The St. Louis Board of Aldermen took a brief moment on Friday to remember one of its former members.
Gregory Carter died Aug. 1 in a multi-vehicle accident in St. Charles County. Friday's meeting was the first of the board since his death, though many gathered at a community service last month.
Carter's desk was shrouded with black bunting, with a vase holding 27 red roses on top, for his 27th Ward. Many aldermen wore blue ribbons from the Riverview-West Florissant Development Corporation - the ribbons were handed out at the agency's Daddy's Day, the last event Carter planned before he died.
A video tribute produced by the city's television channel brought many - including Carter's family, who gathered for the remembrance - to tears.
In addition to his late colleague, board president Lewis Reed paid homage to the family as well.
"I cannot thank each and every one of you enough for the time you so graciously gave of Greg so that he could spend the time with the city, spend the time with us, to work on issues that may not have directly impacted your family, but impacted this city on the whole," Reed said.
Ald. Marlene Davis said she plans to use some of her parks and recreation funds to start collecting for a memorial at Riverview and West Florissant.
"I'm always looking to do something positive and creative, and Greg has been on my mind, and I thought about him and his mom and how much they cared about the environment and peace," Davis said. "It just needs to be a peaceful site where if nothing else somebody can to sit down, and think for a moment, change their mind about what they're doing, and have absolutely beauty there."
Carter's mother Paula, a long-time Democratic activist in the city, died of cancer in 2001. His nephew Chris, a state representative, is likely to take his place at City Hall after a special election in October.
Follow Rachel Lippmann on Twitter: @rlippmann
