CLAYTON — ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Council members on Tuesday debated changing the county’s form of government to one in which a professional manager would oversee daily business instead of an elected county executive.
Republican Councilman Mark Harder, of Ballwin, introduced the idea in May. He wants to put the question before voters on the Nov. 5 ballot.
The council, however, wasn’t immediately sold.
“This is not something that we want to rush through as a council,†said Republican Councilman Dennis Hancock, of Fenton. “I think it’s a good start.â€
The idea came about most recently in 2019 following former County Executive Steve Stenger’s corruption scandal. A nonpartisan manager would, at least in theory, be less susceptible to political influence and corruption.
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Harder is a vocal critic of County Executive Sam Page, who would lose power over day-to-day government operations under the proposed change before his term ends in 2026. If voters approve the change, it would go into effect in nine months.
The change would hand daily operations to a nonpartisan manager with degrees and qualifications in public administration. The manager would be tasked with preparing the budget, running departments and carrying out policies set by elected officials.
An elected county executive would still exist, but the role would take on a more long-term planning and policymaking responsibility, much like the County Council.
The county executive would carry out a search for manager candidates and present them to the council, which would approve a hire. The seven-member council would also have the power to fire the manager if five members supported it.
That arrangement gives more power to the council because of its oversight role in the county manager’s work.
Under Harder’s bill, the manager would hire department directors. Some positions within the county executive’s office would be eliminated, as would the Department of Administration director’s job.
Some guest speakers at the meeting supported the idea.
Professional managers have helped operate governments for more than a century, said Crestwood City Administrator Kris Simpson. More than 120 million people live in American cities managed under the form of government, said Simpson, who is also president of the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Area City-County Management Association.
“The role of the county executive would change but would change for the better,†Simpson said. “Today, the county executive is burdened with minutia and administrative details. Depending on the county executive, it may not be something they’re suited towards.â€
And there would be more consistency, rather than the county’s top boss changing every four years with an election, he said.
Of the counties with more than a million residents, about half have a county manager, including Los Angeles County and Maricopa County in Arizona, said Douglas Harms, former city manager for Des Peres.
But Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, a Democrat from Maplewood, worries about adding a costly salary to the county’s already strained budget.
“I think relative to what the other managers are paid in the region, we would want to pay more, a lot more,†Clancy said. “But our county employees of 4,000 are woefully underpaid, and we can’t figure out how to get them more money.â€
And Republican Councilman Ernie Trakas, of the Mehlville area of unincorporated South County, said the bill would make the county executive practically powerless.
“Under this model, the county executive doesn’t appoint directors. The county executive doesn’t have the ability to employ staff to assist him in the process of governing,†Trakas said. “I do believe the executive branch as envisioned, in a separate but equal form of governance, is significantly minimized here, almost to a pro forma, ceremonial position.â€
The deadline for getting a question on the ballot is Aug. 27.
This story was updated Wednesday morning to correct the title of Kris Simpson, who is Crestwood's city administrator.