By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – The St. Louis Board of Aldermen will decide later this month whether four charter change measures appear on the November ballot.
The group Empower St. Louis wants to reduce the number of aldermen, revamp the city's fiscal panel and make seven citywide elected posts appointed positions, among other things.
Jim Shrewsbury is President of the Board of Aldermen. He opposes the changes, but told the aldermanic Legislation Committee Monday the measures should go before voters.
"The proponents here have an agenda, and that is to make government more efficient," Shrewsbury said. "But not for the people you represent, for themselves. And that's what you need to keep in mind, and that's what you need to consider very carefully."
Empower St. Louis is suing the Board of Election Commissioners to make sure the proposals get on the ballot.
Former Mayor James Conway is working with the group. He says he's certain the proposals will be on the ballot, even if aldermen oppose them.
"I think the wise thing for the Board of Aldermen would be is to approve the right of people to petition the government for changes," Conway said. "I think they will be perceived as obstructionist if they do not approve it."
Opponents of the plan say it will concentrate too much power in the hands of too few people.