SRG General Meeting Minutes- June 2026

Jul 8

Written By Andrew Paniello

Soulard Restoration Group
General Membership Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 7PM

Minutes prepared by Andrew Paniello, Secretary

LOCATION
Saints Peter & Paul Parish Hall in the Rose Room | 816 Allen Ave

Call to Order/Opening Remarks

President April Flores called the meeting to order at 7:01pm.

Aldermanic Update

Alderwoman Jamie Cox-Antwi discussed several topics, beginning with the Water Department and its expected rate increase. The Department currently has a lot of financial and infrastructure problems, which is why this increase may be necessary. The City will also be reviewing the Rams settlement funds, which will likely be used for more tornado relief, City infrastructure, and downtown development. There will be a hearing about this on June 9th at 11am, at City Hall.

The ZOUP (Zoning) process is ongoing. There will be an opportunity for public comment on the new draft in July. MODOT will be holding a public hearing, about Gravois Road, on June 10th, in Bevo Mill. The City is exploring new options for trash, including the use of rolling carts in some areas. Lastly, the alderwoman mentioned that Soulard will not be included in the new food truck bill.

Guest Speakers

The Membership welcomed two guest speakers, both of whom were Circuit Court Judges in the State of Missouri. They discussed several elements of the Justice System, including the nuances of juvenile court, criminal circuit court, and how the courts work, in general. The judges fielded questions, mostly about restraining orders, gun violence, and reasons for hope.

Crime Report

Officer McClendon reported that crime is down compared to the year before. He also discussed the problematic intersection at Gravois and Tucker, as well as other notable traffic issues within the neighborhood.

Committee Roundup

Membership: Christina Del Azodi, chair of the Membership Committee, was pleased to announce that the May Membership Party was a big success–there were about 200 guests and the party still came in under budget. She also gave a shout out to our 2026 award winners. Furthermore, she discussed the promotion program for business members, and noted that the after party would be at Ron and Frank’s house.
Properties (Station): Topher Jaworski discussed some of the many improvements that have been made to the station, and thanked everyone who came to help take care of the grounds. Ladies of Soulard plans to meet on 6/11.
Beautification: the summer patio crawl will take place on 6/27, from 4-8pm. It will generally be in North Soulard. There is also a lot of pot planting going on around the neighborhood.
Communications: Brenton Henry was happy to announce the completion of our migration to Stride (payment processing platform). We have our own app now and website updates are underway.
CI&E: there are several events coming up, including Bastille Day (7/11), the Rummage Sale (9/26), Halloween decorating and movie night (10/24), another movie night (11/4), and the revived bags (cornhole) tournament (8/8).
Historical: the Historical Committee is excited to bury the 100-year Time Capsule, to be reopened in 2126, at the Soulard Station. The burial, which will include a ceremony/reception, will take place at 2pm on 7/12. Additionally, the Ghost Tour is scheduled for 10/17, with more details to come.
PRT: fines are being applied to the creators of the massive mound down in Southeast Soulard. If anyone is considering new projects or has questions about building, they are strongly encouraged to meet with PRT at the beginning of the process.
Parlour Tour: Neal Thompson is the new chair of the Parlour Tour Committee. The committee will meet at Molly’s, on 6/9 at 6:30pm, to discuss the Tour, including deciding whether it will be one or two days this year. There will also be a homeowner happy hour soon.
1222 Allen: there is a receivership company that will complete Phase One of the revitalization project, which includes cleaning, assessment, and determining next steps. The company is assuming all risks related to the project. Phase One is expected to take about six weeks.

Treasurer’s Report

Neil Putz, Treasurer, announced that our asset accounts have slightly increased and are currently sitting just above $90,000 in assets. He clarified that the only expense SRG paid regarding the 1222 Allen property was $1,200 for a sunbelt rental. He also discussed other major line items, including the concert series, membership party, and scholarship fund.

Secretary’s Report

Andrew Paniello, Secretary, called for a vote on the April 2026 General Meeting Minutes, which were unanimously approved.

Organization Roundup

SBA: Shawn Caruso announced the Bastille Day Parade will take place on 7/11, starting at 3:30 in Soulard Market Park. Brenton and Liz Henry are the royalty this year. A concert will immediately follow.
CID: the CID has contracted John Cline and Bob Printz to help with a historical signage project. The organization is finalizing its strategic plan. New sidewalks are coming soon to Pontiac Square Park.
KVV: Soulard Pride is scheduled for 6/13, with the golf cart parade beginning at 10:30 and the festival running from noon to 6pm. They are working on a “Halfway to Mardi Gras” event and will host trunk or treat on 10/25, at the Legion.
Neighborhood Stabilization: James Simpson noted that some streetlights are managed by the City, some by Ameren–you can tell by the pole. Please call if they are out.

President’s Report

Dana Woodall has been named the new safety chair. Margi Koors has been named our representative to the MGI Board. The Board has given our Soulard Pride booth to artists from the Soulard Art Gallery.

The Board is working on pursuing some of the projects from the recent survey, including storage space, bird boxes, a pergola for the station, and potentially donating to the new splash pad.

The July 1st General Meeting will be moved to July 8th.

A community member, Alicia, has been deployed for six months—anyone interested can sign up to contribute to a care package.

The meeting adjourned at 8:42pm.