ST. LOUIS BUSINESS JOURNAL -- A city working group that will eventually put out a request for qualifications and request for proposals to firms interested in leasing St. Louis Lambert International Airport met for the first time on Monday.
In June, the city of St. Louis picked advisers to help it navigate a possible lease of Lambert. The next step for the working group is a kickoff meeting on July 11 with the advisers.
Issues expected to be discussed at the July 11 meeting include content on the fly314.com website, staffing, the timeline of the process, public engagement and meetings with airlines.
Topics on Monday’s working group agenda included discussion about establishing a schedule of regular meetings for the working group, setting up escrow accounts for separate adviser groups and communications with the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines.
The group also discussed guidelines for information posted on fly314.com, a transparency portal provided by the consultants that provides information for the general public regarding the possible privatization of Lambert.
Budget Director Paul Payne said the website should provide information and not editorialize. Payne said he noticed the website included statements from Mayor Lyda Krewson and Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed regarding the decision to pick advisers, but did not include the statement from Comptroller Darlene Green, who voted no on picking advisers and said in her own statement that privatization is “risky.”
Deputy Comptroller Jim Garavaglia suggested the working group establish its own website in an effort to make firm the position of the city on the issue.
“I don’t think we should let someone else say what our position is. Let it come from us,” Garavaglia said.
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