Mo. Rev. Stat. § 81.130
In all cases where farming lands, or lands not laid out in town or city lots, or used for town or city purposes, are included within the corporate limits of any town, city or municipality of this state now containing, or which may hereafter contain, twenty thousand inhabitants or less, existing or operating under a special charter, and where ten of the taxable inhabitants of said town, city or municipality shall petition the council of said town, city or municipality to become disincorporated or detached from the said municipal corporation, it shall be the duty of said council, by ordinance, to submit the question to the voters of the city, town or municipality; and if at said election a majority of the voters voting at said election, vote in favor of disincorporating or detaching said lands, then the council of said town, city or municipality shall declare the said land disincorporated or detached from the said municipality, and the same shall not thereafter be included in or be a part thereof; provided, however, that in all cases where the said town, city or municipality has any outstanding debts, liabilities or obligations, said lands shall not be disincorporated or detached until the owner or owners thereof shall have paid into the town, city or municipal treasury their just and proper proportion of such debts, liabilities or obligations.
§ 81.130, RSMo