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Resident urges county oversight of transit and questions large contracts, sidewalk engineering costs
Summary
During public forum at the May 20 St. Louis County Council meeting, resident Tom Sullivan questioned a proposed contract with Consilience Group, raised concerns about sidewalk engineering fees and large allocations to Biostate, and urged the council to fund a transit auditor or public transit officer
Tom Sullivan of ZIP code 63130 spoke during the public forum at the St. Louis County Council meeting on May 20 and urged the council to scrutinize several county spending items and to consider creating a dedicated oversight role for public transit.
Sullivan said the County Executive proposed $206,000 to Consilience Group for an "effectiveness study" for the Department of Human Services but warned the contract could exceed $600,000 because it includes a two-year option. "Shouldn't it be the Director's job to develop an effective strategy for the Department? The Council needs to be leery of this proposal," Sullivan said.
He also questioned a contract amendment raising engineering services for a sidewalk to $232,977 and suggested the County Auditor review that expense. Sullivan raised a separate concern over a $200,000,000 allocation for "Biostate" and referenced the current split of a county sales tax on transit revenues.
Sullivan criticized recent trends in regional transit spending and Metrolink expansion, saying the system has used large sums of tax dollars while service quality has not improved for many riders. He proposed that the county take $100,000 from a large allocation to hire an auditor or a public transit officer so council members can better oversee transit operations.
Why it matters: Sullivan's comments target county procurement and transit oversight at scale. The items he named involve large sums and could affect department budgets or future procurement oversight.
Speakers quoted in this item: Tom Sullivan.
