Council advances stormwater management advisory commission to second reading

The Webster Groves City Council held the second reading of Bill 9284 on July 15, an ordinance to add a Stormwater Management Advisory Commission to chapter 4 (boards and commissions). The council completed the second reading and scheduled further action for the next meeting.

Why it matters: Staff said the city’s stormwater master plan lists 102 projects with an estimated $46 million cost. The proposed commission’s role is advisory: prioritize projects, review staff scoring and provide expertise on phasing and funding options.

Staff presentation: Scott (city staff) summarized the plan and said the commission would help staff “figure out how we’re gonna implement those, how we’re gonna phase those, how we’re gonna pay for those,” and recommended an initial five-member commission with two alternates. He said early meetings would likely be monthly while the priority-setting work proceeds and that the deputy city manager would serve as staff liaison.

Council questions focused on membership, duration and time commitment; staff said Webster Groves residents would be preferred but not required if outside expertise was needed. Members discussed whether the commission should include a council liaison; staff said that role could be added by council decision but recommended the commission operate much like the board of adjustment without a standing council liaison.

Outcome and next steps: The council completed the second reading of Bill 9284. City staff will bring the ordinance back for third reading and final action at a future meeting. Staff also said the city would recruit members via the city’s usual boards-and-commissions application and outreach processes, and council members were asked to suggest candidates with relevant engineering or landscape-architecture expertise.