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In the 4-5 vote, Mayor Ken McClure said the city should think about its bigger legislative priorities when making the decision.

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Cows eat silage at Royalwood Dairy near Brandon. When the Ode family attempted to expand their dairy farm more than a decade ago they faced opposition and have spent years trying to convince the public that concentrated animal feeding operations, known as CAFOs, are safe.  (Photo: Sam Caravana / Argus Leader)

The Springfield City Council on Monday opted to avoid angering members of the state Legislature by declining to rebuke lawmakers for easing regulations on large-scale livestock farms.

The resolution proposed by Councilmen Andrew Lear and Mike Schilling would have urged lawmakers to "retain local control" on rules for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs.

But five council members voted against it, including Mayor Ken McClure, who delivered an impassioned speech listing off about a half-dozen local priorities that he said may not come to pass if the council upset state lawmakers — chief among them a lodging tax increase that could make possible a new convention center. 

"This is not about making our lawmakers upset," McClure said. "It's about working with them to not make it more difficult for them to do their jobs in representing our community." 

(Every local legislator except House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Democrat who represents north and central Springfield, voted in favor of the statewide rules.)

Previous coverage:  Greene County Commission won't object to new CAFO law to avoid conflict with lawmakers

Several members of the public said the city should take a stand against what they called state overreach on a topic that could have lasting impacts on the water supply in an area of the state known for its porous topography. 

Similar concerns about putting thousands of pigs, chickens or cows and their waste on a single property have sparked opposition in several other states.

The city council joined the Greene County Commission, which voted 2-1 against the resolution last month. Commissioner Harold Bengsch was the only one to support it. 

McClure mentioned their opposition in his speech and encouraged people to speak to state lawmakers if they had a problem with the rules. 

"The focus of the attention for the proponents should be on the legislators that voted for the bill, not on the city council that can do nothing about it," he said.

Related:  Springfield councilmen look to 'stand up' against state's new CAFO law

But Councilmen Lear, Schilling, Craig Hosmer and Abram McGull all spoke about the importance of advocating for local control — the council's number one priority on a legislative wishlist.

"I think if we're going to have a general, overarching item that says we value local control, when specific items come to our attention, I think it's incumbent upon us to call that out," Councilman Lear said. "I have heard no one say that for this community (or) this county that this is something they wish for." 

McClure noted bigger cities like Springfield were exempted from the ordinance, but resolution proponents said it didn't matter since the topography of the area means all drinking water is connected. 

"If pollutants get in our water, we're all drinking it," Hosmer said.

"I served 12 years in the Legislature, and the Legislature is not some all-knowing body. They make mistakes ... and they do things that are not necessarily in the best interest of the state of Missouri and are not necessarily in the best interest of the people we represent."

But in the end, the resolution failed 4-5, with McClure, Councilman Matthew Simpson, Councilman Richard Ollis, Councilwoman Phyllis Ferguson and Councilwoman Jan Fisk voting against it. Of that group, only McClure gave comments prior to the vote. 

Pokin column:  I thought we liked local control over local issues; just not with CAFOs?