Section 1.7 Authority to Provide for County Officers

• Library: Local Government Deskbook (2017 Ed.)

1. (§1.7) Authority to Provide for County Officers

A county’s charter “shall provide for . . . the form of the county government, the number, kinds, manner of selection, terms of office and salaries of the county officers . . . .” Mo. Const. art. VI, § 18(b). Additionally, article VI, § 18(e), generally prohibits the General Assembly from providing for county offices or employees or fixing the salaries of county officers or employees.

Clearly, article VI, § 18(b) and (e), operates to vest control of charter county officers entirely in the county charter and ordinances enacted under the charter, to the exclusion of state legislative action. Thus, in State ex inf. Dalton ex rel. Shepley v. Gamble, 280 S.W.2d 656 (Mo. banc 1955), St. Louis County was held empowered in its charter...