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ST. LOUIS — A top city official says business leaders are trying to sabotage months of public discussion over how to spend the city’s $250 million Rams relocation settlement.

In a letter to Greater St. Louis, Inc., the region’s main business lobby, Aldermanic President Megan Green blasted its work to get a bill introduced this week splitting $230 million between downtown and struggling city neighborhoods, and spending most of it fixing infrastructure and rehabbing buildings.

Green said the board is not yet finished with public discussions on other ideas — and would not be deterred by the business lobby, whose board includes chiefs from corporate heavyweights like gas utility Spire, financial firm Edward Jones and technology company Emerson.

“I ask that you share this letter with your Board of Directors in the hope that GSL will recommit itself to being a thoughtful and responsible partner,� she wrote to Greater St. Louis chief Jason Hall. “My phone number has not changed, and you are always welcome to reach out and have a conversation. That’s what leaders do.�

Green’s comments marked the latest volley over how should the city spend the windfall won in the wake of the NFL’s departure from St. Louis to Los Angeles.

Some, like Greater St. Louis, argue the money should be spent in bulk, and quickly. They say the right investments will reverse declining fortunes in tough neighborhoods and pay huge dividends down the road. And they say sending $100 million downtown is needed to rescue a city center yet to fully recover from the pandemic and in desperate need of a big public commitment to encourage private investment.

Others, including Green, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and several aldermen, are skeptical. They point out that the city is already spending hundreds of millions of dollars in federal pandemic relief money on struggling neighborhoods. And they are wary of spending so much downtown, which has received significant public investment over the years.

They’ve recommended investing the money in one or more trusts, creating coveted new revenue sources that could fund new programs for the entire city. Aldermen have spent months soliciting resident input in online surveys, and holding public meetings on ways the money could, for instance, increase access to child care or boost pay for a short-staffed city workforce.

Greater St. Louis leaders, however, say a healthy downtown is a more reliable revenue generator than the proposed endowments. Those leaders cheered earlier this week when four aldermen filed the organization’s plan as a bill at the Board of Aldermen.

Their plan would dedicate $130 million to rebuilding infrastructure, rehabbing dilapidated buildings and helping people buy homes in the city’s poorer neighborhoods in north and southeast St. Louis. Then $102.5 million would go downtown to do the same things and drum up activity on the riverfront.

On Friday, Greater St. Louis made no apology for the plan. Spokesperson Tony Wyche said his organization followed all the rules, submitting its plan when Green’s office called for proposals from residents earlier this year.

The board’s own surveys showed the plan was among the most popular ideas. Greater St. Louis gave a presentation to aldermen last month, and four aldermen introduced a bill based on that.

Wyche said Greater St. Louis hopes Green will allow debate on the idea. “If she has an alternative proposal,� he said, “we look forward to seeing what that is.�

Green responded Friday that Greater St. Louis’ bill is going nowhere. She said the plan turning the money into trusts will be introduced in the coming weeks, with majority support.

“While downtown corporations are stakeholders, they are not the only stakeholders,� she said.