Monday SRG Soulard Safety Committee Meeting

7 pm Monday, February 26, 2018
Soulard Restoration Group
Soulard Safety Committee
Soulard Station, 1011 S 12th
Open to the Public

Agenda:
1. Crime Stats
2. Incidents of Concern
3. Court Advocacy Efforts
4. SRG Neighborhood Public Security Camera Status Update
5. SSBD Items

SRG Safety Committee IS NOT Soulard Special Business District, the special taxing district created in 1994 and funded by a property tax for extra security for Soulard. See map for boundaries.

Next SSBD Meeting should be 6 pm Monday, March 12, 2018 at Soulard Station, 1911 S 12th. Open to the Public. If you’d like on the agenda to speak at that meeting, contact chairman@soulard-sbd.org at least one day in advance of meeting.

The SSBD does not publish agendas or meeting minutes on its website.

SSBD Boundaries

There is also group working on a Soulard Community Improvement District to be funded with a sales tax.

See map for proposed boundaries

Stop The Demo! Email Preservation Board Before Monday Meeting

Make Your Voice Heard. Email Preservation Board. Contact information at end of post.

4 pm Monday, February 26, 2018
St. Louis City Preservation Board 
Room 2000, 1520 Market
City Hall West
Open to the Public
Sign In To Testify
Agenda With Details/Drawings

City Online Calendar Notice

300 S Broadway, Downtown, 7th Ward (Owner/Architect: St. Louis Community College/HDAI Architects/Jack Holleran) – Demolition of occupied 6-Story Building of Merit (built 1890’s) and Construction of 33-Story Luxury Apartment/Retail Building.

Per Preservation Board Agenda: “At the December 18, 2017 Preservation Board meeting, an identical preliminary review proposal was considered. The Board approved demolition of the existing building with the following conditions: (1) that the original Clark and Broadway facades from the 1890s building be retained and incorporated in the design of the tower; (2) that the apartment tower must have at least 75% glass curtain walls on all four facades of the new construction; (3) final design and materials be approved by the Preservation Board; and (4) the demolition approval is withheld until a building permit is approved.”

12/19/2017 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Downtown apartment tower should keep historic facade, Preservation Board says

However, the developer says retention and reuse of the facades is too expensive. That’s interesting since the developer’s 7-level parking “podium,” known to you and I as a parking garage, will have the most expensive cladding for a parking garage ever.

Action by the Board of Aldermen intended to force the Preservation Board to approve demolition- 20 year tax abatement by 7th Ward Alderman Jack Coatar– was adopted by a 17-8 vote after intense debate.

8 No Votes. That’s a big deal. Development bills are considered aldermanic privilege bills. You do not rock the boat or your bills will get held up.

2/18/2018 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: St. Louis aldermen approve 20-year tax abatement for 33-story apartment tower downtown

2/24/2018 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Downtown apartment tower heads back to Preservation Board

Cultural Resources Staff now recommends approval of demolition without the facade use requirement.

This project will be a short distance from Ballpark Village Phase 2– a 29-Story Luxury Apartment/Office Building.

12/14/2017 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Ballpark Village expansion breaks ground, accounting firm PwC named anchor office tenant

Also on Monday’s Preservation Board Agenda…

3012 Longfellow, Compton Hill, 6th Ward – construction of single family home

2220-22 Menard, Soulard, 7th Ward, this was the gas explosion site – the mixed use plan has been nixed and now the plan is construction of two story single family home See Agenda link for other items.

Contact the Preservation Board using the email form here

— Marie Ceselski, 7th Ward Democratic Committeewoman

Contact Your Alderperson Urging A Yes Vote on BB34 #ProtectTheZone

Contact Your Alderperson and Board President Lewis Reed urging a Yes Vote for Board Bill 34 by 6th Ward Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia, 9th Ward Alderman Dan Guenther, 11th Ward Alderwoman Sarah Martin, 15th Ward Alderwoman Megan Green, 25th Ward Alderman Shane Cohn to create a buffer zone around health care facilities.

Saturday Job & Resource Fair With State Rep. Bruce Franks

11 am to 1 pm, Saturday, February 24th Job & Resource Fair Sponsored by State Rep. Bruce Franks @ Carnahan High School, 4041 S Broadway – Free – Public Invited
Event Facebook Page

Monday Drinking Liberally Happy Hour With Sarah Kendzior

Join the Left Leaning Community 6:30-9 pm Monday, February 26th for Drinking Liberally St. Louis Chapter’s February Happy Hour with Special Guest Sarah Kendzior , writer/analyst on politics, media, and economy, authority on authoritarian states at Nadine’s Gin Joint, 1931 S 12th in Soulard.

Here’s a 2017 article by Sarah in Cosmopolitan. If you’re not familiar with her background and work, it will give you a great idea.

Please RSVP by Friday 9 pm to mtceselski@aol.com and use “Sarah RSVP” in subject. This will be a very large crowd, so seating will be by name tag. No name tag, no seat.

Q & A format. Please prepare a national or international question in advance. We will go around the table with questions.

There will be Birthday Cake because it is the host’s 60th Birthday and she wants cake.

In lieu of birthday gifts, we are having a food collection for Lafayette Park United Methodist Church’s Brown Bag Meals for the unhoused. Needed items are packages of Tuna/Chicken & Crackers; packages of Peanut Butter Crackers; single serving Raisin packages; fruit/applesauce cups.

We’ll play Rex Bingo and award Prizes. If we have time.

Cash bar/food. Tip our server well.

More info in Drinking Liberally St. Louis Chapter- and where you can sign up for our happy hour notices.

Wednesday Corporate Welfare (BOA HUDZ) Meeting

Make you voice heard. Contact your Alderman and Board President. Contact information at end of post.

9 am Wednesday, February 21, 2018
St. Louis Board of Aldermen
Housing, Urban Development, Zoning Committee
Kennedy Hearing Room, Room 208
City Hall, 1200 Market
Open to the Public

City Online Calendar Notice/Agenda

Board Bill 263 Corporate Welfare for The Danielle’s sponsored by 2nd Ward Alderwoman Lisa Middlebrooks. See 2/20/2018 St. Louis Post-Dispatch- Messenger: Pier St. Louis developers back for handout from city already on the hook

Board Bill 262 & Board Bill 263 Corporate Welfare for City Foundry sponsored by 17th Ward Alderman Joe Roddy.

Board Bill 245 by Board President Lewis Reed, 16th Ward Alderman Tom Oldenburg, 17th Ward Alderman Joe Roddy for a City Economic Growth Report. Yawn. The City is going bankrupt and leaders want more studies, reports. Next up, blue ribbon commission to study report and report back.

Board Bill 186 Corporate Welfare for Grand Center Parking Garage by 19th Ward Alderwoman Marlene Davis.

+ Update on performance measures by 16th Ward Alderman Tom Oldenburg and Assessor Steve Conway.

+ Update on transportation initiative by 19th Ward Alderwoman Marlene Davis.

+ Incentive Reform 24th Ward Alderman Scott Ogilvie relative to Board Bill 250 by 7th Ward Alderman Jack Coatar. 2/18/2018 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: St. Louis aldermen approve 20-year tax abatement for 33-story apartment tower downtown

Excellent Commentary on Corporate Welfare Reform- 2/18/2018 Requiem For The Incentive Reform That Never Was by Glenn Burleigh

Members of Housing, Urban Development, and Zoning Committee: 17th Ward Alderman Joseph D Roddy, Chair; 3rd Ward Alderman Brandon Bosley; 7th Ward Alderman Jack Coatar; 16th Ward Alderman Tom Oldenburg; 18th Ward Alderman Terry Kennedy; 19th Ward Alderwoman Marlene Davis; 22nd Ward Alderman Jeffrey L Boyd; 24th Ward Alderman Scott Ogilvie; 27th Ward Alderwoman Pam Boyd. Board President Lewis Reed is a member of all Board of Aldermen Committees.

Contact Information for all Aldermen and President Reed

— Marie Ceselski, 7th Ward Democratic Committeewoman

Wednesday Locust Business District (property tax district) Meeting

4:30 pm Wednesday, February 20, 2018
Locust Business District
Salvation Army Midtown Service & Treatment Center
2900 Washington
Open to the Public

City Online Calendar Notice/Agenda: None

Meeting Notice on organization website

6/21/2017 St. Louis Post-Dispatch- Sending a message: Judge rules Locust Business District violated state laws

Wednesday E&A Vote Postponed On Rex Sinquefield Contract

Meeting still taking place but Airport Privatization Consultant Contract is not on Wednesday’s Agenda. Please Continue to Make your voice heard! Contact Mayor, Comptroller, Board President. Contact information at end of post.

2 pm Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Board of Estimate & Apportionment
Mayor’s Board Room (200)
City Hall, 1200 Market
Open to the Public

City Online Calendar Notice/Agenda (E&A usually does not post Agenda until 2 pm Tuesday before Wednesday meeting) The Agenda, when posted around 2 pm Tuesday, will likely not mention Airport Privatization Consultant Contract. If posted like any other contract brought to E&A, it will be included under a generic “Approval of Contracts” Agenda item. The Agenda item will reference an Exhibit. The Exhibits are never attached to the Agendas posted online.

The Mayor has chosen a Rex Sinquefield affiliated consultant for the project. At least one of the two other members of Board of E&A- Comptroller or Board President- must vote with the Mayor in order for the contract to be approved.

January 30th, 18 Members of the Board of Aldermen signed a letter asking that Mayor Krewson not hire the Sinquefield group because of conflicts of interest.

Signing the letter were 1st Ward Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, 2nd Ward Alderwoman Lisa Middlebrook, 3rd Ward Alderman Brandon Bosley, 6th Ward Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia, 9th Ward Alderman Dan Guenther, 11th Ward Alderwoman Sarah Martin, 12th Ward Alderman Larry Arnowitz, 13th Ward Alderwoman Beth Murphy, 14th Ward Alderwoman Carol Howard, 15th Ward Alderwoman Megan Green, 20th Ward Alderwoman Cara Spencer, 21st Ward Alderman John Collins-Muhammad, 22nd Ward Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, 24th Ward Alderman Scott Ogilvie, 25th Ward Alderman Shane Cohn, 26th Ward Alderman Frank Williamson, 27th Ward Alderwoman Pam Boyd, 28th Ward Alderwoman Heather Navarro.

The Mayor needs 15 aldermen to vote with her on a final privatization deal, so the 18 dissenting aldermen on the consultant issue appeared to spell trouble for privatization.

But something happened. Friday, the Board of Aldermen adopted Resolution 220 that, among other things, turns over transparency on the Airport Privatization process to the consultants.

“The consultants will provide a transparency portal accessible to all members of the general public through link to the City of St. Louis Website, that will offer easily understood explanation of facts related to the APPP and comprehensive and timely reporting of the due diligence activities under way on behalf of the city. Such portal will in every possible case provide access to documents, contracts, reports, meeting minutes and other materials so that any member of the public may at any time review the activities of the city with respect to the APPP”

I have a Sunshine request in to try and find out who wrote the Resolution. “transparency portal” sounds like consultant language to me.

As of Monday night, 2/19, the Board of Aldermen webpage is showing Resolution 220 was approved by Voice Vote on 2/15 (committee vote date) instead of by Roll Call Vote on 2/26.

The Roll Call Vote, per St. Louis Public Radio’s Rachel Lippmann…

18 Ayes: 2nd Ward Alderwoman Lisa Middlebrook, 3rd Ward Alderman Brandon Bosley, 5th Ward Alderwoman Tammika Hubbard, 7th Ward Alderman Jack Coatar, 10th Ward Alderman Joe Vollmer, 13th Ward Alderwoman Beth Murphy, 14th Ward Alderwoman Carol Howard, 16th Ward Alderman Tom Oldenburg, 17th Ward Alderman Joe Roddy, 18th Ward Alderman Terry Kennedy, 19th Ward Alderwoman Marlene Davis, 21st Ward Alderman John Collins-Muhammad, 22nd Ward Alderwoman Jeffrey Boyd, 23rd Ward Alderman Joe Vaccaro, 25th Ward Alderman Shane Cohn, 26th Ward Alderman Frank Williamson, 27th Ward Alderwoman Pam Boyd, President Lewis Reed

8 Nays – 1st Ward Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, 4th Ward Alderman Sam Moore, 6th Ward Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia, 9th Ward Alderman Dan Guenther. 15th Ward Alderwoman Megan Green, 20th Ward Alderwoman Cara Spencer, 24th Ward Alderman Scott Ogilvie, 28th Ward Alderwoman Heather Navarro

Lambert Airport Privatization News/Commentary feed here

Contact information…
Mayor Lyda Krewson
Comptroller Darlene Green
Board President Lewis Reed

— Marie Ceselski, 7th Ward Democratic Committeewoman

Tonight/Monday Downtown Gateway Mall Design Meeting

6 pm Monday, February 19, 2018
St. Louis Downtown Neighborhood Association
Gateway Mall Park Design Meeting
HOK Office @ 10 S Broadway (Equitable Building), #200

DNA ran an online survey about uses for Gateway Mall and they made a big push to get participation. They will be posting that data to their website.

2009 Master Plan.

There’s a Gateway Mall Advisory Board created by city ordinance and appointed by Mayor. No information available online as to who sits on that Board, when they meet.

DNA does not have a seat on the Board because the ordinance gave a seat to the old Downtown Residents Association. The ordinance has not been amended to include DNA.

Monday Soulard Special Biz District (property tax for safety) Meeting

6:30 pm Monday, February 19, 2018
Soulard Special Business District
Meeting @ Soulard Station, 1911 S 12th
Open to the Public
If you’d like on the agenda to speak at that meeting, contact chairman@soulard-sbd.org at least one day in advance of meeting.

City Online Calendar Notice/Agenda: None

Online Notice at organization’s website

SSBD is the special taxing district created in 1994 and funded by a property tax for extra security for Soulard.

SSBD does not publish agendas or meeting minutes to its website.

SSBD is not the Soulard Restoration Group Safety Committee which meets last Mondays of the month at Soulard Station, 1911 S 12th.
SSBD is not the petition group working on a Soulard Community Improvement District to be funded with a sales tax.

Proposed CID boundaries