21 APRIL 2020 via Zoom

MEETING MINUTES

6:45 Meeting Called to order (Vincent Chewning)

FPSE Neighborhood Business

6:45 – 6:55 pm Crime and Safety Report

  • Crime and Incident Report provided by Officer Ed Slade
    • 3/23/20 @ 10:00 (13XX S. Boyle) BURGLARY-02103440.
    • 3/23/20 @ 13:00 (43XX Gibson) ASSAULT 4TH DEGREE 20-013474.
    • 3/29/20 @ 11:30 (44XX Swan) BURGLARY 20-014214.
    • 3/30/20 @ 03:30 (1200 Tower Grove) STEALING OF AN AUTO attempt 20-014294. 3/31/20 @ 19:20 (1615 S. Kingshighway/Quick Trip) STEALING MISDEMEANOR 20-014543. 3/31/20 @ 19:45 (39XX Clayton) Trespassing 20-014548. Arrest.
    • 4/12/20 @ 00:20 (45XX Gibson) DESTRUCTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY
    • 4/15/2020 @ 03:35 (42XX Hunt) DESTRUCTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY & DISCHARGING FIREARM WITHIN CITY20-016267.
    • 4/19/20 @ 00:05 (44XX Chouteau) CRIMES FROM ANOTHER JURISDICTION & LEAVING SCENEOF ACCIDENT 20-016790.
  • Member requested to see the WUMCRC crime report, which can be found here:

6:55 – 7:00 pm Treasurer’s Report (Adelina Mart)

7:05 – 7:10 pm Neighborhood Improvement Specialist Update

  • The Treasurer is not ticketing meters or street cleaning now, but people should still move their cars so sweepers can do their job.
  • Info on Covid data and demographics in St. Louis: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/covid-19/data/
  • City services are continuing as usual, and we’re mowing the Ward vacant lots this week or next. Building inspections are exterior only now if occupied, but with a 60 day extension to scheduled indoor occupancies.
  • Census home visit deadlines are being extended so please be helpful and fill out the online or paper version as soon as possible.
  • What happens to our recycling? https://stlcityrecycles.com/resources/where-does-my-recycling-go/

7:15 – 7:30 pm City Hall Response to COVID-19 (Alderman Roddy)

  • Commends PCD for leadership throughout COVID-19
    • Organized a lot to help those in need and group-sponsored meals for neighborhood restaurants workers
    • City Greens has sponsored food baskets for those in need in the area
    • St. Vincent DePaul running food services
  • Shared the City of St. Louis 30 Day Action Report
    • Getting tested is still a challenge
    • One of the issues that has come up is the homelessness. There’s an encampment along Market, but guidelines advise against displacement. The number of people who can be put into shelters has been reduced due to social distancing orders. The City is trying to get ahead of bringing in more social services to accommodate the expected increase in the need for services.
    • Roddy has received complaints about people not staying off playground equipment, which are technically closed right now
    • Public school lunch programs have provided over 80,000 lunches
    • Thanks the first responders and essential workers who are trying to keep things operating and moving along
    • Elections have been postponed, and it’s unclear what is going to happen going forward
  • Regarding the City budget: City gets most of its revenue through sales tax and the earnings tax, whereas the real estate tax is only a small fraction and most goes towards schools
  • Board of Aldermen resolution to form special coronavirus committee: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/aldermen/president/news/president-reed-to-form-special-coronavirus-committee.cfm
  • Real estate and development is in a state of flux and projects may not happen. One that is still moving forward is the Iron Hill development

7:30 – 7:45 pm Community Announcements and Follow-Up (Community, FPSENA Board)

  • Vince: We reached out to Drury. Drury has stopped all new and existing developments and will revisit developments when the economy improves.
  • Viki Englund: Nominee for Missouri State Treasurer
    • You can read more about Viki Englund’s campaign for state Treasurer here: https://www.vickienglund.com/
    • Spends her days calling and talking people all across the state
    • Is a former state legislator from south St. Louis County
    • Ran and served on Lindbergh school district board
    • Running because she wants to rebuild the democratic party
    • Campaign is going well and still raising money
    • Background is small business and is a small business owner herself
    • info@vikienglund.com for more information
    • What does the treasurer do, responsibilities?
      • Invests public money – money that has not been spent
      • In post-COVID world, how that money will be spent will look differently
        • Targeted loans for minority and women-owned business
      • In charge of unclaimed property
      • Sits on MO housing board, overseeing federal dollars at the moment, and sits on other boards
  • Vince: New business interested in opening a medical marijuana dispensary in FPSE at 4108 Manchester, relocating from Lafayette Square
    • They are subject to regular zoning requirements and PCD will treat that as a typical business establishment.
    • This location will become 1 of 5 Swade Medical Cannabis Dispensaries in the St. Louis area in 2020. Beleaf Medical is one of only several licensees in the state to be awarded 10 vertical type licenses to cultivate, manufacture and retail medical cannabis. This location will utilize 7,200 (3,500 finished space in front and 3,700 unconditioned in the back warehouse, and will serve any Missouri resident that has received a card to purchase medical cannabis. The project is zone Neighborhood Center Type 1 and is an allowable use by the City of St. Louis. Over the first 12 months, between 500-1,000 customers is projected. The Business will be paying regular sales tax to the taxing district as well as a 4% tax to the Missouri DHSS to fund the program with excess being allocated to a Veteran’s Healthcare fund.
    • You can read more about this development in the Forest Park Southeast Development Committee May packet

7:45 PM Adjournment (Vincent Chewning)

Powerpoint PDF presentation of the April’s meeting can be found here.

You can listen to the recording of this month’s meeting on Anchor and wherever you listen to your podcasts.

You can download this month’s update below.