Community leaders will hold a public meeting at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, at St. Louis City Hall to discuss ongoing community concerns about the new medical facility named after Homer G. Phillips.
The meeting will take place in the Kennedy Room on the second floor of St. Louis City Hall.
Community activist and co-chair of the Campaign for Human Dignity Zenobia Thompson went with fellow co-chair and community organizer Walle Amusa to deliver an invitation in person to Paul McKee.
“We went in a large empty room at the office building, but we didn’t see anyone,” Thompson said. “Then, a guy comes out of the office, and it was Paul McKee himself.”
The pair requested his presence at a public meeting to discuss the facility’s naming after Homer G. Phillips. According to Thompson, each time the duo requested his presence at the upcoming meeting, he said they had to talk to Darryl Piggee, his attorney.
In a phone interview with the St. Louis American, Piggee, former chief of staff to Rep. William Lacy Clay, said does not know whether Paul McKee will attend the meeting.
In June 2020, Piggee was selected to lobby on behalf of Rebuild Saint Louis Inc., in its unpopular and failed attempt to lease St. Louis Lambert International Airport to a private company.
In May 2019, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that several people’s initials were included in the indictment of disgraced former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger. The Post and other news organizations identified “D.P.” as Darryl Piggee.
Amusa shared Thompson’s sentiments and added that it would be “respectful” for McKee to appear before the community to address their concerns.
“Mr. McKee is an owner of a project in the St. Louis City,” Amusa said. “The expectation is that he will be respectful enough to appear at a public meeting to answer questions about the use of the ‘Homer G. Phillips Hospital’ name despite the concerns expressed by broad sections of the community.”
Amusa said that he doesn’t want Paul McKee to become the wrong example for the St. Louis area.
“My hope is that we don’t get to a point in this region where folks think it’s ok to not speak directly to constituents about issues that affect the history, legacy and struggles of mostly African Americans in this region,” he said.
Amusa said he spoke with Piggee, about a month ago, where they exchanged information.
“I gave [Piggee] a courtesy call,” Amusa said. “It was a cordial informational kind of call, but the Campaign for Human Dignity and Homer G. Phillips Nurses Association, the community at large, as well as media organizations, deserve the opportunity to hear from Mr. McKee directly.”
Several organizations, civic leaders, and community members have expressed concerns about using the iconic hospital name. There have also been concerns expressed about the use of minority businesses in the construction of the hospital.
Amusa said he believes McKee should address these head-on instead of deferring to his lawyer.
“There’s a big difference between talking to the owner and the lawyer to directly address issues,” he said. “Mr. McKee has been invited. He can bring his lawyer with him if he wants to, but I don’t think his lawyer is a stakeholder in that project.”
The meeting is open to the community. According to Thompson, organizer Ollie Stewart is coordinating the effort. He added Percy Green, an activist involved in the St. Louis chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality and founding member of ACTION, said he will attend the meeting. John Bowman, president of the NAACP St. Louis County , reached out and said he would like to assist in reaching the group’s goal.
