Board of Aldermen End Agreement With Weldon Spring, Pass New Ordinances at Thursday's Meeting

Just a day after the Planning and Zoning Commission , the did the same.

Both the work session and the meeting clocked in just more than an hour Thursday night. The Board tackled each item on the agenda and finished the night with one passed resolution and six new ordinances.

The work session moved quickly after Ward 3 Alderman Gus Elliott tabled the lone discussion topic. Elliott was sponsoring a discussion about a potential change to Code Amendment Title IV Chapter 405—a code that involved group housing regulations. Elliott said he needed more time to do research and that he jumped the gun in putting the item on the agenda. He motioned to table the discussion and the rest of the Board agreed.

The rest of the Work Session went off as scheduled. The Board discussed ending a 1994 Boundary Agreement between the city and Weldon Spring. 

"“Long time coming—I’m glad to see it gone,” Don Aytes, Ward 4, said.

The agreement between the cities states, among other things, that St. Peters would pay to Weldon Spring one-half of all St. Charles County road and bridge taxes related to St. Peters from Wolfrum Meadows and The Highlands subdivisions for the repair and/or maintenance of certain portions of streets located within the city of Weldon Spring. Ending the agreement saves the city $21,000. At the meeting following the work session, the Board voted 8-0 to approved the resolution to end the agreement. 

“This is good government,” Mayor Len Pagano said. 

The Board also agreed informally to extend the Suemandy CID. The owner of the property requested a two year extension on his improvement project citing a down economy. 

“We need to cooperate with our businesses and help them help themselves to grow our base,” Jerry Hollingsworth, Ward 2, said. 

The Board will vote on the ordinance at the next BOA meeting on Sept. 22.

The big highlight of the work session was a presentation on the recently-complete traffic study. Designed to figure out how traffic in St. Peters works so the city can make things work faster with fewer stops, the study recently implemented some changes. Signals throughout the city continue to work at all hours, meaning no more flashing reds and yellows. 

The city also implemented a flashing yellow light for left turns at various locations, including Mexico Road at Grand Teton, and has heard no complaints from drivers about the change. 

After the work session was finished, the Board moved onto the meeting. Six ordinances were passed—all by a unanimous 8-0 vote. 

In addition to the voting, the Board and Mayor Pagano reappointed five members of the Planning and Zoning Commission to four-year terms. They are: current president Keith McNames, J. Patrick Kelly, Marilyn Shaikewitz, Larry Sachse and Steven Bailey. Two alternates, John Durajczyk and William Rone, were also given four-year terms. 

The next Aldermen meeting will take place at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22.