OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

St. Louis Board of Aldermen Meeting - November 14, 2025

Board of Aldermen — Friday, November 14, 2025
BodySt Louis, Missouri
SessionBoard of Aldermen
DateFriday, November 14, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:04:31

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

One thinks and what is important to him or her.

0:11

And this personal contact I think is more important than ever today.

0:27

The contacts that we have are in the area of culture, sports and youth.

0:41

We already had a soccer match of our first league soccer club VFB Stuttgart.

0:56

Just yesterday we visited the soccer club here in St.

0:59

Louis, and we hope that there will be new connections.

5:00

Um, I wish you all the best for your meeting, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

5:05

Thank you very much.

5:20

We will dispense with the regular order of business the courtesy resolution calendar, aldermen from the fifth.

5:26

You're recognized on the motion to spend the rules for the purposes of introducing resolution 156 and 158.

5:34

Yes, madam president, I would make such a motion as to suspend the rules to introduce resolutions 156 and 158.

5:42

It's been moved by the Alderman from the 5th, seconded by the older woman from the 10th, that we suspend the rules for the purposes of introducing resolution 156 and 157.

5:51

This is a non-debatable motion.

5:53

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

6:00

156 and 158.

6:02

156 and 158.

6:04

Yes, sorry, I might have said 157.

6:07

Alderman Schweitzer.

6:10

Alder Alder Woman Schweitzer, Alderman Oldenburg, Alderman Cohn.

6:17

No.

6:19

Alderman Orion.

6:22

Alderman Devoti.

6:23

Hi.

6:24

Alder Woman Velasquez.

6:27

Alder Woman Sonny.

6:34

Alder Woman Cox and Tweet.

6:38

Alderman Browning.

6:40

Alder Woman Clark Hubbard.

6:43

Alder Woman Keys.

6:46

Alder Woman Tyus.

6:49

Alder Woman Boyd.

6:52

Aye.

6:53

Alderman Aldrick.

6:55

Aye.

6:56

President Green.

6:58

Aye.

7:00

Alder Woman Schweitzer.

7:02

Alder Woman Velasquez.

7:04

Alder Woman Sany.

7:10

Alder Woman Tyus.

7:13

We have 10 aye votes and one no.

7:16

I think for some reason we cannot hear the Alder Woman from the 7th.

7:28

Think Alder Woman from the 7th, you need to figure out your volume.

7:32

We still can't hear you.

7:35

But regardless, uh, by your vote you sustain the motion.

7:39

If you could please place resolutions 156 and 158 at the end of the courtesy resolution calendar.

7:48

Noted.

7:49

And with that, I would like to invite the Alder Woman from the 11th to approach the dais.

7:59

For the presentation of Resolution 155 to recognize the St.

8:04

Louis Stewart.

8:29

And so I would ask that the clerk would read the resolution 155.

8:39

Resolution number 155, honoring the 65th anniversary of the St.

8:44

Louis Stuttgart City Sister Cities partnership, whereas this enduring partnership recognizes as the oldest sister city organization in St.

8:54

Louis and one of the first German American partnerships post-World War II has demonstratively boosted the culture and business of both cities through vital exchanges.

9:05

And whereas the relationship between the two cities began, taking shape earlier, steaming from the Institute for Oslin Besenhogan, IFA initiative to connect West German and North American cities, recognizing that St.

9:20

Louis and Stuttgart shared notable similarities in size, diverse industrial interests, and strong educational systems.

9:29

And whereas the official partnership solidified through the efforts of committed citizens in both locations, including the founding of the organizing committee in St.

9:40

Louis, known as the Thousand Citizens, and the formal establishment of the Partnership Association in Stuttgart on March 11, 1960.

9:50

And whereas for 65 years, St.

9:52

Louis Stallark Sister Cities has been a crucial part of the City of St.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Personnel Matters████████████████████████████████32%
Procedural█████████████████████21%
Community Engagement██████████████████18%
Legislative Process█████████████████17%
Arts And Culture██████████10%
Mental Health Awareness██2%
Summary of Proceedings

St. Louis Board of Aldermen Meeting - November 14, 2025

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen convened on November 14, 2025, to conduct routine municipal business, honor long-standing international partnerships and departing public servants, and approve various legislative measures. The meeting featured significant recognition of the 65th anniversary of the St. Louis-Stuttgart sister city partnership, the commendation of legislative assistants Caitlin Smith and Thora Pearson for their departure to the Mayor's office and the U.S. Congress respectively, and unanimous approvals for board bills and committee appointments.

Consent Calendar

  • The Board suspended the rules to introduce and adopt Resolutions 155, 156, 157 (noted as 158 in the roll call motion context, identified as honors for Smith and Pearson), and 158.
  • The Board adopted the courtesy resolution consent calendar by a vote of 10 aye to 1 no (Alderwoman from the 7th's vote was suspended due to technical audio issues but the motion was sustained).
  • The Board adopted the board bills for perfection consent calendar (Board Bills 55 and 58) with no discussion or opposition.
  • The Board adopted the third reading and final passage of board bills on the consent calendar (Bills 84, 13, 75, 85, 93, 94, 95) with 10 aye votes and 1 no vote.
  • The Board approved the minutes from the meeting held on Friday, November 7, 2025.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Alderwoman Keys (11th Ward): Expressed personal appreciation for the cultural connection to Stuttgart through her daughter-in-law, highlighted the shared German heritage including food (Ruladen), and noted her attendance in the colors of the Stuttgart flag.
  • Alderman from the 3rd Ward: Expressed support for the Stuttgart resolution, thanked the visiting delegation, and made a motion to pass and file the resolution (noting a discrepancy between the read version and the printed version but proceeding anyway).
  • Alderwoman from the 3rd Ward (on behalf of Caitlin Smith): Expressed deep respect and gratitude for Caitlin Smith's work, noted her transition to the Mayor's office, and joked about communicating via Morse code across the "labyrinth" to the LA cave.
  • Alderwoman from the 8th Ward: Expressed sadness at Smith's departure but happiness that she remains in the city to serve; praised Smith's "shining star" presence and intellect.
  • Alderwoman from the 11th Ward: Expressed pride in Smith's career trajectory and encouraged her to continue using her voice in future endeavors; asked Smith not to forget the Board.
  • Alderwoman from the 10th (on behalf of Thora Pearson): Expressed appreciation for Pearson's organizational skills during the tornado response, her role as a "perfect teammate," and her popularity in the district.
  • Alderwoman from the 3rd Ward (on behalf of Thora Pearson): Expressed joy in getting to know Pearson, lamented that she missed the long filibuster of history, and noted that colleagues would have big shoes to fill.
  • Alderwoman from the 11th Ward (on behalf of Thora Pearson): Expressed pride in Pearson's promotion to the next level of government; joked about raiding Pearson's closet and emphasized that there is always a place for her in St. Louis government.
  • Alderwoman from the 10th: Introduced honored guests Dr. Joyce Roberts, Cynthia Watson, and Bill Monroe as graduates of the inaugural Citizens' Academy; celebrated centenarians Miss LG Day and Miss Queen Maisie Austin; and honored "Staying Power" award recipients.
  • Alderwoman from the 7th: Expressed gratitude to Dr. Joyce Roberts for her past leadership on the Board of Education; commended the "Staying Power" award stories and the MCU gala for its focus on rebuilding post-tornado.
  • Alderwoman Tyus (10th Ward): Announced upcoming committee meetings regarding Energy Burden Group, ARPA funding, real estate tax, and Board Bill 59 (right to counsel); highlighted the Mill Creek Valley exhibit and local food drives.

Discussion Items

  • Resolution 155 (St. Louis-Stuttgart Partnership): Discussed as a recognition of the 65th anniversary of the sister city partnership, highlighting shared history, cultural assets (Gateway Arch/TV Tower, Frederick Schiller), and the leadership transition from Suzanne Evans to Robert Bob Case. The Board unanimously supported the resolution.
  • Resolution 158 (Caitlin Smith): Discussed as a farewell to Caitlin Smith, acknowledging her graduation from St. Louis University, her work on the Department of Transportation legislation, and her new role in the Mayor's office. The Board unanimously supported the resolution.
  • Resolution 156 (Thora Pearson): Discussed as a farewell to Thora Pearson, acknowledging her research experience, legislation drafted (Board Bill 33 and 62), and new position with Congressman Steve Cohen in Washington, D.C. The Board unanimously supported the resolution.
  • Mayor's Appointment: Discussed the appointment of Mr. Brian Phillips to the Mental Health Board, with Alderwoman from the 7th highlighting his 30+ years of service in housing and mental health and Alderwoman from the 10th endorsing his decision to remain in St. Louis.

Key Outcomes

  • Resolution 155: Adopted unanimously to recognize the 65th anniversary of the St. Louis-Stuttgart Sister Cities Partnership; directed to spread copy to minutes and prepare a commemorative copy.
  • Resolution 158: Adopted unanimously to honor Caitlin Smith for her contributions to the Board; directed to spread copy to minutes.
  • Resolution 156: Adopted unanimously to recognize Thora Pearson for her public service and legislative work; directed to spread copy to minutes.
  • Board Bills for Perfection: Adopted 158 (Benton Park West, etc.) and 55 (5105 Kapany Avenue) with no discussion.
  • Final Passage of Board Bills: Board Bills 84, 13, 75, 85, 93, 94, and 95 passed on third reading and final passage by a vote of 10 aye to 1 no.
  • Appointment Approval: Approved the Mayor's appointment of Brian Phillips to the Mental Health Board unanimously.
  • Excusals: Excused Aldermen from the 1st, 6th, and 12th Wards for necessary absence.
  • Adjournment: Meeting adjourned to Friday, November 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.

Note on Transcripts

  • The transcript indicates a discrepancy regarding the resolution numbers: the motion to suspend rules mentions 156 and 158, the roll call initially lists 156 and 158 but the speaker corrects to 157, while the substantive readings cover 155, 158, and 156. The summary reflects the content read (155, 156, 158) and the actions taken, noting the confusion in the roll call record without altering the factual content of the resolutions discussed.

Meeting Transcript

One thinks and what is important to him or her. And this personal contact I think is more important than ever today. The contacts that we have are in the area of culture, sports and youth. We already had a soccer match of our first league soccer club VFB Stuttgart. Just yesterday we visited the soccer club here in St. Louis, and we hope that there will be new connections. Um, I wish you all the best for your meeting, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again. Thank you very much. We will dispense with the regular order of business the courtesy resolution calendar, aldermen from the fifth. You're recognized on the motion to spend the rules for the purposes of introducing resolution 156 and 158. Yes, madam president, I would make such a motion as to suspend the rules to introduce resolutions 156 and 158. It's been moved by the Alderman from the 5th, seconded by the older woman from the 10th, that we suspend the rules for the purposes of introducing resolution 156 and 157. This is a non-debatable motion. Madam Clerk, please call the roll. 156 and 158. 156 and 158. Yes, sorry, I might have said 157. Alderman Schweitzer. Alder Alder Woman Schweitzer, Alderman Oldenburg, Alderman Cohn. No. Alderman Orion. Alderman Devoti. Hi. Alder Woman Velasquez. Alder Woman Sonny. Alder Woman Cox and Tweet. Alderman Browning. Alder Woman Clark Hubbard. Alder Woman Keys. Alder Woman Tyus. Alder Woman Boyd. Aye. Alderman Aldrick. Aye. President Green. Aye. Alder Woman Schweitzer. Alder Woman Velasquez. Alder Woman Sany. Alder Woman Tyus. We have 10 aye votes and one no. I think for some reason we cannot hear the Alder Woman from the 7th. Think Alder Woman from the 7th, you need to figure out your volume. We still can't hear you. But regardless, uh, by your vote you sustain the motion. If you could please place resolutions 156 and 158 at the end of the courtesy resolution calendar. Noted. And with that, I would like to invite the Alder Woman from the 11th to approach the dais. For the presentation of Resolution 155 to recognize the St. Louis Stewart.

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