The board will now come to order.

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Auto Woman Sweitzer.

Altaman Odenberg.

President.

Ottawa Ryan.

Other men devotee.

Auto woman Velazquez.

Auto Woman Sony.

Woman Cox Anthony.

Ottaum and Browning.

Autumn Clark Hubbard.

Auto Woman Keith.

Outer Woman ties.

Auto Woman Boyd.

Present.

Ottawoman ties.

Present.

Audown Boyd.

Present.

Other and Audrich.

President Green.

Present.

Ottowan Oldenberg.

Ottawoman Velasquez.

Ottawoman Sonier.

Ottawoman Cox Anthony.

Other browning.

Ottawoman Clark Hubbard.

Ottawa McKeith.

We have five.

We have nine eight presidents.

We have a quorum.

A quorum being present will be led in an opening reflection by the vice president of the Arab Cultural Center in St.

Louis, Dr.

Mahir.

Good morning, St.

Louis.

And thank you, esteemed members of the city's board of Alderman for the invitation to be present at the start of your meeting today, the 20th of April, 2026.

I would like to share the following prayer by Arabic poet Abdelmonem Hamundi.

The prayer is an ode to patience.

Patience, we ask you to bring happy tidings to our skies.

Let the shadows linger upon the joyous palms.

Dancing with a dawn that bears the weight of eternity.

Patience, you are our very breath.

And upon its ancient dawn, it stages a celebration of the times.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

Ed always sat in the back of the room, considerate, thoughtful.

His wife Louise, who is with me today to my right, served as the the longtime committee woman.

She was the politician.

She was the one who directed traffic, at least back in those old club days.

And over the years we kept in touch.

And in fact, when I decided to pursue this particular office, Ed and Louise were some of the very, very first people that I spoke spoke without spoke to.

I can say with terrific confidence that every piece of advice that Ed provided to me was dead on.

It was correct.

I'm here today, and I wanted to bring this resolution because Ed is unique.

And he is also the longest living uh serving assessor in the city's history.

Uh Ed was a worker.

He was a consummate professional.

And is is with honor that uh that we're here today.

Uh Madam Clerk, if you would uh please read the opening paragraph of our resolution 281.

Resolution number 281 recognizing Edward L.

Bushmeyer Jr., whereas the Board of Alderman of the City of St.

Louis pauses in solemn recognition of the life and legacy of Edward L.

Bushmeyer Jr., who passed away on March 28th, 2026, after nearly four decades of distinguished public service to the city of St.

Louis.

And now therefore be a resolve that we, the members of the City of St.

Louis Board of Ottoman, do here by honor and celebrate the life of Edward L.

Bushmeyer Jr.

and pause in our deliberations to recognize him for his extraordinary contributions to public service and his enduring impact on the city of St.

Louis.

Introduced this 20th day of April 2026 by the Honorable Matt Devotee Ottoman of the Fifth Ward, co-sponsors, the Honorable Megan Green, President of the Board, the Honorable Anne Sweitzer, Alderwoman of the First Ward, the Honorable Thomas Oldenberg, Alderman of the Second Ward, the Honorable Shane Cone, Altman of the Third Ward, the Honorable Daniela Velasquez, Honorable Audown of the Sixth Ward, the Honorable Alicia Sonier, Alderwoman of the Seventh Ward, the Honorable Jamie Cox Antwery, Audown of the Eighth Ward, the Honorable Micah Browning, Auduman Alderman of the Ninth Ward, the Honorable Shamine Clark Hubbard, Audow Woman of the Tenth Ward, the Honorable Laura Keyes, Audow Woman of the 11th Ward, the Honorable Pamela Board, Alder Woman of the 13th Ward, and the Honorable Rashine Alderich, Otterman of the 14th Ward.

So Louise, Chris, and Kate, thank you for coming here today.

And I I think the resolution says it all.

Thank you.

I I want to thank you all very sincerely for this honor.

Ed, of course, would have loved it.

Um he loved this city.

He loved working in this building, and uh I appreciate all of you taking the time to do this.

Any further discussion.

Alderman from the third only about half the mics are working today, so you may need to switch our mic.

Number four, uh 12 is working up here.

Right there.

Eight works.

That's eight.

It works.

Eight works.

Okay.

I thank you, Madam President, uh, members of the board.

Um Ed is someone who I've known my entire uh career here in public service.

He was someone who uh was always very knowledgeable, affable, and uh was never afraid to sit down with people to have conversations, whether they were easy or hard.

Um he took great pride in the city.

He took great pride in his work down here at City Hall, and he took tremendous pride in his relationship with the community and friends, and most importantly, his family.

Um, you know, Louise, you also have just been you know, such a wonderful gift to the city and a blessed friend for me and um all of your kids and grandkids and friends and neighbors are you know with you during this very difficult time as you um you know um come into a new new chapter in your own life too, and um I can't say enough wonderful things about Ed and about the family and um certainly he will be missed by many people in the city of St.

Louis Alderman from the second thank you, Madam President, members of the board, police um and family.

I apologize I'm not there in person uh to give Ed some tribute this morning, but I I wanted to say how very sorry I am uh that Ed is no longer with us.

You know, public life and the pursuit of public life um is not easy.

And uh work in public life um for decades.

And I always thought did it with grace and professionalism.

Um he had a lasting impact on all those who do pursue public life and are in search of public virtue.

So his memories, the moments and the impact he had on others will continue to matter.

And I want you all to know that very much.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President, and of the board.

Um you know, I rise today uh just to share my condolences with the family.

Uh I grew up down the street from the Bush Myers, and I knew you know Ed pretty much my whole life, I think.

Um, you know, growing up, he was my friend Chris's dad.

Um, and that's how I knew him.

I knew he did something very important for the city.

I didn't know what, but uh Louise of course was always in our classroom growing up, and I knew she was very involved and someone who cared deeply about the community.

And then I as I got older and my mom ran for office, the person who helps her most, the people who helps her most were Louise and Ed Bushmeyer and uh Louis Tonkovich and Ed Bushmeyer.

I'm as a I sh saved I uh also am a um still have my uh my name and didn't take my husband, so I respect that very deeply.

But I always thought that was cool growing up, I should say too.

Um but Ed and Louise were always super helpful uh with my family and my mom and her political career.

Um and then as I got into to office and ran as well, Louise and Ed would talk with me and give me advice and whether we agreed or not, as Alderman from the third said, but we could always have the conversations.

Uh and I would run into Ed at the retired city employee meetings, and he would always know frankly more than I ever did or do about what's happening in the city of St.

Louis, and so I would learn something from him every time we spoke.

Um I can't imagine losing a parent, so I just feel so much for you all.

And uh reach out if you ever need anything.

Thank you.

Any further discussion, Alderman from the fourth.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

Uh I would move that we pass this resolution in bank.

It's been moved by withdraw my motion and I would like to be added as co- Okay.

So not it.

If there is anyone else who would like to be added as a co-sponsor, um please raise your hand and the clerk will add you.

Alder Woman from the sixth.

All right.

That is there any further discussion.

Seeing none, um I also just want to say that Ed is an amazing person.

Um I mean, he wasn't he was always willing to sit down with anyone, have a conversation, no matter how difficult it was.

Um we've truly lost somebody that was such a wonderful public servant for our city for such a long time.

It's very rare to find.

Um and so on behalf of the board, we are so sorry for your loss.

Um, but we you know we'll remember Ed in perpetuity for all of the great deeds for our city.

So thank you.

If we could please get on the steps here to uh get a picture in um to commemorate Edwards, it wasn't even a bank.

Seeing none, Alderman from the 14th, you are recognized on the motion for the approval of the minutes from Friday, March 20th, 2026.

Thank you, Madam President.

Members of the board, I move that we approve the minutes from Friday, March 20th, 2026.

It's been moved by the Alderman from the 14th, seconded by the Alder Woman from the 7th that we approve the minutes from Friday, March 20th, 2026.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye opposed.

Motion carries.

Report of city officials.

The report of city officials can be found in ABCD of the agenda and has been placed in the Google Drive for your review.

Dear members of the board, I have the pleasure to submit the following individual for appointment to the garden size subdivision special district business district.

Lila Gerhard.

I respectfully request your approval on these appointments.

Okay.

I got this.

Okay.

Okay.

Yeah, I just want to be able to see for her appointment.

Oh, you go to the dear members of the board.

I have the pleasure to submit the following individuals for appointment to the science center sub business advisory board.

The appointment of Maurice Johnson Malone, John Berglin.

I respectfully request your approval of the appointment, Eric Spencer.

Alderman from the ninth, you're recognized the Mayor Spencer's appointments to the Science Center Subdistrict Advisory Board.

Thank you.

It's been moved by the Alderman from the 9th, seconded by the Alderman from the third that we approve Mayor Spencer's appointments to the Science Center Subdistrict Advisory Board.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Dear members of the board.

I have the pleasure to submit the following individual for reappointment to the board of adjustment.

The reappointment of George Hitt.

I respectfully request your approval of these appointments here.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

I would request to hold this today.

So noted.

Dear members of the board, I have the pleasure to submit the following individual for appointment to the Gordon Side Subdivision Special Business District.

The appointment of Lila Gerhardt.

I respectfully request your approval of these appointments and serely care of Spencer.

Alderman from the fifth, you are recognized the Mayor Spencer's appointment to the Garden Side Subdivision Special Business District.

Yes, I do.

The mic doesn't work.

Second.

It's been moved by the Alder Woman from the first, seconded by the Alderman Third that we approve Mayor Spencer's appointment to the Garden Side Subdivision Special Business District.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Aye.

Motion carries.

Dear members of the board, I have the pleasure to follow an individual for appointment to the two Lord Special Business.

The appointment of Jim Rick, the appointment of Les Fields.

I respectfully request your approval on these appointments.

Sincerely Karen Spencer.

Alder Woman from the 7th, you are recognized on Mayor Spencer's appointments to the Sew Lard Special Business District.

Thank you, Madam President, and members of the board.

On behalf of the Alderwoman from the 8th, I would like to make a motion to appoint Jim Rick and Les Fields to the Special Business District.

It's been moved by the Alder Woman from the 7th, second and by men from the third that we approve Mayor Spencer's appointments to the Sioux Lard Special Business District.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Aye.

Motion carries.

That's the point.

A report.

That's the extent of a port of city officials.

Anyone wish to take any bills or resolutions off of any of our informal calendars?

Alder woman from the 12th.

Madam President, members of the board, I'd like to take I move to remove board bill 59 from uh informal calendar, third reading, informal calendar, and move it to third reading.

Consent, please.

Madam Clerk, please make note of that.

So noted.

Does anyone else wish to take any bills or resolutions off of any of our informal calendars?

Seeing none, first reading of board bills.

We have none.

We can dispense with line item 12.

Reference to committee of board bills.

We have none.

And dispense with line item 13.

Second reading report of standing committees.

We have none.

And dispense with line item 14.

Report of special committees.

We have none.

We can dispense with line item 15.

Board bills for perfection consent.

We have none.

We have none.

Please dispense with line item 17.

Uh report of engrossment.

Board bill one thirteen, 149, 152 committee sub as amended, 163, 166, 168, 175, 138, 151, 159, board bill 59.

169.

169, I'm sorry.

And board bill 59.

Third reading and final passage of board bills consent.

Board bill 113.

Board bill 149.

Board bill 152 committee sub as amended.

Board bill 163.

Board bill 166.

Board bill 168.

Board bill 165.

175.

And 59.

Alderman from the 14th.

Thank you, Madam President.

Members of the board.

I would like to put board bill 152 committee substitute as amended on the regular third reading and final passage calendar.

So noted.

Okay.

Yes, ma'am.

Please make note of that.

So with that, uh Alder uh Alderman from the 14th, you are recognized on the motion to adopt the third reading final passage of board bills on the consent calendar.

Thank you, Madam President.

Members of the board.

I move that we pass the third reading final passage for bills on the consent calendar.

Second.

It's been moved by the alder uh men from the 14th, seconded by the aldermen from the third, that we adopt the third reading and final passage of board bills on the consent calendar.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, madam clerk, please call the roll.

Alder Woman Swipe, sir.

Aye.

Alderman Alderman Odenberg.

Aye.

Alderman Cone.

Aye.

Alderman Naryan.

Alderman Devoting.

Aye.

Alder Woman Velasquez.

Aye.

Alder Woman Sonier.

Aye.

Alder Woman Cox Antwe.

Alderman Browning.

Alder Woman Car Cover.

Aye.

Alder Woman Keys.

Alder Woman Ties.

Aye.

Alder Woman Boyd.

Alderman Aldrich.

Aye.

President Green.

Aye.

Alder Woman Cox and Twee.

Alder Woman Boyd.

We have 13 aye votes.

But your vote you sustain the motion from the Alderman from the 14th to third read and finally pass the aforementioned bills.

Third reading and final passage of board bills.

Board bill number.

149.

Sponsored by 138.

130.

Sorry.

138.

Sponsored by Alder Woman.

Sonye, President Green, Alderman Cone, Alderwoman Sweiser, Alder Woman Keys, Alderman Browning, Alderman Aldrich, Alder Woman Clark Hubbard.

An ordinance declaring the moratorium until 5 to January 31st, 2031 on all approvals for non-municipal detention facilities proposed within the city of St.

Louis, including the approval of building permits, special use permits, plan review, project plans, and development plans where the subject matter of the project is a proposed non-municipal detention facility.

Alder woman from the 7th.

You're recognized on the third reading and final passage of Board Bill 138.

Thank you, Madam President and members of the board.

I would like to make a motion to the third read and finally pass board bill 138.

It's been moved by the Alder Woman from the 7th, seconded by the Alderman from the 14th.

That we third read and finally pass board bill 138.

Alder Woman, you may proceed.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

I think the summary is excellent at comprising what this does, which is proposing a moratorium on non-municipal detention facilities for any sort of special use permit or other land uses within our city.

Any further discussion?

Any further discussion?

Seeing none, then it's been moved by the Alder Woman from the 7th, seconded by the Alderman from the 14th.

Alder Woman Spicer.

Aye.

Alderman Odenberg.

Present.

Alderman Cone.

Alderman Narayan.

Alderman Devoty.

Present.

Alder Woman Velasquez.

Alder Woman Sonier.

Alder Woman Cox Antwerp Alderman Browning.

Aye.

Alder Woman Clark Hubbard.

Aye.

Alder Woman Keys.

Alder Woman Tyes.

Alder Woman Boyd.

Alderman Aldrich.

President Green.

Aye.

Alder Woman Cox Antwerp Alder Woman Ty.

Alder Woman Keys.

Alder Woman Tyus.

Alder Woman Boyd.

We have nine I votes.

Alder Woman ties.

Um we have nine I votes, one no vote, three press.

Two present.

May your vote you sustain the motion from the Alder Woman from the 7th to third reading finally pass board bill 138.

Board Bill 151.

Sponsored by Alderman Aldrich, President Green, Alderman Odenberg, Alderman Orion, Alder Woman Sonye, Alderwoman Velasquez, Alder Woman Clark Hubbard.

An ordinance to amend the public nuisance ordinance by repealing certain sections and adding new ones to create a nuisance review board.

Alderman from the 14th, you're recognized on the third reading, final passage, board bill 151.

Thank you, ma'am.

President members of the board.

I move to third read and final pass board bill 151.

It's been moved by the Alderman from the 14th.

Seconded by the Alder Woman from the 7th.

That we third read and finally pass board bill 151.

Alderman, you may proceed.

I renew my motion.

Any further discussion?

Any further discussion?

Seeing none.

Oh, Alder Woman from the 12th.

President members of the board, I again arise to oppose this board bill.

Um I'm finally getting nuisances closed in my ward after years of non-function.

I do not believe this.

In fact, I know there's not to be a good board bill.

It's poorly written.

And to give the city counselor the control of whether to prosecute uh or present evidence is just unreal.

Um a few years ago.

Alder woman, can you try talking a little louder?

We're having a hard time hearing you on this end, and our volume is up as loud as it goes.

Can you hear me now?

Because this is as let me see if I can do something with my volume, okay.

You still can't hear me?

We can hear you, you're just very faint.

I have it on the same settings I always have it on when I'm on Zoom.

Let me see if I can turn it up anymore.

It's up as high as I can turn it in.

Yeah, we can hear you just talk loudly.

Okay.

Um again, I rise in opposition of this board bill.

There are uh, first of all, fatal flaws to this board bill.

Um, and one of them is to let the city council have that much control of our nuisances.

In the first place, they hijacked our nuisance uh process by saying we had to do certain things and go through them.

We never gave the city councilor the ability to control our nuisance process, and now we are doing that.

That is a big mistake.

Um, when I continue to ask for data from the city councilor because North St.

Louis was not able to close nuisance nuisance properties down, or when they did, they opened them right back up.

Then the city councilor said they couldn't get me the data, or they didn't have it by ward, and then finally I was able to ask them what they had closed in the last five years, um, under their process, and in five years they closed five pieces of property in North all of North St.

Louis.

And this is when we had 28 wards, five places that they were able to close, and two or three of them opened back up.

So they have no business in control of anything.

Michael Garvin is specifically should not be in control of it.

He's been the bride all these many bride mate, bridesmaid all these many times, and now all of a sudden he is actually the bride that's scary to me.

Um, part of the problems with the gas stations that we have in North St.

Louis is with his uh his uh um quiet complacency with the Board of Adjustment to push those bat gas stations into North St.

Louis.

It's particularly the Salama's gas station.

So that is the problem.

The whole problem of saying that if you don't live from 300, if you don't live 350 feet from a nuisance, that you cannot sign the petition is just asinine.

It makes no sense.

It's as though you say that the community itself cannot be affected by a neighborhood nuisance.

And I'll give you an example at the corner of, and these are all nuisances that we had closed when we were the 20th ward close to being closed, and then when they redistrict, they put them into different wards and open them back up.

But an example would be at the corner of Hammond and Euclid, and everybody in Kingsville East knows it.

And they've had shootings, shootouts, everything that you can talk about.

We've taken phones away, we took liquor away, we put uh cameras up, and nobody could seem to do anything, much like the store at Shreve and Anderson until the feds came in on February the 13th and closed it.

Thank you, federal agents and I want to say the St.

Louis City Police and the St.

Louis uh County Police all came in together.

But the feds seem to be able to close things that we can't close in our own community.

They find 35 people operating illegally in these stores and gas stations in North St.

Louis and a few in North County, but the city police could not find them.

But at this particular spot at Hammond Place and Euclid, there was a fallout and a fall, people got into an argument in the fight, and then they could not go much.

Most of our streets are closed over in the 4900 block off of Kings Highway.

So they went to the middle of the 4900 block of Cote Brilliant, and they fired up, got off the car and had a gun battle in the middle of the street.

The people on the street had nothing to do with it except for that they had to run for their life.

And our current city marshal can tell you about this because he was the police chief then.

And as soon as I talked to him, he said, Audible woman, you've been dealing with this for 20 something years.

You had that closed almost a few uh years ago.

I did have it almost closed until redistricting, and then it was back open again.

And it's notorious.

But to say that the people who live in the 4900 block of uh Cope Brilliant cannot sign that petition as a nuisance, and our whole community cannot sign that petition as a nuisance, it's asinine.

It doesn't make no sense, okay, for the people who want to do it because they were affected.

So you don't put in there anybody affected by it.

You say you have to be 350 feet and you're following something that we do for how to get a liquor license, which is another asinine thing, because when we have liquor and people are hanging out on the corners like they do are doing with the with the salamas at the corner of Kings Highway, and like they used to do when they were at Euclid, it affects the whole community, and people are driving by and they're having shootouts, and people are almost getting shot.

And you're saying, well, if you don't live uh 350 feet from it, then you can't sign a petition to say that it's a nuisance.

That's ridiculous.

And then the people who have decided have to live so near to it that they're scared that if they're signing something for a nuisance, that the person who's doing it is gonna come knocking at their door.

So again, as I spoke about it before, um, we uh we we we joke about the thin blue line.

We joke about it and say, oh, well, we know about it, but it really means that the police don't tell on each other, and the police have openly told me that they don't because I'm scared that they won't have my back or whatever.

So we have a thin blue line, the police department.

How can we not have that same kind of thing in communities?

If Miss Jones lives next door to somebody who is terrorizing, she may not want to uh sign that petition.

But down the street, they're still terrorizing that very street.

They may want to because they're a little far far removed, or just the fact that they're having to deal with the terror.

If they're driving up and down the street and they're shooting up or shooting in the air or whatever, but they only live at one spot.

It doesn't mean they're not a nuisance in the entire block or neighborhood.

And one of the ways that you can find a nuisance in North St.

Louis often is because you see all of a sudden people disappear.

All around the nuisances, everything, uh Covenant House, Salamas, that place that's right on Euclid and Hammond place, the people are moved away.

They leave.

That's the same thing that was happening at Anderson and Street.

They just vacate the property because nobody has done anything.

So instead of writing something that is much more comprehensive and making sure that it gets done, we're making something that's going to make it much harder for people to be involved in the process.

And so I want to come back because we you're probably gonna pass this, but when I come back, I want you to take the tour forward out of it because we are getting things done now, and I do not want this to be a thing of somebody that lives four houses down, can't is not within the radius and cannot sign a petition, although they are being affected.

So if I get shot by a bullet, and because I live five houses too far, but the news is originated at one spot.

But if the nuisance doesn't stay in a same spot all the time, it uh runs comes down the street for Christmas Eve of uh uh Christmas 2025.

We had two separate shootings, which I can never remember in my life.

In the 40, the 51 and 50, maybe two or 51 and 500 block of north one.

I can't remember which one.

But they all spilled out into King's Highway.

They've been a nuisance problem, but that stuff doesn't stay stagnant.

A nuisance can become a lot of things.

So just to be able to say, you can only sign that petition at one spot is ridiculous.

The other thing we talked about is uh there's no mandatory language in here.

We're giving this over to this group of people, and um looking at what we're looking at for the Board of Adjustment and the people who were uh appointed to these things.

There's been a week and a nod that these kind of nuisances belong in North St.

Louis, that nobody can do anything about it or shouldn't.

No, could not that they can't.

They don't do anything about it.

Um, because oh well it's gotta be somewhere, as John Kohler once said about something, and that's now in the uh 12th War.

It doesn't have to be any such place, it doesn't have to be any place, it ought to be closed down the same way.

The same way you closed down Salama across from Darksweathy is the same way.

Salama should have never been at the corner of Kings Highway and St.

Louis Avenue.

There should not be ships.

We should not be going through a uh a war zone.

I don't I don't drive by Salamis, because that's no that's north of me.

I have to buy drive by Crown Crown um gas station at Martin Luther King and Kings Highway.

I should not have to drive by that place that has had all of these reports.

Why are they in existence?

What is it?

I don't live 350 feet from it, but I'm still affected by it.

So that is this is a terrible criteria about what a nuisance is, and it is not something that is in the best interest of the community.

Now you may think it's good for you, pass it for your wards, but the 12th ward out coming back and ask to be taken out of that because it makes no sense.

And there are some things that are nuisance on its face.

If you haven't gunfire, that doesn't need to be a nuisance board, that doesn't need to be anything.

You are a nuisance.

A swimming pool in itself is not a nuisance, but it is an attractiveness, it attracts nuisances.

So people who say, well, it's not such and such fault because all those people are hanging out there and shooting and stuff, you're an attractive nuisance.

When it's closed down, you don't have it.

And a prime example again, it's Reagan Anderson in the Penrose neighborhood.

It took us 12 years to get that down, but the car is quiet.

It was a nuisance, but it was also an attractive news.

So if we're gonna say that if you uh are affected by driving by and gunfire almost shoots you, or something happens to you, but you can't sign a petition to get rid of it because you don't live uh 350 feet is a mistake.

We should not have things like this.

We should have mandatory language.

This bill is not a good bill, and setting up a board in which more than likely the very people who are affected in North St.

Louis will not be representative is a mistake, and it should not happen.

And um, I'm I want a roll call because this is bad legislation.

Any further discussion?

Any further discussion?

Seeing none, aldermen from the 14th, you're recognized to close.

I renew my it's been moved by the alderman from the 14th, seconded by the older woman from the seventh.

That we third reading pass board bill 151.

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Alder Woman Smith, sir.

Aye.

Alderman Oldenburg.

Alderman Cone.

Alderman Ryan.

Alderman Devoting.

No.

Alder Woman Velasquez.

Alder Woman Sony.

Aye.

Alder Woman Cox Anthony.

Alderman Browning.

Alder Woman Car Cover.

Aye.

Alder Woman Keys.

No.

Alder Woman Times.

No.

Alder Woman Boyd.

Alderman Aldridge.

Aye.

President Green.

Aye.

Alder Woman Cox Anthony.

Alder Woman Boyd.

We have 10 eye votes and three no votes.

Are your vote used to stay in the motion from the Alderman from the 14th to third reading finally pass?

Board Bill 151.

Board Bill 169.

Sponsored by Alder Woman Keys.

An ordinance amending ordinance number 7183.

Effective January 1st, 2024 by modifying the terms of a of real estate tax abatement.

Can you hear me?

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

Board Bill sixty nine.

Um is for the Kempton State Bridge hotel that was supposed to, or that is rather supposed to be built here in uh the elevated 11th ward.

Uh changes were necessary uh in order for the build out to happen uh due to the increased cost of material.

Uh they had to modify the plan instead of two hotels being built.

Now they will build one, but they're extending the um range and scope of the one hotel that they are gonna build with the second one to happen later on.

Um they did increase the um the uh the abatement slightly uh from 75 to 90 percent.

So with that, uh I asked for your favorable consideration on Board Bill 169.

Would you like to make a motion to third reading ask for bills?

Sorry.

I said all of that.

I'd like to uh ask for that that you uh third read third read uh board bill 169.

Second.

It's been moved by the Alder Woman from the 11th, seconded by the Alderman from the 14th.

That we third read and finally pass board bill 169.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Alder Woman Swanser.

Hi.

Alderman Odenberg.

Alderman Cohn.

All right.

Alderman Orion.

Alderman Devotee.

Hi.

Alder Woman Velasquez.

Alder Woman Sonia.

Alder Woman Cox Antoine.

Alderman Brownie.

Alder Woman Clark Cover.

Aye.

Alder Woman Keys.

Aye.

Alder Woman Thais.

Aye.

Alder Woman Boyd.

Alderman Aldrich.

Aye.

President Green.

I've I'm sorry.

Alder Woman Cox Antoine.

Alder Woman Boyd.

We have 12 I votes, one no vote.

By your vote, you sustain the motion from the Alder Woman from the 11th to third read and finally pass Board Bill 169.

Thank you.

Board Bill 152 committee sub as amended, sponsored by Alderman Aldrich and President Green.

Alderman from the 14th, you're recognized on the third reading final passage of Board Bill 152 committee substitute as amended.

Thank you, Madam President.

Members of the board.

Before I make a motion, I just want to talk a little bit about Board Bill 152 committee substitute as amended.

Um Board Bill 152 uh or 152 committee substitute as amended.

Uh was a bill to cut the red tape around uh our current food trucks that we have in the city of St.

Louis.

Um this is something that myself and uh the president office have uh at least been embarking on for the last two years of legislation.

We're doing my history.

Apparently, this has been an ongoing conversation at the Board of Alderman for years.

Uh there has been uh this food truck code has been uh redone almost uh 12 times.

And the goal of the legislation again was to make it easier for uh food trucks to operate.

So in the legislation, uh you've seen that uh we took a different approach from the year before.

Uh last year there was a board bill that allowed food trucks that I sponsored to kind of go citywide.

Instead, we took a more honed-in approach and we created these food truck markets where food trucks will only be able to operate in certain zones.

One of the zones that we looked at creating was uh 8th and Market Street going to about 16th and market.

We also looked at 18th and 19th and Olive.

Uh with the collaboration and help of a lot of my colleagues, I do want to thank Alderwoman Sonier for coming up with some areas that worked in Cherokee Street.

I want to thank the Alder Woman from the 11th ward.

We're working with Grand Art Center.

We're coming up an area that worked in the elevated 11th ward, as well as Alderwoman Jamie Cox Antwerp with working with areas that uh potentially could work in two LARP.

And with these designated spots right now, we will only allow them to be able to operate in those areas.

Right now, when folks try to go get their licensees for food trucks, which eventually also need to be addressed because they have to get like three, four license.

Uh once they actually get their license, they realize that they actually cannot operate uh anywhere pretty much in the city of St.

Louis.

So by creating these zones, we'll make it a little bit easier.

And I wanted to take an approach of uh not going in areas that may not work for uh other parts of the city.

Um I remember having a conversation, I think, last year with the Alder Woman of the 12th Ward uh and taking a smaller approach when we held the bill to kind of re-look at where these uh locations could work, and I appreciate her actually bringing that up because I think this year we came up with a bill uh instead of just saying citywide and going outside of my ward, but uh taking an approach and working with other alders, I think was a kind of the best way.

Expanding the hours from 11 to 1 o'clock, I think uh is really important in the areas that we looked at uh uh creating these food truck zones.

A lot of locations or a lot of the businesses that are around these areas, uh restaurants close at 10.

Not saying that the bar's not still open, but if somebody want to grab a bite to eat, the kitchen is closed at 10.

So giving people a different option uh to be able to have food and after they either leave Fox or sometimes I go to Grand Arts Center and I go to Sophie's, uh there's no kitchen or just staying downtown and not having a variety of options of food, food trucks can really I think um fill in that void that we're lacking as we look at Clayton is looking at creating a pilot program to allow food trucks, other cities from Nashville uh to Louisiana um to Louisiana, New Orleans, all the same.

That's the state Louisiana, the city, um, to California have figured out how to make food trucks work within uh their city.

And I know my colleagues have been getting inundated with a bunch of emails on uh food trucks and the concern that they have of I think mainly extending the hours from 11 to 1.

And in my opinion, as somebody who live downtown and represent downtown, I do just want to go on record that people that are coming downtown, I could tell you this, or probably the Grand Arts Center.

Um, they're not going to those locations for a food truck.

They're going to those establishments.

Uh and in the meantime, while they're at those establishments in the kitchen co close, why not have a food truck?

And you know, I really hate, I think the narrative that has been uh out there that if we allow food trucks downtown that we're gonna cause more crime and more issues.

Um and yes, we need to figure out how do we uh work with our law enforcement to make sure we stop the revving of the engine.

Again, I live down here, I hear it.

Make sure that we don't make downtown be a place that uh folks want to come and have a good time and disrupt the piece of residents that live here.

But I can say firsthand, I believe food trucks isn't gonna be that reason that people are gonna want to come downtown or other cities.

I do want to thank all my colleagues uh here at the Board of Alderman because this bill was on the consent calendar, meaning that on March 20th, when it was for a voice vote, uh there was no pushback.

Nobody voted no.

There was healthy conversation with me and the old woman from the 12th.

There was healthy conversation with me and the old woman from the 13th.

Um I think we got the bill to a very good spot.

I also want to thank the food truck uh association as well as the restaurant association.

Anytime you can have uh a restaurant association that represents 700 plus restaurant brick and mortars and food trucks come together and say that they both agree, I think is a win.

There's definitely been this narrative out there that by passing this bill that we're gonna hurt brick and mortars.

We even uh, you know, right now in our ordinance there's a uh radius that food trucks cannot be 150 feet uh close to a brick and mortar.

One of the things that we took from the restaurant association in collaboration was we increased it from 150 feet to 200 feet, understanding that our brick and mortars are essential to uh to the city of St.

Louis post-COVID, our brick and mortars are struggling.

Also see that by having food trucks, we have a lot of vacancy on these storefronts.

And if we can help food trucks uh build uh the wealth to hopefully open up a brick and mortar, I can see it as a pipeline where people that have food trucks automatically can go into a brick and mortar.

I will say um I do take some uh responsibilities.

One of the things that from the Alder Woman from the first have said sometimes you don't always have to rush things and get it right.

I think I've heard that also from the Alder Woman from the 12th.

When we looked at this code, again, food trucks have been uh this code alone has been amended about 12 times.

There's so much outdated stuff in the food truck code that still mentioned the 24th ward and not allowing them there, and there's no 24th ward.

There's things that mention downtown, a creating a downtown fund for parks, which that fund never exists.

There was one small error as we uh amended the bill, and I know a lot of my colleagues got uh an email from the Cardinals on this clean zone uh that they talk about that was implemented probably in 2021 or 22.

It was a bill passed by Phyllis Young that created areas where food trucks couldn't operate, mainly downtown.

Now, while I do disagree with the Cardinals that this bill I think still excluded them out because we kept the South Downtown project, we made it where only food trucks can operate in certain areas, and we made it very clear that licensed sidewalks still only have to operate in the 19 areas approved by the streets department, which is not in the downtown area.

Um sometimes things don't have to be rushed, and uh if they're legal is saying there could be an issue by taking those streets out, you know, we come back May 1st.

I do look forward to working with the Cardinals uh to make sure that they're at the table to make sure that we put that correct language in.

Uh, with that language in, I appreciate their full support of the future bill that will be coming.

I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to hopefully get the 15 support again to make sure that it's done right.

Um, and we'll be looking to file this bill very uh soon when we're able to file bills May first, because I think it is important that uh we do cut red tape, uh not only for food trucks, but for so many different uh entrepreneurs and for constituents that are trying to do business here in the city of St.

Louis.

So again, I do want to thank everybody that's been at the table.

This is not the end, but this is just an ongoing work in progress.

I'm sure the third time is gonna be a charm when we file the bill early May first.

And with that, Madam President, I would look forward to putting board bill one fifty-two committee substitute as amended on the informal calendar.

Third read and third read informal calendar.

Madam Clerk, please place board bill one fifty two committee substitute as amended on the informal calendar.

So noted report of the finally passed and signed by the president.

Board bill one thirteen, one forty-nine, one sixty-three, one sixty-six, one sixty-eight, one seventy-five, one thirty-eight, one fifty-one, one sixty-nine, fifty-nine.

All other business being suspended.

The president shall in open session affix her signature here to end that these may become law.

First reading resolutions of reference to committees.

We have none.

Second reading of resolutions, committee reports and adoption.

At this time, I would like to entertain a motion that meeting of the full board of aldermen meeting be closed to the public under the provisions of six ten dot zero two one three of the Missouri Ris by statutes in order to discuss matters related to the hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting of employees at the Board of Aldermen.

Second motion.

It's been moved by the alderman from the 14th, seconded by the alder woman from the seventh.

That we go into closed session.

Uh, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Audible switcher.

Alderman Odenberg.

Alderman Cone.

All right.

Alderman Orion.

Alderman to voting.

Auto woman Melazquez.

Auto Woman Sonier.

Audible Cox Antwin.

Alderman Browning.

Audible McClark Hubber.

Aye.

Auto Woman Keys.

Alder Woman Tyus.

Aye.

Alder Woman Boyd.

Alderman Aldrich.

Aye.

President Green.

Aye.

Alder Woman Cox Antwig.

Alder Woman Boyd.

We have 14 aye votes.

By your vote, you sustain the motion.

STLTB, if you could please place us in closed session.

And if anyone who is not a member of the Board of Alderman with the exception of Sharita, could please vacate the chambers.

That includes press.

And we are back.

Alderman from the 14th.

You are recognized on the motion to adopt the courtesy resolution consent calendar.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

I move adopt the courtesy resolution consent calendar.

It's been moved by the Alderman from the second by the Alder Woman from the 7th that we adopt the courtesy resolution consent calendar.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

I believe miscellaneous and unfinished business.

We have none.

Announcements.

Tuesday.

Oh, go ahead.

Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, full board meeting.

The annual meeting is at 11 a.m.

in the chambers.

Thursday, April 23rd, 2026.

Personnel administration will have a hearing at 11 a.m.

in the Kennedy room.

That's the extent of the announcement.

Unless you want to be any further announcements.

Alderman from the fourth.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

I would request a moment of silence for Officer Gregory Criplett, who uh passed away earlier this month during a training exercise.

We could all please stand and give a moment of silence.

What else?

Alder Woman from the 7th.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

Um, I would like to be added as a I would have I would like to be added uh just request to be added as a co-sponsor to resolution two eighty-five.

Unfortunately, we have already passed the courtesy resolution calendar.

I thought maybe okay.

Uh Alderman from the fourth or sorry, 11th and then fourth.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

Uh I'd just like to announce that today I have two brothers' birthdays.

They are 10 years apart, born on the same day.

The older my brother Mark passed away in 2021 of COVID.

Uh but my brother Paul is still here, so I'm just wishing them a very happy birthday.

Also, we'd like we're gonna celebrate our clerk after we walk out of here.

And I know that everybody's probably ready to get a little something to eat, so please join us in the is that a meeting room, break room, multi-purpose room, leisure room.

Uh please join us there.

Thank you.

Alderman from the fourth.

Thank you, Madam President.

Members of the board having voted on the prevailing side of the courtesy resolution calendar.

I move that we reconsider.

Second.

It's been moved by the Alderman from the fourth, seconded by the Alderman from the 14th, that we reconsider the courtesy resolution calendar.

Uh Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Alder Woman Sweitzer.

Aye.

Alderman Aldenberg.

Alderman Cone.

Pass.

Alderman Narayan.

Aye.

Alderman DeVoti.

Aye.

Alder Woman Velasquez.

Alder Woman Sanye.

Aye.

Alder Woman Cox Antwig.

Alderman Browning.

Aye.

Alder Woman Clark Hubbard.

Aye.

Alder Woman Keys.

Aye.

Alder Woman Tyus.

Aye.

Alder Woman Boyd.

Alderman Aldridge.

Aye.

President Green.

Aye.

Alderman Aldenberg.

Alderman Conn.

Present.

Alderwoman Velasquez.

Alder Woman Cox Antwig.

Alder Woman Boyd.

Wait.

11 aye votes and one voted present.

By your vote, you sustain the motion.

We will now go back and take up the courtesy resolution consent calendar.

Alderman from the 14th.

You are recognized on the motion to adopt the courtesy resolution consent calendar.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

I move that we adopt again the courtesy resolution calendar.

It's been moved by the Alderman from the 14th, seconded by the Alder Woman from the 7th, that we adopt the courtesy resolution calendar.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

I would like to request to be added as co-sponsored to resolution 284 to 292.

If you could please add Alder Woman from the 7th to resolutions 284.

284 to 292.

284 to 292.

No.

Alder Woman from the 6th.

You can also add me as a co-sponsor to those same resolutions.

Don't note it.

Add Alder Woman from the 6th to those same resolutions.

Is there anyone else that is looking to be added as a co-sponsor?

Alderman from the third.

You can add me as a co-sponsor to those resolutions.

Well, and in addition to those, I would like to be added as a co-sponsor to 296.

Or I'm sorry, 297, 298, and 299.

So note it.

Madam Clerk, please make note of that.

Alder Woman from the 11th.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the board.

I'll take all of the ones that Sonia had and add on all the same ones that Alderman had.

Thank you.

I know I've got to do that.

Madam Clerk, please make note of that.

So note it.

A further additions, Alder Woman from the sixth.

Thank you, Madam President.

I would like to be added to Alderwoman Keys Courtesy Resolutions.

Those I believe are 298.

292 to 298.

If I'm allowed to speak for my colleague from the 7th, she would also like to be added, but I will I'm sorry, you say it.

292.

Yes, 298.

All of keys.

Okay.

292 through 298.

So noted.

You got the same for me.

Absolutely.

Is there anyone else looking to be added?

Alderman from the 14th.

Thank you, Madam President.

Members of the board.

I like to be added to every resolution.

So noted.

Madam Clerk, please make note of that.

Right.

Uh Alder Woman from the 12th.

I just want to announce I will be a no vote on previous votes from now on.

If we're going to do this, okay.

Wow.

Okay.

Thank you.

Let's go home, folks.

You hear that?

Right.

Any further additions?

Alder Woman Keys is up.

Uh Alder Woman from the 11th.

Thank you, madam.

Uh I would like to be added to all resolutions as well.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk, please make note of that.

So note it.

All right.

Any further additions going once, going twice, going three times.

All right.

It has been moved by the Alderman from the 14th.

Seconded by the Alder uh woman from the 7th that we adopt the courtesy resolution consent calendar.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Any further announcements?

Any further announcements?

Well, before we close today, I would, um, since this is our last meeting of the uh 25-26 session.

I would just like to extend a few words of gratitude to the board of uh board at large for your work this session.

Um today we may close the book on the 25-26 legislative session.

Uh and I think a lot of us recognize this was a session that was unprecedented in a lot of weight.

Um in spite of a lot of the challenges we had, we made some um progress doing things like expanding access to affordable housing.

Um thanks to Alderwoman Velasquez, we raised occupancy limits.

Thanks to Alderman Cohn, we reduced lot sizes to make it easier to develop.

Thanks to Alderwoman Clark Hubbard, we finally legalized accessory dwelling units in our city, so maybe one day my parents can uh live in my backyard.

Um we also ensured that funding for tenant protections through Prop S was created so that we could fund that impacted tenants fund right to council program and affordable housing trust fund long term, and I want to make sure we thank Alderman O'Ryan for his work on that over several sessions.

Uh, we were able to reallocate ARPA funds thanks to Alderwoman Schweitzer to our water infrastructure.

Getting some very critical funding that it needs.

And just a few weeks ago, thanks to the work of Alderwoman Cox Antwick, we were able to renew the city's earnings tax with an unprecedented 85% of the vote.

And thank you to everybody in this room who I know in uh engaged your constituents, educated them about the importance of this tax so that we can continue to fund city services.

We also passed two charter amendments that are going to be on the ballot this fall, modernizing our founding document to make us more into a 21st century.

I want to thank Alderman Devotee and Alder Woman Velasquez for all of their continued work on trying to update our very antiquated charter and do that very necessary work that doesn't always get all of the uh glitz and glamour that some other issues do.

Thanks to Alderman Cohn, we codified the economic justice scorecard to ensure that developments benefit the community, not just developers.

And all of that said, we face the biggest challenge that this body has faced in a very long time.

Um the May 16th tornado, which sent an already underinvested part of our city reeling.

But in the end in the aftermath, I am so proud of this body in rising to the occasion.

Um in the immediate aftermath, we passed uh 43 million dollars in um in relief funding with bills passed by Alder Woman Sonier, Alder Woman Clark Hubbard, Alder Woman Boyd, Alderman Aldridge.

Um, every time we called a special meeting, and we had a lot of them this session, you all rose to the occasion and stepped up and came to make sure we could get that move that funding moved quickly.

So I want to thank all of the members of the board for uh your flexibility in being able to do that.

And while I'm extremely proud of the work we did, we know that people in our community still are not seeing or feeling the results that we need them to feel.

And so going into this next session, we know that tornado recovery has got to remain one of our top priorities.

So tomorrow marks the beginning of a new session.

Um I hope to be there, but as many of you know, I am now nine months pregnant, so you may not see me today now.

Um, but I hope to be there.

And uh and in that new session, we have a lot of things that are going to be on our um forefront from the very first day.

We're going to need to pass a balanced budget that addresses the needs of our residents and recognize that this is going to be one of the most difficult budget years that we have had in a long time.

Um we recognize that as we confront the uh strain of the loss of local control of our police department, it's putting a lot of strain on other things in our city budget.

So this is going to be a um, I'm gonna thank the budget committee in advance for the work that you will be quickly doing this season.

And with that, it's more crucial than ever that we hear from and acknowledge our residents' concerns and priorities through this budget process as those revenues get harder to have.

We also have to make sure that programs that this board has championed over the last few years, such as uh the Right to Council program, impacted tenants fund, and Prop NS continue to be funded.

And we have to reaffirm our commitment to transparency and accountability by creating a public-facing database of city contracts, reforming our procurement process, and establishing an office of compliance.

We also know that the city needs to properly regulate data centers in ways that protect our residents from environmental and financial impacts, and we know that that legislation will be coming very early in the session as well.

Um, and we need to update our MWBE program to ensure that our goals are aligned with the most recent study.

And perhaps most importantly, we need to pass a bill that invests the RAM settlement funds thoughtfully and with a special mind paid to those who are still struggling due to last year's tornado.

I think almost all of us are in alignment that those funds need to be allocated in some way toward Northside redevelopment and tornado recovery, downtown investment in citywide infrastructure, and I look forward to having those conversations uh over the coming months.

And last, we know that we need heavy investment in our water infrastructure.

For decades, we've delayed over 700 million dollars in critical water investments, and that our residents keep bearing the burden every time they have a water made break.

And so we will be working on ways to make sure that that water system is sustainable beyond just Rams funds.

And this year we know more than any other that we have the opportunity and the obligation to make a real difference for our city and our residents.

And I just want to reiterate how proud I am of the work that this board put in this past uh session during some very difficult times during some times where we had to be very flexible.

Um, and I look forward to working with all of you to deliver and continue to deliver for the people who are counting on us in our next session.

So thank you so much for your work this year.

Alderman from the 14th, you are recognized on the motion to excuse.

Thank you, Madam President.

Members of the board, I'd like to make a motion that we excuse the alder woman from the eighth ward and the alder woman from the thirteenth.

Thirteenth.

Oh, she was here?

Yeah.

Alder woman from the eighth.

I'd like to make a motion that we excuse the alder woman from the eighth ward.

It's been moved by the alderman from the fourteenth, seconded by the alder woman from the seventh, that we excuse the alder woman from the eighth for necessary absence.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Alder woman or aldermen from the 14th.

You're recognized in the motion to adjourn.

Signy die.

Thank you, Madam President.

Members of the board.

I'd like to make a motion that we adjourn signy die and come back Tuesday, April.

I'd like to make a motion we adjourn for signy die.

It's been moved by the alderman from the 14th, seconded by the alder woman from the 11th that we adjourn uh signy die until Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, in the Board of Alderman Chambers at 11 a.m.

into in order to start our new session.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

We are adjourned.