BJC expansion is one step closer.

Whether an extended soliloquy from Alderman Joe Roddy, 17th, did the trick or the members had their minds made up is unknown, but the Board of Aldermen endorsed the 9.4 acre Forest Park-BJC land lease agreement with little discussion.

The bill received 22 votes in favor and two no votes: Aldermanic President James Shrewsbury (whose opposition he has made very clear) and 22nd Alderman Jeffrey Boyd.

Aldermen Terry Kennedy, 18th, and Frank Williamson, 26th, were present but voiced no vote.

After the meeting, Carla Scissors-Cohen, a spokesperson for Protect Forest Park said they were not dissuaded by the aldermen's lopsided support.

"We know the citizens are behind us," said Scissors-Cohen, noting that the organization collected nearly 28,000 signatures to place the issue on the April ballot. "So no, its not over yet."

Scissors-Cohen is correct. The board's endorsement certainly eases the bill's path, but the surveyors shouldn't break out their yellow spray-paint yet. The three-member board of Estimate and Apportionment must still okay the bill.

There the agreement's future will lie in the hands of Comptroller Darlene Green who, along with Mayor Francis Slay and Board President James Shrewsbury, sit on the board of Estimate and Apportionment. Slay has he will support the bill, and Shrewsbury will put it down.

A phone call to the board of E&A yielded no word on whether the agreement will be held at the next regular monthly meeting on February 21st, or is a special meeting will be held.

Shrewsbury said that no special meeting of E&A has been scheduled as of this afternoon.

Ald. Lyda Krewson, 28th ward, Ald. Alfred Wessels, 12th ward, (co-sponsors of Roddy's bill) and Ald. Freeman Bosley, Sr., 3rd ward, spoke in support of the deal.

Krewson called the park the "crown jewel" of St. Louis. The combined $3.8 million annually that would be placed in a trust for the park "is not enough", and reminded the board that the park was not always the high-traffic destination it is now and without proper funds to keep up, it could slip backwards. She said the trust was essential for her support since it will prevent aldermen from getting their mitts on the funds.

Bosley emphasized the role BJC plays in supporting public health in the city. As the city grows, he said, it would take a large organization like BJC to keep up.

Bosley summed up his support as only Bosley can. "I don't care how much green-space you have out there if you are sick and you are dying," he said.

As the deal currently stands, the city would lease to BJC 9.4 acres of the segment of park that lies east of Kingshighway and north of Clayton road, much of which is currently leased to BJC which operates a subterranean garage under the trees, courts and playground.

In exchange:
• BJC will set aside 15% of the newly leased are for green-space.
• Deposit $2 million into a trust to maintain Forest Park.
• BJC will spend $1 million to improve some facilities in the remaining section.
• Forest Park Forever has pledged $1 million a year for upkeep.

Currently the city spend $1.6 million on Forest Park, the combined $3.8 million, supporters argue, will allow the city to spend that $1.6 on other city parks that have been all-to-visibly neglected in years past. Alderman Wessels added that an additional $1.8 in capital improvement funds is also spent on the park but that due to a bond deal 20 years ago $1.35 goes to fund the bond, bringing the potential annual funding to approximately $4.25 million. In 10 years, the full $1.8 will be available to the park.