CLAYTON, Mo. – St. Louis County Executive Sam Page vetoed a bill that he says would have used public funds for a private purpose.
Last year, the county set aside $4.4 million in ARPA funds to put toward food insecurity. But the plan stalled due to strict federal guidelines to have that money appropriated by the end of 2024.
Page and the county council agreed to move the money into general funds.
Two weeks ago, the council approved $3.2 million in funds to farms in north St. Louis County and a half-dozen other vendors. But Page vetoed a bill that would have given $3.2 million to Rustic Roots Sanctuary.
“While the intent of this legislation was a good one, the bill does not pass legal muster,” County Executive Sam Page said. “Without going through the legal process to select vendors for county funds, I can’t and will not sign contracts.”
Page acknowledges that food insecurity is a challenge to St. Louis County residents, with 20% of children in north county facing food insecurities.
Last Friday, Page met with three farmers that opted out of the Rustic Roots program. Page’s proposal is to develop programs, services, and projects to provide long term solutions, using $4.5 million to increase resources.
“With the council’s approval, the county’s procurement office will solicit bids to establish a food and insecurity project,” Page said. “This new project will be housed in the St. Louis County Department of Human Services.”
Page will also ask the county council for another $100,000 to staff the position. Page said his office is working on STLCO2050, a top priority to addressing food insecurity.
“There’s the production and the education component of teaching people on a smaller scale of how to produce their own food,” Page said. “There’s the collection of that to stores or subscription services or grocery stores. So, there is also an educational component to let people know where the food is available.”
Page says a request for proposal should be in front of the council in a week and then a couple of months to get the program off the ground.