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News Brief

Dec. 12, 2018Chillicothe, MO |  By: John Coffey

Chillicothe city council discusses different forms of government

The Chillicothe City Council held a workshop earlier this week to discuss the city's special charter and different forms of government. City Administrator Darin Chappell says Chillicothe is one of just a few special charter communities in Missouri established prior to 1875. Because of Chillicothe's population growth the city may not be able to continue to exist under that charter which has been the city's main form of government. Chappell says the city council has begun to look their options which will then need to be placed before voters.

"If they choose to do so, the council would vote to take this to the public.  The public would vote 'yes, we want to do this' or 'no, we don't'.   If the answer is yes, at the same time that is occurred, there would be an election of 13 commissioners on the ballot chosen by the public.  The top 13 vote getters would be on the charter commission.  They would have one year to write a new charter.  Then that has to be brought back to the public.  And if they vote to approve it, then and only then would it become the new form of government."

Chappell says any form of government the community chooses will be very similar to what's currently in place.

"There would obviously be a mayor.  We are required to have a city clerk as well.  Whether it was a city administrator or a city manager form of government would again be up to the various commissioner.  It would be very similar in the core pieces but the specifics of it are largely up for discussion."

Chappell anticipates the earliest the Chillicothe City Council would place the issue before voters would be the August election.