The St. Louis County Council is asking voters to elect their own attorney.

The members voted 4 to 3 on Wednesday for the placement the measure on the ballot in November. If voters approve, the council would have the power to hire outside attorneys for legal advice, represent members in legal proceedings they face in their official capacity and enforce subpoenas.

The proposal goes much further than a proposal adopted in 2019 that divided the county council’s office into three units representing the executive, legislative and judicial branches. All of these lawyers would be under the authority of the counsel, who is appointed by the county council. Any person hired under this new arrangement would not be subject to that authority.

Ernie Trakas, a Republican councilman from St. Louis County’s Sixth District, was one of the three no votes.

“This bill will result in a lawsuit being filed against the county that the county will lose, and will create additional costs for law firms or outside counsel to defend themselves in a case that has no chance of success,” he said.

County Executive Sam Page agreed, calling the proposal a poor change to solve a problem that was “already solved several years ago by amending the charter.”

The fate of the measure was uncertain until the meeting began. Just hours earlier, a judge had ruled that 3rd District Councilman Dennis Hancock, R-Fenton, vacate his place because he had hired his stepdaughter as an employee in his office, in violation of the state constitution. This would have led to a blockade in the council and the measure would have been rejected.

However, another judge later ruled that Hancock did not have to immediately give up his powers and could vote at the meeting.

“The events of today and yesterday are precisely why we need our own lawyer,” Hancock said.

The St. Louis City Council has the authority to appoint its own attorney, Who is commissioned According to city law, he is empowered to “administer the legal affairs of the board,” including “representing the board and its members in litigation and such other special duties and responsibilities as may be authorized.”