New Board Members Join Arnold TDDs as Districts Prepare Another Change in Legal Counsel

ARNOLD, Mo. — Two new board members officially joined Arnold's transportation development districts Tuesday evening as the districts continued reshaping their leadership and preparing for another change in legal counsel.

Jefferson College President Dr. Dena McCaffrey and Justin Price were unanimously selected to fill vacancies on the Arnold Triangle Transportation Development District during its August 25 meeting.

The vacancies were created by the resignations of former Chairman Gary Plunk and Bill Lehman, who had served both as a director and executive director. Their terms had been scheduled to continue through November 2028.

McCaffrey and Price were each approved by unanimous votes of the remaining Triangle TDD directors.

New Members Step Into Leadership Roles

McCaffrey was then selected to chair the Triangle TDD. That position carries an additional responsibility because, under the district's governing structure discussed during the meeting, the Triangle TDD chairman automatically receives a seat on the Arnold Retail Corridor Transportation Development District, commonly known as the ARC TDD.

Price was also designated by the Triangle TDD to serve as one of its representatives on the ARC board.

That meant both new members moved immediately from their appointments on the smaller Triangle TDD into roles involving the larger ARC TDD.

The two newcomers also began asking questions during their first evening on the boards.

While reviewing the ARC TDD budget, McCaffrey questioned how real estate purchases were handled in the district's budget. Officials explained that the district only began purchasing properties in significant numbers last year and did not yet have enough history to accurately estimate those expenses. The budget would instead be amended during the year as more specific information became available.

The board also removed a $4,000 trustee fee after being told the district's outstanding bonds had been paid off.

Price chose not to vote on the amended ARC budget.

"This being my first meeting," Price explained, he wanted to conduct additional due diligence before voting on material he was seeing for the first time. He abstained after confirming the remaining votes would still allow the board to act.

Legal Counsel Changes Again

The meetings also revealed another organizational change for both districts: new legal counsel.

During the Triangle meeting, officials said legal services would be moved to Gilmore Bell and told the current attorneys that the August meeting would be the final meeting they would conduct for the district, aside from possible transition work.

The outgoing attorneys said records would need to be returned so they could be transferred to Gilmore Bell. A formal resolution engaging the new firm is expected at the next meeting.

No separate vote was required that evening to end the existing legal relationship.

Later, during the ARC TDD meeting, officials confirmed that district would make the same move to Gilmore Bell.

The change adds another layer to an ongoing period of transition surrounding Arnold's transportation development districts, particularly following the state audit discussed repeatedly by board members during the meeting.

ARC TDD Turns Attention to Projects

ARC leaders also outlined four projects they said would help address concerns raised by the audit over unfinished or inactive district projects.

Those plans include a concrete screening wall along Church Road behind Lowe's, a traffic study involving Old Lemay Ferry Road and Church Road, landscaping and beautification work near Interstate 55 and Highway 141, and work involving the Arnold Commons and Old Lemay Ferry intersection.

Officials said some traffic improvements could potentially qualify for federal funding, leaving the TDD responsible for a portion of the project's cost. One federally funded road project discussed during the meeting could take roughly four years to move through the full process.

Property Purchases Continue

The ARC TDD continues to deal with another major issue as well: purchasing homes connected to property assembled for a future transportation project.

During public comment, officials said approximately five or six homes remained among properties whose owners have expressed interest in selling. A district representative estimated that, within roughly six months, the TDD could complete purchases involving homeowners who are actively seeking to sell, although officials emphasized that available revenue and individual purchase prices could affect that timeline.

For Arnold's TDDs, however, Tuesday's most immediate change was around the board table.

With McCaffrey and Price now participating in both districts, new legal counsel on the way, and unfinished projects being brought back into focus, the boards that oversee millions of dollars in transportation-related public revenue are entering their next round of decisions with noticeably different leadership than they had just months ago.