[{"_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",6023230,"mediaKeyId","5763966-1c1ccf459c1449517d6eae794767ad8e","parentId",5763966,"title","Maplewood to explore charter review advisory body; council weighs membership and scope","audioSeconds",389,"startMs",8320000,"endMs",8709000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5763966-1c1ccf459c1449517d6eae794767ad8e&start=8320&end=8709","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5763966-1c1ccf459c1449517d6eae794767ad8e/thumbnail_8320000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6023230/Maplewood/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Maplewood-to-explore-charter-review-advisory-body-council-weighs-membership-and-scope","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6023230-b72d92f5aa40545fa35171b9979ceea7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770952684&Signature=TfGFw4rOduZ5I1Y-nmuaoIlRCjsLPbZ0ESQO50urlNcJROioIVheGiZwcUQALk47xy-iu52MKPQFX9y1ulTtB1EJGIO~Bhk3sW9uLUBsiS3eLB1lQjMIgdQtpQPcc~7Y4rE5vPuH8nTMvuHNeAuZ7VCtUPSAHcxRgEQs87fZyZ-CM43mZJ-hSBW3PeiW5cRdKU0mRrYlOid4u3FBtvHCbRlzZIf8ckoOl2QoXU0rA7wk1sLR5Mc2~e0NH~BhqT7k9~eKIM5V~SHOoYiWaaWYV~6BQ1BcMO6qdFy6e6x3emWgaWgfnhzjL3LPNeXRUGsVYjH6R8ZsFiTE70P2zG5fQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Maplewood","date","2025-06-20T20:39:24Z","article","Maplewood councilmembers on June 20 discussed forming a charter-review advisory body to examine the city
s charter, its interaction with the code, and topics such as petition timing and publication of the code.

The conversation focused on scope, membership and process. Councilmembers referenced Webster Groves
s a template, where a charter review took more than a year and placed amendments on the ballot. Participants suggested the advisory body should be diverse and include a mix of longtime residents, younger residents and council members, and debated whether to appoint outside counsel or use in-house resources.

Councilmembers noted recurring issues that a review could address, such as the city
s requirement for earlier petition deadlines tied to a primary election and language in criminal ordinances that may be inconsistent with federal law. Staff said parts of the charter reference code publication and compensation formulas; members asked staff to verify those provisions and to return with clearer language and recommended committee size.

Several councilmembers supported a broader review with specific assignments, and one suggested including a youth member. No formal decision was made on membership or timing; staff will return with a proposed scope, recommended appointments and an anticipated timeline.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Maplewood 6-20-2025 City Council Retreat","oneSentenceSummary","Council considered creating a charter-review advisory body to examine the city charter and related ordinances, discussed committee size and composition, and asked staff to propose a structure and timeline.","taxTitle","Maplewood, St. Louis County, Missouri","taxId",72616,"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},6023235,"Maplewood explores shared services, dispatch capability after regional storm response gaps",1764,5488000,7252000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5763966-1c1ccf459c1449517d6eae794767ad8e&start=5488&end=7252","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5763966-1c1ccf459c1449517d6eae794767ad8e/thumbnail_5488000.jpg","/articles/6023235/Maplewood/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Maplewood-explores-shared-services-dispatch-capability-after-regional-storm-response-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6023235-511267e070e3300c6d9ba7758deab9b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770952684&Signature=VnkAzLovZ8YeEOFiU646mJP9GYvrFVCP5VpTHqPjQNwrKdTltNYvzJy6xYiIIvbxN0Eo0FFmBDcFYrTzyxM3WKQoMMcETKGSlTaMY14z8wMPcSisbBquksK1IAFqyRRPIOPlg2ouh9nxwhSlF89GgO93eY98HqOEMLzsVR~Pn3NrvOaMDQgvH9CjPyDUloPZeevO1mfFKvMr3XwLm3UaNllmAToh2jgMC~gJ4sUmKDxSUQ3nIWkUXyfuCK2uBuXrScxu8GF-tw4k2kUCwBySCKZB9WxOsL1EjUcM~QGgtOO9iidW7v5cb36l-J0iM7M6n426l~NZzbhtKg2uLwEHcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Maplewood city officials said June 20 they are exploring shared services and consolidation options with nearby municipalities after regional storm responses exposed gaps in deployed emergency resources and coordination.

The city manager described monthly meetings with nearby managers to examine potential efficiencies in police, fire, courts, public works and dispatch services. Officials said the discussion is driven largely by operating budgets and by recent experiences in which equipment and deployable resources were scarce or uncoordinated during severe weather events.

Councilmembers and staff cited specific problems discovered during recent storms: the absence of a shared, detailed emergency-response plan, unequal access to deployable equipment, and that existing mutual-aid or dispatch arrangements did not always produce timely, coordinated responses. Staff said some municipalities were unable to provide resources because they were not party to an older public-works mutual-aid agreement dating from 2012.

The East Central Communications District (ECDC) board recently approved a $65,000 study by Mission Critical Partners to assess the dispatch agency's functionality, staffing needs and the potential impact of AI-enabled operations. City staff said the study will examine whether dispatch can scale, whether staffing and training gaps remain, and what shared governance or consolidation options might look like.

Officials stressed that, while cooperation could yield efficiencies, many jurisdictions value local autonomy. Councilmembers asked for additional short-term and long-term cost estimates, clearer service-level comparisons and direct testimony from chiefs and frontline staff before considering formal consolidation.

No decisions to merge services were made; city managers will continue discussions and staff will return with cost-benefit analysis and further detail from the Mission Critical Partners study once available.","City staff reported ongoing talks with neighboring municipalities about consolidating or cooperating on services including dispatch and emergency response; the ECDC board has approved a $65,000 study to assess the dispatch agency\ns functionality and staffing needs.",{"_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},6023239,"Maplewood officials debate City Hall renovation, public outreach ahead of April 2026 bond vote",3037,1104000,4141000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5763966-1c1ccf459c1449517d6eae794767ad8e&start=1104&end=4141","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5763966-1c1ccf459c1449517d6eae794767ad8e/thumbnail_1104000.jpg","/articles/6023239/Maplewood/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Maplewood-officials-debate-City-Hall-renovation-public-outreach-ahead-of-April-2026-bond-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6023239-29c3d92b7f1b71e2e00a8d20ecd475aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770952684&Signature=MK4nrUtVMnJshnRnJk8MqgDlI-g~cpAeprSqyDmp9bCbaEnZbUu5wf9moixlxfjrKnZQuA7rdfFXX-zFwRMedE8~fpnoiAOS-yn2zTpt21lUXK-16kfEY7EEMGQYSs3lWxAy~xOy8bIvcd0AXJbk6lRBDddZewSoBFrND4AxB2ocQ4aslM0F-JdKqBwTCaLzvjNLMnh~oVLT4vXDc1CzWmMYALIlZf41mLc10q-U8hUyNDrA2Qw7c~c7ykMWZYy2v6LArPuqkf4s1taoKNHMSoEZnlFpUzIdQd8WIrwFTe5QCxUwsfbdrFPmRQKZh~Pa9b4zmIT70MTeCRwlotmbFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Maplewood city council members spent a June 20 retreat session discussing plans to renovate and expand City Hall and whether to place a bond issue on the April 2026 ballot that would raise the city
s debt service levy from 28 cents to 50 cents per $100 of assessed value.

The item matters because the measure would increase local property tax rates and fund both a City Hall project and related facility upgrades; councilmembers said they want clearer cost estimates and a focused public education campaign before deciding to proceed.

Staff briefed the council on two consultant-driven approaches. One option would purchase graphic renderings to help voters visualize the project; staff said renderings are estimated at about $4,000 each. A second option would begin preliminary design work and require an architecture/engineering RFQ; staff said the preliminary-design option is roughly $100,000 and could be reimbursed from bond proceeds if the ballot measure passes. Staff also identified potential public-relations support at roughly $10,000'0,000 depending on scope.

City staff noted they had an $83,000 surplus this year and can draw on general-fund reserves if the council decides to invest in outreach or pre-bond design work. Staff recommended beginning public engagement in January, with preparatory work in the fall so voter education can run from January onward.

Councilmembers pressed a range of substantive questions. Several said voters are unlikely to be persuaded by technical drawings alone and asked for messaging that explains the value to homeowners, the negative implications of not proceeding, and the share of the city budget that public-safety and facility work represent. One member urged outreach to respected local influencers whose opposition could derail a campaign; another asked that the project include public-works and deferred-maintenance items to broaden appeal.

Members expressed technical concerns about procurement and project delivery. Some councilmembers said they prefer that the architect selected through a formal solicitation perform design development rather than pay a separate firm to produce preliminary design that later must be translated for construction documents. One councilmember suggested a 3-D Revit model and walk-throughs, rather than static renderings, to help residents visualize the outcome. Others cited prior projects where construction management contributed to cost growth and asked for clearer controls on construction-manager scope and fees.

Staff and council discussed programmatic uses for any new or renovated spaces, including dedicating flexible rooms for community gatherings, senior programming and social services coordination, and splitting training rooms so police training can be more tactically focused while other meeting space remains available to the public.

Next steps identified by staff included returning with firmer costs for a 3-D modeling/rendering package (\"option 1a\"), detailed proposals for PR and voter education, and proposed allocations that could add deferred-maintenance items to the bond package without increasing the overall amount. No formal motion or vote was taken at the retreat.","Councilmembers discussed a proposed City Hall expansion and renovation and options for a public education campaign ahead of a possible April 2026 bond to raise the debt service levy from $0.28 to $0.50 per $100 of assessed value; staff will return with firmer cost estimates and outreach plans.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Maplewood to explore charter review advisory body; council weighs membership and scope

Maplewood explores shared services, dispatch capability after regional storm response gaps

Maplewood officials debate City Hall renovation, public outreach ahead of April 2026 bond vote