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Task force moves to rewrite poet laureate ordinance, prioritizes funding and clearer duties
Summary
The Saint Louis Poet Laureate Task Force reviewed proposed ordinance language on Aug. 3, proposing to add explicit duties (schools collaboration, annual work plan, civic engagement) and prioritizing funding mechanisms before expanding responsibilities.
The Saint Louis Poet Laureate Task Force on Aug. 3 reviewed draft changes to the city's poet laureate ordinance intended to clarify duties and expectations for the role. Chair (speaker 1) presented a document that retains the ordinance's original objectives—celebrating poetry, increasing access, commemorating the city and officiating special events—while proposing additions including serving as the city's literary ambassador, collaborating with schools and producing an annual work plan.
"I took the ordinance and kind of illustrated some proposed language that we could include," the Chair said while sharing the draft, inviting members to comment in the document before a future line-by-line review. Members discussed whether to debate the entire draft at once or use the next meeting as a working session to refine priority items.
Task force members pressed to prioritize compensation and program resources before expanding duties. Anne (speaker 4) argued that expanding responsibilities without backing "for compensation and program support and resources for the poet laureate" would be premature, saying the poet laureate has been doing extensive work and needs dedicated resources. Chair proposed an iterative approach: draft funding language first, then phase in additional duties as support is secured.
Christine (speaker 2), who advised on process, recommended two possible outreach strategies for moving ordinance changes forward: informally taking ideas to board members to gauge appetite, or preparing a specific draft ordinance to seek a sponsor. She reminded the group that an updated ordinance would require eight votes at the board level and follow the typical pathway of finding a sponsor, referral to committee, committee approval and then a full board vote.
The task force agreed to use an in-person working session on Sept. 14 to refine language with STLTV streaming available, and to hold a Sept. 8 Zoom meeting with a city council office representative to clarify legal and budget pathways before presenting more detailed proposals.
