One of my top priorities is public safety. As an alderperson, it’s crucial to work with police, neighborhood stabilization team members, the building division, and other departments to holistically address issues in the community. I’ve spent my time building relationships with the police of the 1st District, and working with district leadership on the issues you’re concerned about to address concerns more quickly. Whether it’s tracking down absentee owners of vacant housing or answering 11 pm phone calls to make sure emergencies are addressed quickly, I’m proud to be an alderperson who takes a hands on approach to making my community safer. I have also earned the endorsement of the Firefighters Union Local 73.

While at the board I’ve spent my time fighting for better pay for our first responders and all city employees. I supported the highest raises for police, firefighters, and emergency dispatchers in decades. During discussions on the Rams Settlement funds, I’ve continued to advocate for a workforce development program geared towards supporting our city workers. After all, if we want good city services, that starts with having the people to do the work!

I’ve spent countless hours working with department leaders, the administration, and my colleagues to work to improve our city services, and to make sure that all of my constituents get what they need from city government. I will continue to work to support and empower city departments to ensure consistent and reliable services to residents. I support increasing pay and benefits for city workers, and reworking the city budget to make that possible. I work closely with several unions and am pushing the administration to take their concerns more seriously and to meet with them to negotiate. I’ve also championed the needs of the Water Division and have fought for millions of dollars of resources to go to this fundamental service.

If you know anything about me, you know I’m a strong and very vocal advocate for bettering our roads and sidewalks. Shortly after taking office I noticed something was off with the 50/50 sidewalk program, and worked to help get the program back up and running. I’ve sponsored a board bill updating the city’s “Complete Streets” policy, a guiding policy to creating inclusive roads and sidewalks for all users no matter their method of transportation or their physical ability. I also sponsored a board bill to create a comprehensive “Utility Coordination” policy. In a collaborative effort with the administration and key stakeholders, we’ve crafted a policy that will result in better quality roads for all the residents of St. Louis. I’m a co-founder of the monthly “bike bus” to City Hall, regular user of public transportation, and one of the most prolific aldermen at improving bike and pedestrian infrastructure in the ward. Because of this work, Trailnet awarded me their 2024 Outstanding Streets for All Advocate.

It is always my goal to be transparent and easily accessible to my constituents. That is why, with the support of my excellent team at City Hall, I strive to provide quick and responsive communication, thorough newsletters, and to show up to as many community events as humanly possible. This effort extends beyond my office: I work to ensure our city departments and other elected officials are being responsive to our residents as well, no matter how many times I need to bug them about it!

Vacancy is an issue that effects residents citywide, and it’s an issue I work hard to combat. My office and I take a hands on approach to addressing vacant properties in our ward, whether it’s phone calls to absentee owners, addressing the issue in the local media, or putting pressure on city departments to issue every fine and fee that is possible and keep every building secure. As with so many things, it is a team effort. When we can, we partner with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and neighborhood groups to gain control of and move properties back into productive use.

Most recently in the efforts to address vacancy, I’ve supported Proposition V to increase the fines we’re able to charge to negligent property owners.

As an elected official partnering with community organizations and being able to connect them with relevant resources has been a huge part of my time at the Board. As a board member of the Friends of Carondelet Park, I worked to help secure $15,000 in funding for invasive species removal from the Missouri Department of Conservation. I also worked to reinvigorate the board of the Loughborough Commons CID, which resulted in the removal of the 1% sales tax at Loughborough Commons three years early, saving my constituents their hard earned money. I regularly participate in and help organize trash pickups and other beautification efforts across the ward. I’ve helped to clear the banks along Bellerive park to bring back the river views. I routinely help neighborhood organizations carry out their plans and efforts to improve our communities appearance and vitality. This has resulted in more energy, more businesses, and just more going on in our ward than before I took office. It takes a village - or in this case - a ward!