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ST. LOUIS — Mayor Tishaura O. Jones on Thursday signed Aldermanic President Lewis Reed’s long-debated bill to aid north St. Louis business corridors.

Jones was joined by five other aldermen and U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-St. Louis, who supported channeling federal pandemic aid money that will cover the $37 million corridor aid, at the signing event at MC Appliances, a small business on Martin Luther King Drive. But Reed didn’t attend.

“Growing up in north St. Louis, I remember how communities were brought together around strong small businesses on thriving commercial streets,” Jones said. “To make our city stronger and safer, we need to work to build up our neighborhoods again.”

The measure will make available $37 million for grants for businesses and nonprofit groups along 10 major streets in the economically depressed North Side, with the largest amount, $9.6 million, allocated to MLK Drive.

Reed had been at odds with Jones since last summer over the aid bill. The mayor vetoed an earlier $33 million version, arguing that it wouldn’t fall in line with federal rules for spending American Rescue Plan Act funds — a point disputed by Reed.

Reed, in promoting his revised version, pointed to final ARPA regulations allowing wide discretion on using the funds if deployed in low-income census tracts such as the North Side areas the bill covers.

The mayor agreed to the latest bill after Reed and the Board of Aldermen agreed to some changes she wanted.

Jones said her office had invited Reed to the signing event but didn’t hear back.

Reed’s chief of staff, Tom Shepard, said later Thursday that Reed didn’t attend because of a conflict with a previously scheduled appointment.

“We’re glad to see that the mayor signed the bill,” Shepard said. “The money can finally begin to get out and help some of these businesses in north St. Louis.” Shepard also noted that the bill passed more than two weeks ago and could have been signed sooner.