[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6055996,"mediaKeyId","3312754-95c4ce851ad20b1ef3a22413f92dbe95","parentId",3312754,"title","Board of Elections says FY26 is a low-election year; move to new offices and outreach plans ongoing","audioSeconds",2540,"startMs",3549000,"endMs",6089000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3312754-95c4ce851ad20b1ef3a22413f92dbe95&start=3549&end=6089","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3312754-95c4ce851ad20b1ef3a22413f92dbe95/thumbnail_3549000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6055996/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Board-of-Elections-says-FY26-is-a-low-election-year-move-to-new-offices-and-outreach-plans-ongoing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6055996-ee3cc27aac8f0d523703ffc81827ef44/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204333&Signature=cUHmu42M2sygHdOBQNweHYJkRyYJ3vOB2sBjF4JspljERnGcSUU33CpaQOXvS0YJWFzxcH600veglqQlm5Kd6pSdMqRyKxqTxjupyUrG~86nat~hMki27t5q6FHjxjCwcGJOdvCEqG8hYRG583k8nghfBl9EWYepumNiz6KxcUl7ZgDQTdnTIvfG9wShY0hB8lyuk5XF2zTLeyfxnd1tpmEWrJlV8Q8eyyyZfJQHtD6EcirTVoedOTH34nLPSTKisr5jkLXd7qL9iHWPD~~CZmD6SvAGYQu8B30c4CkS-ubL70DSWkB3Uws5ndpnj3cU9GqO0tCCZqmwu6lzbJBkxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of St. Louis, MO","date","2025-05-14T18:56:35Z","article","The St. Louis City Board of Elections presented its FY26 budget to the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 14, describing a “down year” for scheduled citywide elections but noting one special election and continued work to relocate and modernize operations.

Gary Stoff, Republican director of elections, and Ben Borgmeyer, Democratic director, said the board expects no citywide election in FY26 but will administer an eighth-ward special election in July. Stoff told the committee the office’s staffing and operating lines allocated in the proposed budget are sufficient for routine operations in a down year, though the directors noted facility and infrastructure needs tied to their move to 1520 Market Street that may require capital or supplemental funding.

“We appreciate what has been allocated,” Stoff said, and he asked the committee to consider future needs tied to infrastructure at the new site — for example elevator or warehouse repairs mentioned in news coverage — as capital items rather than routine operating expenses.

Borgmeyer reviewed the board’s recent operational changes and said last year’s four citywide elections were conducted efficiently in part because of new voting equipment and vote-anywhere/no-excuse absentee processes. He noted the office certified results in the recent municipal election earlier than the two-week statutory deadline and credited modernization for faster reporting.

The directors described outreach efforts to increase voter awareness and turnout: the board now has a dedicated outreach staff position, has increased social-media presence and plans to expand instructional outreach via video and other channels. Borgmeyer said the office has documented improvements in engagement tools and expects to expand reporting about event types and polling operations when internal workflows quiet down after the peak season.

The committee asked about polling-place accessibility and the board’s DOJ ADA settlement. Stoff said the Department of Justice voluntarily terminated the board’s ADA settlement in December after the board hired an ADA manager and implemented required changes. He also noted the board is evaluating polling sites for continued ADA compliance and said fewer than 5,000 of 216,000 registered city voters lived more than a mile from a polling place after site adjustments.

On turnout patterns, the directors said no-excuse absentee use surged in the federal election but fell for recent spring municipal elections: “I personally think that no-excuse absentee is the wave of the future,” Borgmeyer said, but he added turnout and usage vary by election type and timing.

The directors said the board is preparing for ongoing administrative tasks in FY26, including the statutorily required canvas of voters and petition review and noted that some operational increases — for example cellular communications costs used at polling places — are election-season expenses that the board maintains between elections.

Speakers and next steps

— Speakers: Gary Stoff (Republican director of elections), Ben Borgmeyer (Democratic director of elections), Josh Lewis (budget director, supporting directors), and committee members.
— Next steps: Elections staff said they will continue to refine outreach and polling-site assessments and will return with costed requests if capital or supplemental funds are required for the Market Street move or accessibility upgrades.

Ending

The board asked the committee to consider infrastructure needs tied to the relocation as potential capital items; directors said they would forward additional documentation and continue to coordinate with committee staff.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget and Public Employees Committee- May 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The St. Louis Board of Elections told the Budget and Public Employees Committee that FY26 is a “down year” for scheduled elections but flagged a July special election, ongoing relocation to 1520 Market, and continued outreach and polling-site accessibility work.","taxTitle","St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Missouri","taxId",2587,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6056001,"Board of Public Service presents FY26 budget; warns fleet, facilities and capital programs face tight funding",3135,783000,3918000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3312754-95c4ce851ad20b1ef3a22413f92dbe95&start=783&end=3918","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3312754-95c4ce851ad20b1ef3a22413f92dbe95/thumbnail_783000.jpg","/articles/6056001/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Board-of-Public-Service-presents-FY26-budget-warns-fleet-facilities-and-capital-programs-face-tight-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6056001-aaa1c65f4ab79f33ef4667082b7d0fae/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204333&Signature=cqB8CEPPZ6WbgtIWzhcMcA5zwpUa9MGLmvYgRazAhSVrivM3AJws1tJRi~dMvypxyZ84TcPV9rdR4GT8blhKMbxygPQ4-VDBZy4-eow8xicRPLBBmS6oJLRt14zbCqyg1NsqyBAHBVoYwl~xD5JYeVBRHfOqOFwepzOJGd-27ZzSX8eEzigJF5Qo~uFz9rfbAU06X6GFJqxqvvJAjppy9MWc6IRJm9T0S8SYa34w2CeJxK~pvDRUdXjdr0fW18mE~9wOb2hCA1Y6s9rUusMuJgxcjgQm-J8zfo7maAax3O0VfqOtbQk63wx7XJWOSXgNe5HQ4uuy8MLvjj2MLZp95Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board of Public Service President Rich Bradley on May 14 told the Budget and Public Employees Committee that the department’s FY26 operating request holds many divisions flat but that budget allocations fall short in several areas, including fleet parts and outside contract services, utilities and some capital-related line items.

Bradley told the committee the department requested $3,581,765 for the president’s office and received about $3,000,092, and that the department’s total budget request across divisions came to roughly $43.2 million in the materials he presented.

The request and discussion centered on five divisions: Soldiers Memorial (Division 930), Special Events (914), the president’s office, Facilities Management (903) and Equipment Services (fleet, 910). Bradley introduced division heads and repeatedly emphasized that most changes in the submitted budget are in personnel accounts while many operating lines were held flat.

“The Soldiers Memorial is the military museum, across Market Street,” said Dr. Linnea Magnusson, superintendent of Soldiers Memorial, as Bradley introduced the division. Magnusson told the committee the FY26 request of about $157,938 was effectively funded at $160,000 and that non-personnel accounts remain unchanged from last year.

Travis Houser, special events program executive, described the department’s new online permitting platform, “1 Stop Gov,” built on Salesforce and integrated into the City’s Cityworks system. Houser said 1 Stop Gov simplifies event applications, allows credit-card payments and should improve reporting once internal workflows are refined: “...we really improved the applicant’s process.” He told the committee that the pilot was funded outside the Office of Special Events budget and that budgeting for the platform will be handled at the city IT/central level as it expands to other services.

Facilities Management Commissioner Rick Ernst outlined flat staffing (71 positions) and said key operating lines were reduced from the department request. Ernst flagged a roughly $475,000 cut to facilities and grounds supplies, a nearly $190,000 reduction in funds for underground storage tank, lead and asbestos abatement, and about $919,000 less than requested for electric utilities (the department had budgeted for a projected Ameren rate increase). “We project what we believe will break,” he said, explaining that many repair needs are known only when failures occur.

Equipment Services Commissioner Chris Amos described a fleet inventory of about 3,700 vehicles and multiple funding shortfalls in parts and contractor services. The division requested about $24.7 million and received about $20.0 million. Amos said the department currently relies on outside contractors for technician staffing (the “LAUNCH” or “launch” contract) and for parts-room staffing (an IBS / NAPA parts contract) because of difficulty hiring civil-service mechanics and parts clerks. He said the launch contract has supplied technicians that the department later offers civil-service positions to: “The number of people who have transferred from LAUNCH...they recruited and worked at least 6 months with LAUNCH. They came over to civil service is 8 so far.”

Amos and Bradley warned the committee that parts price volatility and contractor costs could force the department to decline major repairs and surplus older vehicles if additional funding is not found. Amos said parts are rising “5 to 7%” in some markets and described a scenario where higher parts costs would force the department to surplus older units rather than repair them.

Committee members pressed officials on capital projects and deferred GOB (general obligation bond) money. Bradley said approximately $21 million of the 2023 GOB was allocated through ordinance 71661 and that roughly $5.1 million has been expended so far with the remainder staged for projects now in design or ready for construction. Alderman Browning asked about the Union/ Lindell pedestrian/Union Window bridge project, which Bradley said depends on an approximately $18 million federal surface-transportation match for design and construction. Bradley said project design is advancing and that “if for some odd reason those federal funds were removed, we would have to look at the GOB. We would have to look at capital.”

On the Southwest Avenue Bridge, Bradley said the project is “deep in design” and nearly ready to bid but that 1 temporary construction easement remains in negotiation with a property owner; he described the easement as “not even a taking of property” but a permission for temporary access and urged the property owner to cooperate to avoid a bridge closure for safety reasons. On the Tucker Cycle Track (an East-West Gateway project), Bradley said design is wrapping up and the project will be ready to bid.

Committee members asked about procurement and contracting timelines. Bradley described the typical process: confirm that funding is in the correct account, issue feasibility and construction assignments, then route requests to the comptroller. He said work-order turnarounds from the comptroller have ranged from about 30 days to as long as six months, and that the city uses a citywide contractor list and pre-authorized contracts to avoid lengthy re-bid time (which can add six to eight months). He cited RSMO 3 3 27 — the state law requiring licensed engineers to sign design documents — as a cause of extra time for engineered projects.

What the committee heard

- The Board of Public Service asked for flat staffing but noted several large operating shortfalls vs. its requests (notably in utilities, parts and contractor services).
- Equipment Services continues to rely on an outside “launch” contractor to staff mechanics; commissioners described that as costlier per hour but necessary where civil-service recruiting has failed.
- Multiple capital projects are in design; several depend on federal matches and general-obligation bond allocations.
- 1 Stop Gov has modernized event permitting and payment for applicants; budgeting for the platform sits with citywide IT/finance rather than the events office alone.

Next steps and context

Bradley and division heads asked the committee to consider these shortfalls in upcoming budget deliberations and to advocate for quicker comptroller turnarounds for work orders. They also said they will monitor federal grant opportunities for capital matches and continue recruiting mechanics to transition LAUNCH contractors into civil service.

Sources and attribution

— Rich Bradley, President, Board of Public Service; Linnea Magnusson, Superintendent, Soldiers Memorial; Travis Houser, Special Events Program Executive; Kim Maloney, Fiscal Operations Supervisor; Rick Ernst, Commissioner, Facilities Management; Chris Amos, Commissioner, Equipment Services; questions and remarks from Alderman Shane C. (Browning), Alderman Alwin Velasquez, Alderman Devote and Chair Aldridge.

Ending

Officials emphasized the department will “make do” with available resources while urging the committee and administration to consider targeted additions in parts, contractor services and capital-match funding to avoid service impacts and to keep aging vehicles and facilities operational.","Board of Public Service President Rich Bradley told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 14 that the department’s FY26 budget holds many divisions flat but that reduced allocations for fleet parts, outside contractor services and utilities could force deferred repairs, vehicle surplusing or curtailed projects.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6055990,"St. Louis Department of Health warns federal funding cuts could ‘devastate’ local programs; seeks corrections and targeted support for FY26",791,10243000,11034000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3312754-95c4ce851ad20b1ef3a22413f92dbe95&start=10243&end=11034","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3312754-95c4ce851ad20b1ef3a22413f92dbe95/thumbnail_10243000.jpg","/articles/6055990/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/St-Louis-Department-of-Health-warns-federal-funding-cuts-could-devastate-local-programs-seeks-corrections-and-targeted-support-for-FY26","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6055990-fa8ab2c83a3f2c184181e402fb736f25/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204333&Signature=mvPS0uADHOZLk4F~U6GRkZnHxZOl8OEj5RBX8jGC88L6W366Hc-AgKdWKpkVh4M9dvkRd-i0zfRT-OREdGlPJ7XxMRSkXDepqx3b~tb~u6npaTJuN8Ns5iSWU8r3qX3A1Q76yGNeXZajhZYeZsNGPnjnMhNMDVTGJ0N0TtKC~~AYpAtiZFJT63hD3kX9jT9Fa2Kf1JRDjTMufPoPMxugxlqaI40F51ibXVkspZKHZQZBcOHEUhc-SiaCA061J1DMS7SzF7hbZwud-bjMLGCpVydXG9t90v1GqOgETu3XvW3oj0wyekK2w9zGw3g33K0zFFbe0183U4UN-ZyIeWnm3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Matty Hlachwarya Davis, director of the St. Louis City Department of Health, told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 14 that the department already faces several confirmed federal grant terminations and that further cuts at the national level would deeply affect core public-health services and community partners.

Davis said the department is “55% federally funded” and that multiple funding streams are either already cut or at risk. She listed confirmed and proposed reductions including a terminated grant of $2,214,272 (07/2014 funding terminated by the federal government, notice dated March 24, 2025), $757,191 (grant ending 06/30/2025 and not being renewed), and other potential losses across HRSA, HUD/HOPWA and HIV/Ending the HIV Epidemic programs that support prevention, housing and treatment services.

“We are 55% federally funded,” Davis said in the committee hearing and asked the council to consider the human consequences if those streams were removed: “While it’s easy to see 1 word that represents an illness… the reason I chose infectious diseases as my subspecialty as a physician is because… they do not care your race, your gender… If we continue to… assault public health, it will come to all of our homes.”

Davis summarized three immediate priorities for FY26: (1) explore absorbing positions and programs that provide critical services if federal funding is cut; (2) examine options for an animal shelter that meets industry standards; (3) continue momentum on programs launched in FY25, including a behavioral-health bureau and public-health accreditation and quality-improvement work. She underscored continued oversight of jail medical care at the City Justice Center and cited a drop in in-custody deaths since oversight began — from six in 2019 and five in 2023 to two in 2024 — as evidence of the oversight’s impact.

Key budget corrections and requests

The department asked the committee to correct or re-examine several FY26 items after internal review of the city’s budget book:

- Removal of $2,214,272 in grant funding for grant 07/2014 (terminated by the federal government on March 24, 2025).
- Removal of $757,191 in another grant that ends on 06/30/2025 and is not being renewed.
- Revisit transfer of $400,000 from the inmate medical budget to the Health Care Trust fund; the department says its role at CJC is oversight and monitoring and that direct clinical fiscal responsibility was expected to remain with the jail. The department requested the original arrangement be honored and that the $936,000 transfer item for the commissioner’s office be reconsidered in light of scope.
- Animal Care and Control: the professional services allocation was reduced by $500,000 in the proposed budget; the department says that approved shelter services (Care STL contract) plus shelter cleaning require an additional $1,351,424 to maintain current contracted shelter operations (Care STL contract $1,350,024 plus $1,400 for cleaning, per the department submission).

Personnel adjustments and accreditation needs

Davis and Commissioner Victoria Nwory identified personnel corrections and swaps intended to preserve core functions without increasing net city cost. Requests included restoring a filled community health worker line that the budget book showed as deleted, restoring a public-information officer position, adding a program manager 2 for the behavioral-health bureau and creating a health-marketing administrator tied to public-health accreditation needs. Davis said those changes reflect a “maintenance” phase for the department after substantial growth in prior years.

Federal funding risks and human impacts

Davis warned that cuts to HRSA (including Ryan White/ HIV care), HUD/HOPWA housing support and emergency preparedness would not only scale back city programs but reduce funds for community-based partners whose employees and services rely on those grants. She asked the committee and administration for flexibility to respond to confirmed federal actions and described a cost-neutral plan previously submitted to absorb some contracts and preserve core services without immediate layoffs.

Committee response and next steps

President Tishaura O. Jones’ office and the committee asked for the department’s slides, the cost-neutral plan and the transition documents Davis referenced. Commissioner Nwory and fiscal manager Emmanuel Kani offered to provide the requested spreadsheets and supplemental corrections for the committee’s review. Committee members — including Chair Aldridge, President Tishaura Jones and several aldermen — thanked Davis for her leadership and asked staff to continue coordinating with the administration and ENA (capital/budget review) staff on possible amendments, supplemental requests and the city’s use of COVID/ARPA or Grama (GOB) funds for public-health priorities.

Ending

Davis concluded by stressing the need for urgency and flexibility amid a shifting federal landscape and requested that the committee and administration consider targeted corrections and small, strategic investments — including possible Grama/RAM funds — to keep core public-health services stable while longer-term solutions are developed.","Director Dr. Matty Hlachwarya Davis and Health Commissioner Victoria Nwory told the Budget and Public Employees Committee that the department faces immediate federal grant terminations and possible further cuts that would reduce funding for emergency preparedness, HIV and housing-related services, refugee and TB outreach, and other programs. The","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board of Elections says FY26 is a low-election year; move to new offices and outreach plans ongoing

Board of Public Service presents FY26 budget; warns fleet, facilities and capital programs face tight funding

St. Louis Department of Health warns federal funding cuts could ‘devastate’ local programs; seeks corrections and targeted support for FY26