Benton Park Neighborhood Association General Assembly Meeting Minutes - July 1st, 2025

Benton Park Neighborhood Association

Meeting Minutes
Date: July 1, 2025
Location: Epiphany UCC - 2911 McNair Ave, St. Louis, MO 63118
Attendance: 46 total attendees
Board Members Present:

• Tim Mulligan

• Bill Kranz

• Mark Bates

• Christina Cousins

• Jeremy Rentfro

• Courtney Armistead

• Derrick Kilgore

• Lori White

Welcome & Introductions

New Residents Introduced:

• Aaron – Lives at 1901 Cherokee, across from ICP. Whole family resides there; has a dog named Betty White.

• Ethan – Resides near Lynch and Missouri, close to Small Change.

• Lester – Recently purchased a storefront on S. Jefferson; plans to open a snack/donut shop.

New Business

• Thank you to everyone who voted in the 8th Ward Aldermanic Election. As of 7 PM, over 500 ballots had been cast.

• Upcoming Social: July 10th from 4:30–6:00 PM at Peacemaker.

• Social Media Contact: Kimber (resident of Withnell) is managing BPNA social media. Contact her at hello@bentonpark.org.

Committee Reports

Events Committee – Report by Jeremy Rentfro (on behalf of Amanda Rammacher)

• Thirsty Thursday hosted by the Safety Committee – 6:00 PM to close.

• Movie in the Park: Monthly movie event; “National Treasure” will be shown Saturday, July 5 at sunset.

• Cherokee Market: Also July 5, 2:00–5:00 PM. Occurs every other Saturday. No vendor fee.

• Live Music:

  • July 20: Zero to 90 cover band

  • July 27: Music from a Tent DJ event featuring Ssipi Wine.

• Sponsorship Committee: Omar has been appointed as the new chair.

Building Review Committee – Tim Mulligan

• Overview of the committee’s responsibilities.

• Lester’s Proposal: Opening Addictive Donuts, Snacks and More at 3002 S. Jefferson next to Lefty’s. Plan includes coffee, snack foods, retail snacks, tobacco products, and indoor/outdoor dining.

• Vote: Unanimous support from attendees. No opposition.

• The committee will provide a letter of support.

Friends of Benton Park – Christina Cousins

• Grants in Progress:

  • Brightside St. Louis: $1,500 grant for native plantings near Missouri & Arsenal.

  • Missouri Department of Conservation: Up to $25,000 for tree care.

• Collaborating with the Parks and Streets Departments.

• Volunteers needed for gardening and tree-related projects.

  • Contact: friendsofbentonpark@bentonpark.org

  • Next Meeting: Tuesday, July 22 at Ryley’s house (Arsenal).

• Volunteer Incentive: Each volunteer hour counts as $15 toward grant match. 100 hours = $1,500.

Safety Committee

• National Night Out: Scheduled for Tuesday, October 7.

• Monthly Meetings: Last Thursday of the month, 7 PM at Small Change.

• Reminders:

  • Report car break-ins and check camera footage.

  • Avoid direct confrontation regarding yard sign theft or suspicious activity.

• Officer Rojas: Currently reassigned to North City for tornado relief efforts.

Cave & Garden Committee – Bill Kranz

• Recap of committee duties.

• Recent LiDAR imaging conducted on the cave system under the garden.

• Cave reopening project in progress with plans to secure outside funding.

Guest Report: Neighborhood Stabilization Officer – Ketosha Harris

• Currently assisting with Northside tornado recovery in collaboration with FEMA.

• Derelict Vehicle Removal:

  • Towing to resume in 2–3 weeks (backlog due to current auction).

  • Cars prioritized by number of violations and safety issues.

• Reporting Tips:

  • Call in all nuisance/criminal activity to establish a paper trail.

  • Major disturbances (3–4 reports) are more likely to result in city action.

  • Empty or abandoned homes are routed to the Building Division.

Concerns Raised:

• Trip Hazard: Alley between Jefferson and Arsenal (already on Ketosha’s radar).

• 3155 S. Jefferson: Neighbor reported nuisance issues and water leak.

Community Updates

• Mark Bates:

  • Planning an 80’s-Inspired 5K in March 2026: “Run, Walk, Stroll.”

  • Upcoming Events:

    • 80’s Movie Night – September

    • 80’s Trivia at Pieces – Fall

  • Hosting a financial seminar (details to come).

• Mark Fish (Sydney Street):

  • Collaborating with Christina on tree care via a new group: Urban Lumberjacks.

  • Cleaned up tornado debris and pruned trees.

  • Volunteers needed for monthly workdays (3rd Saturday of each month).

  • Flyer available for St. Louis Neighborhood Foresters.

    Ian (Tool Library):

  • A database of tools for sharing

  • Contact him at toollibrary@bentonpark.org

Meeting Adjourned: 8:05pm