Latest news with #St.LouisCountyCouncil
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trillion Food Market's grant funding sparks controversy
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A multimillion-dollar food access initiative aimed at addressing fresh food insecurity is unraveling, just a week after the St. Louis County Council approved $3.2 million for the effort. The project, which initially garnered support for its promise to uplift local agriculture and improve food access, is now facing serious concerns over transparency and management. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Three participating farms have backed out, and one founder is speaking out about how the grant is being handled. Dail Chambers, founder of Coahoma Orchards, says she signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Jan. 2 but wasn't invited to any planning meetings until months later, after the grant was awarded. She says her first meeting took place on April 18. By Saturday, Janette Lewis, founder of lead agency Rustic Roots Sanctuary, had reallocated $750,000 away from one of the program's key partners, Hosco Foods. The justification? A reported lack of participation. According to our partners at the post dispatch, three farms have now dropped out. Confluence Farms, which was set to receive $250,000 before withdrawing. The financial decision of the city, Chambers says, raised red flags. 'If they would do it to them, then they could do it to me,' she told FOX 2, explaining her growing discomfort with how the program was being run. Fatal shooting in STL leaves woman dead, another injured Since then, Heru Urban Farming and Coahoma Orchards have both exited the program as well, making them the second and third farms to leave. Chambers shared a text message she says she sent to Councilwoman Shalonda Webb on Monday evening, expressing her concerns and stating she no longer felt comfortable moving forward. In response, Webb spoke from the council floor and questioned Chambers' business qualifications, a claim Chambers strongly denies. 'I believe that the Black community has been disenfranchised in so many ways,' Chambers said. 'And food access has been one of the major ways. So it saddens me that I have to be in this predicament where I would normally align with.' As of now, neither Rustic Roots nor Webb has responded to FOX 2's latest request for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
St. Louis County voters reject Proposition B
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – St. Louis County voters rejected a key measure in Tuesday's municipal election. Proposition B, a proposal that would have expanded the St. Louis County Council's authority, has failed. Had it passed, Proposition B would have granted the St. Louis County Council the authority to remove department heads with a 'super majority' vote, or approval from five of the county council's seven members. Instead, the vote failed. A majority of voters (61.8%) voted 'no' on Proposition B, while only 38.2% voted 'yes.' More than 94,000 people cast votes on the measure, per the county's preliminary election results. The proposition faced a great amount of scrutiny from St. Louis County department heads, even to the point of it reaching the Missouri Supreme Court. A lawsuit against the county council claimed that the ballot language was misleading to voters and failed to explain how the proposition would 'radically amend' St. Louis County law. Cara Spencer elected mayor; defeats Tishaura Jones in political rematch The Missouri Supreme Court ultimately sided with the county council to allow Proposition B to stay on the ballot. Leading up to the election, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page had also been accused of improperly using public funds for fliers in opposition to Prop B. Page shared the following statement via social media on voters rejecting Proposition B: 'Prop B was a bad idea. Voters saw through the deceptive language and saw it for what it was: an attempt to disrupt county government and make it harder to get business done. It is time to move on and focus on issues important to the daily lives of St. Louis County residents.' Greater St. Louis, Inc. Interim CEO Dustin Allison issued the following statement on Proposition B: 'As the voice of the St. Louis region's business community, Greater St. Louis, Inc. expressed our strong opposition to Proposition B and encouraged St. Louis County voters to cast a 'no' vote. We are proud to stand with the voters of St. Louis County who voted down Proposition B. 'We look forward to working with the leaders of St. Louis County to drive growth and create more opportunity for the future.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposition B to appear on St. Louis County ballots
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – After a lengthy legal battle, voters in St. Louis County will have the chance to cast their vote on Proposition B Tuesday. Citizens heading to the polls for the April General Municipal Election will see Proposition B, which reads: 'Shall Section 2.190.3 be added to and Sections 4.020 and 5.020 of the Charter of County be amended to restore checks and balances, oversight, and accountabilityof the executive branch by authorizing removal of the St. Louis County Counselor or anyDepartment Director by five of the seven Councilmembers as set forth in Exhibit A ofOrdinance No. 29,241, on file with the St. Louis County Administrative Director and theSt. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners? The cost of legal counsel authorized ifthis amendment passes has no fiscal impact on taxes.' Essentially, the measure would grant the county council the authority to remove department heads with five of seven council members' votes, or a 'supermajority.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The proposition faced a great amount of scrutiny by St. Louis County department heads—to the point of it reaching the Missouri Supreme Court. A lawsuit against the county council claimed that the ballot language was misleading to voters and failed to explain how the proposition would 'radically amend' St. Louis County law. In February, the Missouri Supreme Court sided with the county council, allowing Proposition B to stay on the ballot. A 'yes' vote on Proposition B would approve the St. Louis County Council's ability to remove department heads with a 'supermajority' vote, or with five out of seven members' votes. A 'no' vote on Proposition B would reject the St. Louis County Council from being able to remove department heads with a 'supermajority' vote, or with five out of seven members' votes. Most recently, County Executive Sam Page has been accused of improperly using public funds for fliers opposing Prop B. To see St. Louis County's sample ballots, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Absentee voting for St. Louis County General Municipal Election begins
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Absentee voting for the April 8 General Municipal Election begins Tuesday in St. Louis County. Residents can start casting absentee ballots in person at the St. Louis County Board of Elections office starting Tuesday morning. Additionally, voters can request absentee ballots by mail. The upcoming election will include various local races across different municipalities. A significant issue on the ballot countywide is Proposition B, which, if passed, would allow the St. Louis County Council to fire department heads with five affirmative votes from council members. Absentee ballots can be cast in person from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the election board headquarters, located at 725 Northwest Plaza Drive. Voters have until the close of business on March 26 to request absentee ballots by mail. Sam's Steakhouse employees indicted for $1.4M fraud scheme To vote absentee before March 25, voters must meet one of six criteria, such as being out of St. Louis County on election day, being incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability, or being restricted by religious beliefs or practices. No-excuse absentee voting, which allows any voter to cast a ballot early without providing a reason, will begin on March 25 in St. Louis County. This form of early voting is already underway in the City of St. Louis for the March 4 primary, which includes the mayoral race. With absentee voting now open, St. Louis County residents have multiple options to participate in the upcoming election, ensuring their voices are heard on important local issues like Proposition B. All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri Supreme Court upholds Prop B on St. Louis County ballots
ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Supreme Court has issued a ruling to allow Proposition B on St. Louis County ballots this spring. The decision upholds an April 2025 ballot measure that, if approved by voters, would grant the St. Louis County Council the authority to remove department heads with a 'super majority' vote, or approval from five of the county council's seven members. Legal battles around Prop B have pitted the council against County Executive Sam Page and various county department directors. Critics have argued the ballot language is misleading, inefficient and unfair. On Wednesday, the Missouri Supreme Court disagreed with a challenge from County Counselor Dana Redwing, issuing a ruling that allows Proposition B to remain on the April ballot and for votes to be counted. Developer picked to demolish Millennium Hotel, revamp site County council members say Proposition B is necessary to hold the county's executive branch accountable and ensure 'that no one branch of government holds unchecked power,' according to a news release from Council Chairwoman Rita Heard Days. She also pointed out that many municipal boards have similar authority to remove department heads. Executive Sam Page shared a statement in a previous FOX 2 story acknowledging that, while the measure will proceed, he feels the language is confusing and his administration is exploring legal options moving forward. According to a St. Louis County sample ballot, Proposition B currently reads: 'Shall Section 2.190.3 be added to and Sections 4.020 and 5.020 of the Charter of St. Louis County be amended to restore checks and balances, oversight, and accountability of the executive branch by authorizing removal of the St. Louis County Counselor or any Department Director by five of the seven Councilmembers as set forth in Exhibit A of Ordinance No. 29,241, on file with the St. Louis County Administrative Director and the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners? The cost of legal counsel authorized if this amendment passes has no fiscal impact on taxes.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
