Board of Aldermen - Regular Meeting

hours. Welcome to the March 9th, 2026 board of meeting for the city of town and country. I now call this meeting to order and would ask you to please rise and join in 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 very much. I would now ask the city clerk to call the role for attendance. Alderman Freeman here. Alderman Gerber here. Alderman Harter here. Alderman Hughes here. Alderman Canella here. Alderman Sawyer here. And Alderman Schwear present. I have Alderman Murphy as absent. Mary is presiding and we do have a forum.

Thank you. And before we get to the minutes, um I just things are pretty quiet in the city, but I did want to just comment briefly that I went and attended the polar plunge that our police officers do and u that they were intrepid. That water was pretty darn chilly and they ran right in there. And it was amazing the number of people who turned out to that. I mean there were from a variety of police departments and fire departments and um um and it was it was well worth attending and um and like I said couple officers and not necessarily our officers but I saw a few people get in there from a few other departments. I thought boy your age bracket that cold water I'm a little bit nervous about what could happen but it was overall a great experience. All right. And other than that, I think things seem pretty quiet. And now, um, I seek a motion and second to approve the minutes from the February 23rd, 2026 meeting.

Second. Thank you. Any discussion or amendment? All in favor say I. I. City clerk. Have any citizens as to speak? No, sir. Thank you. We do not have a public hearing. Um, so you get your liability. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just wanted to state for the record. Unfortunately, I I was out of town for the last meeting. Uh, but I have reviewed the minutes and the um video from the last meeting. So, I'm fully prepared for any votes that will take place tonight. Thank you very glad to be here.

Appreciate it. Thank you. Um, quite the Excuse me. Reappoint of non-stutory commission members per the distributed list. I seek a motion and second to approve. So moved. Second. Any discussion or amendment? All in favor say I. I. Thank you. Uh now communications and reports. I will now recognize the board's opportunity to provide reports. Alman Harter.

Okay. enough to continue on with the polar plunge and this will be my last update until January on this uh polar plunge. So, it was a huge success as the mayor said. They had great attendance and the weather was cooperative. We finished second to Bridton PD. They came out of nowhere. We did beat Maryland Heights, but Christian came out of nowhere. We finished second to them among the police departments and fifth overall which is really quite commendable. Most notably, retired Sergeant Moore was the top individual fundraiser for the entire event.

That's to be commended. Uh secondly, Officer Andrew Kaufman was sworn in as our newest addition to the Town and Country family today. He has previous experience as a police officer in the West County area, and we're naturally thrilled to have him join the team. And then lastly, and this was handed to me right as I came on, the West County Youth Police Academy, which actually we started or helped get started. Uh it start registration opens Wednesday, March 11th at 8:00 a.m. It'll be on the website for for the children and they learn all about police officers, vehicles, K9 officers, physical fitness, which isn't bad, fingerprinting and crime, which is always a good thing. Internet safety, which is a very important thing, and the registration fee is $40, and that will be on the website, I'm told, relatively soon.

Okay, great. So, thank you. That's all I've got. Thank you, Alderman Hughes. Thank you, mayor. The architecture review board met on March the 2nd and the following items were approved. A new house at 12315 Wildlife Trail. A rear edition for our house at 808 Ammershan Drive and the next meeting of the architecture review board, excuse me, will be held on Monday, April the 6th, 5:30 here at the municipal center. And as always, all are welcome. Thank you. Um,

thank you, Mr. Mayor. The next meeting of the Ways and Means Commission will be Wednesday, March 25th at 8:30 a.m. here in the municipal center. And of course, uh, everyone is invited to attend.

Thank you, Gal. Thank you, Mayor. Due to a lack of new business, the planning and zoning commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 18th, has been cancelled. That's not all bad news. Thank you, Alderman. The uh next public works meeting is scheduled for March 16th at 6:30. The agenda is a mutual agreement um through agencies in the in the area. All are welcome. It's here at the um city hall. So 6:30 here public works mutual aid agreement discussion. continue. Thank

you, mayor, members of the board. Uh just a reminder at our meeting of March the 23rd, we will have the full facility update presentation. Last time we did it was uh November, I believe. Uh Navigator will be here, our architects will be here. Uh we'll go over public works, uh fire station, and city hall police. As I mentioned at the last time, the uh city facility here estimates are higher than what we had originally anticipated, but we'll go over uh the reason for that in detail at that meeting. Um also, as I reported to all of you in my Friday update, there were questions about transferring the funds from the public work or from the uh park stormwater fund reserves in for the public works facility. And just want to let the board know in addition to that being documented in the approved 2026 budget, Joanne will continue to document that any approved transfers in budgets going forward. So it's clearly transparent what's taking place.

Right. Thank you very much. I now recognize the board's opportunity to ask questions on the February payable report. Yeah, I thought it was actually pretty transparent. Bob, in the documentation you sent us, you put a note in under the Bradford Systems Corporation Tabet subscription. There was a cost of $165 and you made a note that was label system for development. What system?

Yes. So they have these highdensity files and it requires a certain type of folder. Is that am I correct my certain type of folder that's proprietary through Bradford system to to get into those highdensity files and they are files for what? Oh building uh construction projects and zoning permits zoning permits all of their things back there. It's essentially like a a doctor's office filing system. Yeah. the stickers. So, you know, feel free to stop by and take a look.

Nice. Thank you. The comment that speaking of files and data collection after watching the local news, I'm very happy we do not have any land that someone wants to put a data center in looks like post meeting. I'm just glad that all right moving on to unfinished business. Bill number 26-06 item was used and chair without objection that the city clerk read bill number 2605 for the second time.

Bill number 2606 is an ordinance approving a conditional use and authorizing a conditional use for an accessory structure a roof mounted solar energy system facing a street located at 12545 Ammersham Court in the city of Town Country. Thank you. I seek a motion and a second to approve. Second. Thank you. Any discussion or amendment? Alderman Schwar.

Uh I'd like to have staff come up and remind everybody of the unique situation this gentleman's facing with um him not being able to put solar on the back of his roof as well. Certainly. So before you is a conditional use permit request because the solar on the front of his house facing the street with the rear of the applicant's house also faces the street. So he could not shift it to the rear of the house. He'd have the same issue in the requirement of the condition. So this this is a pretty unique situation. Correct.

It is an unusual situation. It's uncommon to have to not have um a side of a house that can be hidden from the street. That's uncommon. And um these front facing or street facing, we do it case by case essentially. This is why he's coming here for a conditional use per every request is case by case. Yes. Yes.

Thank you, man. So looking at the photos and the plans and that I agree this this house is somewhat unique in the fact that on the front are on the back they're going to face the streets. Correct. So it's really six of one half dozen of the other. Okay. I mean this is a unique situation. Correct. Okay. I would ask the city clerk for roll call. Alderman. Hi. Alderman Hughes. Hi. Alderman Canel. Hi. Alderman Gerber. Hi. Alderman Harter.

Hi. Alderman Freeman. Hi. And Alderman Sawyer. Hi. The bill passes unanimously and becomes ordinance number 4734. Thank you very much. Next. Um, bill number 2607 sponsored by the board as a whole. Without objection, would the city clerk read the bill for the second time? Bill number 2607 is an ordinance amending title 5, chapter 500, building codes and building regulations of the Town Country Municipal Code, specifically by the amendment of section 500.100 regarding public notice requirements for architectural review. Thank you. I seek a motion and second to approve. So moved. Second.

Thank you. Any discussion or amendment? I would ask to say the clerk roll call vote. Alderman Hughes. Hi. Alderman Harter. Hi. Alderman Sawyer. Hi. Alderman Gerber. Hi. Alderman Freeman. Hi. Alderman Canela. Hi. And Alderman Schwar. Hi. The bill passes unanimously and becomes ordinance number 4735. Thank you. Moving on to new business. Bill number 26-08 perhaps sponsored by Alderman from War 2 Gerber without objection the city clerk to read the bill for the first time.

Bill number 2608 is an ordinance approving a boundary adjustment plat for the adjustment of permanent open space on lot one of Belfrest Estates flat 2 in the city of town and country and authorizing the boundary adjustment plat to be recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds of St. Louis County.

Thank you. This bill number 2608 is continued the meeting on Monday March 23rd 2026 with second reading and consideration. Next is bill 26-09 as sponsored by Holdman Murphy and Sawyer. Without objection, the city clerk read the bill for the first time. Bill number 2609 is an ordinance approving a boundary adjustment plat for one and two Bell Reef Country Club grounds drive in the city of Town Country and authorizing the boundary adjustment plat to be recorded in the office of the record of deeds of St. Louis County.

Thank you. This bill number 2609 is also continued in the meeting of Monday March 23rd 2026 for a second reading consideration. Next is the approval of a purchase order to Jim Trinary Ford for a 2026 Ford F350 parks vehicle in the amount of $56,6440. I seek a motion and second to approve. Thank you. Any discussion or amendment? All right. Um just thought came to my head. Does is this truck going to have a a pla? Yes. And and be able to uh distribute salt and stuff. Correct.

Thank you. Yeah, sure. Go ahead. Thank you, Mayor. I do have a quick question about this. Uh in within the notes, uh and it mentions that you're going to replace the snowplow blade that you have along with replacing the vehicle. And I can certainly see why a 10-year-old vehicle would need to be replaced with a lot of miles on it. What about the blade? It doesn't seem like you'd use that over the 10 years consistently. Yep. you know, wearing out because of the salt. I don't purchase the blade, so I may ask for some public work support on that answer.

The blades over time get worn really bad. Um, they have a a a piece that you attach to that touches the pavement, but when it wears the metal part of the blade then is touching the pavement, it starts getting worn. So, that has to be replaced eventually. Yeah, I see what you mean. been times. Is that also affected by the salt because it's being stored in the facility? Um, no, because you're you're pushing the snow off and then the salt comes behind it. So, well, I I re I mean in the salt facility. Oh, it's being stored with Yeah, it'll be stored at in in the overhang that we're going to have in the back in the new the new over we're going to have a new overhang. Right. So, this is not being stored with this currently. Is it stored?

No, it's it'll be stored outside in an overhang. I think where where it's currently being stored. Do we know Ann? I don't know. I think it's in the salt facility which to me is probably going to rust. We would need to vehicle we are getting rid of beginning to rust out pretty and that doesn't look good. All right. All in favor say I. I. Thank you very much. Next is approval of purchase order to the port for police vehicle upfitting in the amount of 17,000 $390.88. I see a motion and second to approve. So move

second.

Okay. And I have a question. This um is this one of the ones we bought last uh last meeting that you're outfitting? So, the original plan was to use O for one vehicle, purchase an upfitting, and to purchase a vehicle from Landmark, a different dealership, and have a local um upfitter do the upfitting. Unfortunately, when the local upfitter learned that we were splitting this, uh they did not want to do business with us anymore, which is very unfortunate. I I can't say enough good things about the local upfitter other than the fact that they didn't want to do business with us anymore. So, we had to pivot to Oath and their outfitting company and that's why this is before you this evening.

I see. Does it lower the price of the one we approved last time? No. Okay. That wasn't Thank you. All in favor say I. I. Thank you. Next is approval of staff travel for the senior account to attend the GFOA conference in an amount not to exceed $1,22659. Seek a motion and second to approve. So move any second. Any thank you. Any discussion or amendment? All in favor say I.

I. Also, next is bill number 26-10. I think perhaps sponsored by the board as a whole. Without objection, would the city clerk read the bill for the first time? Bill number 2610 is an ordinance exempting the city of town and country from the provisions of section 311.2026 RSMO relating to hours of operation of liquor licenses during the 2026 World Cup. Thank you. How long does the World Cup last overall? Two weeks. A month. A month. Okay. Right. It's a month that this would apply. Okay. So, what what do we expect? Do we expect these to go late into the night or something?

Early earlier, probably. Oh, earlier. Yeah. But what this bill does is it would exempt you. So, they wouldn't be able to sell. Okay. It's an opt out. Opt out. Thank you. 24 hours. It's June 11th to July 19th. A lot of soccer. My kids are great school.

Thanks. Bill number 26-1. I think perhaps sponsored by Minnesota. Without objection, would the city clerk read the bill for the first time? Bill number 2611 is an ordinance amending the 2025 budget by transferring appropriations amongst expenditure accounts in the general fund, road fund, capital improvement fund, and parks and stormwater fund appropriating funds to increase opioid remediation fund and public art fund expenditure accounts and to provide a transfer of funds from the parks and stormwater fund to the capital improvement fund.

Thank you. This bill is continued to meet Monday, March 23rd, 2026 with a second reading consideration. I have no other business to bring up, but we're open to the board. Any other topics to bring up tonight? I then seek a motion and second to adjurnn. So move second. All in favor? Thank you for your time. Thank you. We're supposed to remind you to