Proposed Bill Would Combine Worth, Nodaway, and Gentry Counties

A proposed bill, House Joint Resolution 55, making its way through the Missouri House would combine several different counties throughout the state. Included in the proposed consolidation are Worth, Nodaway, and Gentry Counties, which would be consolidated under one county. Mercer and Harrison Counties would also be combined.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Gina Mitten (D-83), who represents a St. Louis area district. It was introduced and read the first time on February 28th and read a second time on March 1st. There are currently no hearings scheduled on the bill. There are no co-sponsors.

The bill is a ballot measure which, if passed by both houses, would go before Missouri voters. It would be on the November 2020 ballot or at a special election to be called by the governor. It would amend Article VI of the Missouri Constitution.

The measure would consolidate 31 counties in Missouri into 14. Each new consolidated county would have the name of the county in its grouping that had the largest population on January 1st, 2021. Hence, Gentry and Worth Counties would become part of Nodaway County, while Mercer County would become part of Harrison County.

If the measure passes the legislature and is then passed by voters, each of these counties would begin a two-year transition period with a chief executive appointed. That chief executive position would then become an elected official, and employ staff from all three counties to assist him or her.

All persons serving as commissioners as of January 1st, 2019, would serve until the November 2022 election. Three new commissioners would then be elected to serve the consolidated counties. The one with the most votes would serve for six years; the one with the next most would serve for four years, while the one with the next most would serve for two years. Terms of each commissioner would then be six year terms.

Under the bill, the following counties would be consolidated:
–Atchison and Holt;
–Barton and Dade;
–Caldwell and Daviess;
–Carter, Reynolds, and Shannon;
–Clark and Lewis;
–Douglas and Ozark;
–Gentry, Nodaway, and Worth;
–Harrison and Mercer;
–Hickory and Saint Clair;
–Knox, Schuyler, and Scotland;
–Maries and Osage;
–Monroe and Shelby;
–Putnam and Sullivan.

State Representative Allen Andrews said that this measure was filed in response to talk of a similar measure merging St. Louis and St. Louis County. Andrews said that the only people who should be allowed to vote to merge jurisdictions should be the local citizens. “Please know, this legislation is going nowhere,” he wrote on Facebook from his personal account. “I started working to shut this down the moment I saw it. You elected me as a gatekeeper for determining what legislation gets out. I’m making sure HJR 55 stays in the hog pen.”