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Council approves 2025 CDBG annual action plan; public comment flags CARES Act reallocation and unmet needs
Summary
The County Council approved the 2025 annual action plan for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and an amendment to the 2019 action plan reallocating leftover CARES Act funds; public commenters urged wider countywide use of programs and questioned allocations for weatherization versus mental‑health and homelessness services.
The St. Charles County Council on June 9 approved Bill 53‑92, the county's 2025 annual action plan under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and also passed Bill 53‑93, an amendment to the 2019 action plan under the Saint Louis Home Consortium that reallocates unused CARES Act (CDBG‑CV) funds.
During the public hearing before the vote, Arnie C. Dinoff, County Public Advocate, told the council he had investigated the county's consolidated CDBG plan and raised several concerns about municipal participation and program scope. "We have a couple municipalities that are missing from the equation," Dinoff said, naming New Melle, West Alton and Portage Des Sioux as municipalities he found had not adopted local ordinances to participate in the consolidated plan. He recommended outreach to those jurisdictions and suggested consolidation with O'Fallon to reduce administrative overhead.
Dinoff also itemized leftover CARES Act reallocation amounts that are proposed to be spent under Amendment No. 4 to the 2019 action plan: roughly $208,000 in total reallocated funds, including a $93,400 mental‑health assistance allocation tied to Compass Health that he said was not expended, $50,000 unspent for small business assistance, and about $8,200 left for rent assistance. He said $105,000 in administrative savings was returned to the reallocation pool and questioned a proposed weatherization use that he described as averaging about $8,500 per household.
"We need to address our homeless in St. Charles County," Dinoff said, urging wider countywide access to prevention and transportation programs that he said currently rely heavily on federal funds and local municipal contributions.
The council's votes: Bill 53‑92 (2025 annual action plan) passed on roll call with affirmative votes recorded by Councilmen Hammond, Elam, Hollander, York, Baker, Swanson and Bridal. Bill 53‑93 (2019 amendment/CARES reallocation) also passed on roll call with the same affirmative votes.
County staff present at the hearing (noted in public comment) included the county's consolidated plan administrator and representatives who prepared the staff recommendation and the action plan submittal to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The bills authorize the County Executive to execute certifications and funding agreements required by HUD upon approval.
Arnie Dinoff asked whether the county had contacted O'Fallon about joining the consolidated plan; the transcript records an appeal to assistant director of administration, Mr. Ludwig, for follow‑up. The council did not make a separate, immediate additional appropriation at the June 9 meeting; the bills authorize submission and execution of HUD documentation for the action plan and amendment.
The county's CDBG annual action plan and the CARES Act amendment are subject to HUD rules and to the administrative procedures described in the adopted consolidated plan and action plan documents.
