ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Ten mayors who represent about a third of St. Louis County’s population have sent a letter asking County Executive Sam Page for better explanation and communication about the now “indefinite” stay-at-home order.
The mayors represent Ballwin, Chesterfield, Clarkson Valley, Ellisville, Eureka, Manchester, Pacific, Town & Country, Wildwood and Winchester – all typically Republican-leaning communities. Page is a Democrat.
But Eureka Mayor Sean Flower says the concerns outlined in the letter to Page from the coalition of mayors, dubbed Lafayette Area Mayors Organization, are not partisan.
“He just announced today that the stay-at-home order is indefinite, and I’ve never gotten so many calls from residents wanting more information about the basis for this decision than I have today and I don’t feel like I have enough information to tell them,” Flower said. “We’re not trying to pile on here, but we’re only getting answers from what we see in the media.”
Flower said the Lafayette Area Mayors Organization sent their letter to Page Wednesday. In it, they outline 10 questions and concerns ranging from topics about park closures, stats on hospital beds and what metrics Page plans to use to determine when it’s safe to reopen the county.
“Mayors of vital, healthy municipalities are feeling disconnected by what seems to be unilateral directives coming out of Clayton,” the letter states. “We want to feel like we are all in this struggle together.
“Shouldn’t we feel like we are on the same team? How can you remedy this feeling? We are part of St. Louis County. Aren’t areas of collaboration and consultation possible?”
Page’s spokesman Doug Moore responded to questions from 5 On Your Side about the letter by noting that Missouri Gov. Mike Parson extended the state’s stay-at-home order Thursday, following earlier announcements by Page and St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson. He added that Kansas City’s mayor also has extended that city’s stay-at-home order.
“All of these leaders realize that this pandemic is far from over and that social distancing is working,” Moore wrote.
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Moore also noted that Page tweeted Thursday: “Our stay-at-home order will be extended for now and I will revisit it in mid-May. We have made progress, but now is not the time to weaken the social distancing policies that are working.”
Moore also pointed to a press release issued Wednesday, in which Page wrote: “If we ease our stay-at-home order too soon, then we could rebound and be in a much more difficult and precarious position than we are currently. Our social distancing measures are working, but we're not there yet.”
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Moore did not address the additional questions raised by the letter from the mayors, which included how the county plans to share the $170 million in federal aid coming to it with municipalities seeing as though “a large amount” of the county’s tax revenue is generated in them.
“One of the biggest near term issues will be significantly reduced sales tax revenue for the entire area,” the letter states. “This could make it very difficult to provide key essential services.
“How much of the federal aid funds will be shared with municipalities to be used to offset their sales tax losses/cover shortfalls?”
Flower said members of the Lafayette Area Mayors Organization joined other mayors from municipalities throughout the county for a conference call with Page Thursday afternoon.
He called the conversation a "good start," but added that it's hard for anyone to get specific questions answered with the dozens of mayors on the call. He said Page addressed each of the 10 questions the group posed in their letter but didn't have all the answers.
Flower cited the park closure as an example of how a decision was made without consulting the mayors for their suggestions.
