St. Louis Board of Aldermen Regular Meeting - October 3, 2025
St. Louis Board of Aldermen Regular Meeting - October 3, 2025
The St. Louis Board of Aldermen met on Friday, October 3, 2025, at 10:00 AM in the Board of Aldermen Chambers. The meeting included resolutions honoring staff, appointments to boards and commissions, debate on data center regulations, and approvals of various board bills.
Consent Calendar
- Courtesy Resolution Calendar: Adopted unanimously, including Resolution 127 honoring Chelsea Murtaugh for her service as a legislative assistant in the 7th Ward. The resolution highlighted her attendance at over 500 neighborhood meetings, execution of eight town halls, and processing of over 350 citizen service bureau requests. Additional co-sponsors were added to Resolution 124.
- Board Bills for Perfection Consent: Board Bill 61 (speed humps in the 1st Ward) and Board Bill 52 (liquor license moratorium in the 13th Ward) were adopted without discussion.
- Minutes: Approved from September 26, 2025.
Honored Guests & Special Recognitions
- Diamond Diva Empowerment Foundation: Recognized for domestic violence awareness month and recovery efforts from the May 16th tornado. Purple light bulbs distributed to aldermen.
- Vocational Skills Program: Students from St. Louis County Special School District were recognized for their work at Embassy Suites.
- Powell Symphony Hall: Renovation completion celebrated.
- Black Contractors & Hispanic Chamber: Acknowledged for work on MWBE issues.
- Eco Socialists: Group in the gallery recognized as honored guests.
Discussion Items
1. Board Bill 69 - Boiler Safety Regulations (Perfected)
Sponsored by Alderman Narayan, this bill implements recommendations from the Chemical Safety Board following a 2017 boiler explosion at Loy-Lange Box Company that killed four people. The bill was perfected unanimously with co-sponsors added.
2. Board Bill 70 - Speed Humps in 14th Ward (Perfected with Floor Substitute)
Alderman Aldridge presented a floor substitute adding two streets omitted in committee. The substitute and the bill were perfected unanimously.
3. Resolution 126 - MWBE Program Support (Adopted)
Sponsored by Alderman Aldridge, this resolution calls on contractors and developers to honor existing MWBE commitments during the pause in program administration and comply with Executive Order 91. A town hall was held on September 27. The resolution was adopted unanimously after a motion to embank (pass temporarily) was carried.
4. Resolution 111 - Data Center Regulations (Adopted after Debate)
Sponsored by Alderwoman Schweitzer, this resolution affirms Executive Order 92, which defines data centers as conditional uses and requires them to answer 40 questions before approval. The resolution replaced an earlier proposal for a moratorium.
- Debate: Alderman Odenberg criticized the process, arguing it damaged economic development and that data centers were being unfairly targeted compared to other uses like smoke shops. He noted St. Louis has an abundant water supply (380 million gallons per day capacity). Alderman Browning expressed cautious support, emphasizing the need for utility and water department involvement. Alderwoman Schweitzer defended the resolution as a balanced approach, citing environmental and ratepayer concerns. Alderwoman Sonnier highlighted the planning commission's memo noting potential rate increases (up to $600/year for average households) and limited permanent jobs. The vote was 10 ayes, 3 nays, 2 not voting.
5. Appointments to Boards
- 2019 Grand Center Community Improvement District: Arnez Newton appointed.
- Art Museum Subdistrict: Dr. Donald Suggs and Emily Pultz appointed.
- Board of Adjustment: Jim Dallas and DeAnna Vaughn appointed after supportive comments.
Key Outcomes
- Perfected: Board Bill 69 (boiler safety), Board Bill 70 with floor substitute (speed humps).
- Adopted: Resolution 126 (MWBE support) - unanimous; Resolution 111 (data center regulations) - 10-3-2.
- Approved: All mayoral appointments as listed.
- Closed Session: Motion carried to enter closed session for personnel matters under RSMo 610.021(3).
- Adjourned: Until Friday, October 10, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
Meeting Transcript
The board will now come to order. Madame Clerk, please call the roll. Auto Woman Switzer. We have fifteen present. According being present, we will be led in an opening reflection by the founder, Rector of Operation. At this time, I would like to present Miss Shantasha Love, the director of business to our carry on with the prayer. If we could close our eyes, our heads. Father God, in the name of Jesus. First, Lord, we want to take time first to say thank you. Thank you for life. Thank you for waking us up this morning, clothing our right mind. Thank you for the activities of our limbs, God, and thank you, God, for another opportunity. Lord God, we thank you, God, for what we have experienced today. Thank you for the love that we felt already. Lord, and as we've gathered here today, God, I actually pray, God, for the vault for this board of Alderman. Lord God, we ask God that you would allow them, God, to serve from their hearts. Lord, we thank you, God, that you're even now you're protecting their family. God, as we pray, God, we ask that you will look upon their needs, God, if they serve this city. We thank you, God, in observance of domestic violence awareness month for every survivor. Lord, wrap your loving arms around them now, God, and help them understand that there is life after domestic violence. Lord, we thank you, God, even for those that are suffering right now in silence, God, that you would provide some form of silence. God, we thank you, God, that for those leaders that are in their area, their neighbors, God, their families, God, we thank you now that you're protecting them and you're giving them resources they need. Lord, and as we have come before you, God, we ask that you would help the city of St. Louis. God, we thank you, God, that even now you're going to help God with the crime and the val and the violence that's in our city. Protect this city, protect our children, God, in the name of Jesus. We thank you, and we praise you, and we love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you so much. And I would be remiss if I didn't also just recognize uh real quickly the amazing amount of work that Diamond Divas has done, even beyond domestic violence, but when it comes to recovery from the May 16th tornado. So I would ask if we can give a quick round of applause to Diamond Divas for all of we would like to gather on the steps for a picture for domestic violence awareness month. If we could please do that now. I get her down. Everyone else. Okay. Did you have something to say? No. I thought we were on our guess. Okay. This point in time we will dispense with the regular order of business to take up the courtesy resolution calendar. Alder Woman from the 7th, your recognized and the rules for the purposes of introducing resolution 127. Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. I would like to make a motion to suspend the ruse to introduce resolution resolution 127. Resolution 127. It's been moved by the older woman from the 7th, seconded by the older woman from the 6th. So we suspend the rules for the purposes of introducing resolution 127. This is a non-debatable motion.
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