Personnel committee reallocates $25,000 to legal contingency fund; source set to communications account

The St. Louis City Board of Aldermen’s Personnel Administration Committee voted Dec. 4 to place $25,000 into the Board’s legal contingency fund, after reconsidering an earlier allocation and amending the source of the funds.

President Green moved to allocate $25,000 to the legal contingency fund and later amended that motion so the money would come from account 561000, described in the meeting as the communications-services account. The committee sustained the amended motion in a roll call that was recorded as three ayes and one present. The member recorded as present explained she was not comfortable voting yes because she said she had not been given prior notice about the change and wanted a broader budget review before transfers were made.

The committee discussed how the contingency fund is meant to be used. President Green cited municipal code 3.06.300, saying the contingency must be maintained at $25,000 and is intended to cover costs such as outside counsel or litigation expenses incurred on behalf of the Board of Aldermen. He told members the communications account had come in under budget (the transcript mentioned Civic Plus and constituent-management software as below-budget items), and that the transfer would not affect scheduled mailers or the auction because those are held in separate accounts.

Alderman Aldridge pressed for more information on the amount in the communications account and on the processes that will govern future expenditures from the contingency fund; she said she would vote 'present' on the roll call because she wanted the budget context and follow-up details. President Green said he would provide the committee with the relevant municipal code language and a budget breakdown after the meeting.

The committee also moved into closed session earlier in the meeting under statutory provisions cited in the transcript (identified during the meeting as sections '610.0213' and '610.022') to discuss personnel matters; the closed session vote was recorded as unanimous. After returning from closed session, the committee completed the reconsideration and amendment that set account 561000 as the transfer source.

The immediate practical effect is that the legal contingency fund will have the $25,000 balance the committee said is required by the municipal code. Committee members asked for clearer procedural notice and documentation about the communications account balance and for procedures governing the use and oversight of the contingency fund going forward. The committee approved the revised minutes from Nov. 20, 2025 later in the meeting and adjourned.

Next steps: President Green said he would circulate the municipal code citation and the budget breakdown to the committee; no additional formal actions on the contingency fund were recorded at this meeting.