Personnel committee adopts FY27 Board of Aldermen budget with modest increases for salaries, legal services
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Summary
The St. Louis City Personnel and Administration Committee on Feb. 5 approved a FY27 operating budget of $5,615,876 for the Board of Aldermen, about $110,000 above the budget division's preliminary allocation, approving funding for personnel costs, new software contracts, a $25,000 legal-services line and modest training money; committee members raised concerns about phones for legislative assistants, mileage reimbursement and an internship program.
The St. Louis City Personnel and Administration Committee voted Feb. 5 to adopt a proposed fiscal year 2027 operating budget for the Board of Aldermen totaling $5,615,876, roughly $110,000 more than the budget division's preliminary allocation of about $5,505,000.
Jay Nelson, chief of staff to President Green, presented the draft and told the committee that personnel costs remain the primary driver of the board's budget. "This category is made up of salaries, FICA, employment, retirement, medical insurance, and workers' comp. That combine makes up about $5,200,000 of our general budget," Nelson said, adding that the draft includes previously approved salary adjustments but does not assume any future increases tied to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's 7% matter.
Nelson walked members through line items. Office supplies are increased by $5,000 and rental/non-capital leases remain at $10,000 to cover copy-machine lease and maintenance costs. Contracts and other services are the area with the most movement: the presentation named a GoVocal community-engagement platform at $42,000 annually, noting the platform has about "16,600 people registered on that platform," and a CivicClerk agenda-and-minutes platform at $74,000 in year one (projected to fall to $70,000 thereafter). Nelson also reported a vendor quote for a constituent-service software as high as $52,000 annually and described a proposed electronic performance-review platform to replace the board's paper process.
Training and membership allocations were small on the draft: education and training was budgeted at $5,000 for FY27 (it was not budgeted in FY26), while professional services remained at $35,000 even though Nelson said the board historically spends about $22,000 of that on Multigraf mailing and printing.
Nelson said a new legal services line totaling $25,000 was included after the committee transferred funds into that account "per city code." He invited questions and adjustments before the Feb. 11 deadline for departmental submissions to Director Paul Payne.
Committee members questioned year-over-year changes and the salary assumptions. An Alderman from the Third asked whether the draft assumed any additional raises; Nelson replied it reflects only previously opted-in adjustments and does not assume any future increases. "This is not account for any potential forecast increase for any department at this time," Nelson said.
Members used the discussion to raise staff-support issues tied to the budget. The Alderman from the Third told the committee "the legislative assistants don't have phones. They don't even have phones at their desks," and said staff often use personal cell phones for city business without reimbursement, raising open-records and sunshine concerns. Nelson said wiring for a new landline phone system is underway and he would obtain quotes and follow up on options for city-issued cell phones.
The same member asked about mileage reimbursement for staff doing official business; Nelson said a process exists through the comptroller's office and pledged to gather details on whether a departmental line item would be appropriate.
An Alderman from the floor urged creation of a paid internship program for alder offices; Nelson said his office runs a successful internship program and offered to work with the committee on the rules and cost model.
With no substantive amendment, the committee moved to adopt the FY27 budget. The motion to adopt, moved by the Alderman from the Third and seconded by the Alderman from the Fourteenth, passed on a 4-0 roll call (Vice chair Cone, Alderman Clark Hubbard, Alderman Aldridge, President Green).
President Green later said line item 2 would be dispensed with at this meeting because not all procurement bids had been received in time; that item will return when bids are complete. The meeting adjourned after the committee approved minutes from the prior meeting and recorded no further testimony.
Votes at a glance
- Motion to approve minutes from the Jan. 29 meeting (transcript date shows 01/29/1926; corrected to 01/29/2026 in committee record): mover Alderman from the Fourteenth; result: 4 ayes, motion carried.
- Motion to adopt Board of Aldermen FY27 budget ($5,615,876): mover Alderman from the Third; second Alderman from the Fourteenth; result: 4 ayes, adopted.
- Motion to adjourn: result: unanimous, meeting adjourned.
Next steps
Director Paul Payne will receive the department submission by Feb. 11, 2026; staff follow-ups were requested on phone-system timing and costs, potential city-issued cell phones, mileage reimbursement procedures and a potential internship program for alder offices.
