NEWS
September 3rd, 2024 General Assembly Meeting Minutes
Benton Park Neighborhood Association
General Assembly Meeting Minutes
Date: Tuesday, September 3rd
Meeting Called to Order: 7:07 PM
Attendance: 51 people
1. Welcoming New Members:
Angie: Southside of the park.
Melissa and Paul Smith: Southside of the park.
Mike and Megan: Been in the neighborhood for 10 years.
Cale O.: Haven’t attended in a while.
2. Returning Members:
Barbara Potts: Former NSO for 19 years.
Katosha Harris: New NSO, with over 20 years of experience in public safety.
3. Introduction:
Courtney Armistead: Noted that old minutes and the agenda are available on the website via QR code.
4. Alderman Report - Cara Spencer:
Currently, in a legislative break.
Several initiatives passed through the charter commission will be on the ballot in November.
Discussed changes to the voting cycle and accessing more information from SLPS.
New legislation is addressing reckless driving.
Funded 5 additional positions for CA Gore.
Benton Park’s condition is a priority, with ongoing efforts to ensure park departments address issues.
Questions: None
Upcoming Cleanup Date: September 15th from 9 AM to 10:30 AM. The city will conduct a cleanup, and Christina Cousins has organized a park cleanup.
5. Officer Report:
Officer Rojas: On vacation, will return for the next meeting. Contact her with any questions.
6. Committee Reports:
Events Committee - Brittany Nelson:
Announcement Social: Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 4th at Station No. 3 from 7 PM to 9 PM. Fundraising for those affected by car window break-ins on August 15th.
Summer Concert Series: September 22nd, 4 PM - 7 PM featuring Alligator Wine.
Tunes on Tap Event: Saturday, October 19th. One more house is needed to commit to the event.
Trunk or Treat: Saturday, October 26th.
Holiday Party & Santa Parade: December 6th.
Questions:
Are we doing a raffle again?
Yes.Acknowledgments:
Cherokee Rec Center Open House: September 11th.
Farmers Market in Carnegie Park: Next 2 Saturdays.
Discussed membership renewal and auto-renewal process. No meeting in November due to the election.
Parks Committee - Dan Guenther:
Lake Issues: 4th sinkhole in 20 years. The lake is a concrete pond with a joint that takes on water. Ongoing efforts to patch and seal the area.
Graffiti Cleanup Requests: Submitted more requests yesterday.
Dead Trees: Focusing on removing trees that pose a threat.
Question:
What about the pond?
Ongoing efforts to address issues, including replacing the stolen fountain and managing vegetation for the ducks.
Cave/Garden - Bill Kranz:
Park Update: A proposal is out to test where the water goes. A robotics initiative for the cave is in progress.
Building Review - Tim Mulligan:
Assistance: Generally assists homeowners and developers with property improvement plans.
Neglected Property: Working with an Illinois law firm regarding a neglected property on Cherokee owned by Dara Dougherty.
Receiver Role: Discussed the potential to act as a receiver for a property on Whithnell with the neighborhood’s consent.
Questions:
Do we need insurance?
The developer will carry the risk.Is there a financial gain?
No, the neighborhood association isn’t seeking financial compensation.Are we becoming landlords?
No, this is a state program to address problem properties.Title Search?
Legal services handle previous debts, with utilities being the only questionable factor.Developers?
No developers lined up yet for Whithnell; three are in place for Cherokee.Vote:
Majority in favor.
7. Breathe Better STL Group Update:
Public meeting on hazardous concerns at the Jackie Joyner Center in East St. Louis.
8. Guest Speaker - Michael Browning (9th Ward Alderman):
Prop T Discussion:
Prop T creates a Department of Transportation (DOT) for St. Louis, updating the city charter language from 1914.
Aims to create safer streets, more organized road maintenance, and flexibility in addressing infrastructure issues.
Will be on the ballot on November 5th.
Questions:
Other Cities with Similar DOTs:
Nashville, Chicago, Milwaukee, Denver, and Cape Girardeau.State Funding:
Yes, it will allow for more state funding and expedite timelines.Tax Increases:
No, it reallocates existing funds.Alternative Options:
Prop T offers the most flexibility.Metal Plates in Streets:
Improved coordination with utility departments.Relation to MO Infrastructure Bill:
No direct relation; Prop T focuses on city-level improvements.Impact on Ward Funds:
Allows for better planning and flexibility in addressing street issues.Additional Information:
Contact Michael Browning or check online as more information becomes available.
9. Conclusion:
Reminder: Social event tomorrow at Station No. 3.
Follow-Up Needed:
More information required on Breathe Better STL group.
August 6th, 2024 General Assembly Meeting Minutes
Benton Park Neighborhood Association Meeting Minutes
Date: Tuesday, August 6th
Location: Epiphany UCC - 2911 McNair Ave
Meeting Start Time: 7:02 PM
Attendance: 41 People
Welcome & New Member Introductions
-New Members
- Linda from Lafayette Square (Breath Better St. Louis)
- Chrissy, recently moved in a month ago, looking to get involved
- Ryan and Kristoff, residents for a few years
- Mohammed and his wife, property owners in the neighborhood
- Holly and Nady, moved in January
- Matt, resident for 4 months, in St. Louis for 2 years
Old Business
Approval of Prior Month's Minutes:
- Minutes approved as presented.
Police Report - Officer Rosa Rojas
- Introductions to new members.
- Contact for information on vacant homes or derelict vehicles.
- Neighborhood crime report from July 8th to August 4th:
- 0 murders, 0 sexual assaults, 0 robberies
- 2 assaults (could be fights or shootings), 1 burglary, 1 theft, 6 auto thefts
- Reminder: Do not leave valuables in cars.
- Observations: 41 vehicles reported, all with out-of-state plates.
- Emphasis on community involvement in Benton Park.
- Contact details provided for questions or reports.
### Alderman’s Report - Cara Spencer via Isiah
- Legislative updates:
- Tree trimming and pothole repairs ongoing.
- No questions from attendees.
### New Business
- **Pup Crawl:** August 31st.
- **Social Announcements:**
- No September social set yet.
- No November meeting.
### Committee Reports
- **Events:**
- Upcoming Events:
- September 22nd, 4-7 PM in Benton Park with music by Alligator Wine
- Tunes on Tap: Saturday, October 19th
- Santa Parade and Holiday Party: Friday, December 6th at Bluewood Brewing
- Contact: Email Brittany at eventscommitteechair@bentonpark.org to join the events committee.
- **Building Review:**
- No new notes.
- **Safety:**
- National Night Out: Tuesday, October 1st (Wyoming between Illinois and Missouri)
- Flyer Campaign: Details to be posted on social media and GroupMe Chat
- Carnegie Park Clean-up: Sunday, July 28th
- CID Information: Coming soon
- **Garden/Cave:**
- Bill Kranz reported plans to add an optical camera to explore the caves.
- **Parks:**
- Not in attendance.
- **Membership:**
- Not in attendance.
- **Volunteers:**
- No updates.
### Guest Speaker
- **Linda Weiner from Lafayette Square (Breath Better St. Louis):**
- Discussed efforts to address odors from the incinerator in Sauget, IL.
- Issues with burning toxic materials and non-compliance for 5 years.
- Health impacts of toxins from the incinerator.
- Permit renewal process and EPA meetings.
- Encouraged reporting odors via their website.
- Rally for community support and attendance at EPA meetings.
- **Q&A:**
- **Question:** Why not focus on all plants?
- **Answer:** Focus is on plants with EPA permit renewals.
**Meeting Adjourned.**
July 2nd, 2024 General Assembly Meeting Minutes
Meeting Minutes
Benton Park Neighborhood General Assembly Meeting
Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024
The meeting was called to order at 7:04 PM.
Committees in Attendance: President, Vice President, Membership, Dog Park, Safety/Secretary, Treasurer, Building Review
Welcome and New Members: New members introduced:
Crystal Koffman (Berkshire Hathaway)
James Harris 3rd
Noah P.
Kristen (3100 Block of Lemp), a resident for 55 years
Approval of Previous Meetings: The minutes from the previous meeting were approved without amendments.
Old Business:
Police Report: Officer Rojas provided an update:
5 incidents reported in the last 28 days, marking a 44% decrease from last year
142 calls received; detailed information available on the website
Answered questions regarding a recent BB gun incident; investigating possible connections to other incidents in Benton Park
Alderman’s Report: Key points from the Alderman’s report:
Completion of the budget cycle with recommendations for departmental funding
Focus on staffing shortages and public safety initiatives
Updates on downtown developments, including new businesses and events
Appointment of Benton Park resident Derrick Kilgore to the Civilian Oversight Board
Discussion on recent building fire on Jefferson and ensuing actions
New Business:
Creation of Tangible Change Committee: Introduction of a new committee focusing on civic engagement, fiscal responsibility, and membership growth.
Budget Report: Overview of financial status:
Donations, merchandise sales, and sponsorships discussed
Positive projections for the current fiscal year
Survey Report: Summary of community survey results:
Identified areas for improvement including community engagement and communication
Self-assessment on responsiveness scored 70%
Committee Reports:
Events (Brittany Nelson):
Recap of recent and upcoming events including concerts, Tunes on Tap, and holiday celebrations
Building Review (Tim Mulligan):
Updates on zoning issues and development projects in Benton Park
Discussion on historic preservation efforts and current projects
Guest Speakers:
New Earth Composting (Melody Newton): Information on composting services and drop-off locations.
Metrolink Greenline (Laura Godwin and Jessica Gershman): Details on the Metrolink Greenline project, community impact, and ongoing developments
https://compoststl.com/
Questions and Answers: Community questions addressed on various topics including transportation and local developments
Upcoming Events and Reminders: Announcement of a social event and reminder to register for the upcoming local election.
Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 8:22pm.
Next Meeting: August 6th, UCC Epiphany Church, 7pm,
Respectfully submitted by: Derrick Kilgore, safety@bentonpark.org
Action Items: Follow up on specific inquiries and community feedback.
June 4th, 2024 General Assembly Meeting Minutes
General Assembly Meeting June 4th 2024
Meeting called to start at 7:05pm
40 People in Attendance
Welcome and New Members Introductions
New members:
Jimmy/Stacy Krazinski - 2000 Viktor
Kevin Long - Moved a year ago
Rob S.and Diana- Moved a month ago
Brent and Amanda- Moved in April on Indiana
Angie and Chuck - Moved onto McNair a year ago
Last months minutes have been approved.
Police Report: The crime report will be posted on the website once it becomes available. Officer Rojas is on vacation.
Yemanja Brasil Restaurant was broken into on Mother’s Day. They broke into Irish Corner Pub, Cat’s Meow, Big Daddy’s, and more. Complaints are going greatly unanswered. Businesses are getting tired of nothing being done.
Note: Two of the 4 suspects in the above incident have been apprehended.
https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/burglar-wearing-ankle-monitor-caught-after-soulard-spree/
We are making new updates on our progress for fundraising and budget. In an attempt to be more transparent.
Committee Reports:
Events:
First concert of the year was as success. A lot of people came out, despite the heat. A lot of sponsorships, which helped pay for the band and the sound. We are doing ok, on the budget, while we wait for sponsorships. Next concert is Alligator Wine, Sunday September 22nd at 4pm. Tunes on Tap is set for Saturday October 19th from Noon to 4pm. Brittany gave a brief introduction to the event. Email eventscommitteechair@bentonpark.org if you want to donate your houses. We have 2 houses confirmed as of now, and we usually get 8-10 houses. Holiday party and Santa parade will be happening in December.
Music From A Tent by Field Theory
June 9th from 2-8pm, there is an event at Benton Park. It’s a free event, with a group of DJ’s and performers.
https://www.fieldtheory.us/cal/music-from-a-tent
Safety:
We are will have a traffic study at the corner of Lemp and Arsenal from Noon-2pm. We will be creating data on traffic infractions in that time period. We will be handing out flyers soon to promote the GroupMe Chats.
Melody from New Earth Farms will talk about composting next month.
Jeremy (Treasurer): Small Change is the social tomorrow due to them being closed today. From 7pm-Until. Come meet your neighbors.
Lori White (Vice President): We are doing a neighborhood survey. We want you to write down what you think and want. We are doing a learn and greet with a Duck’s and Geese expert to learn about the animal in the parks. We are working on the trash in the pond.
UCC Ephiphany: They are having a concert on Saturday June 22nd at 5:30pm. They are accepting offerings, but it is free. The church is for sale, and are vetting buyers.
Questions/Comments/Concerns
Sarah P.
There is a car wash on Gravois and Shenadoah, especially at night. The zone is looking for more people to complain to CSB. The address is 2008 Shenandoha.
There is an AirBNB that has been having parties. One of our residents emailed Cara Spencer directly.
Non Emergency Number: 314-231-1212
May 7th, 2024 General Assembly Meeting Minutes
Meeting Minutes
Date: 5/7/2024
Time: 7:07PM
Location: UCC Epiphany Church
1. Welcome and New Member Introductions: The meeting commenced with a warm welcome extended to all attendees, followed by introductions of new members:
Mark W., who recently relocated to the neighborhood in October.
Mitch and Amanda
Collie and his wife
Hannah
Mark Fish, who has been a resident for a year.
Newcomers were encouraged to consider official membership to support the neighborhood by scanning the QR code provided on the agenda. The minutes of the previous meeting were made accessible via the website and a QR code on the agenda.
2. Old Business:
Police Report - Officer Rosa Rojas: Officer Rosa Rojas provided a comprehensive overview of neighborhood crime and activity over the past 28 days, including incidents such as assault, burglaries, thefts, and auto thefts. Notable incidents were detailed, such as a road rage incident resulting in an arrest and a stolen cash register from A Spoonful of Sugar. Officer Rojas announced upcoming events like "Coffee with a Cop" at Benton Park Cafe and a Cardinals fundraiser.
Questions:
Members inquired about the trend of incidents, to which Officer Rojas indicated a decrease compared to the previous year.
Strategies for addressing drug-related issues were discussed, emphasizing the importance of contacting the police with evidence.
3. Alderman’s Report: No report was presented.
4. New Business:
A post-meeting social gathering at Yemenja Brazil was announced, where attendees could enjoy drinks and appetizers. Operating hours and services of Yemenja Brazil were detailed.
Seeds for growing were made available by a resident expert.
New merchandise, including flags and blue shirts, were announced to be in stock on the website.
5. Committee Reports:
Events: Details regarding the upcoming summer concert series on May 19th were provided, along with a call for volunteer sign-ups.
Building Review: No report was presented.
Safety: Emphasis was placed on joining the Group Me Chat and participating in the camera initiative for enhanced neighborhood safety.
Garden/Cave: Plans for tree maintenance and the demonstration garden were discussed, along with the cave operation's collaboration with Melville High School's Robotics program.
Fundraiser: The success of the recent fundraiser event at Bluewood Brewing was highlighted, with plans for future quarterly fundraisers.
Parks, Membership, and Volunteers: No reports were presented.
6. Guest Speakers:
01. Saint Louis Mental Health Board - Dave Haas: Dave Haas provided insights into the Saint Louis Mental Health Board's initiatives, emphasizing the importance of mental health awareness and support within the community.
Questions/Suggestions: Attendees suggested poetry readings at Spine for mental health support.
02. Neighborhood Foresters - Suzanne Leguey-Feilleux/ Mark: The Neighborhood Foresters organization's efforts to care for young trees in the neighborhood were discussed, along with upcoming events and opportunities for community involvement.
Questions: Concerns about cicadas and tree care were addressed by the speaker.
03. Suzzana - Artist: Suzzana, a local artist, shared her focus on documenting the neighborhood through photography and graphic design.
04. Stephanie - Berkshire Hathaway: Stephanie provided updates on past and upcoming fundraising events hosted by Berkshire Hathaway.
7. Adjournment: The meeting concluded at 8:01 pm.
Next Meeting: June 7th. 2024 at 7pm at UCC Epiphany Church
Respectfully submitted,
Derrick Kilgore, Secretary and Safety Chair
April 2nd, 2024 General Assembly Meeting
BENTON PARK GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
APRIL 2ND, 2024
Number of attendance: 56
Meeting Called at 7:00pm
Welcome
New Members
Lucy, Clara, Kyle, on McNair
Guest Speaker
Judge Katherine Fowler
Judge Heather Hays
KF listens to civil and criminal cases, lives in Lafayette. Loves her job and serving the community.
HH is her colleague and is an associate circuit judge. Criminal associate division. See’s everyone at their bond hearing. Here to answer questions. A misconception about judges is that they work very hard to help the community. They want criminals to become functioning members of society. Including, drug rehabilitation, and much more.
Questions:
01. Very impressed with the jury duty process, and the effectiveness of it.
They have revamped the process of jury duty so that it is more effective.
02. How do you think you could do better, if you had a magic wand how you would you imnorove the system.
More money for services. Police, schools, judge, and they spend so much time on mental health issues, and various services. They work with a lot of community partners, to help with the conditions of the people that need help. They do not have enough resources, for housing, and mental health.
03. How can we help to make steps in the funding direction?
The best way to (St. Patrick Center, Places for People) help is contacting their partners. They have representatives that come to court, meet them in jail, and are active with helping them. Supporting the partners, helps the entire process. Housing is the worst part.
04. Do the community partners know how many people they can accept?
Yes.
If there are crimes happening, contact the courts in any way you can. Email them, come to court. It helps them since they have a small sliver on information when the case is presented.
05. If there was more services for the homeless would you attract more homeless?
St. Louis county has more services, and that most of them are MO residents or IL.
06. Are the unhoused population counted as residents?
Most of them say they live in the St. Louis area. We have pre trial services that they meet with before their case. They do not know if they are counted or not.
For clarification, when the census is done, they do a tally of homeless shelters, and they do a tally of universities, which is handed in separately.
07. Is there a list of community services?
Mission St. Louis, Freedom Community Center, St. Patrick, People in Crisis and more.
Minutes Approval?
Are there any questions for the last minutes?
Old Business
We need to approve this years budget. We have been operating a loss for the last 4 years. This year we have created a sponsorship committee. We have an event coming up, which will be talked about later. The summer concerts have been down scaled, for quality and funding purposes. We are only doing 3 shows this year. We will work to expand again for next year. We are losing the Gateway Cup this year, they have decided to expand to different neighborhoods. There really is no reason why they made the decision to leave. Possibly lack of community involvement and sponsorship from the local businesses. So it cost them more to have events here at Benton Park than in other neighborhoods.
Questions:
How do we determine which acts we put on?
Answer:
We have a relationships with certain bands in which we love to work with. We would love to include new acts so any suggestions should just be submitted.
Formal vote to approve the budget. Are plan is to break even this year.
Majority in favor.
Police Report
Officer Rosa Rojas. Crime activity report for the last 28 days, 3/4-3/31. 2 incidents in the neighborhood. 21st a Kia Rio was stolen. 25th of March another Kia was stolen in the 1900 Block of Sidney. Over 100 calls in the last 28 days. She has never seen so many people at neighborhood meetings, not has she seen this low of an incident report. She encourages everyone to keep calling the police, and to continue to be patient with the police.
Alderman Report:
They are coming close to the end of their legislative session. The liquor license bill has passed, against her vote. They are looking at a bill on homelessness. Easing the requirements for shelters. There needs to be some protected spaces for the homeless that doesn’t impede on public spaces. Cara introduced a bill on reckless drivers that would put a boot on your car. Infractions get tickets, and people aren’t showing up for courts. They are considering redistribution of funds that would help garbage trucks, and other services. She is concerned at the new hiring freeze. The city is already running at 70% fulfillment. Lastly, they had a meeting last night for some proposed changes on Gravois. If you would like to see the changes, they are online. MODOT is in charge of that street, and the funds aren’t there. The state of MO does not support mental health, and they fund zero homeless services. She feels that the federal government is failing us. We are the 44th state when it comes to mental health. MSD was on the voting ballot today, and
Questions:
01. Why did they place a hiring freeze.
That information was not divulged to the aldermen. She hopes to get to the bottom of this.
02. Speed humps, what is the timeline?
Speed humps take a long time. The process changed a year ago, and there are a lot of working parts. The approved ones are in the system, but in a queue.
03. Any idea with the church in Soulard?
The city has fined them, issued warrants, they put white boards on it. Their boarding up was not enough. The building committee did the best they could to clean it up. The owners are MIA and unresponsive. The city is working on it. The city has the power to demolish it and invoice the owners. They have funding that they could renovate the building, but it’s unavailable due to the neighborhood being affluent. Neighborhoods can file a lawsuit on vacant properties. If there is a lawyer in BP that would want to do it they could get some help from the (look up). Legal cost can be recouped for legal cases.
Announcement
Lisa Optke
Downhill meetings in all of the neighborhoods. April 16th at the Serbian Church (Serbian Drive and Geyer). 6pm8pm. Economic development and other city departments. Planning and redesign group. On 314 Day, they launched three new products. Flyer on the table. The first one is home stl. A first time buyers home assistance, if they qualify for being under 80% of income. They have to work with their particular lenders. The second, Scale Up STL, which is a low interest loan for small business or non profits. Mobilized STL which is a low interest loan program for small contractors and suppliers working with construction. You can find more information at www.developstlouis.org. Check out the event calendar. The business assistance center in City Hall. Also there are classes at Sumner high school for people wanting to start a business. SLUP-STL.com for information on the Land Use plan. They are looking for input, and they are focusing on blocks of cities, and preservation areas and development. Planning will talk about it in the town hall. As you may have heard, the Metrolink contract has been approved for Jefferson, and they are starting the design process. They will be looking for input on that.
Lori
Venice Cafe will be the after meeting hang out.
Committee Reports
Events
First concert is Sunday May 19th, The Mighty Pines from 4pm-7pm. They are our biggest draw every year. The other one is Sept 22nd (Alligator), and we are finalizing details for the third concert. Tunes on Tap in October, the date will be released soon. We paid to have the Gateway Cup ($3,000) so that is saving us money by not having it. We don’t have the exact number of the number in our savings account. We have roughly $40-50K in our savings account. We are working on revitalizing that, and expand our sponsorship initiative to replenish that account.
Sponsorship
We have monthly givings set up for donations. On 420 we are having a fundraising event at Bluewood Brewing. They will have a raffle that night, and prizes. Same day as their Art fair, so we encourage people to attend early.
One of our neighbors has done a lot of work helping the neighborhood.
Melissa
There is an event happening Sunday April 21st, at Italia 1879, which is the Buggie factory on Pestalozzi. Five neighborhood artists will be showcasing, as part of the show, several of the items that are going to be there. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Benton Park neighborhood. We have an author in then neighborhood that was recently published Whiskey Tender. It’s free, and there is a wine and cheese reception.
Building
N/A
Safety
Group Me Chat
Flyers and door to door
Lemp and Arsenal traffic calming study
Monthly Meeting
Garden/Cave
Parks
N/A
Special Guest:
Art Opening May 3rd, from 5-8pm, 4 Hands, local food. Venice is opening their patio the same night. They are also doing a Benton Park Donation Box.
Mr. Montgomery
Father of 2. Goes to 100’s of meetings a month. He has a wife, and a dog named Bella. Former Deputy Sheriff. He worked in Jefferson City. One of the bills he worked on was a campaign called St. Louis safe. Implemented to have police wearing body cams. Worked on a bill to make sure that they are trained. Three things they want to work in the sheriff office, policy, criminal justice reform, and partnering with their city offices. They have had 12 deaths in the city jail due to drugs. He has decided that the Sheriff office should have dogs in their unit, so they can catch drugs going into their building. The August 6th election is where you can decide on who to vote for. To learn more go to montgomery4sheriff.com.
Charles from Trailnet
Put your hand in front of your face. Now imagine you were driving 55 mph. You would have crossed 5 football fields in that time. You could have killed someone or yourself, from using your phone while driving. Trailnet’s new campaign to curb people from driving distracted. It’s called Drive the Change. Put your phone down and buckle up every time you drive.
Speaker Cara Spencer mentioned Cheryl Glass:
Our MSD bill is 100% than people who live in similar size homes in the county. She has dug through rate proposals, and analyzing their rates. They cannot tell you why their rates are different for those in the county.
March 05th, 2024 General Assembly Meeting
Guests:
Captain Angela Dickerson (District 3)
Sergeant Phillips
Officer Rojas
Circuit Attorney Gabriel Gore
Alderwoman Cara Spencer
Members of the community
Welcome: Courtney Armistead
The meeting commenced with a warm welcome to all attendees.
Special Guest:
Police Captain Angela Dickerson
The newly appointed captain of District 3, introduced herself. With 23 years of service, she provided a brief overview of her work history, highlighting her recent transition from the North side to the South side. Captain Dickerson expressed her commitment to attending neighborhood meetings to familiarize herself with the area, noting the disparity in crime compared to her previous district. Sergeant Phillips and Officer Rojas were also present.
Contact Information: Attendees inquired about reaching Captain Dickerson, to which her contact details were provided:
Email: amdickerson@slmpd.org
Phone: 314-444-2585
Excitement About the District: When asked about her excitement regarding the new district, Captain Dickerson expressed enthusiasm for working in a diverse community and addressing challenges in troubled areas.
Guest Speaker: Circuit Attorney
Circuit Attorney: Gabriel E. Gore
Sworn in on May 30th, 2023, shared insights into the office's efforts to restore order, emphasizing the collaboration of experienced attorneys and operational improvements. Notable achievements include timely charging decisions, focusing on violent offenders, and reducing backlog cases. The office aims to expand diversion programs to prevent recidivism. The Circuit Attorney addressed questions regarding gun laws, traffic violations, juvenile offenses, reformative justice, and police funding.
Alderwoman's Report: Cara Spencer
Legislation: Discussions focused on new legislation to eliminate hurdles for opening shelters, surveillance, liquor license revamp, and combating reckless driving. Neighborhood Updates: Issues discussed included ongoing efforts to fix fountains, Rams funding delegation, and zoning overhaul plans.
Police Report: Officer Rojas
A summary of recent neighborhood crimes and activities, including robberies, carjackings, and thefts, was provided. Recommendations were given to secure firearms and avoid leaving them unattended in vehicles.
Committee Reports:
Garden Cave: No update
Building Review: No update
Safety Committee: Derrick Kilgore
Group me chats have been created for the neighborhood. Broken down in zones, each zone will be accessible through our website (www.bpnastl.org/safety), with the intention of creating conversation between neighbors about crime, events, and community involvement. Yard signs will be going up in the neighborhood to promote this initiative.
Events Committee: Brittany Nelson
Three concerts are planned, featuring Mighty Pines on May 19th and Alligator Wine on September 22nd. Sponsorship details for the third concert are being finalized. Other Events: Tunes on Tap dates are pending. The Gateway Cup (no longer in Benton Park) and Naked Bike Ride were mentioned. An Easter Egg Hunt is scheduled for March 30th, with community support. The Halloween event continues, and efforts to revitalize the Park Committee, led by Dan Gunther, are underway.
New Members:
Lizzy and Josh, residents of Arsenal, were welcomed as new members of the community.
Adjournment:
The meeting concluded with a reminder of the upcoming fundraising party and an invitation to gather at Greenfinch for socializing.
Respectfully submitted,
Derrick Kilgore
Secretary/Safety Committee Chair
Benton Park Neighborhood Association
February 5th, 2024 General Assembly Meeting
Benton Park Neighborhood Meeting
Tuesday February 5th 2024,
Meeting Started at 7:06pm
Agenda Overview: Minutes are always on the website, and will be considered approved.
New Officer Liason: Officer Rosa Rojas
Officer Rojas has been working for 8 years during the night shift. Community outreach for a month, and now working in the morning. Any questions she will stay after the meeting for 15 minutes. Last month we had 2 stolen autos. One was a parked Escalade on the 2100 Block of Missouri. A car was stolen on Lemp, unattended. Two larcenies in the neighborhood. 2300 Cherokee a white male went into an establishment and tried to swing at an employee. One burglary in 2800 Block of Missouri, Copper wire were stolen. One assault in the 2000(?) block of Sydney. Today at 12:30 there was a hold up at Lemp and Arsenal. Red Escalade robbed someone at gun point. She is from Wisconsin.
New member introductions:
Steven from Indiana. Since 2001.
Kylie and Alex on Aresnal. Since last summer
Scarla close to Gus’. Been here for 2 years.
Alfred Montgomery running for Sheriff.
Josh B.
Amanda and Joe 3200 block of Missouri. 18 years.
Claire, Adrian, Beth, just moved.
New Business:
February is the month we propose the budget. They will be on the website. If you have questions or concerns please contact us via the contacts on the website. A few changes from previous years. Our commitment is community engagement, and finding support with the city. Our budget will reflect that this year. IN the past we have done a good job of supporting the community. We are going to have fewer concerts. Post covid we have experienced a decline in donations. We had a great donation drive during the holiday party. Your donations directly goes into funding the events we put on, as well as the meeting space, and more. Lori has created a page that explains where the investment goes into. We are also cutting back on our expenses. We are going to scale back the Summer Concert Series into a few concerts. We will no longer be hosting the Gateway Cup on Labor Day. They are moving to Florissant, and that is awesome for the city, and we hope that we can still show support to this event.
Lori White:
At the meeting last month we had concerns about cats, recycling, the lake in the park, and more. As a follow up, we have a page on the site about recycling. A cat committee is being formed to help with the cat issues. If you are interested in joining the cat committee. There is a loosely forming Park/Lake committee for cleaning purposes. We are having a social after the meeting at Saturn Lounge. If you have any interest in joining any committee then please contact Lori or go to the website.
Alicia from Benton Park Cafe is officially opening this Thursday February 8th for a 1920’s themed party. Celebrating the new evening hours. Time is 5p-10p. Next month we are going to have Circuit Attorney Gore to speak.
Building Review Committee: Tim Mulligan
Darla Dougherty, the south side slum lord is being held accountable. Prior to the RFT article, one of her properties is in the neighborhood. 2100 Cherokee St. Three story house, that is in disrepair. Legal Services approached us in an attempt to take over the property. Building Committee has been working with them. She is now arrested, which means we cannot proceed. The building will be going up for sale. We will be updated when more information is available.
Tim wanted to introduce the committee that has been working on it. The national historic district was created for BP in 1985. It has a lot of benefits for developers, but it doesn’t do anything to protect what is built and what is torn down. 20 years ago we recognized that this wasn’t a trend that we wanted to continue. They worked with the alderman at the time and worked with the city to come up with a District code for BP. It was written into ordinance in 2006, and it mirrored Soulard’s code. Some of the terms were ambiguous, and needed to be changed. Previous attempt was thwarted by the pandemic. Last fall, they amassed the team they have now.
Marianne Smith, part of the group that help write original code. Some things were missing, and other things blocked creativity. They have been working and want to incorporate some of these revisions and standards. They want to make the standards easier to implement city wide. They are addressing two different groups with their standards. Homeowners and to provide clearer requirements for new construction or significant renovations. Mostly exterior. They would like the neighborhood to see the drafts and make comments or concerns.
Sean Dobson, works with historic architect. They will be posting updates on the neighborhood website and they have it linked to the city architecture ordinances. When we have changes they will post the before ordinance and what it is being changed to.
Meg Lusso, Cultural Resources Office. https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/index.cfm Map with color shows the jurisdiction of the office. Available on their website. They have 18 historic districts. The difficulty of the historic neighborhoods is that they were all allowed to write their own codes. They want all the definitions for the standards match between all districts.
Alderman Report: Cara Spencer
On the legislative front, they are dealing with red light cameras. Reallocating their $500 million funds. Lastly, the passed a senior tax brief on your property taxes. Funding the AirBNB legislative, they will be discussing that soon. On the local front, they are working on getting the park fountains more functional. Elbia, resident, has been persistent on making the change. Mardi Gras is this weekend. Cara is in direct communication with the festival operators. Contact her, if you have any issues.
7th Ward newly elected alderwoman. Alicia Sonnier
What they want to do with the new board is a lot of community cohesion. Please disregard previous bills about the unhoused. The new unhoused bill of rights, addresses the lack of space for the homeless. In the city of St. Louis we have 900 beds for emergency, only used temporarily. The new bill would be to expand shelters. The city does not run shelters, but they are working on ways to expand available beds. The committee hasn’t opened a shelter in 15 years. The unhoused providers cannot navigate the process, but the new bill is geared to make it more of a community process. On elf the specifics would be the provider sending a notification to the hearing date amongst the neighborhoods. They are redoing the signature verification, and they call over the phone. IF you don’t answer, then they wouldn’t be able to verify the signature. They will utilize an office that has already been verifying signatures for elections. The threshold is 51% to get a hearing. They want to move it to 25%, just to have the hearing.
Dog Park: Hayley Johnston
Renewal period has changed to the beginning of the year. The code will change in the next couple of weeks. Re-signup in January. Dog Park group me chat has been started. Community crime, and local things only.
Safety Committee: Derrick Kilgore
Yard signs with QR codes to sign up for the Block Captain Program, as well as the camera initiative will be going up in the neighborhood soon. We are working on a editable interactive map for identifying Block Captains. As well as expanded our camera coverage. We will be meeting the last Thursday of every month at Small Change at 7pm.
Cave/Garden Committee: Bill Kranz
One flower box left if anyone is interested. The second phase of the project is reopening the cave underneath the garden. It’s a difficult project. They also produce a report of all of the brewery page in which you can sign up.
Edit: They have a compost bin there.
Epiphany UCC:
Next Tuesday they will have a free spaghetti dinners. They will have gift bags for the unhoused. Also they are doing a concert on February 24th.
Email hello@bentonpark.org if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.
January 2nd, 2024 General Assembly Meeting
BPNA GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
TUESDAY JANUARY 2ND
Meeting began at 7:11pm
Welcome:
Introduction and new member welcome by Courtney Armistead.
Old Business:
Meetings from the last minute have been approved and are available on the website.
Guest Speaker: Isiah Santiago (Cara Spencer Representative)
There is going to be a speed hump bill coming soon.
The EPA visited St. Louis in November regarding the smell from Sauget. They have created a website about the smell and how to complain about it through the site.
Good neighbor Guide fact sheet that answers a lot of general questions. Cara wanted to communicate that they are here to listen, and if anyone has any questions please contact her office.
Email: spencerc@stlouis-mo.gov Phone: (314) 622-3287
Update coming soon on speed humps. Tentative locations are 2700 block of Salena, 2415 block of Salena, and 2200 block of Wyoming.
Questions:
What percentage of recycling bins getting recycled? Would like a monthly report on the percentage of bins that are actually being recycled.
Answer: Date is currently not available. Isaiah will follow up with Alderwoman Meghan Greene, Cara Spencer, as well as specific departments involved.
Neighbors are having a feral cat problem in their area. Started with 3, and now it’s 9 with kittens. The cats are also attacking dogs. Animal control is unable to help. How can they get this resolved?
Answer: Isaiah will attempt to contact animal control to further investigate why they cannot help, and proper steps to rectify the situation.
Sidenote: Courtney Armistead
Moving forward we may be looking to get a better understanding of the city website and guides that are geared to educate the actions of the neighborhood association. Civic engagement is important to building the neighborhood. We want to make sure we are promoting diversity and inclusion in the neighborhood. We will be working on the 2024 budget, and will have an approval meeting next month at the neighborhood meeting.
Questions:
A request to decorate highway bridge in Benton Park with holiday lights in Winter 2024.
Answer: Lori White will assist in making this happen.
It has been requested that we create a monthly night for neighbors to connect.
Answer: That is something we will look into, and follow up with in the future.
It has been requested that our meetings become more participatory with the community.
Answer: We are looking for ways to increase the voice of the community, and we would like feedback on any ideas on the matter.
It has been suggested that our website is updated with more current information and links to city services.
Answer: Lori White will investigate.
Committee Reports:
Events: There will be no events until Spring 2024.
Building Review: N/A
Safety: The next meeting will be Thursday January 25th at Chemistry PR and Multimedia (location may change).
In 2024 we will be reinstating the Block Captain Program, and further expanding the Benton Park Surveillance Initiative (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2xldvaHWPf_hDYgyzaQQtQTXdfUIuTQT0lkeukriekWk2aA/viewform).
Garden Cave: The work continues on the cave. More information will be available on the website.
Dog Park: The dog park is still there. The dogs love it. Reseeding in the spring. The dog park is looking to do fundraising going forward.
Parks: N/A
Question:
The small lake in Benton Park looks bad, as well as a floating trash can.
Answer: This needs to be brought up to our former Alderman Dan Guenther.
General Comments, Questions, or Concerns:
Comment: The person who does the street cleaning does an excellent job. On your phone you can set a reminder on your phone to move your car on street cleaning.
Guest Speaker:
Scott Vogel: Benton Park Cafe will now be open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. There will be a speakeasy themed party Thursday February 8th from 5-10pm.
Neighborhood Association Meeting Minutes
Meeting Topics:
1. Website Enhancements and Donations
During the meeting, we delved into the idea of adding donation options to our neighborhood association's website. The discussion revolved around making the donation process as user-friendly and accessible as possible. We agreed to form a small committee to investigate various online payment platforms that align with our needs.
2. Social Media Strategy
Our attention turned to our social media presence. We brainstormed and proposed engaging posts for Instagram and other platforms. These posts would serve to highlight upcoming events, such as Scott Vogl's party and the latest EPA initiatives. An interesting idea was to encourage members to set reminders for street cleanings in their personal calendars, ensuring active community participation.
3. Traffic and Safety Concerns
The issue of traffic speed and neighborhood safety took center stage. We discussed the effectiveness of speed hump bills in slowing down vehicles and shared anecdotes of their impact. Specific locations like Small Change on Lynch, 2415 Salena, 2700 Salena, and 2200 Wyoming were brought up as areas where traffic management needs improvement. Some members suggested exploring alternative solutions, like using brick below the pavement to naturally discourage speeding. Additionally, we touched on the EPA's website as a resource to address concerns related to unpleasant odors in our neighborhood and considered distributing good neighbor guides to foster a stronger sense of community.
4. 2024 Neighborhood Association Pillars
Our association is committed to making 2024 a year of progress in specific areas. We identified two main pillars for the year: diversity and inclusion, as well as civic engagement. A key point of discussion was the February meeting, which is slated to be a budget-focused session where we will outline strategies to fund our initiatives.
5. Tangible Change Requests
Members passionately voiced several requests for tangible change within our community. These requests included:
Regular monthly recycling reports to keep residents informed.
A plan to clean the lake, remove dead fish, and install more trash cans to combat littering.
Addressing the challenge of feral cats in the neighborhood, with a focus on humane relocation options.
A commitment to promoting diversity at our events and meetings, in response to Lori's request for a more inclusive atmosphere.
An enthusiastic call for more cave-related activities to tap into our unique neighborhood resources.
Formation of an Xmas committee to organize festive holiday events and decor
Exploring the idea of lighting up the bridge, with involvement from Scott Vogel, Ashley (wife of the membership guy), and several of our new members.
A recurring request for monthly recycle reports to stay eco-conscious.
A pledge to hold more active meetings, including brainstorming sessions to generate fresh ideas.
The need to revamp our website, making it a better resource for connection and information.
Emphasizing the importance of feedback and accountability among our members.
Organizing volunteer clean-up events to maintain our beautiful neighborhood.
Establishing the Tangible Change Committee to oversee requested changes and provide regular updates at each meeting.
Summary:
This comprehensive meeting addressed a wide array of topics, including website enhancements, social media strategies, traffic and safety concerns, our neighborhood's 2024 pillars, and various tangible change requests, such as recycling reports and feral cat management. Members were engaged and committed to making positive changes within our community.
Action Items:
The formation of a committee to explore online donation options for our website.
Scheduling and creation of engaging social media posts for upcoming events.
In-depth investigation into traffic-calming measures for the specified locations.
A renewed focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives within the neighborhood.
Detailed planning for the February budget-focused meeting.
The establishment of the Tangible Change Committee to oversee requested changes and provide regular updates.
A commitment to keeping members informed about progress on action items and upcoming events.
The meeting concluded with a sense of enthusiasm and dedication to addressing the outlined action items and ensuring the success of our upcoming events and initiatives.
Key Follow-Ups:
Website Enhancement Committee: Continue researching online donation options for the neighborhood association website. Email: marketing@bentonpark.org
Social Media Team: Coordinate and create engaging posts for upcoming events and community updates. Email: marketing@bentonpark.org
Traffic and Safety Subcommittee: Investigate traffic-calming measures for specific locations mentioned in the meeting. Email: safety@bentonpark.org
Diversity and Inclusion Working Group: Develop strategies to promote diversity at neighborhood events and meetings.
Tangible Change Committee: Form this committee to oversee requested changes and provide regular updates.
Contact Information:
President: Courtney Armistead - president@bentonpark.org
Vice President: Bob Panian - vicepresident@bentonpark.org
Secretary: Derrick Kilgore - secretary@bentonpark.org
Treasurer: Ryan Ely - treasurer@bentonpark.org
Membership (Vacant): membership@bentonpark.org
Committees and Chairs:
Safety (Derrick Kilgore): safety@bentonpark.org
Building Review (Tim Mulligan): buildingreviewcommittee@bentonpark.org
Parks (Dan Guenther): parks@bentonpark.org | 314-304-6797
Community Garden/Cave (Bill Kranz): garden@bentonpark.org | cave@bentonpark.org
Events Committee (Brittany Nelson): eventscommitteechair@bentonpark.org
Dog Park Committee (Haley Johnston): bentonparkdogpark@gmail.com
Marketing/Social Media (Lori White): marketing@bentonpark.org
Additional Contacts:
Alderman Cara Spencer: spencerc@stlouis-mo.gov
Legislative Assistant Isaiah Pasek-Santiago: pasek-santiagoi@stlouis-mo.gov
Neighborhood Stabilization Officer (NSO) Larry Isom: 314-657-1376 | Isoml@saintlouis-mo.gov
Police: 3rd District Patrol Captain Joseph Morici: 314-444-2500 | jamorici@slmpd.org
Liaison: Officer Jazmon Garrett: 314-444-2500 Ext. 2595 | jdgarrett@slmpd.org
Feel free to reach out to the respective contacts for follow-ups, questions, or collaboration on the discussed topics.
November 7th 2023, General Assembly Meeting Minutes
BENTON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Tuesday November 7th.
The meeting was called to begin at 7:10.
Introductions.
Welcoming new members, and introducing new board member.
New members
Joe, Abi, Gayle, Wendy, Lori, Chris, Mark,
New board member: Executive board and membership chair. William Aungst (professor at SLU)
Guest Speaker: Jean Corbett (Brightside St. Louis)
https://stlcityrecycles.com/
St. Louis City recycles. Brightside hosts greening, and cleaning throughout the city. Clean up projects, and grants for planting in public spaces. The outreach arm of the city recycling department. The state of recycling right now in St. Louis is one of the topics. The city is recycling despite the rumors. Explains the process of the recycling in the city. The issue is the contamination of the dumpsters. Today’s purpose is to help us understand what exactly goes into the recycling dump. Literature has been passed out (see attachment). What goes into the bin are containers that hold their shape. Utensils do not go into bin. Plastic bags do not go into the bin. Do not crush anything unless it’s cardboard. They have a scanner that determines what it is by the shape.
Questions:
01. TV Dinners.
Do not go into recycling.
02. Dumpster dumpers: People outside of the neighborhood using our dumpsters the wrong way.
They are trying to reach as many people as possible to educate. They hope that we can spread the word about recycling with the neighbors.
Suggestion: A number that we can call if we see illegal dumping.
Answer: That number does exist, you can call Brightside or CSB.
03. Why not remove the recycling bins, if they aren’t being used?
Answer: Sometimes the frequency of recycling pick up changes from week to week.
Please come to the office to get a free recycling bin. If you have a recycling bin at home, you will be more incentivized to recycle. Contact Jean if you have questions, comments, or concerns.
New Business
Alderperson Report:
Cara Spencer will talk to us about new board bills and legislative issues going on right now. They passed the AIRBNB bill. It was signed yesterday by the mayor.
https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/city-laws/board-bills/boardbill.cfm?bbDetail=true&BBId=14253
They are trying to protect communities. They are working on a set of bills about homeless situation. On hold for the moment. It is impossible right now for a shelter to open, so there is a bit of a homeless crisis. They are trying to identify the number of people that are homeless.
MSD (sewer department) is a monopoly. They are looking to raise our rates 33%. They are trying to make the raise decreased. We have a higher cost for sewage compared to other cities.
Last, they are discussing the funds from 2021. They have spent 84 of the 500 million of the fund, and they are pushing to get those funds used effectively.
Second lastly, dispensaries. The BOA allowed dispensaries into the city. The planning staff at the time that dispensaries could would not qualify if there were a buffer. Because of density, would end up in North St. Louis. Two dispensaries are currently going across the street from a school. Cara is asking the city to reconsider that buffer.
Question:
01. Is the BOA working with the COC?
Answer: Cara works with the COC, and if she is not sure if the Mayor and the city is working with them.
02. Please elaborate on the lack of new homeless shelters.
There hasn’t been a homeless shelter in 20 years, because of petitions. Usually because neighbors have control, and no one has historically wanted a homeless shelter near their house.
Contact Cara Spencer directly, if you have any questions or comments.
Committee Reports:
Event committee:
Very successful series of summer concerts. Tunes on Tap had 8 houses and 150 people participate. Last event of the year is the holiday party December 1st. The party will be at Bluewood Brewing. We will be taking pictures of Santa before the parade, and then the parade through the neighborhood. We drive down every street in the neighborhood. Our holiday meeting is a way to meet neighbors and renew memberships with merch on sale. We may have a silent auction, and we are accepting donations. If anyone wants to donate contact the president or events committee. If anyone is interested in joining the events committee. Starts at 6pm. Parade starts at 7pm.
Tim Mulligan: Not here.
Safety Committee: No new developments
Garden/Cave: Bill Kranz
Garden was a successful year. Everything is currently frozen so that is shutting down for the year. Monthly report is out covering cave activities, anything underground, etc. About 100 members on this email list. On the BPNA website you can contact Bill to get on the list. They are recreating a book about caves in St. Louis written 20 years ago. 64 pages are available. Trying to also get a endoscopic color camera into a drilling hole, to get a better view of the caves. They are trying to get a robot to go down that hole as well. Lastly, they have a new light camera with radar. (LIDAR).
Parks: Barbara
Dog park is going great, dogs are having fun. However they are running out of money, so they are going to have a basket at the holiday party. They are planning a pub crawl with your dogs, which was a success last time.
Guest speaker: John Timmons
Lives between Cherokee rec center and the BP. He has a living fence, and wants to do a seed-o-rama. Seeds are going to waste, and he would like to change it. He has very rare plants. He is going through plants that have seeds.
How to save seeds.
01. Dry them (paper bag or envelope)
02. Refrigerate or freezer.
03. Heating pad (potting soil) Germination in 2 weeks.
He will have seeds available for neighbors to take, and they will have another seed-o-rama next year.
Meeting concluded at 7:54pm.