September 17, 2026 | 7:00–8:34 p.m.
This is an informal resident summary of the recorded meeting, not the official minutes.
The Board approved the September 17th meeting agenda and warrant list, and approved minutes from the August 20 regular meeting and August 27 special meeting.
The Board appointed Conrad Phillips of #88 to the vacant alderman seat. Phillips and Mike Jones both expressed interest and spoke to the Board. Phillips’s appointment passed with two votes in favor and one abstention.
Immediately before formally calling the meeting to order, Mayor Ward announced the temporary appointment of Attorney Felicia Gillespie based on City Attorney vacancy and the immediate need for counsel. No official legal report was given during the meeting.
No code enforcement report was given during the meeting.
iWorQ Software Presentation
Presented by Benjamin Freeman of iWorQ
Mr. Freeman returned to address questions raised after the prior meeting. He described features the company believes make iWorQ a sole-source product, including customizable fields and reports that staff can create without vendor programming.
Freeman also said:
The proposed agreement requires a three-year term but would be billed annually.
The quoted price would be held despite the delay.
iWorQ had not received a signed contract or payment as of the meeting.
Property information would come from St. Louis County GIS data and receive periodic updates.
A Board member said the City had not followed its competitive-purchasing requirements and reported that a resident had submitted the matter to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Other officials argued that the software qualifies for a sole-source exception.
The interim city attorney advised that the City could proceed because the Board had previously approved the purchase and the product was presented as sole-source.
No new vote on iWorQ was taken at this meeting. The disagreement over the procurement process was not fully resolved.
Police and Dispatching Report
Presented by Normandy Police Chief Col. Tameika Sanders and Major Larson
The Normandy police chief gave an extended report about St. Louis County’s new dispatch-pricing structure. She said the combined cost for Normandy and its contract municipalities is increasing from approximately $96,000–$97,000 to about $174,000.
She questioned a formula that includes call volume because routine area-patrol entries can make small contract cities such as Bellerive Acres appear to generate many calls.
Normandy signed the County agreement to prevent an interruption in emergency dispatching while exploring another provider. Any future change would depend on technical compatibility, contract terms, and the required notice period.
The Bellerive Acres Board did not vote on a dispatching change during this meeting.
For August, police reported 156 calls for service, including:
143 area patrols
Two animal-related calls
One welfare check
Two medical-assist calls
One reported domestic assault referred for possible charges
Seven traffic stops. Seven citations were issued.
Normandy Police announced its National Night Out Jazz Fest for October 3 and annual Trunk or Treat for October 24 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Financial Report
Presented by KEB
The City reported approximately $2.6 million in cash balances as of August 31, about four percent more than the prior year.
A restricted-fund deficit of approximately $75,000 was described as potentially reimbursable by MSD.
Year-to-date receipts were approximately six percent above the comparable prior-year period.
Disbursements were approximately $32,000 under budget, although legal fees and street-repair expenses were above budget.
Some interest income had not yet been recorded because the accountant was waiting for bank information needed to reconcile the City’s CDs.
Mayor Ward said the City has experienced recurring service issues with Simmons Bank and is examining other banking institutions.
Ordinance Review Committee
Presented by committee member Lawanda Thompson
The Ordinance Review Committee was advised to review the Residential Code as it pertains to recreational vehicles, commercial vehicles and routine car maintenance. They reported that it compared Bellerive Acres’ recreational- and commercial-vehicle parking rules with those of several nearby municipalities.
The committee concluded that the existing ordinance is generally consistent with neighboring codes and already provides adequate restrictions. It therefore recommended:
Making no ordinance change at this time
Concentrating on consistent enforcement of the rules already in place
Mayor Ward said the City is considering a town hall so residents can share their views. He also said officials would work with legal counsel, police, and code enforcement to clarify which provisions should be enforced.
This was a committee recommendation only. The Board did not vote to amend the vehicle-parking ordinance.
Code Enforcement Report
Maintenance Report
Presented by Mike Johnson
The City’s waste-container provider is adding a 4.5 percent fuel surcharge. After checking alternatives, maintenance reported that the current provider still appears to offer the best overall price and rental period.
A water leak at the front entrance was traced to an irrigation line affected by tree growth. Repairs were still underway.
Crews placed approximately 1,000 pounds of cold patch in potholes and may complete another round. Streets being considered for larger repairs were avoided.
Residents were reminded to cut brush into four- to six-foot lengths, stack it neatly, and point the cut ends toward the curb.
Leaf collection was tentatively expected to begin during the week of October 19, depending on weather and leaf fall.
The Board briefly discussed whether purchasing a wood chipper could reduce disposal expenses and produce material for paths in the bird sanctuary. No decision was made.Mayor and Alderman Reports
BACA Report
Presented by Becky Jones
BACA had held a picnic-planning meeting that Monday.
Flyers for the upcoming Fall Picnic would be distributed over the weekend.
The group discussed future activities, including the tree-lighting event, Santa, and the holiday lighting contest.
She reminded residents about the community event taking place that Saturday evening.
Because the City’s older holiday bows were in poor condition, BACA planned to refurbish stored wreaths and purchase new bows for the lampposts.
Two large wreaths have been obtained for the front entrance, with possible lighting to illuminate them. BACA reported plans for the City picnic and upcoming holiday activities, including tree lighting, Santa, and the decorating contest.
Earlier in the meeting, the Board also corrected the warrant-list amount associated with the Bellerive Acres Night Out event to $750. The City’s contribution to the event was $310. Mayor and Alderman Reports
Because the City’s tax-rate information was not ready, a tax-rate public hearing and special Board meeting were announced for September 22 at 6:00 p.m.
Mayor Ward said he was continuing to press AT&T to remove debris left after fiber work near residents’ properties.
An earlier billing issue with Gateway Disposal was reported resolved after corrected figures were obtained.
Mayor and Alderman Reports
Because the City’s tax-rate information was not ready, a tax-rate public hearing and special Board meeting were announced for September 22 at 6:00 p.m.
Mayor Ward said he was continuing to press AT&T to remove debris left after fiber work near residents’ properties.
An earlier billing issue with Gateway was reported resolved after corrected figures were obtained.