"Our trip to Africa is to establish trade mission relationships with Nairobi and Kigali," said Mayor Spencer. "We have watched these cities rebound, not just economically but from an agricultural technology standpoint, a healthcare advancement standpoint and overall community investment." 

As an emerging economic partner, both cities can benefit from a city-to-city relationship by deepening cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, bioscience, healthcare, technology, workforce development, sustainability, infrastructure, and educational and cultural exchange.

The Mayor along with the other members of the St. Louis delegation are building intercontinental relationships to identify and create concrete economic and institutional partnerships that produce measurable benefits for both cities.

Mayor Spencer will return November 16, 2026. Her travel is being paid for by the World Trade Center.

According to the FRA, railroads have been notified of the quiet zone compliance. While the reinstatement of the quiet zones goes into effect immediately, it will take several days for all systems and protocols to be updated and train horns to cease.

Immediately after receiving notice on Sept. 10 that the FRA would be suspending the City's quiet zones, the Office of Mayor Cara Spencer, department leaders, and the Street Department implemented a plan of action based on the FRA's requirements.

The Traffic and Lighting Division within the Street Department led the work, completing the physical upgrades needed, removing out-of-date railroad bars, inserting "stop bars" (painted bars in front of railroad crossings), and installing hundreds of new 36-inch signs. In addition, the division worked with FRA inspectors and submitted the documentation needed for each railroad crossing.

"Our Traffic and Lighting crews stayed focused under pressure and worked incredibly hard to meet all the necessary requirements - and they did this well ahead of our anticipated schedule," said Mayor Cara Spencer. "They showed what real teamwork looks like, putting the needs of our residents first and foremost."

Once work began to upgrade the railroad crossings according to FRA regulations, the City provided a Railroad Crossings Quiet Zone Compliance page with weekly updates. Original projections indicated that quiet zones would be reinstated by mid to late December, but the City completed the needed upgrades, passed inspections, and submitted final documentation to the FRA well ahead of schedule.

"Hearing train horns at all hours of the day and night was truly a disruption to our City," said Mayor Spencer. "But our crews met this challenge head on, and we can now look forward to having quiet restored."

The historic transaction, led by the Office of the Comptroller and its financing team, will provide funding for approved capital improvements projects at St. Louis Lambert International Airport over the net several years while establishing a long-term financing structure to support the Airport's infrastructure and capital needs. The City received over $4 billion in orders for the bonds from investors and fund managers across the country, showing confidence in our region's economic future.

"The is a historic milestone for the City of St. Louis and shows investors are excited about the work we are doing at the Airport," Comptroller Donna M.C. Baringer said. "Bringing the City's largest bond transaction to market required extensive coordination, careful financial planning and a tremendous amount of work from our financing team. We are proud to have successfully completed this transaction and position the Airport to move forward with critical infrastructure improvements." 

Proceeds form the Series 2026 Bonds will finance approved capital improvement projects and associated improvements over the next several years, excluding the Consolidated Terminal Project (CTP). A portion of these proceeds will also reimburse the Airport for eligible project costs previously financed through an existing line of credit. The bond issue is scheduled to close on November 24, 2026. 

 ###

Comptroller Donna M.C. Baringer is the chief fiscal officer of the City of St. Louis and is charged with safeguarding the city's credit rating and with protecting taxpayer dollars. Visit www.stlouis-mo.gov/comptroller to learn more about the Office of the Comptroller.

The goal is to replace every tree lost by May 2027. The City and its partners will replant more than 5,000 trees: 2,300 street trees in public easements and 2,700 trees in public parks. More than 1,900 park trees have already been replanted with the help of many volunteers, and street tree planting begins in November. The Forestry Division has committed to two years of watering and maintenance for every tree during its establishment period.

"The tornado took thousands of trees from North St. Louis neighborhoods, and with them the shade families counted on," said Mayor Cara Spencer. "We are bringing back the shade. Replanting our streets and parks is about more than restoring what was lost. It is about building neighborhoods that are healthier, cooler and better positioned for the future."

North St. Louis has long had less tree canopy and higher summer heat than other parts of the city, and the tornado deepened that gap. Street and park trees shade sidewalks and homes, cool blocks, manage stormwater and add lasting value to neighborhoods.

"Every block and every park in the tornado zone deserves its trees back," said Julian Nicks, Chief Recovery Officer. "We are replanting with residents, not around them, and we are making sure every family has a say in what goes in front of their home."

Where Planting Starts

Through Recovery Office programs, the City of St. Louis has removed all hazardous street trees in the tornado zone. New street trees are native species, chosen for their size and fit within each easement so they will not disrupt sidewalks or cause other issues as they grow. The initial focus for street tree planting is more densely populated blocks with limited demolition and construction work ahead, which protects the health and survival of new trees. Blocks with more demolition or construction still to come will be the focus of future plantings.

"Planting a tree is the first step. Caring for it until it takes root is what makes it last," said Forestry Commissioner Alan Jankowski. "Our crews are committed to looking after these trees for their first two years, during their establishment period when regular watering and maintenance are essential."

The City recognizes that lost trees carry hard memories for many families after the May 16 tornado. Before street planting begins, the Recovery Office is visiting neighborhood associations to discuss the plan, while the Neighborhood Stabilization Division and Forestry Division are placing door hangers and yard signs on planting blocks for awareness. Planting locations and tree types by area are posted at stlrecovers.com. Residents who do not want a street tree in front of their home have the chance to opt out at stlrecovers.com. Residents who want a street tree but are not on a scheduled planting block can request one by contacting the Citizens' Service Bureau.

About Regreening North STL

Regreening North STL is a City of St. Louis initiative led in partnership by the Recovery Office, the City of St. Louis Forestry Division, and the Green City Coalition. The Green City Coalition is a collaborative project of the City of St. Louis, St. Louis Development Corporation, the Missouri Department of Conservation, and the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District that works to convert vacant lots and overlooked park space into community greenspaces. Replanting the trees lost in the tornado is Regreening North STL's first initiative, and the City will share more about what comes next in the months ahead. 

"This year's Snow Preparedness Plan demonstrates that the City of St. Louis has taken the lessons of recent winter storms and turned them into meaningful action," said Mayor Cara Spencer. "This is not simply last year's plan repeated. It is a plan that reflects careful evaluation, operational improvements, and a commitment to better service for our residents."

After reviewing the 2026 winter after action report, the City's primary focus remains the clearance of designated snow routes. Beginning in May 2026, the City began preparing by reviewing route maps and, over the last six months, they hired and trained personnel, identified bids and obtained salt, conducted plowing dry runs, established Snow Command Center schedules, and identified and trained Quality Assurance personnel." 

The City is also entering its second year implementing Code Blue to service the unhoused community in St. Louis. 

"This year, we will have more shelter space available throughout the city, including on the Northside," said Dr. Adam Pearson, Director of Human Services. "These shelters will span from Baden to Soulard. Some of those shelters are first time partners and we are excited to be collaborating with them." 

In line with National Weather Service predictions, the St. Louis area is expecting a warmer than normal winter weather forecast. Regardless, the City and its partners will continue to prepare for severe winter storm conditions.

"A mild winter does not mean an unimpactful winter," said Ben Herzog with the National Weather Service. "We remain committed to supporting the City of St. Louis whenever hazardous weather threatens the region."

To solidify the City's readiness, Mayor Cara Spencer signed Executive Order 99 today, cementing winter plans for future cold seasons. The Executive Order defines the winter weather season, solidifies the Unified Command structure, describes the City's emergency operations levels, and clarifies department roles and responsibilities. 

"Last year was about building the framework our city desperately needed," said Mayor Spencer. "This year, we are making sure that framework stays in place, so we keep building in the years to come."

These homes will be repaired in Phases 2 and 3, building on the Phase 1 pilot that began in May with more than 200 homes, 60 of which are already complete. Lessons from the pilot have set the program up to scale successfully. Of the 3,000 applications received, 1,200 have been preliminarily approved, in addition to the more than 200 homes in the pilot.

The proposed $30 million comes from Board Bill 22 Rams settlement funds and will go to the Board of Estimate and Apportionment for final approval on November 18. It builds on the $12 million already allocated to the Phase 1 pilot, where work continues. The City continues to pursue more resources for home repair, including the State Senate Bill 1 Missouri Housing Trust Fund through the Missouri Housing Development Commission and federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds. The announcement follows last week's $4 million in Affordable Housing Commission awards to bring 250 tornado-damaged affordable units back online.

"Every home we repair brings a family back and helps a neighborhood recover," said Mayor Cara Spencer. "This plan puts our resources where they will do the most good. My focus remains on ensuring our residents can stay or return home."

Finalized Eligibility: Owner-Occupied Homes First

To stretch limited City repair dollars while waiting for federal support, the Recovery Office has finalized home repair eligibility, prioritizing owner-occupied homes. To receive preliminary approval, a home must have been:

• Damaged by the May 16 tornado
• Owner-occupied and lived in at the time of the tornado
• Owned by a household with a reported income at or below 120% of the Area Median Income

Rental and commercial properties do not qualify for Home Repair.

Homeowners with preliminary approval will provide documentation of ownership, occupancy, income, and duplication of benefits, such as insurance and FEMA payments, only after repairs have been deemed feasible.

Feasibility and Full Habitability

Preliminary approval is not final approval. Each home will be inspected and scoped to confirm it can be fully repaired to habitability standards, meaning safe, sanitary, and functional, within the program's $50,000 cap. This approach protects taxpayer dollars and ensures every repair dollar goes into a home that will be safe for families to return to.

Phases and Batch Schedule

Preliminarily approved homes will move to inspection and scoping in batches within each phase. The phases bring back blocks with higher occupancy first, while ensuring progress across all priority impact areas. Batches focus on bringing back entire blocks at once..

"Many residents have asked us one question: when will you get to my house?" said Julian Nicks, Chief Recovery Officer. "After waiting nearly a year and a half, this answer and their place in the program may not be the one everyone hoped for. But it gives every family clarity on where they stand in the queue."

The proposed allocation of funds for Phase 2 covers approximately 600 homes. Phase 3 will move forward as Phase 2 makes strong progress and additional funding is secured.

Batches of homes will move forward across multiple neighborhoods at the same time. The schedule will be available online and show which areas are in each phase and batch, with estimated windows for inspection and construction. The next batch will begin inspections in January 2027.

Residents will be notified in writing of their eligibility, the appeal process, and/or their phase and batch assignment by Friday, November 13, 2026. 

A public schedule and dashboard at STLRecovers.com will be available showing batch order, status, and progress once all residents have been notified, and will be updated regularly as work moves forward.

Applicants Who Did Not Qualify

More than 1,500 applicants did not meet program eligibility. Rental and commercial properties were the largest reason, accounting for almost 80% of ineligible applications. Their notice will explain why they did not qualify and how to appeal. The Recovery Office is developing new programs to support residents in these households.

Long-Term Recovery for Every Household

This Home Repair program is one part of the City's recovery. The City will focus some future federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) requests, action plans, and allocations on long-term programs for households and properties not served by the City's programs.

Get Help

Residents can get help with questions, appeals, the batch schedule, and other programs at the STLRecovers Outreach Center, 4401 Natural Bridge Ave., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by calling the Resident Support Team at 314-207-7395.

The One-Stop Operator plays a key role in coordinating workforce development partners to ensure St. Louis residents and businesses have access to efficient, connected employment and training services.

The selected organization will work with SLATE and its workforce partners to strengthen collaboration, streamline services, improve customer experiences, and identify innovative solutions, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in career service delivery.

SLATE welcomes proposals from qualified organizations, including nonprofits, community-based organizations, institutions of higher education, workforce intermediaries, private businesses, and government agencies with demonstrated experience in coordination, facilitation, and strategic planning.

The contract will begin July 1, 2027, for an initial one-year term, with the possibility of two additional one-year renewals based on performance and approval by the St. Louis Workforce Development Board.

Key Dates:

• RFQ Released: November 3, 2026
• Deadline for Questions: November 10, 2026
• Proposal Submission Deadline: November 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
• Anticipated Contract Start: July 1, 2027

Interested organizations can review the full RFQ, application requirements, and submission instructions on the SLATE website.

Proposals must be submitted to SLATErfp@stlworks.com. Questions regarding the RFQ may be directed to the same email address or by calling 314-657-3575.

About SLATE

The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) is the City of St. Louis' workforce development agency. For more than 50 years, SLATE has connected residents with employment, education, and training opportunities while helping businesses recruit and develop skilled workers. Through its Missouri Job Center and community partnerships, SLATE continues to strengthen the local workforce and expand economic opportunities for St. Louis residents. For more information, visit https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/slate/ or call (314) 589-8000.

The Towing Division brought the abandoned vehicle backlog down to 538 requests at the end of Q3 2026. This is the lowest point in recent years and a dramatic decrease from its peak of 1,411 requests in Q3 2025.

Additionally, through a focused 30-day "blitz" in July and August, the Forestry Division removed over 250 hazard trees in Q3. The hazard tree removal backlog has now decreased by nearly 70% from its peak of 989 trees in Q3 2025 down to 302 trees.

"Public trust is built on transparency and accountability," said Mayor Cara Spencer. "CityStat isn't just about highlighting our successes, it's about being honest with our residents when we fall short. By sharing performance data openly, we welcome the public to see how we analyze service challenges, adjust our operational strategies, and work continuously to deliver better results for every neighborhood in St. Louis."

While data this quarter does highlight major wins, CityStat also identified several challenges, particularly in pothole repairs and refuse route completion.

Pothole repair response times on major streets slowed significantly in Q3, with only 13% of requests completed within the 3-day goal timeframe. This decline resulted from an intentional operational pivot toward major summer paving projects across arterial streets. To address accumulating requests, the Street Division conducted a Saturday "pothole blitz" on September 12, filling more than 120 potholes in a single weekend.

Refuse collection route coverage averaged 87% in Q3, falling below the City's 95% target. The Refuse Division faced equipment maintenance issues compounded by extreme summer heat and increased seasonal route demands for yard waste pickup. Capital improvement planning is underway with the Equipment Services Division to modernize the fleet and stabilize route completion.

The City encourages residents to review additional Q3 data on the CityStat website. 

Going forward, data will continue to be posted at the end of the month following the end of each quarter to allow City teams necessary time for data validation.

"Captain Trower saw a threat to our neighborhoods and solved it overnight," said Mayor Cara Spencer. "He's our own McGyver! He didn't wait for a long-term fix. He built one. His ingenuity kept families and homes protected, and it's exactly the kind of public service St. Louis residents deserve."

The hydrants were rendered inoperable when thieves stole their brass valves to sell as scrap metal, leaving the surrounding neighborhoods without dependable access to water. Working overnight, Captain Trower designed and built an emergency plug adapter that allowed his fellow fire fighters a way to connect to the damaged hydrants and restore fire protection to those neighborhoods.

"A firefighter's first job is to be ready, and a hydrant that doesn't work puts everyone at risk," said Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson. "Captain Trower understood the danger immediately and came up with a practical answer that our companies could use right away. I'm proud of him, and I'm proud that this department's team members worked so creatively under pressure."

Stolen metals are an increasing citywide infrastructure problem.

"Copper and brass thefts have caused major risks to public safety over the last several months and we are taking them very seriously. The recent damage and brass thefts that hit our fire department posed an immediate public danger by rendering those hydrants almost unusable, and earlier wire thefts along the Eads Bridge and the riverfront on Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard continues to plague the safety of our Riverfront area by turning out some of the lights," said Chief Operating Officer Col. Ben Jonsson. "Scrap dealers have been put on notice that buying these items has steep consequences."

The Excellence in Service award was presented at 9:00 a.m. at St. Louis Fire Department headquarters, 1421 N. Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63106.

Voters whose Election Notice Card lists Machacek Library should vote at Storyline Church.
The two sites share a parking lot, and signs will be posted at Machacek Library directing
voters across the street. The City's voting locations listing has been updated to include
Storyline Church, and Machacek Library remains listed with a note that it is not in use on
Election Day.

Under the City's ballot on demand system, voters may also vote at any City polling place
regardless of their assigned precinct. Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday,
November 3. A full list of voting locations is available at
https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/board-election-commissioners/voter/p
olling-places/index.cfm . Voters can check current wait times at polling places on Election
Day at https://stlcity.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/8548fe3a065a455182181399909102ef .

The Board thanks voters for their patience and remains committed to the bipartisan
administration of elections in the City of St. Louis.