State lawmaker resigns, accepts agency position

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Democratic state Rep. O.L. Shelton of St. Louis has resigned from the legislature to take a job at the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Shelton, who lost in the August primary for a state Senate seat, will work in the department's Division of Workplace Development in St. Louis.

"He will be working with our veterans apprenticeship program," said Jim Grebing, a department spokesman.

Shelton, 56, a 20-year House veteran, will be paid $49,140 annually. He was prohibited by term limits from seeking another House term and lost in the Aug. 6 Democratic primary to incumbent Sen. Pat Dougherty of St. Louis.

Other term-limited lawmakers also have found work with state agencies this year.

Rep. James Foley, D-St. Ann, took a job as the director of policy development for the Economic Development Department. Foley was the assistant House majority leader.

Rep. John Hickey, D-Bridgeton, was appointed earlier by Gov. Bob Holden to the state Labor and Industrial Relations Commission, as was state Sen. David Klarich, R-Ballwin.

Rep. Phil Britt, D-Kennett, resigned effective Aug. 1 and was appointed by local judges as a drug court commissioner for Dunklin and Stoddard counties.