Aldermen pass legislation 43-1
By American staff
As of last Friday, the deal is done – Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s lease on an isolated 9.4 acres of Forest Park, which had 43 years left, has been extended another 45 years with a new annual payment of $2 million to the ongoing maintenance of Forest Park.
The Board of Aldermen approved revised legislation on the lease by a 23-1 vote, with only aldermanic president Jim Shrewsbury voting against it.
In a statement, Mayor Francis G. Slay praised the Board of Aldermen for its work on the deal, singling out Aldermen Lyda Krewson, Freeman Bosley Sr., Fred Wessels and Steve Conway for negotiating the final financial details.
Slay credited the Aldermanic Black Caucus, in particular Aldermen Terry Kennedy and April Ford Griffin, for making peace with colleagues on the Board who had made a political issue of benefits to the North Side that had been negotiated into the deal.
Slay praised the Forest Park Advisory Board, led by Gentry Sayad, for “insisting on a requirement to set aside green space when BJC develops the land.”
Slay also credited Comptroller Darlene Green, whose stance on the issue had been intently politicized in recent weeks, for “improving and codifying the financial details.”
In a statement, Green’s office took credit for negotiating a combined additional annual payment by BJC and Forest Park Forever of $600,000 to fund Forest Park maintenance – “just shy of a $60 million increase over the life of the lease.”
Late in the negotiation, Green also had side agreements made between the Black Caucus and BJC written into the formal lease agreement.
The amendments to the lease proposal formalized BJH’s commitment to workforce development, 25 percent MBE and 5 percent WBE in conjunction with the development of the leased site, and its commitment to help facilitate development of a 24-hour medical emergency center in North City.
Green, who had shown sensitivity to a citizen petition initiative to block the lease extension, also has pledged to work with Kennedy and Alderman William Waterhouse to craft park protection legislation next session.
June Fowler, vice president of Corporate and Public Communications for BJC HealthCare, said BJC is “looking forward to continuing to work with members of the Board of Aldermen and particularly the Aldermanic Black Caucus on health issues that impact the residents of St. Louis. This represents an extension of work that BJC HealthCare is currently undertaking in six St. Louis City ZIP codes that exhibit the poorest health care statistics.”
The mayor also credited American publisher Donald M. Suggs and political consultant Walle Amusa for working to close the deal when it had seemed dead, saying they “were articulate advocates for the interests of the African-American community.”
Slay also said BJC “withstood a torrent of unwarranted criticism – and agreed to continue its mission in the city of St. Louis.”
“This is an important step that allows Barnes-Jewish Hospital to proceed with planning for the expansion that is going to be necessary to meet the health care demands of the future as the population ages,” Fowler said.
Fowler said research into proceeding with the development will begin as soon as possible, and the goal is to develop a plan no later than December 2008.
For complete statements by Slay, Green and Fowler, see www.stlamerican.com.