Balancing Act

The City of Webster Groves will receive $4.6 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and to gain community input on how this money should be spent, the City launched a Balancing Act simulation. In this online tool, residents can allocate the $4.6 million of federal ARP funds through ideas we have gathered and the new ideas that residents provide.

“Balancing Act provides every resident of Webster Groves the opportunity to build their own plan for the City’s American Rescue Plan funding from the comfort of their living room,” said Eric Peterson, Assistant City Manager and Director of Finance and Administration. “Developing budgets and prioritizing one project over the other is not an easy exercise and we hope to gain valuable insight on what our community believes is right and ripe for these one-time investments.”

To access the tool and learn more about ARP funds, visit www.webstergroves.org/arp.
The tool aims to allow for greater transparency and access for a better understanding of the process, according to the release. The City will also launch a Balancing Act simulation for the overall City budget.

Preparing for Snow

The street crews of the Public Works Department work around the clock during snowstorms to provide an extra measure of safety to residents and enable crucial services, such as police and fire, to continue uninterrupted. When a snowstorm hits, two crews work around the clock, 12 hours per shift, to plow 100 lane miles of roadway in Webster Groves. The City is divided into five sections, and the plowing order is to first focus on main streets and special areas (hills and bridges) prior to subdivision streets and dead ends, said Todd Rehg, Director of Public Works. Also, the crews are responsible for clearing the 12 City parking lots. Streets that are maintained by other agencies are Watson Road, I-44, Berry Road, Big Bend Boulevard, and Laclede Station Road.

The City’s snowplows are wide and require adequate room to pass down a residential street. When it is forecast for two inches or more of snow to fall, please remove all vehicles from the street so the snowplows can get through and clear the street from curb to curb. Don’t forget the sidewalks, for safety’s sake. Remember that a City ordinance requires property owners to clear snow from sidewalks fronting or adjoining their properties within 48 hours.

City Council Meeting on Tuesday

The City Council meets on Tuesday, January 18 beginning at 6 p.m. with a work session where they will be discussing the City’s Compensation and Classification Study. The Council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. with more discussion of the Charter Review Advisory Board.

Due to heightened health concerns related to the pandemic, City Council meetings will be available to the public only via teleconference. Instructions on listening through your phone or computer to the teleconference will be made available at www.webstergroves.org/teleconference. Public comments may be made virtually via Zoom with the raise hand option, by email to the email address provided on the applicable agenda, or by U.S. mail. Public comments via zoom will be limited to three minutes.

City Chats

Webster Groves City Manager, Dr. Marie Peoples, Assistant City Manager Eric Peterson, and Mayor Gerry Welch took part in a City Chats Facebook Live conversation on January 12. They discussed the budget, American Rescue Plan Funding and our Balancing Act community input tool.

If you weren’t able to view the conversation live, the video is available on the City of Webster Groves Facebook Page.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

City Hall offices will be closed on Monday, January 17 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. While Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been a federal holiday since 1983, it was in 1994 that Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service

If you are looking for ways to make an impact on your community in honor of Dr. King, there are many opportunities throughout the St. Louis area. In Webster Groves, Webster Rock Hill Ministries is encouraging the community to donate to a food drive on Monday as a part of the day of service between 9 a.m. and noon.

Coffee & Connections

Thank you to the members of the Webster Groves, Shrewsbury, Rock Hill Chamber of Commerce who attended the Coffee & Connections breakfast at Webster Groves City Hall on Friday, January 14. Mayor Gerry Welch and Council members Laura Arnold and Pam Bliss attended the event which allowed for City officials and employees to talk with area business owners and employees about the issues that matter most to them.

Upcoming Events

Candidate Education Meeting
Monday, January 31
City Hall
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
The City of Webster Groves is holding the final candidate education session for public office candidates in the April 5 election. This meeting will give candidates for the Mayor and Councilmember positions an overview of the City structure, Council responsibilities, and allow for questions of City staff.

Join the list at webstergroves.org/thefridaypage. The Friday Page is published at the end of each week online at www.webstergroves.org/thefridaypage and is distributed to subscribers via webstergroves.org/notifyme.