Firefighters/Paramedics Jordan Dean and Trenton Mosley were sworn in as the newest members of the Crestwood Fire Department during the Jan. 27, 2026, Board of Aldermen meeting.
Both were joined by family members, who pinned their badges during the ceremony.
The Crestwood Fire Department provides fire suppression, emergency medical response, and fire prevention services, working year-round to protect residents, businesses, and visitors.
The City of Crestwood welcomed Ryan Harrell as its new chief of fire services on Jan. 2, 2026, following the retirement of Chief Leo Meyer in October 2025. The Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to confirm Harrell’s appointment at its Nov. 25 meeting.
Harrell brings more than 26 years of experience in public safety, demonstrating a strong commitment to advancing organizational effectiveness, developing personnel and strengthening public safety through strategic leadership and collaboration. Before joining the City of Crestwood, he served with the Clayton Fire Department.
“Crestwood has a strong foundation and a great team in place,” Harrell said. “I’m excited to build on that success and work to achieve great things for our community.”
While at Clayton, Harrell held several leadership roles, including battalion chief of logistics, recruitment officer and public information officer. In these positions, he successfully blended fire service traditions with modern technology, data-driven management and forward-thinking processes. His leadership consistently focused on improving efficiency, reducing costs and enhancing service delivery to the community.
Harrell’s operational experience includes commanding large-scale incidents, coordinating multiagency responses to regional disasters and managing public communications during critical events such as civil unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic.
He is currently completing a Master of Public Administration at Southeast Missouri State University. His academic focus on state and local governance complements his commitment to ethical, strategic and collaborative leadership. Harrell remains passionate about fostering professional growth, enhancing organizational resilience and building strong partnerships to serve communities with integrity and excellence.
At its November 25, 2025 meeting, the Board of Aldermen approved the FY2026 budget, which aligns with the calendar year. This budget reflects the City’s commitment to maintaining strong financial health while investing in essential services, infrastructure, and community amenities.
The FY2026 budget is organized into five primary funds:
2026 Expenditures: $14.9M
The General Fund is the primary funding source for the Police, Fire, Public Works, and General Administration departments. It will also support major projects in 2026, including:
Note: The General Fund currently maintains a reserve exceeding 70% of the budget—an indicator of strong financial health.
2026 Expenditures: $2.8M
This fund supports the City’s largest one-time capital projects, including significant investments in streets, sidewalks, and essential vehicles such as snowplows and pickup trucks.
2026 Expenditures: $2.8M
This fund provides resources for daily operations and capital improvements within the Parks and Recreation Department. Key projects include:
2026 Expenditures: $19.5M
Formerly known as the Prop A Fund, this fund covers costs associated with constructing The Cliffs at Whitecliff Park, Crestwood’s new community center, and other Proposition A projects.
In April 2024, residents approved Proposition A, authorizing the City to issue General Obligation Bonds—the lowest-cost borrowing option for municipalities.
These bonds allow the project to be funded now and will be repaid over 20 years.
2026 Expenditures: $188K
This fund is dedicated exclusively to sewer lateral repairs and is supported by an annual $28 flat fee included in personal property taxes.
In January 2025, a severe winter storm dropped more than eight inches of snow and ice on Crestwood. While roads across the region were a mess, our Public Works and Parks teams worked around the clock for a week to plow and treat nearly 100 lane-miles of pavement.
Social media overflowed with appreciation—one comment captured it best: “So glad to be a Crestwood resident!” That sentiment reflects the gratitude and shared values that define our city: service, caring, and listening. Those values, paired with hard work, drove meaningful progress throughout 2025. Let’s take a look back at some highlights.
One of the year’s biggest milestones was the groundbreaking of our new community center, The Cliffs at Whitecliff Park. With foundations poured and structural steel rising, its shape is now taking form—an exciting sign of progress.
Parks also saw major improvements. After extensive community input, the new Crestwood Park playground opened in spring and quickly became a family favorite. We added parking and restrooms at the Whitecliff quarry area and launched the multi-year Back to Nature habitat restoration at Crestwood Park—thoughtful stewardship that will benefit residents and wildlife for years to come.
Recreation programs brought fresh energy in 2025, offering fun for all ages. From splash-filled excitement at the Aquatic Center’s Splashtacular and Christmas in July to community favorites like the updated SunCrest Fest, Touch-a-Truck, and Movies and Concerts in the Park, these events created memorable moments and brought our community together in meaningful ways.
Residents played an active role in community initiatives throughout the year, supporting honeysuckle removal, creek cleanups, garden restorations, and food donation drives. In May, our Public Works team extended that spirit of service by providing mutual aid assistance to neighboring communities following the May 16 tornado.
Police and Fire continued strong outreach through programs such as Crestwood Night Out, DARE, Cops and Bobbers, Movies in the Firehouse, Fire Prevention Day, and smoke alarm installations.
Your engagement helped guide our work and keep us focused. In 2025, we strengthened communication with expanded social media updates, new e-newsletters, and video outreach—tools that build stronger connections and improve transparency.
Crestwood realized more than $5 million in new direct gains last year through intergovernmental agreements, grants, and careful resource management. These dollars reduce local costs, support major projects, and strengthen our long-term financial position.
The resident-led Charter Review Commission completed its work and presented proposed updates to improve efficiency and clarity in city operations. These recommendations will appear on the April ballot—stay tuned for more information to ensure all residents are well informed.
As we begin 2026, I’m confident we’ll continue to say: So glad to be a Crestwood resident!
Mayor Scott Shipley sshipley@cityofcrestwood.org
As winter approaches, the City of Crestwood wants to remind residents about a few important ordinances that help keep our community safe, accessible, and looking its best during the colder months.
When there’s an inch or more of snow, ice, or freezing rain, please park off the street if possible. If necessary, street parking is allowed on only one side of the street. Please note, the side changes depending on the year.
Because we’re currently in 2025, parking during snow events should be on the odd-numbered side of the street. This rule will continue through the end of the 2025–26 winter season, including January 2026.
This rule stays in effect until snow removal operations are complete and the weather emergency has ended. On streets where parking is already restricted to one side, that restriction continues as usual.
Who Maintains Our Roads?Snow removal in and around Crestwood is a team effort. Several agencies share responsibility for keeping streets clear and safe.
City of Crestwood• Most residential streets
MoDOT• Watson Road
St. Louis County• Big Bend Boulevard• Sappington Road• Eddie & Park Road
When snow or ice falls, it’s the responsibility of the property owner, tenant, or occupant to clear the sidewalks in front of their property as soon as possible. If a building has multiple tenants, the person whose unit is closest to the street is responsible for clearing that section of sidewalk.
If you store firewood outdoors, it must be stacked at least five (5) inches off the ground, and kept behind the front of your home (not in front or beside it).