St. Louis Board of Aldermen Formal Meeting - September 25, 2026

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen convened on Friday, September 25, 2026, with 13 members present. The meeting opened with a National Preparedness Month reflection, followed by courtesy resolutions, honored guests, board bill readings, final passage of three bills, and adoption of multiple labor solidarity resolutions. The board referred an LRA demolition pilot resolution to committee and adjourned until Friday, October 2, 2026.

Opening Reflection: National Preparedness Month

• CEMA Commissioner Greg Favor, joined by his deputy commissioner and administrative director, delivered the opening reflection, citing the tornado 15 months ago, the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, and the 900 St. Louis residents lost to COVID-19. With 26 years in public safety, he noted neighbors and elected officials can save lives in the first critical hours of a disaster and made three asks: (1) sign up for Notify STL critical alerts; (2) build a simple home kit (water, medication, power chargers) and know family meeting points; and (3) aldermen should include the Notify STL banner in every meeting, post, and newsletter, serving as the city's biggest "microphone."

Courtesy Resolutions

• Resolution 141 was introduced by the Alderwoman from the 12th Ward via suspension of the rules (14 aye votes) and placed at the end of the courtesy resolutions calendar.
• Resolution 143, sponsored by Alderman Aldridge (14th Ward), honored Matt Haskamp for his dedication to public service, community engagement, and legislative advocacy. A Cincinnati native and Saint Louis University social work graduate, Haskamp joined Aldridge's 2019 state House campaign and later became one of the first legislative assistants for the Board of Aldermen. Aldridge called him "family" and "a brother"; the Alderwoman from the 7th Ward recalled his leadership during an SLU occupation; and President Green remembered first meeting him canvassing with the Sierra Club in 2015-2016. The resolution passed in bank.

Introduction of Honored Guests

• Alderman Aldridge (14th) recognized SEIU Local One in the gallery, giving a personal shout-out to Stanley Jackson and praising the union's Fight for $15 and minimum wage advocacy.
• The Alderwoman from the 10th Ward welcomed Lloyd Visuals, a communications team in St. Louis to cover the organization Grow and learn about the Lewis Place neighborhood.
• The Alderwoman from the 7th Ward recognized Michael Berg and Union Loafers workers in the gallery, noting they have 90% card support but no voluntary recognition, with a recognition election upcoming. She also acknowledged Starbucks workers present.
• The Alderwoman from the 12th Ward recognized the AME Church conference (September 22-26) and Homer G. Phillips residents, reporting that a resident was robbed in the building, that KMOX reporter Sean Malone was escorted out by management after confirming residents' accounts, and that up to $131 million is unaccounted for in the city-owned building. She said residents lack heat in winter and air conditioning in summer and pledged to "follow the money."

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from Friday, September 18, 2026, were approved by voice vote.
• Third reading and final passage on the consent calendar: Board Bill 13 (committee sub as amended), Board Bill 34 (as amended in committee), and Board Bill 66, passed with 12 aye votes. The president affixed his signature in open session.

Discussion Items

• Board Bill 85, sponsored by Alderman Browning (9th Ward), was introduced via suspension of the rules (13 aye votes). It authorizes and directs the mayor and comptroller to execute a donation letter and quitclaim deed conveying certain city-owned property in St. Louis County to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.
• First readings: Board Bill 82 (speed humps in the 8th Ward, sponsored by Alderwoman Cox Antwi); Board Bill 83 (restoring the office of the city marshal, appointed by the mayor as one of the mayor's 14 appointees, with duties expanded to parking, traffic control, and traffic safety, containing an emergency clause, sponsored by Alderwoman Tyus); Board Bill 84 (honorary street name "Birthday Gilkey Lane," sponsored by Alderman Aldridge); and Board Bill 85. Board Bills 82, 84, and 85 were referred to the Public Infrastructure and Utilities Committee; Board Bill 83 was referred to Public Safety.
• Second readings (do-pass recommendations): Board Bills 69 (7th Ward speed humps), 71 (5th Ward speed humps), 75 (neighborhood traffic calming system), and 78 (St. Louis Works street improvement fund allocations) from Public Infrastructure and Utilities; and Board Bill 51 (authorizing up to $500 million in airport revenue bonds to refund subordinate airport indebtedness) from Transportation and Commerce.
• Resolution 127, sponsored by Alderwoman Velasquez (6th Ward) and President Green, expressed solidarity with Starbucks Workers United and supported a national boycott of Starbucks until a fair contract is finalized. The resolution noted 10 Starbucks stores in the St. Louis metropolitan area have unionized since 2022 and over 700 stores nationwide since the first unionized stores in Buffalo in 2021, and stated Starbucks has engaged in a union-busting campaign including hundreds of labor law violations. Alderwoman Velasquez said, "When workers thrive, community thrives, businesses thrive." Passed in bank by voice vote.
• Resolution 128, sponsored by President Green and the Alderman from the 4th Ward, congratulated the contracted security officers of Garda World and their subcontractors at St. Louis Lambert International Airport on their first union contract, reached about 11 months after organizing. The Alderman from the 4th noted more than 60% of union contracts take more than a year to finalize. Adopted with 12 aye votes.
• Resolution 136, sponsored by Alderwoman Sonier (7th Ward), recognized and celebrated employees of Union Loafers Inc. (Union Loafers Cafe and Bread Brekery in Botanical Heights, Bagel Union in Webster Groves, and the Station in Shaw) for organizing the Loafers Union, affiliated with UNITE HERE. Workers filed an NLRB petition on September 3, 2026, seeking a bargaining unit of approximately 63 employees. The resolution respectfully calls on ownership to voluntarily recognize the union. Alderwoman Sonier noted workers have 90% card support and an election upcoming, and asked owners to bargain in good faith. Passed in bank by voice vote. (The transcript references the election as "the fourth" twice and "August 4th" once; given the September meeting date and the September 3 NLRB filing, the election date is likely October 4, 2026.)
• Resolution 142, sponsored by the Alderwoman from the 12th Ward, would direct the Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) to develop, within 60 days, two pilot programs to expedite demolition of unsafe LRA properties adjacent to owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied homes, with demolition to be completed within one year and non-owner-occupied owners paying the full demolition cost plus a fee. The sponsor cited the city's four-to-five-year foreclosure process, long-term property deterioration, and the recent tornado's aftermath, noting property owners have offered to pay for demolition themselves. Referred to the Public Safety Committee with 11 aye votes.

Key Outcomes

• Board Bills 13, 34, and 66 received final passage on the consent calendar (12 aye votes) and were signed by the president.
• Resolutions 143, 127, 128, and 136 were adopted; Resolution 142 was referred to the Public Safety Committee (11 aye votes).
• Board Bill 85 was introduced (13 aye votes) and referred to Public Infrastructure and Utilities, which will take it up on Wednesday, September 30, at 3:30 p.m.
• The Alderwoman from the 13th Ward was excused for necessary absence.
• Upcoming meetings announced: Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee, Tuesday, September 29, at 11 a.m.; Health and Human Development Committee, Thursday, October 1, at 9 a.m. (webinar); Budget and Public Employees Committee, Wednesday, September 30, at 11 a.m.; full board, Friday, October 2, at 10 a.m. Community events included Tower Grove Pride, a 14th Ward town hall with SLPS Superintendent Dr. Berry, and a 10th Ward meeting on the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit proposal.
• The board adjourned until Friday, October 2, 2026, in the Board of Aldermen Chambers.