Mo. Rev. Stat. § 72.300: Absorption of municipalities authorized (certain third class counties).

Any two or more municipalities which are adjoining or contiguous to each other on two or more sides and which are located in a county of the third class having a population of not less than twenty-five thousand nor more than thirty thousand may provide for the absorption of the corporate existence and the territorial limits of one or more of the municipalities by another such municipality in the manner provided in sections 72.300 to 72.350.