The Crestwood Board of Aldermen discussed what to do with its fiscal year 2024/2025 Community Development Block Grant funds at its July 25 meeting, as well as the reallocation of $23,400 in fiscal year 2023 block grants.

The City of Crestwood annually receives $23,400 for participation in CDBG, which is administered through the St. Louis County Office of Community Development. It was decided last year by the board to use these funds for street work in a low-to-moderate income area, though a few issues arose. CDBG funds are federal funds, meaning there are a few more steps that have to be taken in the procurement process. This would have been fine, though a few months after this decision was made, the city’s public works director left to take a position in St. Charles, leaving the position vacant for months.

“We typically go out to bid for street work in the beginning of the year. With the vacancy in the director position, it was too complex for us to handle while short-staffed. We knew it was more realistic for us to repurpose the CDBG funds for a different qualifying project that would be easier to administer,” Kris Simpson, Crestwood city administrator, explained.

This street work project was still completed, funded instead by the city’s capital funds, leaving 2023 CDBG funds open for other uses. This is where the conversation began at the recent board meeting, with staff recommending that the board reallocate the funds to general accessibility needs of the Parks and Recreation Department, such as Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant picnic tables for the city’s parks. It is important to note that these funds must be used by November. If there ends up being unused funds, the city can ask for a supplemental agreement so it can use the funds for upcoming CDBG projects.

Going forward, the county will distribute CDBG funds on a triennial basis, meaning eligible cities and counties will receive three years of funds in one calendar year.

“As they pivot to this new cycle of distribution, Crestwood falls in such a way that we’re going to receive two years worth of funds in 2024. That will be our 2024 and 2025 allocations – there’ll be $46,800,” Simpson said.

These funds will become available after the first of the new year.

Staff proposed to the board that these funds be used for the new sidewalk path from Spellman Park to Sappington Road.

“This is a project that we received a federal grant for,” Simpson said. “It’s an 80/20 cost share grant with 80% of the funds coming from an outside source and 20% has to be funded by the city. We would propose that $46,800 in CDBG funds go towards the 20% city’s share of that project. This is a sidewalk project that has already been approved for a federal grant. This is in an eligible low-to-moderate income area as identified by the U.S. Census. It also serves the Americans with Disabilities Act needs because it enhances and improves park access.”