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City rules complicate stipend for poet laureate; task force to consult council staff
Summary
City staff told the task force Aug. 3 that Missouri constitutional and procurement rules prevent the City of St. Louis from paying individuals directly, steering the group toward organizations, MOUs or RFPs for programming funds.
Christine (speaker 2) told the Saint Louis Poet Laureate Task Force that "the Missouri State Constitution and case law require that the city of St. Louis is not allowed to give money directly to an individual." She said any stipend or salary would require a mechanism handled through the city council's office or via organizations that can legally receive and distribute funds.
Christine outlined practical routes: have an outside entity house city-funded programming dollars, use memoranda of understanding with partner organizations, or follow procurement rules including an RFP when spending $5,000 or more. "If the amount of money that the city is spending is $5,000 or more, it has to go through an RFP process," she said, adding the task force could invite a city council staffer to a future meeting to explain options.
Members raised examples and questions about whether programming funds could be routed to an organization that in turn compensates the poet laureate for specific performances or services. Christine said that structure is "99%" likely to be possible. The group agreed to schedule a Sept. 8 Zoom meeting with a council office representative to get definitive guidance before drafting ordinance language that includes stipends or program dollars.
