Belleville council approves county land purchase for demolition, park contracts and budget measures

The Belleville City Council on April 21 approved acquiring 321 West C Street (Parcel 08210416013) from the Saint Clair County Trustee for $786 to enable demolition of a subdivided, dilapidated house, and took a package of other votes including park construction contracts, personnel actions and budget amendments.

Council members said the parcel purchase responds to long-standing neighborhood complaints and a court order for demolition. "The low estimate to get this house back into a livable condition is about at least $300,000," Scott Tyler, director of health, housing and building, said during the meeting as he described structural and safety hazards at the property. City Attorney Warner said acquiring the third parcel would not foreclose future options: approving the purchase "doesn't necessarily forego the opportunity in the future to do something other than [demolition]," Warner said.

Resident and property owner Kevin Wallace, who owns adjoining lots and a block building on the site, urged the council to consider alternatives to demolition that would spare his structure. "I don't wanna lose my building," Wallace said, noting he had invested about $27,000 in a new roof and repairs. Council members proceeded to vote to purchase the parcel; the motion passed on a roll call vote.

The council also approved several Parks Board recommendations for Lattaman Park. The council awarded a $223,954 construction contract to Hanks Excavating and Landscaping Inc. and a $16,000 construction-management contract to Gonzales Companies LLC; it approved a nonexclusive facility-use agreement with Phoenix Elite Football for $500 and adopted a bicycle-and-pedestrian master plan prepared by Oates Associates. Those motions carried on roll call votes.

Other actions taken at the meeting included: - Extending the special-use permit for Heart Pub (G Level Square DBA The Heart Pub, 1112 W. Main St.) for outdoor dining and a liquor license through July 31, 2025, as requested by the applicant. - Approving a contract with Regis for access to Missouri agency data information at $4,344.56 per year with an annual 6% increase. - Approving a PowerDMS/NeoGov contract for the auto department for $8,187.38. - Hiring probationary police officers Haley Poole, Brandon Jackson and Venson Hernandez effective May 2025, and promoting firefighter Nick Lombardo to engineer effective April 22, 2025. - Approving fiscal-year budget amendments and adopting the fiscal 2025–26 budget-related ordinances and resolutions (see 'Votes at a glance'). - Approving claims and disbursements totaling $4,583,299.03 and payroll of $1,020,996.10; and approving motor fuel claims of $58,906.79.

City staff said next steps for the acquired property will include shutting off utilities and completing an asbestos study before demolition; staff indicated demolition work would likely be scheduled in a future round of abatements, potentially in summer, subject to funding and contractor availability. "We have our sights on some [properties] and we're going to have to triage those because we won't have enough money to tear down the ones that we need to tear down," a staff member said when discussing demolition scheduling.

The council's votes were routine on the listed items and carried with roll-call assent. Several members of the public used the meeting's public participation period to thank outgoing Mayor Patty Gregory for four years of service and to raise the parcel-specific concern that preceded the council vote.

Votes at a glance - Motion to purchase 321 West C Street (Parcel 08210416013) from Saint Clair County Trustee in the amount of $786 for demolition — Mover: Bridal; Second: Still; Outcome: approved (recorded roll-call yeas: Gentlemen; Schaefer; Steele; Rothweiler; Weigand; Sullivan; Osterholm/Oustoff; Whitaker; Schneider; Duco; Randall; Anthony; O'Brien). Note: staff cited a March 28 court order related to demolition and estimated structural repair costs of about $300,000; demolition cost estimate was described as a ballpark figure (~$50,000) by staff. - Parks Board motions (Lattaman Park): award Hanks Excavating & Landscaping Inc. $223,954 (TIF 3); award Gonzales Companies LLC $16,000 for construction management (TIF 3); approve Phoenix Elite Football facility-use agreement $500; adopt bicycle-and-pedestrian master plan (Oates Associates) — Mover: Mr. Dittelman; Second: Shaffer; Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as aye). - Motion to approve contract with Regis for Missouri agency data access — Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as aye). - Motion to hire probationary police officers Haley Poole, Brandon Jackson and Venson Hernandez (effective May 2025) — Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as aye). - Motion to promote firefighter Nick Lombardo to engineer (effective 04/22/2025) — Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as aye). - Motion to extend special-use permit for Heart Pub (case 05January22) through 07/31/2025 — Mover: Schaeffer; Second: Steele; Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as aye). Staff said the business is completing inspections and financing delayed final occupancy work. - Motions approving fiscal-year budget amendments and adopting related resolutions and ordinances (resolutions 35-40, 35-41, 35-42; ordinances 93-74 through 93-79 as read by title) — Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as aye). - Motion to approve PowerDMS/NeoGov contract for $8,187.38 — Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as aye). - Motion to approve motor fuel claims $58,906.79 — Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as aye).

Why it matters: The parcel purchase and demolition authorization addresses a repeatedly reported public-safety and blight complaint that neighbors said has persisted for years. The park contracts and master plan set work to proceed at Lattaman Park, and budget approvals set the city's fiscal direction for the coming year. Personnel actions replenish and promote public-safety staff.

Ending: The council adjourned after completing the evening's agenda. Staff said property acquisition paperwork will be completed and environmental and utility steps scheduled before any demolition; funding for demolition will be addressed through future abatement rounds.