5 Questions to Answer Before Oakville Can Incorporate

As Oakville residents fight against the senior housing complex already under construction on Telegraph Road, many are starting to wonder: Could Oakville incorporate?

"I think now is a crucial time to get serious about letting the public know (and, thus St. Louis County) that Oakville is gearing up to start the effort to incorporate," Lisa Eichhorst-Crawford wrote on an Oakville Facebook page. "Not in the mood to be called unfair names by some because I like Oakville the way it is!"

Here are five questions all communities must consider before deciding to incorporate. Feel free to leave your answers in the comments and raise more questions for our community.

Before Oakville can incorporate, we must know:

1. What are Oakville's boundaries? These boundaries would be approved by a vote of Oakville's residents.

2. Who would run the city? Would Oakville voters elect a mayor? A board of trustees? Aldermen? And most importantly, how much would these positions be paid? How full- or part-time would they be?

3. How would Oakville hire staff, like a city manager, who handles the day-to-day tasks of the city, especially as elected officials transition in and out?

4. How would Oakville police the city? Would Oakville have it's own police force? Would they contract with the county police?

5. And the most important question: Where will the money come from? Does Oakville have enough shopping to support a tax base for the city to operate on? Or is Oakville a bedroom community with local taxes?