Wellston mayor given power to deny paychecks to council members

WELLSTON, Mo. (AP) -- Members of the Wellston City Council now have a lot more incentive to make it to meetings.

The council agreed this week to give the mayor power to deny paychecks to members who miss two consecutive regular or special meetings without an excused absence.

Mayor Frank McNeil, three council members and others expressed outrage at a meeting last month because three other council members had missed about 10 meetings over the past year. The four officials at that meeting decided to conduct business without a quorum, risking legal action.

Council members earn $625 monthly, making them among the highest paid in the St. Louis area. Wellston has about 2,500 residents and has suffered financial problems over the past few decades.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com