According to three different sources, four Brentwood city employees were fired on November 9.
All sources said that Brentwood Mayor Chris Thornton and City Administrator Bola Akande told those fired that their services were no longer needed, and their positions were being eliminated. All were long-time employees.
He said they were fired “without any prior notice and seemingly without cause.”
One said that the Human Resources manager did not know this would occur until it actually happened.
Another said she heard from one of the those fired that their health insurance ended the day after they were fired.
Those fired were Sue Krewson and Barb Cross in city hall; and CJ McClure and Jason Oestreicher in the Brentwood Police Department. Two at the police department were the final civilians working in the department, one said.
“This is part of a pattern by the mayor that has caused all the Brentwood employees to feel threatened,” one said.
One said the November firings were in addition to Dan Kornfeld, former Brentwood Parks and Recreation athletic supervisor, who was let go from his job “unceremoniously after 34 years of loyal service to the city of Brentwood,” last year. He died several months later.
Before anyone makes any judgement on this situation I think you should investigate it from the source or speak to your alderman as I did and see how and why this took place. I think Doug has some wrong information and people are jumping to conclusions. Please ask someone who is in the know before you jump to these conclusions and they do have health insurance if they so desire.
Well Marty-why don’t you fill in the blanks for us? Gezz….you investigated it and spoke to you alderman? OK….
I think Doug should have reported properly and printed things the right way. These people where not fired their jobs were eliminated after much investigation and they were all given a very wonderful package at the time of their departure. I spoke to three different alderman in two different wards. They where also offered insurance in their package all sick and vacation pay.
Have you ever had to pay for COBRA insurance? It is very cost prohibitive! And regarding sick pay and vacation pay…they have to pay that, so no one got any favors in thios deal!
Yes. Thats their SIGNATURE MOVE! Severance pay… Earned paid Sick Time, Vacation and COMP! ….because everyone can live off of $12000 for a life time.HAHAHA
Oh, what a relief! The 4 City workers were not fired — rather their jobs were eliminated. That should make them feel more upbeat. I hope none of the aldermen used the rosy term “a very wonderful package,” but if one did, I would observe that it’s always easier to be cheerful when someone else is losing his or her job. Marty, who were the aldermen who told you the workers got a good deal?
Agreed, Madden. I’d much rather be eliminated than fired. Sadly they both equal NO JOB!
This is such a sad state in a community our size. Many think of us of as the “Mayberry” of St. Louis, if they only knew.
Anyone out there wanting to start a group and we can do our own search for a new mayor?
There has to be an individual with integrity, honest, and will open up will transparency in Brentwood that as a group we could recruit.
The key is they need to know going in to a Mayoral Race, they have the backing of supporters.
Everyone know how nasty the opposition will be to avoid positive change.
Any thoughts, my fellow Brentwood Citizens?
Mark Wilson for Mayor. He was a child when his parents move to Brentwood. He is considered a hometowner not a carpetbager.
MARK WILSON AND FAMILY HAVE R-E-A-L HEARTS. They would never disgrace our city as thornton has. thornton did a 180 as SOON as he was sworn in. He replaced all his promises with his REAL agenda. And has done that with the same “McHappy Clown” re-used grease that sells burgers and fries. MARK WILSON CITED THE LOW TURNOUT AS BOTH SAD AND TELLING. We need citizens to STEP UP and take the City Back. Our dearly departed Louise Charboney would want more flowers and trees AND A BOAT LOAD MORE TRANSPARENCY AND RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING.
I know all of your comments are true and to the point. However, I believe you all missed two points.
1. The increase in sales tax failed. What did both outsider’s do, penalize the residence by cutting the payroll to make up some of the short fall in sales tax.
2. The penalty you were to pay each year for sales tax loss for shopping on line, to cover some of the short loss, again cut the payroll.
When Police Chief Steve Disbennett was still here and Chief Fitzgerald was here I voiced my opinion via 40 South to hire three more patrolmen to help with saturation patrolling in The Pointe and Promenade due to the pick-up of crime. What did the hatchet tem do fire two civilian employees from the police department. Apparently they were hired to do a job that relieved two policemen so the policemen could patrol the streets and neighborhoods.
Those who denied Mark Wilson for this Mayor have received what they voted for, a tyrant Ebenezer Scrooge, (Thornton), and his puppet Bola Akande.
Comment from knew you from the BEGINNING I believe you are correct about his attorney credentials. I remember reading in 40 South before the first election someone wrote a comment “SOME PEOPLE PROJECT THEMSELVES TO BE SOMETHING THEY ARE NOT.”
Doug can you search out the comment or words to that effect! It was the election Mark Wilson ran against Thornton.
Let us all understand Mayor Kelley was not the sharpest tool in the tool shed, or was one Brick short of a load. Remember when he wrote a letter to the JUDGE in support of Chris Seemayer, the man who used a City credit card to gamble away $30,000.
When I was still in the Corps I told one of my men, never lie to me are I will crucify you. He got into trouble with Marine Military Police. I supported my man because he told me he was not lying to me I informed him what would happen to him as I had promised. When I read the official investigation it appeared to me he was lying. The investigation revealed two of my good Marines were with him during the incident. I called them into my office and they both stated the man was lying. By the time I was through with him for lying to me, he was awarded a Special Courts-Martial found guilty of several charges, he was confined to Fort Leavenworth Federal Correctional Command, award 6 months at hard labor, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and a Bad Conduct Discharge. This man’s sentence was resynced by the Battalion Commander after we spoke. I agreed with the Battalion Commander and requested the man be reassigned to me when he returns. The man came back from Fort Leavenworth and came to see me. He shook my hand and thanked me for my digging in my heels because by that time he hit the bottom. When he was brought back he was giving classes to enlisted men on the Uniform Code of Military Justice and told them it all started by lying to his 1stSgt.
I have always said if a politician is caught lying to me, he is probably also stealing from me.
Not sure why the military part was added. Seems like a self gratification.
Stan, Thanks! I had 3 websites open at one time. I cut and pasted the military comment to the wrong site . I was suppose to go to a military forum.
Pat Kelly wanted Chris Thornton to succeed him as mayor in 2015 and actively supported him.
Two years later he realized his mistake and tried to replace Thornton with Barb Clements. Kelly also gave us Bola Akande. He lured her in from Richmond Heights. I suspect Kelly probably regrets this pick, too, since Thornton and Akande are joined at the hip and are equally responsible for today’s municipal mess. So Brentwood continues to be haunted by the specter of Pat Kelly and his bad judgment. But Kelly does care about Brentwood and surely must be anguishing over the damage his picks are inflicting on his city and its employees.
Brian, can you verify for me Kelley agrees St. Louis County and St. Louis City should merge together, or is that just a rumor which I will detest.
Oh My! The political corruption in Brentwood never ends…. This little fiefdom needs to be dissolved and merged with Clayton or Maplewood.
Uncle Jedd, I normally agree with you in most things but you went over the edge on this last statement.
Sad, especially with Christmas right around the corner?
And it gets worse. Our new parks superintendent has just resigned after less than 18 months on the job! Peter Van Linn, a highly-respected parks official and arborist who came to us from Forest Park Forever, is jumping ship. We can no longer ignore the fact that good employees are leaving right and left – firings and resignations – under this toxic mayor and administrator. Despite Brentwood’s good pay and benefits, people can’t tolerate the stress of working for these tyrants. This duo is wrecking our city.
It’s time Chris Thornton and Bola Akande experience job loss for themselves, firsthand. It’s time we terminate them before they can do any more harm to our city. They are to blame for the City’s staggering talent drain in recent years. It was never Maureen Saunders. Ask their many victims — they’ll tell you the true story in an unguarded moment, but they must be very careful, because Thornton and Akande coerced them into signing confidentiality agreements. You know, like those profferred by sleazy sex predators like Harvey Weinstein: “Keep quiet or you’ll lose your money!” In a short period of time Thornton and Akande have decimated our City workforce, plunged City Hall morale to an all-time low, and killed a beloved employee after taking from him his purpose in life and reason to live. Alas, these two insects work for us. We can boot them in the next election. Let’s do it. I wonder if there will be any City employees left by then.
This is very upsetting to hear. Why are these people fired? I think the Brentwood residents need to know what is going on since we are paying their salaries????
We don’t need a Business License Director anymore?!?! Anyone who had dealings with Ms. Cross knows that her services are very much needed. I’d really like a detailed explanation of each of these firings from the administration.
I was fortunate that I could retire two years ago although I hoped to work till I was 65 but I new I would be high on the list to be released. Bola and the Mayor are the lowest of the low they are destroying what was a great place to work with good pay and excellent benefits all the employees now fear for there jobs every day god help them
I couldnt Agree more George.
After 13 years as a crew leader in the Public Works Department with no more than a verbal warning back in 2005 for borrowing a tool, I was fired one Friday out of the blue by 2 NEW employees that barely even knew my name! The City of Brentwood Administration has become an embarrassment to their community and I feel sorry for the loss of services to the residents and for the employees who choose to remain there!
Rob – why don’t you tell the truth? You were fired for repeatedly doing side jobs on work time. The city had photo evidence of this. Stop spreading lies.
No…. Never conducted sidework on City time. If so….had never been reprimanded for it. Check my personnel file. You have my permission. Anonymous coward!
lol – I love how he says “If so….had never been reprimanded for it.”
Catch me if you can.
So Rob you deny you were doing work on Dan Kornfeld’s property, that in turn lead to you resigning and two other employees being suspended? Why would you resign and why would 2 other employees be suspended if no one was doing anything wrong?
Truth… I am so glad you had a chance to elaborate on how you think this situation went down. First off… I have never done any work for Dan Kornfeld. Secondly I was terminated with the option to resign following work I did at Mr. Kenneths on Lavern Ct after hours. Tim Redfering, Mr Kenneths Grandson who was with me served a one day suspension and Jim Nahmensen resigned soon after. Check my time card for that day and see that I was off the clock and the so called photo documentation(that never surfaced when requested will depict me and my personal truck.
So TRUTH, your truth is far from the TRUTH! Get your facts straight next time!
I have trouble believing someone hiding behind a fake screen name over someone using their real name.
BARB CROSS for Mayor. Brentwood needs a change. Bola needs to be fired. She is ruining brentwood. Mayor Thornton is useless.
Barb Cross for mayor, HA that’d be a real hoot. yawn.
Someone was fired after 34 years of loyal service? That’s betrayal and that would have been devastating. Not a surprise that he died a few months later. Indirectly that is murder.
sUnbelievable.. THIS IS THE WRONG WAY TO DO THIS.. chris thorn. YOU HAVE NOT CHANGED A BIT. You are the same insincere, play loose autocrat i know you to be. let’s use a metaphor
Doctor SAYS YOU NEED TO LOSE 30 POUNDS. SO (S)HE IS SCHEDULING YOU FOR AN AMPUTATION OF WHICH EVER LEG YOU CHOOSE. THAT WILL BE MOST EXPEDIENT AND PRODUCTIVE WAY TO LOSE THOSE 30 POUNDS. AND NO. YOU WILL NOT HAVE INSURANCE FOR REHAB OR PROSTHETICS. DEAL WITH IT.
I am livid. People have researched YOUR atty background employment. GOOD sources stated you failed in your professional performance and were “repositioned” into another department, with the TITLE of attorney. i have a B.S. in Legal Education in a private school in NY. best guess–you were ‘repositioned’ as legal assistant (secretary) and not even paralegal in position.
i am NEVER speechless but close to it. IF RESEARCH IS TRUE and i believe it is in a heartbeat YOU …YOU were demoted for poor performance i have more, but even i have a limit on lack of charity. YOU PUSHED THAT BOUNDARY. so YOU HAVE A GOOOOOOD HOLIDAY……..U heartless, money grubbing, self-consume ‘HOG’ man sellout of a ba******. Don’t bother to mount a defense. what you have done is INDEFENSIBLE, like amputating your whole leg so you suddenly are 30 pounds lighter…It seems incredulous that you would go this route with loyal, PROFICIENT employees; you of ALL (failures)–yes, incredulous to believe.