In this month’s meeting we hear from special guest and President of the Board of Aldermen, Megan Green.

6:45 Meeting called to order 

Public Comment

  • Recognition to Jen from Hello Juice for hosting the FPSE neighborhood association.

FPSE Neighborhood Business

Treasurer’s Report 

  • General Membership dues start over in new year; dues are pay-what-you-can
  • Donations always welcome. Cash, check, or cash app: cash.app/$FPSENA
  • Ending cash is $2,838.80.  ~$60 spent for monthly fee of Zoom and a projector screen that may be refunded.

Crime & Safety Report (Officer Walker)

  • Please reach out to Officer Walker for any updates or information.

Ward 9 Updates (9th Ward Alderman Michael Browning) 

  • Alderman Browning lets us know that this month is Pride month.  Recognising that the neighborhood becomes busier during this month as people migrate from Pride Parade to the neighborhood.
  • Additional police / security may be present as needed.
  • Traffic infrastructure improvement to Taylor may begin towards the end of Summer.  The idea is to create traffic calming measures.
  • Choteau, Boyle/Gibson are under a traffic calming study.
  • Reach out to Alderman Browning if cross walks need to be repainted.
  • Policy is still focusing on Tornado relief.
  • Recognition to neighbors for supporting Tornado relief efforts.
  • Alderman Browning calls for more people to volunteer.  There is still ample amounts of debris that needs to be removed.
  • New Street policy should have taken effect.  If metal plates are not properly ramped, please send a report to Citizen Service Bureau (CSB).

Neighborhood Updates (N.I.S. Ron Coleman)

  • Need of people to maintain/mow the Choteau Dog Park.  Please reach out to Dan Doelling if you can help.
  • Because of the Tornado relief efforts, all refuse (recycle, compost, and trash) is collected together.  This is supposed to end in June
  • Please ensure to appropriately water your trees.  The excessive heat can kill your tree.  City is promoting a neighborhood canopy of trees.
  • City is aware of the “encampment” on Manchester.  Working to provide services as needed.

Neighborhood Events (Dan)

  • Volunteer to Cut the Dog Park Grass at Chouteau Park: We need volunteers to help cut the grass in the Dog Park in Chouteau Park! Sign up or refer us to somebody who can help with weekly maintenance here: https://www.forestparksoutheast.com/volunteer-cut-grass-dog-park/
  • Chouteau Park Native Garden Weeding: The native flower garden at Chouteau Park is popping! We’re looking for a few folks to help weed it. Tools will be provided but feel free to bring your own. Could be hot – so bring a water bottle to refill at our water cooler. We also need volunteers to help water the garden. Interested? Email Cammie at: lewis.cammie@gmail.com
    • Date: Saturday, June 21
    • Time: 8am – 10am
    • Location: Southwest Corner of Chouteau Park
  • Monthly Litter Clean-up: We’re cleaning up the streets and select alleys throughout the neighborhood! Gloves and bags provided! 
    • Date: Saturday, June 28
    • Time: 10am – 11:30am
    • Location: Meet at Oakland & Newstead
  • Neighborhood Tree Watering: Help keep the young and newly planted street lawn trees strong and growing!
    • Date: Sunday, July 6
    • Time: 8am
    • Location: Meet at the corner of Newstead & Oakland.
  • The Forest Park Southeast Great Gathering: Tell a neighbor, bring a chair, and join the rest of the neighborhood for the neighborhood’s annual great gathering event! Enjoy free food, free drinks, live music, yard games, local organizations and more! If you’re interested in participating as an organization, vendor, supporter shoot us an email at forestparksoutheast@gmail.com.
    • Date: Saturday, September 13
    • Time: 5:30-8PM
    • Location: Chouteau Park
  • Apply to be on the FPSE Infrastructure Committee: Have an interest in making our neighborhood walkable? Want to help create a more beautiful Forest Park Southeast? Apply today to be on the FPSE Infrastructure Committee: https://form.jotform.com/233236220630140
  • Midtown Community Peace Parade: June 25 and July 23rd.
  • Midtown Summer Academy Day Camp: donations are required for supporting kids’ Day Camp.  They are currently short $4000 of their fundraising goal. 
  • Tower Grove Connector Construction has started: ground was broken on Tower Grove and Magnolia.  Phase 1 has begun which is setting up for new curb and sidewalk.

President of the Board of Aldermen, Megan Green

  • Yesterday was the 1 month mark since the tornado hit the community.
  • Recognition that it will take years to reconstruct the damage to the city.
  • Last week Missouri governor signed a $125 million relief package for the St. Louis City.
  • FEMA has stated that $71M is earmarked as relief aid.  If you have sustained damage, please apply for FEMA funds.
    • Beginning of August is the deadline for applying for FEMA funds
  • Board bill 23 was passed which is an impacted tenants fund.  Impacted Tenants Fund helps tenants if displaced by building is condemned or deemed unsafe.
    • Board Bill 23 was expanded to include Natural Disasters.
  • New Board bill was created for Property Tax Relief
  • Board Bills 28 and 29 were passed this morning in a Special Session.  These Board bills help support Storm Relief
  • Board Bill 31 was also passed, which is to use $30M of the Rams settlement funds in the Tornado Relief and Recovery fund
  • Another Bill was passed supporting non-profits.
  • Highlights of last session:
    • Mold was added to the building code.  Previously building inspectors could not enforce mold problems as it was not part of the building code
    • Completed funding for the 9-1-1 dispatch center.  
      • During the Tornado, the switchboard became overloaded.  9-1-1 dispatch center will upgrade the infrastructure/technology.
      • 9-1-1 dispatch center must be completed by end of 2026 to use the funds from ARPA .
    • New bill in addition to Proposition V from the previous ballot was passed to better address vacant/abandoned homes.
  • This session working on Alderman Charter Reform for bidding services / making purchases.
  • Working on reforming the process of hiring new city employees.
  • Looking to decrease the minimum lot size for building.  Currently lot minimum is 4000sqft.
  • Expected legislature for allowing additional dwelling units without zoning changes. (mother-in-law suites, over garage apartment, or basement apartment).
  • Question on red tape committee and making the process better.
    • ZUP: Zoning update should make it easier to build in St. Louis.  
  • Question on collaborating with the new city administration (governor and comptroller)
    • Response: Easy to work with the new administration.  One update with Comptroller is creating a new contract database.
  • Citizen requests faster process of boarding up vacant properties to prevent squatters.  
    • Response: Yes, we can look into the ordinance.  Also comment was that staffing may need to be addressed for better addressing the issue.

You can download a copy of this meeting’s minutes below.

You can also listen to June’s meeting here, and wherever you get your podcasts.