Dardenne Prairie postpones second reading of municipal code change after vote‑count issue

The Dardenne Prairie Board of Aldermen withdrew an immediate declaration of passage and postponed the second reading of a municipal code amendment after the board discovered it did not meet the vote threshold required for a same‑night second reading.

What happened: Bill 2510 proposed a change to municipal code section 110.195 (procedures for introduction of bills). The bill was introduced and read by title. The presiding official initially announced a declaration but, after consulting legal counsel, said the ordinance required five aldermen votes to be read a second time on the same night it was introduced.

Legal clarification and immediate correction: A board member summarized the legal advice, saying that for this meeting five votes were necessary to hold a second reading the same night; because the board did not have five affirmative votes the presiding official withdrew the earlier declaration. A motion to postpone the second reading to the next meeting carried by voice vote.

Why it matters: The exchange demonstrates the board correcting its own procedure mid‑meeting after legal counsel clarified the rule for same‑night second readings. The postponement means the code amendment will return for a formal second reading when the board can satisfy the required vote threshold.

Next steps: The second reading of Bill 2510 was scheduled for the next meeting (one week later, per discussion); the transcript records the postponement motion and an agreement to revisit the item when a full board is available.