Opinion: St. Louis’ Government Structure Has Failed City/Region and Generations of Most Vulnerable Residents

Construction on St. Louis’ city hall began in 1890, completed in 1904. The design reflected the form of government the city had at that time:

When City Hall was designed, St. Louis had a bicameral form of government similar to the Missouri Legislature. The building originally had chambers and meeting rooms for the House of Delegates and the City Council. The 1914 City Charter eliminated the Council and changed the House of Delegates to the Board of Aldermen. The room that once housed the Council is now the Board of Public Service Chamber, and the Board of Aldermen occupy the House of Delegates chamber and committee rooms. The Mayor´s office remains in its original space on the northeast corner of the second floor.(Source)

The 28-member “Board of Alderman” has existed for 108 years of the city’s nearly 254-year history, the most recent 43%.

Though not yet verified, my suspicion is the city was divided into 28 wards beginning with the 1876 divorce from St Louis County — when the current city limits became fixed.

Interesting that from 1914 to 1943 all 28 aldermen were elected at large, one per ward. Can you imagine if candidates for each ward had to win a city-wide election today? For the last 75 years the voters of each ward has elected one alderman to represent them.

The 1940 census showed first time drop in population for a city that had been growing exponentially for over 175 years. The Republicans & Democrats that ran city hall thought it was just a fluke. The 1947 Comprehensive Plan predicted a 1970 population of 900k.  The increased 1950 census of 856,796 affirmed to the city’s leaders — Republicans & Democrats — that the city was growing perhaps even faster than estimated just 3 years earlier. Since the 1940 census they’s gained 50,000 residents. Instead of reaching 900k by 1970 the city lost over 234k.

Decade after decade of aldermanic courtesy treated the city as 28 fiefdoms rather than one city. Patronage jobs and scores of old timers teaching newcomers about how things have always been done led to bad decision after bad decision.

We should be talking about the form of our municipal government and how to change it so it functions better, produces positive results, and represents the best interests of the just over 300k of us who remain.  Just reducing the board from 28 to 14 isn’t the right answer — just as sticking with 28 isn’t either.

The results of the recent non-scientific Sunday Poll:

Q: The ideal number of wards/aldermen for St. Louis is:

• 29 or more: 0 [0%]
• 28: 2 [6.25%]
• 15-17: 2 [6.25%]
• 14: 9 [28.13%]
• 13 or less: 19 [59.38%]
• Unsure/No Answer: 0 [0%]

Do really think the structure created in 1914 — highly segregated times in St. Louis — is the best we can do?  I say start over from scratch and design a governance structure that works for the present conditions, population, etc.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: What Is The Ideal Number Of Wards/Aldermen For The City Of St. Louis?

In November 2012 voters approved Proposition R to reduce the number of wards from 28 to 14, based on the 2020 census. Recently a bill was introduced to the Board of Aldermen that, if passed, would ask voters to reverse their 2012 decision.

An ordinance submitting to the qualified voters of the City a proposed amendment to the Charter of the City to maintain the Board of Aldermen as body of twenty-eight Aldermen representing twenty-eight wards, and preventing its reduction beginning December 31, 2021, to a body of fourteen Aldermen representing fourteen wards as called for under Article I, Section 3 of the City Charter; providing for an election to be held for voting on the proposed amendment and the manner for the voting; and for the publication, certification, deposit, and recording of this ordinance; and containing an emergency clause. (Board Bill 25 summary)

As the approved change approaches the debate between all sides is ramping up their arguments. Lost in the back & forth is the question of what number of wards/aldermen is best for the city to address its problems — so today’s poll question:

For the purposes of this poll assume one alderman per ward. This poll will close tonight at 8pm.

— Steve Patterson

St. Louis Board of Aldermen, New Board Bills Week 3 of 2018-2019 Session

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen will meet at 10am today, their 3rd meeting of the 2018-2019 session.

As of 9:30am yesterday, today’s agenda includes 6 new bills:

• B.B.#41 – Williamson – An Ordinance to provide for the borrowing of funds in anticipation of the collection of tax payments levied by The City for deposit in its General Revenue Fund for the calendar year ending December 31, 2018, and remaining uncollected and other revenues remaining to be collected and deposited in the General Revenue Fund for fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, all such revenues for the General Revenue Fund in the Treasury of The City through the issuance by The City of its Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes; and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#42 – Davis – An ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission, the Comptroller and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, making certain findings with respect to the transfer of up to Four Million Dollars of excess moneys that The City, the owner and operator of St. Louis Lambert International Airport, intends to transfer from the Debt Service Stabilization Fund to the Airport Development Fund in accordance with Section 516.B of the Lambert- St. Louis International Airport Indenture of Trust between the City, as Grantor, and UMB Bank, N.A., as Trustee, dated as of October 15, 1984, as amended and restated as of July 1, 2009, as amended and supplemented; authorizing a transfer in an amount not to exceed Four Million Dollars from the DSSF into the Airport Development Fund during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017, for the purpose of making funds available to address Coldwater Creek Emergency Repairs – Stabilize Banks and Channel; containing a severability clause; and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#43 – Davis – An Ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission, the Board of Public Service, and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment authorizing a First Amendment to Section One of the Airfield, Building & Environs Projects Ordinance 70617, which authorized a multi-year public work and improvement program at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, increasing the total estimated cost of the Airport, Building & Environs Projects by Four Million Dollars to Nineteen Million Dollars and amending EXHIBIT A entitled “PROJECT LIST” by adding a new project to the list entitled “Coldwater Creek Emergency Repairs – Stabilize Banks & Channel”; authorizing a First Supplemental Appropriation in the total amount of Four Million Dollars from the Airport Development Fund into the Airport, Building & Environs Projects; containing a severability clause; and an emergency clause.
• B.B.#44 – Davis – An Ordinance recommended and approved by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment authorizing and directing the Director of Airports and the Comptroller, the owner and operator of the St. Louis Lambert International Airport, to enter into and execute, the Second Amendment to Lease Agreement AL-222 between the City and MHS Travel and Charter. The Second Amendment amends Lease Agreement AL-222 dated June 25, 2013, as amended by the First Amendment to Lease Agreement AL-222; containing a severability clause; and an emergency clause.
• B.B.#45 – Davis – An Ordinance recommended and approved by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment authorizing and directing the Director of Airports and the Comptroller of the City, owner and operator of
  St. Louis Lambert International Airport to enter into and execute the “Airport Terminal Services, Inc. Space Permit AL-071” between the City and Airport Terminal Services, granting to the Permittee, subject to and in accordance with the terms, covenants, and conditions of the Permit certain rights and privileges in connection with the occupancy and use of the Premises, which is defined and more fully described in Section 201 of the Permit that was approved by the Airport Commission; containing a severability clause; and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#46 – Green – An ordinance renewing the Tower Grove South Concerned Citizens Special Business District pursuant to Sections 71.790 through 71.808 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, setting its boundaries, tax rate, initial rate of levy subject to the approval of the qualified voters, bonding authority, and uses to which tax revenue may be put; creating a board of commissioners; and containing severability, effectiveness, and emergency clauses.

The meeting begins at 10am, past meetings and a live broadcast can be watched online here. See list of all board bills for the 2017-2018 session — the new bills listed above may not be online right away.

— Steve Patterson

St. Louis Board of Aldermen, New Board Bills Week 2 of 2018-2019 Session

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen will meet at 10am today, their 2nd week of the 2018-2019 session.

Today’s agenda includes new bills on: redevelopment projects, updates to building codes, a new whistleblower law, a couple of bills  that would require a vote of citizens — one would allow appointed department heads to live outside the city, the other would keep the Board of Aldermen at 28 rather than drop to 14 as approved a few years ago.

• B.B.#2 – Martin – An Ordinance recommended by the Planning Commission on February 7, 2018, to change the zoning of property in City Block 3084, from “J” Industrial District and “K” Unrestricted District to the “K” Unrestricted District only, at 7500-18 S. Broadway and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#3 – Vollmer – An Ordinance recommended by the Planning Commission on February 7, 2018, to change the zoning of property in City Block 4741, from “A” Single-Family Dwelling District and “F” Neighborhood Commercial District to the “A” Single-Family Dwelling District only, at 5201 Fyler; and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#4 – Coatar – An ordinance recommended by the Board of Public Service to conditionally vacate travel in 10 foot wide “L” shaped alley in City Block 798 as bounded by Shenandoah, 10th St., Lami and Menard in the City.
• B.B.#5 – Vaccaro – An Ordinance establishing a Detention Facility Advisory Commission that shall receive public complaints regarding the City of St. Louis Justice Center and Medium Security Institution detention facilities and shall, at its discretion, review and investigate such complaints as well as patterns of issues and systemic concerns the City’s detention facilities and their operation it has identified and where the Commission deems appropriate, make recommendations to the Department of Public Safety, the Board of Aldermen, and Mayor with respect to Corrections.
• B.B.#6 – Howard – An ordinance repealing Ord. 70475 and in lieu Thereof enacting a new Ordinance to be known as the City Whistleblower Law, pertaining to reporting improper governmental action and providing protection from retaliatory action for reporting and cooperating in the investigation and/or prosecution of improper governmental action; containing definitions, procedures for reporting improper governmental action and retaliation, and penalties; and containing severability and emergency clauses.
• B.B.#7 – Davis – An Ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission, the Board of Public Service, and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, establishing and authorizing a public works and improvement program at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, at a total estimated cost of Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000); authorizing an initial appropriation in the total amount of Five Million Three Hundred Eighty Two Thousand Five Hundred Forty Three Dollars ($5,382,543) from the Airport Development Fund; and containing a severability and an emergency clause.
• B.B.#8 – Davis – An Ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment authorizing a First Supplemental Appropriation in the total amount of Four Hundred Eighty One Thousand Three Hundred Two Dollars  from the Airport Development Fund, into the Airfield, Building & Environs Ordinance 70570 approved July 10, 2017, for the payment of costs authorized therein; and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#9 – Ingrassia – An ordinance to revise Ordinance 70736, approved March 2, 2018, pertaining to the collection of administrative citation fines assessed by the Building Commissioner; containing a severability clause and an emergency clause.
• B.B.#10 – Coatar – An Ordinance pertaining to the Zoning Code requiring that certain uses that are regulated by a plat and petition process under the License Code and Building Code be made a conditional use, prohibited use, or use by right under the Zoning Code.
• B.B.# 11 – Kennedy – An Ordinance adopting the 2018 International Building Code with amendments, including Appendices E, F, G, H, I and J; repealing Ordinance 68610, Ordinance 68788, and Ordinance 69271; and containing a penalty clause, severability clause, savings clause, and emergency clause.
• B.B.#12 – Kennedy – An Ordinance adopting the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code with amendments; repealing Ordinance 68792; and containing a penalty clause, severability clause, savings clause, and emergency clause.
• B.B.#13 – Kennedy – An Ordinance pertaining to the Mechanical Code of the City; repealing Ordinance 68639 and Ordinance 68847; adopting the 2018 International Mechanical Code with amendments, including Appendix A; and containing a penalty clause, severability clause, savings clause, and an emergency clause.
• B.B.#14 – Kennedy – An Ordinance adopting the 2018 International Residential Code for One- and Two-family Dwellings with amendments,including Appendices E, F, G, H, J, K, M, R, S, and T; repealing Ordinance 68789; and containing a penalty clause, severability clause, savings clause, and emergency clause.
• B.B.#15 – Kennedy – An Ordinance adopting the 2018 International Existing Building Code with amendments, including Appendices A, B, and C; repealing Ordinance 68790; and containing a penalty clause, severability clause, savings clause, and emergency clause.
• B.B.#16 – Kennedy – An ordinance adopting the 2017 National Electrical Code with amendments; repealing Ordinance 68831; and containing a penalty clause, severability clause, savings clause, and emergency clause.
• B.B.#17 – Kennedy – An Ordinance adopting the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code with amendments; repealing Ordinance 68791; and containing a penalty clause, severability clause, savings clause, and emergency clause.
• B.B.#18 – Kennedy – An Ordinance adopting the 2018 International Fire Code with amendments, including Appendices B and C; repealing Ordinance 69600; and containing a penalty clause, severability clause, savings clause, and emergency clause.
• B.B.#19 – Kennedy – An Ordinance adopting the 2018 International Fuel Gas Code with amendments; repealing Ordinance 68638; and containing a penalty clause, severability clause, savings clause, and emergency clause.
• B.B.#20 – Spencer – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for 3452 Oregon.
• B.B.#21 – Howard – An ordinance submitting to the qualified voters of the City, a proposal to revise Section 2 of Article VIII of the City Charter which requires City employees to reside within the boundaries of the City and thus allow said employees, except for City Agency and Department Directors appointed by the Mayor, to reside outside of the boundaries of the City, and; providing for an election to be held for voting on the proposed revision and the manner of voting thereat and; for the publication, certification, deposit, and recording of this ordinance; and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#22 – Spencer – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for 3429-3431 Ohio.
• B.B.#23 – Guenther – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for 3520 Wisconsin.
• B.B.#24 – Coatar – An ordinance promoting the use of energy efficient heating through the connection to the Downtown Steam Distribution system; requiring the continual use of the Downtown Steam Distribution System for any development project occurring in Downtown St. Louis seeking Municipal Financial Incentives; prohibiting the Clean Energy Development Board of the City from approving financing for any project that would result in a commercial building disconnecting from or no longer using the Downtown Steam Distribution System for heat; a portion of the net profits be remitted to the SWMDC and containing a severability clause.
• B.B.#25 – Muhammad – An ordinance submitting to the qualified voters of the City a proposed amendment to the Charter of the City to maintain the Board of Aldermen as body of twenty-eight Aldermen representing twenty-eight wards, and preventing its reduction beginning December 31, 2021, to a body of fourteen Aldermen representing fourteen wards as called for under Article I, Section 3 of the City Charter; providing for an election to be held for voting on the proposed amendment and the manner for the voting; and for the publication, certification, deposit, and recording of this ordinance; and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#26 – Ingrassia – An ordinance to revise Ordinance 70737, approved March 2, 2018, pertaining to enforcement of code violations related to buildings, structures and premises in the City; by amending Ordinance 70737, Section Once Sub-section C, related to the procedures for the collection of administrative citation; containing a severability clause and an emergency clause.
• B.B.#27 – Moore – An ordinance repealing Ordinance 70087 and in lieu thereof enacting a new ordinance prohibiting the issuance of any package or drink liquor licenses for any currently non-licensed premises within the boundaries of the Fourth Ward Liquor Control District and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#28 – Davis – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for the 2647-2651 Washington
• B.B.#29 – Davis – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for the Tiffany Neighborhood Scattered Sites Area.
• B.B.#30 – Muhammad – An Ordinance directing the Director of Streets to temporarily close, barricade, or otherwise impede the flow of traffic on Anderson at the north curb line of Dryden, and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#31 – Vaccaro – An Ordinance establishing a four way stop site site at the intersection of Mardel and Sulfur regulating all traffic traveling eastbound and westbound on Mardel at Sulfur and regulating all traffic traveling northbound and southbound on Sulfur at Mardel, and containing an emergency clause.
• B.B.#32 – Boyd – An Ordinance concerning certain business license regulations set forth in Title 8, which require the completion of a plat
  and neighborhood consent petition prior to obtaining an occupancy permit; repealing Ordinances 56788, 57294, and 58645, pertaining to Arcades containing a severability clause; and an effective date clause.
• B.B.#33 – Martin – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for the 532 Bates.
• B.B.#34 – Murphy – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for the 5019, 5032 & 5034 Ulena.
• B.B.#35 – Spencer/Ogilvie/Navarro/Muhammad/Green/Martin – An Ordinance pertaining to campaign contribution limits; amending Ordinance 70357 Sections 1 and 3, and repealing Section 4 of said ordinance, to acknowledge newly passed State of Missouri maximum limits on campaign contributions and to decrease maximum limits on campaign contributions for local elections as provided herein.
• B.B.#36 – Davis – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for the 2647-2651 Washington.
• B.B.#37 – Kennedy – An ordinance pertaining to the authorization of a mutual aid agreement between the City of St. Louis and St. Clair County, Illinois, for St. Clair County, Illinois, law enforcement officer employees to provide law enforcement services and activities on MetroLink property within the city limits; containing definitions; a severability clause; and an emergency clause.
• B.B.#38 – Williamson – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for 5780 McPherson.
• B.B.#39 – Martin – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for 7401 Vermont.
• B.B.#40 – Ogilvie – An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for 6452 Nashville Ave. & 6453 Wade.

Whew…long list.

The meeting begins at 10am, past meetings and a live broadcast can be watched online here. See list of all board bills for the 2017-2018 session — the new bills listed above may not be online right away.

— Steve Patterson

Pruitt-Igoe’s William Igoe Died 65 Years Ago; St. Louis Board of Aldermen Started New Session This Week

Sixty five years ago today the person for whom the intended white section of failed Pruitt-Igoe public housing project was named died at age 73:

William Leo Igoe (October 19, 1879 – April 20, 1953) was a United States Representative from Missouri.

Igoe was born in St. Louis to Irish immigrants. He attended the public and parochial schools of St. Louis and graduated from the law school of Washington University in St. Louis in 1902. He was admitted to the bar in the same year and commenced the practice of law in St. Louis. He was a member of the municipal assembly of St. Louis from 1909 until March 3, 1913, when he resigned to enter the United States Congress.

Igoe was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-third and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1921). On April 6, 1917, he joined 49 other representatives in voting against declaring war on Germany. He declined to become a candidate for renomination in 1920. He resumed the practice of law and was an unsuccessful Democratic nominee for mayor of St. Louis in 1925. He was chairman of the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners 1933–1937. He died in St. Louis on April 20, 1953 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery. (Wikipedia)

You can see his photo on FindAGrave.

At the beginning of this week the St. Louis Board of Aldermen formerly ended their previous session and began a new session the following day. The 2017-2018 session ended on Monday, the 2018-2019 session began on Tuesday. No legislation was introduced — expect quite a bit a week from today when regular 10am Friday meetings resume. As I’ve done in the past, new Board Bills will be listed the day they’re introduced.

Since a new session is starting, this is a good opportunity to review the how a board bill becomes an ordinance:

Workflow
When it comes to passingBoard Bills, the Board of Aldermen agenda is broken down into four basic parts.

1. First Reading of Board Bills/Referenceto Committee
2. Second Reading of Board Bills
3. Perfection of Board Bills
4. Third Reading/Final Passage of Board Bills

Introduction of Board Bills
Each Friday, Bills are introduced (first read) during the Board of Aldermen meeting. The meetings are held at 10 A.M. in Room 230. The President then assigns each bill to one of 15 committees.

Committee Hearings
It is up to the chairman of each committee to schedule hearings to review any Bills that have been introduced and assigned.

During the committee hearing, an alderman will present a Bill to the committee members, discuss its merits and ask that it be sent to the full Board of Aldermen with a “do pass” recommendation. Sometimes, the committee will make changes to the Bill before sending it back to the floor. These changes are called Committee Substitutes or Amendments.

If a sponsor senses that a Bill lacks sufficient support, the sponsor may ask that it remain in committee while changes are drafted. Although rare, sometimes a Bill will remain in committee until the end of the session, at which time the Bill “dies.”

Second Reading
Once a bill has been passed out of committee, it is then ready for Second Reading at the next Board of Aldermen meeting.
There is no discussion of the bill during Second Reading – it’s simply read out loud.

Perfection
The following week, the bill appears on the Perfection Calendar. This is when the sponsor may stand up and explain to the full Board what the Bill is and ask for support. On controversial Bills, there is often a long and lively debate. This is also the time to make any final changes to the Bill (Floor Substitute).

It takes a majority of the aldermen present to vote in favor of perfecting a bill and move to Final Passage. (All votes at the Board require a majority of the aldermen present except on Final Passage, which requires a total of 15 “yes” votes regardless of how many aldermen are present at the meeting. Bills regarding the sale of City-owned land require 20 “yes” votes.)

Third Reading/Final Passage
One week after Perfection, the Bill will appear on Third Reading/Final Passage. No more changes can be made to a Bill at this point. Each alderman can either vote “yes” or “no.” It takes 15 “yes” votes to finally pass a Bill and send it to the Mayor’s desk.

There is a procedure by which a Bill can move more quickly through the process. After Second Reading or after Perfection an alderman may ask to suspend the rules and have the bill moved to the next section on the agenda during the same meeting. 

Timeline
First Reading = 1st week.
Passed out of committee and Second Reading = 2nd week
Perfection (suspend the rules and obtain Third Reading/Final Passage) = 3rd week
The quickest a Bill can go from First Reading to Final Passage is three weeks at a minimum.  It is not unusual, however, for the process to take longer.  It could be several weeks before the Bill gets a committee hearing, which would slow down the process.

The sponsor may ask that a Bill be held in committee while changes are drafted, which will also slow down the process. 

The best thing to do is to follow the weekly agenda. If the Bill you’re looking for does not appear on Second Reading, Perfection or Third Reading, then you know the sponsor must be holding it in committee for some reason or the Bill is still waiting for a hearing.

The above is from the About Board Bills page. In the meantime you can review votes on bills from last session here.  For example you can see who defeated a bill to create a buffer zone at abortion providers.

— Steve Patterson