Missouri Constitution

Section 18(a). Any county having more than 85,000 inhabitants, according to the census of the United States, may frame and adopt and amend a charter for its own government as provided in this article, and upon such adoption shall be a body corporate and politic. In addition and as an alternative to the foregoing, any county which attains first class county status and maintains such status for at least two years shall be authorized to frame and adopt and amend a charter for its own government as provided by this article, and upon such adoption by a vote of the qualified electors of such county shall be a body corporate and politic. Counties which adopt or which have adopted a charter or constitutional form of government shall be a separate class of counties outside of the classification system established under section 8 of this article.

(Amended August 8, 1978) (Amended November 8, 1994) (Amended April 4, 1995)

(1954) Action for injunction and to compel county supervisor and county council of St. Louis County to cancel special permit to erect radio tower held not suit against county and, therefore, not within jurisdiction of supreme court. State ex rel. Town of Olivette v. American Tel. & Tel. Co. (Mo.), 273 S.W.2d 286.

(1960) A county which has adopted a charter under the constitutional provision is not a municipal corporation within statutes prohibiting the extension of boundaries of cities over adjacent unincorporated areas. Thus, a city within such county may extend its boundaries to the same extent as other cities. City of Olivette v. Graeler (Mo.), 338 S.W.2d 827.

(1961) County council of St. Louis County had power to enact ordinance requiring addition of flourides to water supply to be used in all areas of the county. Readey v. St. Louis County Water Co. (Mo.), 352 S.W.2d 622.

(1962) Injunction issued to prevent city of fourth class from constructing and maintaining sewage treatment facilities outside city limits in area designated by zoning ordinance of constitutional charter county as residential. St. Louis County v. City of Manchester (Mo.), 360 S.W.2d 638.

Missouri General Assembly