Dardenne Prairie aldermen approve multiple East‑West Gateway roadway funding applications and turf mower purchase

The Dardenne Prairie Board of Aldermen approved a series of ordinances at its meeting that authorize the city to apply for regional funding through the East‑West Gateway Coordinating Council for several roadway improvement projects and approved a municipal equipment purchase.

The board read and adopted ordinances to allow the mayor and city treasurer to execute project applications and to authorize payment of application fees for: Bates Road (Bill 2506; declared ordinance 2,343), South Hanley Road (Bill 2507; ordinance 2,344) and Weldon Spring Road phase 1 (Bill 2508; ordinance 2,345). The board also adopted Bill 2509 to pursue a Safe Routes to Schools application (ordinance 2,346).

Why it matters: The applications seek regional financing for local roadway projects; authorizing applications and paying application fees is an early step in securing outside funding that could reduce the city’s direct capital outlay if projects are selected for grant or program financing.

Details and votes: Brad (reading the ordinances) recited identical authorizing language for each East‑West Gateway application, naming the mayor and city treasurer as authorized signatories and specifying the application fee expenditure. The motions to read bills for a second time and to adopt them were made and seconded during the meeting; the presiding official announced each as an ordinance after roll‑call procedures. The transcript records voice‑vote agreement for the listed items; no formal dissent on these ordinances is recorded in the transcript.

Equipment purchase: The board also approved Bill 2511, authorizing the city administrator to issue a purchase order to St. Louis Equipment Company for a Skagg Turf Tiger 2 mower. Council members noted that funding for the mower had already been approved and staff recommended the listed vendor and model as a reasonable choice.

Safety concern raised on Safe Routes to Schools: During discussion of the Safe Routes to Schools application, an unidentified speaker questioned whether a proposed crosswalk would require children to cross a street where there is no continuous sidewalk connection, saying, “Because you take the kids across the street, then they have no sidewalk to walk on to go anywhere else.” The board did not record a change to the application language in the transcript; the bill proceeded to a second reading and adoption.

Next steps: The adopted ordinances authorize the city to submit applications; project selection and any subsequent funding awards will depend on East‑West Gateway’s processes and are not recorded in this meeting. The municipal code change that had been introduced separately (Bill 2510) was postponed to the next meeting after a procedural vote‑count issue; that postponement is covered in a separate article.

The board recessed to a brief closed session later in the meeting per the recorded motion.