Planning and Parks Committee - Regular Meeting

British Columbia wants to be a 51st state. Have you heard that? I did not hear that. Yeah. Okay. And we are live. Awesome. All right. Well, thank you everybody for joining us here this evening on uh Monday, August 18th, 2025 for the uh planning and parks committee of the city of Wildwood. Uh we'll start off with a roll call here. Galani here. Council member Rleski here. Council member Traier here. Council member McCutchen here. Council member Dodwell here. Council member Rambo here. Council member France here.

Council member Attenburg is absent and we have a quorum. Awesome. Well, thank you everybody for being here and hope you stayed cool over the past couple weeks of this awesome heat wave. Um, we'll start off with the next item of the agenda, which is the approval of the minutes. Do I have a motion for the approval of minutes from the meeting on Monday, July 21st? Sure. Council member Morambo with the motion, a second. Member, sorry if I pronounced your name wrong, by the way. Sounds terrible. Um, all right. So, we've got a motion and a second. Director Vinc.

Mr. Chair, I just noticed something. We have absent, Mr. Berg, but it shows nobody's absent, so it should be one. So, I owe the number one there. Y can we make that clerical adjustment? Okay, sure can. So, with that being said, um all in favor of the motion, please say I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay. Very good. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you for bringing that up. All right. Next item on the agenda is public participation. Do we have anybody? Nobody. I don't see anybody in here. Do we have anybody online?

If anyone is online that would like to speak during this time, please use the raise hand feature and we'll promote you to a participant or to a panelist. It does not appear. So, thank you.

All right. Well, we'll move right along then into action items. And we've got uh six matters under parks for tonight for consideration. The first one being the park trail maintenance needs for the fiscal year 2026 and director Rudich. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, members of the committee, first and foremost, thanks for again accommodating kind of an unusual schedule. were meeting a day earlier than our normal third Tuesday and that has to do with the update of our master plan and the group that's volunteered to help with that. So again, very much appreciated. Thank you. As you know, administration and public works committee, they've been talking about the capital improvements program for the upcoming fiscal year 2026. The necessity of this early discussion has a lot to do with how much we're spending versus how much we're collecting in terms of revenue. And this year, more so than most, the city administrator Thomas Lee has wanted to kind of get the the capital improvement component on everyone's radar as soon as possible. In fact, out of admin administration and public works committee, a report was submitted to city council and out of this committee from our last meeting, a similar report was identified and then submitted for information to city council at our last meeting in August. Tonight the department wanted to kind of take that discussion to the next step and that next step is to identify projects it feels for fiscal year 2026 are critical and have numbers cost associated with it and then again ration

or commentary for that. Along with identifying those priority projects, the department also identified a list of projects that are on the five-year plan would not be priorities for the upcoming year 2026 or potentially 2027. So in terms of projects that are priorities, the department has established them as part of the table that's been provided for consideration tonight. And first and foremost is storm water runoff and erosion. Again, it is an item that is on our strategic plan. And as you know there were three the first three goals of our strategic plan were rural internet gaining access to the rural areas with highspeed internet developing um additional revenue sources and then the third was our storm water runoff storm water management component. And so the department felt it would be inappropriate if it ignored the strategic plan and didn't place that as the top priority because for all intents and purposes we've developed rule that except for about 400 or so hot zholes in the city and we always are looking for other revenue sources. I think that's just an ongoing effort. So storm water runoff and erosion as you can see there is no amount there yet. We have in 2025 $300,000. That's not to say that that's the amount that would be in 2026. There's a lot more discussions that have to occur amongst the different committees as well as the full city council after that. Yes, ma'am.

Did I read somewhere that MSD is going to take care of Evergreen and that's the other location there is the the Yes. Evergreen Forest Court is one of the projects MSD is going to fund with their new tax revenue. Um there is another it's not the Highlands at Wild Horse, but it is an area as I recall somewhere around that that Shiva Court area again because they obviously have done work there previously to address erosion that's threatening those homes. Um I have something later on about that I'll talk about. So um so if you could hold on just a bit.

Sorry.

No, you're fine. Um phase two of Billy Green is the second priority and the reason it is the second priority is this committee after recommendations and now city council have endorsed it as a project that needs to proceed forward at all haste. It also is grant funded. We have $575,000 of grant money that Melanie was able to apply for and achieve. And so we have a general number of two and a half million minus the grant funding and then fundraising which only will cover here shortly. We believe is second priority and we hope to have it completed by mid 2026 consistent with the grant timeline. Thank you. Keep those fingers crossed. The toes do. Um the next is Anniversary Park parking lot. As you know, it was funded uh this year. Um that money was diverted to address our needs out at Route 100 with the safety enhancements. Um it's a $35,000 project based upon the estimate in 2024. Again, I would just emphasize a parking lot drive off has not been um resurfaced since it opened about 20 years ago. Uh trail repair and resurfacing. Again, this year we had approximately $150,000 set aside. There were critical segments of the trail system that needed to be repaired. Um and then some just resurfaced. Um, one of the worst is the the trail around the lake and the enclaves at Cherry Hills. Trees that were planted have rooted and pushed the trail up. There's several trip hazards. Um, suffice to say, we shifted that funding again this year, but next year I would hope that there will be a clear

gold on the part of this committee to proceed forward. Yes, ma'am. Real quick on the the Cherry Hills um issue, are we getting any funding from the subdivision itself? That's their property, not the city's property. Well, we have a public easement for the trail. Yeah, we do for the trail, but there was long discussions several years ago about things that they needed to do, and I'm assuming they haven't done anything.

No. In fact, the most recent communication with the subdivision has been they want us to basically put some trash cans around the lake because they claim that there's a great amount of trash that's being left by users. My response was most of the users are probably your residents. Yeah. So, and the trash cans are expensive. And then once we put a trash can in, that means every week we're emptying it. And that's a that's not an inexpensive task. No. So, kind of pushed back on it and said, "You you need to work through your council people and have them bring it forward." Um, but no,

that should be their responsibility. That's their property. Yeah. To date, we've not gotten any commitment of any type of funding or assistance. Um, and in fact, as I say, more so than anything, we often are asked to do things around the trail system that in this particular case, I just don't know how you attach ownership to litter. Um, and quite frankly, I think some of it may just come from storm water runoff. It gets picked up in the curbs and gutters, gets pushed into the lake, and then that's where it comes from. So it could or its origin could be somewhere else upstream. Yeah.

Is your um um uh is your intention just to spend the minimum and divert five feet around each tree or something like that? Or are we talking about a major rework of the trail system?

Well, first and foremost, I would have Mike Walsh, our arborist, go out and say, "What can I do and not harm the tree?" because the trees are very healthy. They're pretty good trees, too. They were selected from the pallet that we had available. If he says that if you try to basically replace the segments of trail, you're going to kill the tree. Then, yeah, I would probably look at rerouting. The risk with rerouting is the trail eastment's only about 20 ft wide. Trail is about eight stand. There's not a lot of Is that hard surface over there? Oh, okay. So, we couldn't just mound up some mulch and get it get over it that way.

No, it's an asphalt trail. That's the problem. It's broke through this top surface of the asphalt, the roots, and it's just real kind of concern. It was poor planning on when we planted the trees too close to the Yeah, I again the the landscape plan that included the trees around the trail was developed by a landscape architect working for um the developers. We did review it, thought we covered all the bases, but as you know, we're learning a lot more about trees than it's how you plant them often times.

Yeah. And if they're planted shallow, which is often the case, the roots don't sink too deep and then we get those that move out along the surface.

So would the um I think I still have the floor. Yeah. Would the um uh the major move of the trail down near Rock in that complex area because of the erosion? Is that on your priorities list or is that we going to try to fund that separately or we just what are we going to do there? Well, there Chris Nagger, our superintendent in parks and and I met with Jacob Hill of T- Hill Construction. There's three bridges that need almost immediate um attention. Um none of the bridges are necessarily at risk. It's the young it's the it's the creek as it leads into the bridge abutments that have been the rock the stabilizing rocks been washed away. So we're going to just treat that as general maintenance charge that to that line item park maintenance park and trail maintenance. There is a section trail, bless you, that's upstream from bridge five that basically the erosion has pushed the to the edge of the trail now. And so there Mr. Hill, Chris and I talked about potentially doing a pore in place wall that's anchored to the flat rock, the bedrock that's exposed at the bottom of the creek. um that's an expensive solution, but I think if we fix those bridges or address the bridges in the creek that they'll be fine, at least that's what um the representative of Great Rivers Greenway that did the bridge inspections for the city and what Mr. Hill said,

which means we won't have to move the trail necess Okay, wonderful. Great. Good. That's good news because it is a maintenance issue. I mean, the bridges are washing out. We got to fix it. So, yeah. and there's 13 of them. So, our lucky number.

Council Donald had a question. Just real quickly, back to the Cherry Hills issue. Um, sorry. If the um if the current pathway is getting disturbed by the roots, etc. Is it possible to just remove that section that's being disturbed and then just put a mulch walkway around the other side or in its place so that we don't run into that problem again? I mean, I realize it's a change in surface, but um or a rock a small rock kind of thing. I think at this stage any options on the table.

Okay. Because obviously it'll retain the trees and if the trees are going to continue to grow, we'll be back here in the x amount of time. So what I would suggest is if the if this particular line item is funded, trail bear maintenance, um we'll look at all options and bring them to the committee and see which one is best.

I I just feel like Part of the reason that the roots are going up is because they're not getting the water that they want. And so if we put a different type of permeable surface over them, the roots it might help. I don't know. Maintenance may be a little bit severe. The waste cost approach that we'll explore and present to the committee of maybe if the trees are Mr. Walt says the trees aren't necessarily as healthy as I think they are and they could be removed. Maybe that's the solution. We remove the trees and replant some a type of tree species that's better for that location. So I like to think you opt to to explore.

Okay. There were several ash trees that the subdivision removed there recently. Um, so they they understand that despite them being mature, sometimes you just have to make the hard decision and that was the case with those ash trees. Thank you.

Certainly. Uh, fifth priority, Green Pines Connector Trail. Again, another grant-f funded project um from the Department of Public Works. Um, and it's a $500,000 project by most standards today relatively inexpensive. Um, grant funding is $267,000. So again, a priority for 2026. This is another project that got pushed from 2025 to 2026 to address group 100 projects. Um, one project that this committee has um, initiated and endorsed is just making incremental ADA improvements to our park system, whether it be community park, anniversary park, green pines park, etc. And the direction the committee gave and what the department is following is we do this on an incremental basis. We'll pick one one year and try to do as many of them we can and afford and then next year we move to another location etc.

What kind of money would you need for that? We're probably talking tens of thousands of dollars versus hundreds and it's primarily what unlimited playbook came back to the committee with was adult changing tables, some hard surfaces under some of the picnic tables. So, as they're wheelchair accessible, um some just motor skills, um music, equipment, things along those lines that engage all the kids, not just necessarily um what we're doing now.

So, again, whatever we do, we'll come back to the committee. First and foremost, direction on what park is next after community park, which has already been approved by the committee. And then secondly, what of what of that list each of them had would be the priorities for you? So, what kind of money a year would you need then? You have a good idea yet or not? Um, I'm thinking each year maybe it's in a range of 20 to $25,000. Okay.

But, you know, we have a pretty good short on that. And so when we get into that discussion as we get further into the budget for next year. Uh number seven is Portner Park. Um and this is just for design and engineering. We originally had $100,000 uh set aside for it. Um, I think that's that's the number I carried over, but given what we ended up with in terms of our master plan, a real soft touch to the 27 acres, I think we can do the design and engineering for a lot less. And then finally, the last one is a carryover from 2023 now going on three years because we did the pilot, excuse me, we did the sound analysis at Route 100, Route 109. The city council endorsed a pilot program at approximately $40,000. See if we could do something to mitigate sound the edge of right away or somewhere along that partic those two particular corridors. Those are the eight priorities the departments identified. Those left out are disc golf route 66 roadside park view farms school park future property acquisitions homestead trail and then finally greenway for the phase six which is for community park on the north side of Route 100 to Mueller Road where we had a trail segment and access to the north but not continually access to Babler State Park. So that can wait. Um, of those that are hold obviously Route 66 Roadside Park, they made a whopping about $5 million, which is still awful.

So go ahead. So how much money are you recommending to be your budget this year, Joe? Is this

Well, there's a there's one other item that is just kind of let's weave through all of the each year we set aside money for capital and pay for equipment replacement. Not all of our C not all of our equipment is unbreakable and so sometimes it breaks and we have to replace it. the disc wing and the community park playground that broke. Um, we tried to get a part for it. The parts took months and then the part needed another part that until now they don't manufacture. So, it's sometimes you feel like you're chasing your tail. So, we were able to find a disc wing comparable uh new one for about $5,000. It seemed like, okay, so that's what that money is for.

And each year it's been about $50,000. Depending on how you all grade these out and ultimately endorsed, that could be a lesser amount. Again, it's it's emergency funds more so than anything. If something breaks, we've got to fix it. And so that's what we use that money for versus using the operating revenue under trail park and trail maintenance. again because it isn't a maintenance item. It's really more truly a replacement of repair. So, so my question is how much money do you need this year and will you stay within budget uh of uh total budget?

Well, because if I don't know those numbers, I can't add any, you know, is all I'm saying. So just if

again if we just looked at the projects two through five um and I think those are higher priorities and two of the five two of the four excuse me have grant funding and that grant funding has a timeline associated with it. So, in raw numbers, uh, we're looking at 1.9 million for Village Green. That's with no funding from our fundraising efforts. 35,000 from Anniversary Park, 150,000 for trail repair, and roughly about 233,000 for Green Pines. So, put it all together, let's say about $2.4 4 million and all the majority of that is um all inclusive places. So I'm trying to be respectful of the situation we're in. If you take out the playground and the project that public works received the grand funding for of those four projects and asking for about $185,000 I think is critical because we need to do repairs and improve improve our facilities.

Some of these you're only going to end up with more costs if we delay the repairs on them. Yeah. always seems to be the case. The longer you delay it, more expensive it is to fix it. Yeah. Go ahead. I We're sitting with $17 million in the reserve. Um I know we should use that for the storm water u issue, but I I'm going to recommend we take some of it out and take care of the things that we haven't taken care of. You know, have our budget and then have a little extra. I I think that's what we need to do now with we're not ever going to get any money from the state on that storm water. Yeah.

So, uh that in its number one could probably be uh uh coming from the reserve um which would help free up these other items. I'm just throwing that out there for discussion for sure

because I would I would reserve take the reserve money for the storm water to run out probably. I think one thing is and I got you but I was going to say we've talked about this since I've been on council going back almost six years now of about the fact that we've got this reserve that's large and whether we really need that much in the reserve or not and if not you know what can we take out and then where would that be allocated right how we could do that because I think when you talk about you know potential tax proposals of hiking tax rates for storm water and erosion, which I've heard it floated as a parks and watershed tax, which I think is a we got to figure out a different thing to call that. We do that because that's a that's a fraud in itself.

That's the way the law is.

Raise taxes and call it parks and we know that not a penny of that will go to the parks. So, um, anyway, but with all this being said, I think we need to, you know, we keep, we've been talking about it for so long, and I know when Council Member Bro was on here, we had talked about doing some analysis and trying to figure out and we just, we've kicked that can down the road for all these years, but we've never actually taken any action into So, can we facilitate that from this committee to actually uh invite the council to endorse um actually having some type of formal audit, analysis, whatever needs to happen to figure out what actually is the critical emergency fund that a city of our size and scope and budget really needs to have on hand. And so we can first figure out what that excess amount is, if any. And then whatever that number ends up being, then we can then have conversations because to your point, Council Mccr, I think there's been numerous different council members over the past years that have brought up different ideas of how to allocate excess funds that may or may not be there. Um, and so this is just another iteration of that same conversation. So I think before we can even discuss how we would spend any money that's in there that is extra, we still we need to first figure out what is the amount over and above what we need to have in there and then we can have conversations of what would be the best use for it. Um so how how can we figure that out?

Councilman Farmer may have an idea. He's been working really hard on that committee

and I actually think that administration public works committee and Mr. Lee are doing something very much like that. I think just emphasizing it as part of tonight's meeting which I'll pass on tomorrow to Mr. Lee is will suffice. I think everybody that has heard about our reserve probably thinks there's probably a middle ground. We want we want a healthy robust reserve but do we need as much as we can? I think an audit or an analysis at the very least lets our residents know that we care and we're looking at it that we're not just letting this fund go up into 20 30 million while at the same time we're sitting here saying we have all these other issues that we potentially need to ask them to dig into their pockets further to help council member do. All right Council Member Rambo and then Council D. Sorry.

Yeah, I I agree with Jim. It's a that's a prudent and practical uh approach to um getting some of these things done and sort of writing the ship a little bit uh to an extent. I've always felt bad about the the the size of our reserve. We've talked about it a bunch, but you're right, we haven't done anything. We need to figure out how much of it is a surplus, how much of it we can reapply. I think it would no matter how much it is, it's still be going to be a drop in the bucket on the storm water um mitigation. And so I'm not sure I agree with that part of what Jim's saying, but the the the the concept is very sound. I would love to see us use it to um you know, bring things up to snuff because nothing is getting cheaper as we mentioned. But my question to you, Joe, is and I I despite how talking about this every month, I really don't have a handle on how awful how dire our financial situation is. We're talking about being respectful of the current situation and what not, but we're just kind of we're kind of looking down the road ourselves with imperfect knowledge and saying, "Oh man, things are going to get tight, but we don't know that for a fact." And I would like to have a firmer grasp of what, you know, how horrible things are going to be and how, you know, how how brutal we need to be in the short term. And I don't think anybody can answer that, but um it's worth considering that we don't know. And um you know, we're making all these decisions based on gez, we're not going to have any money and and so on and so forth. My final point is I I I think we need to have that discussion that you mentioned because I've talked about it many times. it. We need to figure out how to separate storm parks and storm water or it will all be storm water and the parks will go begging and we'll have to, you know, have a bake sale every

time we need to and we got to be what we tell our residents, you know, except for the bake sale.

Just one quick point on that. what I made earlier is so when we have our annual audit for the U and I'll get to you I got council member dott and then city minister Lee but uh when we do our audit each year of the city's finances and and our books would it be prudent at that point to have that same accounting firm I think it's Brown and Brown that we use or uh Brownmith Wallace or whatever but to have them go ahead and perform an audit of our reserve account and what's necessary for a city of our uh size and and budget demands to let us know. Oh, I got Yeah, I'll let you go.

I was just going to ask real quickly. We have a city treasurer, as I recall, he's a CPA and has a great deal of background in auditing. Is there any reason that we can't tap on his shoulder and say um working with um the city administrator and the directors of each of the departments um to go back and look at where we have additional funds that don't need to be saved, etc., and have that information for our next meeting or our first meeting when we're doing um budgeting because I understand we're having a separate meeting as a group for budgeting so that we clearly understand as a whole what that amount of saved dollars I guess for lack of a better term really is and then what is required ired for a good fiscal environment for a city and then what do we have that could be spent now to get some of these projects taken care of.

So he's got he's got the answers. Yeah, I can I can see him shaking all

Thank you. Sorry about that everyone. I'm a little under the weather this afternoon. Um that said, uh we do have that report. So last year, it was about a year and a half ago, we had WM Financials. uh they came out and conducted an analysis. They had recommended having a reserve at 100% of annual expenditure for operating. That said, uh myself and some others had questioned if that was a little too high. Um so what we can definitely do and this is this would be more than fine. we could use that as a framework what they were looking at um and then come back to the committee both this committee and admin we are planning at the next meeting of the administration public works committee to discuss um the unrestricted fund balances in other municipalities to do that comparison that was asked at the council meeting um just as a quick notice to everyone since we're having this discussion I pulled it up um we had at the end of fiscal year 2025 uh 2024 sorry um when we had discussed it recently at we were at 155% of annual expenditure. So that's just for operating. So what that can be translated into is say that every single revenue source was turned off at you know at at the link of a dime. We would be able to operate for approximately a year and a half without having to really take in any other revenue. Then the best way that I have learned to be able to do this is to be able to look at other municipalities and where they're at and it ranges, but I have some examples here to kind of get the ball rolling at least. And then this can be presented if you'd like with a motion. Um we'd be more than happy to uh the department administration would be more than happy to provide the same report that we're going to provide to administration public works uh to the depart the planning and parks department as well. So you guys are all on equal footing when reviewing the capital improvement uh budget for 26. But just for reference, um, St. Peters, Missouri, they're at 67% compared to our 155. Uh,

Bowwin, Missouri, 63.7%. Uh, Chesterfield, they were at five 57.3%. And this is all fiscal year 2024. Um, Kirkwood 26%, uh, Hazlewood 73.6, Wentzville 72.8, uh, Webster Groves 48.9, University City 45.6. and those stay pretty stable over the years and so is the city of Wildwoods. It's kind of range within that 150 range. So, we're we're in a very healthy position. Um that said, the question really is, you know, what we were told by the WM financials and we can share that report as well as an addendum to the next meeting. Uh but we were at a they were recommending 100% of annual expenditure. So, that would be around $12 million per year. that would right now our expense uh our current if you take into account by law we have to have a 25% contingency of operating that we have to hold uh when you take that out of account we have about $19 million in reserves so that said it doesn't mean you know you want to turn on the spot uh but the other really good thing that WM Financials put together for us as a template and I think it would be great to start from it and create it as a road map is that we are able to take that um it gave you almost a policy that says hey and this is what I've read across multiple municipalities when you dip into reserves on purpose for on a project. So say we say we want to take care of the basins along Cox Creek what they do what most of these policies do is that the council will agree to it there's a certain pol protocol that goes in place to dip into those reserves and then there's also an action plan to fill them back up. So what is coming off the plate to get the reserves back to a steady level? I guess the main question we have to ask ourselves here at the council level is what is that level that we need to maintain because at this

point it is at a higher level than the vast majority of other municipalities that we have done a comparative analysis on uh across the St. Louis region. So we're we're very much digging deep into this and we can most definitely share that corresponding report with the committee at the next meeting. Thank you. Thanks. Any questions too? more than happy to answer. I guess we'll just look for that. Council Mer,

I would say that this needs to be expedited and I appreciate your your efforts on this. Um, new to the council, uh, but not new to the business world, I don't know that I would characterize this as healthy. Um, given the statistics you identified for other municipalities, as a citizen of Wildwood, I'd be concerned that we're sitting on a pile of money not being deployed for, you know, useful purposes.

Um, and I I think you're headed down this path, but I would say 100 is the number. Well, then we have 55 gross, you know, uh, amount of money over what we need. So, I'd set that policy that if you dip below 100, you look for reimbursement uh in the future. But if there's 55 to play with, that's even to that point, I don't disagree with that at all. And I mean, even at 100, we're well above the highest. I mean, I think the highest you said was 72.8 or so. It was in the 70s. Yeah, that's correct.

I mean, that even at 100, we're about 25% above the highest. And clearly these other municipalities have been operating at these same thresholds for decades. To Council Rambo's point, you know, we continuously and Wildwood would talk about the fact that we need to be mindful of spending and hoard all our money, which I'm all about being mindful of spending and not wasting taxpayer dollars, but at the same time, it is taxpayer dollars. It's not city dollars, even though we refer to it. So, we're not a we're not a family that's saving for our retirement over here. Uh, and we're not trying to put our kids through. We don't we don't get access to facts are wasted because they're sitting, you know, when they could be used.

So, that's what I'm saying is that we, you know, our our jobs here aren't to build up as big of a savings account as we can. We're supposed to use all the dollars we have to make the city a better place for the taxpayer and the residents, deploy all that money, and only hang on to the bare minimum that we need to for emergency purposes. And here we are sitting on a on a gold mine of of dollars while we continuously talk about the fact that we need more grant funding, we need more tax funding, we need more this and that. Um, so I'm there's a healthy balance in the middle there somewhere, but I think we could go to even 75% probably and be top 99% agree of that. But I think

we need to first regardless in a very expedited fashion find out what that number is that we can all agree on. I think that'll be a first round of robust debate. And then when we come to the realization that we have an extra $10 million to play with, that's going to be a whole another ball of wax for this council to play with. That'll probably take us 10 to 15 years to figure out. Um, you know, and that's if we go quick. But, uh, anyway, Council Rambo,

yeah, it'll, um, I think we're gonna we're gonna agree on it something between 75 and 100%. That'd be my that's my prediction. But Tom, um I know we are constrained in terms of investments, but um what return are we getting on this money roughly percentage-wise? Can you answer that just just off? Yeah. Yeah, roughly about 4%. Uh interest rates have been pretty stable. Most of the money is invested in long-term treasury bonds, so about 4%. Okay,

it's not bad. And and the just as a heads up for investing purposes, the city can only invest funds in things that are very very much secured and backed by the federal government. So it it's really locked down to CDs, repurchasing agreements and bonds. I mean, you can get into Fanny May, Fanny Mack, those type of markets as well, but when you do that, it it's going to add a really you're practically going to lose that the amount of money you would earn there by spending more money on the auditor that's going to have to audit those reports. Yeah. So, we're returning 800,000 a year roughly.

Yeah. Yeah. Last year it was around 700,000. So that does and that's speaking to that does help with operational costs that does go back into the general fund and then can be used for the day-to-day operations. So it does kind of serve as a cushion in a sense for um you know emergency years. But that said you know the argument will always come down to you know and and and just a quick note and I was trying to look for the chart here and I can I'll dig it up and find it. Uh but the majority of these reserve funds were built up in the 2000 to 2010 era. uh it was when we didn't have many items that we were maintaining and that's what the biggest you know kind of break pad I will pull on here as we have these discussions the department administration will pull on uh first of all too I'd love to have RA involved in these our finance officer she is got over 40 years of experience as a CPA in municipal accounting so she is she she's on the nose too that said um most of our reserves had grown over those periods because we didn't own anything we hadn't built anything that required a max amount of maintenance over the last couple years. Our reserve hasn't necessarily grown to too much. We've just stayed at stable levels, but we've had this money and held it for a good amount of time.

Yeah, Tom, maybe we've done this, but would it be at all fruitful to look at our investment possibilities and see if we can increase that return a little bit? I mean even on the remaining dollars even if we spend even if we spend you know 10 million we still got 10 million left and it's worth you know if we can get um 6% return on that rather than 4% that we we definitely can u that said it it would have to apply to we have we have to follow very strict standards so as long as they're investing as long as whomever or wherever is investing in you know treasury bonds CDs repurchase agreements and they're backed then that would be That would be the key. Yeah.

Did we not do that? Did we not do that two years ago with Mr. Broast and others? Um, we did a specific review of that. I think you were involved with that, Tom. We did.

And that locked in and that locked in. We right now are the way it works is we have a a locked in 11 basis point built in with Commerce Bank that we when we invest into a let's just say we're executing on a Treasury bond. Um right now it's 11 basis points that we're being charged for that. Whereas out in the market you're paying the big difference came in and that's where the kind of the bump came in the road was right now we're not actually seeing anything on the spreadsheet. We're not paying out of pocket for the cost associated with the investments. When you hire the firm to do it for you you're actually ending up paying a percentage of your portfolio which I equated anywhere between depending on the rates that were provided. we would be seeing an extra 70 to $100,000 hit the ledger.

So I mean it's still and the thing is and and we can provide this as well uh the investment policy from the state of what and this is you have to follow this in order to be backed by the state in case of a financial collapse. So you do not want to a city just cannot go invest in risky or illquid um you know assets. So that said, we can most definitely provide the the group here with that information and also information on what we can invest in legally and the main thing is security that when with municip because it is your it is the public money you do not want to take a risk and then lose that money. So that that is the one of the primary concerns but would more than happy to also have RA jump in on a future conversation discuss too from the CPA perspective

the scheduled periodic review would make a lot of sense. um we can we can make more money over here and it's still approved by the state and you know we won't get in any trouble with um being risky and um make a make a few more bucks. So anyway, worth Well, yeah, I think if obviously thanks Tom and if you can get us all that information that we can then have more uh conversation regarding actual facts and analysis that we have in front of us because we could go around here for another two hours talking things like

but yeah, great conversation. So thank you Joe. Well, just to summarize again, there's eight priority projects of them two through five in the department of planning parts are critical and as I mentioned overall about $2.3 million when grant funding is taken aside. Um and and just want you to understand a lot of the projects that we've talked over time or not. I don't know if they will remain on the five-year plan, but we'll push them out probably to the finish the end of that five years. Thank you.

Awesome. That takes us to the next item on the agenda, which is the expansion of holdings. the rock a little bit

saying all of what we just talked about an opportunity presented itself and like any opportunity it needs to be flushed out first by your professional staff and then ultimately to the committee and city council. So approximately three weeks ago the open space council of greater St. Louis contacted Rapers Greenway St. Louisis County Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Natural Resources in the City of Wildwood. There is an 80 plus acre tract of land that's for sale on Ridge Road. Just so happens to share a common boundary with the Rock Hollow Valley and the public holdings there. The price of the property is $2.6 6 million which is very expensive by any division that you would do but it is also a property that has some very unique characteristics. It has a very well-defined ridge line that is perfect for way in a small parking lot has probably one of the most healthiest forest that we have in the wild. very limited amount of invasives. There's just well mature help trees and on the southwest corner of it view of the crescent valley. The proposal from open space council of greater St. Louis County was to St. St. Louis was to submit a grant application to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to fund 50% of the purchase. The Open Space Council of Greater St. Louis also had a private donor that if the grant was awarded would pay the remainder. So the cost in terms of acquisition to the city would be zero.

The way the grant application is formatted, the applicant has to be entity of government. St. Louis County is going to be the grant applicant. St. Louis County will be the grant applicant. Um, so from their perspective, they have no funding for the acquisition, nor do they have funding for any improvements. But according to their director of parks and recreation, after discussing this with the county counselor that their charter amendment that says any transfer of park property to lease, sale, etc., has to go to a vote of all voters St. Louis County, they would view this as an amendment to an existing lease which we have. So if the grant successful and properties purchased purchase would be made by St. Louis County, these would be amended and this 80 acres would become part of Rocky Bell. The other part of the grant is actually fund improvements. So in that vein that's the primary purpose of tonight's student with terrace back did a quick analysis improvements would be about $370,000. The grant would pay 50% of that which means from the city's perspective we would be responsible for about $7,000. When would all this be required? Um the grant won't be awarded till next year and the funding won't be available till 2027. And if the grant funding is available finally in 2027, it does include some of the design and engineering. And for all

intents and purposes, it could be anywhere from two to three years before any work would begin. So it's down the road, so to speak. So when I reviewed this from the perspective of the department, the city would gain 80 acres and a trail head with a small parking lot and unparalleled access to the Rock Hollow Valley about $180,000. It's probably the best bargain I can

It's an incredible deal just reading everything you said about it. Um, and there's very little maintenance associated with it long term because all you got to do is, you know, cut a little bit of grass and maybe seal the You walk it. Yes. Um, there wouldn't even be any grass. We just have to maintain Well, I'm Yeah, actually I first thought was invasive, you know, control the river. Oh, wow. So, can I get in on that deal? It was an opportunity I felt I had to bring to you.

I know it's an additional $180,000 or excuse me $80,000 but it's 80 acres. Um can it be part of our long-term lease with St. Louis County which is approaching the end of the Mount Simon approaching ends. We have a 25 with an automatic 25 year renewal. So in total 50 years or probably 15 years into that 50 years. So it' certainly be something we would control for a long time. County was very um complimentary to the efforts we've done together as a partnership. Certainly I know that comes from city council first because you don't want to take a risk.

Possible to get a look at it. I can walk walk around it. Yeah. you you said you the only thing I was going to bring up was you said no invasives in your write up you didn't say very little invasives and what not and I questioned that assessment I don't know Mike may have looked at it and you may have looked at it and so forth I'd kind of like to get a look for myself and see how healthy it is no that that that came from actually the open space council representatives so

if you've been with the council long enough this is the project Fisher this is site Fisher fto wanted to develop 20 plus home sites and um certainly it's still a development potential property that price $2.6 million. I don't know if it's going to go very far very fast. I'm excited about it. But again, I recognize that we've got pickle ball courts, we've got this golf courts, we've got this, we've got that. But very seldom can you get 80 acres on a long-term lease for no cost and then do improvements that are relatively maintenancefree because it's a natural surface trail.

Seems like a no-brainer with a view and with access to a what's becoming a world-class facility down there. And yeah, it's just a it's, you know, it's a great thing. Council member McCutchen. Yes. So, this isn't in Wildwood, but it be lace. It is in Wildwood. It is in Wildwood. Yeah. It's not Belleview Farms. This isn't This is all in Wildwood. No question. And then, so if it has to go to the voters, so would it go to the voters in November?

No. According to the county counselor, since it's an amendment of an existing lease, that's the exception that the charter amendment to the county charter allow. So, it would just be their county council and our city council amending the lease to include the additional 80 acres.

So, where is the funding going to come from? a grant from MDNR for half of the acquisition, half of the improvements. The rest of the acquisition, $1.6 million from a private donor that open space council has already discussed this with. And then the city of Wallwood, approximately $180,000 for the remaining. Okay. So, did you need action from the committee? They as part of the grant application that's due tomorrow, they are hoping you would give a thumbs up in a preliminary sense to participating in improvements.

Somebody like to make that motion. Council member Rambo. Sure. Yeah. Council member Godwell. Second. Um all well any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all in favor of the motion, please say I. I. I. All right. Cool. Thank you very much. That's great. takes us to the next item which is the village green phase one update in ward 8 from director bunich. Yes, if you didn't notice at the end of the street there's a big green box and it's called the switch gear cabinet. And I was looking at the landscaping. It looks great over there.

And so from the perspective of the department, the switch gear box means that they're getting very close to finally underground. We're going to look at the lines. Um there's been a good flurry of activity, not great on the site, but water is scheduled, water connection is scheduled for next week. We think that the driving runs will be completed by the end of next week or at the latest, the week right before Labor Day. And according to the general contractor, once those two things are done, it's about a month's time before the project will be complete. The good news is that month's time um puts us at the latter part of September, which is the perfect time to saw it and do all the installation of landscaping. The site will be irrigated, but again, putting it in too early is regardless is just a risk. So, I actually think I have pretty good news for you tonight. Amron's been hitting it hard despite the weather humidity. um help is like I say gearing up to do the water installation and we cleaned up the site and it made progress in a lot of price. So I appreciate your patience but I think finally there was light at the end of the tunnel and I'm just glad to be able to tell you that.

Awesome. Thank you very much for that update. Sure.

Um it'll take us to the next item on the agenda which is the village green phase two fundraising efforts and other current development efforts from Miss Rippel. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and members of the committee. Um, uh, as you are well aware, the city has been, uh, has agreed to utilize unlimited play as a single source contractor as well as for guidance and support regarding fundraising fundraising efforts for this playground. Um, since the committee's previous meeting, uh, there have been some definite positive, uh, steps forward. Uh, the catalog, the fundraising group, as well as other fundraising efforts were approved by city council. Um, Unlimited Play has provided a landing page, and I will apologize to those people that are online, but um, this actually works a lot better with, uh, without actually putting it on Zoom. So, this is the city's landing page

and it's got a little bit about the village green, but the fly over here is uh Are we going to have that on an endless loop at uh Celebrate Wildwood? I'm I'm serious. I, you know, we do have um a screen that we actually used for a storm water uh one year, so we probably could um and uh then there's also the catalog here. Uh but yeah, I think that it's great. I think the flyover is a lot of fun. I think that it puts people it gets people there. Um so I would 100% agree. Um this is also 100% live already, so people can access the the catalog. Uh we did receive a um uh a sink preview for the catalog, but there were a few things that needed to be worked out and the images were a little fuzzy, but um it's available if anybody wanted to take a look through it. Let me

get us back on Zoom here. This postcard is not a rendering of the actual equipment. It is. Is it really?

Yes. So that um the department actually pulled from uh our brochure. So, it is actually from our park as well as the photographs on the back. Um, so that being said, I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Uh, the committee had its first meeting on August 12th last week. Uh, and I think that it went really well. Um, it consisted of council member as well as Paula Vasan, the communications economic development manager and three residents that actually started this whole conversation. um director Vunage and I also attended and um it was really positive. Uh the members shared some stories and fundraising ideas and there was a lot of enthusiasm to uh get moving forward with this. Uh the group discussed how this could not only um be a great uh means of you know fundraising but also I mean even if nothing was raised it's still a great way of getting you know the information out there and you know even about the different pieces of equipment and how those help various different disabilities and uh raising awareness and so it was also very positive in that matter. Um the uh committee or the fundraising group also approved their first fundraising effort. Uh I hung the poster up over here. That poster um it was up at the back to school event on Friday. Uh as well as giving out the information cards and they were deliberately this small so that hopefully people could just put them in their pockets or purse or something like that because these are a little intense. Um and they're fantastic. But I I think that these are great to bring around to businesses and such. And so we should hopefully have these in uh delivered this week. Um from what I understood from Mr. um Omen who was uh with unlimited play and he's been helping with the fundraising efforts and

gave a bunch of materials to all of the group members as to how to go about this conversation um with people. And uh so the next steps are we are going to set up um you know kind of a Google docs shared documents so that we can keep track of things, people can put their ideas in as far as fundraising, people to reach out to and such and um set up a meeting before celebrate Wildwood H so that we can discuss you know maybe potentially having a screen with that playing out a loop in the background or or better ways of getting the information out there. I think part of the problem that the city always has is that, you know, it's on our website, it's on our social media, it's it's everywhere that we can possibly get it, but there's still a lot of people that that haven't heard anything. Council member was saying that like she gave out like 30 cards and a lot of these people had never even heard what much less knew where it was going. And so it's going to be a challenge. Um but on the bright side, one of our um group members emailed today um with an oral commitment for uh sponsoring one of our slides, which is about $1,000. And that's even before we've gotten the cataloges out. So I feel like we are already winning.

A slide or a sign? A slide. One of the slides. And so Google Slide. Yeah, it's very exciting. And sponsorship is already live on Unlimited Plays website. So, um I I sent some extra cards over on the table over here and on it there is a QR code that takes people to unlimited plays website. Um and so if you wanted to take any of these or if you knew anybody that might be interested by all means uh we have more than enough here. Um and so if you wanted to distribute them or

we haven't worked out the recognition mechanisms yet. We have not worked out the recognition mechanisms, but we did kind of briefly discuss it at the group's meeting because uh the committee uh decided that maybe this was something that the fundraising group could work. That's the message.

Yeah. So, it's not included in the catalog. And I think some of it is also dependent on how many sponsors we actually have because we don't want the park to be like say we only get this one sponsor. We don't want the entire park to have, you know, somebody's name on it. And so, um, but we do have in the rusher, um, we did make it more clear in there, um, the sponsorship levels that come with special recognition in the park. And they start at $1,000, 5,000, 10, 25,50. Um, but also that people, you know, every gift, big or small, makes an impact. And so, a way that people could um, sponsor $5 if they wanted to. Where where do we get those brochures? Do they?

So they are not in yet. This is just kind of a sneaky. There were a few little few minor Oh, you said that. Yeah. Yeah. So, we have those for Celebrate Wildwood. Yes. I'm supposed to hopefully have them in by this week. We have 25% of the So, the 25% is uh it accounts for our grant. Oh, I see. Okay. Okay. Well, that's positive spin on the grant, right? Absolutely. And it was recommended to us by a limited play that you don't want to start off as zero. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because it's it's just not a good look. And so we got momentum. Wonderful. Yeah. It's 2,294,000 and we're at 25% already according to the website. So yeah. Yep.

So and another thousand dollars provided, you know, we get the link to the right person. And so hopefully um they will give us monthly updates on um you know the sponsors that we've received and so we'll be able to get back to back to uh council with that um on a regular basis. And uh with that um uh this concludes our presentation. Um this is just for you know purposes of updating and questions uh then we would be happy to answer them.

Awesome. Thank you so much. Great to see it coming along. Anybody have any questions council Rambo? I I I don't see any opportunities like there's no there's no listing on the on the I just scanned the code just to be nosy. But um the uh are we intending to put you can sponsor a slide for $1,000 and those kinds of things on the um because all it says is like510 $20, you know, it's got little a few boxes you that the donate.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's all I reach out to Adam about that um today uh because I noticed that as well when I clicked on it. Uh we do have um all of it in the catalog and the catalog is available on that landing page. But as far as the actual donation, that's what I was trying to work out with him is is how exactly we're going to know what is still available. Um because I don't see information to have out there and so Oh, I'm Yeah, you just make it more prominent for boneheads like me. Click here to view the sponsorship catalog. Yeah. Um that needs to be prominent on the right on the front. So

yeah. Well, so the way that it's set up is the standard way that they have all of the pages set up for all of the parks. And so I think that maybe um we can either put clarification up in like the readalong uh up further where it describes the parkinson more clear about it on right right below the thermometer thing 25% donate to this playground and another green button that says click here to view the sponsorship catalog. That's ideal. Yeah,

that'd be a really easy change. I would be happy to mention that to him and see if we can get that word back. Again, I don't much flexibility we have with the page um because it seems to be the same page on all of the different playgrounds. Um but yeah, absolutely. Um suggestion to them and maybe it would be good for them to do it for all of the pages. Yeah, I mean it just makes it scrolling back click on it. Absolutely. Um, and the most recent draft was included in your packet. So, you have all of the sponsorship and you can see the catalog there. Awesome. Thank you so much for that. Absolutely.

And director V chair with the permission of the chair and to the committee. So, just to summarize, we had our first step Friday night with the poster as Melanie mentioned and the availability of the postcards that people will take home with them. Um the website is live as Melanie mentioned and goes to the landing page with unlimited play. The printed materials will be available here long before celebrate Wildwood. And then finally, as she also mentioned, the committee's been formed. Had our first meeting. We'll have a second one probably not to right after the start of the new month. I can't emphasize the enthusiasm on the three citizen volunteers. Um they're just it's infectious. Um they they want us to get moving. They think we're more of an impediment probably than the cost of the equipment.

So that's good. Um and then Miss Doug Well, to your point, um Chelsea Belu, um she's been at our Celebrate Wild event for years as a vendor. She has a foundation related to the particular disease her son has. and we talked about potentially having her buy the city tent so we could do some kind of cross kind of not marketing but discussion. So, we intend to kind of have something special for the fundraising effort at the city tent this year, something different that we haven't done before.

And she can draw she she's a compelling speaker, much like Miss McKay, and she'd be more than happy, she said, to send them over our way after she've talked to him to hear about the clay facility. Great. Council member McCutchen. Oh, I should know, but I don't remember the lady who set up the cooking process for for kids um that have concerns or not able to I mean, some of them can't talk or whatever, but that might be a good thing to have her invited to come and maybe even have a booth. Yeah. Um there's a resident in W five that has

and I can't remember her name. I apologize. I just I was over I met her. There's a problem behind her house with regards to a sewer line that appears to be sinking. But she offers cooking classes for kids and they're nonverbal and it's colorcoordinated and she's really a compelling person as well. Just when you hear her talk about the solutions to some of the challenges those children face, I'll reach out to her. Yeah. And she came about this on her own. She she did it for her son. Um and now she's reached out to other organizations and other families and had other contacts and she's doing it with those kids, too. So

Oh, that's great. I think the more the more compelling voices and enthusiastic folks that have been associated or dealt with or you know ongoing it's a great voice box to volunteers to donate then they've already started reaching out to businesses um and so they're just waiting for me to put a spreadsheet together and I'm like it's it's been a crazy week. It hasn't even been a week. Help me out here. But yeah, like I said, they're pushing us super eager and uh trying to potential donors that we're all trying to add to to make sure that we have an organization. You're on it. Oh yeah. Okay. You, Teresa, and so far it's just started Friday.

We haven't even got there's a a parent, a RN, and a teacher from Rockwood. And then it's Paula and the two of them and me. Oh, I thought Teresa was on. No, Clark. Oh, okay. Yeah. So, it's been Jordan. There you go. Um, Mr. volunteered Natalie from unlimited play and speak and you guys all you know remember how how powerful her speaking on the subject was. So yeah it's great.

Yes. Excellent. Well we will uh keep you apprised of um progress we make and uh thank you. Well thank you very much for that update. All good news. Um, this takes us to the final two items under parks matters which are the wildwood recreation programming and the facility reservations and event reservations and I'm maint that list again. What's that

where you do the list again? Uh it's just the last two things under department for wildwood recreation programming and facility reservations registrations to ongoing and long-term maintenance. Five and six. Council member Cran, did you have a question? Are you going to be on budget or under it?

We're hoping to be under um one of the changes that happened this year. We should have mentioned several months ago in prior years Gold Green would do mowing and they were trying to differentiate between the trails easement and then the rest of the ride ofway and it kind of got a little complicated because so you'll see that this month there's a lot of mowing charges. That's it's inclusive of the trail area as well as the rightway on either side. So, we just lumped it into one. And so, it may be, of course, we're trying to be always under budget. And just one note on the wreck programming.

Sure. A new item added to the list is the tour to Wildwood. In past years, we partnered with the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Association. This year, we're going it alone. The dates didn't coordinate up between the two, the association and city. We're doing a little bit different approach to it. I'm including children's ride this year, which I think is fun. You know, years ago, Paulikowski used to do a little training class for the kids behind city hall and then take them out on a ride. We kind of dropped that when Paul passed. It seemed like a great opportunity to kind of reintroduce itself. Awesome.

Great. Well, looking forward to celebrate Wildwood. Always have plenty of snacks and drinks. Yeah, I had one question related to the uh events like the concerts and then Celebrate Wildwood like how do what determines like the layout where we like put sometimes the stages on this side and like for instance like this past Friday the stage was against the theater like I feel like we move it back and forth and I just wonder what the thought process was of that. The stage during the concert series faces toward Steerbergs and that's so the sound isn't going toward the theater.

We have it facing the opposite way. We've gotten complaints that the people in the theater can't hear some of the movement really. So we point it the opposite direction and we haven't gotten those complaints. The reason we switch or celebrate Wildwood is we're trying to get as many of the vendors on level ground in the area by the theater is leveler than down by so we put the stage down there because it's less desirable in terms of the fall of Fair explanation. I just wondered that because I've noticed it on both sides and I'm like yeah. So okay, cool. Anybody else?

All right. Well, that takes us into planning matters and number one on planning matters is the storm water management master plan and the consultants proposal with cost director.

Thank you again Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair and members of the committee as you know the watershed erosion task force has been meeting for four plus years. They've done a yman's amount of work come up with three major projects. one being a list of criticals in Cox Creek wershed that demand attention almost immediately if not probably two years ago. Then moved on to retrofitting older detention basins that were designed and engineered and constructed at a standard that for all intents and purposes doesn't work very well. And then finally the storm water management master plan. Of all of those, the direction the watershed erosion task force took primarily was to have the master plan completed because we've been told by different entities that that plan is a key to funding. Well, the problem with the stormwater ma master plan in Wildwood is we're 68 square miles for nine watersheds. By the time you figured it all out, it was $1.5 million.

Yeah. So we contacted M3 engineering and HR green the two consultants that were going to do the joint project for the master plan and they came back with a lowerc cost solution. It would not be the EPA 90 point template but it would be a strong water management master plan that would identify the problems in each of the nine wersheds potential solutions and they would also work on funding. Um in the memorandum I um provided you the explanation that Phil Blonde with HR Green offered in terms of the design of the storm water management master plan and what they've done in other communities with similar plans fund and correct critical issues. Tonight um the department is presenting to you some possible discussion points um for those for for consideration. Again engage the consultants and do this kind of storm water management master plan light. Engage with MSD about Prop S and the funding that will become available to the city. continue forward with our efforts in terms of the ballot issue. Um re-evaluate the task force efforts over the past four plus years, primarily the 17 critical projects of those that subset of six that need immediate attention. And then finally select an option and move forward with it regardless of what the option is. Meaning we've talked a lot about different options. We probably need to finally just settle on one and see if we can get it done. Tonight, more so than anything, I am going to ask you for permission to invite someone from the team of consultants,

probably the gentleman from HR Green who seems to be managing it for the two to a committee meeting. And also I wanted I want to invite someone from MSD to come explain the tax to you all.

How it's going to be distributed, how we apply for it, um what are the steps so we start we can start planning on that because according to Mr. Borne the city's going to get $300,000 next year sometime. um he seems to um it's referenced in here and can for example NSD now has Prop S funding available and that presents a timely opportunity. Did you know the annual amount available to Wildwood from Prop S is $300,000. Much of Wildwood's more developed areas and many of the most pressing storm water problems fall within MSD service area. I'd like to get them into this building with you all and so you can hear what they got to say and then how we're going to get that money and when we're going to get that money and how we can use that money. So that's my pitch to you tonight is with your permission I would like to invite them to the meeting hopefully September if not October as part of the budget process so you have that information available as we talk about funding priority projects with our capital improvements. I don't think anybody would have opposition to that.

All right. Do you need a motion or can we just give If you don't mind that way I can say that council member Dodwell I move we need Cuten seconds. Uh all in favor of the motion please say I. Any oppose? Any obction? Thank you. All right. Bring them in. Yeah. Bring them in in September if at all possible. The sooner the better through the budget. Yeah. See if we can get them out. Wonderful. Um, all right. That takes us to the next item under planning, which is a veterans wall of honor in city hall repet.

Thank you again, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. Um, the purpose of this is to provide some background information um for those of you that were not here as part of the initial conversation. Um many cities uh throughout the area have some very robust veterans programs and others have none at all. Um a lot of that tends to be um revolved around areas that have a very active like VFW or some sort of veterans association or something along those lines. Um and uh the city uh had very little veterans um recognition. In 2022, we uh began the hometown hero banners um that were really wellreceived. And in 2024, we had our first veterans breakfast. And as part of that process, uh we um also buffed up our veterans resource page and and the first time it had been updated in a little while. Um and uh the Veterans Day event was was so successful for the people that showed up. It was really quite touching. it's hard to find someone that gives more and expects less than a veteran. Um, so at any rate, uh, these have brought up conversations as to what the city can do more and maybe honor veterans in a more permanent way, which brought up discussions of other cities that had memorial, you know, kind of veterans memorial parks and stuff like that. Um, but with so many large capital projects currently underway, the committee agreed that a formal memorial at one of the city's parks wouldn't wouldn't be a great option at this time. Um, but, you know, could could be further investigated in the future and um decided that maybe uh a formal appreciation um like a wall of honor type um would be appropriate. and the

department brought, you know, some of these photographs and of of other walls that were kind of like a donor style wall where um names could be added to it at a later date. Um so we have about I want to say 40 veterans right now that have um that we have the names of right now and and then this is something that could be added to over time. And so this is this is kind of the direction the department started investigating um more. However, it turns out that finding a sign company in St. Louis to be responsive has been quite the challenge. That's for sure. Um but uh we have, you know, a blank wall over in this hallway that goes down to the city council chambers. Um, aside from some sound panels that are on there, that could be a challenge, but from what the department has researched, uh, you can either, you know, go through it essentially an anchor to the wall, um, depending on the how heavy the sign is and such. And so, um, that being said, part of the challenge has been getting someone that's local so they can come out, advise us on the best way of doing this. Um, but I've I've gotten some great responses from people in Pennsylvania. I think they might think that we're wild with New Jersey. additional cost of having the map install it. Um so it has been a bit of a challenge. Um but we will continue down that path. Um additionally um these walls only cost generally $5 to $30,000 depending on the uh the cost of the actual products going into making the walls. Uh you know whether you went with plexiglass or you know something like metallic or something like that. um but generally about5 to $30,000 um and can be offset by the hum Missouri humanities grant which ranges from 5,000 to 15,000. They issue four $5,000 grants a year or

two to $15,000 grants a year and so depending on the cost of the project could potentially look into having that cost offset. Um and uh um in addition to that, while looking into uh sign companies looking for ways of of making this come to be, um the city came across several uh cities in the area that are designated as PMIA cities. So, prisoner of war, missing in action. There is actually a museum in Jefferson barracks and they started this program in 2016. Fenton was the first city recognized for it. And um so the department was thinking that in addition to you know something along these lines, the department also um well the city has the flags for all the different branches as well as the seals. Um, but we were thinking that, you know, potentially adding a section in there to, uh, raise awareness on PM MIAS, um, could be the first step in potentially getting recognized at a later point in time. The, um, designation process isn't all that complicated, but you have to recognize certain holidays and and so there's a process to it, but it's only about a $100 application. But either way, um even if we didn't pursue the recognition, I think that it's important to recognize, you know, um the P MIA. And so we're thinking about adding that to our plan for the recognition wall. Um and so um the next step is uh continuing to reach out to local companies and seeing if we can seeing what we can come up with. um as well as uh the MR humanities grant um and potentially come up with a number to have this on the 2026 budget if at all possible. With that, that concludes the department's presentation, but would be happy to

answer any questions. Council um this isn't really a question, but just um a recommendation. you might reach out to some place like MICDS, um someone at the Rockwood uh school district in their uh communications department. Um I'm trying to St. Albins's as well because each of those places have walls of recognition so to speak. So find out who did they use for those walls of recognition. A lot of the schools, hospitals, I mean it's not hospitals. Yeah.

That's kind of where I started with my list of looking for people that you know like I and it wasn't necessarily like our local schools, but it was like Slooh and the Jewish Community Center and a lot of these places just to see local, you know, donor walls. And that's how I started reaching out to people um and also sign companies that we've worked with previously and uh I had some luck with the designer, but then she kind of went MIA and so yeah, it's it's been interesting. It's been really weird. And I've heard that it's not just us. I've heard that other cities are having this problem as well as um uh other um planning organizations and such.

Did you check with community college? I have not yet, but I will do that. Rambo. Yeah, just help with brainstorming. Um I I think probably the signs for the branches of the military and the sign for the PMIA. I think those we could get really classy ones and they're probably pretty readily available, I would think. Um, what you might consider is, um, if you're having trouble with a sign company that'll emboss signs, go on Etsy. I mean, we could probably save a lot of money from, you know, we could just get a Cricket so that I could use it for all of the things.

Well, a lot better things to do. you know, if you're looking for one-stop shopping, that's one thing, but if you don't mind, you know, taking the doc, taking the information for each particular veteran and get I mean, they make you can get anything on Etsy and it's great craftsmanship and it's a small business and it might not be local, but if we don't have any local folks anyway, sure, why the heck not, you know, do we probably save a whole lot of money? Well, and they're I while looking into, you know, how to deal with the sound panels because those are needed. Um, you know, if you're actually just putting the like smaller little things on, you can use adhesive to permanently a fix them. Um, so we're looking at all of our options,

longer screws, you know, nice looking screws with nice heads. Excuse me. I'm sorry. I thought at one point we were talking about putting it out here somewhere so that we didn't have to worry about sound panels, but I guess that would take up space for the other art that we display. Yeah. Again, it was one of those things. I was hoping to have a local company to be able to come out and have that conversation and, you know, do a workound or potential relocation of the sound panels that would make it as effective. But yeah, those are all conversations to be had. Personally, I like the hall. I just think Yeah, I do too. But council member Blk,

just one comment um working for two hospitals. Um how we did it was we had a bigger um kind of backdrop whether it was wood or metal and then we just got the individual, you know, like one by 3 inch brass little engraved plat things to put on it cuz then you can always change it or or do things differently if you want. And it was much cheaper because we're always on a budget. So only mentioning you can create your own without going through an expensive company and still make it look very nice. That was that was kind of that was where I was going while I was searching which leads to the Etsy and all that. Uhuh. Absolutely.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Next item on the agenda is the electronic message centers and other signs. Director Vich.

Thank you Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair and members of the committee. Just wanted to provide to you an update on electronic message centers and and other changes that are being proposed to the sign regulations with commercial and institutional users. The planning and voting commission held its first action discussion uh on at the beginning of this month. It was August 4th. The Department of Planning prepared a recommendation that was not necessarily favorable toward electronic message centers, but did address all of the other sign regulations that have been identified by businesses. This committee as well as the economic development committee. The rationale for not supporting electronic message centers is as follows. The economic development committee recommended that there be limited to public entities with taxing authority and the department did an analysis that could be anywhere from around 20 to 25 locations within the city of Waldwood not coming the city itself if we if it chose to proceed forward. Many of those locations, in fact, over half of those locations are in rural areas and the department expressed concerns just about being able to ensure they're installed correctly and enforcement. Planning and zoning commission said that there has to be a middle ground. So, today we met with Randy Burkett and the middle ground looks to be as follows. In a dark environment, which is mostly the rural area where we do have a lot of our institutional uses, there will be electronic message centers, but they will be regulated a little differently because the illumination levels in certain components don't need to be as bright because it's a dark environment. The other set of regulations will

address the areas in town center or where we have greater densities, street lights and all those things that go along because thereination levels need to be higher. So the intent of the department is to create that middle ground as directed by the commitment. I wanted to emphasize to you there will probably be two sets of regulations because the areas that we're lighting are very different. Town Center for example and let's say Bouquet Road or Mil Rose Road or State Hunt. But this will all be prepared and presented to the planning and zoning commission for their um first initial action on the design in the September 2nd meeting. It will be out of planning and zoning commission at the beginning of October and on to city council that same month. If there's any questions, be glad to try to answer them at this time.

Obliski, I just had one. Um, I noticed it said something about monochromatic now, which I don't remember that as a part of the discussion before. Is that meaning no color now or is it meaning just one color? A single color. A single color. Just wanted to clarify because I thought, boy, it's going to be pretty boring. Black ultimately authorized or range of colors. The sign has to be a single color. Council member John, I mean my question.

Um, so my I I have a question or an issue or whatever with west versus east because east is more dense and so there would be more signs and they'd have more impact on the night sky. So when you're looking at your plan, please take that into consideration. Um, I know it said schools on here. Um, and some other things, but Babler is right there. Then Lafayette is right over here. And then Green Pines is right behind there. And I know when LA Lafayette puts their lights up, you could see them for probably down to 100. I I can certainly see them at my house. I can even hear what's going on. Um, so, you know, they have events and they have lights up. um their sign is is back lit so it doesn't necessarily need to be a electronics mess board. Now I will say that when I drive down uh Clayton Road and Crest View has their electronic message sign. Oh my goodness. Yeah. in it. You look I look every time because it catches my eye, you know, and then it's got all this changing items on it and I think it's distracting to drivers and you know, whoever else. So

commission concurs with you and so yes a single color the transitions have to be a very slow signs off at 10:30m those are things that came out of economic development committee that were presented to the commission and when the commission decided to proceed forward with more of a favorable recommendation we made sure that we wanted to incorporate goals so as they don't become distractions to drivers but achieve the goal that we've been told is is is the reason schools, churches, and other institutions are asking for it, that they have a limited amount of time to convey the message, and it's safer for their employees instead of going out and putting letters on the leaderboards.

But I totally agree with your recommendations as far as electronic messaging boards.

Yeah, we're moving forward with a little demon approach. Again, I want to emphasize too, there's also the regulations for the other signs, wall signs particularly, where we're increasing the size of lettering. We're doing a proportional two measurements instead of one. We're basically trying to address all of the things we heard in the business forums and individual surveys that were submitted to our to our city administrator as well as our communications manager. So, I think we're going to have a a reasonable code that still protects the architecture of the buildings. I have a question. Yep.

Um, yeah. Uh, it would it be a separate discussion for to consider that the city itself have one because Melanie just mentioned there's a lot of people that don't know about a lot of things that they should know about and you have to hand them cards and all those kinds of things and whatnot. if we can direct them to the website. We we've put up those signs coffee with the mayor on a third on you know a few days ahead of time and then have to go about and take them up and that's sort of a manual process. I'm wondering if we could you know kind of uh work ahead anticipating the final regulations and look into what it would cost for us to get one maybe um at at Taylor and 100 or something like that. that I mean they we don't have to put them all over the place, but just a prominent location.

It's really a discussion for city council. If you choose to, we'll have the regulations to accommodate it. Okay. Well, don't we have signs on a little trailer or something? Yeah, we have a little that around. Well, that's not as classy as um we used to use those fairly regularly to advertise farmers market, celebrate Wildwood event, all of our concerts. Um, so we don't like those anymore. Well, during the term of Mayor Bolan, he said we shouldn't use them. So, what's that? During the terms of Mayor Bolan, he didn't like the use of those, so we stopped. We still own them. Can we resurrect that?

Well, Wildwood Celebration Commission sure wants us to for the mayor want. What do you for? I have not had a conversation with my question is do you want something like that now? Well, we are effective tools. Um yeah, it' be handy. We did when we were doing the um update of the citizens action plan.

We had not at middle school. We had a hundred people show up which was surprising enough compared to oftentimes what we do when we have public and at the end of it I had to ask the question how'd you find out about it oh the electronic message board by Dearbergs. Sure. Yeah. That's I mean that's Well, can we make a motion to allow that to happen here? I think we should look into it for sure. Bring it up on the count next council meeting then. Certainly. I I think the mayor would go along with that, I would think. Can't hurt to check. And the ones on wheels are kind of hokey, but um if we can nice permanent types of money.

Yeah, I know. We put them up for award meetings, too, and then you get a bigger turnout because they saw it on the message board. And we got $10 million in reserve funds. We can I I will I will say that we have um having been a participant in the economic development uh committee meetings um there are businesses that if we can put a sign up at the corner of Taylor and 100, they better be able to put their signs up there too and over along 109 as well. We're just the city. Give it up. Yeah. Yeah. We're the city.

I know we're the city, but that's kind of contradictory to what we've been that's one of the principal reasons Mayor Bolan asked us to stop employing them, so to speak, is they suck it up. Time marches on, right? Accused of having a double standard. Oh, really? Yeah. They're probably I mean, it is I I will say you can't they're no longer there. The city shouldn't have any additional rights or authority than a business. I mean, you can't say the city can put up a lighted sign, but the business can't. Well, they can't put up the same sign. Why can't they? That gives the city a higher value of we're the supreme uh that's the flaw. Well, that's that's the opinion. I think if we wanted to put up a sign,

I think that's the problem with government is that they think they're more important than the residents, which isn't true. We haven't used them for eight plus years. I mean, I'm just saying if if I totally agree with using the sign, but if you if you use the sign, then then the businesses ought to be able to use whatever sign we use because you can't say, "Oh, well, there's lighting concerns, but we're going to do it." But you can, even though we work for you. Remember, out of economic development committee came a recommendation. It's public entities with taxing authority that'll have the right for electronic message centers. No one else. I don't even agree with that. But and again, you gota you got to have a you can't have a double standard. That's Yeah.

Well, and that was part of the rationale in the report the department prepared creating a double standard. Correct. That's what we want. Oh, you could I think that's the biggest problem with government is that it forgets it works for the people. Well, and look for it. I'm sorry. No, you're good. Go look at the the lighted sign. What is it? Hilltop shopping center. Oh my goodness. Have you driven past there? It's you catch that is so it's very bright.

I think there's a way to do it. Randy Burkehead has did two work sessions with our planning and zoning commission members. And we drilled down to the I think the basic level of what would be the minimum we could accommodate, protect our dark sky, but give signs that people have asked for. I think we're going to give you something close to that sometime in September, October. Um, but yeah, as I say, we're only looking at public entities with taxing authority perspective. That's what the commission, I think, is going to recommend and the committee did. It's not a bad recommendation. Those are those entities generally are the ones that have been asking most more more frequently and regularly than anyone else particularly the schools.

Well, if you go to an economic development team meeting and I will tell you that every business is asking for some way especially in the way that we have designed our um shopping centers to state I'm here. Yeah. People can't see what all is in. Yeah. I think I think it's better plaza or it's a matter of principle though too that you can't say this is bad for the sky. But we could do it but you can like but hey we love businesses. We want you to I say let's give them give it to them. How's that? I don't care

anyway. All right. Well let's touch it. Yeah. I mean, consistency is important. So, what's the possibility of having each sign that goes on a building the same architecture in the same background? Is that a possibility? And it be more consistent and I think more physical or physical appropriate. Well,

well, we have probably primarily four things that create the consistency that you see now. They're individualized channel letters that are pinned onto the facade or use of a raceway. So new application method and the style are the same and then the height and size and so and again those all come from new urbanism and our design guideline design standards and architectural guidelines. I think what the flaw in all of that has been is that not all buildings are made the same. And so we just use one measurement. The length, the width of the tenant space. Now we're going to be able to do it proportionately. So taller buildings, larger tenant spaces will have a larger sign in will be proportional to the to where it's placed, which isn't bad.

So no, I'm just thinking about the visual effect. If everybody's got a different kind of sign, I mean, that's not what Wildwood's all about. All we're saying, all we're saying is we need to better proportion the signs to the space. Too small of a sign on a large facade looks as bad as too big of a sign or too small of one. And we're trying to find that middle ground. Okay. All right. Thank you very much. Uh, that takes us into item number four, which is a summary and status and not ready for action items. Director Vunich.

Well, thank you again, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, members of the committee, as you know, this was a request that came from you and members of the committee. And two of the nine items were previously not ready for action were brought forward tonight, the wall of honor u because again we have been working on that. It's just that we've not been able to connect with enough purveyors of the service to come back with a proposal or proposals with cost. And so we wanted to assure you that that's not an item that's been forgotten on the not ready for action. And then as I say the other um so what the department thought would be most appropriate and was asked described by the motion is to give you the agenda item when it was first posted the current status days to complete other parties needed plus cost and then I um I added commentary. um the foundation organization or comparable for park and recreation donations that was first posted on the agenda in 2024. I actually think we're kind of doing that now with our committee and the effort we have underway with our on limited playground um at first and so I think we're actually kind of putting our feet finally in the water and we'll see how this goes. I would urge us to keep it on so as we do this first attempt we can come back and maybe memorialize that so people follow us we're no longer here on council or as staff members they know how we did it and what worked and what didn't the memorandum of understanding with department of natural resources on al foster um that came on this year uh MDNR their legal council is working on that memorandum of understanding And as you know, it relates to us doing um

limited maintenance on Al Foster Trail, that being grass cutting and some just basically general care, not to exceed, I believe it was $8,000 a year. So that's being worked on. Soon as the memorandum is submitted to this from the state to the city, I'll give it to Mr. Young to review and Mr. Lee and then as soon as they give it a thumbs up, it'll be to committee. So, I'm thinking it'll still be this year when we get something. I was going to ask you what the ETA was from county.

So, um aesthetic lighting, um that kind of blew up, so to speak, in the department's face and several of the companies that do holiday lighting basically presented it as we're going to ban holiday lights in the city of Wildwood, which we weren't. Um and Mayor Bolan made that quite clear. Um today with the discussion with Brandy Burkepet um he is going to provide a proposal this year. So we can talk about it before the budget settled on but that should be before you at one of the meetings before uh December resurfacing of the parking lot area at anniversary park. Um it just fell back into not ready for action when there's decision was made uh to hold the funding again. building and trade code reviews that's been on since 2021. Um I'll take responsibility for this. I think that's a very slippery slope thin ice however you'd like to describe it. Obviously there's multiple codes. They all interact together. It's very complicated. Code books are inches thick not few pages. I think if we delve into that, we should do it with a consultant, not necessarily just depending on Melanie, Travis, and I. I would caution any anything in this vein. Um, think generally are improve each each adoption, each version. I think they're doing a pretty good. I'd be hesitant to try to make too many exceptions or interpretations outside the broader St. Louis County approach. And then finally um we talked about the decision making matrix for technical consult products. I would actually urge

us to remove that from the agenda was on in 2022 as when Mr. Farmer was here. I actually think we have a pretty good process. Every project is bid. Every project bid results are presented to a committee. Committee has ample time to discuss them. So contractor is selected by us references and all of that ends up in city council as part of bill contract. We're adding a lot of additional reporting requirements as you know through code enforcement courts police how we basically get information on potential projects to you um not increasing staff. So, I just think this would be another program item that would require us to basically choose something. I know all intents and purposes at the last minute. I don't want to do that. Hopefully, you feel like you're getting enough information about our consultants and what we do with them and how we bring them to you, all RFPs, etc., etc.

Okay, so that's the list. Awesome. Any questions? council overall.

Just on this last one, I having been here when we had previous discussions about that topic, I think it was more one of um having a project timeline associated with whatever project you're proposing, uh at least an initial one. And I don't know that we've seen that necessarily consistently in all of our things. So, and that doesn't have to be anything complicated. It can be an Excel spreadsheet with key dates across it. Um, that goes into your document on Ortner Park. Okay. Those kinds of things. I think that's what that was potentially supposed to be originally.

That is the case. I actually think we can do that as part of the programming we do during the budget is that this project were to be authorized in 2026. Here's the timeline. It's a 12-month project, an eightmonth project or whatever.

And it would help in those discussions when we're trying to decide, okay, we don't have any funds for this, but we want to try to get it done. Where are those funds going to come from? or when you're trying to make decisions on where personnel or consulting firms need to be applied to a particular project. If if you've got that here's the dates we're trying to target. I think it makes your life a little bit easier, but I'm not expecting I I don't think we had discussed this huge matrix of everything. Well, for business after our strategic planning process because obviously that covers the twist at the table. No, I'm not criticizing it.

Keeping up to date on it, keeping it up to date is a balance for Tom and I. If there are things that would be critical to your decision- making process, like a projected timeline for completion, those are things we can provide. It's easy. Oh, sorry. No, you're good. Anything else that in questions about any of the others? No, both of them are in process. It's just we're waiting on someone else to give us the information to Yeah. No, I think it's good the analysis and bring it back to you. Thank you.

Awesome. Um, all right. Then the last item here is uh recent development trends within the city of Wildwood. Any questions, concerns? Nothing. Okay. All right. We don't have an executive session. And then there's the not ready for action items just discussed which takes us into uh other matters for consideration. Any miscellaneous? Anyone? Anyone? Okay. Seeing none, uh next meeting would be Tuesday, September 16th, 2025. Um, outside of that, I thank everybody for their time and participation and constructive conversation as always. And uh, we will look forward to next month. And

it is the third Tuesday. So, we're back back we're back to the third Tuesday. So, see you guys all on the second Monday. We got back six minutes. Got a motion from Council Cran, second by Council Dodwell. All in favor of the motion, please say I. I. Any opposed? any obsession. All right, thanks guys.