CLAYTON, Mo–After more than a week of fighting, the new St Louis County Council majority ousted Lisa Clancy from her post as Chairwoman Friday afternoon.
Clancy, who was favored by County Executive Sam Page, was replaced by Councilwoman Rita Days, a Page critic.
The meeting wasn’t without some fireworks as the outgoing Chairwoman didn’t want to let go of her job.
Clancy at times acted as though she were still Chairwoman until Days finally had enough and unloaded.
How did we get to this point?
Council members allowed then-Councilwoman Rochelle Walton Gray to vote in the Chair election January 5, despite the fact that her term had ended.
Councilwoman Shalonda Webb had defeated Walton Gray and wouldn’t be sworn into office for another week. On January 5, Walton Gray voted for Clancy as Chair, a move Clancy and Page said was allowed under a new wrinkle to the County charter.
Tuesday night’s meeting, which included a failed attempt to hold a new election for chair, ended prematurely, punctuated by angry name-calling.
A group of council members orchestrated by Councilman Tim Fitch called for a new meeting Friday, where the reconstituted majority, with Webb’s support, elected Rita Days as the new Chair.
Clancy declined comment after the meeting.
