ST. LOUIS — The Board of Aldermen on Friday advanced an $87 million capital improvements package, mostly funded by federal pandemic aid.
The board voted 26-1 to give preliminary approval to the bill, which is based largely on recommendations of an ongoing city committee that deals with capital needs.
“Public safety and life safety is an important part†of the package, said the sponsor, 16th Ward Alderman Tom Oldenburg.
The plan includes a wide range of projects, including paving of four major city streets; repairing and replacing bridges; buying new police cars, fire trucks and ambulances; and upgrading city buildings.
There’s also money to help fund renovation of the main city jail downtown, new LED streetlights in areas that don’t already have them, recreation center renovation and new equipment for various agencies.
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The $87 million measure includes $69.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act money and the remainder from regular city funding.
“ARPA funds are saving the day here†for meeting many of the city’s critical capital needs, Oldenburg said.
The bill, which needs another aldermanic vote before it is sent to Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, would be the third appropriation of ARPA funds coming to the city.
The measure also needs the approval of the city’s chief fiscal body, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, made up of Jones, Comptroller Darlene Green and Aldermanic President Lewis Reed.
The first allocation, about $17 million, was put into the regular city budget last June to cover pandemic-related shortfalls in the current fiscal year.
Then $122 million in ARPA funds for various programs related to the pandemic was signed into law last summer.
Aldermen Sharon Tyus, 1st Ward, who voted present on the bill, and Jeffrey Boyd, 22nd Ward, who voted in favor, expressed concern that the measure doesn’t include a major infusion of funds for economic development in historically distressed areas of north St. Louis.
Tyus alleged that two white mayors — Francis Slay, who served four terms, and Lyda Krewson, who served one term — didn’t direct enough development dollars to north St. Louis, which is heavily Black. Tyus said she regarded Krewson’s tenure as Slay’s fifth term.
Regarding Jones, who is Black, Tyus said “maybe this is the sixth term of Francis Slay because I don’t see anything getting done in north St. Louis except promises†so far.
Jones administration officials have said the mayor is committed to boosting the north side through investments in infrastructure, affordable housing, small business support and more.
Oldenburg said in debate Friday that he would support devoting some of the second year of ARPA money coming to the city — $249 million expected this spring — to “disinvested areas.â€
He said he thinks Jones and Reed agree on the need to use some of that money on economic development and neighborhood revitalization in those areas.
Alderman Jesse Todd, 18th Ward, was the only no vote. Â
Originally posted at 8:15 p.m. Frday, Feb. 25.
