Municipalities across the region shut down today, as city workers bundled up and shoveled out of their driveways. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay even postponed the opening of City Hall to 10 a.m.

But the city's aldermanic parking lot was mostly full by 9, and by 9:10 the first aldermen committee meeting had started.

By the end of the day, the aldermen passed measures to:

• Adopt the National Electric Code, which, in addition to catching the city up with other governments across the country, will increase permit fees charged by the city.

• Extend the boundaries of the Fox Park Historic District, which would add about 18 more blocks, and make state and federal tax incentives available for home reconstruction and rehab.

• Begin the reconstruction of the Kingshighway Boulevard bridge between Southwest and Shaw avenues, roughly over the railroad, which city officials said needed to be replaced immediately. The $22 million project will largely be paid for by federal grants and matching funds from the Union Pacific Railroad.

All of the above bills passed through their committees, and should come before the full board for a vote in the coming weeks.

Only one of the three aldermanic committee meetings was cancelled today - the one scheduled for 1 p.m., the last of the day.