Ward fight prompts slowdown

ST. LOUIS -- Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, who called Mayor Francis Slay a racist and a bigot earlier this week, is still fuming about a Board of Alderman vote to approve a new ward map and is using parliamentary maneuvers to make her point.

Tyus, whose ward on the city's heavily black north side is shifting to a racially diverse south side neighborhood, demanded that all bills pending before the board on Friday be read aloud before a vote. She also requested roll-call votes on all board action, including relatively minor matters.

The result was a meeting that lasted two hours and 15 minutes, even though there was no debate and no controversial issues on the agenda. The meeting should have taken about 30 minutes, said acting Aldermanic President Jim Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury said the slowdown effort will "create animosity and ill will" between Tyus and the other aldermen.

Tyus is upset about the parliamentary maneuvers Shrewsbury used earlier in the week while the board considered redistricting and the new ward map. Expecting a filibuster from Tyus and others, Shrewsbury used parliamentary procedure to block any debate on the redistricting plan. It passed easily, 19-7, with five black members of the board supporting it.