CLAYTON — The St. Louis County Council on Tuesday nearly claimed control over “one-third†of proceeds from a settlement with the Rams and National Football League, only to abandon a resolution making the demand over concerns it would cap the county’s share of winnings before negotiations were even over.
The resolution, sponsored by Councilman Tim Fitch, R-3rd District, would have declared the council “the appropriate body†for the county’s share of the $790 million settlement reached by negotiators for St. Louis, St. Louis County, and the Regional Convention and ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Complex Authority, which owns the Dome at America’s Center.
Of the settlement amount, $276.5 million plus expenses will go to the attorneys who handled the case, leaving about $500 million to be divided among the city, the county and the Dome authority. Negotiations over how to split the money are ongoing.
People are also reading…
Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-6th District, argued Fitch’s resolution would “hamstring†the negotiations by creating an official county position that it deserved just one-third of the monies, and not more.
“This is not the way settlements are negotiated,†said Trakas, an attorney.
“You’re effectively capping what the county’s position is with respect to how much it’s entitled to. I’m not going to hamstring our negotiations by having this council pass a resolution saying that we’ll be happy to take a third.â€
Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, D-5th District, backed Trakas’ argument.
Fitch withdrew the resolution in part because of the concern.
“I would not want to hamstring us to a third ... if the county thought we were entitled to more,†he said.
Fitch said he was also withdrawing the resolution to push for information from County Counselor Beth Orwick about the status of negotiations and plans for how the county’s share could be spent. Fitch’s resolution called for a meeting with Orwick and County Executive Sam Page.
“We’ve received no information whatsoever,†Fitch said.
Council Chair Rita Heard Days, D-1st District, made a similar demand shortly after the settlement was reached in late November. And she called for some of the money to go toward a promised recreational center in north St. Louis County.
Fitch and Days are two of Page’s most vocal political opponents, and are part of a four-person council majority — including Councilman Mark Harder, R-7th District, and Councilwoman Shalonda Webb, D-4th District — that have fought the Page administration over control of millions in federal COVID-19 aid.
Fitch grilled Orwick for more details about the negotiations process. Webb asked Orwick for a closed-door council meeting.
Orwick said she was barred by court order from discussing the negotiations process, declining to comment further during a public meeting.
“I’m happy to engage with you outside of a public meeting to explain where I’m coming from, however I’m not able to say anything further in this forum,†Orwick said.
Days questioned Orwick’s response, arguing Fitch’s resolution had “no force of law.â€
“I don’t know what your position is on how we get information on something that is extremely important to us,†Days said, speaking to Orwick. “It would be appropriate in my mind for you to set up something so that we not in the blind on this.â€
Page this week also announced two appointments to the governing board of the Dome authority, which will decide how that entity spends its share of proceeds. In a letter attached to the council agenda Tuesday, Page asked the council to approve his nomination of Charlie Dooley, the former county executive, and Amy Fisher, a business executive with a recruiting agency, to the 11-member board.
The county and city each have three appointments to the board, and the governor five appointees. Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, said this month that he would reappoint or replace all five state appointees, who were each appointed by Democratic former Gov. Jay Nixon. State law requires the city, county and state legislative bodies to vote on the appointments.
Page’s appointments fill one vacancy following the death in July of Dr. Henry Givens, who formerly led Harris-Stowe State University, and replace another county appointee, Darold Crotzer, whose term expired three years ago.
Alexander Kuehling, who was appointed by former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger, is serving a term that expires in May 2022.
Originally posted at 10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14