Mayoral candidate withdraws from election
Three Leadwood police officers have resigned and the only mayoral candidate has withdrawn from the April election.
Johnny Hartley’s name will be on the ballot, because he did not withdraw it in time for it to be removed. However, Hartley said he plans to decline if he is elected.
“I have decided not to be mayor of Leadwood,” he told the Daily Journal. “I love the city, and I want to move forward. But I feel there are issues that I cannot agree with, and I feel I would be unable to achieve my goals.
“I apologize to the people who supported me, but I feel that there are others who are better qualified to be a better mayor than myself.”
Hartley announced his decision after Monday night’s board of aldermen meeting, but declined to talk on the record about that meeting or its effect on his decision.
Hartley was instrumental in bringing Ferlin Husky to Leadwood and has arranged for country singer Daryle Singletary to perform in the city June 10 at West County.
“Working with the park (advisory) board and as entertainment director of the Fall Fest — I enjoy that,” he said. “Promoting concerts for the city — that’s where my heart is.”
During the monthly board meeting, aldermen accepted the resignations of full-time officers Jared Heath and Sgt. Jeff Cornman, as well as the resignation of part-time officer Elizabeth Deer, City Clerk Sarah Moyers.
Deer left the department to work in the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department. Cornman’s and Heath’s reasons for resigning were not given,
The board hired two officers as replacements and one returned from leave. Reserve officer Todd Rayl was hired full-time and Anthony Benson went from reserve officer to part-time police officer.
Angela Diamond came back from a leave to her part-time position.
At meeting, Diamond proposed that Leadwood provide anger management classes and battery class for people convicted of misdemeanor assault, battery or similar charges in the Parkland. Diamond is trained to provide those classes and said the closest program to her proposal is in the St. Louis area.
The board asked Diamond to check out issues such as liability to the city, possible class sites and where fees to take the classes would go. She is to bring the issue back to the board in March.
Resident Randy Beckett asked the board whether the city is responsible for replacing a wall by his house on West Street that is falling down. The board will find the answer to his question. Beckett also asked for the city to plow a gravel road it changed from “unimproved” to 10th Street. The board made no decision on his request.
In the ongoing issue of whether the city can afford a required audit, guest speaker Janice Newbrand offered to audit Fiscal Year (FY) 2007-08 this year and FY 2009-2010 next year, which would allow the city to split the payment over a two-year period.
The board tabled the issue until members have time to discuss the proposal in greater detail.
The board discussed with Park Advisory Board President Larry Hackworth the payment of Singletary that was made with advisory board funds before the board was notified. Hackworth explained that they had to send the money immediately to book Singletary, or they risked losing the contract.
The money used came from donations to the park board, not the city budget, Hackworth pointed out. The board said they should have been notified, regardless.
In other business, the board:
• Agreed to buy four new tires for patrol car 707 and have it aligned
• Discussed the cost of upsizing pumps for the water and sewer department from 2-horse to 5-five horse pumps, which could cost up to $35,000
• Agreed to send Moyers to the New Clerks Institute at the Lake of the Ozarks, Oct. 6-10. The city will cover the cost of the class and hotel, and will reimburse Moyers for gas and dinner.
Paula Barr is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 172 or at pbarr@dailyjournalonline.com.
