Missouri law requires school board members to have lived in the district and been citizens for at least three years immediately before election. In reporting on the dispute over Robert Harvey’s eligibility, St. Louis Public Radio said county property records listed a Florissant address for vehicle property taxes paid by Harvey through 2024. St. Louis Magazine reported that former board member Ben Conover and his lawyer allege Harvey owned a home in Florissant and paid personal property taxes there for 2024; they say records have not been produced showing Harvey lived in St. Louis before buying a city home in October 2024. The magazine also reported that the lawsuit alleges Harvey did not pay those taxes in the city that year. These claims remain allegations, not a court finding.
The board appointed Harvey to a vacant seat on Jan. 21, voting unanimously after interviewing candidates. The seat became vacant when Conover resigned in October. Board President Karen Collins-Adams told St. Louis Public Radio that she had confirmed Harvey met the three-year residency requirement. His planned Jan. 27 swearing-in was postponed because of inclement weather, and he took the oath on Feb. 10, the station reported.
The challenge and its timetable
Conover filed the case seeking Harvey’s removal, according to St. Louis Magazine. The magazine reported that Harvey’s lawyers have argued the three-year requirement did not apply to him, opposed discovery requests, and sought additional time after Conover’s lawyer, Matt Davis, moved for summary judgment. Davis told the magazine that he sought evidence of city residency and questioned whether decisions made while Harvey’s eligibility is unresolved could later be challenged. Harvey and the school board’s attorney did not respond to requests for comment described in the magazine’s report.
The lawsuit invokes a Missouri statute that allows more than 10 district residents to seek a board member’s removal. St. Louis Magazine reported that the law directs a court to act within 10 days, a period Davis characterized as impractical under current civil-procedure rules. The magazine described the provision as specific to St. Louis and rarely used. The board declined to comment on the pending case, the outlet reported.
The district’s decision calendar
The evidentiary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16, after the board’s planned Nov. 10 vote on a proposal to close 14 schools for the 2027-28 school year. The district is scheduled to present a final recommendation on Oct. 27. St. Louis Public Radio reported that the proposal cites declining enrollment and a need to stabilize district finances, and that the district reduced its original list from 20 schools after families objected.
Harvey previously moved to extend the closure-planning schedule so officials could gather more feedback from families and staff, according to St. Louis Public Radio’s report. The hearing is therefore set to follow the vote on a major district proposal. Whether Harvey is eligible to serve will remain unresolved when the board considers that proposal.
