By M. Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, Mo. – Wednesday current and former St. Louis leaders launched the first phase of changing the city's governmental structure.
The group Advance St. Louis is forming a "Stakeholders Assembly" of city residents to develop recommendations for changing the city's 89-year-old charter.
St. Louis Empowerment Zone director Mike Jones says leaders want input from a diverse mix of citizens.
"We have a group of eight conveners of a stakeholder process that will
include at least 150 citizens of the City of St. Louis, to determine how we
can make effective change in city government," Jones said.
Last November, Missouri voters passed a constitutional amendment that gives the city more local control.
Advance St. Louis organizers say they hope to present proposed changes to local voters in November 2004 or April 2005.