ST. LOUIS (AP) – The Municipal League of Metro St. Louis plans to vote Thursday on a proposal to allow the city of St. Louis to become the 91st municipality in the county.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the vote would be only an endorsement of the idea. Any plan to allow the city to become a county municipality would either have to be approved by city and county residents, or a petition would be needed to have the issue decided by a statewide vote.

The league’s executive board has voted unanimously in favor of the proposal. The league has 86 municipalities and St. Louis city and county.

The city and county separated in 1876. Critics have long contended the separation created unnecessary rivalries and slowed economic development in the city and county.