Passage of every bill for the next three months will have to be bipartisan, because the council needs four votes to pass a bill.

Erby, 73, of University City, was first elected to the council in 2004. She is taking a new position: director of diversity, equity and inclusion. Her salary will more than quintuple from her $20,000 council salary. She starts on Monday.

The raise would significantly boost her pension, especially if she stays in the job for three years.

“My new job will empower me to focus on issues that are vital to St. Louis County,” Erby said in a statement. “The fact that (Page) and I worked so well together on the Council during one of the County’s most challenging periods is bound to make this effort more effective.”

Page said in a tweet: “Addressing racial disparities will be a priority for us, and (Erby) will continue to be a powerful teammate in that work.”