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Congratulations to all
Re-Elected and Newly Elected Officials
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April 27th
Membership Meeting
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When: Thursday, April 27, 2023
Where: University of Missouri - St. Louis
8001 Natural Bridge, St. Louis Missouri 63121 (MAP)
Please follow the following map to the, Ward E. Barnes
Library/Education Collabitat building on the South Campus (MAP)
Time: 6:30pm Refreshments
7:00pm Meeting
The main order of business will be the election of officers and Board members for the 2023-24 year. The Report of the Nominating Committee will be emailed to members in advance of the meeting.
Our presentation this month will be presented by Dwight Scott with the St. Louis Zoo. Saint Louis Zoo | Dwight Scott (stlzoo.org). CEO Scott will discuss the St. Louis Zoo WildCare Park being constructed in North County.
Undeniably, we in St. Louis have one of the best zoos in the country. The St. Louis Zoo has grown through the years and is now expanding to provide an abundance of opportunities to connect with nature through outdoors activities, attractions and wilderness adventures. The Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park will feature two completely different, but highly synergistic components. The first is what the public will experience, a unique outdoor adventure that sends guests on a safari through herds of animals roaming wild over gently rolling grassy meadows and through native forests. The second component to the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park is the Kent Family Conservation and Animal Science Center, made possible by the generosity of the Kent family. The Kent Family Conservation and Animal Science Center is where conservationists will work to sustain populations of endangered species, conduct research and engage in applied conservation programs. It is key to the Zoo's work to advance wildlife conservation efforts.
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| The League will host the Newly Elected Officials Seminar from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. (dinner to follow) on Wednesday, April 26 at the Maryland Heights Community Center, 2300 McKelvey Rd, 63043. The speakers will include a team of attorneys from the law firm of Curtis, Heinz, Garrett & O'Keefe. Congratulatory letters and invitations have been mailed to all newly elected officials. Experienced officials are also welcome to attend. Please contact your municipal clerk to register. |
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There were 35 Prop M Marijuana tax elections on the April 4 ballot. Voters approved the 3% tax in 31 of the 35 municipalities along with St. Louis County. It is anticipated that the County tax will be "stacked" on top of the municipal taxes for a total local rate of 6%. Representative of MoCannTrade (https://www.mocanntrade.org/cpages/home ) are considering a lawsuit to remove the sales tax stacking of the municipal and county taxes throughout the state.
In addition, the City of Fenton had a successful use tax election.
Congratulations to all.
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Representative Joe Adams, a Democrat, represents St. Louis County (District 86) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his third two-year term in November 2020. He previously served in the House from 2014 – 2018.
Adams is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He served as the Mayor of University City from 1995 – 2010, and as a professor of history at St. Louis Community College at Meramec for 32 years.
Adams is a member of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion and has served on numerous boards and commissions, including as president of the Municipal League, Missouri Historic Record Commission and the Missouri Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation.
Born in Kansas City, Adams attended college at UMKC. He now resides in University City with his wife, Nancy. They have four children and four grandchildren.
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The Legislature is heading into its final month. Below are some of the major bills League lobbyists are working on.
HB 978 (Falkner) - modifies provisions for home-based businesses enacted in 2022. Local Government Committee. Heard 2/21. Passed Committee 2/28. Referred Rules Committee. Passed Committee 3/20. (Support)
HB 587 (Owen) - allows municipalities and counties to create land bank agencies to help with the development of vacant properties. Local Government Committee. Heard 2/7. Passed Committee 2/21. Referred Rules Committee. Passed Committee 3/6. Perfected 3/8. Passed House 3/20. (Support)
SB 161 (Coleman) - provides that retail sales of food shall be exempt from state and local sales taxes. Economic Development & Tax Policy Committee. Heard 2/6. Passed Committee 2/22. (Oppose)
SB 152 (Trent) - modifies the definition of "video service" to include the provision of video programming by a video service provider provided through wireline facilities located in a public right-of-way without regard to the delivery technology. Video services does not include any video programming accessed via a service that enables users to access content over the internet, including streaming content. Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy & Environment Committee. Heard 2/7. Passed Committee 2/14. Perfection Calendar. (Oppose)
HB 651 (Richey) - excludes streaming services from the definition of video services thus eliminating streaming services from local franchise fees. Utilities Committee. Heard 2/8. Passed Committee 3/1. Referred Rules Committee. Passed Committee 3/8. Perfected 3/23. Passed House 3/27. (Oppose)
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NORTHSIDE-SOUTHSIDE
LIGHT RAIL FOR THE ST. LOUIS REGION
The City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, in partnership with Bi-State Development, have released an interactive online survey to help with plans to expand MetroLink. The goal of expanding MetroLink is to provide new access to growing and established job centers for residents with limited transportation options and to invest in historically underserved neighborhoods. The survey can be found here or your can visit GrowingMetroLink.com. The survey will be live through Sunday, April 30, 2023.
By taking the survey, you will provide important feedback on the City of St. Louis’ modified alternative line, called the Jefferson Alignment, which would travel completely along Jefferson Avenue from Chippewa Street to Grand Boulevard and west on Natural Bridge. Your input is sought on which of the four options being looked at for MetroLink expansion into St. Louis County would best meet local transportation needs. The St. Louis County phase is called the North STL County Community Connector and it would connect to the Jefferson Alignment and expand MetroLink from North St. Louis into North St. Louis County.
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Personal Financial Disclosure
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2023 Annual Filers - If a political subdivision listed you as a person required to file a PFD due to a position held in 2022, you must file your PFD no later than May 1, 2023. You should have received a letter with e-filing instructions, your MEC ID, and your password. Annual filers who are also candidates should adhere to the earlier due date.
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Annual filers must file for each year (or portion of a year) for which they hold a position that requires the filing of a PFD. Failure to file by May 1, 2023, results in a late filing fee of $10 per day. After 30 days, the fee increases to $100 per day, not to exceed $6,000. Additional penalties may also apply.
Register for an upcoming MEC Webinar:
Topics include filing campaign finance reports, registering a committee, filing a PFD, and more. These webinars have helped hundreds of people comply with Missouri’s complicated ethics laws. Click here for dates, details, and registration information. |
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Annual Installation Dinner
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Mark your calendar for the Annual Installation Dinner on Thursday, May 25, 2023.
This year's event will be held at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel in Berkeley The Reception begins at 6:00 pm with dinner at 7:00. The agenda will includes our keynote speaker, installation of new officers and Executive Board members followed by recognition of retiring Board members. More details and invitations will be sent in the near future. |
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Hydration Station Grant Program
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Missouri American Water announces:
The annual Hydration Station Grant Program is now accepting applications through April 30th. Last year grants funded 20 units throughout the state – mostly indoor units (schools, community centers, non-profits, etc.) and a few outdoor units in local parks. Please reach out to community partners in your area that could benefit from the program and encourage them to apply. Missouri American tries to award grants throughout their service areas, especially in underserved parts of the community.
For more information see: Hydration Station Press Release
Hydration Station Fact Sheet
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Outstanding City Clerk Award
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Berkeley City Clerk Receives 2023 Outstanding City Clerk Award
Berkeley City Clerk, Deanna Jones, was presented with the prestigious Missouri City Clerks and Finance Officers Association’s 2023 Outstanding City Clerk Award at the annual MoCCFOA Spring Institute banquet held in Columbia, Missouri on March 15, 2023. The purpose of the Outstanding City Clerk Award is to recognize a city clerk or finance officer who has demonstrated outstanding service and commitment to their municipality, community and professional organization.
Mayor Babatunde Deinbo submitted a nomination application for Deanna that was reviewed with 6 other nominations for this year’s Outstanding City Clerk Award. A five-member panel of judges, including the Kansas CCFOA President, the Illinois CCFOA President, a Missouri Municipal League representative, and two prior recipients of the award, along with a tie breaking vote by a third prior recipient of the ward, voted to bestow this honor upon Deanna.
Deanna is a member of the Eastern Division of MoCCFOA. She has served as President of her division along with various state city clerk committees from 1998 - present.
To achieve the recognition of Outstanding City Clerk is an honor not achieved by many and is a testament to her extraordinary dedication to the City of Berkeley and to the MoCCFOA members.
CONGRATULATIONS Deanna Jones!
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Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) will be hosting the next “Talking Transit” webinar on Wednesday, April 26 at 8:30 am via Zoom. This event will highlight the value and impacts of placemaking and how transit stops are a natural fit for placemaking projects that can have a transformative impact on local communities. Pre-registration is required and can be completed online HERE.
"Talking Transit" will discuss how transit stops in communities can be transformed into even greater assets for the communities, from places people simply pass through into active, engaging corridors that connect individuals and neighborhoods to the broader community.
CMT “Talking Transit” Webinar Registration Page: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2LEjR2w-QpyGEtVKJi9j6A
More information on CMT’s website: CMT “Talking Transit” Event to Highlight Transit as a Focal Point for Placemaking
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The St. Louis Post Dispatch reported on Thursday, March 30, 2023 that the New Census Bureau estimates show a continuing population decline for St. Louis City and County while St. Charles County and other outer counties are growing. The chart below outlines these changes.
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Transportation Alternatives
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Upcoming Project Solicitation: Transportation Alternatives
Open date: April 21, 2023
East-West Gateway Council of Governments will soon be accepting applications for Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding for Missouri sponsors. EWG will host two project development workshops (one in-person/one virtual) to provide information on TAP requirements, application procedures, project selection criteria, and program schedule. The virtual workshop will be April 28 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM and the in-person workshop will be May 2 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Registration information will be posted soon.
TAP provides funding for a variety of transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities, safe routes to school projects, community improvements, and environmental mitigation. A listing of eligible activities and sponsors can be found here. This call for projects is for MIssouri sponsors only. Further details will be published on EWG's website when the project opens. Submission deadline is July 21, 2023.
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