2026-09-30 - Budget & Public Employees Committee

14:04Good morning. This is a budget and

14:06public employees committee meeting.

14:08Today is Wednesday, September 30th,

14:112026, and it is 11:05. Madame clerk,

14:14please call the role.

14:16Alderwoman Sier,

14:20Vice Chair Browning,

14:21>> present.

14:23>> Alderwoman Velasquez

14:25>> here.

14:27>> Alderman Devote.

14:30Chair Aldrich

14:31>> present.

14:33>> Alderwoman Sonier.

14:36Alderman Devote three present. Alderman

14:40Devote

14:41>> present.

14:43>> Four present. We have quorum.

14:46>> All right. With that, we have

14:47established a quorum. Uh I will take a

14:50motion to approve the minutes from

14:52Wednesday, July 1st, 2026.

14:58>> So moved.

14:59>> Second.

15:00>> Second.

15:01>> Madam, it was moved by the alderman from

15:04the 9th, seconded by the alderman from

15:05the 5th. Madame clerk, please call the

15:07role.

15:09Alderwoman Sier,

15:13>> Vice Chair Browning,

15:14>> I.

15:15>> Alderwoman Velasquez,

15:18>> I.

15:19>> Alderman Devote,

15:21>> hi.

15:21>> Chair Aldrich,

15:23>> I.

15:23>> Alderwoman Sier, four I votes.

15:26>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. With that, we

15:28have approved the minutes from

15:29Wednesday, July 1st, 2026. Uh, the next

15:32item, we do not have any board bills or

15:34a resolution for review today. Um so

15:37today's committee discussion and budget

15:39we will be getting a update on the RAMs

15:42funding that the board of alderman

15:44passed um a few months ago. Today we

15:47have uh our director of operations here,

15:50Mr. Ben Johnson, who will kick us off as

15:52well as various departments where those

15:55funds was allocated to to get an update

15:57of how we are doing with RAM spending.

16:00So without any further ado, I would ask

16:03Mr. Ben Johnson from the mayor's office.

16:06Uh I said director of operations and you

16:08are chief of staff. Director of

16:11operations. I was right.

16:12>> Uh sometimes the mayor does say uh

16:14director of operations but also chief

16:15operating officer.

16:16>> Okay.

16:17>> Um want to make sure I get the title

16:19right. Thank you for being here. Uh

16:21chief and director. Whenever you're

16:22ready, you may proceed.

16:24>> Uh thank you, Chair Aldridge, Vice Chair

16:27Browning, and members of the budget and

16:30public employees committee. It is a

16:33privilege and an honor to give you an

16:36update on board Bill 22 in the historic

16:38Rams bill funding. Uh we remain

16:41enormously proud of the the partnership

16:44across many stakeholders and very

16:48grateful for uh what the board of

16:50alderman did in passing this historic uh

16:52leg legislation

16:54uh enabling this $255 million of ram

16:58settlement funds to be used and

17:00leveraged in catalytic ways to help St.

17:04Louis grow stronger.

17:07If we go to the next slide, please.

17:17So, board bill 22 was signed two and a

17:20half months ago on July 13th, 2026. The

17:24bill does direct reports within six

17:27months for uh the buckets you can see

17:30here with with one notable exception.

17:33But as a review, we have $120 million

17:37allocated toward North St. Louis

17:39rebuilding. That's both uh tornado

17:42recovery and neighborhood plan

17:43implementation.

17:45$80 million is allocated towards

17:47citywide infrastructure improvements.

17:50And that's going to be the bucket of

17:52funding that I'm uh principally

17:54addressing along with our department and

17:57division leaders that you see here

17:59behind me. uh that covers water, streets

18:02and sidewalks, tree stump removal and

18:04recreation.

18:06And then $55 million for downtown

18:09revitalization

18:11um targeting vacant buildings, the

18:13riverfront, retail and pedestrian

18:15infrastructure.

18:17Um, again, I'm Ben Johnson, the mayor's

18:19chief operating officer, and on her

18:22behalf, I lead 14 departments and

18:24agencies around um all of our city

18:28services, public safety, and public

18:31health. After me will be Mr. Steven

18:34Davis, the mayor's chief economic

18:36development officer, and he will be

18:39providing the update on downtown

18:42revitalization.

18:43And then chief recovery officer Julie

18:45Nicks and his team will be providing the

18:48update on North St. Louis rebuilding.

18:55Next slide.

19:01Uh as we head into the agenda, I want to

19:04make note of uh the bill again directing

19:07us to provide within six months uh

19:09reports and metrics around uh to provide

19:13accountability for the public on how

19:16this RAMs this historic RAMs funding is

19:18being leveraged and is being uh

19:21executed. Um the recovery office portion

19:25of the North St. Louis rebuilding is the

19:29one call out that is quarterly. So, this

19:31fulfills the quarterly update that

19:34you'll hear from the recovery office

19:35today and you'll see it's a substantial

19:37update. For the other buckets, we are

19:40providing today our first update in

19:42advance of the requirement uh for

19:45January. So, we'll be coming back, but

19:47this gives you a sense of our initial

19:48planning around infrastructure in

19:51downtown in addition to the sub

19:53substantive uh progress you'll see on uh

19:56from the recovery office this morning.

20:02The purpose of the infrastructure fund

20:05as um actually let me uh stop here and

20:09go back to the agenda here. So, again,

20:11these are the topics. I briefly

20:12mentioned these already, but uh in order

20:15we'll be talking about the citywide

20:17infrastructure, that's 70 million, the

20:19downtown revitalization.

20:21We'll talk uh about vacancy, my uh

20:24expect Julian Nicks to talk about that,

20:26but I could also address it. Uh the

20:28North St. Louis tornado recovery portion

20:31and then the North St. Louis

20:33neighborhood plan implementation. And

20:35then what I'd like to be able to do is

20:37pause for questions uh after the

20:39infrastructure so that our department

20:40leaders can address those and then get

20:42back to leading their departments

20:45if that is acceptable to the chair.

20:49Okay, next slide.

20:52The purpose of our infra public

20:55infrastructure fund is as stated in

20:58board bill 22 is to support maintenance

21:02um improvements to streets, sidewalks,

21:05lighting, trees, and recreation centers.

21:09Uh the the funds deposited will be held

21:11in the public infrastructure fund and uh

21:14may be expended only in accordance with

21:16the ordinance.

21:19Next slide.

21:21as we have met. Um here's the two major

21:25breakouts of that

21:27uh fund amount of 70 million. Uh 40

21:30million is to the is specifically

21:32designated for water infrastructure. Uh

21:35we will be reporting out on that through

21:37the public infrastructure and utilities

21:39committee. So we don't have a specific

21:41update on that on the water fund because

21:43that's where those updates will be

21:45provided. But just uh as a reminder

21:48that's for we'll be leveraging that for

21:52capital improvements and to pay yearly

21:54debt service all a part of the capital

21:57improvement plan uh within the water

21:59division. The 30 million that we want to

22:02focus in on today in this update are the

22:07other public infrastructure requirements

22:10as outlined in the board bill. uh the

22:12street and sidewalk network, the hazards

22:14tree backlog, and the recreation center

22:17improvements.

22:19Next slide.

22:24Okay, this is uh the slide where we

22:29update you on the planning done to date

22:32with ranges and how we anticipate this

22:37$30 million in infrastructure funding

22:39being allocated.

22:42So top left uh the roughly half of this

22:47so from 12 to 17 million of that 30

22:50million

22:52we project being dedicated toward major

22:54street paving projects you see some of

22:57them listed here forest parkway grav

23:02south Broadway

23:04west florescent and bates are some of

23:07those projected major capital projects

23:10projects for street paving

23:13sidewalks would be the range we've

23:16identified is between $1 and $5 million.

23:19This would help finish the backlog of

23:21our 50/50 sidewalk program, which we

23:24know exceeds that amount, but this is

23:26the amount that uh of this amount of

23:30this uh $30 million that we would want

23:32to target toward that and help

23:34transition toward the blockbyblock

23:36program.

23:38Thirdly, asset management. Uh this is a

23:42great opportunity to use this RAMs

23:46funding in a catalytic way as we said at

23:48the outset where right now we don't have

23:50a comprehensive asset management

23:52program. This would be enormously

23:54helpful also as we think about the

23:55transition to the Department of

23:56Transportation and having a system of

23:59record where we have um documentation of

24:03all of our city assets, our our

24:06roadways, our bridges, our sidewalks. Uh

24:10and it could include uh the way the

24:13board bill reads is other city assets.

24:15So it could in include some facility

24:17information on public buildings as well.

24:20uh and this really does help us

24:21prioritize year after year how we manage

24:24those and how we prioritize uh

24:26investments in those and when they need

24:28to be replaced. Fourthly, pedestrian

24:31scaled lighting uh $500,000 to $4

24:34million partnering with business

24:35districts to increase pedestrian scaled

24:38lighting in targeted areas in the city

24:40of St. Louis.

24:42Fifth, forestry, trees, and stumps. Uh 1

24:46million to 4 and a.5 million to update

24:48our tree inventory map and complete the

24:50backlog of hazardous tree removals and

24:52stump removals citywide. This is the uh

24:56only category that we've begun work on

24:59uh through ENA. Last month, we did

25:01approve a $500,000 contract to do the

25:04tree inventory. And uh that was critical

25:08to do the assessment first so that we

25:10know

25:12exactly where all those uh trees are and

25:15assess their status. And then sixth, our

25:19recreation centers targeting three to

25:21eight million dollars focusing on three

25:23to four recreation centers um with an

25:27action plan. This is a work in progress.

25:29We have director Hayes here and

25:31commissioner Calion can talk about this

25:33uh with any questions you have about it

25:35but we have some specific projects in

25:37mind as a part of that but it's uh early

25:40stages in the planning on that

25:43uh we'll come back to that slide uh for

25:46questions but just to continue to talk

25:48about the metrics how will we measure

25:50this and report out in January these are

25:54the six metrics that we propose um

25:57tracking the miles of roadway envisioned

25:59and repaved.

26:01The amount of traffic calming uh

26:04equipment that is purchased for

26:05deployment.

26:07Having a map in number of sidewalk

26:10sections that have been replaced, very

26:12visible. Um number four, a number of

26:15hazardous trees removed citywide and by

26:18ward. The same with stumps. And then

26:21finally, recreation centers. As I

26:23mentioned, this is still a work in

26:26progress, but essentially we would track

26:27this by project

26:29uh once those that plan is finalized.

26:34Next slide.

26:37Uh according to the board bill

26:40uh section 8 on accountability, we

26:43recognize these are categories that we

26:45have to report out on. So, we just want

26:47to reference this u acknowledging we

26:50will be providing as these contracts are

26:51awarded the information required by

26:54board bill 22

26:58and

27:00one more slide

27:03and then let's go back three slides.

27:10Okay, that concludes uh my com my

27:12opening comments and welcome uh

27:15questions from the committee for myself

27:17or the department and division leaders

27:20represented here. Thank you.

27:22>> Thank you, Chief. Uh Alderman Browning,

27:25Vice Chair Browning.

27:28>> Uh thank you for the update. Uh this is

27:30nice to see. Uh this does help us answer

27:33questions about being spent and um yeah

27:37I just have a few questions so I'll just

27:39get right into it. Um

27:41the street paving I'll start there. Um

27:45Forest Park Parkway from where to where

27:48on or is the whole thing?

27:51>> Yeah, let me I'll defer to our team.

27:53Scott um Scott Ogleby from Planning and

27:56Urban Design will help address some of

27:58these specifics.

28:02Good morning. Thank you, Alderman. Um,

28:04so Forest Park,

28:06>> just for the record, could first and

28:08last name and title.

28:09>> Um, my name is Scott Ogal, city's

28:12planning and urban design agency. Um so

28:15for Forest Park Parkway parkway um as

28:18you may know MDOT next late next year um

28:21is going to be rebuilding a section of

28:23I64 and will be closing um eastbound I64

28:28for approximately a year in order to

28:30rebuild an elevated section. Um the

28:32detour route is uh Bandeer and Forest

28:36Park Parkway.

28:38MODOT is paving the eastbound uh lanes

28:42on that detour route. This would be

28:45funding that we would um work with MDOT

28:48to also pave the westbound lanes so that

28:51both sides of the street are paved at

28:53the same time. Um so it is basically

28:58Grand or the the ramp complex at at

29:00Grand. talking the westbound lanes now

29:03to Vandervener and then Vandevener to uh

29:06the I64 on-ramps that go westbound.

29:13And this is a this is a rough cost. You

29:15know, these will refined as we get the

29:18funding allocated and get more detail

29:20from MODOT.

29:21>> Yeah, I'm sure it's it's not a mystery

29:23to everyone that the rest of Forest Park

29:26Parkway could equally use repaving. Uh,

29:29and it's it's a one of those roads

29:31that's just way beyond the scope of Ward

29:33Capital and the ability for all their

29:36people to to budget. Uh, it's six lanes

29:39wide and it definitely needed and I

29:42appreciate that it's anticipating the uh

29:44increased traffic from the MDOT um

29:47project. Uh,

29:50my next question was about Gravaway.

29:52Gravoy, as far as I knew, is a

29:54statemaintained road. Uh, so we're

29:58paving.

29:59Are we paving that or what's what's the

30:02deal there? Is the state shouldering

30:04some of that or are we just taking care

30:06of it?

30:07>> Yeah. So, so all the MDOT maintained

30:09roads in the city of St. Louis are owned

30:11by the city but per agreement with the

30:14Missouri Department of Highways. Um,

30:16MDOT maintains certain aspects of those

30:19roadways. So on Gravoy, they maintain

30:22the the curb to curb, you know, driving

30:25surface. They maintain signals um and

30:28they have an upcoming resurfacing and

30:31safety project for all of Gravoy from

30:33city limits to Tucker. Um likely to be

30:37under construction in 2029.

30:40Gravoy is very high up on the the

30:44regional high injury network. So it's

30:45got a lot of crashes and a lot of

30:47fatalities on that roadway. MODOT's

30:50funding because of their maintenance

30:52agreement um is basically limited to

30:56signals, roadway elements um and paving

31:00pavement markings, those those types of

31:02items. um they have brought a

31:05significant amount of funding to the

31:06project but because of the the nature of

31:11Gravoy particularly um east of Grand

31:15where you have a lot of six-legged

31:17intersections

31:18a lot of the safety benefits would come

31:21from intersection simplification of

31:23those side streets and those side

31:26streets are outside of MDOT's

31:28responsibility. Um, additionally, uh,

31:33most of the sidewalks on Gravoy are

31:35outside of MODOT's responsibility. So,

31:39this funding would allow the city to

31:42partner with MDOT to basically expand

31:45the scope of what MODOT can do to

31:48appropriately address um that roadway

31:51and and make sure we can realize all the

31:54safety benefits um that we would like to

31:56realize. MDOT has been leading that

31:59planning effort. Um there's been a lot

32:01of participation from city staff and

32:04there's been um a lot of public

32:06engagement that MODOT has been leading.

32:08Um but we've kind of known since MDOT

32:12began that project that we could do a

32:15much better project if the city could

32:17also contribute funding and we've done

32:20this would be quite extensive but we've

32:22had similar partnerships on other roads

32:25in the past. So, so just to sum that up,

32:28I think it sounds like the city is

32:31kicking in funding and MDOT is also

32:33doing part of this, but we're doing this

32:36to be a comprehensive project so that we

32:38can address safety at the same time as

32:39we're addressing maintenance.

32:42>> Correct.

32:42>> That that's great. I I love to see that.

32:44Um I assume more details will be coming

32:47forward about the specific plans for

32:49calming dealing with some of these side

32:52street intersections and and all that. I

32:54assume there'll be more engagement on

32:56that in the future.

32:57>> Yeah, MoDOT's going through a really

32:59deliberative planning process for the

33:01roadway. Um, and they will be into

33:04engineering next year. So, by late this

33:07year or early next year, they'll have um

33:10a finalized set of conceptual plans that

33:12they'll be working from. And that's when

33:14we'll also know a little bit more about

33:16um you know, exactly what the cost

33:19estimate for the whole project is.

33:21>> Great. Great. And that kind of leads

33:22into my next question, which is, you

33:24know, some of the money that's being

33:25budgeted here, like five million for

33:27Delmare, um, seems like that would be

33:29more than just paving. So, are is it the

33:32case for many of these that the the

33:34money being, uh, allocated here is going

33:37to go towards additional safety

33:40improvements as well as maintenance?

33:42>> Yeah, I think the category you could

33:44change the heading to, you know, all

33:46sort of street and roadway elements on

33:48these corridors. Um, Forest Park Parkway

33:50will probably be just paving. Um, but

33:52all the other projects could include,

33:55you know, side depending on, you know,

33:58the appropriate design for each street.

34:00Could include sidewalks, could include

34:01bike facilities, um, safety

34:04improvements, all those types of roadway

34:06elements.

34:08>> That that sounds wonderful. Um, I think

34:10people are really looking forward to

34:11that and will be a major improvement. Um

34:14on that note uh I think later on uh

34:16there was a reference to asset

34:18management about bulk purchase of

34:20traffic calming materials and that

34:22relates back to Gravoy which is you know

34:26in terms of until this work can happen

34:29uh is this the city's looking at being

34:32able to do quick build infrastructure

34:35that will improve safety quickly instead

34:38of waiting years for a traffic study and

34:40you know uh I think you know this we

34:43lose lose lives. We have we lose Did my

34:46mic just cut out? Um we we lose lives,

34:49we lose we get injuries on these streets

34:51and whatever we can do to make sure that

34:54uh we're improving safety faster. So is

34:57that what that is oriented toward? And

34:59could you repeat my question because I

35:00don't think my I think my mic cut out.

35:02>> Okay. Um the otherman asked uh maybe a

35:04two-part question. One about um asset

35:06management approach or software um quick

35:09build elements. So the the second part

35:12of the question um the street department

35:15is definitely interesting.

35:16>> Could you uh madame clerk what's

35:22they seem just been working? Could you

35:24maybe talk a little bit uh

35:28more into the mic? Uh

35:33is that better?

35:43Just let me know when you want me to

35:45start.

35:49>> Alder woman Velasquez online. Can you

35:50hear us?

35:52>> Yes, we can hear you online.

35:53>> Okay, we're going to continue on and try

35:55to uh just talk louder. They can hear us

35:58online. I think our mics in the room are

36:00low, but you can continue.

36:03>> Sure. Um so the street department has

36:05definitely been interested quicker build

36:08um traffic calling elements on gravoy.

36:11One limiting factor is just that we have

36:14historically not stocked a lot of those

36:16elements so that we deploy them quickly.

36:19Um and so you know stocking some of

36:22those elements I think would allow um

36:25faster action in some future cases. And

36:28so that's what that funding is aimed at.

36:30It's a relatively modest amount of

36:32funding, but it's something we haven't

36:33had access to in the past. Um the the

36:36second component or maybe the first

36:37component of the question was asset

36:39management. Um I think the direction

36:43from the transportation mobility plan

36:44and the direction from mayor's office

36:46has been we should be shifting to a much

36:48more deliberative asset management based

36:50approach. The street department has

36:52already begun um some data collection um

36:56relative to things like paving condition

37:00um you know existing signage on the

37:02roadway. And this funding would allow

37:04them to expand that um to a much greater

37:06extent and allow us to get into really

37:09working that into um our standard

37:11operating procedure for data we're

37:13collecting and tracking and then how

37:15we're using that data to inform um you

37:18know capital planning.

37:21>> Okay, that that's helpful. I think I

37:23think people are really looking forward

37:24to taking that step forward as a city.

37:26Uh being able to really adhere to the

37:29safety or get get attention to the

37:32safety of uh to of our streets instead

37:34of um the the long process it takes

37:37right now. Uh there was a mention of the

37:4150/50 sidewalk filling the backlog of

37:44that. Uh I I received an email recently

37:48that uh alluded to us being several

37:51years behind

37:52on filling 5050 requests and

37:57last I had checked like we would we had

37:59caught up. I always fully fund sidewalk

38:02requests in my ward. I try to make sure

38:03that that's a priority but seeing that

38:06then then getting an email saying we're

38:07several years behind and then hearing we

38:09we have funding to finish the backlog. I

38:13feel like I'm getting conflicting

38:14messages. So, if if Director Jackson or

38:17or you Scott could speak to what is the

38:20status of the 50-50 sidewalk program and

38:23where are we at and where are we seeking

38:25to get to?

38:25>> Yes sir. Uh Vice Chair um members of the

38:28uh committee, James Jackson, director of

38:30streets. Um the update on that is um

38:33with the uh hiring of a program manager

38:36for that program, we have restructured

38:38that program and we've already addressed

38:40uh 1,000 of the 4,000 backlog that was

38:44reported uh a couple of months ago. Um

38:47we are currently working in wards 8, 9,

38:50and 10 to address letters uh that we've

38:52received regarding the 50/50 program.

38:56And um some of those are going to be uh

38:59disqualified because they don't meet the

39:01requirements. Those um requests will be

39:05those that we will be looking at when we

39:06actually go into the blocktob block

39:09program. Um after we get done with uh ws

39:128, 9, and 10, we're going to be working

39:14in ward 11.

39:16>> Okay. So you're making good progress on

39:19catching up on that. And then this

39:22funding that's allocated in this bill uh

39:25is going to go towards transitioning to

39:27this block byb block program which

39:29you're working on a pilot right now to

39:31kind of uh assess the condition of

39:33sidewalks and then get to a point where

39:35we can do this in a little more

39:36comprehensive way.

39:38>> Yes, sir. Um, I I think this probably is

39:40more of an update in that will happen in

39:43the public infrastructure committee when

39:45we get an update on the the Department

39:46of Transportation transition, but uh I'd

39:50love to hear more about how we're

39:51looking at doing sidewalks in the

39:53future. Uh because I know I've been

39:55looking into it. Different cities do it

39:58in different ways. Some are more

40:00successful, some are not. But I think we

40:01can all agree that 50 program is not

40:04working well.

40:05>> Yes, sir. Uh so really appreciate uh the

40:07answer on that. Um just a couple more

40:10questions. Uh pedestrian scaled

40:14lighting. Um could you provide a little

40:17more detail about what that means? Where

40:19are we looking at that there? And um one

40:23thing I'm really want to check is making

40:24sure that we're using the appropriate

40:27kind of lighting. um that in in the

40:30Grove I on Manchester I have lighting

40:32that is just horrible and uh it's not

40:36pedestrian friendly but it's it's on the

40:38pedestrian scale light. So what kind of

40:40attention is being made to make sure

40:43that we're installing things that make

40:45our neighborhoods

40:47uh more charming and not like like gas

40:50stations.

40:51>> Yes. So the the purpose of this funding

40:54category um there are frequently

40:57community improvement districts um who

41:00may be interested in installing uh

41:02pedestrian scale lighting. Um it can be

41:06relatively costly. So this might allow

41:09us to supplement um interest from you

41:12know existing partners around the city

41:14or potentially uh some pedestrian scout

41:17lighting projects have been funded via

41:18ward capital and so we might be able to

41:22um

41:24just

41:27there we go hopefully that's better um

41:29may be able to supplement um some of

41:32those initiatives as well um to the you

41:34know the the brightness and color

41:36temperature. Um those things, some

41:39fixtures, they're adjustable. Um or

41:41certainly the the bulb itself can be

41:44changed. Um so if it's not uh there's

41:50concern about color temperature, um it

41:52doesn't necessarily have to be that way

41:54for forever.

41:56>> Okay, that's great. I I just hope that

41:57we're being conscious of that. Um

41:59because I I get it. light is not

42:01something everyone's super knowledgeable

42:03about and sometimes people just pick a a

42:06bulb not realizing that there's specific

42:08types of lighting for spec types of

42:10situations. Um

42:13the last question I I'm looking forward

42:15to hearing more about the recreation

42:17centers know that's an absolute need in

42:19our city and so um I I I hear that a

42:22plan's coming. I'm not asking a question

42:23about today. just saying I'm looking

42:25forward to that update because I think

42:27that's definitely a need and we're all

42:29looking forward to to hearing about

42:30that. Uh that's all the questions I have

42:32right now, but I really appreciate

42:34everybody being here. It's wonderful to

42:36see so many commissioners and department

42:38heads here and uh feel like we're

42:40getting a really educational update. So

42:42I really appreciate all your time today.

42:44>> Thanks Alder.

42:46>> Uh Aldwoman Sier,

42:50>> thank you chairman, members of the

42:52committee. Um

42:55I I guess my first question is uh maybe

42:58I'm like miscalculating, but when I

42:59added up the uh the total for the

43:03paving, um I'm coming out to 19.1

43:06million and it says that we're doing 17

43:09million. Am I missing something?

43:13>> I think these are estimates. So, keeping

43:17it framed as such, um I don't really

43:20have any correction to offer, but um

43:23thank you for pointing that out.

43:25>> So, is it that some of these areas then

43:28won't be able to be paved to scale or

43:29you're saying that the this is more of a

43:31the 17 to 19.1 million is more of a

43:34range? The 12 to 17 million is our range

43:38that we're proposing um as a

43:41administration and as a depart

43:43department team here and when it comes

43:46to kind of how these projects get scaled

43:49that's the work in progress. So I don't

43:52think these are defin well they're not

43:53they're not definitive project numbers

43:55so

43:56>> so some of them may get cut

43:57>> we would keep it within that range of 12

43:59to 17 million.

44:01>> So some of them may get cut will be

44:02maybe reduced between now and correct

44:04next month. Okay. Um do what criteria

44:08did you all use to select?

44:11>> So these were inexisting plans. Uh so

44:15understanding kind of where the critical

44:17needs were. I'll actually bring Scotty

44:20back up here to talk about a little bit

44:21about uh the planning that has been done

44:24to date and why these ones uh were good

44:27candidates for this funding. And so

44:30Scott, if you don't mind, thanks.

44:33And as much as possible we could talk

44:34directly in I know different heights so

44:36we may have to shift the mic but

44:38[laughter]

44:40um so maybe

44:44well so generally speaking coming out of

44:46the transportation mobility planning

44:48process there are some suggested

44:51priorities in that plan. Um, and then

44:54additionally, since that plan's been

44:56adopted internally, we've been looking

44:58at what should be our upcoming capital

45:01priorities as a city related to

45:03roadways. Um, a lot of those priorities

45:06are based on a couple factors including

45:08the their place on the high injury

45:11network. So, locations where we have a

45:13lot of crashes and injuries and the

45:16physical condition of those streets. Um,

45:19so maybe to run through the rest of

45:21these projects. Um the section of

45:24Delmare on uh listed here is sort of

45:28from Hodont to um Vandervenor. And if

45:32you look at that street um a a lot of

45:35the stretch is in pretty poor condition

45:37from a paving perspective. And we also

45:40have an almost completed traffic study

45:43um that should be wrapping up soon and

45:46should provide design direction. That's

45:48also an area that was uh pretty severely

45:50affected by the tornado. Um and there's

45:54actually some some roadway damage and

45:56you know tree damage and sidewalk damage

45:57related to the tornado. So it's another

45:59opportunity

46:01um you know fix you know poor

46:05accessibility conditions and safety

46:06conditions. Broad South Broadway um

46:10similarly has very this section of South

46:13Broadway um which would be Sister

46:16Maurice Charles Park north to I55

46:20um is has really poor roadway

46:23conditions. Um West Florescent

46:27you'll see listed as a match towards an

46:30East West Gateway project. This is a

46:33really substantial project that um about

46:38two years ago the city submitted a uh

46:42safe streets for all grant to the

46:43federal government for because west

46:45florescent is one of the most dangerous

46:47roadways in the region and this would

46:50really be a transformation of that

46:52section of west florescent. This is a

46:54project that's now also reflected um in

46:57the neighborhood planning process uh as

47:00a high priority that the neighborhood

47:02planning team has identified. So, this

47:05would be a portion of the local match um

47:08that will support up to around a $20

47:11million project um that will really

47:14improve safety. It'll add a multi-use

47:18trail on the north side of West

47:20Florescent, sort of along the cemeteries

47:22um in a section of the city where we

47:24don't have a lot of uh bike facilities

47:26or trail facilities. And big picture

47:30planning, maybe a little dreaming, this

47:32kind of gets us closer to connecting

47:35through North St. Louis a trail system

47:37that would eventually connect to the

47:39Brickline Greenway and Fairground Park.

47:41And this would be a really substantial

47:43component of that. So, it's 2 million

47:45listed here for the the part of the East

47:48West Gateway match, but ultimately it's

47:50a much bigger project that's going to be

47:51more like $20 million range. Um, and

47:55then Bates is a street that is on the

47:59high injury network.

48:01>> Um, but we don't we don't have another

48:04project there currently and we haven't

48:05had a recent project there. So, this is

48:08one of those categories I think why you

48:10see the range. Um there's less certainty

48:13about what this project is right now. Um

48:16but it's a section of roadway that shows

48:19up as having a lot of crashes. Uh but

48:22hasn't had a significant project in a

48:24long time.

48:25>> Can I just you want to clarify? So it's

48:27a East West Gateway project and the city

48:29also received a grant for it. Is the

48:30East West Gateway Coalition providing

48:32funding or where is the match coming

48:34from?

48:35>> West Florescent.

48:36>> Um yes, for West Florescent. So, yeah,

48:39maybe I

48:41split these two things apart.

48:43Previously, the city applied for a safe

48:45streets for All grant from the federal

48:47government.

48:48>> We did not receive that grant.

48:50>> So, plan B is to seek um one or possibly

48:55two East West Gateway grants to do the

48:57project that was planned.

48:59>> So, it's possible that we'll actually

49:00need four million because this is

49:02contingent upon a match that we haven't

49:03secured yet.

49:05So every year the the capital committee

49:09allocates funding um you know from the

49:13the various revenue streams for capital

49:16from surplus. So likely the capital

49:18committee will need to make an

49:20additional allocation to cover the full

49:22match. Yes. But this would be a

49:25significant step forward. A 20 mill you

49:27know a a it's a big project for the city

49:30to do a $20 million project grant

49:33funded. So if we're getting that local

49:35match component from kind of two funding

49:38sources, I think that helps the rest of

49:40the capital committee.

49:41>> Okay. And then the for these these

49:44estimates, are these like the like

49:47Forest Parkway 6 million or Gravaway 4.5

49:50million, are these like uh exact cost

49:52estimates of what it will cost to do all

49:54the work that's desired to do there? I

49:56guess I'm curious because if there's a

49:58if I'm calculating that this total is

50:0019.1 million and that we have 17 million

50:03going to this, I'm just wondering how

50:05would you guys go about would would a

50:07potential street get cut? Would you

50:10scale down some projects or what is the

50:12thinking there if there's a $2.1 million

50:14gap? How would that impact what's in

50:16front of us?

50:17>> Yeah, these are these are not generally

50:20speaking engineering level estimates

50:22yet. Um, I think very similar to how the

50:25ARPA funding was allocated for those

50:27corridors, there were educated sort of

50:30conceptual guesses at what it would be

50:32on a per mile basis. And then as we got

50:35into the project engineering, um, you

50:37know, we tried to scale the projects to

50:39roughly meet those costs and we're

50:40pretty successful at that. Um, but these

50:42are not, uh, these are not exact

50:45estimates. So I think these are also

50:48sort of listed in terms of um you know

50:51rough priority I would say. So I you

50:53know you could imagine

50:56you know maybe Bates we just do a

50:57traffic study towards a future project

50:59some you know something like that if we

51:01need to adjust the total range of cost

51:04um across these projects.

51:06>> Okay. Um,

51:09the other question I has, I know you

51:11guys don't have recreation centers

51:13chosen yet, but do you have a criteria

51:14of how you'd be recreation centers?

51:20>> Sure. Yes, that's a great question,

51:22Alderwoman. So,

51:24>> uh, director, could you just state your

51:25first and last name?

51:26>> Yes, sorry about that. Greg Hayes,

51:28director of parks, recreation, forestry,

51:29Seard Market, Operation Bright Side. So

51:32we uh initially wanted to look at just

51:35the most highly participative centers if

51:38you will that are most active those

51:40would be Wool 12th and Park Tandy and

51:44then short just a little bit behind that

51:47Marquette. So some of the things we're

51:49looking at and I do have a list here

51:50just to make I want to these are in

51:53general terms but just what we really

51:55need is these aren't state-of-the-art

51:56facilities. These are 60, 70 year old

51:59rec centers. And the folks in these

52:02neighborhoods, these are these are

52:03neighborhood anchors. And the folks

52:05deserve better amenities in these in

52:08these rec centers. All of them. All of

52:10them could use some help. So just a few

52:12general ideas. We could use new weight

52:15rooms and fitness equipment in all these

52:18rec centers. Booter. Alderwoman is is

52:21right near you and in your ward. And if

52:24you walk in boot or wreck, it it is

52:26somewhat embarrassing to see handme-down

52:28equipment from valleys.

52:29>> I would agree.

52:30>> The YMCA, etc. So, we want to replace

52:33all that. These are things to give you a

52:35good flavor. These are things people can

52:37see, touch, and feel, so to speak,

52:39without being facitious. These are

52:41things that people can really be proud

52:43of. A couple other things, new gym

52:46floors at 12 Park and Tandy would be

52:48ideal. We have a nationally recognized

52:51boxing program if I don't say so myself.

52:54Credit to Commissioner Cali and and our

52:56team. So, new boxing rings and the

52:59related equipment at our six rings.

53:01Hooter doesn't have a ring as you know.

53:03And then just game rooms, office

53:06renovation at Tandy, just sprucing these

53:09the interior of these up. And finally,

53:12we looked at the the cost of po maybe it

53:14won't be popular to everyone, but just

53:16the idea of dig digitiz or digital signs

53:19outside as we see in the city with

53:22kiosks, updating programming, uh,

53:25information, etc. So, that's a

53:26long-winded answer.

53:27>> No, I understand. And I um, shout out to

53:29Coach Jones who used to give me boxing

53:31classes at the Cherokee Recreation

53:33Center. Um, I do that criteria makes

53:36sense to me, but I do want to uplift

53:37that I think one of the things that you

53:39guys should consider is recreation

53:40centers that are inoperable. The

53:42Cherokee Recreation Center, which is

53:44technically not in the seventh ward,

53:45technically it's an eighth ward, but

53:46boundaries are whatever. Um, it's

53:48actually closed right now because

53:49they're waiting for additional funding

53:51for repairs. Um, I guess the original

53:53plan called for uh replacing a small

53:56amount of like masonary fashion panels

53:58without the roof. However, when they

53:59started demo, they discovered that all

54:01the panels were significantly worse and

54:03there was a lot of water infiltration

54:05issues that caused structural damage.

54:08So, that wasn't on the list, but like I

54:10people even my constituents in the

54:12seventh war reach out to me. I think the

54:13recreation center been closed for over

54:15two years now. Almost all the time I've

54:17been alder. So, whether it's capital

54:19committee or this process, I really, you

54:21know, obviously the Buddha recreation

54:22center needs improvements, but it is

54:24open and operating. the Cherokee one is

54:26not even open and it's getting delayed

54:28consistently. So I would hope maybe that

54:30could be a part of this conversation

54:31somehow.

54:32>> Point well taken if I can address that.

54:34So we're looking at about 1.6 1.7 with

54:38major structural issues at Cherokee that

54:40were found. It is one of the Cherokee is

54:43one of the ARPA funded roofs. So those

54:47were found they are top that center is

54:49top priority to us right now. And so

54:52it's about yeah right in that range. And

54:54I believe there's several hundred,000

54:56with some rooftop units there as well.

54:58That is a focus. And you mentioned

55:00capital. We consider this not an or

55:03issue and we consider an and issue. So

55:06we're looking at getting Cherokee back

55:08and running through capital as you as

55:10you referenced. So thank you for

55:11bringing that up. That rec center needs

55:13to be open and it's top priority to all

55:16of us.

55:17>> Thank you. My very last question is just

55:18about the sidewalk and lighting program

55:21um and its relationship to um like kind

55:24of war capital or the STL street work

55:26street STL city works fund. Um is that

55:30money replacing the funding that the

55:32city has already committed to it or is

55:33this a separate

55:34>> I believe that would be one of my other

55:36colleagues to answer that question.

55:38Pedestrian lighting.

55:40>> Can you restate? Sorry, Alder. Can you

55:43say the connection between 5050 and the

55:46pedestrian lighting?

55:47>> Yeah, I think it's a little similar to

55:49Brown to Alderman Brown's question

55:50earlier. Um, but also I was just curious

55:53about adding pedestrian lighting to

55:54that. Um, like is there a relationship

55:56between that and war capital or STL

55:58works or is that money replacing that

56:02>> pedestrian lighting

56:04and how we're using war capital?

56:05>> Yes, sir. Okay. Um um madam alderman uh

56:09James Jackson, director of streets. That

56:12discussion is still underway. Uh in

56:14fact, I'm going to be meeting with a

56:15group tomorrow and I don't have the

56:18details on that uh what's going to come

56:20out of that meeting. I know what I want

56:22going into that meeting and I have yet

56:24to present it to the chief operating

56:25officer at that point in time. If there

56:28are any details that are specific that

56:30will support uh pedestrian lighting,

56:32that information will be coming forward.

56:34>> Okay. Thank you.

56:36Alderman Velasquez.

56:42>> Thank you, Chairman, and thank you, um,

56:44Colonel Johnson and, uh, Director Hayes

56:46and Director Jackson for being here and

56:48everybody else who's there. Um, I think

56:50my questions echo some of my colleagues

56:52here, but I do I never thought I would

56:55be so uh, enthusiastic about an asset

56:59management system in my entire life, if

57:00you'd asked me. But I think it's super

57:02important. Um, and I'm really happy to

57:04see this. I think just from what I know

57:06it would make, you know, some of the

57:07things that we've been talking about on

57:09how to better um make sure that our what

57:12we're doing is not only equitable, but

57:14we're it's consistent. And I think

57:16having the tools to be able to do that

57:17is really important. Um I do just want

57:19to also uplift what Alderwoman Sier was

57:22u mentioning about um the criteria for

57:25all these decisions. I understand that

57:27you're still within uh planning so we

57:29don't know what is going to change but I

57:32would just say that having uh the

57:34criteria for

57:37everything be really clear from which

57:39streets get paved and which don't to

57:41what recre what gets updated in the

57:43recreation centers is really important.

57:45So those are more comments than

57:46questions. Thank you.

57:48>> Thank you Alderwoman. Alderman Devote.

57:53>> Thank you chair. Uh I do have uh a

57:55handful of questions. I'd like to start

57:58with the street paving. Guess Mr. Oglev,

58:01you might be the best uh guy to to

58:04answer these. Uh Colonel Johnson started

58:07the presentation by introducing us to a

58:10handful of projects. As Alderwoman Sier

58:13pointed, those add up to $19.1 million.

58:17Uh he indicated that those were some of

58:20the projects under consideration. We're

58:23already over the range that was given 12

58:27to 17. What are the other

58:31projects under consideration that are

58:33not identified in this this slideshow?

58:37>> I think these are the primary projects,

58:39but the city has been and we talked

58:44about this a little bit at the most

58:45recent um complete streets meeting uh

58:48earlier this month. The city has

58:50internally been developing uh like a

58:54five to sevenyear roadway infrastructure

58:56plan that the intent is to take through

59:00the capital committee process and

59:03include

59:04um as a not funding for all these

59:08projects but as a list of priorities uh

59:11for future years. Um capital committee

59:14would adopt that and it might be

59:16reflected in the capital budget in the

59:18future. Historically for St. Louis

59:21that's looked like more like a one-year

59:23plan and we're trying to extend that

59:25time horizon out um so we have a better

59:28idea of you know our next priorities. So

59:32I think the reference to you know

59:34potential projects it could be other

59:36projects on that list. Um, since this is

59:40a preliminary list,

59:43you know, we think these are all

59:44valuable projects, but let's let's say

59:47East West Gateway didn't award us a

59:49grant for West Florison. You know, maybe

59:51in the interest of timing, that money

59:54might be shifted to another project,

59:56let's say. Um I I think that's why

59:58there's some at this stage, a few months

1:00:02after the bill passed, I think there's

1:00:03still some flexibility in um the final

1:00:07list of uh improvements.

1:00:09>> Well, it's it's good to hear about the

1:00:10flexibility. I mean, I I will point out

1:00:13as fifth ward alderman that none of

1:00:16those projects are anywhere near the

1:00:18fifth ward and and I don't have a great

1:00:22handle on the second and the fourth, but

1:00:25all of those projects I believe fall

1:00:27outside of the second and fourth war as

1:00:30well. Would it be fair to say that none

1:00:33of the projects in the preliminary plan

1:00:37are within the second, fourth, and fifth

1:00:40ward?

1:00:42>> Um, I don't have a perfect W map in my

1:00:45head, so I don't know if I can

1:00:46definitively

1:00:48I think Gravo may pass through uh one or

1:00:52two of those wards, but the the projects

1:00:55were

1:00:57not selected on a ward basis. they were

1:00:59selected on a primarily on a roadway

1:01:03condition or their location on the high

1:01:07injury network and and I understand

1:01:09that. I get that. But I want to point

1:01:12out primarily from my colleagues that

1:01:14when we talk about the expenditure of

1:01:16Rams funds that the preliminary plan

1:01:20with respect to street paving which runs

1:01:23anywhere from 12 to 17 million and as

1:01:26Colonel Johnson mentioned is probably

1:01:28going to end up being 50% of these

1:01:31infrastructure funds that none of those

1:01:34funds

1:01:36go through or really touch in any

1:01:38significant way a large part of South

1:01:41St. Louis, at least the second, fourth,

1:01:44and fifth wards. Correct.

1:01:48>> I'm not sure that's 100% correct because

1:01:50Gravoid

1:01:51>> might touch the second.

1:01:52>> Yeah. Yeah,

1:01:53>> fair enough.

1:01:54>> But certainly the fourth and the fifth

1:01:56aren't touched by any of these

1:01:57preliminary plans, which make up more

1:02:00than 50% of the infrastructure part of

1:02:04these funds. Correct.

1:02:05>> Yeah. I I have I haven't done an

1:02:08analysis of which wards the the projects

1:02:11touch.

1:02:11>> Okay. Well, for what it's worth, and I

1:02:14know I'm catching you cold. I'm telling

1:02:15you, none of those go through the

1:02:18um on with respect to item four, there

1:02:21is a mention of partnering with business

1:02:23districts. Uh for the purpose of our

1:02:26discussion today, what is a business

1:02:29district?

1:02:31I think that's meant as a catch-all

1:02:33phrase for local partners that may, you

1:02:36know, it may be a community improve

1:02:37improvement district, it may be a

1:02:39special business district, maybe it's a

1:02:41really, you know, robust other

1:02:43association. Um, and perhaps it's uh a

1:02:48partnership, you know, with a ward

1:02:50capital project.

1:02:51>> Okay. So, again, and I know I'm picking

1:02:54on you here a little bit. You're the guy

1:02:56up at the podium. When we talk about a

1:02:58business district, you're thinking or at

1:03:00least the preliminary plans are thinking

1:03:02about something quote robust, which

1:03:05would be an organization such as a

1:03:08special business district or a community

1:03:11improvement district. In other words, an

1:03:14existing organization that is otherwise

1:03:17responsible and reportable

1:03:20to the public. Is that fair?

1:03:23>> I think that's fair. I I think this

1:03:24reflects that we not infrequently have

1:03:30entities like that who will reach out to

1:03:32the city in some respect often to the

1:03:34board of public service. They're

1:03:36interested in the lighting project. Um

1:03:39it may be a good idea, but a lot of

1:03:41times the the vision the cost is just

1:03:44too much. So, we've had some not move

1:03:46forward, and I think this is a a chance

1:03:49to add a little bit of funding um to

1:03:52kind of unlock some of those projects

1:03:54that uh community members have been

1:03:56desiring. So, so again, I realize this

1:03:58is a preliminary plan, but if one

1:04:01represented a ward that didn't have any

1:04:04SBDs or SIDS in it, then the only way

1:04:09any of this lighting money is going to

1:04:11make it into that ward is by a ward

1:04:13capital match. Is that the way the

1:04:15concept is now

1:04:18considered or have been created and

1:04:20framed?

1:04:22>> Yep. I want to make sure I'm reflecting

1:04:23this accurately. Caitlyn, you think

1:04:24that? Yeah, I think I think that's

1:04:27that's the intent. Yes.

1:04:28>> Okay. So, if one represented the fifth

1:04:31ward, which has no sitting SIDs or SBDs,

1:04:34the only way that any of this lighting

1:04:37money is going to find its way into the

1:04:40Hill neighborhood or along the Mlin

1:04:43business district is if the alderman

1:04:46matched whatever with via Ward Capital.

1:04:50Is that the way this is being

1:04:51conceptualized?

1:04:52>> I think that's the current thinking.

1:04:54Yes. Okay. Uh, and then of course you

1:04:56also talked about recreation centers and

1:05:00again as I heard you or uh, excuse me as

1:05:03I heard Director Hayes match off the

1:05:06recreation centers that were identified.

1:05:08Fair to say that none of those are

1:05:10located in second, fourth or fifth

1:05:14wards.

1:05:15>> I can't speak to that directly. Greg, do

1:05:17you want

1:05:19>> Alderman? I believe that is correct.

1:05:21>> Yes. And I appreciate that. I didn't

1:05:24mean to catch you cold, but but yes,

1:05:26sir. Okay. So, as we're going through

1:05:28this, we've covered category one,

1:05:32we've covered category four, we've

1:05:35covered category six, and I'm I'm I'm

1:05:39getting a little dubious as we go

1:05:40through this list. And I don't want to

1:05:42say I told you so, but I told you so.

1:05:45Um, asset management of course goes

1:05:48toward things that we're talking uh

1:05:51software, bulk purchases, trafficcoming

1:05:54materials. Some of those materials I

1:05:57realize will touch my residents. I get

1:05:59that software that's used by the street

1:06:02department to grade uh streets or

1:06:06sidewalks. I I I get that concept, but

1:06:08but nothing and somebody else used the

1:06:10idea of of putting hands on things. Fair

1:06:14to say that none none of those things

1:06:16are something that a fifth W resident

1:06:18could wrap their hands around and touch

1:06:20and feel good about. Fair statement from

1:06:22everybody?

1:06:24Yes. Okay. And then we talk about

1:06:27sidewalks. And this is where I

1:06:31I I and maybe my misunderstanding as a

1:06:35fairly green alder comes into play here.

1:06:39But my understanding, Director Jackson,

1:06:41is that the 5050 program is it's now

1:06:45conceptualized

1:06:47I is the idea that the resident with the

1:06:50with the the the poor sidewalk, the one

1:06:54that needs to be repaired and replaced

1:06:56puts up a certain amount of the capital

1:07:00to replace the sidewall. And the rest is

1:07:03done by the alder using either city

1:07:05works funds or ward capital. That's the

1:07:09way the program as it's now conceived

1:07:12currently works. Correct.

1:07:15>> Alderman Devote uh James Jackson,

1:07:17director of streets. Yes, sir. That is

1:07:19>> and and when we talk about that, I like

1:07:22Alderman Browning also got a list from

1:07:25the the new program manager within the

1:07:28last

1:07:29uh handful of weeks. Um, I have in the

1:07:33fifth ward 649

1:07:36open 50/50 requests. 649.

1:07:40And my understanding was that that was

1:07:43more than 200 next to the nearest war.

1:07:47Um, when we're talking about these funds

1:07:49and we're talking about meeting the

1:07:50backlog, what I don't understand is I

1:07:54haven't had a 5050 sidewalk done in the

1:07:57fifth ward since May of 2025. You and I

1:08:00have talked about that before. We're

1:08:02going on about

1:08:0517 or 18 months. And that's despite the

1:08:08fact that last fiscal year I set aside

1:08:10$450,000

1:08:13of ward capital that's been allocated

1:08:15and it's sitting there. And in this

1:08:17year, I haven't touched 300,000

1:08:20in the event that that we finally get to

1:08:23the fifth ward after 17 months. And I

1:08:26just want to make sure again I I feel

1:08:28like my folks are kind of getting the

1:08:30raw deal to be honest and I'm a little

1:08:32agitated and I'm I'm sorry I don't mean

1:08:34to direct it at you sir.

1:08:36>> But did I understand 5050 work is going

1:08:38on in the 9 10 and 11 wards right now?

1:08:42>> 8 n and 10. Yes sir.

1:08:44>> 8 9 and 10 wards. and the fifth ward

1:08:48which has 649 open 50/50 requests that

1:08:52has 200 more than the next nearest ward.

1:08:56Uh the last I heard from Mr. Gridler was

1:08:59that maybe alderman we would be in the

1:09:02fifth ward in early 2027.

1:09:05Um, I guess my question and again I

1:09:07apologize for the rant but why is any of

1:09:11this money needed for a backlog if these

1:09:14jobs are funded by residents and by

1:09:17alders using traditionally STL works and

1:09:21certainly war capital how is the backlog

1:09:24coming into play

1:09:25>> the uh alderman the backlog comes into

1:09:27play from the standpoint of um the

1:09:29service requests we're operating or

1:09:32addressing them first in first out if

1:09:35they've come into the system and we're

1:09:37working to work through the backlog.

1:09:38We're attempting to get those that are

1:09:40the oldest or the aged service requests

1:09:42and get them taken care of. Your 649 may

1:09:46be uh it may have been reported to you

1:09:49that it'll be early 2027 um by the time

1:09:51that we get there. U as I shared earlier

1:09:54in my uh reporting because we've already

1:09:56addressed a thousand through identifying

1:09:58duplicates as well as others that did

1:10:00not meet the criteria. We may well be

1:10:03ahead of that track, but we like to

1:10:05underpromise and overd deliver uh so to

1:10:07speak. So we we may be ahead of that

1:10:09schedule for you, but we're working

1:10:12fastly. We're right now we're completing

1:10:14about 120 requests per week u with our

1:10:17team as we have ramped up and we will

1:10:20continue on that pace. It's only going

1:10:21to get uh better or should I say the um

1:10:24manner and the um the time frame that it

1:10:27will take for us to address them is

1:10:29going only going to get better for you.

1:10:31But we will stay with you.

1:10:32>> So, but but what I don't understand is

1:10:34why are any of these funds needed on the

1:10:3750/50 sidewalk program if the if the

1:10:40program is funded by individual alders

1:10:44and residents

1:10:45>> and residents and and that's the key,

1:10:46sir. Residents, those residents may not

1:10:49be um some of those people living in

1:10:51those uh properties may may not be the

1:10:54owners. The owners may not be uh

1:10:56forthcoming in uh their ability to

1:10:58actually participate at the level that

1:11:00they're required to participate, but

1:11:02that does not stop us from needing to

1:11:04repair the sidewalk

1:11:08under the current program. Uh we need

1:11:11their participation and if they're not

1:11:12capable of doing that.

1:11:14>> And so under the current program, what

1:11:15these funds are using is they're they're

1:11:18essentially bolstering the resident side

1:11:21in order to get the work done. Is that

1:11:23fair? Then

1:11:24>> uh

1:11:26what they're doing is they're they're

1:11:28working towards the greater good of the

1:11:30neighborhood and the community and

1:11:32repairing the sidewalk whether the

1:11:34resident has the capacity to do.

1:11:36>> Okay. But but certainly the the my my

1:11:39colleagues are chipping in whatever they

1:11:42need on their side to to take care of

1:11:45the city's responsibility under the 5050

1:11:47program. Is that right?

1:11:49>> Yes, sir.

1:11:52And and just to make sure I know I

1:11:54understand the numbers before we walk

1:11:56out of here, um citywide we were looking

1:12:00at 4,50

1:12:04open requests. You've knocked down a

1:12:07thousand. Is that right?

1:12:09>> Correct.

1:12:09>> And we still have 649 in the fifth word

1:12:12that haven't been touched. Understood.

1:12:16Um

1:12:20uh I just I I do want to say uh with

1:12:22respect to the forestry trees and stumps

1:12:25and with respect to to that particular

1:12:28number um and this might be a director

1:12:32Hayes question but when we when we talk

1:12:35about these ranges

1:12:37if if all of the scheduled street paving

1:12:40is done as Mr. Ogulvie has described to

1:12:43the tune of 19.1 million. Does that mean

1:12:47that the money available for forestry to

1:12:50take down hazardous trees and remove

1:12:54stumps that have been left over for for

1:12:57a long time? Does that mean that that

1:12:59number is closer to a million dollars

1:13:02for 4.5?

1:13:06>> Could alderman could you I was listening

1:13:08all on could you repeat that because

1:13:10>> Yeah. Yeah. Well, we've We we've we've

1:13:13got these ranges that were going on.

1:13:15>> Yes, sir.

1:13:15>> If I Is forestry going to lose money to

1:13:19remove hazardous trees and take out

1:13:21problem stumps if at the end of the day

1:13:2519.1 million is is moved toward street

1:13:28paving. In other words, somebody's got

1:13:30to lose out on that that 30 million

1:13:33bucks. Right.

1:13:34>> Sure. It is my understanding that the

1:13:36range for us is that right now decision

1:13:39makers that made that range is what

1:13:41we're looking at essentially 1.5 million

1:13:45for stumps and 1.5 million for haz

1:13:49hazardous trees. So about 3 million is

1:13:51what I was told initially. So it's good

1:13:53to see 4.5 and included in that is a

1:13:57$500,000

1:13:59uh tree inventory which will be critical

1:14:01management tool.

1:14:02Yeah, that that's a very good question,

1:14:04but I I don't think we're going to get

1:14:06shorted.

1:14:07>> Alderman Alderwoman Sier talked about

1:14:10criteria.

1:14:12Um I I have a tremendous amount of trust

1:14:16in Commissioner Janowski. He is a true

1:14:19professional

1:14:20>> kind.

1:14:20>> Uh he he is responsive. He does what he

1:14:23says he's going to do. The work is done

1:14:25promptly and it's done very well.

1:14:29Having said that, when we talk about

1:14:30criteria, because as I'm hearing these

1:14:33six topics, it sounds to me like really

1:14:36what we're talking about fifth ward

1:14:38residents getting a benefit from is the

1:14:41the removal of hazardous trees and

1:14:43stumps. What is the criteria in deciding

1:14:48where hazardous trees are taken down and

1:14:51what stumps are taken out? cuz I know

1:14:53that that work just from crunching

1:14:55numbers with the commissioner far out

1:14:57exceeds even $4.5 million.

1:15:00>> Sure. So with 3,000 rem I think I'm

1:15:03pretty sure Allan can correct me and

1:15:05thanks for the kind words. Believe he

1:15:07has 7,000 stumps in the hopper so to

1:15:10speak and about 3,000 hazardous trees.

1:15:12I'd rather see those numbers as they

1:15:14are. Wouldn't want to see those numbers

1:15:16as they are. Rather see them that

1:15:18inversed. But uh the criteria is the

1:15:21most hazard trees based upon certified

1:15:23arborist inspections or ISA certified

1:15:26arborist train. And we he can also break

1:15:29down

1:15:30um he has it probably before we walked

1:15:33in this meeting the number of hazardous

1:15:35trees by ward, the 14 wards and the

1:15:38number of stumps by ward. But it

1:15:40typically is based on most hazard and

1:15:42and you could say

1:15:45700 of them are pretty much splitting

1:15:47hairs if you will. That's just ballpark

1:15:49arbitrary number

1:15:50>> that that makes sense to me director

1:15:52meaning with respect to that 1.5 million

1:15:54allocated toward removing hazard trees

1:15:57that we are concentrating our efforts on

1:16:00what we believe what the professionals

1:16:03believe are the most hazardous trees

1:16:05that remain standing.

1:16:06>> Absolutely.

1:16:07>> Yes sir. Good. with respect to those

1:16:10those stumps which I guess you know the

1:16:14the injury lawyer in me is thinking

1:16:16about a potential trip hazard. Right.

1:16:18>> Certainly.

1:16:19>> Although you would probably say Matt in

1:16:21most instances those are open and

1:16:23obvious. Those are phrases we we we know

1:16:26well.

1:16:26>> Um what is the criteria for deciding

1:16:31where those stumps are being?

1:16:34>> Sure. So the best criteria there is when

1:16:37you have upheaval of sidewalks which

1:16:39creates excessive or excuse me

1:16:42significant trip hazards they are not

1:16:45walkable by pedestrians. They're in

1:16:47front of homes where folks if it's an

1:16:49occupied unit even if it's vacant folks

1:16:52can't walk down the street. So I

1:16:53shouldn't say there's a difference.

1:16:54There is no difference between occupied

1:16:56or vacant. So those ones that are

1:16:58lifting a street or lifting a sidewalk

1:17:02where it's impassible, those are high

1:17:04priority. The ones sitting in an

1:17:06expansive tree lawn, let's say 8 to 10

1:17:08foot wide tree, which we also call the

1:17:10parkway, I would call those lower

1:17:12priority, but that citizen Joe Smith or

1:17:15Sally Smith doesn't want to see that

1:17:18stump out front. It's I consider it a

1:17:20safe situation, but they don't want to

1:17:22see it because it's not aesthetically

1:17:24pleasing. But I just just this morning,

1:17:26early this morning in the tornado zone,

1:17:30those are high priority because th those

1:17:32are uplifted streets and sidewalk. O

1:17:34>> understood. And that makes sense. Also,

1:17:36if the tree stump is interfering with

1:17:38the sidewalk, we can't replace the

1:17:40sidewalk until the tree stump is

1:17:42removed.

1:17:43>> Correct.

1:17:44>> Makes sense. Is there an analysis um

1:17:49that wi with with respect to removing

1:17:51those stumps with the criteria or the

1:17:53rough criteria you've just

1:17:56uh generally where those stumps are

1:17:58located throughout the city?

1:18:01>> I'm unclear your question. I'm sorry.

1:18:03>> Yeah. Yeah. It it have have you or or

1:18:06has Commissioner Janakowski identified

1:18:09in what wards those stumps are those

1:18:12high priority stumps to remove in order

1:18:16for us to do the sidewalk?

1:18:18>> Yes, I believe he has. He definitely has

1:18:20a volume number, but we it's pretty well

1:18:23known with the tornado team where those

1:18:25are. They've been identified. And I

1:18:27don't want to focus just on the tornado

1:18:29zone. Those poor folks were hit hard to

1:18:32say the least. But we're seeing a lot of

1:18:34them there and there is a lot of

1:18:35progress. I don't know how many at the

1:18:37moment have been taken out to date in

1:18:39the last 16 months.

1:18:40>> But but again to be fair and I

1:18:42understand that um a large emphasis is

1:18:47being placed in North St. Louis with

1:18:50respect to stump removal because of the

1:18:54collateral need to replace sidewalks.

1:18:58>> Fair statement.

1:18:59>> I that's where we're seeing the most

1:19:01upheavalss. Yes.

1:19:02>> Okay. So, as I go back to folks in the

1:19:07fifth war, um I mean really what we're

1:19:10talking about where my folks are going

1:19:12to see these funds has to do with

1:19:15category five.

1:19:18Um and and absolutely we there's a need

1:19:21to take down the most hazardous trees.

1:19:23But again, with respect to stump

1:19:25removals to set everybody's expectation,

1:19:28fifth ward, the reality is that that

1:19:32we're concentrating on those areas where

1:19:34sidewalk has been upturned so that the

1:19:37sidewalk can be repaired and a complete

1:19:40job is done. Fair.

1:19:41>> I would say that's a fair statement. And

1:19:43I don't know offhand, alderman, if you

1:19:45have any of those that meet the criteria

1:19:47in the fifth word, but they certainly

1:19:49would be equal priority.

1:19:50>> Understood. I'm I'm just trying to

1:19:52figure out generally where these funds

1:19:54are going.

1:19:54>> I understand.

1:19:55>> Okay.

1:19:58>> Yes.

1:19:59>> Alderman Alderman Devote, I just wanted

1:20:01to clarify too when it comes to uh what

1:20:04Director Hayes was mentioning about the

1:20:06progress we're making in the tornado

1:20:07zone that that funding is actually not

1:20:10this funding for stump removal. And

1:20:13you'll get that from the recovery team

1:20:15update here shortly. So that's a

1:20:16separate funding line from the board

1:20:18bill.

1:20:19>> I guess you would agree with me though.

1:20:21and and I'm going to hit you outside of

1:20:23your so I apologize but but when we talk

1:20:27about these items and you know and

1:20:31I try I truly try to approach this from

1:20:34a citywide perspective but but the

1:20:37reality is that that that folks in the

1:20:42fifth and to some extent the second and

1:20:44the fourth are extremely reliant on ward

1:20:49capital to make some differences or to

1:20:52do the kind of work that is getting

1:20:55addressed outside of our areas. Whether

1:20:58it's paving, whether it's taking care of

1:21:02of of our obligations under the 5050

1:21:05program as it now exists to take down

1:21:08hazardous trees or to remove stumps.

1:21:11Would you agree with me on that?

1:21:14>> Can you restate it?

1:21:16>> Yeah. that that with respect to these

1:21:19infrastructure funds,

1:21:20>> Yeah. these infrastructure funds that

1:21:24that that the reality is that ward

1:21:28capital remains essential to certain

1:21:32neighborhoods, specifically those in the

1:21:35second, the fourth, and the fifth to

1:21:38take up some of the issues like street

1:21:41paving, 5050, removal of dangerous

1:21:45trees, taking out of stumps, lighting,

1:21:48etc. that simply fall outside of the the

1:21:52scope of this program.

1:21:54>> I agree with you, alderman, that ward

1:21:56capital is an important component to

1:21:59some of these items, but not all. Thank

1:22:02you. I don't have any other questions.

1:22:06>> Thank you, Alderman. Uh just a few here

1:22:08so we get the uh our hardworking city

1:22:11directors and commissioners back doing

1:22:13the great work. So, I'm going to start

1:22:14with u the street repaving.

1:22:17Um, and it's a I think it's a question

1:22:19for Mr. Oglevie on the U and maybe you

1:22:23mentioned it being the last guy to ask

1:22:25question on total poll. Sometimes I

1:22:27forget. So to refresh my memory, um

1:22:32when it comes to the criteria of how you

1:22:34guys pick the streets, how did how did

1:22:37South Broadway

1:22:39um what was a thought to put South

1:22:41Broadway on the on the list of

1:22:45potential using these monies for

1:22:47repaving or safety traffic measures?

1:22:49>> Yeah. So this this um stretch of South

1:22:53Broadway, which again is uh roughly

1:22:56Dover or Sister Marie Charles Park um

1:22:58which is at the north end of a project

1:23:00that's currently happening to I-55.

1:23:03Um it's a section that has really old

1:23:06and poor quality pavement and it's had a

1:23:09lot of disruption from utility work in

1:23:12recent years and it's also um on the

1:23:14high injury network. So, it kind of fits

1:23:16the the physical condition of the

1:23:18roadway and the crashes and injuries

1:23:21component.

1:23:22>> And I know we never have enough money to

1:23:24do uh as as many of streets as we want

1:23:27to do. Um, you know, as we look at the

1:23:30list talking about what's not in the

1:23:32war, none of these streets also touch

1:23:34like the 14th ward to um, be clear when

1:23:36I think of South Broadway, you know, I

1:23:38think of like North Broadway does not

1:23:40get that. Um, you know, it's not a

1:23:43popular street that probably most people

1:23:44drive down, but it's a very industrial

1:23:46street. Well, we have so many great uh

1:23:50second and third generation businesses

1:23:52that are continuing to stick around in

1:23:55the city, but almost feel as if uh

1:23:58there's there's never any um attention

1:24:00made on on North Broadway. It's a lot of

1:24:02drag racing. It's a lot of uh streets

1:24:06broken up because utility work or just a

1:24:08bunch of potholes um that is, you know,

1:24:11not being filled in because we just have

1:24:14so many priorities throughout the city

1:24:16of St. Louis. But um

1:24:20while I understand the the the the

1:24:22metrics and and some of the work, you

1:24:23know, Gravo is definitely a a very

1:24:26dangerous street. Um and I think the the

1:24:30work that can happen in West Florison

1:24:31can be transformational. um just going

1:24:34out there on a limb that if any funds

1:24:37and all this gets switched around um and

1:24:40then money move as we as we think about

1:24:42Broadway and think about like the whole

1:24:44connection of Broadway especially kind

1:24:47of the northern end of Broadway um

1:24:50that's my question on that I'm going to

1:24:52get to the and my next question is

1:24:53around 50/50 sidewalks um which I think

1:24:57would be for you uh the director uh

1:25:00Jackson first I want to say when it come

1:25:02to 50/50. I don't do 50/50 in my ward. I

1:25:05think this program is a privilege

1:25:07program that uh residents that have the

1:25:11means to pay for a sidewalk and can tap

1:25:14into it with the work of their alder is

1:25:17a benefit. But uh you know, I represent

1:25:20areas like High Park. I represent areas

1:25:22like College Hill. I represent areas.

1:25:24I'm not saying that uh those four areas

1:25:28uh when it come to economic income are

1:25:30all the same, but the income is a a lot

1:25:34lower than other parts of the city. So,

1:25:37personally, I don't do the 50/50 um

1:25:39because I know it's harder for my

1:25:41residents to do it. And secondly, this

1:25:43was a program that was way before your

1:25:46time. I think the program is uh we need

1:25:50to move away from it because it is it it

1:25:53lacks the work of of getting done. So

1:25:56maybe this also is answered but what is

1:25:59the way that you guys are identifying

1:26:03um those sidewalks to use the money? Is

1:26:07it I think the ultimate from the fifth

1:26:10hit on it is it that you guys are

1:26:12prioritizing W 8 which is South St. Ward

1:26:159, central kind of west end or central

1:26:18corridor and also W 10 which a little

1:26:21central and north. Are those going to be

1:26:23the wards that get the priority for the

1:26:28funds for the sidewalk with the 1

1:26:31million to 5 million?

1:26:33>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um James Jackson,

1:26:36director of streets. Uh no the the way

1:26:39that those wards were selected actually

1:26:42are based on the fact that most of their

1:26:45those service requests were in the

1:26:46queue. They were already in and we were

1:26:48servicing them. And that's where we

1:26:51identified that the prepoundonderance of

1:26:52those that we were dealing with at this

1:26:54point in time are 8 n and 10 um with 11

1:26:57coming up because we can look at the

1:26:59list of those requests that have been

1:27:02backlogged and identify where we're

1:27:04going.

1:27:05So, but those will be the awards that

1:27:07will be identified for using uh the the

1:27:10the money that is on the the sheet the 1

1:27:13to 5 million 8 9 10 and potentially 11

1:27:16will be the wards that these funding the

1:27:19funds would go to for the 50/50.

1:27:21>> Yes, sir.

1:27:23>> And and if I may, Mr. Chair, I'd like to

1:27:26make one clarification on a couple of

1:27:27points that um uh Alderman Devote made

1:27:30regarding his concern about the paving

1:27:33uh program. Uh as uh my colleague shared

1:27:37that program, when you actually look at

1:27:38that program, that's based on um those

1:27:41arterial streets in our city that are in

1:27:44uh grave disrepair. When you look at

1:27:48what we're doing with our pilot program,

1:27:50which is the assessment of our streets,

1:27:52which hits all of the wards, that's

1:27:54where we're going to be able to tell you

1:27:56what the condition of your streets are

1:27:58in your ward. And based on that, what

1:28:00the recommended service or maintenance

1:28:02activity should be. And once we get to

1:28:05that point where we're doing that

1:28:06citywide, we will be going to each ward

1:28:09and sharing that information. not just

1:28:12sharing that information but scheduling

1:28:14that maintenance activity based on the

1:28:16severity of the condition of the road

1:28:18worst first so everybody will feel the

1:28:21love

1:28:23when it comes to the repaving um since

1:28:25you're up here uh director when it comes

1:28:27to that 12 to 17 million even though

1:28:29it's a little bit more over will this

1:28:31work from the rams money be something

1:28:33that will be done by the streets

1:28:35department or will this be something

1:28:37that is contracted out like we did with

1:28:39ARPA funding

1:28:40>> yes sir this is a contract that that's

1:28:42contracted activity for major arterials

1:28:44throughout the city.

1:28:45>> Okay. So, the the work on the major main

1:28:48streets would be something that uh is

1:28:50contracted out that wouldn't be directly

1:28:52in-house.

1:28:53>> Correct. Yes.

1:28:54>> Is is that a typical

1:28:57um if there's more work, and I'm getting

1:28:59a little off topic, not trying to poke

1:29:01at anything. If the board were to like

1:29:04move to move money um are like city

1:29:07works money to the street department um

1:29:10for main streets would that when it come

1:29:12to main streets is that something that

1:29:14you guys always like would contract out

1:29:16or would that be done by the street

1:29:17department?

1:29:18>> We prefer doing it through the contract

1:29:20because those are larger jobs. Uh they

1:29:22exceed our capability, our in-house

1:29:24capability. Uh sometimes it's a little

1:29:27bit more than just removing uh three

1:29:29inches of road uh surface wear or uh or

1:29:33cover wear. Uh it requires a lot more

1:29:36detail and the contracted uh pavers are

1:29:39better suited to do that kind of work

1:29:41than

1:29:41>> Gotcha. uh for for uh pedestrian

1:29:45lighting.

1:29:46Is there any I guess

1:29:49um and I don't know if this is you,

1:29:51Director Jackson, or or maybe a question

1:29:52for Colonel, knowing that none of this

1:29:55stuff is set in stone, is there any uh

1:29:58kind of wiggle room for

1:30:01um

1:30:04being flexible and not just keeping it

1:30:06only to business districts um and

1:30:10allowing this money to also be stretched

1:30:12just like I mean beyond the business

1:30:15district. I think of how this could be

1:30:17beneficial to neighborhoods and uh some

1:30:20neighborhoods up north that don't have

1:30:22business districts um would not be able

1:30:25to tap into this money and so it's

1:30:28almost like that they would not get the

1:30:30benefit because they're not in a

1:30:31business corridor. Is this criteria set

1:30:35in stone for uh this a lot of money when

1:30:38it comes to the lighting?

1:30:40>> No, it's it's not set in stone. uh Chair

1:30:43Aldridge and I I appreciate that

1:30:45question because I all of this feedback

1:30:47is valuable and I want to make sure we

1:30:50state that that this represents

1:30:52initial planning, you know, just two and

1:30:55a half months uh after the board bill 22

1:30:58was signed. So, we wanted to provide an

1:31:00update to you. Getting this feedback is

1:31:02enormously valuable to us. We'll be

1:31:04reconvening as a team to take in that

1:31:08feedback, consider the things that have

1:31:10brought up and brought up today and then

1:31:12we'll make sure we include that in our

1:31:14next update. And I think top of mind for

1:31:16me is um that's come up a couple times

1:31:19is just criteria, being very clear about

1:31:22criteria.

1:31:24And obviously um that point about

1:31:27transparency and our and criteria, it's

1:31:29it's foundational for Mayor Spencer's

1:31:31administration. Making sure that we're

1:31:33transparent with the public about how

1:31:35these funds get executed uh in

1:31:37partnership with your committee and the

1:31:39the board of alderman is is essential.

1:31:42>> Gotcha. And my last uh question, more of

1:31:44a comment uh for the recreation center.

1:31:46I do uh want to give a shout out to uh

1:31:50the director and the commissioner over

1:31:53uh our our rec centers. Um you know also

1:31:56none of these rec centers that you guys

1:31:58are looking at uh to upgrade hit the

1:32:0114th ward as well. Um but u I know the

1:32:06work that you all are doing to try to

1:32:08give these rec centers a facelift when

1:32:10we're in a time where our young people

1:32:12don't have uh much to do and locations

1:32:15to go to. Um, and we're talking about

1:32:17trying to give them that that safe space

1:32:20to go to. Um, I just am thankful for the

1:32:23work that you all are doing to I mean,

1:32:26not only young people use these

1:32:27recreational centers, um, folks that are

1:32:30my age and older due to, but uh, when

1:32:35when our federal government and our

1:32:36state government are cutting back

1:32:38programs for young people, uh,

1:32:40historically, these spaces have been and

1:32:42especially in the locations that you

1:32:44guys are looking to do. uh 12th and

1:32:46park. I mean, such an amazing uh

1:32:49recreational center uh in a heart of a

1:32:52very high impoverished area where uh

1:32:55young folks don't have either access to

1:32:57transportation to go somewhere or maybe

1:32:59their parents is working uh or parent

1:33:02work a 9-to-five and don't have a safe

1:33:04place to go. So, I just I am always

1:33:06thankful for the work that uh you all do

1:33:10um and especially for um giving some

1:33:13attention to those rec centers. So

1:33:15that's more just of a a thank you.

1:33:17>> I appreciate it. Can I comment just

1:33:19quickly? So I appreciate that chairman

1:33:21and also u we're always looking to a

1:33:23continuous improvement with our

1:33:25programs, but we don't we don't have a

1:33:27monopoly on all the ideas with our

1:33:29staff. So, I encourage the committee,

1:33:31the entire board alderman, if you have a

1:33:33novel approach or a neat neat, for lack

1:33:36of a better way to say it, programming

1:33:37idea or exercise or activity that's a

1:33:40positive outlet for our youth and our

1:33:42adult population, feel free to let us

1:33:44know. We don't have all the ideas. We

1:33:46welcome them.

1:33:47>> Yeah, e- gaming is a really big one and

1:33:50e-gaming.

1:33:51>> Yes, very much so. And I don't know as

1:33:53much about it as Miss Calon, but it's

1:33:55very popular with the kids.

1:33:57>> It definitely is. Uh just that's a a

1:33:59thought out there. Uh but uh I have no

1:34:01more questions unless any other members

1:34:03of the committee have questions.

1:34:06All right. Uh Colonel,

1:34:09uh you're up, I guess, to move into the

1:34:12the next segment of

1:34:13>> Yeah, I'll I'll pivot this to Mr. Steven

1:34:16Davis, um Mayor Spencer's chief economic

1:34:20development officer. We go we can just

1:34:23advance to that slide. I think it's one

1:34:26more. Thanks,

1:34:29Thank you, Ben, and good morning to the

1:34:31committee. Uh, Chair Aldridge, Vice

1:34:33Chair Browning, the rest of the

1:34:35committee. Good afternoon. Actually,

1:34:36it's afternoon now. Um, again, my name

1:34:39is Steve Davis. I'm the chief economic

1:34:40development officer for the city of St.

1:34:42Louis. Um, I'm pleased to provide an

1:34:44update today on downtown RAM settlement

1:34:46funds. Um, I do want to say thank you to

1:34:49all of you for the hard work that went

1:34:51into appropriating these funds um, for

1:34:53downtown. Um, and I know that took a lot

1:34:56of deep conversation and and varying

1:34:58levels of partnership to get that

1:34:59across. So, again, appreciate all the

1:35:02work that you put in and uh now we get

1:35:04to to work towards uh putting those

1:35:05funds to work. Um, so just a quick

1:35:07recap. Um, you all allocated 55 million

1:35:11uh to downtown uh into three major

1:35:13buckets. The major capital projects uh

1:35:15the riverfront uh activation fund and

1:35:18then we have a retail and event

1:35:19attraction fund as well. So, we can go

1:35:22ahead and advance to the next slide.

1:35:25Um so just to quickly recap um you know

1:35:28what these funds are for. So the major

1:35:30capital projects fund is a $30 million

1:35:32fund um that is designed to be leveraged

1:35:35for uh major capital projects downtown.

1:35:38So, as we think of uh major assets like

1:35:40the railway exchange building um or

1:35:43other uh major development opportunities

1:35:46downtown, this this fund could

1:35:48potentially uh service those projects in

1:35:51a variety of different ways, whether

1:35:52it's gap financing, mediation, site

1:35:54preparation, uh things of that nature.

1:35:57And then we have the uh $15 million

1:36:00riverfront activation fund um with which

1:36:03emphasizes uh more connectivity to the

1:36:06river. Um that was a big ask of

1:36:08residents um and uh enhancing that

1:36:11experience for residents and creating

1:36:12better linkages between WAB and Led's

1:36:14Landing um and and other aspects there.

1:36:17And then we have the retail and event

1:36:19attraction fund which is a $10 million

1:36:22fund broken down to $8 million for

1:36:24retail attraction and 2 million for

1:36:25event attraction. Uh again designed to

1:36:28bring more amenities uh in and events to

1:36:30our city. Um,

1:36:33so today I really want to talk about how

1:36:35we're thinking about implementation.

1:36:37Obviously, you know, as Ben mentioned,

1:36:38we're two and a half months out from you

1:36:40guys uh approving uh Board Bill 22. Um,

1:36:44and so my my goal is to outline, you

1:36:46know, how we're thinking about this this

1:36:48structure and what those partnerships

1:36:49could look like. Um, so obviously, you

1:36:52know, these are one-time dollars and the

1:36:53ultimate goal is that they create a

1:36:55lasting impact for downtown uh that is

1:36:57felt and is visible um for residents.

1:36:59So, you know, the the metrics that we're

1:37:01going to be tracking are merely merely

1:37:03just dollars spent. Um, you know, we we

1:37:05need to see, you know, how these funds

1:37:08leverage additional private capital

1:37:10investment. Um, we need to see how they

1:37:12remove uh redevelopment barriers. I

1:37:14mentioned some of the the major uh

1:37:17redevelopment opportunities that that

1:37:19provide challenges a little bit earlier.

1:37:21You know, how do these funds enhance the

1:37:23public realm and then how do we activate

1:37:25storefronts, the riverfront, and and

1:37:27strengthen downtown overall? So starting

1:37:29out we there there's some other

1:37:30components too that that go along with

1:37:32this. So the the Rams funds, you know,

1:37:35we don't see these as being deployed in

1:37:36a vacuum. Um I'm going to refer to House

1:37:39Bill 3231 here in a minute with the

1:37:41downtown innovation zone that we're

1:37:43currently working to uh stand up in

1:37:46partnership with the Department of

1:37:47Economic Development in the state. Um

1:37:49that is actually a timebound process. So

1:37:52we have to have certain things in place

1:37:54by uh Q2 of of next year. So that's kind

1:37:57of where our main priority is, but I'll

1:37:59I'll dive in a little bit as to why

1:38:00that's so important to how these these

1:38:02RAMs funds um get get issued. Um so

1:38:07again, these these funds are going to

1:38:09take high levels of partnership uh with

1:38:11various stakeholders downtown. Um so

1:38:13those those conversations are starting

1:38:14to happen and we're working to develop a

1:38:16governance structure on how various

1:38:18organizations will work together,

1:38:20whether it is the major major capital

1:38:21projects fund or the retail activation

1:38:24fund or the riverfront. um we're putting

1:38:27those partnerships in place. Um and one

1:38:29of the first things we have to do is we

1:38:31have to create kind of an an intake

1:38:32process on, you know, how are we

1:38:34evaluating projects? What does the

1:38:36project pipeline um look like? Where are

1:38:39these projects looking at uh being

1:38:41located? What do those funding requests

1:38:43look like? What are the schedule of

1:38:45those projects look like? And then whose

1:38:46responsibilities

1:38:48um is it to to drive those projects

1:38:50forward. Um the second piece is then how

1:38:53do we screen and and prioritize uh the

1:38:56project pipeline itself. So we'll have

1:38:57to come up with eligibility

1:38:59requirements. Um we'll have to align

1:39:01this rubric with existing downtown

1:39:03plans. Um we'll have to evaluate how uh

1:39:06shovel ready projects are. Um evaluate

1:39:09the public benefit that they could

1:39:10bring. And again the key piece to all of

1:39:12this is the the private capital that

1:39:14that can be leveraged um through through

1:39:16these funds. Um and then building around

1:39:20that, building around that, how what

1:39:22does the complete development package

1:39:23look like? What other incentives can be

1:39:25leveraged and things of that nature to

1:39:27get these projects across the finish

1:39:28line? And then finally, there's the

1:39:31approval and execution of these things,

1:39:32which is defined, you know, by the

1:39:34ordinance. So, working with

1:39:36um on recommendations on how specific

1:39:39projects get awarded, uh how how are

1:39:41those contracts implemented and

1:39:43expenditures uh and things of that

1:39:45nature. Um and so you know we'll build

1:39:48we'll build our reporting requirements

1:39:49out of that. Um you know we'll want to

1:39:53understand you know how many projects we

1:39:56have in the pipeline how much funding

1:39:57has been committed how much is currently

1:39:59under contract and then how much has

1:40:01actually been spent and then in tandem

1:40:03with that going back to the the private

1:40:05capital that that needs to be leveraged

1:40:08um throughout all of this. So those

1:40:09those are the high level metrics that

1:40:11we're thinking about. Again, we have a

1:40:12lot of work to do given we're only half

1:40:14months in uh to refine those things and

1:40:16really understand what the project

1:40:18pipeline looks like so we can start to

1:40:20to build programming around that. And I

1:40:22I mentioned House Bill 3231. And this is

1:40:26really our main priority in the mayor's

1:40:27office right now because this thing

1:40:28needs stood up by April of 2027 when

1:40:32we'll be able as a city to put an

1:40:33application in for an innovation zone

1:40:36which would cover 6.6 square miles of of

1:40:39our downtown. Our downtown is currently

1:40:412.9. Um, so there's a lot of opportunity

1:40:44there to uh unlock new resources that

1:40:47could spur development um for downtown.

1:40:50And so part of this innovation zone um

1:40:53there's there's a couple requirements

1:40:54that we have to look look at. So we do

1:40:56need to have uh a master plan uh that

1:41:00outlines what is the vision for our our

1:41:02downtown and the innovation zone. Um in

1:41:05and the way we view this this is more of

1:41:07an aggregation of the existing plans

1:41:09that we have. Think of it as like a meta

1:41:10plan that combines the transport the

1:41:12mobility plan uh the downtown

1:41:16uh now St. Louis plan um the recent ULI

1:41:20plan we did around the gateway mall. Um

1:41:22it'll combine the elements of those um

1:41:25to communicate the aspirations of the

1:41:27innovation zone and then we'll have to

1:41:28obviously define the boundaries. will

1:41:30have to identify target properties uh

1:41:32public safety and infrastructure

1:41:34priorities and then growth targets are a

1:41:36requirement of the state as well. So how

1:41:37many jobs are going to be created within

1:41:39this innovation zone uh what do

1:41:41occupancy rates look like for buildings?

1:41:44What does population density look like?

1:41:46Is it increasing decreasing? Um all

1:41:48these things are required of the state.

1:41:49So we'll have to compile a lot of

1:41:51information um to to fully understand

1:41:54that. Um and then so you know the way we

1:41:57view it that that master plan could

1:41:59ultimately inform how these RAMs funds

1:42:01get spent downtown as far as priority

1:42:03areas. You know where where do we need

1:42:05to build retail strength you know where

1:42:08what priority projects for our large

1:42:10vacant buildings should take precedence.

1:42:12Um so there's a lot within that that

1:42:14state bill that that will guide how we

1:42:16think about the RAMs funding. So um with

1:42:20that I think we can go to the next

1:42:22slide.

1:42:25if we don't mind.

1:42:30Okay, so this is so I wanted to

1:42:32highlight the retail and event

1:42:34attraction piece just because we've done

1:42:36a retail program before downtown. So we

1:42:38do have a little bit of experience with

1:42:40that. Um and we've actually already done

1:42:41a retail study for downtown. and I'm

1:42:44happy to share that with the committee

1:42:45members and anyone who's interested um

1:42:48and basically the the retail environment

1:42:50as it currently uh is downtown. Um but

1:42:54in order to be really effective with the

1:42:56retail funds, we we got to have a

1:42:58strategy, right? So, you know, we need

1:43:00to go out to tenant brokers uh and top

1:43:03location strategists who have these

1:43:04relationships with top retailers in the

1:43:06country um and understand site selection

1:43:10and and how and where retail can be

1:43:12successful.

1:43:13um and they can actually bring

1:43:15complimentary tenants together uh to

1:43:17create trick create nodes of strength

1:43:19downtown. Um so that's that's one piece

1:43:22of it is you know we have to you know

1:43:24competitively position ourselves with

1:43:25those tenant brokers to bring

1:43:27opportunities to the city and I believe

1:43:28that the Rams funds gives us really

1:43:30strong opportunity to do that. Um and

1:43:32then we have to develop basically a new

1:43:34suite of retail incentives as well. So,

1:43:37you know, on the original retail

1:43:39program, you know, we had a $50,000 TI

1:43:41account. We had a $15,000

1:43:44uh popup fund and then an inside out

1:43:46program. You know, this this level of

1:43:49funding gives us a lot uh stronger

1:43:51options and more uh effective incentive

1:43:55tool depending on what that looks like.

1:43:56So, you know, we'll we'll be working

1:43:58with uh you know, experts, those tenant

1:44:02brokers to understand what are the best

1:44:04uh best-in-class best practice retail

1:44:06incentives that that we need to deploy.

1:44:09Um and then we need to think about like

1:44:10who we're trying to attract, right? So,

1:44:12you know, we could target social uh

1:44:14impact retailers um you know, that that

1:44:17you know drive community uplift. You

1:44:20know, we talk a lot about art downtown

1:44:21and bringing more people in. Um, so we

1:44:24want to make sure that throughout this

1:44:25process, you know, we're being inclusive

1:44:26of local businesses as well as major

1:44:28retailers as well. So, um, there's

1:44:31there's still a lot to think through

1:44:32there and it's not a a fully formed

1:44:35strategy with with set incentives yet,

1:44:37but those conversations are starting to

1:44:39happen. Um, and that's kind of where

1:44:40we're at right now. So, I'll I'll pause

1:44:42there and there are a couple more slides

1:44:44that have really high level metrics. Uh,

1:44:46you know, these these are things that we

1:44:48should be tracking anyway currently to

1:44:50and and we will have to for the

1:44:51innovation zone. Um so we will we will

1:44:54get those reported out. Um but it my you

1:44:59know as we start to develop the actual

1:45:02incentive programs related to

1:45:05the the major project cap the major

1:45:07capital fund or the retail fund uh new

1:45:10metrics will likely be a part of that.

1:45:13So

1:45:17I'll pause there open up for questions.

1:45:20Alman Devote or Alman Vice Chair

1:45:23Browning.

1:45:27>> Uh thank you m thank you [clears throat]

1:45:28Mr. Davis. Um

1:45:31I am curious a little bit for those who

1:45:34are unfamiliar with innovation zone that

1:45:38uh the state has kind of opened up as an

1:45:41opportunity for us. Could you share a

1:45:43little more about what that is making

1:45:46like the opportunities that that's

1:45:48providing uh the city and and how we're

1:45:50looking to to leverage that and work

1:45:53within that framework to hopefully boost

1:45:57our our downtown?

1:45:58>> Yeah, absolutely. So, there's there's

1:46:00quite a bit um in House Bill 3231

1:46:03um you know, namely the designation of

1:46:05an innovation zone. There's new

1:46:08incentive tools for for businesses. We

1:46:11talk about business retention downtown

1:46:12all the time. So there payroll tax

1:46:14credit uh where companies downtown could

1:46:16retain up to 3% of their payroll um that

1:46:19they could then roll back into their

1:46:21business or they could even collectively

1:46:23if if we're talking about a whole office

1:46:24building they could collectively pull

1:46:26that tax credit and use it for TI um to

1:46:28upgrade our office space. Um there's an

1:46:31angel investor tax credit you know. So

1:46:33this is this is big news for startups in

1:46:35the city and and you know position us

1:46:37well to be able to attract innovators

1:46:39and entrepreneurs to downtown um where

1:46:41they would then become eligible or the

1:46:44investors would then be eligible to

1:46:46invest in these startups. Um so you have

1:46:49that there's there's also um you know

1:46:52with the master plan the state's going

1:46:53to be developing a master scorecard. So

1:46:55there there's some new uh implications

1:46:57for how incentives are deployed and how

1:46:59those are evaluated. Now, the city, you

1:47:01know, we just met with DED yesterday to

1:47:03talk through this a little bit. The city

1:47:04will be involved in in how that

1:47:06scorecard is created um and how it's

1:47:09leveraged. Um there's obviously uh

1:47:11special provisions in it as well for

1:47:13office to residential conversion. So, we

1:47:16know, you know, downtown vacancy is, you

1:47:18know, almost to 30% currently, right?

1:47:21And demand for office isn't really

1:47:24coming back in any strong way. Um, so

1:47:26this presents a major opportunity for us

1:47:28to convert some of that excess office

1:47:30space into residential units and new

1:47:32housing that that we desperately need to

1:47:34attract new people. Um, so those are

1:47:36those are the main the main tenants.

1:47:38There's also um on the historic tax

1:47:40credit side uh increasing the threshold

1:47:42for buildings over a million square

1:47:44feet. Think about the AT&T and railway

1:47:46exchange. Um there's a special provision

1:47:49in there that they could receive up to

1:47:5035% um tax credit for for those

1:47:54buildings as well. So again, there's a

1:47:56there's a lot in there. I probably

1:47:57missed a couple things. Um, but it's

1:47:59it's an exciting opportunity for

1:48:01downtown. Um, and makes the city a

1:48:05really attractive place uh to to invest.

1:48:08So that's why we're laser focused on

1:48:10making sure that we set that up

1:48:12correctly and we're taking full

1:48:13advantage of that. And if we do that

1:48:15well, then I think with these Rams

1:48:17funds, the these will be a great

1:48:18complement to uh the opportunities that

1:48:21that that innovation zone could bring.

1:48:24Thank you for that. I I think we can

1:48:26agree that and I hope everyone agrees

1:48:28that in a downtown uh that is successful

1:48:32is key to the entire region.

1:48:35>> Yeah.

1:48:35>> Uh that we can't replace this out in St.

1:48:38Charles, we can't do this anywhere else.

1:48:40That you know, this is not only

1:48:42historically been an economic driver for

1:48:44the region and the state, but that it is

1:48:48also the answer to future economic

1:48:51prosperity uh for the area. Um you're

1:48:55talking about a little bit still

1:48:57defining the boundaries of that

1:48:59innovation zone. Uh is there some any

1:49:03preliminary thoughts on what areas are

1:49:06being looked at?

1:49:08So, we we've had some general

1:49:10conversations and you know I you know I

1:49:12won't state exactly where that is but

1:49:15you know downtown the central business

1:49:17district and downtown west are going to

1:49:19squarely be in theation zone. They make

1:49:22up approximately 2.9

1:49:24uh square miles and the provision in the

1:49:26legislation is uh you can have up to 10%

1:49:29of your city boundary as an innovation

1:49:31zone. the it has to be contiguous

1:49:35though. So there's no opportunity to you

1:49:38know draw circles in other areas of the

1:49:40city. So we have some work to do to

1:49:42understand um where the highest and best

1:49:45value uh um of those boundaries should

1:49:48be because with the innovation zone

1:49:50we'll have to set a baseline um for for

1:49:53the revenues for downtown and you know

1:49:56ultimately we're going to track against

1:49:57that baseline. Um, so there's, you know,

1:49:59we we could be very strategic on on

1:50:01where we're looking and where we see the

1:50:03most opportunity to bring revenues up.

1:50:06Um, so more to come on that front and

1:50:09obviously there'll have to be a lot of

1:50:10conversations uh with stakeholders

1:50:12regarding that.

1:50:13>> It's good to hear just that downtown

1:50:15west is also being considered because

1:50:17it's not entirely a separate

1:50:19neighborhood from downtown even though

1:50:21it's got a different designation. As

1:50:23>> a downtown west resident, I view them as

1:50:25one and the same. So yeah.

1:50:26>> Yeah. Yeah. That's that's great. Um the

1:50:30uh riverfront

1:50:32uh improvements

1:50:35I I know I'm not the only one that's a

1:50:37little concerned about money's been

1:50:39invested downtown before

1:50:41>> and even within

1:50:44my young in your young lifetime. Uh

1:50:47we've we've put a lot of money to wash a

1:50:49for instance and then you know 20 years

1:50:52later it looks like it needs a refresh

1:50:54in many spots. Um, same with the

1:50:57riverfront. It's a tough riverfront.

1:50:59It's not like Minneapolis. It's not like

1:51:02Quincy. It's not like Deuke or anything

1:51:04like that. It's a much different river.

1:51:06It's big. It's wide. It's muddy. And it

1:51:08floods. Uh, and yet I think it could be

1:51:11really cool uh if we if we embrace it

1:51:14the right way. Um,

1:51:17what thought is being put into the

1:51:18maintenance of these upgrades as we go

1:51:23forward? I mean, I know we're working

1:51:24from limited funds of Rams money. Always

1:51:26the difficult thing about limited funds

1:51:28is that you can spend them once, but as

1:51:32we're making these upgrades, what kind

1:51:34of thoughtfulness going into how are

1:51:36these going to be funded and maintained

1:51:38in the future

1:51:39>> going forward? And I think that's why

1:51:41partnership with these funds is so

1:51:43important. So, you know, we have to be

1:51:44actively engaged with the stewards of of

1:51:46these various areas, right? Um, I know

1:51:49for instance right now, you know, a

1:51:51needs assessment is happening on

1:51:52deferred maintenance. So, we're just

1:51:54trying to wrap our what does that number

1:51:56like? And then, you know, with with with

1:51:59the Rams funding, what is the highest

1:52:01and best use again with with the with

1:52:04the match, right? So, I think there's a

1:52:06lot to think through there. Um, I don't

1:52:08have like an exact answer for you

1:52:10because I think we need to just

1:52:12understand what the total need is and

1:52:14then from there we can start to make

1:52:15decisions on, you know, what is the best

1:52:17the best use of the of these funds. And

1:52:19I I couldn't agree with you more. You

1:52:20know, it's an industrial river. You

1:52:23know, it's always been that way. It's

1:52:25not, you know, we're not building a

1:52:26marina on on in front of the arch. It's

1:52:28just not possible, right? So, you know,

1:52:31what is the what what makes the most

1:52:33sense here? And I think, you know, we'll

1:52:34have to work together to figure that

1:52:36out. Yeah.

1:52:38>> No, I think I just wanted to hear it's

1:52:40being thought about. You know, I

1:52:41understand details take time to work

1:52:44out. Um the the other question I'd have

1:52:47is that all of this idea is that again

1:52:50downtown is the money maker for the

1:52:52region. It's it's really important that

1:52:54it be economically successful uh in

1:52:57order for us to justify spending this

1:53:00amount of money on it. uh something that

1:53:02we received a lot of criticism for when

1:53:04we were discussing the Rams bill about

1:53:07how much money do we send downtown

1:53:09versus other areas of the city. And to

1:53:11the point of my colleagues

1:53:14uh on this on this uh committee, there's

1:53:18a feeling like these funds should

1:53:20benefit the whole city uh in in some

1:53:24way. I don't think we've ever said that

1:53:25they would benefit the whole city

1:53:27because it it's not that much money at

1:53:29the end of the day.

1:53:30>> But uh what what it's doing is building

1:53:35our tax base and that's how it benefits

1:53:38the whole city.

1:53:39>> Correct. So,

1:53:42as and I think this is just a closing

1:53:44remark, not really a question, but as we

1:53:46are looking at what kind of businesses

1:53:48bring in, what we want to attract, who

1:53:51we're kind of bringing into this, I I

1:53:54hope to see some metrics in the future

1:53:56about what the anticipated return is on

1:53:59the type of businesses that we're

1:54:00attracting because we could fill

1:54:02downtown with nonprofit offices, but

1:54:04that wouldn't do us a lot good as a

1:54:07city. Yeah. No offense to nonprofits.

1:54:09They do great work, but

1:54:10>> love our nonprofits, but for many

1:54:11>> but we we need taxpaying properties as

1:54:14well and and I think St. Louis, as much

1:54:16as it has a vacancy problem, also has a

1:54:18nonprofit issue. And so it would be

1:54:21great to have more properties on the tax

1:54:23roles, but at the end of the day, the

1:54:25goal is also to get people downtown,

1:54:27>> right,

1:54:28>> that can visit these retail

1:54:29establishments that can help add people

1:54:32to the street. Uh, you know, I came back

1:54:35from Chicago recently and I was blown

1:54:37away by how busy their streets were. Uh,

1:54:39and they have a 20% vacancy rate

1:54:41downtown. So, better than ours, but, you

1:54:44know, I I didn't notice the vacancy as

1:54:47much because there was just so much

1:54:49activity. And I want that kind of energy

1:54:51for our city. I know we're not Chicago,

1:54:53but I I'd love for us to be uh the St.

1:54:57Louis that some people even in this room

1:54:59I'm sure remember from a few decades ago

1:55:02where you could go downtown and the

1:55:03streets would be busy and full of life.

1:55:06So I I really appreciate that we are

1:55:08putting money towards this that we are

1:55:10trying to invest in this. Um but as we

1:55:12move forward I'd love to see just

1:55:14exactly uh how we're building that tax

1:55:17base and how we're bringing that energy

1:55:18back to Denver.

1:55:19>> Yeah, absolutely. And I and I did forget

1:55:21to mention on the the House Bill 3231

1:55:23innovation zone, you know, another

1:55:25provision of it is we do get to redirect

1:55:27state revenues

1:55:29um tax revenues to public safety and

1:55:32infrastructure for downtown as well. So

1:55:34again, we will have additional resources

1:55:36to to pair with these RAMs funds um that

1:55:39we did not have before. So again, that's

1:55:41why it's important we make sure we get

1:55:43that up and running prior to deploying

1:55:45these. So I just wanted to highlight

1:55:47that. All right. Thank you.

1:55:48>> Yep.

1:55:51Alderwoman San I think she's online.

1:56:04Alderwoman Velasquez,

1:56:07is she online?

1:56:09>> I am. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, thank

1:56:11you, Mr. Davis. I don't have too many

1:56:13questions because I feel like a lot of

1:56:17it is going to be in the details and I

1:56:19know you're you're um you're just at the

1:56:22beginning of planning this.

1:56:24>> What I am curious I know in the proposed

1:56:26metrics it has each section has a

1:56:31portion for um tracking private dollars

1:56:34leverage. They're in different spots. A

1:56:36couple of them it's number one and I

1:56:37think one it's number four. But can you

1:56:39talk about this and sort of I think a

1:56:41lot of the conversation around the

1:56:43downtown money was that you know that 55

1:56:46million was going to be matched

1:56:48um by private investment and how that is

1:56:51going and how you know not only do you

1:56:54plan to track it individually but like

1:56:56the plan for overall

1:56:57>> Yeah. And I would I would rank it as the

1:57:00number one metric for all of these

1:57:02buckets. So, I'm not sure how it maybe

1:57:04got moved into to one of the other slots

1:57:06there, but um you know, it's it's it's

1:57:09critical that we make these dollars go

1:57:11farther and they should not be spent um

1:57:13in in an isolated fashion. Um these

1:57:17these dollars should be used to unlock

1:57:19projects that might otherwise not

1:57:20happen. Um, again thinking of the major

1:57:23capital projects fund, you know, what

1:57:24are some of our most challenging

1:57:26vacancies downtown and how can these

1:57:28funds maybe uh, you know, get a project,

1:57:32you know, over over the hump and and

1:57:33moving forward um, versus remaining

1:57:36stagnant. Um, and and I would say this

1:57:38for for all the buckets, too. So, with

1:57:40the retail fund, you know, you know,

1:57:42we'd expect retailers coming in and

1:57:44investing this. We're not going to 100%

1:57:46subsidize, you know, new retail

1:57:48downtown. um you know these funds are

1:57:50meant to accelerate um uh investment

1:57:54that potential investment that is

1:57:55coming. So again, you know, as as you

1:57:58noted, we're we're very early in

1:58:00conversations the governance like around

1:58:03around this looks like with our partners

1:58:04and um you know, we do have to build

1:58:07structure around how we develop the

1:58:10project pipeline and what specific

1:58:12projects are we looking at um and then

1:58:14how these funds will be leveraged kind

1:58:16of within those within those capital

1:58:18stacks, right? So um

1:58:22we still have a ways to go on that front

1:58:24but you know as you noted you know

1:58:26leveraging outside investment is is

1:58:29priority one

1:58:33>> and then can you just talk about I know

1:58:34you won't be doing all hopefully not um

1:58:37but um this is a lot of I mean it is a

1:58:41lot of work

1:58:43>> so can you just talk through like who

1:58:45are the teams that are going to be

1:58:46working

1:58:47>> yes

1:58:47>> to do some implementation Yeah,

1:58:49absolutely. So, um, you know, so you

1:58:52know, my team is going to consist of

1:58:54folks from PDA, SLDC,

1:58:57GSL, the St. Louis Economic Development

1:58:59Partnership. Um, so, so mainly the ECODO

1:59:02partners and then, um, obviously we're

1:59:04working directly with developers as

1:59:06well. Um so you know for instance with

1:59:09the uh house bill 3231 you know we're

1:59:13working with you know the planning

1:59:15department on the master plan and SLDC

1:59:18on on that front. You know we're in

1:59:20conversation

1:59:21uh with other ECODO partners on on how

1:59:24we're going to you know

1:59:27go work work through stakeholder

1:59:29engagement and and kind of show show up

1:59:31in a in a united way. Um so yes no I

1:59:34will not be doing all this by myself.

1:59:36there will be uh partners at the table

1:59:39and and uh other other city staff

1:59:41working on this as well

1:59:44>> hopefully

1:59:45>> and I think thank you and this is more

1:59:48of a comment than a question I think

1:59:50you'll it's going to be [clears throat]

1:59:51consistent for me uh from each portion

1:59:54but I think just you know making sure

1:59:56that we're very clear and very

1:59:58transparent about the criteria used to

2:00:00making you know to make decisions I

2:00:02think is I mean it's why [snorts] we're

2:00:04having these meetings it's it's

2:00:05important for for the public to

2:00:06understand what may seem obvious to us,

2:00:08right? Sometimes working so close to

2:00:10things, it's not always obvious, but

2:00:12making sure that we're very, you know,

2:00:14if not overly clear about how we arrived

2:00:17at certain decisions about why we're

2:00:19doing things a certain way.

2:00:21>> Absol. Absolutely. And I think, you

2:00:23know, once we've kind of established how

2:00:25these these different accounts are are

2:00:28programmed out, we'll we'll be able to

2:00:31share the the process or or the

2:00:34applications that are required uh to to

2:00:36access the funds. So, um we can we can

2:00:39definitely make that commitment.

2:00:43>> Thank you. Well, I don't have any other

2:00:44questions uh for now. Thank you,

2:00:46Chairman.

2:00:48>> Alderman Devote.

2:00:51>> Yes, Mr. Davis. Thank you for the

2:00:52conversation. For the purposes of of of

2:00:55our discussion to make sure we're all on

2:00:56the same page, could you identify

2:00:59downtown when we're talking about the

2:01:01the use of this $55 million?

2:01:04>> Yes. I mean, downtown and and downtown

2:01:06West are defined neighborhoods. Um so,

2:01:09you know, we we we would go off that

2:01:11obviously, you know, include the Cleles

2:01:12Landing and and the riverfront. I think

2:01:14that's explicitly stated in the

2:01:16ordinance as well. Um, again going back

2:01:20to the the innovation zone, I think, you

2:01:22know, we'll have some pretty clear

2:01:23defined boundaries um, you know, as to

2:01:26to what we we consider downtown. Right.

2:01:30>> To to be clear, these funds are going to

2:01:33be used or shall be used pursuant to the

2:01:36>> ordinance. Correct. In two

2:01:38neighborhoods, correct? Correct.

2:01:40>> Downtown and downtown.

2:01:41>> Downtown. Yes.

2:01:42>> Yes, sir.

2:01:43>> They are distinct neighborhoods. Yep.

2:01:45>> Yes. Thank you.

2:01:47Thank you, Alderman Devote. Um,

2:01:50just two questions.

2:01:53Are you anticipating, I guess, a lot of

2:01:55this work, um,

2:01:58from retail to the riverfront, a lot of

2:02:02this work to start

2:02:05as an innovation district process also

2:02:08happened to be able to capitalize some

2:02:09of those dollars with his dollars.

2:02:12>> Yeah, that's how I view it. And so, like

2:02:14I said, the innovation zone really is

2:02:16priority number one because we need to

2:02:18have, you know, those requirements in

2:02:20place by April of 2027 to be able to

2:02:22apply to the state. And I think having

2:02:25the innovation zone in place creates a

2:02:27greater opportunity for the Rams funds

2:02:29themselves. Now, that's not to say

2:02:32between now and April, yes, absolutely,

2:02:34we're going to have to be working on

2:02:36what the programming of these Rams

2:02:38dollars looks like. Understanding what

2:02:40what does uh uh the next iteration of

2:02:44the downtown retail incentive program

2:02:46look like, how are we working with with

2:02:48our partners on on event attraction um

2:02:52and building out those meaningful

2:02:53metrics that we can share out. So, I

2:02:55mean, you know, I envision us kind of

2:02:56creating a baseline of where things are

2:02:58now and, you know, based on the

2:03:01investments that come through this the

2:03:04Rams funds, you know, how,

2:03:08you know, those those baseline metrics

2:03:10have increased, right?

2:03:12>> Yeah. And I've been privy a little bit

2:03:15since I shared downtown with all woman

2:03:18from the eighth ward um all woman cox

2:03:20ante and know when we we we talk about

2:03:23the riverfront I know there's some

2:03:24working groups going on with uh the arch

2:03:27foundation uh and I know they're already

2:03:29looking to do some match to um the

2:03:32riverfront money and and other folks

2:03:35that are uh ready to put capital up uh

2:03:38in lie of matching to some of the

2:03:40downtown um funding. Uh only comment

2:03:44I'll say when it comes to the retail and

2:03:45event attraction, I think that's going

2:03:47to be a a big help. I think like the

2:03:50altman of the night said, you know,

2:03:52downtown. I'm only 32, so I'm not sure

2:03:55when it was popping. Uh but I' I've

2:03:58heard about uh our glory days of

2:04:01downtown when it was very active. Um,

2:04:04and I do know a lot of um, folks just

2:04:07like Alex Oliver and others are working

2:04:08very hard to um, do that work, bring a

2:04:11food hall back and and has done

2:04:13renovations of businesses, but as we

2:04:16look at how we support our retail and

2:04:18event out space just I know this has

2:04:21been done a little bit before in the

2:04:22past with GSL of trying to give like

2:04:25micro loans out and it wasn't so

2:04:27successful. um so that we kind of learn

2:04:30from those um

2:04:32>> I don't want to say wrongdoings because

2:04:33they were an attempt to do something

2:04:35positive but um learn from those and

2:04:38honestly work with the businesses up and

2:04:42down WAV. I think in the last part of

2:04:44the presentation we was talking about

2:04:46stuff people can feel with their hands

2:04:48and I think making sure that uh the

2:04:50businesses that are currently there have

2:04:52that opportunity to kind of have a weigh

2:04:54in and I know you're very engaged in

2:04:56that uh in those conversations.

2:04:59>> Yeah, visible progress is extremely

2:05:01important and and to your point on the

2:05:02retail program, yes, it was it was very

2:05:04limited dollars that we working with

2:05:07500,000 of of ARPA interest and you know

2:05:10now we have an $8 million fund. Um and

2:05:14you know I think one of the things I

2:05:16think one of the things that we didn't

2:05:17do well during the last iteration was

2:05:19ensuring the survivability of those

2:05:21retailers making sure that you know they

2:05:24stayed in place 12 24 you know 56 months

2:05:28or however and I think that'll be part

2:05:30of this this iteration of the retail

2:05:32program is tracking not only how many

2:05:34retailers are we standing up but you

2:05:36know how long have they been able to

2:05:37stay in business what level of success

2:05:40have they had and making sure that we're

2:05:41providing other supports, too. So, we're

2:05:43not just saying, "Hey, here you go. Have

2:05:45a nice day." You know, we need to need

2:05:47to follow up with them and make sure

2:05:48that um we're supporting them.

2:05:55>> Uh, anybody have any more questions?

2:05:58Uh, Alderman Browning.

2:06:01>> Uh, thank you so much for all these

2:06:03answers. Um I just had one more question

2:06:07at the end of my question and previously

2:06:10you mentioned the public safety aspect

2:06:14of the funding. Um, does any of that

2:06:16include the building division and

2:06:18because I mean I think a lot of people

2:06:20don't maybe some people don't know this

2:06:22but the building division falls under

2:06:23the office of public safety

2:06:25>> uh for a reason you know it is about the

2:06:27safety of buildings but um as we look to

2:06:31convert some of these uh processes as we

2:06:35or as we look to convert some of these

2:06:36empty buildings as we look to to

2:06:40revitalize downtown I think the building

2:06:42division is going to have a lot of work

2:06:43ahead of it. Uh, is there any support

2:06:45that is going to go to them to be able

2:06:47to process permits to do inspections to

2:06:51kind of expedite these processes?

2:06:53Because the last thing I want is,

2:06:55>> you know, a new business waiting six

2:06:57months to get

2:06:58>> occupancy. I think you're teeing me up

2:07:00nicely for something I missed in the the

2:07:01innovation zone requirements, which is

2:07:03the one-stop shop comment. So, the state

2:07:06will require any city that wants to have

2:07:08an innovation zone to have a one-stop

2:07:10shop. So, one point of contact that

2:07:13handles all all the building permits,

2:07:14business licenses, things of that

2:07:16nature, incentives in in in one place.

2:07:20And so, I think that's something that

2:07:22between now and April in partnership

2:07:24with SLDC,

2:07:26um, Colonel Ben Johnson with as the

2:07:28chief operating officer and and some of

2:07:30his departments, um, is understanding

2:07:32what does that look like because that

2:07:34that could take many different forms.

2:07:36Um, so we still have to think through,

2:07:37but absolutely there will be a a

2:07:39streamlined process that, you know, in

2:07:41my mind will not only benefit downtown,

2:07:43but it could have impact citywide as

2:07:45well. So it could could be something

2:07:47from the innovation zone that has

2:07:49broader impacts.

2:07:50>> And and I think that's going to have the

2:07:52most impact for the safety of people as

2:07:55they move about our city. So yeah, um,

2:07:57that that'll be really important. Uh,

2:07:59last point I'll make is I just really

2:08:01appreciate the identification of metrics

2:08:03uh, and how you're approaching this

2:08:05problem. uh that that's key to

2:08:07understanding how this money is working

2:08:10and improving our city. So, um just

2:08:14appreciating that approach to the uh to

2:08:17these presentations and identifying the

2:08:19future metrics that you'll be reporting

2:08:21on. I think that's going to be great to

2:08:22see.

2:08:22>> Thank you for your time and appreciate

2:08:24the opportunity.

2:08:28All right. I think the next one that we

2:08:30have up is vacancy

2:08:35and

2:08:37that will be look like it's covered by

2:08:40um

2:08:44office of recovery,

2:08:47Mr. Julian Nicks. Just come on up. State

2:08:50your first and last name and your

2:08:53position.

2:08:54>> All right. Julian Nicks, uh, chief

2:08:56recovery officer for Mayor Spencer. Uh,

2:08:58so first, great to see you all again. It

2:09:01has been a while, but I know we've had

2:09:03conversations kind of offline. Um, so

2:09:06we're going to kind of walk through kind

2:09:07of three sections. So, of course, this

2:09:08vacancy, then we'll talk more about the

2:09:10tornado recovery fund. Um, and then

2:09:12we'll move and talk about the long-term

2:09:15North St. Louis implementation plan as

2:09:17the next three sections. So, just as

2:09:19kind of a brief reminder, um, within the

2:09:2110 million vacancy fund, there were $5

2:09:23million set to address vacancy through

2:09:26city staff, really increasing parcels on

2:09:28the special tax sale and receiverhip,

2:09:30but mostly working to use the tools of

2:09:33the city that we have not used to help

2:09:35support neighborhood rebuilding and

2:09:36vacancy. Um, I'm speaking to

2:09:38specifically today, but it's a huge

2:09:40partnership directly with operations,

2:09:43recognizing that most of North St. Louis

2:09:44and most of our neighborhoods are

2:09:46dealing with a massive vacancy problem.

2:09:48And as we think about recovery and

2:09:50rebuilding, about 75 to 80% of the

2:09:52places that we are having to demolish

2:09:54were vacant or condemned pre- tornado

2:09:57and had massive issues. And a lot of the

2:09:59ramifications of recovery was a city

2:10:02failure to address vacancy at scale in

2:10:04the past. So we're thankful for this

2:10:06investment and excited to work alongside

2:10:08operations to manage through it. And

2:10:10then of course we have the 5 million in

2:10:12endowment in which that interest can be

2:10:14used for outside legal services which is

2:10:16primarily our core partners at legal

2:10:17services eastern Missouri um who have

2:10:20handled frankly the burden of a lot of

2:10:22the vacancy work on behalf of the city

2:10:24and we're hoping to come alongside that

2:10:26with this overall effort. So if we go to

2:10:29the next page here just on a brief

2:10:31update of where we are. Um so right now

2:10:34the mayor's office is in the process

2:10:35defining the staff and teams to tackle

2:10:38vacancy at scale. The offs team is

2:10:40directly working to develop the first

2:10:42set of three roles that'll play a major

2:10:44role in recovery. Um, and the major goal

2:10:47is over the next couple of months is to

2:10:50do hiring directly into that team who

2:10:53will then shape the long-term trajectory

2:10:55priorities and metrics for the vacancy

2:10:57fund. So we're not sharing direct

2:10:59metrics today primarily because we

2:11:01recognize we need to recruit leadership

2:11:03to oversee this initiative and then work

2:11:05with them to set those longer term

2:11:07outcomes or goals. So that's the primary

2:11:10update of where we are. I did want to

2:11:12see if

2:11:14Colonel Johnson if you had things you

2:11:15want to share.

2:11:16>> Thanks Julian. I would just um offer two

2:11:19other updates on this. So we have posted

2:11:22um a job posting. It's under the office

2:11:24of the city counselor. it's called a

2:11:27special uh special counselor for vacancy

2:11:30reduction and then there'll be an

2:11:32additional attorney and parallegal that

2:11:35would work for that person. So th that's

2:11:37the trajectory we're on right now. That

2:11:40first job is uh posted. And then one

2:11:43other point I wanted to make is uh we

2:11:46just had our second iteration of

2:11:48neighborhood stat. So, this is Mayor

2:11:50Spencer's initiative to look at

2:11:52neighborhoodbased um challenges and have

2:11:56our city departments that address those

2:11:58challenges update her and solve problems

2:12:02together on how we're tackling those. Uh

2:12:04yesterday vacancy uh vacant buildings

2:12:07was the uh subject that we spent a lot

2:12:12of time talking about and we had the

2:12:14many of the right people in the room

2:12:16from building division two problem

2:12:19properties and our neighborhood

2:12:20improvement specialists all talking

2:12:22about some of the challenges in some of

2:12:24our neighborhoods. Uh and when we bring

2:12:27in this um special counsel um which

2:12:31we're also going to call our uh vacancy

2:12:34ZAR, this person is going to help give

2:12:37leadership to that body of work. So

2:12:39those are the only additional comments I

2:12:40want to make. Thank you.

2:12:43>> Thank you, Colonel. Uh starting with

2:12:45Vice Chair Browning, any questions?

2:12:51>> Um I think I'll have a lot of questions

2:12:52when we have a vacancy to talk to. Uh

2:12:55but I I think this was a really

2:12:57important part of the of the Rams

2:12:59package that was passed. Vacancy is the

2:13:02city's largest problem by far. Uh

2:13:05because it is a lack of people and so

2:13:08every vacant building is a contributor

2:13:10to our population loss and the struggles

2:13:13we deal with. Vacant lots are cost the

2:13:15city money and also give the city no

2:13:18money to deal with the problems they

2:13:20cause. So vacancy is the problem we have

2:13:23to tackle as a city. Um, I appreciate uh

2:13:27that the board of alderman and I want to

2:13:29shout out Alderman Conn who really

2:13:31pushed for putting more money into this.

2:13:33I think you know we could not spend too

2:13:36much money on this problem. Uh, so I'm

2:13:40excited to see the progress you make and

2:13:43um, you know, I don't there's not a lot

2:13:46today but I understand this takes time

2:13:48to set up so I'm looking forward to

2:13:49future updates.

2:13:51Um, Alderwoman,

2:13:56is she online? Madam Clerk,

2:14:00Alderwoman Velasquez.

2:14:04>> Yeah, thanks. I just want to um I just

2:14:08have a few questions about vacancy. I I

2:14:09agree that with Alderman Browning that

2:14:11is one of our city's biggest problems um

2:14:13or biggest issues. This is more of a

2:14:16question, I think, for Colonel Johnson

2:14:18to see how close we are to hiring a

2:14:22uh a new a building commissioner. I

2:14:24mean, I think that's that's part of um I

2:14:29assume this would sit under the work

2:14:30that we'd be doing would sit under that

2:14:32that uh position.

2:14:35>> Well, we have hired a building

2:14:38commissioner and you should be hearing

2:14:40official announcement this week.

2:14:43>> Great. Well, that was an easy answer.

2:14:45Thank you. And it was, I'm sure, months

2:14:47in the making. Um, yeah, I think, you

2:14:50know, I mean, it everything that we've

2:14:53been working on, I mean, I think it it

2:14:54really is about implementation and and

2:14:56giving uh the folks in the building

2:14:58division the tools and also the

2:15:00resources, i.e. the people to do the

2:15:02work. Um and so it's it's you know I

2:15:06have questions about things that we

2:15:07passed that you know aren't quite

2:15:08getting implemented but I think that on

2:15:11that uh position is filled um that we

2:15:15can hopefully start looking uh to make

2:15:17sure that those things are getting done.

2:15:19So that's so that's all I have on

2:15:21vacancy right now. Chairman,

2:15:25>> Alderman Devote,

2:15:28>> the

2:15:30alder woman stole my question, so I

2:15:32don't have anything else. But thank you

2:15:33for the presentation.

2:15:35>> Uh, no questions my way. I agree with

2:15:37Alderman uh Browning. I think once we

2:15:40get the position and you guys get to

2:15:42move in, um, definitely look forward to

2:15:45seeing how that um, progress goes. So,

2:15:48and I'm sure Mr. Nicks is going to stay

2:15:50up here because we also have missed so

2:15:52much in front of us to talk about um and

2:15:55hopefully get some updates on what's

2:15:58going on with uh tornado recovery

2:16:02with the RAMs money that was allocated

2:16:04uh additional RAMs money that was

2:16:06allocated. If you're ready, you may

2:16:07proceed, Mr. Nicks.

2:16:08>> Perfect. If we can go to the next page

2:16:11here. Um so one I want to welcome a few

2:16:13members of my team who are here who will

2:16:15also be presenting uh during different

2:16:17parts of the work. Um but overall we're

2:16:20talking first about the 89 million that

2:16:22was uh specifically to North St. Louis

2:16:26and I have kind of three colleagues that

2:16:27are here that lead major portions of our

2:16:30team many of which have officially been

2:16:33uh brought on staff. So, we have um our

2:16:35IT team director and leader of our

2:16:38recovered residence pillar, Jennifer

2:16:40Brinkman. Here we have our wonderful

2:16:43Laura Gin who recently officially is now

2:16:46a part of the mayor's office and now

2:16:48officially a part of the recovery office

2:16:49who is still continuing the same scope

2:16:51that she's overseeing but officially on

2:16:53uh the city's on on the mayor's office

2:16:55to who's overseeing our repaired

2:16:57properties work. and then we will have

2:16:59Jim Hill who's overseeing all of our

2:17:01work on contracts, cost recovery, and

2:17:04everything finance. So, if we go to the

2:17:06next page here. So, first I just want to

2:17:09say thank you all for passing the board

2:17:10bill and getting this much funded need

2:17:13this much needed funding uh back into

2:17:15North St. Louis. So, just as a brief

2:17:17reminder for the 89 million, there were

2:17:19three funds that were set up as part of

2:17:21that work. One of them was the tornado

2:17:23housing and neighborhood stabilization

2:17:25fund with about $78 million with a $10

2:17:28million cap on the amount of money that

2:17:30can be used for demolition, sidewalks,

2:17:33debris removal and tree removal and tree

2:17:37planting. We have the tornado resident

2:17:39support and housing which was more

2:17:41around our recovered residents. And then

2:17:44we have our program delivery and

2:17:46administration. Um where we are as of

2:17:48right now we have allocated most of the

2:17:518 million tied to demolition and debris

2:17:53and that work is largely underway part

2:17:56of the broader demolition work that

2:17:58we're working through. We have worked

2:18:00with affordable housing commission to

2:18:02release a NOA to bring affordable

2:18:04housing back online. We have many

2:18:07projects especially former LITC funded

2:18:09projects that had both city and state

2:18:11funds that were damaged by the tornado.

2:18:13they did not have enough money from

2:18:15insurance proceeds to bring those

2:18:17properties back and so we've been

2:18:19working with a lot of with that group to

2:18:21set up a NOA that's been live um but is

2:18:23awaiting next steps on awards. We have

2:18:26about 63 million in housing that's been

2:18:28unallocated that is ultimately um

2:18:31primarily focused on home repair and new

2:18:33home construction that has not been

2:18:34allocated yet to contracts primarily

2:18:36because they have not spent down their

2:18:38existing amount of money. Um, so we just

2:18:40haven't moved that until we kind of get

2:18:42the rest of the money they already have

2:18:44out of the door. And then we've

2:18:45mobilized about two million in our

2:18:48public infrastructure work and

2:18:49demolition should not be listed in that.

2:18:51That's primarily tied to sidewalk

2:18:52repairs, tree and stump removal and tree

2:18:54planting, which we'll talk about later.

2:18:56Around tornado resident support housing,

2:18:58we've allocated about 2 million already

2:19:00toward additional rental assistance

2:19:02toward people that were already in the

2:19:04program. That's in addition to the 5

2:19:06million that was done out of board bill

2:19:0731. And then we have about five million

2:19:10that's being unallocated but really

2:19:12focusing on how do we leverage that for

2:19:14long term which Jennifer will talk about

2:19:16later. And then for the four million we

2:19:18have fully mobilized that budget uh

2:19:20passed the official staffing orchard for

2:19:23the recovery office for the two years

2:19:25and are actively recruiting for four

2:19:27open roles have converted contractors

2:19:30and converted staff from places like

2:19:32SLDC into um our official city or to

2:19:35help support the long-term recovery

2:19:37effort. So super excited about the

2:19:39movement we've been able to make um over

2:19:41the course of the last few months thanks

2:19:42to you all support. If we go to the next

2:19:45page here, this just outlines I know

2:19:48that the that the RAM dollars go into a

2:19:51much bigger picture. So this just gives

2:19:53you an overall sense of the total

2:19:55funding directly in recovery where the

2:19:58RAMs dollars are additions to existing

2:20:00dollars and programs. So when we go and

2:20:02talk about metrics, we're not going to

2:20:04talk just about the board bill 22

2:20:06metrics. are talking about metrics more

2:20:08broadly by which the board build 22

2:20:10resources are helping support. So I

2:20:12won't take too long to talk about this

2:20:14page but you can see in black the pluses

2:20:16for how it adds to the existing buckets.

2:20:19Um so you can see where the 89 million

2:20:21has been allocated from an overall

2:20:23approach but you can see overall we have

2:20:25about 400 million that has been

2:20:28allocated or committed to recovery

2:20:29across city, federal and state. um and

2:20:32about 253 million that is basically city

2:20:35direct um allocated and managed and we

2:20:38have about 114 million spent uh thus

2:20:41far.

2:20:43Next page. So we've worked to many of

2:20:46these metrics you've seen, but we've

2:20:47refined our scorecard to match both the

2:20:50board bill but also updates to the

2:20:52overall program. I won't go too much

2:20:54into this page, but this is just the

2:20:55lead and pace that we want to give you a

2:20:57sense of the full picture of the sets of

2:20:59metrics that we're tracking by our

2:21:01recovered residents work that's

2:21:02supporting residents on the long-term

2:21:04recovery, our repaired properties, which

2:21:06is basically all of our work in the

2:21:07built environment and and

2:21:09infrastructure. And then our rejuvenated

2:21:11neighborhoods, which is really focusing

2:21:12on neighborhood planning and long-term

2:21:15housing and commercial development

2:21:16within the tornado zone. You can see at

2:21:19the bottom that that's supported of

2:21:20course by our recovery funding that has

2:21:22to be employed toward these various sets

2:21:24initiatives as well as cost recovery

2:21:26which is making sure that the things

2:21:28that FEMA or the state are paying for we

2:21:31get those dollars back um into the

2:21:33program. So I won't spend time here but

2:21:35this will be referenced by each of my

2:21:37team members as they walk through where

2:21:39we are on progress in these core areas.

2:21:44And with that, I will turn it over to

2:21:46Laura again to start uh with an update

2:21:48on where we are with demolition and

2:21:49debris efforts and overall work in

2:21:51repaired properties.

2:21:56>> Good afternoon.

2:21:59Uh Laura again, repaired properties

2:22:00director for the office of recovery. So,

2:22:03under repaired properties, we talk about

2:22:05roughly demolition and debris, home

2:22:07stabilization and repair, and then

2:22:09public infrastructure, trees, stumps,

2:22:11and sidewalks. Um, so for demolition and

2:22:15debris, we're showing right now metrics

2:22:18on what we consider phase one of our

2:22:20demolition efforts, which is everything

2:22:22up through the end of this year, initial

2:22:25emergency response. um while we continue

2:22:28to define funding sources and put

2:22:30together the full plan and then the

2:22:32launch of the for example the Senate

2:22:34bill SB1 pilot program funded by the

2:22:38state with 10 million um RAMs

2:22:40allocations there's even MSD money

2:22:42thrown in there but all the pots of

2:22:44funds that got us from initial response

2:22:46up through the end of 2026 which totals

2:22:49740 building demolitions of those the

2:22:52recovery office is directly responsible

2:22:55for contracting and managing over 400 of

2:22:57those and today there are 395 of those

2:23:02are complete. However, noted on the

2:23:05bottom right of the slide there, the

2:23:07close out of permits lags actual

2:23:09buildings down. Um, so 395 permits

2:23:12closed, but over 500 demolitions

2:23:15complete and we just continue to close

2:23:17out those permits. When we come into

2:23:20January of 2027 is when we'll move to

2:23:22phase two of demos. We have about 360

2:23:26slated for that phase currently

2:23:30for debris removal. That's Oh, sorry. Go

2:23:33back one. That's primarily in

2:23:35partnership with Americanore. They've

2:23:37completed 256 debris removal projects to

2:23:40date. We also do partner with the state

2:23:44of Missouri who's com going to be

2:23:46completing some FEMA funded debris

2:23:48removal projects. We've submitted about

2:23:50a 100 properties for their consideration

2:23:52and they have just awarded their first

2:23:54task order for 40 of those properties.

2:23:57So we'll start to see some SEMA

2:23:59contracted FEMA funded debris projects

2:24:02coming online as well. We also provide

2:24:05removal of hazardous trees on private

2:24:08property. That's a contract between the

2:24:10city and Hansen's tree service. They've

2:24:13completed 192 to date and continue all

2:24:16day every day.

2:24:18Next slide.

2:24:20Um, just showing how we've been able to

2:24:22increase the the rate of progress over

2:24:24the months. So, starts with January

2:24:27through uh this month of September where

2:24:30the darker blue is debris removal and

2:24:32the lighter blue is demolition. So, of

2:24:34course, when we received the SP1 pilot

2:24:36funds for 10 million and the initial

2:24:39allocation from this body, um we were

2:24:41able to ramp up demolition production

2:24:43and we now average 12 starts and

2:24:45completes week over week.

2:24:50And for the next slide, we will begin to

2:24:53start reporting out the contractors

2:24:56under this work. So, if you recall, the

2:24:58recovery office has a contract with SLS

2:25:00as construction manager for our

2:25:02demolition projects and then they have

2:25:05agreements uh service agreements with

2:25:07various contractors to work under a

2:25:10standardized pricing model that allows

2:25:11us to move quicker. So, these are the

2:25:15subcontractors that are currently

2:25:17engaged in the recovery office

2:25:19demolitions. So, we're at about 82% of

2:25:23that work being local, 54%

2:25:26um companies located in the city. And

2:25:28what we'll start to bring to you in

2:25:30subsequent meetings is also breakdowns

2:25:33by MWB certification and union

2:25:36inclusion.

2:25:39Um those are just the demos that are

2:25:41contracted and funded managed by

2:25:44recovery office, but they are not of

2:25:45course the only demolitions in tornado

2:25:47impacted neighborhoods. So the next

2:25:49slide shows you contractors engaged

2:25:52through LRA in the building division.

2:25:54Primarily these are the um LRA

2:25:57contracted demolitions with the ARPA DED

2:26:00funding that's wrapping up now. Um, so I

2:26:02wanted to be able to give you a full

2:26:04picture of all the demolition efforts in

2:26:06in the zones, whether it's our office or

2:26:08others in the city

2:26:15looking at stabilization and care. Um,

2:26:18if you recall, we initially stood up

2:26:20kind of that quick tarp and board

2:26:22program. Um, that was using primarily

2:26:25donated materials, donated tarps,

2:26:27donated lumber. We completed 157 homes

2:26:30under that program while we stood up

2:26:33what we now use which is our wrap

2:26:35program. It's increas um improved

2:26:38materials that have a longer life on the

2:26:40tarping and we've completed 368 of those

2:26:44so far. At this point, we're primarily

2:26:47providing wrap services in emergency

2:26:49situations or if tarps placed by, you

2:26:52know, volunteers or under previous

2:26:54programs start to wear away or come off

2:26:56and someone needs a retarp to ensure

2:26:58that weather continues to stay out of

2:27:00their homes. And then we're of course

2:27:02moving into more of the full repair

2:27:05program through our pilot. Currently,

2:27:07there are 236 assigned to that pilot

2:27:10phase. We have 46 of those homes

2:27:12complete and another about 46 actively

2:27:16under construction.

2:27:18I know everyone if we can go to the next

2:27:21slide you can see that over time the

2:27:24monthby-month completions. So on this

2:27:27one, the darker blue is the

2:27:28stabilizations. Um where you don't see

2:27:31last year, which was the 157 under the

2:27:34previous program of the tarps and

2:27:36boards, but you can see when we stood up

2:27:37the wrap program in March and put a lot

2:27:39of efforts into catching up with the

2:27:41improved materials for the rapid

2:27:44stabilization weatherization. And then

2:27:46we continue to work through the pilot,

2:27:50learn the lessons, and get ready to

2:27:51really ramp up those efforts.

2:27:56Next slide will show contractors engaged

2:27:59under the stabilization work so far. So

2:28:01that is across both programs. So that

2:28:03goes back to October um of 2025 through

2:28:08today. So on that one, we're looking at

2:28:11about 79%

2:28:13local regional company participation

2:28:16with 57% of those companies being inside

2:28:18the city.

2:28:20And the next slide breaks down our

2:28:22repair contractors so far. Um, which

2:28:25again, this is limited to the pilot. Um,

2:28:29so reflects a smaller body of work and

2:28:31will grow over time as more work becomes

2:28:34available. And on that one, you start to

2:28:37see a little bit more of our larger out

2:28:40ofstate contractors coming in to help

2:28:42increase capacity and move these

2:28:43projects along quicker. But still

2:28:45rocking, what is that? 71%

2:28:48regional inclusion and 42% of companies

2:28:51being in the city.

2:28:54And then finally, an update on our

2:28:57public infrastructure work, our trees,

2:28:59stumps, and sidewalks. So, there was the

2:29:01initial phase of emergency tree removal

2:29:04and hazard limb removals, which was over

2:29:064,500 trees. Um and then we moved into

2:29:11completed a full inventory of the

2:29:13tornado impacted neighborhoods and

2:29:15identified all remaining hazardous trees

2:29:17and limbs and contracted that work out

2:29:19which is what you see on the city

2:29:20hazardous trees and city hazardous tree

2:29:22limb lines. That work is largely

2:29:24complete today. We have less than a

2:29:26100red to close that out. That brings us

2:29:29to just stump removal. As mentioned in

2:29:31the earlier public infrastructure

2:29:33presentation, we're primarily focused on

2:29:35stump removal to make way for sidewalk

2:29:38repairs currently. So, we've completed

2:29:40148 stump removals to in uh allow for

2:29:45sidewalk repairs. And then we're working

2:29:47with forestry to prioritize stump

2:29:49removals as needed to make way for tree

2:29:52replanting plans. So you'll see those

2:29:55other 2600 stumps continue over the next

2:29:59year or more. And then moving on to

2:30:02sidewalks, we have 176 locations

2:30:05identified that are tasked to uh Berto

2:30:08is completing that work. It says they've

2:30:10completed 61 so far. I will say that is

2:30:13closer to 100. There's always a little

2:30:14bit of a lag from what's really done,

2:30:16but we're willing to uh close out

2:30:18administratively and report. So that MO

2:30:21is moving along pretty quickly and will

2:30:23be done within the next six to eight

2:30:25weeks.

2:30:27Thank you.

2:30:32>> So first, thank you Laura and I kind of

2:30:34just want to kind of recap a few of the

2:30:36pieces there. Um from my lens is one we

2:30:39kind of talked about how March was a

2:30:41critical turning point uh for us in

2:30:43getting systems set up to deliver

2:30:44results. Uh what we've seen from that is

2:30:47demolition and and debris. That work is

2:30:49largely working and has been largely

2:30:51successful in drastic scale. And just to

2:30:54put it for context, we probably had 50

2:30:56demolitions done in the first nine or 10

2:30:59months post um post uh the disaster. We

2:31:04have done 300 in the last six months. Um

2:31:06and so you saw in the chart the massive

2:31:08increase in capacity there. We feel very

2:31:10very good about the progress we've been

2:31:12able to make on the public

2:31:14infrastructure side. Stumps will be the

2:31:16work that lags and the core work that

2:31:18we'll be transparent about has been slow

2:31:20and difficult which we can talk more

2:31:21about in Q&A is the repair program. Uh

2:31:25we've run into a lot of different issues

2:31:26that Laura hinted on as we've started

2:31:29that work from how do we manage

2:31:30pre-existing conditions? How do we

2:31:32manage a lot of people who did repairs

2:31:34themselves, but repair contractors may

2:31:36not have pulled proper permits which

2:31:37have made it difficult for us to move

2:31:39in? How do we coordinate that with the

2:31:41building division? And then a lot of

2:31:42direct resident um things that we're

2:31:44learning around how do we better support

2:31:46moveout? How do we better support um

2:31:48temporary relocation assistance while

2:31:50that move happened and a lot of that

2:31:52coordinating effort has had to course us

2:31:55to make a lot of changes into the

2:31:57program that we're building and rolling

2:31:59out here in the next couple of months.

2:32:00And so that is the critical focus for me

2:32:03um within the team is making sure we

2:32:05unblock that so that the trajectory

2:32:07we're seeing in all the other areas is

2:32:09what we start to see in repair. But with

2:32:12that I will turn it over to Jennifer

2:32:13Brinkman to talk about what we're doing

2:32:15in the recovered residents.

2:32:20>> Good afternoon. Jennifer Brinkman, IT

2:32:22team director for Maya Spencer. You can

2:32:25see the focus on recovered residents

2:32:27from rental assistance through all the

2:32:29supports. The rental assistance program

2:32:32is largely wrapping up with a few of

2:32:35those cases um continuing to run through

2:32:38but we expect payments to be finalized

2:32:40by midocctober and for 400 or so um

2:32:44leases to have been paid through that

2:32:46program which has been great success in

2:32:48stabilizing those families. It impacted

2:32:51tenants fund. You can see the spending

2:32:53has ramped up on that as well. Um where

2:32:56we are still seeing need throughout the

2:32:58community. Case management. The disaster

2:33:01case managers have had a cumulative case

2:33:03load of about 1,600.

2:33:06Um and we do have a wait list. There are

2:33:08capacity constraints in that. During

2:33:10since our last reporting, the federal

2:33:12government has taken over the funding of

2:33:15that program through United Way and

2:33:17State SEMA. We also have our community

2:33:20health workers from the St. Louis

2:33:22Integrated Health Network still in the

2:33:24field working directly with residents.

2:33:26They've been a lifeline for residents

2:33:29who find themselves in crisis and need

2:33:31immediate access to services. So, you

2:33:34can see, bless you, you can see their

2:33:36cumulative case load over time. They do

2:33:39refer then into disaster case management

2:33:42to help with long-term um supports as

2:33:45well. So, there's a duplicated count

2:33:47there. But when we look at that, we do

2:33:48see about 2500 unique cases. 314 Oasis,

2:33:53a partner that's been a resilience hub

2:33:55um throughout the disaster, has started

2:33:57doing Oasis Care um which is a version

2:34:01of case management for a highnee

2:34:03population and we're happy to see um

2:34:06them part of the mix and continuing to

2:34:08serve through the disaster. I would say

2:34:11that these programs again are funded in

2:34:15partnership with United Way. There are

2:34:17other housing supports that our partners

2:34:20access through HDC that have also been

2:34:23stabilizing factors. Those just aren't

2:34:25city funds. There are the ongoing

2:34:28wraparound supports contracted through

2:34:30the United Way. You can see those items

2:34:33listed there. Another part of those

2:34:35wraparound supports that's important is

2:34:36the crisis counseling program that's

2:34:39funded through FEMA and the state

2:34:40that'll be on the ground through

2:34:42February of 2027.

2:34:45Next slide, please.

2:34:49As our innovation team looks at the

2:34:52data, we've really wanted to get to know

2:34:54the population more deeply and we have a

2:34:57lot of data, done a lot of engagement.

2:34:59This is just one slide of looking at

2:35:02some data and trying to understand where

2:35:04people are. This represents people who

2:35:07received rental assistance and looking

2:35:09at their housing burden when we look at

2:35:12their reported incomes compared to the

2:35:15rent. And you can see the rent is the

2:35:17yellow dot at the top. So approximately

2:35:20$1,000 um is the average fair market

2:35:23rent that folks are paying. when we look

2:35:26at their reported incomes at the point

2:35:29of time when we looked at this data

2:35:30which there's more people coming in the

2:35:32pro you know getting approved so these

2:35:34numbers will adjust slightly but we

2:35:35think this is a good representation

2:35:37about 59 individuals were within what we

2:35:40would consider not being housing burden

2:35:43where it was under 30% of their income.

2:35:46So when we look at that, we think we

2:35:49have a chance of great stability as

2:35:51assistance ends and are beginning to

2:35:53have conversations with all of our

2:35:54partners about what supports need to

2:35:56come online to continue to keep this

2:35:59population stabilized um beyond the

2:36:01immediate assistance period. Next slide,

2:36:04please.

2:36:07We've learned a lot through recovery as

2:36:09you know um and there's been a lot of

2:36:12hurdles in coordination across the

2:36:14partners. You can see us coordinating

2:36:16state funded part programs with federal

2:36:19funded programs with locally funded

2:36:22programs and we believe it's through all

2:36:25of those including the city programs

2:36:27working together that we're going to

2:36:28move people along in the recovery

2:36:30journey. It's not just going to happen

2:36:32with city funded programs. We're

2:36:34developing a digital front door that

2:36:36will allow residents and case workers to

2:36:39navigate to the variety of programs out

2:36:41there where ideally if you've put your

2:36:44information in once, you've put your

2:36:46information in and we don't need to ask

2:36:47for it again. And that we can take the

2:36:50learnings from this and apply this to

2:36:52future disasters that don't have to be

2:36:54at this scale. They can be a much

2:36:56smaller scale. And then also residents

2:36:58have access to their own dashboard about

2:37:01what they're enrolled in, what they can

2:37:02expect, what's next from them, what

2:37:04services they've been referred to, what

2:37:07their case workers are doing next for

2:37:09them to give our residents much more

2:37:11confidence that their recovery is being

2:37:15handled with them as a partner and then

2:37:17also for the city and our partners to

2:37:20get early warning in of when we see

2:37:22populations falling out of stability.

2:37:25Next slide, please.

2:37:29So what we showed you were program

2:37:30outputs of the number of people who are

2:37:32in programs. Ideally we can get to

2:37:34outcome metrics where we can really see

2:37:37what percentage of the population is

2:37:39moving towards housing stability. So

2:37:42this is again just concept only as it

2:37:44says but where we can do surveys of

2:37:46those enrolled into the recovery

2:37:49programs and we can ask them if they

2:37:51have confidence that they can stay in a

2:37:53place that is safe and secure for them

2:37:56for the next 12 months and we can

2:37:58measure that risk and the change in that

2:38:00risk over periods of time. and also the

2:38:03case workers can see how their cases are

2:38:06ranking themselves and if they think

2:38:08they're high risk where we can lean in

2:38:10and identify resources for those

2:38:11individuals. So that's the direction

2:38:13we're moving in. Thank you.

2:38:21>> Well, thank you Jennifer uh kind of for

2:38:23that. And so we're super excited about

2:38:26the work that Jennifer and the IT team

2:38:28are doing around housing. Uh, one of the

2:38:30things we know from the early part of

2:38:31the recovery is that coordination and

2:38:34getting support to residents quickly in

2:38:36a way that was easy for them to access

2:38:37was something that wasn't built pre-

2:38:39tornado. Uh, one of the major goals

2:38:41we've set within the recovery office is

2:38:43not just addressing this recovery, but

2:38:45making sure we're building systems that

2:38:47help us in future shocks that we know

2:38:49are certain to hit St. Louis and that

2:38:51we're leaving the system better off and

2:38:53better coordinated. So Jennifer, I

2:38:55didn't speak a lot, but she's been doing

2:38:57workshops directly with our case

2:38:59management partners, doing workshops

2:39:00directly with residents, making sure the

2:39:02things that we are building best support

2:39:05them in a way that makes their recovery

2:39:07journey easy. What I also just want to

2:39:09say here and for the record, um, and I

2:39:11know we don't say it directly, but we

2:39:13are in a housing crisis in the city of

2:39:16St. Louis. We see it in a lot of your

2:39:17work, Alderwoman Sonier, with our

2:39:19homeless populations. We see it in every

2:39:21day talking about encampments, talking

2:39:23about vacant buildings where we have

2:39:24homeless populations. If there's

2:39:26anything we take away from the slide

2:39:28that Jennifer pulled together is the

2:39:30massive number of people who are on

2:39:32supports who are in housing that was

2:39:34mostly paid for by family members who

2:39:36are now at risk if they can't find a way

2:39:38back into their home to having nowhere

2:39:40to go that they can afford. That is a

2:39:42major issue that we are aware of that

2:39:44we're coming in wideeyed clear that

2:39:46we're going to have to directly address

2:39:48as we look at this work moving forward.

2:39:50We have to start if we hope to stabilize

2:39:52neighborhoods of North St. Louis. We

2:39:53have to start by stabilizing our people.

2:39:56And this work is a huge start to us

2:39:57being able to do that. And we look

2:39:59forward to a lot of continued

2:40:00conversations on that work as we move

2:40:02forward. And it'll look much more like

2:40:04away from just the city funded program,

2:40:07but a lot more of how are we

2:40:08coordinating with a lot of the social um

2:40:10disaster insurance ecosystem and the

2:40:12people that do this direct response

2:40:14work. How do we coordinate more with

2:40:15state partners? How do we coordinate

2:40:17better with HUDf funed programs to

2:40:19really try to drive a more comprehensive

2:40:21recovery effort with the large risk that

2:40:23many of our residents facing. So, we

2:40:25look forward to that continued work. So

2:40:27now I'll bring up Jim Hill to talk a

2:40:29little bit more about where we are on

2:40:31both spending cost recovery

2:40:33specifically.

2:40:38>> Um Jim Hill, chief cost recovery officer

2:40:40and it's great to be here in front of

2:40:42you guys. Been a long time. So we put

2:40:44the uh March 25th because that was the

2:40:47last time we actually met with the uh

2:40:49word of Alderman budget committee which

2:40:51I would have been a lot of money it was

2:40:52April or May but it March 25th. So, we

2:40:54wanted to show you the progress that um

2:40:56that we have experienced since. Um and

2:41:00as Julian mentioned, the blue line in

2:41:02the middle is the total city managed

2:41:03funding. It's $253 million. Above that

2:41:07line, the five rows that are highlighted

2:41:09in blue are the are the funds that the

2:41:12recovery office directly controls. the

2:41:15the the line in white between the 253

2:41:18and those five rows of blue is um funds

2:41:22that other departments identified

2:41:24immediately following the tornado that

2:41:26they could reprogram and put into the

2:41:28tornado zone. We don't we don't we

2:41:30generally don't manage those funds. It's

2:41:32CDA, it's department of health, it's

2:41:35forestry and so as we get into the

2:41:38metrics we will focus on the funds that

2:41:40we control. But um I just wanted to walk

2:41:44through real quick on board bill 31, the

2:41:46original 30 million for unit 25 right

2:41:48after the tornado. All 30 million has

2:41:50been awarded and contracted. 23 million

2:41:53has been spent. What is left is vacant

2:41:56unit turns and affordable housing that

2:41:59is work that is ongoing that once it's

2:42:02complete will be paid. And then we've

2:42:03got um housing funds that were part of

2:42:07the home repair funds that were part of

2:42:08board bill 31 that have not been spent.

2:42:11We've got other home repair funds that

2:42:13we are depleting first before we get to

2:42:15these funds. And then we've got about

2:42:17$800,000 of FEMA ineligible debris

2:42:21removal. So we did all the debris

2:42:23removal that we did up until um July of

2:42:272026 was FEMA eligible. We've got about

2:42:30$800,000 available to pick up as debris

2:42:33continues to um accumulate in the

2:42:35tornado zone. We've got a contracts in

2:42:38place to pick up pick up um that debris

2:42:40which will not be reimbursed by FEMA.

2:42:43The next chunk of board bills were um

2:42:4593, 94, and 95 which were um passed in

2:42:49November of 2025 plus board bill 157

2:42:53which was $3.8 million of ARPA interest

2:42:55that was passed in March of 2026. of

2:42:59that 17.5 million we've awarded 16.5

2:43:02million. So we still within that those

2:43:04chunk of bills we have a million dollars

2:43:06left to that we can award. Um what we've

2:43:09awarded is all fully contracted and

2:43:11we've spent um 10 million of the 16.5

2:43:15and the funds that are remaining are

2:43:17home repair and again similar to the

2:43:20home repair funds that are in board bill

2:43:2231. We we've got other funds that we're

2:43:24using, ARPA funds, etc. that we need to

2:43:26deplete before we we'll go back and use

2:43:28these funds within um board bill 22,

2:43:32which is obviously the RAM funds that

2:43:34we're talking about here today. Um 89

2:43:36billion to long-term recovery. We've

2:43:39awarded and and um 16.1 million of that.

2:43:42So, we started right away in June. We

2:43:44had contracts in place. We had we we had

2:43:46contractors in place. We had work

2:43:48ongoing and we were able to quickly

2:43:51award those contracts to um SLS for de

2:43:55demo, custom tree and monster for tree,

2:43:58bombarito for sidewalks, forward for

2:44:01rental assistance and um we've largely

2:44:04contracted that. We just have a couple

2:44:06of contracts that remain to be executed

2:44:08and we've spent 2.3 million of that so

2:44:10far.

2:44:12The next row is the money that we've

2:44:14gotten through Senate Bill One, 10

2:44:16million for uh from the Department of

2:44:18Public Safety for demos and then a

2:44:21million for the Missouri Housing

2:44:22Development Corporation for home repair.

2:44:25Um we have contracted all of those funds

2:44:28and we have spent 5.1 million of those.

2:44:31And what's key about spending that money

2:44:33to get reimbured from the state, we have

2:44:35to include proof of payment. So we we uh

2:44:39as as invoices come in, we pay those

2:44:41very quickly. And then the last row is

2:44:43the city reimburseable spending. So that

2:44:45is largely the FEMA public assistance

2:44:47work. We are estimating that we will end

2:44:50up spending about 63 million of that.

2:44:52Almost all of that has been contracted

2:44:54as well, 52 million. And I will touch on

2:44:57um the progress of getting reimbursed on

2:44:59those funds here shortly. And then below

2:45:02the blue line is the stuff that we don't

2:45:04control. um the FEMA individual

2:45:06assistance 45 million. Um there are

2:45:09other funds that um

2:45:12the state has awarded for crisis

2:45:13counseling and MHTC to other um entities

2:45:17within the city that we don't control.

2:45:19And then there's 90 million left on the

2:45:21SP1 appropriation that made that um

2:45:24Julian and team are are working with the

2:45:27state to get additional

2:45:33um next slide please.

2:45:36And then the last thing are our proposed

2:45:39metrics um which would be of the funds

2:45:43um percentage awarded, percentage

2:45:45contract, percentage contracted and

2:45:47percented percentage spent. We we will

2:45:50track it at these individual line item

2:45:53levels um and report out on that. And

2:45:55then for the overall dashboard, we will

2:45:57we will report and track at the um total

2:46:00level. So the 65% awarded, 65%

2:46:03contracted, 44% spent. Um we will also

2:46:07on the right the the three columns on

2:46:10the right side of the page those are

2:46:12those are related to the funds that are

2:46:15subject to reimbursement and that is the

2:46:18um MH the um SP1 funds and we have um so

2:46:22we will track what we have submitted for

2:46:24reimbursement what the the approving

2:46:27organization has approved and then what

2:46:30reimbursements we've actually received

2:46:31in the controller's office and so of the

2:46:34FEMA

2:46:35Just wanted to highlight and there's

2:46:37more details in the appendix um on this

2:46:40but I just did want to highlight that of

2:46:42the 63 million of FEMA public assistance

2:46:45we have submitted 57 million of it. They

2:46:48have approved about 33 million and we've

2:46:50received about 18. There are a couple of

2:46:53very large projects that they FEMA is

2:46:55reviewing now that we expect to get

2:46:57approved um shortly.

2:47:02Um the only other things that I wanted

2:47:04to share, you know, in in previous

2:47:06meetings, we had lots of discussions

2:47:08around contracting. I'm proud to report

2:47:10that we are almost completely up to

2:47:12date. We've got five small contracts

2:47:14left. Total total value less than

2:47:16$200,000. So that we're in a really good

2:47:18spot that we're very proud about that.

2:47:20And then a big a big activity that we

2:47:22had over the summer was, as you guys

2:47:25know, we used thirdparty contractors to

2:47:27largely set up the programs, the

2:47:28systems, and the processes to to quickly

2:47:31get us up so we could process the demos

2:47:33and home repair and everything else at

2:47:35scale. We have transitioned um all of

2:47:37that work into the city, which includes

2:47:39hiring a number of roles and also

2:47:42contracting out some roles at from um

2:47:45lowerc cost contractors. But on a

2:47:47roll-by-roll basis, the savings and and

2:47:50we needed the consultants to help get

2:47:51this put up. They had the experience to

2:47:54do it. Um, and they came in with tools

2:47:56and technologies that we could use, but

2:47:57on a on a role-byroll basis at savings

2:48:00of more than 40%. So, and we're really

2:48:02excited about the organization that we

2:48:04have in place and and having everyone

2:48:07being employees of the city is a really

2:48:10nice advantage.

2:48:13Right.

2:48:18Well, thank you, Jim. And so, if we go

2:48:20to the next page here, um, this is just

2:48:24kind of a a summary on the next page of

2:48:26all of the metrics um that we just

2:48:29reported out on. So, this will be a

2:48:31standard sheet that you can kind of see

2:48:33that gives you a sense of kind of where

2:48:35we are. And so, overall, again, just

2:48:38kind of doing a recap on recovery

2:48:39funding. Uh we are excited about the

2:48:41speed and movement of which we're doing

2:48:43for all of the funding awards. Again,

2:48:46most of the stuff that has not been

2:48:47awarded or contracted is work we have

2:48:49just simply held off because we have

2:48:51told contractors, we're not going to

2:48:52award more money till you spend the

2:48:54monies that you have and maintain that

2:48:56flexibility. It's not a issue of slowing

2:48:59down the ability to get funds out the

2:49:00door. So we do plan to allocate most of

2:49:03the remaining dollars by the end of this

2:49:05year. Um and then on cost re so you

2:49:08should see that number move closer to

2:49:09about 95%.

2:49:11We will keep some of it back just for

2:49:13flexibility for things that we don't

2:49:14know that might happen that might occur.

2:49:17And then the bigger part I want to say

2:49:18on cost recovery is that is a massive

2:49:20amount of dollars that is that we are

2:49:23working to get recovered. And so 82%

2:49:25reimbursement submissions is a

2:49:27phenomenal amount of work if you see the

2:49:28amount of paperwork required for a FEMA

2:49:31reimbursement. So, we're excited to make

2:49:32sure that we're protecting the city

2:49:34investments that we've made out of our

2:49:35cash and seeing that cash replenished.

2:49:38And by the end of this year, we should

2:49:40see about 95% of that will have been

2:49:43submitted for reimbursement for projects

2:49:45close out. So, that by the time we get

2:49:47to hopefully two-year anniversary, most

2:49:49of our work will be closed out and

2:49:50dollars back into the city coffers

2:49:52replenished. So with that, um I think I

2:49:55only have one more page here, but just

2:49:58so I'll give you all a sense of kind of

2:49:59what our major focus areas or next steps

2:50:01are is that one is to allocate the

2:50:03remaining dollars in bill 22 um in our

2:50:06housing work and then figuring out how

2:50:08we're going to allocate the 5 million in

2:50:10resident support funds, leveraging match

2:50:12funds where possible. We are going to be

2:50:14closing out the existing SB1 11 million.

2:50:17That's been a critical path from the

2:50:19state to being willing to put more

2:50:20dollars is an official close out and

2:50:22expenditure of those funds. So, we're

2:50:24happy that that work will be fully

2:50:26closed out by December and then we're

2:50:28hoping to lock in the next phase of

2:50:30dollars from the state that'll support

2:50:32work to start or come on board on

2:50:34January. Um, we are going to be focused

2:50:37on mobilizing the next phase of home

2:50:38repair. We know there are thousands of

2:50:40applicants that aren't in that initial

2:50:42286 that are trying to figure out when

2:50:44are you going to get to me and what does

2:50:46that look like? uh we are planning to do

2:50:49the mobilization of that phase in

2:50:50October where we won't have say we won't

2:50:53have the news that we are starting on

2:50:54everyone's house but at least a view of

2:50:56here's who's eligible here's where you

2:50:58are in the pipeline here's the rough

2:51:00timeline of when we can expect to get to

2:51:02you and providing much more transparency

2:51:04now that we've learned from the pilot

2:51:06and gotten a much better sense of what

2:51:07the operational timelines and speed of

2:51:10our work actually is. Um again I said

2:51:12we'll launch phase two demolitions in

2:51:14January. So we'll be mobilizing for that

2:51:16phase ahead of phase two. That means

2:51:18getting permits ready, getting all those

2:51:20properties selected, getting them posted

2:51:22and notified. And then we'll be focusing

2:51:24on expanding debris capacity support. So

2:51:27you saw the pace of our debris efforts

2:51:29is largely driven by Americanore. They

2:51:31don't have enough capacity to eliminate

2:51:33the backlog. So we're focused on

2:51:34increasing capacity and new partnerships

2:51:37there that we hope to talk more about in

2:51:39the coming weeks. And then we're going

2:51:40to be finalizing and launching a plan

2:51:42for tree replanting for this upcoming

2:51:45planting

2:51:46um in collaboration with the forestry

2:51:48division with partners like the green

2:51:50city coalition forest relief to replace

2:51:52all tree canopy that was lost by the May

2:51:5516th tornado. Um so that's going to be

2:51:57the major focus areas for Q4 so that by

2:51:59the next time we come in front of you

2:52:01we'll hopefully show massive progress in

2:52:03these different areas. And with that

2:52:05I'll turn it back over to you all for

2:52:06questions.

2:52:08uh Alderman or Vice Chair Browning.

2:52:12>> Well, thank you. This has been a lot of

2:52:14information and I'm going to continue to

2:52:17go through it uh even after this

2:52:18meeting. Uh but I'll start by saying I

2:52:21really appreciate the scope. Um,

2:52:24it's not an easy task to put together

2:52:26and set up this office. And I appreciate

2:52:29it was acknowledged that like the first

2:52:30year post disaster was a lot of setting

2:52:33up these programs and that we're seeing

2:52:36increased capacity now that we've had a

2:52:39chance to get our feet underneath us.

2:52:41Um, these are things that I think would

2:52:43have traditionally been provided by FEMA

2:52:45and or if this country had a uh operable

2:52:50and helpful disaster recovery system.

2:52:52but we know who to thank for that. Um I

2:52:55I think I I have a lot of just

2:52:57compliments for your team because I

2:52:59really think that what's been done to

2:53:01set up this has been nothing short of a

2:53:04miracle. Um and I also appreciate that

2:53:07you're looking to the future because

2:53:09this isn't going to be the last tornado

2:53:10that hits our city. Uh we've been hit by

2:53:12tornadoes before and we've rebuilt, but

2:53:15I hope that with these systems we're

2:53:17able to rebuild better in the future

2:53:20because it's not enough just to build

2:53:22back to how we were before. We need to

2:53:24be building back uh to

2:53:28make these areas better than they were

2:53:31on May 15, 2025. Uh and I'm looking

2:53:34forward to hearing from our planning

2:53:35staff next on uh some of those ideas.

2:53:38Um, so, uh, just a couple kind of

2:53:41general questions. Um, you mentioned,

2:53:46you know, the different funding sources

2:53:48that are coming in. Uh, there's SP1,

2:53:51there's, uh, money that FEMA has

2:53:53provided. There's, you know, the

2:53:56different bills that the city has done,

2:53:58and you're working to make sure all

2:54:00those funds are going to the best

2:54:02places, that they're reimbursible, uh,

2:54:04that we can make this money go as far as

2:54:06possible.

2:54:08Uh where do we stand on comm community

2:54:11community development block grant

2:54:13disaster relief funds? Uh I saw on the

2:54:16news there was a team that went to

2:54:18Washington DC recently to ask them to

2:54:20please allocate these. What is the city

2:54:22doing to help advocate for Congress

2:54:26allocating those funds?

2:54:28>> Yeah. So um specifically around

2:54:30community development block grand

2:54:31disaster recovery Dallas which I'll just

2:54:33reiterate for the public is a massive

2:54:34source of funding that come on the back

2:54:37end of disaster recovery mostly to

2:54:39support housing and um it is

2:54:41uncharacteristic for a city to have

2:54:43invested as much as we have in home

2:54:45repair and things like that. A lot of

2:54:47that work is usually done on the back of

2:54:49federal programs specifically CDBG DR

2:54:52allocation. Um and I'm going to repeat

2:54:54this. I know you know a lot of this

2:54:55brownie but just for others um community

2:54:57development block grant disaster

2:54:58recoveries are a special allocation that

2:55:00Congress has to approve. Um what that

2:55:03means is that means it's not automatic

2:55:05funding you're granted from having a

2:55:07disaster. It means Congress has to take

2:55:09spectual action to overall allocate that

2:55:12funding. So, what our office can do

2:55:15about that is we continue to work with

2:55:17the our primary legislators, especially

2:55:20uh Senator Schmidt's office, but also

2:55:22with um Senator Holly as well as um

2:55:24Congressman Bell to continue to advocate

2:55:27for that work. The biggest time that

2:55:30most funding is allocated to community

2:55:32development block uh dollars is one when

2:55:34a sufficient number of people have had a

2:55:36disasters that get other people on board

2:55:38to be willing to allocate dollars. And

2:55:41it is also um at a time where usually a

2:55:46lot of it is planned in lame duck

2:55:47sessions. So what we expect is that the

2:55:50likely earliest window is probably on

2:55:52the back end of this year in a lame duck

2:55:53session. Um but a lot of what happens in

2:55:56this next election will probably shape

2:55:58what might happen in that lame duck

2:56:00period. So we stand monitoring that and

2:56:02continuing to prepare for what happens

2:56:05if a window opens. the areas that the

2:56:07city can control that we're starting to

2:56:09mobilize on is pre-positioning planning

2:56:12for if those dollars do come. Uh so you

2:56:15as you mentioned Alderman Browning the

2:56:16major issues that took us the longest in

2:56:18the recovery office to be able to move

2:56:20was we didn't have contracts, program

2:56:22designs and standards set up so that

2:56:25when those funds come we could move

2:56:26quickly. the back part of this quarter

2:56:28and early next year, we'll be setting up

2:56:30with community designing the community

2:56:32development block grant disaster

2:56:34recovery programs so that once the

2:56:36dollars come, we already have an action

2:56:38plan. We already have pre-position RFPs

2:56:40and contracts that allow us to move

2:56:42quickly and that's what we'll be focused

2:56:44on here over the course of the next

2:56:45quarter and we'll have conversation with

2:56:47you, a lot of the other impacted all of

2:56:49course um our state representatives and

2:56:52ultimately residents to design what that

2:56:54looks like over the course of the next

2:56:56couple of months. Great. That that's

2:56:58really good to hear. Um

2:57:00I just again emphasize how complicated

2:57:03all of this is and all the systems that

2:57:06need to be set up. It's um it's really

2:57:08good that you're thinking ahead about

2:57:10okay, when these dollars arrive, are we

2:57:12going to be ready for that and ready to

2:57:14deploy them? Um there was a mention of

2:57:18lessons learned over the past year uh

2:57:21and a half um about

2:57:24just you know different operations and

2:57:26different things is I'm sure there's I'm

2:57:30sure there's hundreds if not thousands

2:57:31of lessons learned but is there some is

2:57:34there a lesson we're in that you could

2:57:36just share with us that might help

2:57:37people understand a little more about uh

2:57:40some of the difficulties that your

2:57:42office has been dealing with? Yeah,

2:57:44>> I'm actually gonna see if Well, Laura,

2:57:46Jim, Jennifer, I can answer, but I also

2:57:49do all the hard work every day. Okay,

2:57:51you want me to take the first half and

2:57:52then want to add? So, I'll kind of

2:57:54separate them um into the individual

2:57:56areas. If we think about the repair

2:57:59program for example, the biggest thing

2:58:01that we've learned is that massive

2:58:03aspects of pre-existing conditions and

2:58:04need to develop standard models for how

2:58:06we do pricing, but more importantly

2:58:09internal processes around how building

2:58:10division works, how they pass permits,

2:58:13and how we specially set up systems. And

2:58:16so I think one big learning from home

2:58:17repair is that while we have had a

2:58:19massive home repair issue for decades,

2:58:22we have never built the ecosystem of

2:58:24contractors, support mechanisms, and

2:58:26fully designed programs that work. We've

2:58:29solved a lot of the resident side of it

2:58:31or we're in the process of solving a lot

2:58:32of the resident side of it, but the

2:58:34things that remain is how we invest in

2:58:36small contractor capacity. Because while

2:58:38we've tried to expand a lot to minority

2:58:40contractors, majority of them don't have

2:58:42the funds to upfront the investment in

2:58:45capital. We have had programs around

2:58:47contract capacity, but it's been

2:58:48short-term funded by ARPA. So, there's a

2:58:50lot of capacity building work, MWBE

2:58:53development work that transparently my

2:58:55office can't set up while delivering

2:58:57recovery, and we needed that ecosystem

2:58:59set up. So, there's some few more things

2:59:00that need to happen in that area that

2:59:02are core barriers to the repair side of

2:59:05the house. Um, as we look at the

2:59:08demolition debris work, um, I think a

2:59:11lot of that was learnings that

2:59:12everything should have pre-position

2:59:13contracts, um, and things that allow us

2:59:16to pull on it so that the moment

2:59:17disaster things come, we can just simply

2:59:20add dollars to existing contracts and

2:59:22deploy it and that we've planned ahead

2:59:24of those particular actions. There are

2:59:26areas that we learned specifically in

2:59:28demolition that slow work down. One of

2:59:30them we learned that the individual

2:59:32bidding out process that typically build

2:59:34division use doesn't allow for scale in

2:59:36demolitions. Um it's the reason why

2:59:38stuff takes low. So the standard pricing

2:59:39model worked. We've also learned a lot

2:59:41of barriers to what slows down

2:59:43demolitions. It's the water tap

2:59:45destroyer that we require to happen

2:59:46before. It's the coordination with

2:59:48utilities. And so as we bring a new

2:59:50building commission online, the goal is

2:59:52to take the learnings we learned in

2:59:53demolition and embed that into formal

2:59:56building demolition processes to speed

2:59:58up that process for future demolitions,

3:00:00both tied to massive recovery, but also

3:00:03general city processes. And I think the

3:00:05things that we're learning most in Jim's

3:00:08world of of overall contracting is that

3:00:11we don't have a centralized procurement

3:00:13team. A lot of our procurement practices

3:00:16aren't built with speed. the ENA

3:00:18process, while everyone has been great

3:00:20at having meetings, slows things down.

3:00:22And so there's a lot of work to do on

3:00:24how we think about procurement,

3:00:26procurement structures, um both from a

3:00:28charter perspective and ordinance

3:00:29perspective and transparently how we set

3:00:31up procurement within our offices that

3:00:34long-term is a core area that we'll need

3:00:36to invest and think about redoing to

3:00:38help support not just recovery, but

3:00:40better city processes to support um all

3:00:42of the people who contract with the

3:00:44city. So that's would be I'd say my top

3:00:46observations about the three areas we've

3:00:47been working in.

3:00:49>> That that's really helpful to

3:00:50understanding some of the challenges

3:00:51you've been dealing with. And you know I

3:00:54think as we talk about shifting the

3:00:56burden of disaster recovery onto cities

3:01:00really shines a light on all the things

3:01:03that need to be set up if that is to

3:01:05happen. Uh and while we appreciate, you

3:01:08know, state help and and federal help um

3:01:12that has come, it feels like if this is

3:01:15going to be something we're being asked

3:01:16to do, we're going to need a lot more

3:01:18help to set up and sustain these

3:01:20systems.

3:01:21>> Yeah. And we've learned a lot from this

3:01:23recovery. Um I know we were or at least

3:01:26was already meeting with a lot of our

3:01:28SEMA partners to talk about how we embed

3:01:30learnings that we have into some of our

3:01:32pre-planning um and that work. And then

3:01:34I also want to say because I forgot to

3:01:36mention learn the massive need to better

3:01:38convene and better support our social

3:01:40ecosystem um and community partners who

3:01:43do the work. And while I know a lot of

3:01:45the the response has been what is the

3:01:47city doing? The reality is a lot of the

3:01:49community partners should hold that

3:01:50work. They're better capable of holding

3:01:52that work. They're in the neighborhoods.

3:01:54They have better trust. What the city

3:01:56has had to build is a better process to

3:01:58support that ecosystem in a scaled way

3:02:01and help work with that ecos organize

3:02:03the civic infrastructure to help them be

3:02:06more effective supported by city

3:02:08dollars. And so um I did want to mention

3:02:09that and I think a lot of the work

3:02:11Jennifer and team are doing is helping

3:02:13build that ecosystem long term as well.

3:02:15>> That's helpful. Um the last question I

3:02:18have is just where do you see the need

3:02:20still being in our city? Where where is

3:02:23the need still biggest

3:02:25>> housing? We will have to tackle the fact

3:02:28that we don't have transitional housing

3:02:30that creates and stabilizes residents.

3:02:33We don't have enough direct affordable

3:02:35housing to put our residents in and the

3:02:38process and barriers to housing which is

3:02:40the primary social determinant of health

3:02:42are extremely weak. Um, and as we look

3:02:45at decreasing federal support in these

3:02:47areas, as we look at just the broader

3:02:50vulnerabilities of our population, that

3:02:52will be the challenge for us of the next

3:02:54of the next decade is addressing

3:02:56vacancy, but more importantly make sure

3:02:58that as we address it, we create housing

3:03:00options for the many residents who don't

3:03:02have access to it. And that core issue

3:03:04isn't just a affordable housing stock

3:03:06issue. It is also a is primarily a wage

3:03:09issue. We have actually a lot of

3:03:10affordable housing stock when we average

3:03:12w our residents and the things we do to

3:03:15invest in economic mobility of those

3:03:16residents make these things

3:03:19inaccessible. So when we think about

3:03:20North St. Louis we're not just talking

3:03:21about rebuilding. We're talking about

3:03:23how do we create a circular economy to

3:03:25keep the dollars back in that community.

3:03:27How do we help them move and get access

3:03:29to higher paying jobs that can

3:03:31ultimately have them invest back in

3:03:33their community? which goes back to our

3:03:35overall theme of if we can stabilize the

3:03:37people, we can stabilize the

3:03:39neighborhoods and that's going to be our

3:03:40biggest focus.

3:03:41>> I'm really appreciate you saying that

3:03:44because people often miss the other side

3:03:46of that. Uh they think we just need more

3:03:48housing, but really we also need jobs

3:03:51for people that make, you know, give

3:03:54them the ability to afford that housing.

3:03:56Uh housing is expensive to build and so

3:04:00there's not a number that you can put

3:04:03out there that is low enough that people

3:04:05could afford that will also get housing

3:04:08built. And so, you know, either that has

3:04:11to be subsidized and if you don't

3:04:14increase wages, that's just

3:04:15subsidization year after year, uh, which

3:04:18ends up being very expensive for the

3:04:19city, but also is not the most, um,

3:04:22sustainable or efficient way of of

3:04:24making sure that person is stable long

3:04:27term. Uh, so those increased wages are

3:04:29important. Attracting jobs to the city

3:04:31are important. That's where this feeds

3:04:33into revitalizing other parts of our

3:04:36city, attracting businesses that provide

3:04:38those jobs, and continuing to support

3:04:41efforts in our city that do create uh

3:04:44those good wages and, you know, quality

3:04:48work that people can actually then be

3:04:51better off in our city and not just, you

3:04:53know, living in the cheapest housing or

3:04:55uh or constantly seeking subsidization.

3:04:58I think that everybody wants that for

3:05:00themselves, too. So, I think that's

3:05:01wonderful. Uh, I really appreciate again

3:05:04the updates. Uh, lots of information.

3:05:07I'm going to follow up on some

3:05:09individual things with you all, but I

3:05:10really appreciate, uh, the comprehensive

3:05:13update about how this work going and,

3:05:15um, look forward to the next update.

3:05:19>> Thank you, Aldoman.

3:05:24>> Thank you, Chairman. Hello, Director

3:05:26Nicks. [laughter] Hello. Uh thank you

3:05:30for the presentation information and

3:05:32hello to all of the staff who are in the

3:05:34room and thank you all for your services

3:05:35and your work. Um

3:05:38>> also going to go ahead and ask Laura

3:05:39again to come up because I already know

3:05:40the types of questions you ask and I

3:05:42[clears throat] know partially in her

3:05:44area [laughter]

3:05:45>> and this time we got advanced so I had a

3:05:47time to read through and separate my

3:05:50questions by category by the slot.

3:05:52>> Who you who you want to start with?

3:05:54>> Um I think I'm going to start with home

3:05:56repair and SL. Okay, perfect.

3:06:07>> Okay, so one, I'm just glad that like I

3:06:09really appreciated just the clear

3:06:11numbers and counts of where things are.

3:06:13Like that was really helpful for me to

3:06:14get an understanding of just how things

3:06:16are moving along. Um, I did have a

3:06:19question about what the average cost of

3:06:21repairs has been so far.

3:06:24It has been closer to what about 38,000

3:06:27>> on average. Um I think we're figuring

3:06:30out how that changes after change orders

3:06:32but 38,000 is most of the initial scopes

3:06:35but we have seen about an average of

3:06:365,000 10,000 change order which means

3:06:38after we start demolition and we see

3:06:40more work that needs to be completed we

3:06:42typically see an increase but it's been

3:06:44around 38 $40,000.

3:06:45>> Okay. And for the 236 homes that are in

3:06:49phase one, um how many of them are like

3:06:52underway or have already been spent and

3:06:55um and and how much what has already

3:06:57been spent on them? You know, like you

3:06:58have 236 phase one pilot homes have work

3:07:02underway.

3:07:03>> If we can can we bring the slides back

3:07:06up? Let me find the number.

3:07:09>> That's in the appendix.

3:07:10>> No, actually no, the slide that we went

3:07:13through. So that would have been that

3:07:15shows the contractors. So that would

3:07:17have been slide 28.

3:07:19>> Yeah, sorry. Slide 28.

3:07:21>> That is a reflection of triparty

3:07:24contracts executed. So that's the final

3:07:27allocate, you know, confirmed allocation

3:07:30of dollars where the scope has been

3:07:32approved by the city, reviewed by the

3:07:34owner, and the contract is signed by the

3:07:36owner, SLS, the construction manager,

3:07:38and the assigned subcontractor doing the

3:07:40work. So that 2.85 85 million is a

3:07:43reflection of triparty agreements

3:07:45executed and work in progress spent

3:07:48obviously lags behind that but that's

3:07:50that number and then there are another

3:07:54um 40

3:07:56two approved scope actually I need to

3:07:58filter that do want to go then to the

3:08:00appendix what number is that

3:08:03>> um

3:08:04>> slide 45 please and point out that we

3:08:06have revised and relaunched both our

3:08:08demolition and repair public dashboard

3:08:11they're available on the website. Um so

3:08:13there is an updated repair tracker.

3:08:16There are two

3:08:18um sub programs within one where the

3:08:20recovery office funded some healthy home

3:08:22repair projects and the other that we're

3:08:23leading oursel through the pilot and you

3:08:25can filter and see them together or or

3:08:28separate. Um, and so if you filter down

3:08:31to just the recovery office pilot

3:08:33specifically, you'll see that we have 16

3:08:36formally complete, 23 under

3:08:38construction, which is the combination

3:08:40is what is reflected in the 2.8 million,

3:08:42and 139 approved scopes pending

3:08:46scheduling into construction behind

3:08:48those.

3:08:49>> And Laura, would you mind just maybe

3:08:50covering really quickly what we've seen

3:08:52for the 286 for what's not been

3:08:55feasible, what's and kind of what we're

3:08:57seeing. Yes, that's what I was going to

3:08:59add was if you add those up, you'll

3:09:02notice that it does not equal the full

3:09:04total of what we put into the pilot

3:09:06because of about 260 properties moved

3:09:09into the pilot, 80 of those we found

3:09:13repair is not feasible within our

3:09:15spending cap. So that's

3:09:17>> how many you say 60

3:09:19>> 80 out of 260.

3:09:22So that's a 30% fallout rate

3:09:25where we were not able to get that home

3:09:28to our minimum standards of safe,

3:09:30sanitary, and functional. 50,000 spend.

3:09:33>> And the spending cap you're referencing

3:09:34is the 50,000.

3:09:35>> Correct. And do you um for phase two, do

3:09:39you have a spending cap in mind yet for

3:09:40the homes that will be in phase two?

3:09:42>> Be the same.

3:09:43>> Yeah. So right now it's the same. It's

3:09:45the overall same cap. Uh so what we are

3:09:48working on as a part of the program is

3:09:50two elements. one there's a large part

3:09:52of the not feasible that are actually

3:09:53like if this actually needs demolition.

3:09:55So there's a fair number of folks out of

3:09:57that list that she mentioned that

3:09:58actually switched into the demo program

3:10:00based on the level of severity of damage

3:10:02that happens. What we are working on in

3:10:05the next phase of work is we have built

3:10:08out basically a plan for if the damage

3:10:10can be completed for less than $100,000

3:10:15uh to bring it to habitability

3:10:17standards. We do a full scope on that

3:10:19property and we partner with disaster

3:10:21case management agencies, home repair

3:10:23network and other groups who can put

3:10:24money on the front end of those projects

3:10:26to make them feasible within our

3:10:28program. But given these are city

3:10:30investment dollars, we've been committed

3:10:32to we don't want to invest dollars if we

3:10:34can't bring it to full habitability. um

3:10:37given the nature of a lot of the

3:10:38difficulties of this resident and

3:10:39limited funds, but we are working

3:10:41through pathways for both public

3:10:44participation and philanthropic

3:10:45participation and helping residents get

3:10:48moved back in where our funds are not

3:10:49sufficient.

3:10:50>> So, just to make sure I'm understanding

3:10:52clearly, you're saying for phase two,

3:10:53your plan is to basically still keep the

3:10:54city's 50,000 cap, but form partnerships

3:10:57with other entities who may be able to

3:10:58match that with additional 50,000 so

3:11:00that you can widen the scope for folks

3:11:02who are eligible to be a 100,000.

3:11:05>> Yeah.

3:11:05>> Okay. or up to um so that's of course up

3:11:08to partners to do. So we view our role

3:11:10as being very very clear around who's

3:11:12eligible, who's not, being able to shape

3:11:14the scope of what it takes to get

3:11:15something habitability so we can provide

3:11:17that to the homeowner or partners to

3:11:19become partners in this work and that's

3:11:21how we think about how philanthropy can

3:11:23match the city investments to help

3:11:25deliver more outcomes for residents. So,

3:11:27we've already started to pre-establish

3:11:29some of those relationships and start to

3:11:31learn what that partnership could look

3:11:32like and hope to have further

3:11:33conversations about that in the upcom.

3:11:35>> Understood. Um, on slide 48,

3:11:39uh, my question is about it's this one

3:11:41is from that of the 2,438

3:11:44homes, will the 63 million cover

3:11:49cover that like because I guess it is

3:11:51it'll be combined with the 90 million in

3:11:53state SB1 funds that was in slide 19. My

3:11:57question is really of of those homes,

3:12:00how how many can be covered? Like of the

3:12:0224,438 that you have outlined here, how

3:12:04many can be covered with the 63 million?

3:12:06>> Yeah. So, six if if the full 63 million

3:12:09all went to home repair, that would

3:12:11cover roughly about a total of a

3:12:13thousand homes

3:12:16when you take into account construction

3:12:17management fees, inspection costs,

3:12:20temporary location assistance, and all

3:12:22the other things that are not just a

3:12:23direct construction cost. Do the SB1

3:12:25funds play a role in that or are you

3:12:27looking at that as a separate?

3:12:28>> So right now no SB1 funds have been

3:12:30committed into repair um it is primarily

3:12:33MHC funds and Rol plus whatever we can

3:12:36get from philanthropic partners.

3:12:38>> Okay. Of and on the 8.25 million for

3:12:42home repair contract with SLS. Can you

3:12:45share where we are with that? Have you

3:12:46guys where you are in that contract

3:12:48amount?

3:12:49>> That's the 2.8 again.

3:12:52>> Okay.

3:12:54So, but you'll still have funds left to

3:12:56continue the contract with them.

3:12:59And

3:13:01on slide 26, you did a breakdown really

3:13:04kind of talking about some of the while

3:13:06you were running the pilot, some of the

3:13:07barriers and challenges that you ran

3:13:09into and talked a lot about like kind of

3:13:11pre-existing damage to the properties

3:13:14and the temporary location. Um, how are

3:13:17you looking to address some of those

3:13:18challenges in phase two?

3:13:20>> Yeah. Um so it depends on the nature. Um

3:13:24so a lot of it what we've done is just

3:13:25try to provide real big clarity to is

3:13:28and and prioritize the things that

3:13:30aren't done. So with pre-existing

3:13:32damages if it's massive that is where

3:13:34corporate part like philanthropic

3:13:36partnerships are going to play a major

3:13:37role. Usually if it has pre-existing

3:13:39damage that's going to put people over

3:13:40the cap. The main area where we're

3:13:42seeing the pre-existing and it's not

3:13:44always pre-existing damage. Some of it's

3:13:46just unsafe pre-existing conditions. So,

3:13:48like the biggest one that we have is

3:13:50knob and tube wiring, cloth wiring in a

3:13:52lot of these old homes.

3:13:54>> And you're saying pre-existing, like the

3:13:55buildings kind of already weren't up to

3:13:56code.

3:13:56>> Yeah. Um, and they were already not up

3:13:58to code. We had not been enforcing

3:14:00compliance. So, as we think about city

3:14:02dollars, we want to make sure that the

3:14:03investment is protected that it can be

3:14:05safe. So, what that means is

3:14:07pre-existing damage such as a knob and

3:14:09two cloth wiring by itself could cost

3:14:1230,000 to completely rewire a house to

3:14:14make it safe. for the city to put in

3:14:16$50,000 for the increased fire risk that

3:14:18comes with it. We've decided that's not

3:14:20what we're willing or able to do to

3:14:21protect taxpayer dollars. And what we're

3:14:23working on and the conversation to come

3:14:26is how can we bring partners, whether

3:14:27that be IBW unions, into supporting some

3:14:30of that work. How can we bring

3:14:32philanthropy to play a role in some of

3:14:34those core pieces and that'll roll into

3:14:36phase two.

3:14:38>> Okay.

3:14:38>> And we have been sending people into

3:14:40some of those partnerships just to see

3:14:42how they work in the pilot phase. Um,

3:14:44we're just not ready to announce it

3:14:45until we can agree on bigger commitments

3:14:48um to those programs.

3:14:49>> Understood.

3:14:50>> Another another couple lessons learned

3:14:53and things we're pushing through with

3:14:55the pilot are related to the move out

3:14:57that's needed and temporary reloc.

3:15:00And so, for example, when we need to

3:15:02move materials within the home to

3:15:04another part of the home just to allow

3:15:05for construction and back and not

3:15:07physical ability to do that themselves.

3:15:10And then on the other side of the

3:15:11spectrum when you have to move

3:15:12everything fully out of the home, store

3:15:14it and then put it back in the home. And

3:15:17so getting contractors in Q that are

3:15:19ready to pick up those projects and move

3:15:21at the pace we need to keep construction

3:15:23going is something that we're still

3:15:25working towards by getting them in on

3:15:27scoping on projects as they come so that

3:15:30we can work towards a standardized

3:15:31pricing model that we can just turn

3:15:33through to meet production rates. And

3:15:36then with temporary relocation

3:15:38assistance, it's just been everything

3:15:40you can think of of, you know, ideally

3:15:43residents are able to go stay with

3:15:45family and wait for construction and

3:15:47come back, but many people are not. And

3:15:49then there a lot of various scenarios of

3:15:51different family sizes and pets and

3:15:53>> right and some of the relocation

3:15:54assistance

3:15:56>> I would imagine is above.

3:15:58Uh, I would imagine I guess it's just

3:16:01kind of above because

3:16:03you know I would imagine that a lot of

3:16:05the folks like you mentioned earlier,

3:16:07Director Nicks, that who be relocated,

3:16:10they just don't have like the rent or

3:16:12mortgage rates of what is in the market

3:16:14now that that's just not affordable for

3:16:16them,

3:16:16>> right? And so we have found to make

3:16:18construction possible for some families,

3:16:20we have to provide hotel

3:16:23and so putting clear parameters around

3:16:25what that program can and cannot do. um

3:16:28for families that need it has and we're

3:16:30pretty close to the the the end on that

3:16:32one of locking that program in.

3:16:35>> Okay, I'm going to my demolition

3:16:37questions now. Um which is slide 23

3:16:39through 24 for my first one. Um you have

3:16:43a breakdown by location, but I don't see

3:16:46any notes about MWB. I was just curious

3:16:49how much of the contractor's work went

3:16:50to those minority like MWBE firms. Yeah,

3:16:54we have requested certifications from

3:16:56everyone for quite a while. Um, and have

3:16:59not got back from many and didn't want

3:17:01to guess for you today. So, I mentioned

3:17:04earlier, we'll be sure to bring that the

3:17:06next time we come to report and include

3:17:07that from here on out, but we're going

3:17:09to have to coordinate with SLDC to get

3:17:11certifications ourselves um because we

3:17:13haven't been able to get them from

3:17:14everyone and we didn't want to paint a

3:17:16picture that wasn't help.

3:17:17>> I hear that's an ongoing struggle um

3:17:19with the program. On slide 24,

3:17:23it says that only about 80% of LRA and

3:17:27building division contracts. What are

3:17:28the other 20%.

3:17:32Um,

3:17:35messy data that we didn't get cleaned up

3:17:38in time to present today. So, wanted to

3:17:40present the data that we have. There's

3:17:42also some contracts that were cancelled

3:17:45or there's some that were awarded but

3:17:47maybe will be cancelled. So just hedging

3:17:49bets there to say that

3:17:50>> 20% means it's just in the air.

3:17:53>> 100% of every contract in tornado zone

3:17:56by LRA and building division. Just want

3:17:57to be clear this is a most sample to to

3:18:01give you some data to work with and we

3:18:02can always revise if that's something

3:18:04you want us recovery office to continue

3:18:06to report on we can. Yeah,

3:18:09>> we mainly wanted the reason why we want

3:18:11to pull this and why I want data is if

3:18:14you look at the previous page on

3:18:16demolition um about um and maybe if we

3:18:20can move

3:18:21>> go back one slide

3:18:22>> yeah about 20% of the recovery office

3:18:26were done from the outside um and that

3:18:28was primarily because our local contract

3:18:30capacity a lot of it was being used on

3:18:33committing into the LRA ARPA program and

3:18:36they had a lot of demolitions already

3:18:38with a lot of ourity contractors. So

3:18:41when we were splitting dollars, I was

3:18:42just very curious to see what our

3:18:44program looked like, but also what the

3:18:46holistic looked like, which is why we

3:18:47ran the LRA ones. And we also just

3:18:50transparently had a lot of initial

3:18:51minority demolition contract or

3:18:52demolition contracts in general who were

3:18:54weary to sign up for the pilot um with

3:18:57SLS and I only want work on demolition

3:19:00programs that are through the regular

3:19:01city processes. So we also just want to

3:19:03get curious to see who was working on

3:19:06that side and what that

3:19:07>> yeah I'm a little bit of a I can be a

3:19:09nerd data like that too data nerd in

3:19:11that way too. So I share that curiosity.

3:19:13Um

3:19:15this is slide 49. I just this is more so

3:19:19just I'm curious about kind of the

3:19:20longer term. What does the landscape and

3:19:23pilot like what the lots look like after

3:19:26demolition? Um like who maintains them?

3:19:29like what are the long term after you

3:19:31demolish them what what are the next sca

3:19:34steps after that?

3:19:35>> Yeah. So transparently we look at the

3:19:38house's primary role as securing the

3:19:40safety. Um I think a lot of them are a

3:19:42lot of our demolitions are done on

3:19:44private property which mean they're not

3:19:46LRA buildings. They're private property

3:19:49which mean the owner is ultimately

3:19:50responsible. Uh what we are working

3:19:53through is working through a program and

3:19:56identifying those directly with forestry

3:19:58because typically we wait for things to

3:20:00come for mowing. So we are starting to

3:20:03send the lots that are demolished into

3:20:05there so they can start to track and

3:20:07transparently look to see if it um need

3:20:10like to to make sure that it stays

3:20:11mowed. But of course the bigger capacity

3:20:13that ops is wrestling with is the amount

3:20:15of property we have to cut versus the

3:20:17resources to do it. Uh so you may have

3:20:19seen from ops that they launched a lot

3:20:21of stuff with forestry to better track

3:20:23mode launch and doing that. So that work

3:20:25is underway for maintenance. Um but the

3:20:28reality is what we need to be thinking

3:20:29about as we look along at the tornado

3:20:31zone is planting everything with grass

3:20:34is not a long-term sustainable solution.

3:20:37Those lots need to either move back into

3:20:39reductive use with the neighbor or owner

3:20:41or it needs to move back into something

3:20:43getting built there or we need to do

3:20:45alternative green infrastructure

3:20:47strategies that are much lower cost

3:20:48maintenance um to that work. That has

3:20:51not been the core part of our initial

3:20:53recovery work. But similar to how I

3:20:55talked to Alderman Brownie, how we're

3:20:56starting to think long term, those are

3:20:58the conversations we're starting to talk

3:20:59about in the rejuvenated neighborhoods

3:21:01around what happens to all of this

3:21:03vacant property after the demolitions

3:21:05because right now they're just more

3:21:07grass that's not being cut.

3:21:08>> So you saying right now you're focused

3:21:10on the stabilization of the property and

3:21:12because it a lot of them are private

3:21:14properties, you aren't necessarily

3:21:16having those conversations about the

3:21:18rebuilding or what will happen after the

3:21:19demolition. So, I'm not saying we

3:21:21haven't started those conversations, but

3:21:22that my number one priority is first

3:21:24getting rid of the safety risk of the

3:21:25demolition while starting to mobilize

3:21:28the big questions for how we manage

3:21:30transparently vacant lots across the

3:21:32city, which we've challenged with

3:21:33altogether. And that's directly overseen

3:21:35by Colonel Johnson and his team with

3:21:37forestry and we're a core partner in

3:21:39thinking about what that looks like. And

3:21:40then as we look at long-term recovery,

3:21:43we fundamentally believe that it's not

3:21:45just going to be about getting a mowing

3:21:47program working. is going to be about

3:21:49alternative strategies that are in

3:21:51addition to a mowing operations to

3:21:53really bring back these neighborhoods.

3:21:55>> And that is a great segue to my next

3:21:57question about debris removal. Right now

3:21:58it's Americanore who we're relying on

3:22:00solely to do debris removal.

3:22:02>> Yeah. And I did want to add because he

3:22:04mentioned we're working to increase

3:22:06Americanore capacity, but that's

3:22:07actually phase two because that's

3:22:09actually my question about do that

3:22:10through partnership with Slate. So

3:22:12Americanore did partner with the Slate

3:22:13jobs program and was able to add more

3:22:15crews through that effort. you're not

3:22:17seeing the the September data on here

3:22:20just because their reporting has a lag.

3:22:22So you'll it's not like no debris was

3:22:24done in September. Um it's there's just

3:22:27a delay in reporting. Yeah. So we'll

3:22:29have that next time. Um but they have

3:22:30been able to grow capacity through

3:22:32partnership with Slate and now we're

3:22:34looking at bringing on additional crews

3:22:36through other local nonprofits that can

3:22:38work alongside Americanore and Slate. Is

3:22:40that plan to expand that going to also

3:22:43impact your the budget

3:22:46>> minimally?

3:22:46>> It'll be a cost to expand that

3:22:48partnership um and to be able to deliver

3:22:50that um but we we we think it's a

3:22:53reasonable cost but share hopefully more

3:22:55details in the coming weeks.

3:22:56>> And for the 187 I think that's the right

3:22:59number remaining debris projects. Do you

3:23:01all have a timeline?

3:23:04un unfortunately at current capacity uh

3:23:07we're averaging one and a half

3:23:09properties a day.

3:23:12It's not a great burn rate. So that's

3:23:14why we we are continuing to put efforts

3:23:16into how do we get more debris removal

3:23:18crews on the ground. Um but it is it's

3:23:22not like contracted labor. You know,

3:23:24most of this is still humans with weed

3:23:27eaters and wheelbarrows. that doesn't

3:23:29really warrant a company to come in with

3:23:32machinery, right? Um, conditions change

3:23:36obviously every day. So, we have a much

3:23:39larger pipeline than the 443 of people

3:23:41that are in the queue as needing debris

3:23:44removal, but there is um one and a half

3:23:48people that are constantly calling

3:23:50people and getting updated data. Do you

3:23:53still need debris? What type of debris?

3:23:55and then routing that. If it's trees and

3:23:57we can get it to Hansen and get the

3:23:58trees taken care of, we do. If it's

3:24:00eligible for FEMA funding, we can move

3:24:02it to the state. We're making sure that

3:24:03while it's waiting for Americanore or

3:24:05other crews to come by that we know they

3:24:07still need it and what that need is so

3:24:09those crews can properly plan and it is

3:24:11constantly changing and we're moving

3:24:13properties out and back in.

3:24:15>> And those are those 187 that are

3:24:17waiting, are they all privately owned

3:24:20properties or are they none of them are

3:24:21LRA? We don't oversee any of the L

3:24:24clearance.

3:24:25>> Correct. Okay. Um

3:24:28I

3:24:31did have a few questions about resident

3:24:33support services. So I'll be quick so we

3:24:35can go to the next person. Um

3:24:39I see like some of them are being cut.

3:24:42Like there's about $4.99 million.

3:24:45Um,

3:24:48I guess so. It looks like there's 179

3:24:51households on the case management weight

3:24:53list and case management has been moved

3:24:55to federal funding beginning in

3:24:57September.

3:24:58>> And we're on 30, by the way.

3:25:00>> Yes, sorry, that's slide 30.

3:25:03What What is that um timeline in mind

3:25:06for that? How long is the typical weight

3:25:08and when does the federal funding run

3:25:10out for that transition?

3:25:12>> Funding goes through June. Um, and the

3:25:15wait can be, you know, I think 8 weeks

3:25:18or something like that for folks at this

3:25:20point. Um, we do think as the repair

3:25:23program comes online, as people have

3:25:25gotten into their rental assistance that

3:25:28see some acceleration of that, but the

3:25:30need is high. Um, the population needs a

3:25:33whole lot of supports. Um, and it's the

3:25:36ones that are there that are were not

3:25:39moving through as quickly need a lot

3:25:41more support than the ones obviously

3:25:43that we've been able to close their

3:25:44cases on. Okay. And from the slide, it

3:25:47looks like there's 391 households that

3:25:49are currently rental assistance until

3:25:52the payments end in midocctober. Are we

3:25:55estimating that those 391 folks will be

3:26:00may be at serious risk for homelessness

3:26:02at that point when that funding runs

3:26:04out? We are concerned about their

3:26:06housing stability, which is why we're

3:26:08doing proactive outreach. Um, the

3:26:11largest number of folks who got rental

3:26:13assistance started getting that

3:26:15assistance

3:26:17of this year. And so we're doing

3:26:19proactive outreach with our partners to

3:26:21those households to identify who is at

3:26:24risk, who's been able to make plans, who

3:26:26has a solid plan, and who's going to

3:26:28need additional supports. And we've been

3:26:30meeting with all of the case management

3:26:32partners to identify what a path forward

3:26:35is recognizing the city can't definitely

3:26:38fund housing at this level. Um but how

3:26:41do we support people of getting back on

3:26:43their feet and developing the economic

3:26:45capacity to thrive in their own lives?

3:26:48>> And you said you've been doing proactive

3:26:50outreach to them along the way to let

3:26:51them know the funds go out. is that like

3:26:53their case managers are meeting with

3:26:54them and making sure that they knew that

3:26:55there was a timeline in place or like

3:26:57what's the proactive outreach look like

3:26:59in the assessment?

3:27:00>> So, the St. Louis Integrated Health

3:27:02Network, our partners there who are

3:27:04really critical in getting pe

3:27:05identifying people at risk and getting

3:27:07them enrolled in the program are doing

3:27:09the follow-up outreach. they have a

3:27:11query of questions that they're asking

3:27:14them, identifying immediate supports

3:27:16that they might still need. Um, and then

3:27:18as well identifying their plan for when

3:27:21their assistance does begin to run out.

3:27:26>> Okay. And the deck reports that there's

3:27:29778 closed cases. So, if they're closed,

3:27:32does that mean that those households

3:27:34have been like stably replaced and the

3:27:36cases closed or is there some would it

3:27:38be closed for another reason beyond

3:27:39that? could be closed for multiple

3:27:41reasons. It could be closed because they

3:27:42were able to get the supports they need

3:27:45um to finish their recovery plan. So,

3:27:47the disaster case manager helps the

3:27:49resident identify what their recovery

3:27:51plan is. So, it can be closed because

3:27:53they've met that plan. It also can be

3:27:56closed because a person continues to not

3:28:00participate and they choose to drop out.

3:28:02It can be closed for that reason as

3:28:04well.

3:28:04>> And do you have the data for those 778

3:28:07households that break down?

3:28:08>> I'm happy to give. Yeah, we have a lot

3:28:10of data, different levels of it. So,

3:28:12happy to share that with you.

3:28:13>> Thank you. And for the 4.99 million,

3:28:16what are you all's plans for the

3:28:17unallocated 4.99 in regards to the

3:28:20residential services?

3:28:22Jennifer, can you talk about that? But

3:28:23can you also talk about what closed

3:28:24means from staircase management? I know

3:28:27that's different.

3:28:30>> Yeah, for them closed is people have

3:28:32safe, sanitary, functional housing um

3:28:34that they've been able to get into um

3:28:38housing that's safe for them. So that's

3:28:40the definition of closed for disaster

3:28:43case managers. And I'm sorry, your

3:28:44second question. Um,

3:28:49I guess really I'm curious about the

3:28:51disaster case managers and their process

3:28:53determining kind of eligibility for that

3:28:56or just that process. Um,

3:29:01but I can come back to that for the 4.99

3:29:04million it says you guys have that

3:29:05unallocated. What are the plans for?

3:29:08>> This is where we've been engaging with

3:29:10the partners to identify the range of

3:29:12needs. really focusing on this idea that

3:29:14we need to stabilize the people to

3:29:16stabilize the neighborhoods and how do

3:29:18we have a vision that's beyond just

3:29:21emergency but how do we move into giving

3:29:24people the wraparound supports that we

3:29:26can do in a really coordinated way

3:29:28through this ecosystem of partners over

3:29:30multiple years to get people to a

3:29:32stabilized position. So, we're

3:29:34identifying with them those priorities,

3:29:36things like financial counseling,

3:29:38continued case management, behavioral

3:29:41health services, continued housing

3:29:43supports. Those are all things that are

3:29:45coming up as critical options. And those

3:29:48costs we expect will exceed what's

3:29:50available in that bucket. And we need to

3:29:51prioritize what the city can do and find

3:29:54partners to help us build the pathways

3:29:56for the other things that we know people

3:29:58need to be advanced in their recovery.

3:30:01>> Okay. Okay. And speaking of things city

3:30:02could do, I have some residents in the

3:30:04seventh floor that I had to explain are

3:30:05not eligible for these funds, but they

3:30:08did like uh I know some constituents who

3:30:11applied for things connected to these

3:30:14funding even though we are clearly not

3:30:16in the tornado zone. Um what is the

3:30:19process like for vetting and verifying

3:30:21that somebody does not, you know, that

3:30:23someone lives within the tornado zone?

3:30:25Do we work with the building division on

3:30:26that or how do we make sure because I'm

3:30:28sure there are people who are applying

3:30:30that are not eligible. But what is that

3:30:31verification process?

3:30:33>> So, we have a contractor that does that.

3:30:35They confirm that they're eligible by

3:30:37verification of where they were living

3:30:40at the time of the tornado. That could

3:30:42be a utility bill in their name. So,

3:30:44there's lots of options. A lease is

3:30:47obviously the best option for their

3:30:49name. If they're not in the tornado

3:30:51zone, then we do look at data to tell us

3:30:55if we have any data that that building

3:30:57was damaged by the

3:30:59>> Okay. Thank you. Yep.

3:31:02>> And then I'll just add a little bit on

3:31:04that one. So that's what we do for the

3:31:06assistance program. Uh for the repair

3:31:09program, we similarly track everything

3:31:11that is signals of damage, whether we

3:31:12registered the business as damage,

3:31:14whether they applied for FEMA and was

3:31:16granted. So we use a wide variety of

3:31:18indicators to try to qualify and figure

3:31:21out was your home impacted by the

3:31:23tornado. Because while your area is

3:31:26further south, we know the winds

3:31:28impacted as high as Ben and as low as

3:31:30even in your district. And so usually

3:31:32we're looking for something like, is

3:31:34there evidence that a tree fell or

3:31:36something in that area that can give us

3:31:37verifiable evidence? And so if it's not

3:31:40immediately clear, we ask for

3:31:42clarification on proof of damage from

3:31:44the tornado. And most people who it

3:31:47wasn't tornado damage just drop out of

3:31:48the process and then others um appeal

3:31:51it. Um, but we do have a way to service

3:31:53people that were outside of maybe the

3:31:55immediate zone and proving verification

3:31:57that they do have needs.

3:32:01>> Anything else?

3:32:03Uh, is Alman Devot

3:32:07or Aldwoman Velasquez?

3:32:09>> I'm still online. Um, thank you,

3:32:11chairman. I don't really have any other

3:32:12questions. My colleagues have been very

3:32:14thorough. I just want to say uh thank

3:32:17you for doing the breakout of the

3:32:19contracts by city, by MSA, and by out of

3:32:22state. I think that's helpful, and I

3:32:24appreciated the explanation

3:32:26uh about why the MWBE numbers aren't in

3:32:29there, and I look forward to seeing them

3:32:30in the next um the next presentation.

3:32:34And with that, I've got no other

3:32:35questions because they were all asked

3:32:37and answered. Thank you.

3:32:38>> Thank you, Alman. Uh do we have Alderman

3:32:40Devote online, Madam Chair, or Madame

3:32:42Clerk?

3:32:43>> No, we do not. Okay. Um I'mma kind of

3:32:46speed through these a little quick um

3:32:49because I know we have public

3:32:50infrastructure at 3:30 and we still have

3:32:52another one and maybe public comment. Um

3:32:55old woman already hit on the MWBE also

3:32:58echo that. Uh want to make sure that uh

3:33:01we get those numbers. Um there a lot of

3:33:05great minority and women businesses out

3:33:08there that I think will be eligible. Um

3:33:10especially as we're rebuilding areas in

3:33:12North St. Louis. We definitely need to

3:33:14have um individuals that look like them

3:33:17being rebuilt. Uh question on the demo

3:33:20and debris page 21. Um

3:33:24so

3:33:27it it looks like only so far and I don't

3:33:30know if that's from March or just total.

3:33:34Is it only been 395 complete or is that

3:33:37also the plus to March? So 395 complete

3:33:41344 is the number versus March. So that

3:33:45means out of the 395 344 happened since

3:33:48our last update with you all. As Laura

3:33:51mentioned in the footnote um in phase

3:33:53one there's about 345 that are not

3:33:56complete. But from a resident

3:33:58perspective 120 of that 345 is already

3:34:01down and removed. We just haven't done

3:34:04the final close out paperwork on the

3:34:06permit to prove that the full work was

3:34:08done according to city quality

3:34:10standards. Um so from a resident

3:34:13perspective that number is closer to 505

3:34:16demolitions complete thus far.

3:34:19>> Okay. Stabilization total need 609

3:34:23um homes need to be stabilized.

3:34:26Mhm.

3:34:31>> I guess I'm trying to figure out how do

3:34:32we get to

3:34:35so many homes was damaged in the

3:34:36tornado. So stabilization clear to you

3:34:39all means tarp and board and wrap.

3:34:43>> Y

3:34:43>> and the WAP is that the 50,000 like

3:34:48inside work. What could you remind me of

3:34:50RAP?

3:34:50>> Oh, so the RAP program um I forget what

3:34:53it stands for now. weatherization.

3:34:57I don't remember. But in short, what it

3:34:59means is it's a much more program. Tarps

3:35:02on roofs last very short periods. It's a

3:35:05much better overall wrap that can

3:35:07protect the roof from weather intrusion

3:35:09for up to a year to two years. So that

3:35:11while people await overall home repair,

3:35:14they're not suffering further water

3:35:16damage. And so that stabilization means

3:35:18we have boarded up the house any windows

3:35:21or doors that are exposed and we've

3:35:23wrapped the roof to protect the asset

3:35:25until it can move through the repair

3:35:26program if it's eligible or until that

3:35:28resident can do the work themselves.

3:35:30>> And the repair program is the next phase

3:35:32on page 25 where you guys identified 264

3:35:37uh in phase one which was the pilot 236

3:35:42was in need only like 46 was completed.

3:35:46Yeah. So 46 are complete and another 42

3:35:50or somewhere in the early 40s are under

3:35:53construction. So some of that 40 is

3:35:55complete but similar to demolitions we

3:35:57are waiting to do the full project close

3:35:58out. So 46 means it happened. We did a

3:36:01full closeout and we've paid the invoice

3:36:03and we and all the documentation has

3:36:05been solidified. And then repair again

3:36:07is that's a number um I think was

3:36:09probably brought up and I'm clarifying

3:36:12that was brought up in committee that

3:36:13the repair that is done by uh office of

3:36:16recovery that's the the max number of

3:36:18repair amount is that the 50,000

3:36:20>> yes that's the the repair program is the

3:36:23$50,000 cap program

3:36:24>> and and what would some of those repairs

3:36:27I guess look like that have been

3:36:28completed in the inside?

3:36:30>> Yeah. So what it looks like so um within

3:36:33the overall program it means the

3:36:35envelope is watertight. That means if

3:36:37there roofing damage we've we've fixed

3:36:39it damage to the fascia damage to

3:36:41gutters um any critical tuck pointing

3:36:44anything that can take on water or

3:36:46threaten the fundamental structure of

3:36:48the home as well as making sure that

3:36:50there's egress access which means in the

3:36:52front you have access to steps with

3:36:55handrails and things to successfully get

3:36:56up and down out of the property both

3:36:58front and the back. Um and then kind of

3:37:01any of the tuck pointing tied to it. Um

3:37:03so that's the external exterior. For the

3:37:06internal it means we have a functional

3:37:08bathroom and a functional kitchen. It

3:37:11means that all living spaces are

3:37:12completely free of of the immediate

3:37:14places where we can see water damage and

3:37:16mold that has been properly treated for

3:37:19overall mold. Um, which means we've

3:37:21removed drywall, removed it where we

3:37:23need to, sprayed it with antimicrobial,

3:37:26and gone back with drywall, mudded and

3:37:28taped, and primed the areas. So, we

3:37:31don't do full painting. Um, it also

3:37:34means all the flooring is safe, which

3:37:35means none of it's soft or wet, but it

3:37:38is not to necessarily what you would

3:37:40want you would want to put in a solid

3:37:42floor. Um, but it means that the solid

3:37:44floor foundation um is is put in place.

3:37:46>> And I'm sure you didn't probably all

3:37:48this house interior. I'm I'm sure you

3:37:50probably didn't know most of this into

3:37:52doing this work now. So, you're ready to

3:37:54do your own. What is I guess that

3:37:56criteria looks like of like what is

3:37:58priority? So, if I my house was damaged

3:38:01by the tornado, I qualify for a repair.

3:38:04What is like a priority that you say,

3:38:06okay, we definitely need to do the

3:38:07bathroom. We definitely need to make

3:38:09sure the floor or we definitely need

3:38:10prime.

3:38:11>> Yeah. So, the program is not how much

3:38:14can we support with 50k and what do we

3:38:16prioritize. We say that we have a

3:38:18standard that a house has to be at first

3:38:20considerate safe, sanitary and

3:38:22functional, we scope to that full set of

3:38:24work. Um, so if we cannot secure

3:38:27everything that I just mentioned, which

3:38:28is and provide the a watertight

3:38:30envelope, make sure that there's

3:38:32functional bathroom and kitchen space,

3:38:35making sure that we've remediated all

3:38:37immediate mold and all of that part of

3:38:39the work, it won't it does not get

3:38:41serviced through the future part of this

3:38:43program if we can't do that within

3:38:4550,000. And so that's where I was

3:38:46talking to talking to Alder Worman

3:38:48Sonier about we are doing a full scope

3:38:50up to $100,000 and then if it hits it

3:38:54can be done within the cap we do the

3:38:55work if it doesn't we don't and we frame

3:38:57that it's not feasible and then they can

3:38:59work with partners to figure out the gap

3:39:01and that's the work that we said is to

3:39:03come

3:39:03>> but I guess I guess my question is like

3:39:05what it what

3:39:08what is there clearly all of the work

3:39:10can't be done um but like what's number

3:39:13one like if it's mow in the house is

3:39:14that like we're going to tackle that or

3:39:16the floor is loose. Like that's what it

3:39:20>> Yeah. What? Going back to the original

3:39:21question like what's the priority for

3:39:24the work when you guys go in to be like

3:39:27we need to do this, do that. Like that's

3:39:28number one, that's number two, that's

3:39:29number three. Maybe they don't have mode

3:39:32to number two. Like do you have a list

3:39:34of like you say a sanitary house? Do you

3:39:36is there a priority list for that?

3:39:38>> So we have a full specifications list

3:39:40that every house needs to be brought to

3:39:42if we finish it within the program. So

3:39:44the reason why I say there's no priority

3:39:46is if we can't do the weathertight

3:39:48envelope, secure the door, secure the

3:39:50windows, secure the roof, remove all

3:39:52mold and things that's a public safety

3:39:54threat. Ensure that there is a

3:39:55functional bathroom and a functional

3:39:57kitchen up to code. All of those have to

3:40:00happen. So we so the things that are

3:40:02priority is anything we consider is

3:40:04necessary to make it safe, sanitary, and

3:40:07functional. So every house goes to the

3:40:09same standard. So we don't think about

3:40:11it as priority one, priority two,

3:40:13priority three. We think of this as all

3:40:14of this needs to happen for this to be a

3:40:17safe sanitary functional house and our

3:40:19scope does all of it and if we cannot do

3:40:21all of it within the cost envelope we

3:40:23don't do it. So we don't pri we're not

3:40:24prioritizing within subwork of within

3:40:27that.

3:40:27>> Okay functional it's not.

3:40:29>> Gotcha. uh what does it look like or how

3:40:31do a resident go about I think we've

3:40:33seen some video of work that has been

3:40:35done cuz this is contracted out where it

3:40:37has been um

3:40:41I was going to say half something but uh

3:40:45I think you could fill in the blank

3:40:46there but where residents where

3:40:48contractors have come in and actually

3:40:50like only not really completed the work

3:40:52or they've uh made the work worse. We've

3:40:55seen I've seen some videos of

3:40:57contractors going in and like just I

3:41:00guess they were supposed to be sanding

3:41:01or something. I don't know priming and

3:41:04um they didn't like complete the work or

3:41:05it was not to the level that I think we

3:41:08want our residents to be living in.

3:41:10>> Yeah. So what I will say is every single

3:41:13part of the program gets a closeout

3:41:14audit that happens by both the building

3:41:16division and our team about whether it's

3:41:19the work is completed according to code

3:41:21or to standards. Um, and so what I will

3:41:25say is in some of the videos I'll be

3:41:26transparent and say there is direct

3:41:28disagreement on work that has been

3:41:29completed and I do not feel like the

3:41:31news is fully accurate on what happened

3:41:33and did not happen as part of the

3:41:35program. Um, but everyone gets a

3:41:37closeout audit. We personally make sure

3:41:40a member of our team has seen it and

3:41:41that pictures and photo documentation

3:41:43prove that the work that was under the

3:41:44work order is completed according to

3:41:46code and quality. If a resident thinks

3:41:49it has not, they are instructed to not

3:41:52sign the key turnover paperwork. Let our

3:41:54team know that and then we do a personal

3:41:57audit of it. And if we and then we say

3:42:00is is there actual true concern for the

3:42:02resident or not. And if we disagree with

3:42:04the resident's concerns, we document it

3:42:06in a last audit for their concerns and

3:42:09how we've addressed those or why we

3:42:11don't think that that part is a part of

3:42:13the program.

3:42:14>> Okay. My last question before our last

3:42:16uh one of the day is or actually two.

3:42:19How much do we have left in the impact

3:42:21attendance fund?

3:42:22>> Um I believe it's about 400,000 but if

3:42:25we go back to the page so we've depleted

3:42:27the entire city to that fund and so we

3:42:31did that first before we moved into RAM

3:42:33dollars and so based on what you see we

3:42:36had a million total. Let me double check

3:42:38because I don't know those numbers at

3:42:41the top of my head.

3:42:50If we go to page is it 30

3:42:53>> 30 um we spent 422,000 of that is Rams

3:42:57which means there's roughly 600,000

3:42:59left.

3:42:59>> What page?

3:43:00>> Oh I got the answer. It was page 30.

3:43:02Madam clerk, um how I think you

3:43:06mentioned how many uh vacant unit

3:43:08turnovers do we still have that um are

3:43:11not turned over?

3:43:13>> Jim, did we get that update from CDA?

3:43:17>> So, it's not in our packet of how much

3:43:18has been allocated and how much has been

3:43:20complete.

3:43:21>> We did not we did not have those numbers

3:43:23in time for when we sent that. I know

3:43:24Jim was following up with CDA, but

3:43:26that's a CDA managed program, so we

3:43:28don't have the full

3:43:28>> So, who does uh the vacant unit turnover

3:43:31program ran through office of recovery?

3:43:34CDA does the work.

3:43:36>> So, we so we delegated those dollars to

3:43:39CDA and they administered the full NOA

3:43:42process. Um, all we did was moved it

3:43:44through ENA out of the funds into the

3:43:46department.

3:43:47>> How much money, I guess, have we

3:43:48allocated for the vacant unit turnover?

3:43:50>> About $3 million.

3:43:51>> Just for people at home, about $3

3:43:53million. Do we know how much has CDA

3:43:54spent on the vacant unit turnover?

3:43:57>> I think they have

3:43:58>> Could you come up to the mic, Jim?

3:44:02>> Alder Aldridge, I'll have to um confirm

3:44:05this you, but I think they have about

3:44:07half of the 3 million left to spend

3:44:11>> and it's it's on projects that are

3:44:13started but not complete. So, it's all

3:44:15contracted.

3:44:16>> Okay. Do we know how much with that $3

3:44:18million, how many unit turnovers would

3:44:20that?

3:44:21>> I I do. I just don't have it here.

3:44:23>> Yeah. So, we just got those numbers.

3:44:25We'll make sure that the board of

3:44:26autoing get an update on where vacation

3:44:28progress is.

3:44:29>> Okay. I know it's one of our PowerPoint.

3:44:31I'll have to look. We had some old

3:44:32numbers which we wasn't um very far

3:44:35along. So, it would be good to see where

3:44:37that that um progress is in that.

3:44:42>> Yep. We'll we'll make sure that gets

3:44:43over to the committee. Like I said, we

3:44:45didn't have it at the time. Um so, we'll

3:44:47make sure we get final updates.

3:44:48>> Gotcha. Uh, I think that's all I got.

3:44:52And then last but not least, we have the

3:44:55neighborhood planning is who's

3:44:58>> So, I'll cover part of that and then

3:44:59I'll ask Ro Jonathan Roer who oversees

3:45:02neighborhood planning. He can come up um

3:45:03when we get to Q&A. Um, so if you can

3:45:06pull open the slides, madam clerk,

3:45:10>> you're good.

3:45:14Thank you, Jennifer. Thank you, Jim.

3:45:15Thank you, Laura.

3:45:22All right, if we can proceed to

3:45:26slide 38

3:45:32>> 38

3:45:32>> 30.

3:45:37>> Perfect. Um, so just as kind of again a

3:45:39broader recap, there was about 120

3:45:42million total allocated uh to North St.

3:45:46Louis. um overall rebuilding about 89

3:45:50million was allocated to the long-term

3:45:51tornado recovery fund directly toward

3:45:53tornado recovery and 31 million was

3:45:56specifically for neighborhood plan

3:45:58implementation and the board bill says

3:46:00that once we have a plan for those

3:46:02dollars we need to rebr uh to the board

3:46:05of alderman. Um and so those dollars are

3:46:08still not being allocated yet. If we go

3:46:11to the next page here, the primary focus

3:46:13that we want to have first, which I want

3:46:15to recognize uh Jonathan Roer, who's our

3:46:17neighborhood planning executive from

3:46:19PDA, who him and his team and overall

3:46:21PDA have been doing the hard work of

3:46:24adopting and building neighborhood plans

3:46:26for the entire tornado recovery area and

3:46:29the rest of North St. Louis. Um overall,

3:46:32we've had two plans adopted since the

3:46:34Rams package and two more to be adopted

3:46:36by.

3:46:38All plans will be fully adopted by

3:46:40January of 2027 for North St. Louis. Um

3:46:44and so where we are right now, so that

3:46:46means six of the nine neighborhoods have

3:46:48been adopted, which 67% and two of the

3:46:50four um tornado recovery zone

3:46:53neighborhoods have been adopted, so

3:46:54about 50%. Um what we are now working

3:46:57through is working directly with PDA and

3:46:59working directly with the to take a look

3:47:02at all the work that's being created and

3:47:04figure out where is the best catalytic

3:47:06way to drive the city's 31 million. Um

3:47:10and if we go to the next page here

3:47:14where we are kind of focused is again

3:47:16all that work will be completed by

3:47:18January of 2027. We're working directly

3:47:21with planning and urban design agency to

3:47:22be finalizing a list of like priority

3:47:24projects and focuses by neighborhood.

3:47:27Um, and then PDA and SLDC alongside CDA

3:47:31and affordable housing commission in

3:47:33collaboration with our office will work

3:47:35to determine where we plan to focus

3:47:37those dollars to be most catalytic. So,

3:47:39we'll be coming back and making

3:47:40recommendations for spending and metrics

3:47:42to be proposed to the board of alderman

3:47:43in Q1 of 2027 aligned with how we will

3:47:46be distributing that 31 million in

3:47:48funds. But we want to make sure that we

3:47:50have a holistic view of all the broader

3:47:52neighborhood plans and approaches. Um,

3:47:54and transparently have a strong way to

3:47:56be confident that we can put that money

3:47:58out, leverage private investment

3:48:00alongside it to maximize the dollars

3:48:02tied to this particular fund.

3:48:06And that's it. Um, unless Roer you had

3:48:09anything to add.

3:48:12>> Okay. So, we'll if we have questions and

3:48:14it's planning related to questions.

3:48:18Gotcha. Um who's online, madam clerk, at

3:48:21this point last man sitting.

3:48:24>> Um we just have our public testimony.

3:48:27>> Okay. Um I don't have any questions on

3:48:30it. At least when it come to uh the

3:48:32implement Well, I do. Is is there any

3:48:34chance that these neighborhood plan

3:48:36funding or funds uh the 30 31 can is a

3:48:40city doing anything maybe to like is

3:48:42there opportunity to do like matching

3:48:44funds to spread the dollars even further

3:48:46for some of these neighborhood plans?

3:48:48>> That's exactly the focus question is how

3:48:50do we best leverage existing dollars and

3:48:54projects alongside this fund plus

3:48:56potential outside capital to maximize

3:48:58how far that 31 million goes. That's a

3:49:00part of the broader planning process

3:49:02that we're working together to figure

3:49:03out um as we look at long-term

3:49:05deployment. So, we hope to have details

3:49:06on that um when we do the passage in

3:49:082027.

3:49:10>> All right. I don't have anything else,

3:49:12Mr. Nicks.

3:49:14Alderman Browning.

3:49:17>> Oh, thank you. I I look forward to

3:49:20hearing more about the plans. I think

3:49:21this is a really important part of uh

3:49:24the idea of rebuilding, you know, these

3:49:28impacted areas and making them better

3:49:30than they were before the tornado. So,

3:49:32um just looking forward to the next

3:49:33update we get to [clears throat] hear

3:49:35more about what we're working and how

3:49:37this money can go to work. So, thank

3:49:39you.

3:49:40>> Thank you, Alderman. I think there's

3:49:43>> I think Jonathan Roer wanted to add a

3:49:46comment.

3:49:48>> No. Thank you, chair and members of the

3:49:51uh board of alderman.

3:49:53>> If you could just state your first and

3:49:54last name and position and speak into

3:49:56the mic as much as possible.

3:49:57>> Ah, there we go. Jonathan Roer with the

3:49:59city of St. Louis planning and urban

3:50:00zone agency. I'm the city planning

3:50:02executive neighborhood planning and also

3:50:04I will note uh while there's RAM

3:50:06settlement money that uh also the

3:50:10program is funded primarily through the

3:50:11economic development sales tax of 2017

3:50:14and so with that there's also have been

3:50:17funds awarded in the last fiscal year

3:50:19for neighborhood plan implementation

3:50:21manager that the city is now trying to

3:50:23hire. So right now we have a

3:50:25neighborhood planning executive but we

3:50:27don't have a counterpart to actually

3:50:30help implement uh on a very strategic

3:50:33manner. So this is where that that uh

3:50:35position has been created under SLDC and

3:50:38that hired for today uh hired for now.

3:50:42So we will actually have another uh

3:50:45partner in this um implementation. Thank

3:50:48you.

3:50:49>> Gotcha.

3:50:52Alrighty. Uh that's all we have for you,

3:50:55Mr. Nicks, and all the folks that are

3:50:58here. Uh we will go into public comment.

3:51:00How many people do we have online, madam

3:51:02clerk?

3:51:02>> Just one.

3:51:03>> Just one. Okay. The person that is

3:51:05online, if you can turn your

3:51:10screen on and I'll swear you in.

3:51:16>> Okay.

3:51:17>> All right. If you can raise your right

3:51:20hand

3:51:22kind of look.

3:51:23>> Okay.

3:51:24>> Is [laughter] your right hand?

3:51:24>> Okay. I'm trying to Okay. I'm see you.

3:51:28Do you swear to tell the truth, the

3:51:29whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

3:51:31>> I do.

3:51:32>> All right. Miss Will uh Williams, you

3:51:35may proceed. You have three minutes. Go

3:51:36ahead.

3:51:38>> Okay. Uh first of all, thank you uh very

3:51:41much um uh to the board of alderman and

3:51:45chairpersons and members. This has been

3:51:48a very interesting thing. It's the first

3:51:49time I've been through an entire uh

3:51:51committee meeting. Um I would like to

3:51:54say thank you to Mr. Nicks and to the

3:51:56staff uh because it was uh the

3:51:59presentation was very detailed and they

3:52:01answered a lot of questions and then the

3:52:03follow-up questions by members of the

3:52:05board really answered almost all of my

3:52:08questions. But my main focus is on small

3:52:11business and uh if Mr. next one one of

3:52:15his team members could refer back to uh

3:52:18the BIS business support he mentioned

3:52:20that there was $2 million available and

3:52:23that 250,000 of that had already been

3:52:26awarded and zero interest rate and that

3:52:30was early in his presentation. Uh I'd

3:52:33like to ask a couple of questions from

3:52:36that and one is um to whom are those

3:52:40business dollars made available? Um and

3:52:44uh and what access do uh people who are

3:52:47business, small business people who are

3:52:50in the tornado uh stricken area uh how

3:52:53do they obtain access or information

3:52:56about that and if that if this is going

3:52:59to be the only funds that out of the RAM

3:53:02funds that are going to be used for

3:53:03small business and uh and then the last

3:53:07after he answers those two questions I

3:53:09just also want to say thank you so much

3:53:11for planning for the future.

3:53:12One of the things as as a tornado victim

3:53:15myself, even though now I'm I'm living

3:53:17in the uh seventh ward, I was in

3:53:20Fountain Park, which is the 10th ward,

3:53:23uh at the time of the tornado and our

3:53:25home was destroyed. Um there I I hope

3:53:29that all of of you uh those working so

3:53:32hard to help the all the people who are

3:53:35working to coordinate everything

3:53:37remember that it is it was a traumatic

3:53:39kind of experience and it's kind of like

3:53:41grief. It doesn't stop or start um with

3:53:46everyone at the same time. And like

3:53:48grief can go on and on. So are the

3:53:50people who are who are affected by the

3:53:53by the tornado.

3:53:55uh and business people are a big part of

3:53:58that. So, uh back to the main part of my

3:54:01concern is small businesses. What is the

3:54:04access to the funds that $2 million that

3:54:07was discussed? Um and what are the

3:54:10future plans? Are will this be expanded

3:54:13or are these the only funds that will be

3:54:15made to business and how are they

3:54:17accessible?

3:54:21>> Thank you, Miss uh Williams. Uh

3:54:23typically we don't uh from uh the public

3:54:26do the uh back and forth, but I do think

3:54:27those are important questions. So before

3:54:29I close out, I will make sure I ask

3:54:31those, but we also have uh other folks

3:54:34uh here to also speak that was here for

3:54:37the meeting. So I'll make sure that

3:54:38those get answered.

3:54:40>> So next we have Michael McLemore.

3:54:45>> All right, Mr. McLemore, could you raise

3:54:47your right hand?

3:54:50You swear to tell the truth, the whole

3:54:51truth, too. and nothing but the truth.

3:54:54>> Come on.

3:54:57>> Come on.

3:55:01>> Can y'all hear us?

3:55:03>> Yeah, I hear you now. Go ahead.

3:55:05>> Okay. So, it looks like it's going to be

3:55:06you speaking and is it more speaking?

3:55:11>> Uh, Lex Martin.

3:55:13>> Anyone else?

3:55:14>> What is the name?

3:55:17>> Lex Martin.

3:55:19>> Lex Martin.

3:55:20>> Thank you. And did you have anybody

3:55:22else, Mr. Mcmore?

3:55:25>> Uh, no. That should be it.

3:55:27>> Okay. Can you both raise your hand?

3:55:30Swear to tell truth, the whole truth,

3:55:32and nothing but the truth.

3:55:33>> I do.

3:55:34>> Yes.

3:55:35>> All right. Who wants to go first?

3:55:39Ladies,

3:55:39>> I'll go first. My first question is for

3:55:42you, Alderman Aldridge. When was this

3:55:45hearing posted publicly? Can you clarify

3:55:48that for me?

3:55:48>> I'm sorry, Miss Martin. Before uh the

3:55:51altman answers your question, could you

3:55:53also state what ward you live in?

3:55:56>> Five.

3:55:57>> And spell your first and last name,

3:55:59please.

3:56:00>> L E X space Martin M A R T I N.

3:56:07>> All right, Miss Martin, as you know, we

3:56:09don't do the back and forth, so you have

3:56:11three minutes. You may proceed.

3:56:14Well, I figured because you were so

3:56:16gracious with Miss Williams that you

3:56:18could answer that question. Um, we just

3:56:21became aware of this meeting. So, I'm

3:56:23very curious. Uh, and I want to

3:56:26encourage this committee and the entire

3:56:29BOA and mayor for meetings like this. We

3:56:33need to make them accessible to folks

3:56:35that are impacted by the tornado um, who

3:56:38may not have the privilege to join a

3:56:40meeting at 11:00. We're pretty tapped

3:56:43into the committee schedule and you know

3:56:46that's why I'm asking when this meeting

3:56:48was posted publicly.

3:56:49>> Yes, ma'am.

3:56:50>> And in hopes that we do a better job of

3:56:54making sure that this information that

3:56:56the recovery office is distributing

3:56:58actually makes it to the people who need

3:57:00it. That's my first comment. My second

3:57:02question is around and it's to the

3:57:05recovery office

3:57:08providing more insight into the repairs

3:57:10and clarity around this phase one pilot

3:57:13and this phase two. Basically what I'm

3:57:16seeing and if I'm reading this

3:57:17incorrectly I'm happy to be corrected

3:57:20but that we've had less than 60 repairs

3:57:25completed. Um

3:57:28is I think that's correct. So, you know,

3:57:30when you all are sitting there thinking

3:57:32about what you're going to do with your

3:57:3332 million, how about we actually repair

3:57:36people's homes so that people can stay

3:57:37in North City? But clarity around these

3:57:40repairs cuz looking at that number

3:57:43um is pretty disheartening. Um those are

3:57:47my only pieces and I can seed my time

3:57:50the rest of my time to Dr. McLemore.

3:57:53>> I'm good.

3:57:54>> Okay. Hey, Miss uh I will answer your

3:57:57question unless towards the end I'll

3:58:00make sure we get m uh Miss Williams uh

3:58:03answer um maybe an answer to the repair

3:58:06and about when this was posted. Mr.

3:58:08McLemore, did you have anything?

3:58:12>> No, I'm all right.

3:58:13>> All right. Um any more public speakers?

3:58:18>> We have none.

3:58:19>> Okay, Mr. Nicks, if you can come on up.

3:58:21Um so this meeting was actually posted

3:58:25uh Friday. It was posted Friday during

3:58:27the board of alderman meeting. There was

3:58:28an announcement made. I do hear the

3:58:31concern about having evening meetings

3:58:33typically when the budget committee has

3:58:35met around rams. I've always ensured to

3:58:37make sure that these meetings was

3:58:38evening in the evening so that people

3:58:40that's impacted by tornado can make it.

3:58:43I've already communicated uh with the

3:58:44mayor's office the next meeting that we

3:58:46will have will be a even meeting. I know

3:58:48with this being the first one since we

3:58:50passed um the last uh or since we passed

3:58:54the Rams bill, uh some of the department

3:58:56heads wanted to kind of set the tone and

3:58:58needed to be here in the daytime. But I

3:59:00definitely totally agree with you and

3:59:02always support making sure that these

3:59:04meetings are in the evening. And I'm

3:59:06committed to uh the next time that

3:59:08there's a Rams meeting um around this

3:59:10subject that it's in the evening. and

3:59:13we'll make sure that it's at least on

3:59:14the website seven days out how we have

3:59:16typically done these so folks can be

3:59:18aware of it.

3:59:21Mr. Nicks, if you can just answer for me

3:59:26a question Miss Williams brought up

3:59:27about small businesses, what the office

3:59:29of recovery is doing around that and

3:59:32then um around kind of repairs that the

3:59:36number uh that she mentioned I think 60

3:59:38if that is accurate if you could talk

3:59:40about that. Yeah. So, talking first

3:59:42around kind of small business supports.

3:59:45Um, overall the board bill did not pass

3:59:48any individual amount of dollars

3:59:49directly toward small supports. Um,

3:59:53sorry. So, a question around small

3:59:55business supports. Um, within board bill

3:59:5722, there was no direct allocation of

4:00:00dollars specifically to support small

4:00:02businesses within the eligible set of

4:00:04uses. So, out of the 89 million,

4:00:06unfortunately, none of that is directly

4:00:08for small business. What we are looking

4:00:10at though is as we look at long-term

4:00:13implementation that 31 million is

4:00:15technically speaking eligible for a wide

4:00:17variety of uses. So as we look at

4:00:19longerterm neighborhood planning uh that

4:00:22is core area of focus. Um I think u Miss

4:00:25Williams you also asked a question about

4:00:27the $2 million. Unfortunately I'll be

4:00:30honest and say that program is run uh by

4:00:33SLDC and the St. Louis Economic

4:00:35Development Corporation, which is the

4:00:37joint between the city and the county.

4:00:39Um, I unfortunately don't have that

4:00:41immediate details in front of me, but I

4:00:44know you have been directly in touch

4:00:46with our SLDC members, Russell Halliday,

4:00:48and that group with your small business

4:00:50coalition that can answer that question,

4:00:52and I'll make sure that for future

4:00:54committee meeting hearings, we at least

4:00:56get an update on what those numbers are.

4:00:59Um, last time we checked that program

4:01:01had been closed though for new updated

4:01:04loans. Um, there was a lot of learnings

4:01:06of what made those grants ineffective

4:01:08for the needs of direct businesses and

4:01:12SLDC was working on alternative products

4:01:15to help provide support for small

4:01:17businesses both in the tornado zone and

4:01:19more generally. So, um, I'm happy to

4:01:21talk off the line if you have additional

4:01:23questions about that or make sure you're

4:01:24in touch with the right members of SODC

4:01:26to answer it. for the public. Um, I'll

4:01:28commit to making sure that's added to

4:01:29our updates to at least make sure that I

4:01:32have an update on where our other

4:01:33departments are on that area and if not

4:01:35directly have them attend this meeting.

4:01:38Um, in terms of the homes, I think we

4:01:40talked a lot about in the broader public

4:01:43comment period around why we're at 46 40

4:01:46that are under production as well as the

4:01:48fact that we're going to be giving a lot

4:01:50more clarity to the remaining 60

4:01:52million. A lot of which is targeted

4:01:54toward home repair that is being

4:01:56deployed. But we have not spent down

4:01:57that full set of dollars yet, which is

4:01:59why we have not allocated additional

4:02:01dollars beyond the pilot um at this

4:02:03moment. Um but we will be communicating

4:02:05more directly to residents on kind of

4:02:07what they can expect um this October on

4:02:10next phases tied to the home repair

4:02:12program.

4:02:15>> Thank you, Mr. Nicks. I hope that was

4:02:17able to answer uh both of our speakers

4:02:19question. Um, if we don't have any more

4:02:23speakers, Madame Clerk.

4:02:27All right. Um, thank you for being here.

4:02:30Uh, Miss, uh, Caitlyn Smith, thank you

4:02:33for, um, this has been a kind of a

4:02:36different approach. Typically, we just

4:02:38hear from Office of Recovery. Um, I know

4:02:41this meeting is on YouTube, so folks

4:02:43that, uh, if you wasn't able to watch

4:02:45the whole thing could be able to go

4:02:47back. We want to as this recent board

4:02:50bill that uh the board of alderman

4:02:52passed, it does allocate money outside

4:02:54of just um Rams, it allocates it to um

4:02:59vacancy downtown

4:03:02um I'm trying to think infrastructure.

4:03:04So, we did have all different department

4:03:06heads here to kind of talk about where

4:03:09those funds are. Um, and as we move

4:03:11forward with continuing to have these

4:03:13conversations to make sure that these

4:03:15dollars are being spent and that the

4:03:17public is part of the process, like I

4:03:19say, I've been committed and I'll make

4:03:21sure I stay committed to make sure we

4:03:22have evening meetings. Um, so I do hear

4:03:25the community and also want to thank

4:03:27everybody that came with that. Uh, do we

4:03:30have any acknowledgement of written

4:03:32testimony? Madam clerk,

4:03:33>> we have none.

4:03:35>> All right. Uh only announcement is that

4:03:38uh next Thursday

4:03:41at

4:03:4310, Madame Clerk, we will have a budget

4:03:46and public employee committee to hear uh

4:03:49the BRT bill, which I believe is board

4:03:52bill 57.

4:03:54Um outside of that, uh all members was

4:03:57present.

4:03:58And

4:04:00far as is anybody online

4:04:03>> brownie

4:04:04>> I'll make a motion that we abjourn.

4:04:09>> Second.

4:04:11>> All in favor? I

4:04:13>> I

4:04:14>> I. Any oppose? Motion carried. We are

4:04:16journ.