Alderman Browning advances Board Bill 62 to allocate St. Louis Works funds for streets and sidewalks

Alderman Browning, chair of the Public Infrastructure and Utilities Committee, moved to advance Board Bill 62 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation, aiming to get St. Louis Works funds into ward accounts before the upcoming legislative break.

The bill provides the annual allocation of St. Louis Works revenue — a half-cent utility tax and related funds — for streets and sidewalks across the city. "This is one of the main funders of programs like the 50 50 sidewalk program," Browning said, urging colleagues to approve the bill so the money can be spent this year.

Commissioner Flake of the Streets Department briefed the committee on the bill's structure and funding. He said the comptroller reports a $6,000,000 total for the St. Louis Works fund this year, up from about $5,600,000 last year. "It's $6,000,000 this year, which equates to 270,000 per ward," Flake said, and described four principal line-item changes in this year's allocation, including the 50 50 sidewalk account, camera maintenance funds and an asphalt/materials-and-supplies earmark.

Darren Girdler, the city's new 50 50 project program manager, said he is in his first 30 days on the job and is focusing on learning the program and improving reporting to wards. "We do have about 5,000 service request backlog, in the, 50 50 program, 4,600 at last count," Girdler said, adding that the department is building a plan to reduce the backlog and improve delivery.

Committee members asked technical questions about the per-ward allocation and how departmental set-asides affect the amounts available directly to aldermen. The committee discussed that the fund is split and that departmental personnel and other deductions mean individual ward amounts can vary; members cited figures ranging from roughly $240,000 to $270,000 per ward depending on those deductions.

Several aldermen asked to be added as cosponsors during the discussion. After closing remarks from Browning and brief procedural discussion about suspending rules, the committee took a roll-call vote. The clerk recorded five "aye" votes, and the committee passed Board Bill 62 with a due-pass recommendation.

The committee noted it will seek suspension of the rules at a special full board meeting on Monday to move the bill to perfection and potentially take a third reading and final vote the following Friday.

The clerk reported no written testimony and the meeting adjourned.