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Aldermen approve Bloomberg youth-grant subaward after debate over routing to president’s office
Summary
The Board of Aldermen perfected Board Bill 32, a Bloomberg Philanthropies subaward to support a Youth Climate Action Fund. Aldermen debated whether the one-time subaward should be administered by the president’s office rather than a city department and pressed for independent legal documentation.
The St. Louis Board of Aldermen on July 10 perfected Board Bill 32, a subaward from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ American Sustainable Cities Initiative to fund youth climate-action projects, after a contested exchange over which city office should administer the funds.
The alderman from the 3rd, who sponsored the measure, told colleagues the award is a one-time subaward that would be administered through the president’s office and would fund microgrants to support activities including the city’s youth council. "This is the first time that we're accepting this grant award, and it is a one-time award at this point," the sponsor said, adding that the award had been reviewed in committee and by city staff.
Alderwoman from the 12th pressed the sponsor for details about why the money would be routed to the president’s office rather than to a line department, and asked whether the city had an independent, written legal opinion verifying the president’s office could accept and administer the subaward. "I find...this looks very political to me and is not the correct way to be doing things," she said, adding she would vote no unless the concern was addressed.
The sponsor replied that the youth council is administered through the president’s office and that he had worked with Director Garmendia in the president’s office; he said the board’s legal reviewer, Barb Birkett, and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment had reviewed the measure and that city counsel had cleared it for the board’s consideration.
After discussion the clerk conducted a roll call on perfecting the bill. The clerk reported the outcome as 13 ayes, 1 no and 1 present; the motion to perfect Board Bill 32 carried.
Why it matters: The exchange highlighted a recurring governance question — when federal or philanthropic funds routed to local governments are administered centrally from an elected office rather than through an operational department. Critics argued that department administration can provide operational oversight and reduce political appearance; supporters said some community programs, like a youth council, are customarily managed out of the president’s office.
Next steps: The bill was perfected and will proceed through the legislative process for engrossment and subsequent readings. The sponsor told colleagues the microgrants would be distributed to support youth council activities if the award is finalized and funds are received.
