman Sanye, an ordinance establishing a definition of community development corporation and CDC certification framework containing the severance clause and emergency clause. The following board bills were reported on a public infrastructure and utilities committee with a do pass recommendation. Board bill number 34 as submitted in committee, introduced by Alderwoman Velazquez, pursuant to ordinance number 70333 as amended by ordinance number 71394, an ordinance directing the director of streets to install speed humps to calm the flow of traffic on various blocks in the 6th ward. Board Bill No. 42, introduced by Alderman Cox Antwi, an ordinance recommended by the Board of Public Service to conditionally vacate above-surface, surface, and subsurface rights for vehicle, equestrian, and pedestrian travel in Marion Street from 10th Street eastwardly, 154.5-plus, minus 19.5 feet to its terminus at I-44, abutting City Blocks 388 and 389 in the City of St. Louis, Missouri, as hereinafter described in accordance with Charter Authority in conformity with Section 14 of Article 21 of the Charter in imposing certain conditions on such vacation. Board bill number 45, introduced by Alderman Clark Hubbard, pursuant to ordinance number 70333, as submitted by ordinance number 71394, an ordinance directing the director of streets to install speed humps to calm the flow of traffic on the 5,000, 5,100, and 5,200 blocks of ridge. The following board bills was reported out of Transportation and Commerce Committee with a do pass recommendation. Board Bill No. 46, introduced by Alderman Aldrich, amends Ordinance 71302 and authorizes the execution of a First Amendment lease agreement between the City of St. Louis, Missouri and the United Fruit and Produce Company for certain land at or near 5 Clinton Street under certain terms and conditions for a period of five years at a rate of... $1,192.50 for the first year and increasing by 3% each year thereafter with three mutual options to extend for five additional years. Or Bill No. 52, introduced by Alderman Cohn. an ordinance pertaining to the transit sales tax imposed pursuant to section 94.660 as adopted by the voters of st louis city on august 2nd 1994 pursuant to ordinance 63168 creating the city public transit sales tax trust fund Directing the Treasurer of the City of St. Louis Deposit Funds received pursuant to sales tax into the City Public Transit Sales Tax Trust Fund, Account 1, appropriating $13,529,900 from the said sales tax for the period of July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2027 to the Bi-State Development Agency for certain purposes and containing a serability and emergency clause. Board Bill number 53, introduced by Alderman Cohn, an ordinance pertaining to the transit sales tax imposed pursuant to Section 94.660, as adopted by the voters of St. Louis City on November 4, 1997. Pursuant to ordinance 64111, creating the city public transit sales tax trust fund, directing the treasurer of the city of St. Louis to deposit funds received pursuant to sales tax and to the city public transit sales tax. Trust Fund Account 2, appropriating $13,529,900 from the said sales tax for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 to the bi-state development agency for certain purposes and containing the serability and emergency clause. That is the extent of second reading and report of standing committees.

Report of special committees.

We have none.

Perfection consent calendar.

Board bill number 33 as amended in committee. Introduced by Alderman Browning. Pursuant to ordinance number 70333 as amended by ordinance number 71394. An ordinance directing the director of streets to install speed humps to calm the flow of traffic on the 4300 block of West Pine Boulevard.

Alderwoman from the 10th, you're recognized on the motion to adopt the board bills for the perfection consent calendar.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I move that we adopt the board bills for perfection consent calendar.

It's been moved by the alderwoman from the 10th, seconded by the alderman from the 9th, that we adopt the board bills for the perfection consent calendar. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Board bills for perfection. Okay.

Board Bill number 43, as amended in committee, introduced by Alderwoman Schweitzer and Alderwoman Keyes. An ordinance recommended by the Board of Eds, submit an apportionment amending ordinance number 71393, ordinance number 71494, ordinance number 71554, ordinance number 71555, ordinance number 71561, ordinance number 71591, ordinance number 71592, Arden is number seven, one, six, five, zero. Arden is number seven, one, six, nine, six. Arden is number seven, one, eight, four, zero. Arden is number seven, one, eight, six, four. And Arden is number seven, two, one, two, five. By reappropriating certain amounts specified herein in an aggregate amount of 3,067,000. $86.60, of which $2,378,649 is appropriated for water, infrastructure, replacement, and repair projects, and $688,436.98 is appropriated for food assistance and with an emergency clause.

Alderwoman from the first, you're recognized in the perfection of Board Bill 43 as amended.

Thank you, Madam President and members of the board. I move that we perfect Board Bill 43 as amended.

It's been moved by the Alderwoman from the 1st, seconded by the Alderwoman from the 10th that we perfect Board Bill 43 as amended in committee.

Alderwoman, you may proceed. Thank you, Madam President. As referenced in the summary of the Board Bill, this is an ARPA reappropriation Board Bill to move money to two places, the Water Division for repair of fire hydrants and also to the Department of Human Services for food assistance. As we've talked about in the past, there are different ways that ARPA funds can be reappropriated at this time in our involvement with ARPA funds. One of those things is for revenue replacement, which is how the Water Division qualifies to be a recipient of these funds. It's through revenue loss during the pandemic. And then it can also be into contracts that are still open and within the same.

Oh, could we please keep side conversations to a minimum? I was like, what did I do? Thank you. That's good. I wasn't even, I didn't hear anybody.

I appreciate it. So that is why there is some funds going towards the food assistance as well. There was an open contract that some of what's allowed through ARPA, some of this money could move to that. So it is for food assistance for folks in the tornado impacted areas, for an open contract that had space To expand and still meet the deadlines that the city has self imposed as the end of September for having all of the invoices in to make sure that all of the funds can go out the door and that everything is done by by the deadline. So that's really important. you'll notice if you have had a chance to look through the the fact sheet where all of the different money is coming from that a lot of these amounts are quite small um some of them are you know the leftover dollars whether that's a few hundred dollars or even just a few cents from projects that have completed and then some of the projects for reallocation are quite large and some of those projects are ones that have been determined by staff that they will not be able to be completed by the deadline and it is time to reappropriate them bite the bullet now we did ask during committee and we were talking with the mayor's office and the various departments if we think this is the last time a reappropriation bill will happen and they did not think that it was I do not know what future allocations and how that will work, but we are getting down to the wire here. So it is important to do as many of these hard conversations now. And I do understand there's a lot of really important programs in this that are either having some amount of money that's small come to the city for reappropriation or a larger amount. So I have the documentation here and my fact sheet of why those would be. I'm happy to answer any questions about any specifics people have. And I also have Caitlin Smith of the mayor's office in my text blowing me up probably as we speak about this. So I will make sure to answer all your questions as succinctly as I can. And I appreciate the time and consideration today.

Any further discussion? Alderwoman from the 12th and then Alderwoman from the 7th.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. If the alderwoman from the first would yield.

The alderwoman from the first yields questioning from the alderwoman from the 12th? Yes. Alderwoman, you may proceed.

Okay, I'm going to ask a kind of easy one first of all. I see that at the last line item, a Board of Public Service Recreation Center pool connection renovation. So there is a red line item. So does that mean we're going to give them a little bit more money? Is that what that is or what is that? Why is that red and the rest of them are black?

I don't think that it should be. I think the rest should be black. Okay.

Because usually red means something different than a black in a county. Is that correct?

Everything should be black in the board bill. So I thought we had cleaned up everything with anything like that. So I'm hoping that that can be adjusted. I think that's just a clerical error, not anything in the bill. Okay. If I'm wrong, I will be told quickly that I'm wrong. But I don't think I am.

Okay, the next thing I want to ask about is the Community Development Administration North City Commercial Corridors. The alderman from the 14th got really upset with the alderman from the 4th when he said we don't do these programs well. I agree with him. We don't do these programs well. Not that we couldn't do the programs well, but as I said last week, part of it is because we, the Board of Aldermen, changed the bill to a really horrible bill. And it took out all the checks and balances, and then they had to start over. But can you tell me why we have 675? $573 million. Why is that kind of money left from administration?

So, thank you, Alderman. The three projects that are part of that $573,000 are St. Louis Metal and Recycling, $23,312. Camp Hoven, $500,000. In the Wellston Loop, CDC, $50,000. These were funds that were determined in conversations between the staff administering these programs and the programs themselves that couldn't be spent by the deadline. And so that is why... They were not able to meet the deadlines for closing on the grant. So I think in this case, it's not only that they weren't able to spend it by the deadline that the city imposed, but the deadline for all of the information and how they were going to meet the September deadline wasn't turned in on a timely basis. So the city had to make the decision that that is enough information to show that it's not going to happen.

But the amounts you gave me didn't add up to $500,000. $573,312. $573,312.

I'm rounding it up to just saying $500,000 because what you gave me didn't add up to $500,000. It's more than $500,000. Okay, well, maybe I heard the amounts wrong. What were the amounts? Okay. Camp Hoven had $500,000 simply just in that program. Oh, $500,000? Wellston Loop was $50,000, and then $23,312 was St. Louis Metal and Recycling.

Okay, I didn't hear the $500,000. What is Camp Hogan? Can you tell me that? Is that part of Hogan Street?

I don't know a lot about what Camp Hoven is. If someone else in the room does, I'd appreciate someone letting me know, but that's not what I'm super familiar with. All their own.

So they didn't give you any idea. It's just that they didn't turn in appropriately in a timely manner that they could spend the money. And that's why they decided. OK. And then I have some I'm laughing at the ninety four cents. Yeah. And I was in stabilization. But I do have another one about the first one. Healthy Home Repair Program. That really surprises me. because there is always a long waiting list of people who are trying to get on the Healthy Home Repair Program. This morning, I got texts and emails and they were supposed to set aside in the tornado affected area so that those people could have a special pot of funds or at least a special way to access that. So how do we have this amount of money left now?

Yeah, that's a question that came up in committee as well, Alderwoman, and one that we struggled with as a committee. Some of the ranges in these projects are from $0.03 to $9,199.06. Each of these contracts was issued as a specific contract for a specific project. So a specific address, a specific house had a contract on it for X number of dollars. When that money had to be reallocated, it wasn't a large home repair bucket that you could continue to add homes to to meet the full amount of the allocation. So that was a... I don't want to say a mistake, because I think the goal was probably to make it as clear and transparent as possible where every cent was going. But it ended up being a situation where it couldn't just be put onto another house, because the contract specifically said, I'm going to use my address, 4063. My address didn't get any of this money. It didn't say 4063 Haven Street. That's what the contract said. So you couldn't then spend 4063 Haven Street's money at some other address. So that was one thing that was a big piece of it. So had the contracts been set up in a different way, it could have been – houses could have been added. What was pointed out afterwards, because this was, again, something that came up in committee, is that – These are just some of the ARPA funds that are able to be reallocated because they have to come back through this process for a different use. But if there is an ARPA project that is a similar use, a different contract that could be used for home repair, some of that money has gone to home repair. The mayor's office shared with me this morning that there was some money... Let me read my... One second. There was, let's see, I apologize, lots of text. There was money from, I appreciate it. There was, on home repair, there was 4.3 million sent from, for tornado home repair from the building division, that that was something that they had available that could be used for the home repair funds. So these funds, with the way that they were contracted, were not able to move to just a different home repair project. So it's a long answer for just kind of the way it was accounted for didn't allow for it.

OK. And so I'm looking here. I see quite a bit of Office of Violence Prevention, which I thought that was one of the star programs from the progressives. That was one of the things they pushed. So I'm so surprised to see so much money. Let's see here. We got two two hundred and seven thousand three hundred and seven thousand. Yeah. What? Yeah. Three hundred and then another. What is this? Six and five hundred. That's a lot of money. The program not get off, didn't get off and didn't start or what?

So very good questions. So the Office of Violence Prevention came and presented on each allocation up for reappropriation. And I'll go through each of those now. SSM received some of this money and some of it will be coming back. Based on the spend-down plan, they will be unable to use $120,000 of their funds. So based on what they sent and turned in to the city by the deadline, and they said that they wouldn't be able to spend $120,000. The T, based on their spend-down plan, they would be unable to spend about $7,791.52. The Urban League, based on their spend down plan, they would be unable to spend $70,000. Ignite Hope, based on their spend down plan, they would be unable to spend $24,000. Live Free USA, the project concluded and they had $37.98 left. Power 4 STL, based on the Spend Down Plan, they would be unable to use $229,698.20. And these are, the Spend Down Plan refers to the plans put in place between the Office of Violence Prevention and each of the recipients of the funds. They worked together to create a, you know, from, basically since the last year, It was in progress before the last ARPA reappropriation bill, but so many of the questions that came up and the conversations we had in committee about that bill, some of these funds were in the previous bill for reappropriation, and we're struck that there'd be more time to work on those spend-down plans. So what we're seeing today now is more... clear expectations and planning and documentation of how much money they got, what their deadline is to spend it, and how they will reach that. And if the staff with OVP and the recipient of the funds agreed that there was a certain amount that they wouldn't be able to spend, And if their spend-on plan showed that, then that's the money that was coming back. So that's the story behind each of those $451,000-ish.

But one of them, and this also pains me, is the summer and year round youth programming. If that could not be spent, why wouldn't we give this to recreation centers who I have two of them in my ward that are severely lacking all kinds of programs and things. One of the things that I have learned over the years is that it is better to put money into youth doing positive things than to put money into youth who are doing Things that are not positive. I was an attorney at the public defenders, and I had juveniles for over a year and a half. I defended them and then I became an advocate of making sure that we put money where you can do things. I grew up. with public recreation in a different town, different city, but the same thing as my husband who grew up here in St. Louis, going to the parks, and they had teachers that used to work at the recreation centers and parks. So we had things for people to do. So I know why you want to put this in water. I don't understand why we couldn't have put the summer and year-round youth programming into the... The recreation centers or something for you in the summer, so that we can keep them busy because as soon as things get busy, we start to do these. We have curfews and all these things, but I actually was here when we did Washington street. And back then, I'm on the record saying we're doing Washington Street, but we're not giving the kids anything to do. We don't build anything. And that was before the old Fallon Rec Center and even the Carnahan Rec Center. But I have two rec centers that really need to be redone, and that's Wohl and Tandy. But more to the point, we need to do things for youth. So why couldn't we or do you have that answer? Couldn't we have transferred that to something that continued to help the youth have something positive to do during the summer?

I appreciate the question. And, you know, there are definitely things in here that I think. people have pointed out as specific concerns and frustrations, those are the funds that are coming back for reallocation and youth programming is definitely one of those things. So of those, there are three different Grantees, contracts involved in the $217,000-ish coming back for reappropriation here. The behavioral health response is number one. Based on the spend-down plan, they will be unable to spend $106,000. St. Louis Artworks, based on the spend-down plan, they would be unable to spend $103,000. love the loo based on the spend down plan, they would be unable to spend over $7,000. And the answer is why, so that's, those are why those dollars are coming back. It's the same as before with the spend down plan. But as to why it wasn't moved into a rec center specifically, There is the contracts that this money could be moved into. There's different considerations for how that would happen. But the number one is that it would have to be an open contract for a project that could be completed by the deadline. So if that didn't exist, the money wasn't put into that type of programming. The reason that some of this money is being put into food assistance is that there was an open contract for food assistance that could be completed by the deadline and use the funds as allocated.

I don't have a problem with food assistance. I really don't have a problem. With water, because as I reminded you often, I was a water advocate a long time ago before everybody else got on board. So that's not the problem. The problem is where they're coming from and where we tend to take things from. And the last problem I have is this, that we told people December the 30th or 31st, depending on what you said. And then now this new movement is that you got to have it in by September the 30th. I think that's a... A troubled deadline for me. That's what I want to say. And I don't think they're going to be able to stick strictly to it because if somebody has their program ready by all of November, I'm sorry, October the 15th. You're not going to turn that away and say, no, you can't do it because they still could get it done by December the 31st. So I don't like the arbitrary deadline. And I definitely don't like that. We changed it after we had told people one thing. and then did another. And I really have trouble with some of the things that you've said, not that with the explanations you've given, but why they were done that way in the first place. And I don't know that it was actively sought to do something differently. And so I'm going to probably be a no or a present vote on this, but I thank you for your explanation. I have no further questions. Thank you, Alderman.

Any further discussion? I think it's Alderwoman from the 7th and then Alderman from the 4th.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I will be a no on this today for, honestly, many of the reasons that the Alderwomen of the 12th uplifted. I think whether these funds were going to go to recreation centers or other things, I think the fact of the matter is that there are a lot of other eligible youth that these dollars could be given to. And I think that, as I was told in the HUD's committee, Alderwomen, that just didn't come up for discussion. That is possible, but we didn't discuss that. I'm not opposed to water. I fully support water. I think we all know of the many infrastructure issues, but I think they're getting $40 million from the Rams bill. We voted to raise the water rates. We're doing water meters. I think there are several things available to the water department that are honestly not available. And at this time where we had an EF3 tornado and we know that they're in need of a number of things, I really wish there would have been more work to maybe talk about a more balanced approach where perhaps some funds are going to to water, but also some funds are going to other things. So I will be a no on this today, and I also want to put on record that for any other ARPA allocations that come, if they are proposed to just go to water, and I don't feel like there's been due diligence to explore some of the other uses that we know a third of our city is desperately needing, I will continue to be a no. Thank you.

Alderman from the fourth. Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. Please add me as a co-sponsor.

Madam Clerk, please make note of that. So noted. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Seeing none, Alderwoman from the 13th.

Yes, Madam President. I just want to make a comment because it seems that the first, let me thank the other woman from the first for listening because I kept saying for months, if we don't get this ARPA money spent, we're going to be in trouble and have to give it back. And I applaud you for that. but also i wanted to be real clear in the beginning when you all started this whole conversation i said take dollars put them in the rec centers hold the open the records rec centers later to get the kids off the street so it just seems like nobody is looking at The kids are out here running loose and all I keep hearing is nothing for them to do. But we have rec centers sitting in our city that we're not utilizing. And that's just irritating to me because how are we going to give them something to do, give them structure if we don't have anything to offer them? The rec centers can be utilized. They can work with different programs to bring in there. And I know they do have some programs that's in those centers, but those dollars should have went into those rec centers to ensure that they were able to continue doing the work and hiring the staff that they need. And so when we just have a one sided conversation, it's not helping our city as a whole. So what Ottawa Mentais is saying, I said it from the beginning, take those ARPA dollars. It's kind of interesting to me, you have ARPA dollars from 22 and you never sent in any invoices. You never could account for these dollars. And now you're saying, give us a chance. No. Take the money invested in our youth to make sure our rec centers could do the job that they were created to do. So, you know, like I said, I thank all the women from the first because she did listen. I kept saying, look at those offer dollars. But I just think also we need to look at the youth that we're losing now. that's coming into, that's in our city. And then when the 4th of July and all these events come up and you say, oh, they disrupt us because we're not doing anything to make sure they have something to do. So that's just my voice on that. But thank you very much for listening.

Alderman from the 9th, and then I'll go back to Alderwoman from the 12th since she's spoken already.

Thank you. I know we had a long discussion about this committee, and I appreciate the due diligence of my colleagues to make sure that we're not moving any money that doesn't need to be moved. But the fact of the matter is simple today. We're trying to make sure this money gets spent so that we don't have to send it back to the federal government and Donald Trump. So it's very, very crucial that we pass this bill today. And I think the way that this money is being allocated couldn't be more simple. Food and water. Food and water. So I urge my colleagues to support this bill today, and I would like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Madam Clerk, please make note of that. Alderwoman from... Noted.

I'm sorry, did you call me, Madam President? Yes. Okay. You were speaking at the same time, so noted. Happened. So, Madam President, if the... Alderwoman from the 13th, would you...

Would the older woman from the 13th yield to questioning from the older woman from the 12th? Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

Older woman from the 13th, you need to turn your camera on.

I know. I'm getting it. Okay.

Okay. Older woman, you may proceed.

I have to wait for her camera.

No, it's still not on.

Yeah, I'm on my phone because my computer, again, was acting crazy.

So hold on. Hold on, old woman. I am.

Take your time.

There you go.

All right.

Alderwoman, you may proceed. Thank you. Alderwoman, when we had 28 aldermen, we had a caucus in Black Caucus. And one of the things when the ARPA money first came out, you remember us having a meeting and talking about the Wohl Center needs to be replaced and that we all supported. sending it to the then current mayor, Tashara Jones, that we would replace Wohl Center. I think the meeting was up in the 22nd Ward, up at then Alderman Boyd's, Alderman Jeffrey Boyd's business operation. Do you remember us having that conversation? Yes, ma'am. Okay, so from the beginning, we have, and it was what, I don't know, 11, 12, Black Auburn, whatever. So from the beginning, we have pushed that our children need recreation, right? And that we need something to do. And we thought that that was a... A great way to address our children was to give them something new because Wold is a very old recreation center and needs to be replaced. But we got no place with that and nobody would listen to us because they had all these other great things. And then, of course, we... lost our former president, got a new president of the board, and the other mayor just wasn't interested in that. But that doesn't make the problems that we have with our youth go away just because we didn't do what a good portion, at least a third of the board of aldermen, recommended. That didn't make the problems go away. Is that correct? No, it made it worse because we ignored it. OK, so now that we have kids going downtown and now we said, oh, my God, the kids are acting up. We have to have curfew. I remember when the Central West End used to close Euclid off right at Del Mar so that the kids couldn't come down Euclid because young folks have for a lot of years been looking for someplace to go. And when you and I were young, very young people, we like to go out. Isn't that correct? Yes. OK, so a more appropriate way to have been to address that would have been to do a recreation center or rehab it substantially. But really, well, needs to be replaced. And so does Tandy. Both of them are very old. And so it's not our fault if people didn't listen. Right now. But it will be our responsibility when we have problems this summer and people start to say, oh, what are we going to do? Are we going to clamp down on the children? And that's what happens when you don't look at the holistic view of how to address your city. You think downtown, if it has a tree that grows at the top of the Millennium Hotel, that that's blight. But you don't see the grass that grows up to the knees or the vacant houses in North St. Louis as blight, right? Right. So when you don't do recreation for the children and the youth, and then you're wondering why, what's wrong, and you put all that money downtown on Washington Street and put all the blinking lights and things, and then you wonder what's wrong because kids have no place to go. So they're going to be attracted to where they can find places to go. And it's not just kids in the city of St. Louis, the St. Peter's, St. Charles, Illinois, all of those, okay? Young people like to be out. And I think it was very irresponsible of us And I think that you probably do too, that we did not take time to look at how we could have built a recreation center. Because we did do that back with the O'Fallon Recreation Center. They didn't even have one there. And we did take the time and we got something built there. And then Carnahan got built. But when we give so much attention to downtown and other places, Central West End, and we don't give attention to our youth, then we are asking for trouble. Don't you believe?

Yeah, and I think, you know, people don't understand if we have somewhere for those youth to go, it would help downtown. It wouldn't hurt downtown because now you have those kids in spaces, safe spaces. And I just don't think people are connecting that.

Thank you. I have no further questions for you. I do want to address the thing that the alderman from the 9th said about that. We're using Donald Trump, and we don't have to give that money back to Donald Trump. First of all, the law doesn't say we have to get it back. It says that it is a possibility that they could do a clawback. That doesn't mean they will. But of course, responsibly, we don't want to take a chance that it will be a clawback. But also, what we have to address, this is an artificial deadline that has been imposed by having the deadline all of a sudden be September the 30th. And I do not believe they're going to have to be able to stick to that. And they should not, because if things come in in September, October or November, but can be done by the 31st, then it will be irresponsible of the treasurers. I'm sorry, not the treasurers, the comptroller's office not to help those people get it. to the finish line. And just to be so carefree as to say, well, it's too bad we didn't do that. And so now we got water and food. We have more than water and food. If water and food would do it, then a lot of people would have great lives. But there are other things to go to live in a great life and a happy life and a productive life. And for our children, recreation and development are things that need to be done also. So yes, food is fine. But if we don't do the right things in the first place, that's why we end up at the last minute saying, well, we just got to do that. And I have been saying, even when the mayor first got elected, I told her, and she can verify with that, I thought we had hundreds of millions of dollars left at the point. Because I had heard that the former CDA director had put all of this money into these departments, knowing full well that they could not use the money. But they kept it from being programmed someplace else. And that's why I have a problem with voting for this also, because I think this was done purposely with a long run game of putting it someplace else that where they wanted to. Fortunately, he's not here now, but there was a lot of money put into into two departments. that they had to give back because they couldn't use it and i just wish that they could have left it in something more productive or something that is uh not not that water and food is not productive but something that uh takes in more than just water food is something new but water is as the other one from the seventh said we've we've done that been there don't bring that back anymore Find other things. If you didn't discuss it, discuss it now so that when it comes back that we can find something else that could help the youth or people that are in need. Thank you. I have no further comments.

Alderman from the 14th.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I just want to speak on the board bill and Verizon's support of it. I do understand the urgency of getting these ARPA funds out the door. I know there's one other thing that all along from the 13th has been saying, we need to make sure we spend ARPA and not leave one cent at the table. Even to the point you'll see in the board bill, we're like reappropriating 92 cent to make sure all of it goes. I do join in, I guess, the echo of what the Alderman from the 7th said. There will be another ARPA reappropriation bill coming down, I think. It's important where these funds are going, to water and then food assistance, that food assistance or meals delivered will go to people in the impacted tornado zone. But as we continue to do these, or just one more last re-appropriation bill, I hope that there's a, and I said in committee, And I appreciate the work that Ms. Caitlin Smith in the mayor's office has done on this, but that there's more of a holistic conversation with all board members on where these funds should go. As all the people have mentioned, you know, if it's possible, I know in the committee we talked about really how, since these ARPA funds have a lot of restrictions on it, you know, how we are able to reappropriate them. I would also love to see them go to our rec centers. I know with the ARPA funds, they have to go to I think the Alderman talked about it plenty of times in the committee of like something where the city has lost money on or like an open contract. But there definitely needs to be a bigger conversation. This is the second time we've done an ARPA bill where I don't think anybody's against funds going to water as we see our infrastructure is definitely needed. But we could also be reappropriating these to other infrastructure things, especially either to North St. Louis or other programs that can help the city. I definitely want to make sure we get every penny out the door so that we do not give it back to the orange man in Washington. So I will be supporting this and look forward to being part of the conversation when the next ARPA bill does come in front of this board of aldermen, ultimately before it goes to the HUD's committee. Thank you.

Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Seeing none, elder woman from the first year recognized to close.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I appreciate everyone's conversation on this. And I know these are hard conversations to have. I think one thing I want to just point out and make sure is clear, every dollar in this bill has been brought to the Board of Aldermen by the departments of the City of St. Louis, by the people who have the contracts about what is possible and to get done. So there wasn't in committee amendments made to change things in a way that was different from what the department said that they... um we're able to provide in terms of the dollars here so um i think that for this bill that's that's something that is i want to make sure is clear um and i i do appreciate that that more time and more conversation should happen before the next allocation uh and if if i'm the sponsor of that bill which i you know have no idea how that will work out um i will make sure to to do that um I appreciate the time today, and I renew my motion to perfect Board Bill 43 as amended.

It's been moved by the Alderman for the first, seconded by the Alderman from the 10th, that we perfect Board Bill 43 as amended in committee. There's been a request for a roll call. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Alderman Schweitzer. Aye. Alderman Oldenburg.

Aye.

Alderman Cohn.

Aye.

Alderman Narayan. Aye. Alderman Devotee. Alderwoman Velazquez. Alderwoman Sanye. Alderwoman Cox-Antwi. Alderman Browning.

Aye.

Alderwoman Clark-Hubbard. Aye. Alderwoman Keyes. Aye. Alderwoman Tyus. No. Alderwoman Boyd.

Aye.

Alderman Aldrich. Aye. President Green. Aye. 12 aye vote, 2 noes, and 1 present.

By your vote, you sustain the motion from the Alderwoman from the 1st to perfect Board Bill 43 as amended and committed.

Board bill number 44, introduced by Alderwoman Keyes. An ordinance authorizing and directing the mayor and comptroller of the city of St. Louis to execute upon receipt of and in consideration of the sum of $200 and other good and valuable consideration, a quitclaim deed to remiss release and forever quitclaim until will adjourn in certain city-owned property located in City Block 4411A, which property is known and numbered as 4052 Camelia Avenue in the City of St. Louis, Missouri, and containing an emergency clause.

Alderwoman from the 11th, you're recognized on the perfection of Board Bill 44.

Thank you, Madam President and members of the Board. I'd like to request that this bill be moved to the perfection informal calendar.

Madam Clerk, if you could please place Board Bill 44 on the informal calendar.

So noted. That is the extent of board bills for perfection. Report of engrossment. Board bill number eight, number 10 as amended on the floor, 28 as amended on the floor, and 20, I'm sorry, number one as amended in committee. That is the extent of report of engrossment.

Third reading and final passage of board bills consent.

Board bill number eight. Introduced by Alderman Schweitzer, Alderman Sonnier, and Alderman Aldrich. Board Bill Number 10, that it extend a third reading and final passage of board bills.

Alderwoman from the 10th, you are recognized on the motion to adopt the third reading and final passage of board bills on the consent calendar.

Thank you, Madam President. Members of the board, I move that we adopt the third reading and final passage of board bills on the consent calendar.

It's been moved by the Alderwoman from the 10th, seconded by the Alderwoman from the 7th that we adopt the third reading and final passage of board bills on the consent calendar. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Alderwoman Spicer.

Excuse me, excuse me. Could people not talk while people are talking because we can't hear.

All right, Alderwoman.

Alderman Oldenburg.

Aye.

Alderman Cohn.

Aye.

Alderman Ryan. Aye. Alderman Devotee. Aye. Alderwoman Velazquez. Aye. Alderwoman Sunye.

Aye.

Alderwoman Cox-Entwee. Aye. Alderman Browning. Aye. Alderwoman Clark-Hubbard. Aye. Alderwoman Keyes.

Aye.

Alderwoman Tias.

Aye.

Alderwoman Boyd.

Aye.

Alderman Aldrich. President Green. Aye. 15 aye votes.

By your vote, you sustain the motion from the older woman from the 10th to third reading and finally pass the aforementioned bills. Third reading and final passage of board bills.

Board Bill number 28, as amended on the floor, introduced by Alderman Devotee, Alderman Schweitzer, Alderman Cox-Antwi, Alderman Browning, and Alderman Velazquez. An ordinance requiring the installation of water meters on certain service connections in the City of St. Louis providing mechanisms for enforcement, including providing authority to deny or withhold service for noncompliance, and delegating authority to the Water Division to administer, implement, and set technical standards for meter installation. The requirement applies prospectively to new service connections and mandates the installation of meters only on certain existing service connections. The ordinance also includes a serability clause.

Alderman from the 5th, you're recognized on the third reading and final passage of Board Bill 28 as amended on the floor.

Madam President, members of the Board, having been third read, I move that we finally pass Board Bill 28 as amended on the floor.

It's been moved by the alderman from the 5th, seconded by the alderman from the 6th, that we third read and finally pass Board Bill 28 as amended on the floor. Alderman, you may proceed.

Thank you, Madam President. We've had quite a bit of discussion about this. I'll remind folks that this particular bill addresses the prospective requirement to install water meters in certain circumstances, including new construction, major rehabilitation projects requiring a new service line, and service line repairs that already involve excavation. And having said that, I would appreciate your support of this particular bill.

Any further discussion? Alderwoman from the 12th.

Madam President, members of the board, I again rise in opposition to this bill, especially when it was brought to my attention about the lead requirement letter that was going out to people about replacing lead pipes, which included the The tornado impacted area, and so I crafted a very small exception, which I think was very small wasn't broad and that was not accepted after a considerable talk. And I think that. if we're going to tell people that they have to replace their lead pipes or should replace their lead pipes in a place where they already are under trauma, that we ought to give them an out of not having to put the water meter, especially when the director told us that the water meter for the setting and stuff would be up to $2,000 or $1,000 more. I am continuing to oppose it and would ask people to rethink How you would feel if you're in the middle of a tornado impacted area and your house has been hit. I don't have to think about it because my house was hit and we're putting Humpty Dumpty back together. And so when you have to do this dollar start to count. um and so people might think that that doesn't make a difference but a thousand dollars or two thousand dollars extra can make a difference and can also make people not choose to try to replace their lead uh pipes um for years in the city of st louis we had a lead fund for paint foot because paint chips was coming off and our children were dramatically impacted with the paint chips was being found in their blood so we had a thing that if you replaced your windows We helped to do that and we paid for it and then you had to own your house for a long time. I can't remember if we had one for lead pipes, but we certainly should have a fund for lead pipes and to make sure that people wouldn't have to go into their pockets and pay for that. And we could help people because a lot of our city is old, very old, and they have lead pipes. And it does affect the development of children. And I don't want families to be thinking, well, that costs so much money, I won't do that. So for that reasons, and for the reasons of not accepting it out in the tornado impacted area, I will be voting no. Thank you.

Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Seeing none, Alderman from the 5th, you're recognized to close. I renew my motion. It's been moved by the Alderman from the 5th, seconded by the Alderman from the 6th, that we third read and finally pass Board Bill 28 as amended on the floor. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Alderman Switzer. Alderman Oldenburg.

Aye.

Alderman Cohn. Aye. Alderman Narayan. Aye. Alderman Devotee. Aye. Alderman Velazquez. Aye. Alderwoman Sanye. Alderwoman Coxanne Tweed. Alderman Browning. Alderwoman Clark Hubbard. Alderwoman Keyes. Alderwoman Tias. No. Alderwoman Boyd.

No.

Alderman Aldrich. No. President Green. Aye.

Nine aye votes, six noes. By your vote, you sustain the motion from the Alderman from the Fifth to third read and finally pass Board Bill 28 as amended on the floor.

Board bill number one as amended in committee, introduced by President Green and Alderman Aldrich, an ordinance making appropriation for payment of interest expenses in principle of the city's bonded indebtedness establishing city tax rates and making appropriation for current year expenses of city government for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2026, and ending June 30th, 2027, amounting in aggregate to the sum of $1,414,518,852, which sum is hereby appropriated from revenue and special funds named for the purposes hereinafter, enumerated and containing an emergency clause.

Alderman from the 14th, you're recognized on the third reading, final passage of Board Bill 1 as amended in committee.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I move that we third read and final pass Board Bill 1 as amended in committee.

It's been moved by the Alderman from the 14th, seconded by the Alderman from the 7th, that we third read and finally pass Board Bill 1 as amended in committee. Alderman, you may proceed.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the Board. I think we had a lengthy conversation about Board Bill 1 as amended in committee. This is the FY27 budget for the City of St. Louis, and with that, I renew my motion.

Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Seeing Alderman from the 12th.

They say what?

Madam President, members of the board, if the alderman from the 14th would yield.

The alderman from the 14th yields questioning from the alderwoman from the 12th? Yes. Alderwoman, you may proceed.

So, alderman, have we heard any new news from the police about being reasonable? I understand that the governor had something in the newspaper about trying to work together. I just want to know if we heard anything from the police board since then. uh... i haven't personally heard it police board on the one okay well so nothing's changed we uh... so i just want to make sure i was going to vote no anyway but i i'm going to take out a pleasure in voting those i said before mostly in the past i had problems with certain parts of the deal but the thought that uh... uh... idea a state government could impose a book uh... upon us even though i know you say it well that money was there anyway That gives credence to when people said defund the police. That wasn't the correct thing. They should have said go go over the police budget with a fine tooth comb. And we should not. I have advocated for years that we not pay when the police get sued. We should not be paying for that. OK, that should be something that they should pay out of some of their funds, because if they're losing, that's because the courts have ruled that they've done something wrong. I think it was very appropriate that we took a million dollars out to do parity for the fire department. It just doesn't go far enough. As I said, I've been a supporter. of the police. I grew up in a town right down the street from the police, had good relationships. I've been a public defender when I've proven the police weren't telling the truth. I passed resolutions here against the police when they marched and said whose streets are streets. So I have, I think, a balanced relationship with the police, but I do not have a relationship that believes that a board or anybody else should be able to direct our budget, and we didn't have that. When people say, well, that's what happened when you have the police controlled by the state, I will again reiterate, we did not have that until this time. When I was first elected, they controlled the board, but we also had a Democratic, Democrats running the city, I'm sorry, running the state, we had a Democratic Governor, Democratic State House, and Democratic Senate. And we had people with power, Senator Banks and Senator Bass, and even Representative Troup. And so they made sure that we were taken care of. The reason we get our streets taken care of in certain streets is because Tom Villa used to be a leader up in the state, and he made sure that... What is it? A natural bridge is a Broadway other places. A page got taken care of because they were spending so much money out in the county and the counties and not much in the city. And when I say the county, not St Louis County, but out in the outskirts. that Tom Villa came up with something to make sure that we had, Gravois was another, we had money in the city. So we had a very robust representation in the state. We don't have that now. And so it swung way too far. to the right and to change a constitution to say that you can control any cities, be it Kansas City or St. Louis, that you can control their police budget when everything else you say is wrong. But we're going to give you an exception for the police. That's wrong on its face. And we should be taking that to court. Someone said, I think you said before about that nobody was getting a petition. I don't think people should get a petition. I think that should be taken to court. I think that is really illegal. How can it be legal for you to have everything else that has to be a funded mandate, but the public safety, somehow the citizens and people who represent them and was elected to represent them don't have the good sense to decide what is in the best interest For their city, I disagree with that. Just like I disagree with the lateral getting rid of having to stay in the city of St. Louis for years. I was at odds with the police because they would say we can't find any place to live in the city. It's not affordable. It actually many places in the city that are affordable. And when you don't want to live in my city and then you want somebody else to determine what your raises are and how much money we should spend, that that feels more like an occupation than a police force that's looking out for the good of the city. An occupation is not a good thing to do. And because of that, and for many stated reasons for many years before, with the way we pay our... the people who work for us especially and that we have temporary forestry workers and we don't have them work all year round when we and then we have tall grass going up to our knees and above in north St. Louis we don't have enough people who can pick up our trash all of these things are things we ought to fund and they're although the police are very important as is the fire but also all the other people are very important in our city, and we ought to fund them at something that is near equal to what we're paying other people with raises. And I think it's a very big mistake, and I will be voting no. And again, I want a roll call.

Alderman from the 14th. Oh, any further discussion? Any further discussion? Seeing none, Alderman from the 14th, you're recognized to close.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. First and foremost, I want to thank the budget committee that has took the time over the last several months to really dive into this budget. I want to thank our vice chairman of the committee, Alderman Browning. as well as Alderman Velazquez and Sanye, who always ask very great questions, as well as Alderman Devotee, who joined this committee as a new member as the Board of Alder, but to be on such a committee that requires a lot of time and there's a lot of questions in and out on the budget, this work could not have been possible for the Alders that have put in the time. I do want to thank also Paul Payne, who always does a great job with presenting a budget, as well as with the nuance of this year had to deal with a lot of moving of goalposts. I want to thank the president's office, the mayor, and the comptroller who took recommendations that this budget committee made up to try to make our city department even better with additional positions for forestry. um additional positions for cjc um we was able to fix some errors in the budget we was able to add the pay adjustment so that our sheriffs also get additional raise with the passage of this budget this will also ensure that our city employees get the three percent raise that will be going into this budget outside of the recent lump sum that city employees got they will also be receiving a raise The biggest change I want to say in the last weeks of this budget that I just want to be clear and that we are factually clear of what is in front of us is the Board of Aldermen and ENA had to and Paul Payne had to take funds out because of the increase that the police department did for their white shirts. That increase does not affect this budget because they already have the current funds within their budget. There is no increase in the police department budget due to what their actions did because they already have the money for that. But we know we have pay parity. Shout out to all our firefighter men and women. Shout out to Local 73 that do great work where we took a million dollars from the judgment fund to be able to make sure that that goes to the fire department and some funds from the GMT fund that also will help our firefighters parity. I know one of the biggest concerns with the GMT fund that I talked with shortly a little bit with Alderman of the fifth on is making sure that we're not cutting these funds so much where our EMT and our firefighters are not being able to purchase ambulances. After doing some research, I reached out to Director Payne to just provide how much money is in that fund. So with a reduction of $450,000, that would just bring that fund down to $2.1 million. Also, the fire department gets money from the capital committee, which the capital committee budgeted $1.3 million for the fire department. that's able to buy up to two ambulams. I know that was one of his concerns on top of the additional funds that is in the GMT fund, which historically hasn't also always been spent down. But as somebody who's a big firefighter supporter, I would not do anything to put our firefighter men and women and our EMT individuals in a position where they do not have the ability to be able to buy those equipment that they need. So I just want to thank everybody for all the hard questions, and especially the Budget Committee for the great work that we put into this. And I'm ready to close FY26 budget year and open up FY27, and I will renew my motion.

It's been moved by the Alderman from the 14th, seconded by the Alderman from the 7th, that we third read and finally pass Board Bill 1. As amended, Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Alderman Schweitzer. Aye.

Alderman Oldenburg. Aye. Alderman Cohn. No. Alderman Narayan. No. Alderman Devotee.

No.

Alderman Velazquez. Aye. Alderman Sanye. Aye. Alderman Cox-Antwee. Alderman Browning. No. Alderman Clark-Hubbard. Aye. Alderman Keyes. Aye. Alderman Tyus.

No.

Alderman Boyd. Abstain. Alderman Aldridge. President Green. Aye. Alderman Aldenburg.

Aye.

Alderwoman Keyes. Seven aye votes. I'm sorry, eight aye votes. Six no votes and one voted present.

By your vote, you sustain the motion for the alderman from the 14th to third read and finally pass board bill one as amended.

That's the extent of third read and final passage of board bills. Report of the finally passed and signed by the president. Board Bill 8, 10 as amended on the floor, 28 as amended on the floor, and 1 as amended in committee.

All other business being suspended, the President shall in open session affix her signature here to the end that these may become law.

Thank you.

First, reading resolutions in reference to committees. We have not. In dispense with line item 22, second reading resolutions committee reports and adoption.

Report from Health and Human Development Committee, the mayoral appointment of Dr. Carl Wilson to the Senior Citizen Service Fund Board.

Alderman from the 13th, you're recognized to Mayor Spencer's appointment to the Senior Citizen Service Fund Board.

Thank you, Madam President and Board. I ask for favorable consideration for Dr. Carl Wilson to the Senior Citizen Service Fund Board.

It's been moved by the older woman from the 13th, seconded by the older woman from the 7th, that we approve Mayor Spencer's appointment to the Senior Citizen Service Fund Board. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Aye. Motion carries. Alderwoman from the 10th, you're recognized on the motion to adopt the courtesy resolution consent calendar.

Thank you, Madam President. Members of the board, I move that we adopt the courtesy resolution consent calendar.

It's been moved by the Alderwoman from the 10th, seconded by the Alderwoman from the 7th, that we adopt the courtesy resolution consent calendar. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Opposed?

Motion carries. Miscellaneous and unfinished business.

We have none.

Announcements.

Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, HUD's 11 a.m. in a Kennedy Room. Wednesday, July 1st, 2026, Budget and Public Employees Meeting, 10 a.m. in a Kennedy Room. Thursday, July 2nd, 2026, Four Board Meeting, 10 a.m. in the Chambers. Friday, July 3rd, the office will be closed in honor of July 4th holiday.

Any further announcements? Alderman from the 14th.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I just want to announce that Wednesday we will have a public employees committee at 10 a.m. in the Kennedy Room to hear Board Bill 32.

Alderwoman from the 13th.

Thank you, Madam President, board. I'd like to announce, remind people. And tomorrow we'll have Black Wall Street on Martin Luther King from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. I wanted to publicly thank the fire department and the police department for working with us to clean that area up. And so we are now trying to meet to discuss a plan to have that permanently cleaned. So don't forget that we'll have Wall Street tomorrow. We'll have... the pantry at West Florissant in Riverview like they do every Saturday. And so we'll have a busy weekend. And last but not least, I want to make sure I make people aware. A previous elder person, Bernice Jones King's mom, had passed. So her funeral will be tomorrow at Ronald L. Jones at 2 o'clock p.m. So if you can come, please come. And she's asking if you have green, please wear green.

Other woman from the 7th.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I would like to announce, one, I missed a special guest earlier, that there are some interns here from Art City Defenders, along with former Alderwoman Annie Rice. So thank you all for joining us and watching our proceedings today. And then I also wanted to announce that there is a textile festival on Cherokee Street that is happening tomorrow from noon to 6 PM. We are a very cool, creative, artsy community. And so if you should wander over to the Cherokee Street area, Several of the businesses will be opening and a lot of cool, direct, kinesthetic type of things that you can touch and engage with the textile festivals there. And then I also just wanted to announce two a little separately on the record, just in case that if you might be a Fox Park resident and you are watching that there is a cleanup tomorrow, but the location has been changed to 2732 Shenandoah. And so I hope I will see residents there tomorrow. Thank you.

Other woman from the 10th. Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. 10th Ward, we are going to be back, finally back to our 10th Ward one-on-one meetings this month. I know we missed a few due to the holidays and inclement weather, but this Monday, June 29th, 630 to 730 p.m. at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ. That's at 826 Union Boulevard. We will have our monthly opportunity to connect with myself, our Neighborhood Improvement Specialist, and representatives from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, as well as our speakers this month are Naraj Patel, our Director of Department of Public Utilities and Water Commissioner, and Spencer Gould, Deputy Commissioner of Water. Again, this is 630 to 730 at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ, 826 Union Boulevard. And then on Wednesday, July 1st, the Red Brick Blue Tarp premiere in the 10th Ward. There's been some other premieres all over, and now I'm excited to welcome them to the 10th Ward. It's at 11 a.m. at the Del Mar Divine building, but there will also be the tornado recovery resources for impacted residents at this viewing. So Red Brick Blue Tarp, July 1st, 11 a.m. at the Del Mar Divine. I hope to see you all there.

Alderman from the 14th. Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. Sorry, last announcement. This weekend is Pride weekend, so please come downtown to enjoy the Pride parade that will be taking place this Sunday. I know several of the alders, including yourself, Madam President, will be walking in it. as well as me, and I'll be joined by, I'll be in the parade with my fairy godmother and his golf cart, so check us out together, as well as continue to have a good time. I know a lot of the businesses in the Grove will be opening their doors for this time of year for us to be able to live, love, and then love who that we do love. And I would just ask everyone, please make sure that not only do you drink responsibly, but that you try to make sure that you keep yourself and other businesses safe so we don't have outside agitators coming in during our month, taking away a good time. So let's turn up all weekend. Let's stay up all night and let's have a good time. Happy Pride Weekend.

Any further announcements? Seeing none, Alderwoman from the 10th, you're recognized on the motion to excuse. Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. All members were present this morning. Alderwoman from the 10th, you're recognized on the motion to adjourn.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I move that we adjourn until Thursday, July 2nd, 2026, in the Board of Aldermen Chambers.

It's been moved by the Alderwoman from the 10th, seconded by the Alderwoman from the 7th, that we adjourn until Thursday. I second 2026 and the Board of Aldermen Chambers. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed? Motion carries. We are adjourned.