St. George Creates Disincorporation Exploratory Committee

The board of aldermen took another step closer to making the disincorporation of the tiny municipality possible on Monday. At its regular monthly meeting, the board voted to create a Disincorporation Exploratory Committee (DEC) to further research the procedure and effects of disincorporation and to circulate the petition needed to put disincorporation on the ballot.

The vote on the resolution creating the DEC was 3-3. Aldermen Dianne Burns, Jeremy Collier and Christina Charpentier, who were on the "disincorporation ticket," voted yes. Herb Pyne, Nelda True and Margie Louks voted no. Mayor Carmen Wilkerson, who was also elected as a write-in in April, cast the tiebreaking vote: yes.

The resolution appointed six members to the committee: Bob Burns, Brian Wilkerson, Rick Zoellner, Dave Eding, Terri Soloman and Connie Reifstek.

However, Reifstek, the president of the condo association at the , raised concerns that she could not serve on the committee because, though she was a St. George business owner of several condo units, she herself was not a resident of the city.

City Attorney Katherine Moore assured her that the law allowed her to serve on the committee, but Reifstek said that after talking to residents of the condo she thought she was not the best choice for a position that would involve gathering signatures. Wilkerson asked Reifstek to recommend a replacement.

It is not clear what the procedures are for changing the committee’s roster.

Also possibly joining the committee were two new volunteers: Anthony Ebert, a resident for more than 60 years, and Judy Pyne, wife of alderman Herb Pyne, who was concerned that the committee was primarily filled with people who already supported disincorporation.

“I am so for education,” Pyne said, likening the DEC’s initials to “democracy, education, community.”

Earlier in the evening Herb Pyne had asked if there was a problem with spouses of city officials, such as Bob Burns and Brian Wilkerson, serving on the committee—something True called nepotism. Moore said that legally there was no problem.

In the citizen comments portion of the meeting, residents again raised concerns about shifts in taxes, maintenance of city and condominium streets and the uncertain fate of the city’s small park if the municipality were to become part unincorporated St. Louis County. , and Wilkerson said she was working with them to get further details, such as charts laying out the precise tax changes based on home value and utilities usage.

Wilkerson said these details would be posted on the city’s new website. Also on the website will be meeting agendas and minutes and video documenting Thursday’s town hall and Monday’s meeting.

One of the residents at the meeting was not satisfied with this, however.

"Why didn't you have all the facts...before you started pushing for disincorporation?" Mary Jo Fitzpatrick asked.

"I started getting these answers back in June 2009...but I didn't have the resources to fight the misinformation that was being put out," Wilkerson replied.

The often contentious politics of the 0.2-square-mile city have attracted the attention of St. Louis news outlets. A reporter from KMOX was present Monday, and a brief segment ran that night.

St. George board of aldermen meetings are loosely scheduled for 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month.