ST. LOUIS (First Alert 4) -A day after announcing a pause on new contracts under its current minority- and women-owned business criteria, the City of St. Louis says it has hired a consultant to reevaluate those policies in light of shifting federal guidance.

On Tuesday Mayor Cara Spencer reiterated that the decision had been a difficult one. Spencer said she and other city officials feared that Trump administration officials could potentially withhold federal funding because of the city’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise certification program, a set of equity guidelines for procuring contractors.

Spencer said the City of St. Louis could even risk losing FEMA funds for tornado relief.

“We’re wounded,” Spencer said. “The City of St. Louis is uniquely vulnerable in this situation. Ri

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