STL Government 101: City Infrastructure Movers and Shakers

Knowing how the STL City government is set up can help you understand how to make change in your community.

Special Groups in STL Government to Know

1. The Board of Estimate and Apportionment (E&A)

Think of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment as the people who help decide how the city spends its money. In the city's words: "The Board of Estimate and Apportionment approves all City of St. Louis real estate purchases, appropriations, and the city's annual operating budget."

It has three members: the Mayor, the Comptroller (who watches over the city’s money), and the President of the Board of Aldermen.
They decide the city’s budget, which is like a big plan for spending money on things like parks, streets, and schools.
If someone in the city government wants to spend money or make a big financial decision, this board usually has to say yes first.

2. The Board of Alderpeople

The Board of Alderpeople is kind of like St. Louis’s City Council. In the city's words: "The Board of Aldermen is the legislative body of the City of St. Louis and creates, passes, and amends local laws, as well as approve the City's budget every year. There are fourteen aldermen, one from each ward in the City and a President."

Other important things to know about the Board of Alderpeople include:

They make the rules and laws for the city, create ordinances, and vote on Board bills.
Alderpeople are elected for four-year terms.
They are responsible for representing what people in their neighborhoods need and voting on laws and city projects in their best interest.

3. The Board of Public Service (BPS)

The Board of Public Service makes sure that the city’s big construction projects and repairs are done right. In their own words: "The Board of Public Service (BPS) Department of the President is responsible for all public works and improvements undertaken by the City or in which the City is interested and prepares all plans and specifications thereof, except where supervision work or preparation is otherwise provided by the member departments of the Board of Public Service."

Other important things to know about the Board of Public Service include:

They handle things like fixing streets, building sidewalks, or improving sewers.
The board is made up of people who are experts in engineering, public works, and safety.
They review and approve plans before the city starts building something.

Other Parties Involved in City Budget and Infrastructure

The Capital Committee

In 1987, the City of St. Louis made a rule to help plan for big projects like fixing roads, building parks, and improving buildings. This rule created something called a Capital Fund—kind of like a savings account just for city construction and repair projects.

The Capital Committee is responsible for:

Reviewing and assessing the City’s Capital needs
Developing and recommending what is included in the five-year Capital Improvements Plan and the annual Capital Budget
- Capital improvements include things like:
  - Road and bridge improvements
  - Neighborhood stabilization projects
  - Facility improvements and equipment replacement
Considering recommendations provided by the Citizens’ Advisory Committee for Capital Expenditures

The Citizens' Advisory Committee for Capital Expenditures

The Citizens’ Advisory Committee helps the city figure out which projects matter most to the people, so money is spent in the smartest way. This committee is a group of regular people from St. Louis who help the city decide how to spend money on big projects like fixing roads, parks, and buildings. This group:

Reviews and assesses the City’s Capital needs
Advises the Capital Committee on the development and recommendation of the Capital Improvements Plan and Capital Budget each year
Reviews the City’s accomplishments with respect to the Capital budgets approved in previous years

Members include two representatives appointed by each member of the Board of Aldermen and four representatives appointed by each member of the Board of Estimate & Apportionment.

The Complete Streets Advisory Committee

This committee meets at least quarterly to provide oversight and guidance on the implementation of complete and friendly streets.

Membership of the Complete Streets Advisory Committe includes representatives from:

President of the Board of Public Service’s Office
Planning & the Urban Design Agency
Streets Department
Office of the Disabled
Department of Public Safety
Health Department
Complete Streets Program Manager
and one member of the public
- "by mayoral appointment who is a resident of the City of St. Louis and has demonstrated a vested interest in safety and expansion of a multimodal transportation network”

Their responsibilities include:

Ensuring alignment with the adopted Transportation & Mobility Plan on transportation projects costing at least $500K.
Overseeing the implementation of the City’s Transportation & Mobility Plan.
Developing key benchmarks and performance measures for complete streets implementation.
Establishing guidelines for inclusive public engagement practices for major public transportation projects sponsored or managed by the City.
Making recommendations to the City’s Capital Committee on transportation and mobility-related projects for inclusion and/or prioritization in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan.
Providing an annual report to the Mayor, Board of Aldermen, and Chair of the BOA Public Infrastructure & Utilities Committee.

Community Mobility Committee

Established via Resolution passed by the Board of Aldermen in Feb. 2020, the Community Mobility Committee was created to:

Advise the City of St. Louis and local transportation, parks, and planning agencies on planning, policy, design, funding, education, and enforcement efforts regarding the creation, maintenance, and operation of non-vehicular transportation facilities.
Work to ensure sensitivity to issues in the design and implementation of public and private projects that have an impact on the non-vehicular transportation network.

Committee members must be “interested citizens who reside within the St. Louis region and have a recognized connection with community planning, community representation, groups or organizations with a commitment to or interest in active transportation, or individuals with a personal expertise or commitment in these areas.”

If you want to make a difference in your St. Louis neighborhood, it helps to know who’s making the big decisions behind the scenes.

Whether you're new to civic engagement or just curious about how things work, this guide is your first step to getting involved and helping shape the future of our city.