The Camp Street Bridge, a much discussed topic at recent City Council meetings in Washington, Missouri, is now the subject of a lawsuit.  The lawsuit calls into question the legality of passing the Camp Street Bridge measures as resolutions rather than ordinances.  Ordinances are the typical means of approval by the Washington, Missouri City Council.  

 

Resolutions were passed approving easements and the bridge's construction during the March 17th, 2008 City Council meeting.  During that meeting, Councilman Rhodes alluded to the likelihood of a lawsuit as a result of what he called a "backdoor approach".  Rhodes was referring to the request that the easement and construction approvals be accomplished via a resolution rather than an ordinance, thereby making it possible to approve the bridge without five affirmative council votes.  The council was presented the easements and construction agreement as a series of ordinances at a prior meeting.  Those ordinances, however, failed to pass.

 

City Attorney Mark Piontek commented that, while historically such measures have been accomplished by ordinance, "there is nothing in the codes or in the statutes that require expenditures or money to be only approved by ordinance".