Kiehne Action News Archives - John Kiehne for St. Louis County Council

St. Louis County Council Update- 9/30/2026 [KiehneAction]

#KiehneAction — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 02:10:33 +0000

Campaign season is in full effect, and so is political posturing for the benefit of voters. Listen, St. Louis County residents need safe roads to drive on, they want assessments that are accurate, taxation that’s fair, and the ability to handle their business with the County in person, online, via email, or by whatever means practical in a timely and efficient manner. County governance is where the rubber hits the road–literally–for residents, and it’s important that our leaders are capable, professional, and laser-focused on providing essential services instead of scoring political points. If elected, my expectation is that I’ll be inheriting well over 10 years of structural and fiscal challenges, many of which have occurred during Mark Harder’s 12-year tenure as a County Councilman. I believe that after 12 years it’s time to try something–and someone–different.

The last few weeks in St. Louis County politics has been tumultuous to say the least. On Monday, County Executive Sam Page sent correspondence to municipal leaders in St. Louis County proposing that municipalities take over responsibility for County-maintained roads that run through their boundaries. As you might imagine, municipal leaders aren’t too excited about the proposal. In this week’s regular meeting of the St. Louis County Council, Dr. Page also announced that negotiations to relocate County operations have ceased, though Council members apparently aren’t aware of the status of Project Cornerstone–which is an effort to either relocate the Clayton office and county seat, bring the Lawrence K. Roos building up to fire code, or the most likely scenario at this point–both.

In the County Executive’s statements regarding the possible transfer of County roads to municipalities, he also stated that Councilman Harder has suggested this as a possible solution to an ongoing challenge in not only maintaining those roads, but also as a means to provide some budget relief for the County. It should be noted that Councilman Harder’s actual conduct in meetings regarding St. Louis County policies is often combative and he often seems to not be “getting it” when County staff try to explain how their respective departments and duties are conducted. Case in point, I would point you to a Budget Committee meeting from last week in which Paul Kreidler- St. Louis County’s Director of Performance Management and Budget where Councilman Harder repeatedly asked questions regarding how monies are budgeted, allocated, and dispersed amongst the various County funds, requiring Mr. Kreidler to repeatedly explain the rules regarding how monies can be utilized per local, state, and federal law. I’m frequently amazed at how someone who’s been making budget decisions for St. Louis County for 12 years too often seems to have little to no understanding of how departments actually function much less about the policies that inform and direct County functions.
That Budget Committee meeting can be found at https://boxcast.tv/channel/wdeojvfau9uqc9qt6k8z?b=ya2qhohctznz9ro91rzl.

In regard to the immediate concerns of starting to build a budget for 2027, an October 1 deadline to adjust County property tax rates will be missed and with it the opportunity to perhaps bring in a little more revenue to help ease budget pressures. The County has the option to adjust this rate every two years, so that option has been tabled.

In a nutshell, those in charge of daily management of the budget (and Dr. Page as well) have been clear that the only immediate solutions to balancing the County’s budget are to increase revenues and/or cut services. One-time funds like the NFL settlement funds are not the solution to pervasive structural deficits and systemic challenges. The County Council must learn to work with the Executive, the Directors, and as an ally to staff, residents, and businesses alike in order to right the ship, but unfortunately it seems that our Council has a serious issue with how they communicate with all involved and they’ve spent a significant amount of the taxpayers’ time over the last few years engaging in political posturing and conflict, conducting the People’s business in what I think can be accurately labeled as “politics as usual.”

I don’t claim to have all the answers to decades of mismanagement plus a world that changed and evolved over the last 20 years, from technological advances to the shifting, growing, and changing of populations within St. Louis County and beyond over the last few decades. It’s pretty clear that St. Louis County has been challenged to navigate a rapidly changing economy and population growth in some places in contrast to population contraction in others.

I believe that St. Louis County leaders need to make some vast improvements in not only how St. Louis County government functions, but also in the way St. Louis County leadership communicates. Every week we see Council members going back and forth with the Executive (and at times each other) as well as often treating Directors, staff, and residents as subordinates, not as valued team members or constituents. I’m hoping that with new members and new leadership that the tenor and tone of Council dialogue improves. We can only hope…

At the end of the day, the seven members of the St. Louis County Council have a sworn obligation to do their best to serve not only their Districts, but one million residents, tens of thousands of businesses, and millions of people who work in and travel through the St. Louis area every year. I believe that a great place to start is learning how to better communicate with each other, the Executive, Directors, staff, and residents. An appearance before the Council should never be being subjected to an interrogation or be met with contempt by a Council member, but too often that’s what we see, week in and week out. The work that the Council and the Executive does is critical to the capacity for St. Louis County to be able to provide core services to constituents, and that has to be the mission. Period.

Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto: “Let the Welfare of the People be the Supreme Law.”

If you’re interested in viewing further discussion regarding previous plans for the 2026 Budget you might find this discussion form last November with the Council’s Budget Director Chris Grahn-Howard insightful. You can view that Budget Committee meeting here: https://boxcast.tv/channel/wdeojvfau9uqc9qt6k8z?b=fzqmlulshm6cwieyakx7

Recent polling is favoring Democratic candidates heavily for the November elections, with the Cook Report upgrading MO02 from “Solid R” to “Likely R,” with “generic” Democratic candidates now polling at anywhere from “+8” to “+10” in a variety of polls, and with margins for Democratic candidates running in “red” Missouri diminishing, we may have some wind at our backs. However, now, more than ever, it’s important that we lean in and do the work. We will be the ones to make 2026 a “wave year” for Democrats in this state and around the nation, so let’s do whatever we can for the next 34 days to engage with voters and make the case that Democratic candidates will fight for the PEOPLE instead of ceding our values to billionaires, zealots, and selfish personal ambition. I truly believe that we aspire to be the “good guys,” but it’s up to us to convince the voters on November 3. I’ll be leaving it all on the field, how about you?

(By the way, if recent polling is accurate, that makes this race more than competitive- polling favors us in this race by a few points- which means that we have even more reason to lean in so that we can successfully retire Mark Harder on November 3!!!)

If you’re interested in helping our campaign to defeat Councilman Mark Harder on November 3, here’s what you can do:

You can support our grassroots, people-powered campaign by giving today at KIEHNE2026.COM.

You can sign up to join #KiehneAction as a volunteer at KIEHNEFORMISSOURI.COM/VOLUNTEER.

You can host a meet and greet and introduce your family, friends, and neighbors to our campaign. If you’re interested, please contact the campaign at info@kiehneformissouri.com. You can also call or text us at 636-324-3570.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page signed the following bills into ordinance:

Bill No. 167, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,669

St. Louis County residents are invited to submit their thoughts regarding a merger proposal and the future of St. Louis County and the St. Louis region at: https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-government/county-executive/what-does-a-stronger-st-louis-look-like/.

The St. Louis County Council Perfected the following bills:

BILL NO. 171, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO EXECUTE A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE, LODGE 111 FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY PARK RANGERS. (REFERRED TO BUDGET COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2026)
08.25.26~OC-13
Bill No. 171, 2026

The St. Louis County Council approved the following measures for Final Passage:

BILL NO. 168, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 29,012 BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING SECTION 1 PERTAINING TO A SUBSTANCE USE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM GRANT FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE.
09.08.26~OC-5
Bill No. 168, 2026

BILL NO. 169, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A MISSOURI CRIME LAB UPGRADE PROGRAM GRANT OF UP TO $47,943 FROM THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE SALARY AND BENEFITS OF A FORENSIC SCIENTIST AND THE PURCHASE OF A VACUFUGE AND DIGITAL CAMERA; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
09.08.26~OC-2
Bill No. 169, 2026

BILL NO. 170, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $313,600.09 FROM THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE SALARIES AND BENEFITS OF THREE DETECTIVES; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
09.08.26~OC-3
Bill No. 170, 2026

The St. Louis County Council approved five orders that renewed insurance contracts for St. Louis County employees. Apparently they didn’t appreciate the way in which these items were presented for approval as presented as they would’ve bypassed the Council’s authority to approve purchase contracts. There was dialogue from Council members expressing frustration with the County Executive’s handling of this circumstance.

A number of residents testified in favor of using ARPA funding to support Sustainable Farming projects in North St. Louis County, which was approved by Council members in April of last year but vetoed by Dr. Page. There was a request for a veto override to approve funding for these efforts to improve food security in North St. Louis County. There was particular support for “Rustic Roots,” which provides resources for urban farming and delivering food to those in need.

Communication dated April 29, 2025, from The Honorable Sam Page, County Executive, RE: St. Louis County Council Substitute Bill No. 1 for Bill No. 54, 2025, passed by the County Council on April 15, 2025, returning Substitute Bill No. 1 for Bill No. 54, 2025 unsigned and stating his objections thereto, pursuant to Section 2.110 of the County Charter, thereby vetoing Substitute Bill No. 1 for Bill No. 54, 2025
05.06.25~OC-36
Bill No. 54, 2025
Substitute Bill No. 1 for Bill No. 54, 2025

This Week’s County Council meeting: https://boxcast.tv/channel/wdeojvfau9uqc9qt6k8z

The complete agenda for this week’s Regular Meeting including attachments is available at: https://stlouisco.civicweb.net/document/470833/

The St. Louis County Council typically meets on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm at the St. Louis County Government Center, Lawrence K. Roos Building, 41 S. Central Ave., Clayton, MO 63105. You can view current and past St. Louis County Council meetings online at: https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-government/county-council/

A list of public meetings can be found at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-public-notices/.

St. Louis County government meeting agendas and minutes can be found at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-public-notices/meeting-minutes/.

KIEHNE CALENDAR

Are you interested in hosting a meet and greet to introduce your family, friends, and neighbors to our campaign to defeat Mark Harder in November? If so, please contact the campaign at info@kiehneformissouri.com. You can also call or text us at 636-324-3570.

We also have an immediate fundraising goal. We need to raise $5,000 to launch our October push to engage with District 7 voters in the last 30 days before the November 3 Election. We need 43,000 votes to win, and we need YOUR help to get there. You can donate today at KIEHNE2026.COM or just click the “donate” button below.

John Kiehne is running for St. Louis County Council opposing Republican incumbent District 7 Councilman Mark Harder. Councilman Harder has served on the St. Louis County Council for 12 years, and while St. Louis County is the main economic generator for this region and the state of Missouri, St. Louis County has struggled to maintain sustained growth, meet critical obligations, and is heading for budget shortfalls that threaten St. Louis County’s ability to function.

If elected, John Kiehne will not only focus on fiscal responsibility, public safety, and repairing and maintaining St. Louis County roads and bridges, but also lean in to promoting economic growth and development to revitalize not only St. Louis County but the entire St. Louis region.

For too long politicians have spent precious time and energy attacking each other and the St. Louis region instead of celebrating our assets and addressing our challenges. I believe that the residents of District 7 and St. Louis County deserve representation who will fight to help make St. Louis County residents more healthy, safe, secure, and prosperous.

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The post St. Louis County Council Update- 9/30/2026 [KiehneAction] appeared first on John Kiehne for St. Louis County Council.

St. Louis County Council Update- 9/15/2026 [KiehneAction]

#KiehneAction — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 23:21:04 +0000

Running St. Louis County is a 24/7/365 job, and St. Louis County residents depend on elected leaders to be responsive to our needs and concerns, yet it seems that they’re often living in a political bubble that exists outside of our daily lives. Excuses and platitudes don’t fix potholes. Finger-pointing doesn’t pay our bills or keep the buses running on time. We need elected officials who are laser-focused on making sure that St. Louis County can meet its obligations to our residents and businesses, and we must be working diligently to innovate and evolve along with the world around us in order to survive and thrive. We deserve better than Mark Harder.

In this week’s Regular County Council Meeting there were several issues that grabbed my attention, including addressing a critical need for treatment of tuberculosis cases in St. Louis County, the fiscal cliff that St. Louis County exists on and a possible long-term solution that involves a realignment of property taxes, and testimony from a corrections employee regarding what sounds like persistent unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the County jail.

County Executive Sam Page stated that there’s an October 1 deadline that occurs every two years for the County Council to approve a realignment of the County property tax rate, which could generate roughly $48 million in additional revenue for the County. Dr. Page stated that each additional penny taxed would generate about $2 million additional dollars collectively while costing approximately $4.97 per parcel. As a result of Hancock Amendment rules and market conditions, property tax rates have declined over the last 40 years or so, and potentially realigning them to match current conditions, while appearing as just several additional dollars on the average taxpayer’s property tax bill, has the potential to make a sizeable dent in addressing the County’s budget woes.

The additional component necessary is for the Council and the Executive along with the various Department Heads to work together in a professional and effective manner to identify inefficiencies within our County government and address them with an expedited sense of urgency. We need elected officials who do the work to understand the details of governance so that they can make decisions that benefit efforts to improve the manner in which St. Louis County functions so that we can more effectively meet our obligations to County residents and businesses.

In addition, Dr. Page mentioned the immediate need for the Council to approve a transfer of funds within the Health Department to address a critical need for treatment for St. Louis County residents currently suffering from tuberculosis. Councilwoman Shalonda Webb, who is the “CDL” who coordinates with the Director of the St. Louis County Department of Health Dr. Kanika Cunningham, stated that she recently met with Dr. Cunningham in person and is aware of the immediate need to approve this funding transfer. (Councilwoman Webb and Dr. Cunningham have been at odds for most of this year so it’s good to see that they finally connected in order to discuss the critical business at hand.)

Councilman Michael Archer (South St. Louis County) made it a point to express one of his constituent’s frustrations paying their tax bill at the South County satellite office for the St. Louis County Department of Revenue. While he tried to lay these issues at the feet of the County Executive, the fact is that office hours have been reduced and our West County office closed as a result of budget cuts and lack of adequate funding needed to do the work necessary to not only properly staff and provide Monday through Friday service at Revenue offices, but to also address months-long waits for RECA applications, Senior Tax Freeze applications, and tax refunds to be processed as well. It seems that County Council members are more interested in starving the county of resources while pointing fingers at the problems that they have contributed to causing without either taking responsibility for causing the problem or being thoughtfully proactive in trying to fix the problem. At the end of the day it’s just more politics as usual with the County Council, and we suffer as a result.

There’s no doubt that you’ve been paying attention to state and federal politics as well, and these last few weeks have been quite a roller coaster regarding Missouri’s Congressional maps, not to mention federal efforts by Republicans to make it more difficult to vote, and even what appears to be a bribe by Donald Trump suggesting that he would pay a $5,000 dividend to every adult United States citizen if Republicans hold the U.S. House and Senate in the November elections. If Congressional approval was the issue, he already holds a trifecta, so why not approve those “dividends” now?

A New York Times poll this week is putting Democrats in a plus 8.5% margin for a generic “D” on the ballot. In the 7th District that margin would be a guaranteed win for us and then some. However, in 2024 58% plus of our District 7 voters supported Reproductive Rights and Paid Sick Leave only to see them attacked and repealed by the Republican politicians who also appeared on District 7 ballots and who were elected to serve by the majority of voters in this District.

While I’ve been out here doing the work nonstop for nine years, this year we also have a fresh crop of strong candidates working really hard in the State Legislative Districts that fall within the 7th District as well. In fact, two of the state House Districts- HD110 and HD100- are target districts for the Missouri Democrats as well as at the national level, so I’m really optimistic that will all the work that we see in this area from our own Jennifer Trickey in House District 88 to Vicky Wors in Senate District 26, Claire Heinrich in House District 110, Mary Ann Perkins in House District 100, Paul Lentz in House District 101, and incumbent Jaclyn Zimmerman in House District 98. With all the work that we’re seeing from Democratic candidates and organizations fighting for Voters’ Rights, Reproductive Rights, and Workers’ Rights, I believe that 2026 could be the year that Missouri Democrats finally turn this ship around and start chipping away at the Republican Party’s stranglehold on our state, and hopefully our nation as well.

If you’re interested in helping our campaign to defeat Councilman Mark Harder on November 3, here’s what you can do:

You can support our grassroots, people-powered campaign by giving today at KIEHNE2026.COM.

You can sign up to join #KiehneAction as a volunteer at KIEHNEFORMISSOURI.COM/VOLUNTEER.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page signed the following bills into ordinance:

Bill No. 124, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,651
Substitute Bill No. 1 for Bill No. 105, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,652
Bill No. 138, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,653
Bill No. 149, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,654
Bill No. 150, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,655
Bill No. 151, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,656
Bill No. 152, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,657
Bill No. 153, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,658

The St. Louis County Council Perfected the following bills:

BILL NO. 167, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE DECLARING THE PUBLIC NECESSITY OF AND PROVIDING FOR THE OPENING, WIDENING AND ESTABLISHING OF A SECTION OF PUBLIC ROAD DESIGNATED AS WEST FLORISSANT AVENUE, LYING WITHIN THE CITY OF COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, THE CITY OF JENNINGS, AND THE CITY OF FLORDELL HILLS; DIRECTING THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY THEREFOR; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS, AGREEMENTS AND RELATED DOCUMENTS (AR-1876).
09.01.26~OC-12
Bill No. 167, 2026

The St. Louis County Council approved the following measures for Final Passage:

BILL NO. 155, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY CHILDREN’S SERVICES FUND FOR THE 2026-2029 CORE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY; ACCEPTING AND APPROPRIATING FUNDING PROVIDED FOR IN SAID CONTRACT; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.25.26~OC-9
Bill No. 155, 2026

BILL NO. 156, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $100,000 FROM THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY CHILDREN’S SERVICES FUND; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY YOUTH PROGRAM; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.25.26~OC-11
Bill No. 156, 2026

BILL NO. 157, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER SERVICES AND SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES PROGRAM GRANT FUNDS OF UP TO $200,000 FROM THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, SUBJECT TO A LOCAL MATCH REQUIREMENT; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE KATHY J. WEINMAN SHELTER; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.25.26~OC-10
Bill No. 157, 2026

BILL NO. 158, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $40,000 FROM THE MISSOURI VETERANS COMMISSION; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY VETERANS PROGRAM; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.25.26~OC-12
Bill No. 158, 2026

BILL NO. 159, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $288,000 FROM STATE OF MISSOURI, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE FAMILY COURT OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS OF THE FAMILY COURT TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.25.26~OC-7
Bill No. 159, 2026

BILL NO. 160, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $31,200 FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI, OFFICE OF STATE COURTS ADMINISTRATOR; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE FAMILY COURT OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY’S DRUG COURT; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE FAMILY COURT ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.25.26~OC-8
Bill No. 160, 2026

BILL NO. 161, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A FY 25 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM GRANT OF UP TO $159,842 FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE PURCHASE OF THIRTY MOBILE DATA TERMINALS; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.25.26~OC-14
Bill No. 161, 2026

BILL NO. 162, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A FY 2025 STATE HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM COUNTER TERRORISM OFFICER EQUIPMENT GRANT OF UP TO $7,200 FROM THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.25.26~OC-19
Bill No. 162, 2026

BILL NO. 164, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $272,666.41 FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL DRUG TASK FORCE; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EXECUTE NECESSARY CONTRACTS OR OTHER DOCUMENTS.
08.25.26~OC-15
Bill No. 164, 2026

Resolutions:

Recognizing and congratulating St. Louis County resident Maddie DiMaria on winning the 2025-2026 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year
07.21.26~OC-12

This Week’s County Council meeting: https://boxcast.tv/channel/wdeojvfau9uqc9qt6k8z

A list of public meetings can be found at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-public-notices/.

St. Louis County government meeting agendas and minutes can be found at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-public-notices/meeting-minutes/.

KIEHNE CALENDAR

We also have an immediate fundraising goal. We need to raise $5,000 to launch our September push to engage with District 7 voters in the last 60 days before the November 3 Election. We need 43,000 votes to win, and we need YOUR help to get there. You can donate today at KIEHNE2026.COM or just click the “donate” button below.

The post St. Louis County Council Update- 9/15/2026 [KiehneAction] appeared first on John Kiehne for St. Louis County Council.

St. Louis County Council Updates- 9/1/2026

#KiehneAction — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 19:05:45 +0000

It’s another week for more of the same old politics as usual for the St. Louis County Council. What I’ve been hearing over the past week or so is how County employees on one hand are wondering where their pay raises and “sweetheart deals” are because they’re trying to support a family, while Mark Harder and the Council stop Council business in order to rush funds to meet an 11 pm deadline for the County Police Department to apply for a grant. Constantly running up against critical deadlines due to inaction and dysfunction while ignoring the critical needs of St. Louis County residents (and County employees) is not how to run an effective body that serves the people. It’s no wonder people have lost trust in our County government. We most definitely deserve better.

I’m honored to announce that the Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 has once again endorsed our campaign, and we’re hoping to announce more endorsements in the near future.

Also, last week the St. Louis County Democratic Central Committee elected new officers for 2026-2028. Our new Chair is terming-out State Representative Ladonna Appelbaum, Nelson Mitten returns as Vice Chair, our new Treasurer is Missouri River Township Committeeman, and Town and County Alderman Al Gerber, our new Secretary is Lafayette Township Committeewoman Jae Judy, and our new Sergeant at Arms is Spanish Lake Committeeman Orlando Smith. We wish them success in the 2026 Election cycle and beyond.

I was once again elected to be Committeeman for the 88th Legislative District, and this weekend we’ll be holding elections for the 26th Senate District Committee- which includes Eureka and the Counties of Franklin, Warren, Gasconade, and Osage.

We’re fortunate that several of our Democratic candidates for Missouri State House are target districts for the Missouri Democratic Party and the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee including Claire Heinrich in the 110th House District (Wildwood and Clarkson Valley) and Mary Ann Perkins in House District 100 (Ballwin). Our other House candidates have been out there working hard including Jennifer Trickey in our own 88th House District, Paul Lentz in the 101st House District (Chesterfield), and incumbent Representative Jaclyn Zimmermann in the 98th District (Ballwin, Manchester, Valley Park, Fenton) as well as Vicky Wors running in the 26th Senate District (Eureka, Franklin, Warren, Gasconade, Osage Counties).

We’ll be rescheduling our canvassing kickoff for next Saturday as the 26th Senate Committee has decided to meet this Saturday morning and I need to be in attendance. Also, we’ve been having challenges getting access to data for the voters in the 7th District but this issue has now been resolved. I’ll be out hitting doors, talking to voters, and distributing signs daily, so if you want to join me just let me know!

We’ve scheduled Saturday canvasses for every Saturday morning until the November Election (starting September 12), so if you’re interested in joining us please go to KIEHNEFORMISSOURI.COM/VOLUNTEER and sign up!

I’ve been using the voter list for canvassing and voter outreach but now we’ll be able to run community canvasses to engage with District 7 voters and identify hosts for yard signs using VAN. If you live in the 7th County Council District and are interested in hosting a John Kiehne for St. Louis County Council sign just let us know! You can contact us at info@kiehneformissouri.com or 636-324-3570.

I believe that in November we’ll have an opportunity to usher in a new, better chapter for St. Louis County with new leadership and representation that has an eye on the future, awareness of the past, and a renewed vision for what St. Louis County could be if we prioritized immediate, well-considered action that improves lives by making the St. Louis County Government operate more effectively, efficiently, and within a budget.

You can support our grassroots, people-powered campaign by giving today at KIEHNE2026.COM.

You can sign up to join #KiehneAction as a volunteer at KIEHNEFORMISSOURI.COM/VOLUNTEER.

St. Louis County Executive signed the following bills into ordinance:

Bill No. 134, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,634
Bill No. 135, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,635
Bill No. 137, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,636
Substitute Bill No. 1 for Bill No. 44, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,637
Bill No. 139, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,641
Bill No. 140, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,642

The following bills were returned without Executive signature or comment and became ordinances:

Substitute Bill No. 1 for Bill No. 119, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,638
Substitute Bill No. 1 for Bill No. 120, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,639
Bill No. 142, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,640

County Council members overrode County Executive Sam Page’s veto of Bill Number 133- which eliminates the requirement to renew the senior tax freeze for St. Louis County seniors. Dr. Page had concerns regarding ensuring that applicants’ residency status remained the same, but Council members (except Councilwoman Lisa Clancy) were unconcerned in that regard and voted to approve this ordinance.

St. Louis County residents are invited to submit their opinions regarding data center projects in St. Louis County the Department of Planning and Zoning at datacentercomments@stlouiscountymo.gov. (Allenton, Crescent, and the Castlewood areas are all unincorporated and subject to the decisions of St. Louis County Planning and Zoning.) The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2026.

The St. Louis County Council Perfected the following bills:

BILL NO. 149, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $10,000 FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI, OFFICE OF STATE COURTS ADMINISTRATOR; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE FAMILY COURT OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS OF THE FAMILY COURT TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.18.26~OC-3
Bill No. 149, 2026

BILL NO. 150, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $196,479.40 FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI, STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, SUBJECT TO A LOCAL MATCH; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.18.26~OC-4
Bill No. 150, 2026

BILL NO. 151, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT THREE GRANTS IN A COMBINED AMOUNT OF UP TO $323,000 FROM THE EAST-WEST GATEWAY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF POLICE; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.18.26~OC-5
Bill No. 151, 2026

BILL NO. 152, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT FOUR GRANTS IN A COMBINED AMOUNT OF UP TO $798,933 FROM THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF POLICE; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.18.26~OC-6
Bill No. 152, 2026

BILL NO. 153, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HANCOCK, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE DECLARING THE PUBLIC NECESSITY OF AND PROVIDING FOR THE OPENING, WIDENING AND ESTABLISHING OF A SECTION OF PUBLIC ROAD DESIGNATED AS BARRETT STATION ROAD, LYING WHOLLY WITHIN ST. LOUIS COUNTY; DIRECTING THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY THEREFOR; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS, AGREEMENTS AND RELATED DOCUMENTS (AR-1896).
08.18.26~OC-9
Bill No. 153, 2026

BILL 163 WAS PERFECTED IN ORDER TO MEET AN 11PM APPLICATION DEADLINE. Authorizing the submission and execution of a grant application for the Model Cities Initiative (“MCI”) Grant, made available through the United States Department of Justice, as indicated and detailed therein, and stating the MCI grant funding supports the County’s efforts to reduce violent crime and improve public safety…
08.25.26~OC-20

The St. Louis County Council approved the following measures for Final Passage:

BILL NO. 143, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 29,154, AS AMENDED, BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING SECTIONS 1, 2, 3 AND 4, PERTAINING TO GRANTS FROM THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY.
08.11.26~OC-7
Bill No. 143, 2026

BILL NO. 144, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 29,425 BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING SECTIONS 1 AND 2 PERTAINING TO A VIOLENT DEATH AND OVERDOSE DEATH SURVEILLANCE GRANT FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES.
08.11.26~OC-10
Bill No. 144, 2026

BILL NO. 145, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ARCHER, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 29,611 BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING SECTION 2 PERTAINING TO A CONTRACT WITH TRAILNET, INC. FOR COUNTY PROJECT NO. AR-1289.
08.11.26~OC-22
Bill No. 145, 2026

BILL NO. 146, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $5,000 FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH’S PARTICIPATION IN THE SAFE CRIBS FOR MISSOURI GRANT PROGRAM; AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO ACCEPT AND DISTRIBUTE CRIBS PURSUANT TO SAID GRANT PROGRAM; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.11.26~OC-9
Bill No. 146, 2026

BILL NO. 147, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT A GRANT OF UP TO $22,000 FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI, OFFICE OF STATE COURTS ADMINISTRATOR; APPROPRIATING THE SAME FOR SUPPORT OF THE FAMILY COURT OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS OF THE FAMILY COURT TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
08.11.26~OC-3
Bill No. 147, 2026

BILL NO. 148, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEBB, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE APROPRIATING THE SUM OF $273,300 FROM THE UNAPPRORIATED BALANCE OF THE GENERAL REVENUE FUND FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH TYLER TECHNOLOGIES, INC. FOR BUDGETING SOFTWARE AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO EXECUTE NECESSARY AGREEMENTS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS.
07.28.26~AddOn-2
Bill No. 148, 2026

BILL 163 WAS FINALLY PASSED IN ORDER TO MEET AN 11PM APPLICATION DEADLINE. Authorizing the submission and execution of a grant application for the Model Cities Initiative (“MCI”) Grant, made available through the United States Department of Justice, as indicated and detailed therein, and stating the MCI grant funding supports the County’s efforts to reduce violent crime and improve public safety…
08.25.26~OC-20

Resolutions:

Recognizing Legacy Jackson as Miss USA Black Talented Teen
08.25.26~OC-5

The St. Louis County Council voted to override the Executive’s veto of Substitute Bill No. 1 for Bill No. 54:

https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-government/county-council/. The St. Louis County Council typically meets on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm at the St. Louis County Government Center, Lawrence K. Roos Building, 41 S. Central Ave., Clayton, MO 63105.

A list of public meetings can be found at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-public-notices/.

St. Louis County government meeting agendas and minutes can be found at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-public-notices/meeting-minutes/.

Saturday, September 12, 2026- KiehneAction Weekend Canvass Kickoff
*** RESCHEDULED SO THAT JOHN CAN ATTEND SD26 REORG MEETING ***

Join #KiehneAction as we kick off our campaign blitz as we approach the November 5 General Election. We will meet at the St. Louis Bread Company in Wildwood, Mo. at 9:30 am for a brief training and for a brief rally around the messaging and purpose for this campaign. The St. Louis Bread Co. is at 2400 Taylor Rd, 63040.

The post St. Louis County Council Updates- 9/1/2026 appeared first on John Kiehne for St. Louis County Council.

I’m Now the Official Democratic Nominee to Oppose Mark Harder in November [KiehneAction]

#KiehneAction — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:37:31 +0000

Last night, Missouri voters decided who they want to appear on the November ballot, and made their positions known regarding a number of ballot issues that appeared on the ballot as well. Though I ran unopposed (as did my Republican opponent), I am now officially the Democratic nominee to run against Republican incumbent Councilman Mark Harder in the November General Election. Harder is a politician who’s held this seat for 12 years and watched St. Louis County falter while most often pointing fingers, playing politics, and encouraging drama instead of championing solutions to address St. Louis County’s challenges. We most definitely deserve better than this.

After planting around 100 signs in 28 polling locations around District 7 Monday evening, I spent all day Tuesday introducing myself to voters at a few polling locations where I need to improve my name recognition. I was somewhat surprised to find that a number of folks were already familiar with my name, and I hope that they’ll become supportive of our campaign as we work to unseat Mark Harder in November.

I’m looking forward to earning the opportunity to serve with Jake Zimmerman as our new St. Louis County Executive, Doug Clemons as our new St. Louis County Assessor, and Melissa Price Smith, who was officially elected as the Democratic nominee running to serve as the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney. However, in order to make that scenario a reality, we need to make sure that Jake, Doug, and Melissa are elected in the November General Election and WE need to win this race so that I can serve as the next St. Louis County Councilman representing the 7th Council District.

I was also pleased to see Amendments 4 and 5 defeated resoundingly statewide, while we will continue to support our State Parks by approving Amendment 2.

In St. Louis County, Proposition U failed but the County Council has indicated that it will appear on the November ballot once again. Proposition C passed, which will change the date when an elected term ends as well as eliminating a restriction on raising elected officials’ salaries prior to the November election.

As of today we have 90 days until the General Election, and we need to earn the support of about 43,000 District 7 voters by November 3. The good thing is that we’re starting from a competitive margin in what may end up being a wave year with a number of Democratic candidates within this district doing the work to try to flip their districts blue. (Last night we earned 15,103 votes to Mark Harder’s 15,697 votes. By contrast, 2022 Democratic candidate Kristine Callis earned 10,096 votes to Harder’s 13,917 votes.)

This race can be won, but we will most definitely have to do the work to earn the victory. For my part, I’m already making my list of endorsers and supporters to reach out to for the General Election as well as getting ready to canvass District 7 daily until November 3.

I spent today organizing my schedule for the next 90 days in order to establish a productive daily routine that has the potential to deliver a victory on November 3 as well as examining vote totals from yesterday’s election in contrast to Primary Elections from the recent past. It appears that we have have fertile ground to earn support for this campaign going into the General Election, but again it’s imperative that we actively engage with District 7 voters to earn their trust and confidence that I will help to steer St. Louis County toward a safer, healthier, more affordable, and more prosperous future as opposed to more of the “politics as usual” that Mark Harder demonstrates year after year.

As always, I’d appreciate your support for our efforts to unseat Councilman Harder, but I’m committed to setting the tone for the hard work and dedication necessary to turn what’s now my name on the November ballot into a decisive victory for this campaign and District 7 residents. We deserve actual representation on the St. Louis County Council instead of a cynical seat warmer who’s been MIA for his constituents and municipal partners for far too long.
You can support our grassroots, people-powered campaign by giving today at KIEHNE2026.COM (http://kiehne2026.com) .

You can sign up to join #KiehneAction as a volunteer at KIEHNEFORMISSOURI.COM/VOLUNTEER (https://kiehneformissouri.com/volunteer) .

DONATE (http://kiehne2026.com)
VOLUNTEER (https://kiehneformissouri.com/volunteer)

On Wednesday, August 5 the real work begins, and it’s my goal to be out engaging with District 7 voters for 90 days straight. To follow along with what this campaign is doing follow us at @kiehneaction on most social media platforms. You can join #KiehneAction at KiehneAction.com (http://kiehneaction.com) . Let’s lean in to this campaign and defeat Mark Harder in November. The numbers are in our favor, the wind is at our backs a bit, and if we do the work we will deliver a historic victory in November!!!

John Kiehne is running for St. Louis County Council opposing Republican incumbent District 7 Councilman Mark Harder. Councilman Harder has served on the St. Louis County Council for 12 years, and while St. Louis County is the main economic generator for this region and the state of Missouri, St. Louis County has struggled to maintain sustained growth, meet critical obligations, and is heading for budget shortfalls that threaten St. Louis County’s ability to function.

Contributions so far: 50
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The post I’m Now the Official Democratic Nominee to Oppose Mark Harder in November [KiehneAction] appeared first on John Kiehne for St. Louis County Council.

There’s a Lot Going On in St. Louis County!

#KiehneAction — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:13:32 +0000

It was fantastic to see all the folks out for #NoKings protests on Saturday!!! I took the girls to a local Easter Egg hunt and unfortunately ended up missing the protest, but we still have a lot of work to do for the next 218 days in order to win this race and elect as many Democrats in the western suburbs as possible along the way. We’re in this to win this!!!

Campaign season is now in full effect, and candidates are getting their campaigns rolling, knocking doors, sending texts, hosting events, etc.

While we’re seeing growing opposition to the Trump Administration’s dysfunctional, divisive, and dangerous regime, it’s very important to remember that we live in “red” Missouri, and that we’re going to have to do the work to win elections.

I’ve been doing the work to try to win elections and organize voters since 2018, not to mention hosting and attending a variety of actions from Keiner Plaza to Rolla and points in between. The fact is that the Republican politicians who run Missouri are not swayed by protests, so the solution to better, more ethical governance for Missouri residents is going to be replacing Republican politicians with Democrats. In order to achieve that goal, not only do we need to have solidarity amongst Democrats/Progressives/Liberals/etc. but we have to persuade a good number of folks who don’t vote for Democrats to vote for Democratic candidates in order to actually win.

In 2026, my intention is to focus on the voters in District 7, as they’re the people who will have an actual impact on whether we win this race or not, and whether we successfully flip this seat. In order to achieve that goal, we’ll have to- as stated above- persuade Republican voters to vote for a Democratic candidate, which means that we have to be active in our communities building bridges instead of burning them down.

Most people are tired of all the drama and dysfunction in politics, and they just want our elected leaders to focus on running our government effectively and efficiently while providing high-quality services to the people whom they serve.

My vision for St. Louis County includes growth that respects the culture and concerns of its residents, keeping our residents safe in their communities, helping to maintain and build on the natural beauty and attractions that make West St. Louis County a great place to live, work, and play, and by running a county government that functions properly within a budget.

I believe that most St. Louis County residents aspire to be prosperous, healthy, happy, and safe, and I believe that we have the potential to agree on many issues. This year we have the opportunity to usher in a better, more productive, and less dysfunctional era for the St. Louis County government, and I’m looking forward to turning thousands of strangers into friends, winning the November 3 elections, and earning the opportunity to effectively serve the residents of the 7th Council District and St. Louis County.

In the News…

This week, County Executive Sam Page announced that St. Louis County Revenue offices will be closed to the public on Fridays in order to address the backlogs in applications for RECA documents, senior tax freeze applications, and addressing property tax refunds.

There are currently over 22,000 senior tax freeze applications yet to be processed by the June 30, 2026 deadline. In addition, there’s currently a five month wait for processing RECA applications. County Executive Page blames the delays on staffing shortages due to budget shortfalls within the St. Louis County Department of Revenue.

In addition, Dr. Page announced that St. Louis County would not be holding the annual JB Blast Independence Day event held at Jefferson Barracks as a result of budget challenges as well. While there are funds provided from sponsors as well, apparently the Parks Department indicated that they were unable to fund this event. The County Executive indicated that the St. Louis County Government must fund the core functions of county government over funding events. There continues to be back and forth over 2026 budget challenges and providing for the core functions of serving the people of St. Louis County.

In his afternoon address, Dr. Page indicated that Councilman Mark Harder attempted to jump the line regarding a RECA application without explanation. We don’t know whose application Councilman Harder was attempting to put to the front of the line, and he didn’t provide context for the Council, the Executive, or the voters to understand his motivations. There is currently a five-month waiting period in St. Louis County to process RECA applications.

St. Louis County Council members rejected several appointments, moved two bills bills straight from perfection to final passage, and overturned several vetoes from County Executive.

The County Executive signed the following bill into ordinance: Substitute Bill No. 2 for Bill No. 32, 2026 became Ordinance No. 29,540

The St. Louis County Council overrode County Executive vetoes on the following measures:

BILL NO. 26, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 104, TITLE I SLCRO 1974 AS AMENDED, “OFFICES AND OFFICERS,” BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING 104.005 SLCRO PERTAINING TO CONFIRMATION OF COUNTY OFFICERS APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO A COUNTY BOARD, COMMISSION, COMMITTEES OR OTHER OFFICE AND RESIDENCY OF APPOINTEES.
02.17.26~OC-8
Bill No. 26, 2026

BILL NO. 28, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 101, TITLE I SLCRO 1974 AS AMENDED, “GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS,” BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING SECTION 101.020 PERTAINING TO THE COMMITTEE FOR RECORDS MANAGEMENT.
02.17.26~OC-9
Bill No. 28, 2026

The St. Louis County Council Perfected the following bills:

BILL NO. 36, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ARCHER, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 16,682 AS AMENDED BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING SECTION 2 PERTAINING TO P.C. 92-93 C. J. SHANNON, INC.
03.10.26~Z-4
Bill No. 36, 2026

BILL NO. 37, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 29,235, AS AMENDED, BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING SECTION 1 PERTAINING TO A GRANT FROM THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR SUPPORT OF THE CHOICES DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT PROGRAM.
03.10.26~OC-8
Bill No. 37, 2026

BILL NO. 55, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEBB, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE III, CHAPTER 302 SLCRO 1974 AS AMENDED, “BUDGET,” BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING 302.450 SLCRO PERTAINING TO PROCEDURES FOR TRANSFER OF FUNDS WITHIN DEPARTMENTS DURING A FISCAL YEAR.
03.17.26~AddOn-2
Bill No. 55, 2026

BILL NO. 56, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS HARDER, DAYS AND WEBB, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 107, TITLE I SLCRO 1974 AS AMENDED, “PURCHASING,” BY ADDING NEW SECTION AND ENACTING SECTION 107.125, CREATING A REQUIREMENT OF A FISCAL NOTE FOR ALL EXPENDITURES $25,000 AND OVER.
02.24.26~OC-8
Bill No. 56, 2026

The St. Louis County Council approved the following measures for Final Passage:

BILL NO. 27, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CLANCY, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING AND SETTING APART THE SUM OF $7,000,000 FROM THE MONIES COLLECTED AS PART OF THE PROP A 0.5% MASS TRANSIT SALES TAX TO BI-STATE DEVELOPMENT, THE TRUSTEE, BOKF, FOR BUDGET DEFICITS.
02.17.26~OC-15
Bill No. 27, 2026

BILL NO. 29, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HANCOCK, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 107, TITLE I SLCRO 1974 AS AMENDED, “PURCHASING,” BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING SECTION 107.224 SLCRO EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT.
02.17.26~OC-11
Bill No. 29, 2026

BILL NO. 34, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARDER, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH MISTWOOD AERO, LLC FOR LEASE OF 3.97 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED AT THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS AIRPORT; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE DIRECTOR OF AVIATION TO EXECUTE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
03.03.26~OC-15
Bill No. 34, 2026

BILL NO. 35, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARDER, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE VI, CHAPTER 606 SLCRO 1974, AS AMENDED, “DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE,” BY REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING SECTION 606.210 PERTAINING TO FEES RELATED TO DAMAGED JAIL PROPERTY AND REFERRING MATTERS FOR PROSECUTION.
03.10.26~OC-18
Bill No. 35, 2026

BILL NO. 46, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING AND SETTING APART THE AMOUNT OF $880,393.97 FROM THE UNAPPROPRIATED BALANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND FOR SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION’S COURTS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT NOT COMPLETED IN 2025.
03.10.26~OC-4
Bill No. 46, 2026

BILL NO. 47, 2026, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAYS, ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING AND SETTING APART THE AMOUNT OF $254,000 FROM THE UNAPPROPRIATED BALANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND FOR SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION’S JUVENILE DETENTION EXPANSION PROJECT NOT COMPLETED IN 2025.
03.10.26~OC-4
Bill No. 47, 2026

A note: At most every week’s Council meeting, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars are appropriated to a variety of obligations for the St. Louis County government. While our state and federal legislators appropriate funds for a variety of uses, county governments are often where the rubber hits the road for enabling those funds to actually serve the community. From Public Safety to Parks and Recreation to Roads, Taxation, Public Health, and more, the work that the St. Louis County Council does is critical to the safety and prosperity of not only St.Louis County residents but as a major part of the St. Louis region.

St. Louis County Council meetings and agendas can be found at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-government/county-council/. The St. Louis County Council typically meets on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm at the St. Louis County Government Center, Lawrence K. Roos Building, 41 S. Central Ave., Clayton, MO 63105.

A list of public meetings can be found at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-public-notices/.

St. Louis County government meeting agendas and minutes can be found at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-public-notices/meeting-minutes/.

Kiehne Calendar

We’re starting to book events for the spring into the summer as well as presenting at meetings, booking meet and greets, and being present at community events. Here’s what’s on the schedule at the moment:
– Tuesday, April 7- Municipal Elections. Deploy #KiehneAction volunteers at all 27 polling locations.
– Sunday, May 31- John Kiehne’s Grill and Groove 2026. We’ll be kicking off the summer season and celebrating John’s birthday with BBQ, entertainment, and family fun. Details tba.

This week we’re going to be launching our Street Sessions, taking community engagement to the next level. Stay tuned…

We’re also getting to work on planning for our Grill and Groove event on May 31 as well as hosting a candidate forum in June for Democratic candidates who will appear on the Primary ballot in West St. Louis County in August.

Next steps…

Our first organizing goal is to build a volunteer network that can deploy poll greeters to the 27 polling locations within Council District 7 for the April 7 municipal elections. We’re looking at three shifts per polling location (morning, noon, and evening), so we’re working to fill 81 volunteer shifts.

The map below displays the polling locations within District 7.
Polling locations within Council District 7 for the April 7 Municipal Election include:

- CHESTERFIELD CITY HALL- 690 W CHESTERFIELD PKWY, 63017
- FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF CHESTERFIELD- 17103 WILD HORSE CREEK RD, 63005
- GREEN TRAILS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 170 PORTICO DR, 63017
- HIGHCROFT RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 15380 HIGHCROFT DR, 63017
- SHENANDOAH VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 15399 APPALACHIAN TRL, 63017
- WILDHORSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 16695 WILD HORSE CREEK RD, 63005
- BABLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 1955 SHEPARD RD, 63038
- BALLWIN REC GOLF CLUB- 333 HOLLOWAY RD, 63011
- BLUEBIRD PARK ADMIN BUILDING- 225 KIEFER CREEK RD, 63021
- CRESTVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL- 16025 CLAYTON RD, 63011
- DANIEL BOONE BRANCH LIBRARY- 300 CLARKSON RD, 63011
- EUREKA HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY- 500 WORKMAN RD, 63025
- EUREKA-PACIFIC ELKS LODGE- 19 W 1st St, 63025
- MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL- 2351 CLARKSON RD, 63017
- OAK BROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 510 BIG BEND RD, 63021
- PARKWAY WEST HIGH SCHOOL- 14653 CLAYTON RD, 63011PATHFINDER CHURCH- 15808 MANCHESTER RD, 63011
- RIDGE MEADOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 777 RIDGE RD, 63021
- ROCKWOOD VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL- 1220 BABLER PARK DR, 63038
- SORRENTO SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 390 TUMULTY DR, 63021
- ST MARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH- 601 CLAYMONT DR, 63011
- STLCC WILDWOOD CAMPUS- 2645 GENERATIONS DR, 63040
- TAIWANESE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH- 542 RIES RD, 63021
- THE POINTE AT BALLWIN COMMONS- 1 BALLWIN COMMONS CIR- 63021
- TIMBERS OF EUREKA- 1 COFFEY PARK LN, 63025
- VFW POST 6274-BALLWIN MEMORIAL- 115 MIMOSA LN, 63011
- WILDWOOD CITY HALL- 16860 MAIN ST- 63040

We also have an immediate fundraising goal. We need to raise $1,000 this week to purchase access to the voter data aka “VAN.” VAN (the Voter Activation Network) is the data tool used by Democratic candidates to organize and contact voters in their district. This is a critical tool needed to efficiently and effectively identify and engage with voters through door-to-door canvassing, calling, texting, and digital marketing. You can donate today at KIEHNE2026.COM.

The post There’s a Lot Going On in St. Louis County! appeared first on John Kiehne for St. Louis County Council.

Our Kickoff Rocked, I Filed, Now It’s GO TIME!!! [KiehneAction]

#KiehneAction — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:05:39 +0000

First of all, I want to thank the folks who attended our Kickoff Event this last Thursday supporting this campaign’s efforts to defeat Republican incumbent Councilman Mark Harder and flip the 7th Council District blue. I also appreciate those folks who had other commitments or were unable to attend who checked in to voice their support for this campaign.

We had a great, fired up crowd, and we were really impressed with the venue as well. We’ll most certainly be hosting events at Salt + Smoke again in the future! It was fantastic to see so many people from different paths and chapters of my life- from musician friends to folks who are active in the Democratic Party to local Democratic candidates and electeds and beyond, the energy was fantastic, the food and entertainment was top-notch, and I’m confident that with committed efforts and ample support we will win this race in November.

Special shoutout to Michelle Kiehne for her help in setting up the event and greeting the folks at the door and Louisa Swafford for taking pictures, video, and helping us pack up. Your assistance is very much appreciated!!!

This race, in this political environment, is a great opportunity for us to win an election while defeating and replacing a Republican politician supporting a right-wing agenda. It’s also an opportunity to make a little history by flipping a seat that’s been held by Republican politicians for many years while also helping raise the the tide for the other Democratic candidates with whom we’ll be sharing the ballot.

My efforts over the last eight years have consistently improved the support for my campaigns in this part of the world, and based on our estimation, we’re starting at around 45% for a Democrat on the ballot in a District where Reproductive Rights and the $15 Minimum Wage/Paid Sick Leave Ballot Initiatives earned over 58% of the vote.

In November 2026 we can defeat Mark Harder and flip District 7, but I cannot do it alone. Here’s where the rubber hits the road…

Here’s where we go from here: Our current priority is raising money, putting together our campaign team, creating and promoting media content to broadcast our message and raise awareness of this campaign, and to identify and activate our strong supporters in District 7. In a nutshell- we’re building a sturdy, robust foundation for a winning political campaign.

The first stop for our recruiting and activation efforts are to deploy poll greeters on April 7 at polling locations within District 7 to hand out Kiehne campaign literature to the voters participating in the municipal elections.

Below are the polling locations within District 7:

CHESTERFIELD CITY HALL- 690 W CHESTERFIELD PKWY, 63017
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF CHESTERFIELD- 17103 WILD HORSE CREEK RD, 63005
GREEN TRAILS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 170 PORTICO DR, 63017
HIGHCROFT RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 15380 HIGHCROFT DR, 63017
SHENANDOAH VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 15399 APPALACHIAN TRL, 63017
WILDHORSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 16695 WILD HORSE CREEK RD, 63005
BABLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 1955 SHEPARD RD, 63038
BALLWIN REC GOLF CLUB- 333 HOLLOWAY RD, 63011
BLUEBIRD PARK ADMIN BUILDING- 225 KIEFER CREEK RD, 63021
CRESTVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL- 16025 CLAYTON RD, 63011
DANIEL BOONE BRANCH LIBRARY- 300 CLARKSON RD, 63011
EUREKA HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY- 500 WORKMAN RD, 63025
EUREKA-PACIFIC ELKS LODGE- 19 W 1st St, 63025
MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL- 2351 CLARKSON RD, 63017
OAK BROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 510 BIG BEND RD, 63021
PARKWAY WEST HIGH SCHOOL- 14653 CLAYTON RD, 63011
PATHFINDER CHURCH- 15808 MANCHESTER RD, 63011
RIDGE MEADOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 777 RIDGE RD, 63021
ROCKWOOD VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL- 1220 BABLER PARK DR, 63038
SORRENTO SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- 390 TUMULTY DR, 63021
ST MARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH- 601 CLAYMONT DR, 63011
STLCC WILDWOOD CAMPUS- 2645 GENERATIONS DR, 63040
TAIWANESE PRESBYTARIAN CHURCH- 542 RIES RD, 63021
THE POINTE AT BALLWIN COMMONS- 1 BALLWIN COMMONS CIR- 63021
TIMBERS OF EUREKA- 1 COFFEY PARK LN, 63025
VFW POST 6274-BALLWIN MEMORIAL- 115 MIMOSA LN, 63011
WILDWOOD CITY HALL- 16860 MAIN ST- 63040

We’ll be working on filling three shifts at each polling location- morning, noon, and evening. If you’re available and interested in participating please contact us at kiehneformissouri.com/volunteer.

If you or someone that you know is interested in hosting a meet and greet to introduce your friends, family, and neighbors to John and our campaign, please contact us at events@kiehneformissouri.com.
District 7 includes the communities of Eureka, Wildwood, Chesterfield, Ballwin, Ellisville, Crescent, Sherman, Allenton, Clarkson Valley, and Winchester.

Also, we’ve rebranded the Kiehne team as “The Kiehne Action Network,” and going forward we’ll be hashtagging and branding our team as #KiehneAction. We have an ambitious vision of building a lasting network of support that will not only deliver a victory for this campaign and promote robust community engagement year-round, but also help build support for other Democratic candidates in West County post-election. The “action” part is what’s most impactful in my opinion, as we need to commit to consistent, bold, and effective action that will help us to elect better public servants in West St. Louis County and beyond. Please “like” and “follow” @kiehneaction on whatever social media platforms that you frequent.

Now let’s get to work and win this thing!!!!

The post Our Kickoff Rocked, I Filed, Now It’s GO TIME!!! [KiehneAction] appeared first on John Kiehne for St. Louis County Council.

Today I Filed to Run, Now We Run to Win!!! [KiehneAction]

#KiehneAction — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:18:45 +0000

This morning I officially filed to run for St. Louis County Council in the 7th District opposing Republican incumbent Councilman Mark Harder. Councilman Harder has been a member of the St. Louis County Council for 11 years, and during his tenure I’ve seen few- if any- proposed or promoted solutions regarding how St. Louis County’s government can be run more efficiently, effectively, or within its budget. It’s long past time for a change out here in West St. Louis County- and the work for us begins today.

Below is the official press release announcing our campaign opposing Councilman Mark Harder for the 7th District seat on the St. Louis County Council.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 24, 2026

John Kiehne Files for St. Louis County Council District 7 Race: Pledges to Prioritize Fiscal Accountability, Efficiency, and putting People Over Politics

St. Louis County, MO — Today John Kiehne officially filed to run for the St. Louis County Council’s 7th District seat, pledging disciplined budgeting, safer communities, and an end to business-as-usual politics.

“Families are watching every dollar right now,” Kiehne said. “County government should too. I’m running to protect taxpayers, demand accountability, promote growth, and make sure that decisions are made in the open — not behind closed doors.”

A father, advocate, and small business owner, Kiehne says that county leadership has grown disconnected from everyday residents.

“People don’t want drama, they want their roads to be properly maintained. They don’t want service delays, they want safe neighborhoods, thriving communities, and fair taxation. County residents are enduring escalating monthly bills and economic pressures, and they deserve a county government that utilizes their hard-earned money efficiently and effectively,” he said.

Kiehne’s campaign will emphasize:
Responsible Budgeting: Serving and protecting taxpayers while ensuring that core services are strong, effective, efficient, and consistent.
Safe, Secure, and Stable Communities: Supporting law enforcement and community-based solutions that prevent crime before it starts. Supporting justice and operational reforms that give prosecutors and judges the proper tools to deliver justice in a fair, timely, and efficient manner.
Infrastructure and Quality of Life: Prioritizing road and bridge maintenance as well as supporting the parks, attractions, and communities that make families proud to live, thrive, and prosper in St. Louis County.
Government Transparency: Making County Council decision-making clear, accessible, and accountable.
Economic Development and Planning: Supporting policies that help St. Louis County residents and businesses to thrive while honoring the needs, concerns, and values of individual communities.
Government Efficiency and Effectiveness: Weed out wasteful spending, inefficient and ineffective programs and policies, and help our county government to be more responsive to the needs, concerns, and its obligations to serve St. Louis County residents.

“I’ll work with anyone who’s serious about achieving results,” Kiehne added. “But I won’t rubber-stamp waste, redundancy, inefficiencies, or insider deals. This seat belongs to the people and that’s who the county government has an obligation to serve and answer to.”

Kiehne is hosting a Campaign Kickoff event this coming Thursday evening, February 26 at Salt + Smoke in Ellisville, Missouri. For more information about his Kickoff Event on Thursday and to RSVP go to KIEHNEKICKOFF.COM.

For more information about John Kiehne’s campaign for St. Louis County Council, go to KIEHNEFORMISSOURI.COM.

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About John Kiehne:
John Kiehne is a professional musician, former foster provider and ongoing advocate for at-risk children and disabled adults, a community organizer, political advocate, and leader who’s dedicated the last eight years of his life to working to empower voters in West St. Louis County, east-central Missouri, and throughout the entire state of Missouri. He has a proven track record of engaging with residents, organizing voters, and creating platforms and opportunities dedicated to serving the people through participatory democracy.

For more information, volunteer opportunities, or to attend an upcoming campaign event, please visit kiehneformissouri.com, find John on social media at @kiehneformissouri, or contact the campaign directly at info@kiehneformissouri.com or 636-324-3570.

The post Today I Filed to Run, Now We Run to Win!!! [KiehneAction] appeared first on John Kiehne for St. Louis County Council.