ST. LOUIS — Aldermen on Friday gave initial approval to changes to a $37 million business grant program for the city’s cash-strapped North Side, in an effort to get money flowing after a yearlong stall.
The bill from Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard, of the West End neighborhood, is aimed at fixing problems in legislation passed last May that have kept the city from issuing a single grant despite more than 180 applications from businesses and nonprofits.
The bill creates guidelines for ranking applications, which officials said were sorely missing. It cuts out a requirement that businesses be endorsed by their local alderman to receive money, a provision that raised eyebrows after its chief architect, former Aldermanic President Lewis Reed, was indicted for his role in a bribery scheme last year.
And it makes businesses from across north city eligible for money rather than just those on its main thoroughfares, which were seen as too limited in scope.
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There was some argument in committee about broadening eligibility to include businesses in South Side neighborhoods. Alderman Shane Cohn, of Dutchtown, suggested amending the bill, to no avail.
Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, of Kingsway East, raised concerns about cutting aldermen out of the process. She wondered how she would be notified if a troublemaking business was up for some money.
But the vote was 12-1. Tyus voted no. Cohn voted present.
The bill needs one more vote before it goes to Mayor Tishaura O. Jones for final approval.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story misstated the status of the bill in the legislative process.
