THE 100 REPORT
Huge Shake-Up Amongst Governor’s Cabinet
Yesterday the Governor made significant cabinet changes, replacing five directors of various agencies.
Robert Knodell has been named acting director of the Department of Social Services filling the post of Jennifer Tidball who will return to serving as its COO. Knodell was previously Parson’s Deputy Chief of Staff serving second in command to Chief of Staff Aaron Willard.
Maggie Kost will be serving acting director of the Department of Economic Development. Kost is a former communications professional who is temporarily replacing Director Rob Dixon. Dixon is joining Ameren as its director of community and economic development later this month. Speculation is that Kost is a placeholder while the Governor’s administration conducts a nationwide search.
Valerie Huhn is to be acting director of the Department of Mental Health with current director Mark Stringer retiring at the end of the month.
Joseph Plaggenberg will be acting director of the Department of Revenue.
Perhaps most controversial, Ken Zellers is taking over as acting director of the Office of Administration today. He will be replacing Sarah Steelman who was abruptly and without reason asked to resign by the Governor's office. Sarah Steelman’s husband David Steelman rocked the boat with the Governor’s office earlier this year when he implied he was being pressured to support contracts with lobbyist allies of the Governor in return for being able to keep his position on the Board of Curators. David Steelman was ultimately replaced on the Board of Curators with a new nominee by the Governor.
Springfield Business Owner, Disability Advocate Melanie Stinnett Announces Campaign For State Representative
A Springfield business owner and community leader has announced she plans to run for the Republican nomination to replace Representative Curtis Trent. In recent weeks, Rep. Trent has announced his campaign for State Senate.
“Service to my community is not a question. It is a given. My family raised me to believe that if you want something done, then you should get up and do it. I hope to continue this level of service in a more public way as your State Representative,” Stinnett said. “I will work to shine a light on the challenges parents and children face and ensure that our communities are safer, more stable, and ready for continued economic growth.”
Watch her announcement video here.
While Businesses Struggle To Staff; SSM Health Invests In Payroll
SSM Health in St. Louis increased its minimum wage to $15 per hour throughout its four-state system on Sunday. The increase is expected to impact about 3,000 employees (about 7 percent) in Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin.
“Our Mission and Values call us to care for the health and well-being of all those we serve. As a leading employer in each of our communities, our ongoing commitment is to foster a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace – which includes providing fair and socially just wages and benefits for our team members, along with robust programs and resources designed to promote wellness,” said Laura S. Kaiser, FACHE, president and CEO of SSM Health.
Busch III Ponies Up For Steve Ehlmann
August Busch III donated $50,000 to St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann who recently announced he would be seeking re-election. This comes at the heels of rumors circulating that Senator Bob Onder will be challenging Ehlmann in the republican primary. Ehlamnn ended the fundraising quarter with just $1,500 in his committee prior to the Busch check. Onder has not filed his report yet, but showed more than $130,000 on hand prior to the end of this quarter.
Lyons Promoted In Role With Ameren
Marty Lyons has been elected president and CEO of Ameren Corporation and a member of the board of directors effective Jan. 1, 2022. Additionally, Warner Baxter will move to be executive chairman of Ameren at the first of the year.
Missouri Schools, Libraries Awarded $45M In Emergency Broadband Funds
Hundreds of Missouri schools and libraries are receiving pandemic funds to combat the digital divide from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund Program awarded more than $5 million in funding to more than 430 Missouri applicants so far, enabling them to invest in computers, tablets, Wi-Fi, and broadband access.
The money is devoted to supporting off-campus learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
House Passes Bill To Raise US Debt Ceiling Until December
The US House of Representatives gave final approval on Tuesday to a Senate-passed bill temporarily raising the government’s borrowing limit to $28.9tn, putting off the risk of default at least until early December. Democrats, who narrowly control the House, maintained party discipline to pass the hard-fought, $480bn debt limit increase. The vote was along party lines, with every yes from Democrats and every no from Republicans. Joe Biden is expected to sign the measure into law this week, before 18 October, when the treasury department has estimated it would no longer be able to pay the nation’s debts without congressional action. Republicans insist Democrats should take responsibility for raising the debt limit because they want to spend trillions of dollars to expand social programs and tackle climate change. Democrats say the increased borrowing authority is needed largely to cover the cost of tax cuts and spending programs during Donald Trump’s administration, which House Republicans supported. House passage warded off concerns that the world’s largest economy would go into default for the first time, but only for about seven weeks, setting the stage for continued fighting between the parties. The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell wrote to Biden on Friday that he would not work with Democrats on another debt limit increase. McConnell was harshly criticized by Trump, the Republican party’s leader, after the Senate vote.
Biden Vaccine Mandate Proposal A Step Closer To Reality
President Biden’s vaccine mandate for large businesses came one step closer to reality on Tuesday after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) submitted the initial text of an emergency vaccine rule to the Office of Management and Budget for review. Last month, the president announced businesses with more than 100 employees will be required to mandate coronavirus vaccines or administer weekly tests. Employers are also required to pay employees for time off to get vaccinated and recover from side effects. The rule will take effect once the OMB finishes its review and it’s published in the federal register. "The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been working expeditiously to develop an emergency temporary standard that covers employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated or undergo weekly testing to protect employees from the spread of coronavirus in the workplace," a Department of Labor spokesperson said in a statement. "On Tuesday, October 12, as part of the regulatory review process, the agency submitted the initial text of the emergency temporary standard to the Office of Management and Budget." Two dozen Republican attorneys general have threatened to sue the administration over the mandate, calling it "disastrous and counterproductive" in a joint letter on Sept. 16.