Zoom General Meeting Agenda Minutes                
Tuesday, February 2, 2021

7:00 PM – Log In & Call to order:

             Welcome from Don.  Announcements

Approval of last meeting’s minutes – APPROVED NO OBJECTION

Police Report: Officer Jazmon Garrett – Officer Garrett not present - ill

Election of BPNA Officers for 2021

• Motion to approve slate of candidates and also in February and not December

• Any objections? 

Treasurer’s Report: Liz Gerard

• 2021 Budget is based on a somewhat normal year, have budgeted for events series and there may be insurance 

• Renew memberships!

Approval of BPNA Budget for 2021

• Motion to approve, second and third motions, budget approved on no objections

Alderman’s Report: Dan Guenther, 9th Ward

• Black History Month – visit black owned businesses

• COVID Vaccine event – 4498 individuals vaccinated last week

• Most first responders vaccinated

• Extra vaccines acquired from hospital systems – going to most vulnerable

• City frustrated that state of MO is last in vaccinations

• State yesterday (2/1) came out with their stages of priority for vaccinations

• Working with County to get as many vaccinated between county and city

• www.stlouis-mo.gov – register on the COVID page for notification once your tier is reached

• Approved $800 for rental and mortgage assistance – can register for this on website

• Still on first tiers

• City compared to other areas is doing well in COVID transmission and infection rates

• State DHS is in charge of vaccine distribution

• Dr. Garza working with regional task force to determine areas that get vaccines based on population and need

• Sign up for any registration that you can – but if you work and live in the city you should probably not sign up in the county

• CITY HALL

• Board Bill 77 – revoting on ward reduction (28 to 14 wards) – passed but mayor has vetoed so it will not be on the April ballot

• Board bill 212 – passed to get on the ballot in April. – non-binding resolution for the city to close the Workhouse – it was passed beyond the deadline to get on the ballot so the board is suing the elections board

• Board bill 200 – aerial surveillance – passed 15-14 votes, this week will come up for final vote – has no funding mechanism

• Board Bill 182 – 2 weeks ago passed perfection on consent calendar, will be passed this Friday (2/5)

• Development in BP

• New units across from BP Café in empty lot potentially

• Lynch/McNair

• Friday – final vote on tax assurance for Jefferson/Lynch property, if passes then builder can work to finalize his bank financing

• Dan Guenther up for re-election 

Covid19 relief program: Liz Gerard

• still have $900 in funds, not as much demand, apply online for gift cards if you need it

Committee Reports:

• Parks Committee – Dan Guenther (Chair)

  • Nothing in Parks now, will do maintenance in spring

• Report from Event Committee – Brittany Nelson (Chair)

  • Anticipate being able to do some socially distanced concerts and events

  • In planning stages now

• Building Review Committee - Tim Mulligan (Chair)

  • Zoning matters – for Conditional Use Permits (CUP)

• Garden Committee - Bill Kranz (Chair)

  • $500 appropriation for the garden

  • Last year $0 in expenditures for the garden, need some tree trimming done in 2021

  • Need to update the signage to add another historical name to the cave McHosen (sp?)-English cave Community Garden

  • Fox 2 and Washington Post covered the cave discovery

• Dog Park Committee - Nicole Poston (Chair)

  • Accepting new members – bentonparkdogpark.com to apply

  • $36/year membership fees

  • 120 members currently

  • Reseeding the dog park, landscaper coming 2nd week of February to seed

    1. Not sure how much of the park to close for the seeding while keeping as much of the park open as possible

  • Looking for volunteers to help clean up the park

  • Question from neighbor – why the orange fence in the middle of the dog park?

    1. For the grass seeding – in order to keep the park partially open, they fenced off half the park

Ongoing Business:

• Sinkholes on 3100 block of Illinois and 3300 block of Illinois

  • Water connection issues causing leaks, once fixed (soon) MSD will come out and fix their connection, then streets will come out and fix the holes

• Derelict buildings:

  • Barb Potts:

    1. Every vacant building in the 9th ward have been turned in for the vacant building fees

    2. Benton Park does not fit in the parameters for the Legal Services program

       1. Peter Hoffmann will help write letter to owners of vacant buildings to start the process for the neighborhood association to acquire the buildings

• Barb Potts 

  • Auto thefts are up, do not leave keys in car while warming up car

  • Trash and refuse:

    1. Patience regarding recycling and yard waste dumpsters overflowing

       1. Yard waste will not be emptied until March – do not add to the yard waste dumpsters

REMINDER ON VOTING – PROP D CHANGES ELECTION, VOTE FOR PREFERRED CANDIDATE IN MARCH AND TOP 2 VOTE GETTERS WILL BE ON APRIL BALLOT

PRE-ELECTION INTRODUCTION OF CANDIDATES – NO MINUTES RECORDED FOR THIS PORTION

Candidates who have reached out to us to ask for some time to introduce themselves and say a few words will be entering the Zoom meeting:

8:00pm: Cara Spencer – Mayoral Candidate

8:15pm: Darlene Green – Comptroller Candidate (by phone)

8:30pm: Andrew Jones – Mayoral Candidate

Adjournment

ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENT DATES

NEXT MEETING MARCH 2ND, 2021