St. Louis Board of Alderman Meeting Summary - November 21, 2025
St. Louis Board of Alderman Meeting Summary - November 21, 2025
The Board of Alderman met for a special session on November 21, 2025, characterized by a solemn prayer for community revival following recent tornado damage and the honorary recognition of long-serving Community Development Administrator Noelle Pfeffer. The meeting prioritized honoring public servants, addressing labor rights for essential workers, and advancing routine legislative measures ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Consent Calendar
- Courtesy Resolution Consent Calendar: Adopted by unanimous consent.
- Board Bills for Perfection Consent Calendar: Bills 79, 96, and 97 adopted unanimously (Bills 79, 96, 97).
- Third Reading and Final Passage Consent Calendar: Bills 55, 58, 43, and 74 passed with 12 affirmative votes (Aldermen O'Connor and Boyd initially voted present but corrected to 'aye').
Public Comments & Testimony
- Pastor Robert White (Martin's Temple Church of God in Christ): Expressed a position of urgent spiritual and civic support for a "revival" in the city, calling for leadership to remember their divine calling. He urged the board to prioritize the needs of the people ravaged by the tornado and to pray that resolutions passed reflect God's will for the city's restoration.
- Noelle Pfeffer (Outgoing CDA Director): Advocated for the immediate integration of city development agencies into a single department; urged the appropriation of $150 million in tornado recovery funds specifically for housing; and positioned the abolition of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment as necessary for 21st-century governance. He warned that failure to invest in rebuilding without a housing strategy risks repeating historical patterns of "neighborhood clearance."
- Eugene Hubbard (Clean Tech Janitor): Testified that despite 18 years of service, workers are still offered entry-level wages without benefits, arguing for a living wage and health care.
- Alderman Aldridge: Expressed full support for SEIU, describing the union as "family" and stating that he stands "10 toes down" with the workers fighting for a living wage.
- Alderwoman Boyd: Positioned SEIU members as the "forgotten group" and "anchors" of hospitals and care facilities without whom institutions cannot function.
- Alderwoman Tyus: Stated that the union helped her gain a voice to advocate for children and families in a state she described as providing "abysmal" resources for child care.
- Alderwoman Clark Hubbard: Stated that Noelle Pfeffer was a "good friend" and positioned him as a strategic thinker who left behind valuable seeds of innovation.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 162 (Honoring Noelle Pfeffer): Introduced by Alderwoman Sunnier and seconded by various colleagues. Speakers praised Pfeffer's 10-year tenure across three mayoral administrations, his leadership of $400 million in federal grants, and his dedication to affordable housing. Noted his recommendation to consolidate city development agencies.
- Resolution 150 (Living Wage for Janitors): Introduced by Alderman Browning to support SEIU Local One's appeal for living wages and benefits for janitors. Alderman Aldridge emphasized the connection between various labor fights (fast food, healthcare, custodial) and the necessity of a living wage for dignity.
- Mayoral Appointments: The board discussed and reviewed appointments to the 4101 LeCleed Community Improvement District (Leslie Yancey, Susan Knowles, Mark Burron, Madison Drobosclavy, Ryan Kroger).
- Board Bills: Multiple bills regarding speed hump installations in the 13th Ward, airport Wi-Fi agreements, sales tax reauthorization, and HUD grant authorizations were introduced and referred to appropriate committees.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution 162: Passed unanimously and placed "in bank" (signed by all 12 voting members). The resolution formally honors Newell (Noelle) Pfeffer's service and extends gratitude for his contributions to St. Louis.
- Resolution 150: Adopted unanimously and placed "in bank." The board officially supports SEIU Local One's appeal for janitors at City of St. Louis facilities to receive a living wage and retirement benefits.
- Appointments: Confirmed the Mayoral appointments to the 4101 LeCleed Community Improvement District.
- Adjournment: The meeting adjourned with a motion to reconvene on Friday, December 5, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., following Thanksgiving closures.
- Announcements: Multiple Aldermen coordinated turkey and food giveaways for the Tuesday (Nov 25) and Wednesday (Nov 26) holidays at various community locations (Central Baptist Church, Urban League, Crown Food Mart, etc.).
Meeting Transcript
The board will now come to order, Madame Clerk, please call the role. We have 12 present. According being present will be led in an opening prayer by Pastor Robert White with Martin's Temple Church of God in Christ. Thank you and good morning to President Green to the all the persons of this great leadership board. Um before we go into prayer, I wanted to just I was told I could say two things. One of the things I was thinking about as a leader in this city as a pastor in church is one of the things that we find ourselves doing is calling for revival when things have gone astray or when leadership has kind of fallen off the edge. The pastor calls for the revival to indoctrinate reminders to the parishioners of who we are and what God has called us to do. And as we travel through our city after the effects of this tornado that has ravaged our communities, I think that it's time that there's a revival that takes place in our city, and so my charge to each of you is to be reminded of not only who you serve, but when you go before the board and when you bring uh resolutions before the board that you remind of uh the spirit of God of why you are hearing what you were called to do, because the people are dying and in need of true leadership. And so, on behalf of my bishop Shadrach Martin and my wonderful Alder Woman uh Clark Hubbard, I just wanted to thank you guys for allowing us to be here and just be reminded when you go to vote. Uh, as we say in the church, what would Jesus do? How would he vote for these resolutions for the people of God? Let us pray. Father, it is in the matchless name of Jesus the Christ that we come before you. I humbly submit myself to you, God, before this great board before this city, asking God that you were God each and every last one of them to do the right thing to vote in the manner that will be effective and produce the things that you desire for this city. Lord, we need your strength back into this community, back among the homes of our people who have been ravaged by the storm. Father, I ask that you give your presence in the lives of these people that they may understand and that you will provide the resources that are necessary to restore this city from the highways to the byways, bring our schools back into power, bring our churches back into power, God, protect our children in the street, bring peace, let the crime fall down. God, I ask that every resolution that is under your guidance be passed, and anything, God that is outside of your will that it does not pass. Bless this leadership, God, bless our mayor, bless our police officers, bless our people in this city, God, that we can be better than we've ever been before, and keep this city at the forefront as we are the gateway to the West. Let us be the example to this country of how to lead and how to dwell together in unity. Restore our communities right now, and it's now in the name of Jesus that we pray, amen. Amen. Thank you. Alder Woman from the 12th, you're recognized in the motion to suspend the rules for the purposes of introducing resolution 161. Alder Woman from the 12th. Hello. Can you hear me now? Yes, we can hear you now. Okay, I'm sorry, I don't know what you're doing because I I was kicked off for a second, but I came back up. What's going on? Uh you were recognized in the motion to suspend the rules for the purposes of introducing one sixty-one. Courtesy resolution 61. Is that what we're on? Yes. Okay. I'm sorry, I'm printing something out. So if that's in the background, I'm sorry. Um, Madam President, members of the board, I'm uh move to suspend the rules to for the purpose of introducing um from the floor, uh courtesy resolution number sixty-one. It's been uh seconded by the or moved by the alder woman from the twelfth, seconded by the alderman from the ninth, that we sent the rules for the purposes of introducing resolution one sixty-one. This is a non-debatable motion made up, madam clerk. Please call the roll. Alder Woman Sweiser, Alderman Odenberg, Alderman Cone, Alderman Narayan, Alderman Devotee, Alderwoman Velasquez, Alder Woman Sonny, Alder Woman Cox Anthony, Alderman Browning, Alder Woman Clark Hubbard, Alder Woman Keys, Alder Woman Tyus, Alder Woman Boyd, aye Alderman Aldridge, President Green, aye. Aye. Alder Woman Boyd. Aye. Alderman Aldridge. President Green. Aye. Alder Woman Swipesir. Alder Woman Velasquez. All the woman keys.
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