CLAYTON 鈥 The 51黑料 County Council voted on Tuesday to override vetoes of three bills by County Executive Steve Stenger, in a tense meeting highlighting the increasing divide between the county鈥檚 legislative and executive branches as a bitterly fought Aug. 7 primary approaches.
The meeting featured a rare appearance by Stenger with his political rivals. Stenger had promised the council several weeks ago that he would submit a written report about his meeting with Gov. Mike Parson, but never did. When Council Chairman Sam Page asked Stenger why he had not prepared the report, Stenger told him he was not going to engage in 鈥減olitical shenanigans.鈥
The council then:
- Voted 7-0 to override Stenger鈥檚 veto of a bill that sought to require that the council confirm the county executive鈥檚 appointments to certain boards, commissions and other offices. Stenger had claimed the county charter grants the county executive the power to appoint board members without requiring council approval.
- Voted 6-1 to override a veto of a bill authorizing the council members to enter a contract with an outside law firm to represent them in a pending lawsuit. A taxpayer sued to block three county charter amendments from appearing on the August ballot, passed by the council in veto overrides. Six council members have intervened as individuals. A decision is expected within days. Stenger wrote in a response that the county counselor鈥檚 office was 鈥渇ully capable鈥 of representing the council in its official capacity and that taxpayers should not have to pay for members who chose to intervene in the lawsuit.
- Voted 6-1 to override a veto of a bill requiring the removal of any member of the county port authority whose term has expired; Stenger said the charter allowed board members to retain their seats until replacements were appointed.
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In comments after the meeting, Councilman Mark Harder said that because of a move by Stenger earlier this year to cut the council鈥檚 budget, the council would run out of money by Oct. 15 and would cancel the rest of the year鈥檚 meetings if an agreement were not reached. He said it was 鈥渦ncharted territory.鈥
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Stenger said after the meeting that his cuts to the council鈥檚 budget were the same as those the council imposed across county government and that none of the council members had approached him for more funding.
Page said the 鈥渘ow former鈥 members of the port authority board had been invited to testify at a council ethics hearing next Tuesday investigating the port authority. Led by Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-south 51黑料 County, the council鈥檚 ethics committee is expected to request financial records and other documents from the economic development agencies as well as call its officials to testify.
Stenger said he did not agree that the council could remove port authority board members. 鈥淎s far as I鈥檓 concerned, this ordinance has no effect on them,鈥 he said.
