[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6060943,"mediaKeyId","3287666-cfbf48c0e9ca7b6d218b89bf61f0b008","parentId",3287666,"title","Parks, recreation and forestry present needs: tree removals, contractors and staffing gaps","audioSeconds",1293,"startMs",7812000,"endMs",9105000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3287666-cfbf48c0e9ca7b6d218b89bf61f0b008&start=7812&end=9105","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3287666-cfbf48c0e9ca7b6d218b89bf61f0b008/thumbnail_7812000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6060943/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Parks-recreation-and-forestry-present-needs-tree-removals-contractors-and-staffing-gaps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060943-86c0ca00ff1f0e0b8bb4546658d1980b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151051&Signature=Jfx6Cs7FLm1cyBlo8nTD5cqnrVqtVRXKpAPshqx44f1WNOGK1nnM-R4jjuDk1b6VAYW3OWZvqCTxNI~VC5d4TAxGMrxZQQ5uuRg8kFxFe4d94TSsxkCT4XF6ol1UT~-eBjHrHswpTZ-kQNpMksHHHCVYceuZXy~Vw6rlBNizLsNnchq9oPVm4YMs-ks6AftoixIqBLXtQ5N8YRS3qa7THqxUmR8KR3613kG0nHpANv9cgyOjHYDntHkR8Clsu9ecgUOUiJ6Mg5QghuQ3mz5roALGPpirjlCf295qaANh93NiXm5mWljsOyFq~z5YVF3tHgQjnOxq-tzHUq~byTzXaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of St. Louis, MO","date","2025-05-12T19:49:37Z","article","Director (name in record) and commissioners for Parks, Recreation and Forestry presented the department’s FY26 budget to the committee on May 12, emphasizing capital funds for market and pool repairs while highlighting persistent staffing and recruitment problems in forestry and field crews. \"We have a 10 city parks, approximately 3,200 park acres to manage,\" the director said, and noted the department’s combined FY26 budget across parks, forestry, recreation, Bright Side and Soulard Market totals roughly $46.5 million when special funds are included.

Why it matters: parks, street trees, vacant lot maintenance and recreation centers are high‑visibility municipal services. Staffing and contractor choices directly affect public safety (hazardous trees), neighborhood appearance, and service response times for debris and lot maintenance.

Forestry Commissioner Alan Jankowski said the division faces recruiting challenges for tree trimmers, a hazardous job that is difficult to staff at current pay. He outlined a mix of capital and professional‑services funding: approximately $500,000 annually has been used for ash‑tree removals, a separate capital line has funded hazardous tree removals, and the department received an $8 million federal grant for climate‑justice area tree removals and plantings. \"Roughly about 88,000 street trees and then probably another 80 some thousand, park trees,\" Jankowski said when asked about tree inventories; he said the removals/trim list runs into thousands (roughly 3,000 removals and about 7,000 trims in the current queue).

The forestry office requested additional heavy‑equipment operators, construction equipment operators and utility workers to run an in‑house debris program and to operate recently procured equipment; the FY26 proposal includes new equipment (front loaders, dump and roll‑off trucks, skid steers) but not the requested staff to operate it. Commissioner Kim Haegley (Parks) asked to transfer funds internally to restore two permanent utility workers removed during budget negotiations and suggested converting per‑performance funds to staff salaries to keep core services covered.

Recreation Commissioner Joaquina Calian described pool and center repairs (boiler and mechanical upgrades, floor and locker room work) and said four recreation centers will host summer camp and expanded evening programming intended to provide safe activities for youth. Mary Lou Green, Operation Bright Side commissioner, described graffiti eradication and neighborhood beautification work and asked that a $60,000 CDA (federal) allocation for graffiti removal remain accessible to Bright Side to retain staff and per‑performance crews.

Committee members asked for detailed lists of removals, contractor capacity, and noted potential amendments to move existing departmental funds to staff priority positions. No final appropriation changes were voted at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget and Public Employees Committee- May 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Department leaders told the budget committee that capital funds will pay tree removals and market repairs, but staffing shortages — especially tree trimmers and utility workers — force reliance on contractors and limit rotational maintenance of vacant lots, park acres and street trees.","taxTitle","St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Missouri","taxId",2587,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6060948,"Neighborhood Improvement and Citizen Service Bureau warn staffing limits hamper resident service and take-home vehicle requests",1850,4240000,6090000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3287666-cfbf48c0e9ca7b6d218b89bf61f0b008&start=4240&end=6090","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3287666-cfbf48c0e9ca7b6d218b89bf61f0b008/thumbnail_4240000.jpg","/articles/6060948/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Neighborhood-Improvement-and-Citizen-Service-Bureau-warn-staffing-limits-hamper-resident-service-and-take-home-vehicle-requests","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060948-387904279f53fe93faeff9c6e71c4844/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151051&Signature=Y7tTaVnbt8~nP2UYG3upuWXfn2QZcDy6qGCs00h8FMm5xEG5mx7zjhdkooQk2WEs4EwTgzuyZxaI8Xb2TGBCnui7Mpa95-Pla1hXh9XFHY6m0B~i8BEP5SzUcqVJQi6LMuj4TNHgH4sKnrMgdFUCytY351v1NEW2M5VHt~VhHp64ruHPTDRVCHHjohhIXuhTvQ1NcT1HDNMAZCnp5PJAkrxJ21JLoA9vn2j2wARG701QP-IobvQKBxnXZOIcM7Y1FVDplLtwFNFyseTdB88TY0eBzeGPqUnYPokTtJDj8lKYBMoVOUOh5YEYzEqKLR4q0Wq-~oSZ8O7xrdm4W9UPyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Karen Clifford, acting director of the Neighborhood Stabilization Division, told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 12 that demand for city service requests has increased roughly 20% and the division’s proposed FY26 funding will not fully restore staffing the office asked for. \"We also provide residents with information, assistance, and intervention,\" Clifford said, summarizing the unit’s work in operating the (314) 622‑4800 Citizen Service Bureau call‑center, dispatching Neighborhood Improvement Specialists (NISs), and managing nuisance/property interventions.

Why it matters: the NIS division and the Citizen Service Bureau are the front line for resident service requests — trash pickup, snow and ice issues, problem properties and emergency response follow‑up. They also coordinate with other departments to route requests and to brief residents on service timing.

Clifford said the proposed general‑fund budget reduces some line items and leaves CSB one CSR‑2 supervisor short of the requested staffing; she asked to convert a secretary position into a CSR‑2 and to add one CSR and one CSR‑2 to manage higher call volume. \"Those CSR2s are not gonna be able to capture an issue right then and there if 1 person is trying to monitor that,\" Clifford told the committee. The division also requested funds for education and retention programs for CSB and NIS staff.

Committee members pressed on process breakdowns. Clifford and staff explained how service requests are tracked and where closures can cause confusion: some departments close a request after an initial step (for example, issuance of a violation or scheduling a follow‑up inspection) rather than only when the problem is fully resolved. Clifford said internal work is underway with the director of operations and the comptroller’s office to standardize closure definitions and improve interdepartmental follow‑up.

The division also requested options for take‑home or assigned city vehicles for NIS field staff; Clifford said many employees use personal cars and receive a $297 monthly car allowance but bear insurance and repair costs. \"I incurred $8,400 of damage to my vehicle when an illegal dumper put their car in reverse and rammed the front end of my vehicle,\" Clifford said, urging that dedicated city vehicles would increase visibility and reduce employee expense.

On performance metrics, Clifford said the division tracks large volumes of service requests and wants to emphasize follow‑up and closure accuracy so residents stop seeing repeated closed tickets that are not resolved. She also asked the committee to consider moving per‑performance funds within the department to restore utility positions for field work; committee members said internal transfers would be easier to approve than new net funding.","The Neighborhood Stabilization Division and Citizen Service Bureau told the budget committee they need additional customer‑service and neighborhood improvement staff, better follow‑up on service requests across departments, and funding options for take‑home or city vehicles to reduce employee vehicle costs and improve field visibility.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6060952,"Civilian Oversight Board warns budget cuts will slow misconduct investigations and outreach",3100,1120000,4220000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3287666-cfbf48c0e9ca7b6d218b89bf61f0b008&start=1120&end=4220","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3287666-cfbf48c0e9ca7b6d218b89bf61f0b008/thumbnail_1120000.jpg","/articles/6060952/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Civilian-Oversight-Board-warns-budget-cuts-will-slow-misconduct-investigations-and-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060952-dfa2be313bd1288f5fc390f38b641baa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151051&Signature=GzWablNq236f6QStZO-wICeEb3OAc7GHXNtTwQFtT9FTqFb7bMyfIvS9OkHJG07qNR~ntR-sGFe8TNcaVQT-ObNsHEFwjrWEGhKZAGTNsc-odSBur~dTcs7~MO9W24iFqB32u88lDoA76VUKrBW~rdUVojupUQmMcNfX-tkX9qoChPrulav47YFnm63bPsMJ7EDdbkt6KHjc7rfM3uaoHv748aCdW7ZsG5h3BqfJhAqFwlhpGs8370znZ7uIiLuO7XIpXhDZKfdhPjL5c3rjLmUD2d3PWGmsmHXgFdX5VrpRpDVJh3UmWzq04pDEJ1TGQnzS0MndyJ2VDu2Ma1AqRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Barbara Milen, commissioner of the St. Louis City Division of Civilian Oversight, told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 12 that the division’s proposed fiscal‑year 2026 budget contains cuts that would shrink staffing and reduce community engagement and investigative capacity. \"The mission of our of the division of civilian oversight is to strengthen the integrity and increase public confidence in the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and detention facilities located within the city of Saint Louis by promoting transparency, fairness, and public accountability,\" Milen said while outlining the office’s work.

Why it matters: the office investigates public complaints about police and detention facilities and provides findings and disciplinary recommendations. Committee members pressed the commissioner on the division’s reduced headcount and on how quickly the office can complete investigations; staff warned the reduction would slow the review of complaints and limit community outreach.

The commissioner said the division currently has 11 employees and requested 17 positions for FY26; the proposed city budget would fund 12. Milen told the committee that the proposed cut would specifically hurt community engagement and a client services position that supports survivors and families. Legal investigator positions proposed for FY26 were also at risk: \"Investigators are needed to address the backlog of complaints and to address the continued number of complaints received within the city,\" Milen said.

Louisa Lyles, legal investigator II with the division, provided complaint counts to the committee. \"The total number of complaints we have never covered the complaints from the Justice Center as well as the police department, comes to 753 total,\" Lyles said, then gave year‑by‑year police complaint counts (155 in 2021; 126 in 2022; 181 in 2023; 197 in 2024; about 75 so far for 2025) and detention facility counts for 2022–2024. She said the office has been unable to present cases to the Civilian Oversight Board and the Detention Facilities Oversight Board while board membership and training were being finalized, and that backlog and daily intake together make timely resolution difficult.

Committee members asked about tools and outside services the division requested. Milen said the office had sought $10,000 for investigative software (Regis) that was removed from the proposed budget and $75,000 for independent legal counsel; she argued independent counsel would avoid conflicts when the city councilor’s office otherwise represents multiple city departments. On state takeover of police authority, Milen said the office had adjusted its work plan to be consistent with the four oversight categories the state identified and removed community engagement from the immediate work plan to align with the state’s parameters.

Committee members pressed for timelines and for assurance of board training. Milen said board members have completed most trainings and one final session was planned with a trainer (Jamala Rogers) with dates expected in June. She also said the division plans to publish a dashboard showing complaint counts and status updates.

The presentation generated sustained questioning about access to records and detention facilities, training requirements for board members, and whether reduced staff would allow the division to keep pace with investigations. No formal budget action or vote on the COB budget was taken by the committee during the meeting.","The Division of Civilian Oversight told the Budget & Public Employees Committee that proposed staffing and line‑item cuts for fiscal 2026 would worsen a backlog of complaints, reduce community engagement capacity and limit access to investigative tools and independent counsel.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parks, recreation and forestry present needs: tree removals, contractors and staffing gaps

Neighborhood Improvement and Citizen Service Bureau warn staffing limits hamper resident service and take-home vehicle requests

Civilian Oversight Board warns budget cuts will slow misconduct investigations and outreach