By Kevin Lavery & Tom Weber, KWMU
Maplewood, MO – A recount this morning in St. Louis County found Ann Purzner won last month's mayoral race in Overland by five votes. She gained one vote in the recount, and remains the winner in the close race.
Election officials conducted the recount at the St. Louis County Election Board office in Maplewood. The results needs to be certified.
The original count had Ann Purzner beating Mary Beth Conlon by just four votes.
Purzner since taking office has tried to remove the city's police chief and city attorney, which has sparked lawsuits and protests.
Monday, a third straight city council meeting was canceled because not enough city council members show up to meetings to make a quorum. At least 100 residents were there, and were turned away.
When Mayor Ann Purzner appointed a new police chief earlier this month, current chief Jim Herron argued Purzner had no such authority. That dispute will be settled in court, perhaps this week.
The four council members who didn't show up Monday have spoken out against Purzner. One councilman who was there, Purzner supporter Kenneth Owensby, accused the no-shows of "playing dirty politics."