The Brentwood Board of Aldermen meetings scheduled for Jan. 6, which were canceled because of snow, have been rescheduled for Jan. 14.
On the agenda for the regular meeting, at 7 p.m., is acceptance of donated equipment from O’B. Clark’s and an Eagle Scout recognition.
Three bills are on the agenda:
- An ordinance to authorize an agreement with the Missouri Department of Transportation for improvements in the Hanley Industrial Complex. It is listed as on hold
- An ordinance to approve signage for the Bank of Springfield, at 1705 S. Brentwood Boulevard (1st and 2nd reading)
- An ordinance to approve the site development plan for exterior renovation for the building at 1705 S. Hanley Road, the Animal Protective Association. (1st and 2nd reading)
Read a synopsis of the above bills here.
Also, mayor Pat Kelley is scheduled to speak on a ‘code of conduct’ for elected city officials.
- It states city officials are to deal with city staff solely through the mayor or city administrator.
- City officials are to act collectively, and have no authority to take actions on behalf of the BOA unless authorized to do so.
- City officials are to use city resources only with authorization.
- Officials are to be responsible and dignified.
A violation may be presented as a complaint to the Missouri Ethics Commission after a majority vote by the Brentwood Board of Aldermen. Disciplinary actions could follow. Read the full proposed code of conduct here.
A closed meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. is for contract negotiation for the Brentwood Dispatch Center according to the agenda. Anonymous sources have said the meeting is for a discussion of outsourcing Brentwood’s police and fire dispatch services to the East Central Dispatch Center, in Richmond Heights.
There is no question that a code of conduct is fair. What is scary is that the option to withhold information from Alderman who are expected to vote on a topic is possible. Do you want your Alderperson to be voting on issues or paying bills that they have no facts or information to back up? To put this much power in one person’s hand is exactly what got us in trouble.
John – I would hope that in planning in zoning you collect all the facts before voting, I assume that is what you know to be your job. Why are you okay with our Alderman not having all the facts if they request?
I thought when you became a city official you do everything you can to help improve the city. Not every second of the day trying to rip it apart make calls and lie and do every thing in your POWER to make every dept in the city look bad! Wipe the fog off the mirror you are the reason for the chaos.
To me it makes you wonder why anyone on the board of alderman would be againist establishing a code of conduct. We all know what happened in the past was very bad but why should misconduct be allowed now or in the future by any City Staff or elected officail or board member doing work in an official capacity. We something in place for the future to not allow anyone to take advantage again. What is wrong with putting some safeguards in place to ensure the information requested is warranted and necessary and that staff has the alloted time to be able to produce what is requested. You may not like that Mayor Kelly is in office but unless he is voted out in the next election, he is still in charge of our city. I for one want the city to move on in a positive manner.
There is a great deal in irony that the Mayor would introduce a bill like this given that under his leadership we did broke Brentwood laws, state laws, paid illegal benefits and had what the state auditor said was one of the worst audits in Missouri.
After the mayor presents his info on a Code of Conduct for elected city officials Seemayer will host a workshop on Ethics In Government.
As I read this, the mayor and city administrator will only provide the BOA the information they want them to have. Our Alderperson will be expected to cast a yes or no vote whether or not they have enough information to make decision.
This is very scary given the past inability of our mayor to uphold the city and state laws. All this code tells me is our leaders want the citizens to have even less information. There is no advancement of transparency with this, quite the opposite.
Article on Charlack, MO, the mayor and city administrator were indicted for stealing from the city, some officials were trying to withhold public records from other city officials.
” That’s what McCulloch called nonsense.
“I told him that he doesn’t have to hold any records on our behalf,” McCulloch said. “We already have what we need.
“No city official should have to make a Sunshine request to see a public document.” ”
Full article
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/prosecutor-charlack-chief-must-release-records-sought-by-adversary/article_c050df1a-2470-5312-ab90-c3767fe34494.html
From Mo Attorney General Opinions:
The mayor and board of aldermen of fourth class cities “have the care, management and control of the city.” Section 79.110 RSMo.
The city attorney needs to do some research.
Seems like a city with such a bad state audit review would want to be more transparent instead of being more restrictive to access to information.