CLAYTON, MISSOURI (KMOX) - St. Louis County Counsel Beth Orwick filed suit Saturday, asking a Circuit Judge to determine who lawfully holds the gavel as Council Chair. The dispute erupted Friday afternoon when a new majority of council members elected a new chair and vice chair. The three members in the minority vociferously objected, calling the maneuver illegal. Ousted Chair Lisa Clancy insisted she still leads the panel, saying the vote to replace her and Vice Chair Ernie Trakas violates the county charter and state law.
Councilwoman Rita Heard Days was chosen by a 4 to 3 vote to be the new Chair in Friday's meeting, a continuation of the Tuesday regularly-scheduled meeting that was abruptly ended as it descended into chaos. Mark Harder was chosen as Vice Chairman.
Clancy and Trakas - supported by the county attorney - say a change in the charter approved by voters in November resulted in the leadership vote being held in the first meeting of the new year, but new members would be seated the following week, unable to vote on leadership. Members Days, Harder, Tim Fitch and newly-seated Shalonda Webb say that goes against the will of the people in who is to be representing them.
Vitriol is nothing new to the council. Implementation of pandemic health orders by the St. Louis County Health Department and County Executive Sam Page have been targets for most of the past year. Members Clancy, Trakas and Kelli Dunaway have been supportive of the health mitigations, such as closing indoor service at restaurants and bars. The push-back by Fitch, Harder and many local business owners has been vigorous.
On January 5th, the Council voted 4-3 to have Clancy and Trakas remain as leaders, but defeated Councilwoman Rochelle Walton Gray was allowed to provide the deciding vote. Those in the minority argue her term expired at the end of the year, with Clancy arguing a member remains seated until replaced. (It is also common in legislative bodies to have seat be vacant during gaps in terms.) Webb was not sworn in until the following week, in apparent accordance with the charter changes.
In a highly unusual move, the attorney for the Council is now in a position of suing the majority of the panel she represents in order to preserve the leadership elected on January 5th. No court date has yet been set.
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