St. Louis County District 7

06/04/2024

My office is once again accepting applications from students who wish to participate on the county's Youth Advisory Council. To apply please use this link to fill out a short application. Then contact my office [email protected] once you have submitted the application so that I can schedule a short interview. https://shorturl.at/61lGf

Application are due no later than Friday June 28 to be considered for a nomination to the County Executive. Call my office with any questions 314-615-5443

05/01/2024

Beginning today (5/1), eligible property owners can file an appeal of their real estate values. Because this is a non-reassessment year, an “eligible property owner ” is --

👓A property owner who did not file an appeal in 2023; or

👓A property owner who receives a 2024 Change of Assessment Notice (CAN). Those Notices are scheduled to be mailed in the next few weeks. CANs are sent to owners of property where there has been substantial new construction or demolition (such as a room addition or the demolition of all or a portion of the home).

Appeal forms are available online, at County Offices (residential only), and by U.S. Mail upon request. Property owners can file appeals online (via the Board’s website), by U.S. Mail, or in person.

EMAIL APPEALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Appeals can be filed until the deadline set by Missouri law: the second Monday in July. That means this year the deadline for all residential appeals is July 8, 2024.

Find more information about appeals at the link below. Residents can also contact the Board of Appeals staff with questions at [email protected] or (314) 615-7195.

The Board of Equalization conducts real estate and personal property value appeal hearing for individuals, businesses and manufacturers to determine the correct property value. The Board also considers requests for exemption from real and personal property taxes submitted by not-for-profit organizat...

04/24/2024

Monarch Fire Protection District is looking to increase community and municipal engagement by providing more information on their current capacities and services, projected coverage area population growth and the resulting service needs, and engage in meaningful dialogue regarding these future needs. They are hosting a series of town halls, starting next Monday, to gather this input. See the flyer below. If you cannot make a town hall but are interested in providing input they also have a digital survey which can be accessed at http://firedistrictsurvey.com/

04/24/2024

Councilman Harder has worked with Kia America to arrange a three day anti-theft software upgrade event in St. Louis City and West County aimed at enhancing vehicle security for residents of St. Louis County.
Social media “challenges” that encourage theft of certain Kia vehicles, specifically those equipped with a steel key and “turn-to-start” ignition system, have led to huge increases in vehicles thefts. In response, Kia has developed a software upgrade that can be installed in certain Kia vehicles to help prevent operation of the vehicle’s ignition system should the locked vehicle be the subject of an attempted break in or theft. This upgrade is available free of charge at this upcoming event. Kia owners can check their vehicle’s eligibility for the software upgrade through the Kia portal.
The Anti-Theft Software Upgrade Event will take place on Friday and Saturday April 26-27 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Busch Stadium downtown, and on Sunday April 28th from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Chesterfield Mall.
Specially trained technicians will be on-site at all locations to install the software upgrade, a process that typically takes 20 minutes. No appointments, registrations, or fees are required, making it accessible to all eligible Kia owners in the area. Customers will have access to a climate controlled relaxing lounge with snacks, drinks and restrooms while waiting for their upgrade. In addition, Kia is making steering wheel locks available as an added measure of security. If your Kia vehicle is equipped with a Kia Genuine Remote Start Accessory you may also need an additional software update and should check with your local Kia dealer
Kia America is committed to ensuring the safety and security of its customers. Councilman Harder helped coordinate a similar event in February for local Hyundai owners. All Kia owners and lessees in the region are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance their vehicle's security. "Part of addressing crime in my district is finding ways to prevent it in the first place. The safety and security of our community members are extremely important to me," Councilman Harder affirmed. By working together with Kia and local law enforcement, residents can play a proactive role in deterring vehicle thefts and protecting their assets. For more information about the Anti-Theft Software Upgrade Event, please visit Kia's website https://ksupport.kiausa.com/ConsumerAffairs/SWLD

04/19/2024

PSA From Ameren - A line of severe thunderstorms cut through the St. Louis metro area on Thursday evening, resulting in outages primarily in St. Louis County. Ameren Crews worked overnight to restore power to more than 23,000 customers. As of 9 a.m., fewer than 2,000 customers remained without power, down from approximately 25,000 customers at peak. Crews will be working throughout the day repairing storm damage. They expect to restore all customers by this evening.

See the Ameren outage map for the latest: www.ameren.com/outagemap
When prioritizing restoration work, Ameren Missouri works to restore power to equipment that serves the greatest number of customers and to critical facilities.

Ameren reminds customers to stay clear of any downed power lines or poles, as well as brush, shrubs and downed trees that may hide them. Always assume a downed wire is live. Report any downed power lines to Ameren Missouri customer line: 800-552-7583.

Customers can check on the status of their restoration at Ameren.com or download the free Ameren app for updates as they become available. To sign up for alerts text REG to AMEREN (263736) or follow Ameren Missouri on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest information on what's happening

03/07/2024

Today is National Slam the Scam Day. The Social Security Administration warns the public to be aware of scams that to try to take money, especially from older folks. If someone contacts you either by phone, text or email claiming to be from an agency or organization you don't know and pressures you into acting quickly (paying money, logging into your acct, signing up to win a prize, etc.) BE SKEPTICAL.

• Do NOT click on links or attachments in emails or texts you don't recognize
• Remain calm and talk to someone you trust first about the communication.
• If someone claims to be from your bank or credit provider, log onto those websites from your computer the way you normally would (not using the scammers links) and see if there is a communication there to your account.
• Protect your personal information and your money. Your bank, credit card or SSA already have your account number and personal information and don't need you to provide it if they call you.

During Slam the Scam Day you can post your scam experience on social media with the hashtag so others know what to look out for. Visit ssa.gov/scam for more information.

02/16/2024

The Saint Louis County Parks and Recreation Department invites the community to participate in a compelling and enlightening two-day event, “Fight for Freedom,” at the North County Recreation Complex at 2577 Redman Avenue on February 17th and 18th. This free event will provide the opportunity for our community to hear from seven local historians who will highlight the stories of people who valiantly fought for freedom in the St. Louis region. The event will feature insightful discussions led by historians on the following captivating topics:

 Dred & Harriet Scott: And Profiles of Courage
 French Code Noir and Enslavement
 York: The Enslaved Body Servant of William Clark
 ABOLITIONIST!! The Life and Death of the Reverend Elijah P. Lovejoy
 William Wells Brown
 Archer Alexander, Resisting Slavery
 The Exodusters

The centerpiece of the event is the National Park Service's Ulysses S. Grant Historic Site’s "Slavery in St. Louis" traveling exhibit. Attendees will be able to explore this exhibit that delves into the lives of those who resisted slavery and fought for freedom.

On Saturday, February 17th, the exhibit will be on display from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can hear historians talk at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. On Sunday, February 18th, the exhibit will be open for viewing from noon to 5 p.m. Talks
and discussions by historians will be at 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.

02/16/2024

Do your research now for the April 2nd Municipal Election. The Metropolitan Sewer District will have two propositions on the ballot, W and S. W relates to proposed funding mechanisms for the next four years of required wastewater system improvements. S relates to flooding and erosion issues. Both have financial consequences for the public. To learn more about them you can attend any of several public hearings hosted by MSD in West County. For more information about the ballot issues and how to participate in the virtual meetings go to www.msdprojectclear.org/ballot.

Tuesday, March 19 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Virtual – Zoom

Monday, March 25 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Virtual – Zoom

Monday, March 25 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Richmond Heights City Hall – Council Chambers
1330 South Big Bend Boulevard, Richmond Heights MO

Tuesday, March 26 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Chesterfield City Hall – Council Chambers
690 Chesterfield Parkway West, Chesterfield MO

Two Proposals, One Election The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD Project Clear or MSDPC) is turning to voters to decide two important issues on April 2, 2024:  How WASTEWATER services will be funded over the next four years, and the creation of the first regional STORMWATER improvement pr...

02/08/2024

Get ready for construction on Highway 109 and Wildhorse Creek Road. MODOT has a long term construction project to put a round about at the intersection of these roads. Work will be starting at the end of this month into March. Contractor crews will be out on the project removing trees and starting grading for some of the temporary pavement needed to keep traffic flowing during construction. When they work on that temporary paving, which MODOT anticipates starting in late April or early May, they will also work on temporary driveway connections, as appropriate, to that new pavement.

This project is meant to address current and anticipated developments in Wildwood, Franklin County and the Chesterfield Valley that are creating congestion at this intersection which is expected to get worse as times goes on.

The projected full completion date for this project is early 2026. In the interim there may be some long term closures during construction, but MODOT plans to keep at least one lane open on Routes 109 and CC during peak traffic periods.
For more information on this project in general go to. http://tinyurl.com/ye84dhze

Also during construction MODOT will provide a weekly report, updated on Wednesdays, of what is happening there. https://www.modot.org/weekly-construction-report.

Districts Impacted St. Louis Counties Impacted St. Louis Route Impacted 109 CC Work Type Intersection Improvements In Progress Project milestones Complete Conceptual plans An evaluation of the area and a determination of potential solutions. Complete Evaluation and preliminary design Evaluating the....

02/01/2024

Black History Month offers the opportunity to look back at the special contributions of African Americans to our communities and our country.

The St. Louis County Library system is offering a number of events for Black History Month including an evening with Hollywood legend Billy Dee Williams, performances by the Black Rep, a jazz concert, a gospel celebration, author events, dance workshops, and more.

For a full list of events go to https://www.slcl.org/events/black-history-celebration

If you know someone from West county who you think deserves recognition this month for their contributions and/or accomplishments, please contact my office at 314-615-5443

The Clark Family Branch (formerly Headquarters) is closed for construction. Please visit the Oak Bend Branch during construction.

02/01/2024

This morning I, along with representatives from Chesterfield: Mayor Bob Nations, Police Chief Funkhauser, Sergeant Powell, and representatives from St. Louis County: Police Captain Wheeler and District 3 Councilman Dennis Hancock, and representatives from St. Charles County: Police Chief Friez, County Councilman Mike Elam, as well as Chesterfield Mall owner and leasing agent Staenberg Group Vice President Tim Lowe, Chief Mark Smith of the St. Louis Police Chiefs Association, and David Van de Linde Vice President from Hyundai Motor America, announced the upcoming anti-theft software upgrade event taking place Feb 2-3, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. in the parking lot of the old Sears at Chesterfield Mall.

Hyundai vehicles accounted for 25% of all motor vehicle thefts in St. Louis County last year. Kia models accounted for another 25%. The event tomorrow could go a long way in reducing the number of vehicle thefts which in turn frees up police time to address other crimes and could lead to reduced insurance rates for those owners.

The event is targeted to owners of Hyundai models with stick keys (as opposed to fobs) years 2011-2021. To find out if your car is one of the affected vehicles go to https://www.hyundaiantitheft.com/ The software fix itself should take about 10 minutes. Lines are expected to be longest first thing in the morning. There is no need to make an appointment. Steering wheel lock bars are available for owners as well at the event. Vehicles that have been upgraded will receive a window sticker indicating their vehicle has the new anti-theft patch.

01/30/2024

In response to persistent thefts targeting certain Hyundai vehicles without push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices, Hyundai Motor America is collaborating with St. Louis County District 7 Councilman Harder, the Chesterfield Police Department, and the City of Chesterfield to provide free anti-theft software upgrades to affected Hyundai owners in the old Sears parking lot at the Chesterfield Mall on Friday February 1st and Saturday February 2nd from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Best of all - No Appointment Needed | No Registration | No Cost | No Sign-Up. Drive Up for an Update

The mobile clinic is intended to complement Hyundai’s nationwide network of dealerships and drive further installations of Hyundai’s free anti-theft software upgrade for customers who continue to be affected by the thefts popularized on social media. Specially trained mobile service technicians will be on-site to install and complete the software upgrade, which should take less than 30 minutes.

Police stats show that Hyundais and Kias account for almost 50% of all vehicle thefts last year in St. Louis County.

01/29/2024

Big news coming from me and the Hyundai motor company this week. If you drive a Hyundai this is of great benefit to you. Stay tuned

01/23/2024

01/11/2024

We're expecting a cold snap over the weekend and into early next week. Temperatures may drop below zero and we may get some snow on Monday. Make sure you and your loved ones are prepared.
• Have an emergency supply kit with flashlights, batteries, nonperishable foods, water, medicines, blankets, warm clothes, etc.
• Make sure you charge cell phones and external batteries in advance to ensure communication if you lose power for an extended period of time.
• Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices.
• You can check Ameren's outage map to see if they are aware of an outage in your area. http://tinyurl.com/2e7zkxez
• Notify Ameren at 800-552-7583 if damage to power lines or electrical equipment occurs near your home or you are experiencing an outage.
• Disconnect unnecessary appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges which may occur due to power restoration.
• If you choose to use a generator during an outage never use it indoors. Place a portable generator outdoors in a dry area far away from doors, windows and vents.
• Make sure your vehicle has fuel to get you out of the area should you need to relocate temporarily due to an extended outage.
• St. Louis Public Library locations are considered warming shelters and can be used during normal library hours if you need a place to stay warm while your power is out.

01/05/2024

At the request of the public and as part of the continuing public safety conversation, my office has scheduled a town hall focusing on illegal drugs in our community: what they are, what they do, what is being done to stop them, how you can help. Save the date. See you there!

Home of the Seventh St. Louis County Council District, Mark A. Harder Councilman

12/29/2023

New Year - New Path? Are you or someone you know between the ages of 16-24 and looking for a new career path? St. Louis Job Corps has been training the future workforce for more than forty years. The program helps eligible young people complete their high school education (if needed), train them for meaningful careers, and obtain employment.

Visit https://stlouis.jobcorps.gov/ to learn more.

Find your ideal career path with free training in a number of fields at the St. Louis Job Corps Center

12/27/2023

St. Louis County Parks and the Missouri Department of Conservation have teamed up once again to offer the public a program to recycle their natural-cut Christmas trees through Sunday, January 14, 2024. Trees that are collected will be used by the Missouri Department of Conservation to create habitats for fish. Trees that are not used as fish habitats will be mulched.

Residents can drop off their undecorated, natural-cut Christmas trees at one of these County Parks locations:
• Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park – 13777 Marine Avenue, 63146 – Sailboat Cove
parking lot
• Queeny Park – 550 Weidman Road, 63011 – Corporate parking lot off Weidman near the Complex

All trees must be cleared of tinsel, ornaments, lights, and decorations before they are accepted by Parks operation staff. Only trees from residential homes will be accepted.

For more information, call (314) 615-4386

12/14/2023

Hi all,

I got this message from my contacts in law enforcement. This is their message for the holidays. Please pay attention.

Dear Community Partners,

The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the National Counterterrorism Center have released this Public Service Announcement regarding potential threats during the upcoming holiday season.

The FBI is closely monitoring potential threats to public safety which may be amplified by the ongoing Israel-HAMAS conflict. In addition to our outreach to you, we are actively communicating and sharing information with our law enforcement partners to help protect our communities during religious observances and other holiday-related events.

We take all potential threats seriously and will work closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate investigative action.

Please note FBI St. Louis is NOT aware of any specific threats against any particular community or organization. We, however, ask that you be aware of the current environment in which we live and work and be prepared to report any suspicious activity or potential threats of violence to us. (If you are experiencing any direct act of violence or such act is imminent, call 911 first!)

To contact the FBI, you can:

Call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)
Submit information to tips.FBI.gov
Call our St. Louis field office at 314-589-2500

In addition, we would like to make sure we can reach a point of contact, if needed, during off hours or when your office is otherwise not staffed (such as during the current and upcoming holidays). We ask that you please identify and share with us a contact or contacts within your community who can be reached by cell phone or other means during non-business hours. Please simply reply to Public Affairs Officer Rebecca Wu ([email protected]) if you can share off-hours contact information.

Thank you, and as always, please reach out if there is anything we can do for you or your community.

Best wishes for a peaceful holiday season...

Jay Greenberg

Special Agent in Charge

FBI St. Louis

12/12/2023

The St. Louis County Council is set to approve its 2024 budget. At its meeting on Dec. 5, the council perfected its budget bills and will vote to approve them

12/07/2023

Years in the making but its finally happening. Check out the progress on the Allen Road bridge in Eureka. The temporary bridge has been installed while work is continuing to replace the old bridge over the railroad tracks. Work should be completed next year.

12/07/2023

Is that a fire in Queeny Park? Yes! the Parks Department will be doing a controlled burn today in the park to help promote native grass and flowers and knock back invasive species. Jason
Pratte, St. Louis County Parks Forestry Manager, will be on site to answer questions at 11:00 a.m. today 12-7-23.

12/01/2023

Time off for your teen is just around the corner. Want to make sure they have something besides gaming and social media to keep them engaged over the holiday break?

The St. Louis Public Library is hosting a St. Louis Teen Book Festival tomorrow Saturday, December 2 at Ladue Horton Watkins High School. Join them for book talks, panel discussions and author signings with your favorite YA authors. They may find a new favorite author or series. The festival is free and open to all readers! See the full details at:

The Clark Family Branch (formerly Headquarters) is closed for construction. Please visit the Oak Bend Branch during construction.

11/15/2023

Ten new 911 dispatcher recruits were introduced at Tuesday night's St. Louis County Council meeting. The regional Emergency Operations Center had a critical shortage of operators to answer 911 calls this year so Councilman Harder got on the airwaves at various radio stations to put out the call for people looking for a new work challenge. The response was tremendous and the County Police will be offering their first training class in a while with these new dispatchers.

Lt. Colonel Jerry Lohr said St. Louis County Police dispatchers fielded more than 700,000 911 calls in 2023. County dispatchers start at around $45,000 a year. The County hopes to hire another 8-9 dispatchers to get ideal coverage and minimize overtime requirements.

We thank these young men and women who answered the call to be that first contact when you need help and save lives in the St. Louis region.

If anyone is interested in investigating a career at the EOC as an emergency operator, you can read more about what the job entails here. https://tinyurl.com/ysanuc38

10/25/2023

The St. Louis County Veterans Treatment Court offers veterans with mental health and or substance use disorders, who find themselves involved in the criminal justice system, an alternative to the traditional justice process by providing frequent judicial oversight, intensive supervision, and treatment intervention to positively impact their lifestyle and enhance community safety. Volunteer Mentors are a critical part of the multidisciplinary treatment court team who shepherd veterans through the justice process and are themselves veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. They provide advice, personal experiences, recommendations, and guidance to veterans. I worked with Presiding Judge Douglas Beach eight years ago to establish this treatment court in St. Louis County to offer struggling veterans who have sacrificed for our country an alternative to incarceration.

Bruce Major, retired Navy veteran with 22 years of service to our country was one of those dedicated volunteer mentors who worked with more than 20 mentees over the last 7 years. He made himself available to them 24/7 and even organized special outings like turkey and mushroom hunting, and backyard road racing. His impact was so positive and influential that one of his mentees is about to become a mentor himself.

Yesterday the Council passed a resolution commending him on his dedication and commitment, and thanking him for his many years of service to help fellow veterans get back on track to become contributing members of and role models for their communities. Another one of St. Louis County's finest that I am proud to honor with this resolution.

10/21/2023

I got a sneak peak at the new space for Manchester's city hall this week. They are now in the old Commerce Bank building on Manchester road almost right across from the old city hall Lyceum. The new building is very customer friendly and looks great. There will be a public open house on Saturday October 28 from 2-5, 14317 Manchester Road.

10/13/2023

Senator Josh Hawley's office reached out to me to spread that word that he and his staff are standing by to help Missourians requesting assistance following the terrorist attacks against Israel. Here are a number of key contacts and links you can use to get started or stay on top of this situation:

Email Janna Worsham, who is the point person for this issue in the Senator's Columbia office [email protected], with questions or specific requests for assistance.

For the latest updates, please monitor the messages to U.S. citizens from the U.S. Embassy in Israel:
https://il.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/

Any U.S. citizens in Israel should enroll their contact information in our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) https://step.state.gov/step/

Additional updates to our travel advisory for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza will be posted here as they are issued:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/IsraeltheWestBankandGaza.html

The Department of State has opened its call center to assist with public inquiries to the U.S. Embassy in Israel:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/contact-us/Emergencies-Abroad.html
You can contact his office by phone or online at https://t.co/nNTrjh16yk.

10/11/2023

Congratulations to County Clerk Diann Valenti who received a Sunshine Hero Award from the Missouri Sunshine Coalition. She was nominated by public watchdog and sometimes provocateur Tom Sullivan who makes regular Sunshine requests of the council. Diann graciously accepted on behalf of herself and all the staff who support her in responding to these requests: Kevin McKenna, John Dees, Keith Schildroth, the IT department and the County Counselor's office. They are all important parts in our process of transparency.

09/29/2023

The St. Louis Region will be observing National Night Out on Tuesday October 3rd. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. NNO enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and various other community events.

Is your neighborhood doing something for NNO?

09/22/2023

You may have heard this through your school but we wanted to make sure everyone was aware of this upcoming opportunity, especially if you are part of the homeschool community or have children in a private school.

Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGCMO) is sponsoring a "Build My Future" event in for St. Louis metropolitan area school districts on Wednesday, Oct. 4th from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley 3400 Pershall Road Ferguson, MO.

Build My Future is an interactive, hands-on showcase for high school students to learn about and experience various career opportunities in the construction industry. There are almost 450,000 unfilled jobs within this industry in the US. The event will have many vendor displays – and most will have a hands-on activity of some sort to engage the students with activities such as:

· Operating equipment
· Welding
· Framing
· Laying brick
· Concrete flatwork
· Working with floor coverings
· Plus many more

For more information contact Denise Hasty 314.480.3181 | www.agcmo.org