[{"_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",6034413,"mediaKeyId","5212032-09119f8762254f0c036d95e0120f0fa8","parentId",5212032,"title","Votes at a glance: Kirkwood Council approves consent agenda and several contracts; first readings set for budgets","audioSeconds",358,"startMs",1779130,"endMs",2137520,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5212032-09119f8762254f0c036d95e0120f0fa8&start=1779&end=2137","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5212032-09119f8762254f0c036d95e0120f0fa8/thumbnail_1779130.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6034413/Kirkwood-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Votes-at-a-glance-Kirkwood-Council-approves-consent-agenda-and-several-contracts-first-readings-set-for-budgets","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6034413-557710ad021c45b14e7fe3eb9579a5d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206626&Signature=BC3ZDl6ttrRwF7TuHvywC90UbyjsjVK3WGqsIZ80J6Vs~yypde2zESPMF8NoYD1KrllA~5TJcabft5i5LZH-lv8JWfS-7TjjXw9gCliB-dZRGCUFM1po0QvQ-MzsV8SlG-WqB~XocrBWuptL7FhUI7duBMK1tB2HUsRMAAK~W1GjfC1lJj8R98DmnJ-rw2wdrR-P0-58Fe4~XPTeG6hTPReEhe0KMjvM4R9GjWsk1bDwidC21q5WjTH8784FJFd1c4vD5UAAUWgDyI-79~TmmMTV225DjW8pkCW0Vt3A27HDBVVldD6NgNsaQLpWVvQECl~ARAUYtyKVdVWTyuhsNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","MO / Kirkwood City","date","2025-02-21T00:00:00Z","article","At its regular meeting, the Kirkwood City Council approved several items by roll call and voice vote. Key outcomes:

- Consent agenda: Approved by voice vote.

- Bill 11,064(a) (ordinance amending municipal code chapter 25, zoning and subdivision, sidewalk requirements outside subdivisions, section 25‑69(a)(2)(ii)): Roll call recorded unanimous \"yes\" votes from Mayor Gibbons and council members McLean, Reinecker, Schaeffer, Zimmer, Jekcedick and Lizzo. (First-reading approval recorded during the meeting.)

- Bill 11,068 (ordinance repealing Kirkwood Code of Ordinances section 14‑385, use of electronic communication device while driving prohibited): Council approved first-reading consideration by motion and voice vote after staff explained the state statute now preempts municipal enforcement; the item advanced for further reading.

- Resolution 6‑20‑25 (contract authorization related to Kirkwood Ice Rink project): Council approved the resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract as read. The resolution text in the record referenced $43,000 and a contingency amount stated as $200,000 for construction services for the Kirkwood Ice Rink project. Roll-call votes were recorded as unanimous \"yes.\"

- Resolution 7‑20‑25 (construction materials testing services for the historic train station): Council accepted SCI Engineering, Inc.'s proposal not to exceed $33,825.67, which includes a 10% contingency of $3,075.06, and authorized procurement to issue a purchase order. Roll-call votes were unanimous \"yes.\"

- Resolution 8‑20‑25 (2025 Water Distribution System Master Plan update): Council accepted Crawford, Murray & Tilly's proposal not to exceed $166,170 and authorized the mayor to execute the contract. Councilors asked whether the scope included lead service line identification; staff said it did not. Roll-call votes were unanimous \"yes.\"

Procedural notes: Several roll-call sequences were recorded in the transcript showing unanimous approval of the listed items. The council scheduled the city and SPD budgets for first-reading consideration on the March 6 agenda following separate public hearings earlier in the meeting.

Recorded votes (as read aloud during roll calls): Mayor Gibbons — Yes; Council member McLean — Yes; Council member Reinecker — Yes; Council member Schaeffer — Yes; Council member Zimmer — Yes; Council member Jekcedick — Yes; Council member Lizzo — Yes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kirkwood City Council Meeting February 21, 2025 ","oneSentenceSummary","The Kirkwood City Council approved the consent agenda, advanced two ordinances to first reading, and approved three resolutions for construction and consulting services.","taxTitle","Kirkwood City, St. Louis County, Missouri","taxId",71703,"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},6034417,"Downtown Kirkwood special business district presents $428,300 budget, farmers market plans",845,731680,1576765,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5212032-09119f8762254f0c036d95e0120f0fa8&start=731&end=1576","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5212032-09119f8762254f0c036d95e0120f0fa8/thumbnail_731680.jpg","/articles/6034417/Kirkwood-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Downtown-Kirkwood-special-business-district-presents-428300-budget-farmers-market-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6034417-211106caa92c5aaec0f6959dc9bdbed6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206626&Signature=LBdrBgtOe6WCVaT8P7-91N3-JeMIYx4n6z5UO~H0mRJhzoezSV1pvDFc1NGkA-xI91LbwyDG4ArzvyoBiMdDbTTdIM30Y~RH45zuJDLTXgnq-Xj2oRZAH5CN9EbpDxU3nuSeRC9B4VL1elP1KK1ujCY2K54sI-eqMvZhS5m-csvkNCjUhacfXkoUJ2RlYYfARlyzJM5GwAUdAcujlVimM7m-OSajDAKHGqNiV07rGinJ-~BuLuhaCQljGke4JNwWjVWbkJfMVBKdApcApkdkSBd-Khr87CsQx7vzMNpT2lSiPUJuAhI-xmCLGnE8IFkoSTi5m-4KFsr4QQUjTQTRYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Donna Pugh, executive director of the Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District (SPD), presented the SPD’s proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget at a public hearing, saying the organization is budgeting $428,300 in total: $314,300 for the Special Business District and $114,000 for the farmers market.

Pugh told council that nearly all SPD funding comes from downtown businesses, property owners and promotional partners; “None of our funding comes from the citizens of Kirkwood,” she said. The SPD manages promotions and events — including the summer concert series, the Peach Festival and holiday programming — and operates the Kirkwood Farmers Market, which Pugh said had 33 vendors last year and is scheduled to open April 5, 2025, weather permitting.

Why this matters: the SPD budget supports downtown maintenance, events that drive local commerce and partnerships with the parks department for seasonal plantings. Council members asked detailed questions about revenue timing, reserves, rent and the building lease.

Pugh said the SPD employs two full‑time staff, one part‑time staff and an intern; personnel costs are split between the SPD and the farmers market. The budget includes $25,000 to transfer to the parks department for downtown planting and public-area maintenance.

Council questions centered on revenue timing: business-license receipts and many property‑tax payments arrive late in the fiscal year. Pugh explained that business licenses are due February 28 under current practice and typically are received in the city in March, so revenues for the prior fiscal year appear late. When revenues are short, the SPD uses its fund balance; unspent funds revert to fund balance at year end.

Members also asked about the SPD office building at 130 East Jefferson. Pugh said the building is owned by the City of Kirkwood; the SPD is a tenant under a 25‑year lease and rents upstairs space to an outside tenant (Pennington and Shea) to offset costs.

The hearing was closed with no public comment; the council chair said the bill adopting the SPD budget will be placed on the March 6 agenda for first reading.","Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District director Donna Pugh presented a $428,300 FY2025–26 budget that relies on business and vendor funding; councilors asked about cash timing, reserves and the tenant arrangement for the district office building.",{"_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},6034423,"Kirkwood council hears FY 2025–26 budget; officials say reserves and grants will cover shortfall",291,78385,369595,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5212032-09119f8762254f0c036d95e0120f0fa8&start=78&end=369","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5212032-09119f8762254f0c036d95e0120f0fa8/thumbnail_78385.jpg","/articles/6034423/Kirkwood-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Kirkwood-council-hears-FY-202526-budget-officials-say-reserves-and-grants-will-cover-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6034423-f1dd66ac437b40fff8e594acee66360a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206626&Signature=FLa6W1R-AXj55P144frieTDsCAxuKe66i~VUtvoK0~YaP~UPiDbg~IQYb~Xw0Pcdr-2888~xUMqTlIEoSvtMV35qB5iJ3YoBe5gkiFUQarfW4jqTI~c26OneOb85l7DAh~cKyKSTQZwPCqt6z5afljOQEwFBB2IMiYosv9794m2dV4mvup~raeNAPGs9ewHB7XMKH8-jCa3An1DRfazjmaLr3ea1yB~jGnr-TdT1ZZ4jFSmuj2~5OwYFbaAWxisZRKzamfmDRA6szczJHJhOzzYBDMch6pxzg1f9XBqXxzxTLTAXzCx3NwvcCpPzcELc4nQyGS5K0UsEMTolIxQqmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Finance Director Mary Sprung told the Kirkwood City Council during a public hearing that the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget is balanced in accordance with Missouri state statute and is available on the city’s website for public review.

The proposed budget includes total expenditures of $130,296,000, roughly $31,000,000 budgeted for capital outlay (about 24% of the total), $9,300,000 in grant revenues to offset capital costs, $6,300,000 appropriated for debt service payments and a reappropriation request of $1,929,060 for previously approved projects incomplete as of March 31, 2025. Sprung said federal and state grants for street improvements typically cover about 80% of project costs, with local funding covering the remainder.

Why this matters: the draft budget allocates funding across general city services, the electric fund and enterprise funds and uses a portion of reserves to cover gaps between recurring revenues and projected expenditures. Council members pressed staff for clarity on near-term revenue risks and service impacts.

Sprung said the budget process began in the summer, included department updates to five‑year capital plans, and was reviewed by the Citizens Finance Committee before being presented to council. “The proposed budget presented tonight is balanced in accordance with Missouri state statute,” Sprung said. She later confirmed that when general fund expenditures exceed revenues the difference is drawn from reserves: “The balance comes out of reserves.”

Council discussion focused on several items: the city’s $70,000,000 in outstanding obligations (described as COPs, interfund loans and capital leases), uncertainty tied to a recent change in property tax filing for homeowners 62 and older, and a planned water-rate increase. One council member noted that the new senior assessment filing process could reduce assessed values and tax collections, and Sprung said the city had not yet received any definitive estimates from the Missouri Municipal League or the county.

Council members also asked about enterprise funds and the finance department’s recent move to a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Sprung and councilors described the ERP transition and staff turnover as a multi-year workload pressure that is now stabilizing as positions are refilled.

The public hearing was closed without public testimony. The council chair stated that the bill adopting the budget will appear on the council agenda for first-reading consideration on March 6, 2025.

Next steps: staff will bring the formal ordinance for first reading on March 6 and provide additional detail on revenue assumptions and the water-rate proposal at upcoming meetings.","City Finance Director Mary Sprung presented a balanced proposed budget for fiscal 2025–26 that relies on reserves, grants and enterprise funds; councilors asked about debt service, a potential property-tax exemption for seniors and a planned water-rate increase.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: Kirkwood Council approves consent agenda and several contracts; first readings set for budgets

Downtown Kirkwood special business district presents $428,300 budget, farmers market plans

Kirkwood council hears FY 2025–26 budget; officials say reserves and grants will cover shortfall