Monday, November 23, 2015

KOAM investigation: Seibert, three other council members voted to pay Woolston's legal fees

On the same day that State Auditor Nicole Galloway released a report showing how common Sunshine Law violations in governmental bodies, KOAM ran an investigative piece by veteran reporter Jordan Aubey which shows how much contempt the Joplin City Council and its attorney (who should know better) have for the concept of the public's right to know.

Aubey was looking into the request made by former City Councilman Mike Woolston that the city's taxpayers foot most of the $71,000 bill for attorney fees he racked up while fighting the attempt to remove him from the council.

As it turns out, City Attorney Peter Edwards did that one by phone, also...but he has no documentation of it and neither do any other city officials contacted by KOAM. The council rejected Woolston's request,but the City Clerk and City Attorney did not have any documentation of the vote.

Councilman Bill Scearce told KOAM that Mayor Mike Seibert, Mayor Pro Tem Morris Glaze, Miranda Lewis, and Ryan Stanley voted to pay Woolston's fees. Scearce, Ben Rosenberg, Melodee Colbert-Kean, and Gary Shaw did not vote for the motion.. One more vote and the taxpayers would have paid for Woolston's defense.






11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Buddy system run amok. Corruption no matter how you slice it.
Those four need to go.

Anonymous said...

Maybe they should pay those legal fees out of their OWN pockets ... you know... since they CARE so much. That gang of four holds NO respect for the citizens of this city and they prove over and over that they feel they can do WHATEVER they want without consequences. Thank you Randy, Jordan, and KOAM. Keep it up. It's pretty remarkable to have a TV journalist in Joplin after all these years. All we've ever had is someone (usually someone who's been out of college for about six seconds) show up (or not) on the scene and take whatever prepared sound bite has been 'okayed' by the city or schools. SURPRISE! That's NOT getting the story. That's op-ed. CLEAN UP THE CITY!!!!

Skidmark Roar said...

No Harm? No Foul!

None of your Bidness!

Anonymous said...

I think the four that voted in favor of paying Woolston's legal fees should be held accountable and made to explain to the public why they voted the way they did. This needs to be addressed in public and in open session. Until they are held accountable for their actions, and not just this situation, there will continue to be a disconnect between them and the public.

Harvey Hutchinson said...

Anyone who served on the Council( and the fiduciary responsibility to the tax payers) and even considered paying this for a nano second should resign Igor lack of sound judgement!

Harvey Hutchinson
Candidate for City Council
303-522-6622 voice and text

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Mike Woolston should get a job and pay his own bills.

Anonymous said...

There are four or five members of this current council that do not, in any way, represent either their own constituents or the views of the average citizen. They have demonstrated this time and time again by voting and/or supporting the micro-small special interests that have either the financial or political means to benefit them personally and/or professionally. Their decisions have cost the taxpayers millions, set the redevelopment of the city and its economy back 10 years, and made a mockery of responsible, ethical, and accountable city government. When was the last time any of the council members individually provided an open forum to talk with and listen to their constituents or other citizens? I believe they are afraid to provide an open forum to the public individually because they believe there is safety in numbers and can use the council proceeding rules to limit and discourage citizens from voicing their opinion. As a lifelong resident of this area, I have never seen this community more divided and more depressed about the future than what it is today. I cannot remember a time when this community had so little faith in its city leadership. The Rohr dictatorship, the Wallace-Bajjali experiment, the Woolston affair, the Chamber missteps, the Blasters dilemna, etc.....it has all taken its toll on the citizens and its time to start anew beginning with the council. Time for new leadership and a new direction that we can all be proud of.

Anonymous said...

@6:22 easy to say, but this town is notorious for complaining about those that hold office and the decisions they make instead of replacing them at the polls. People will talk about tho for a day or two, do nothing, and the same people will get reelected.

Anonymous said...

6:09 AM: How much of that is due to all the people who still get most of their information from the local official media, who have largely or entirely become a part of this corrupt establishment?

I don't think any of us regular Turner Report readers "do nothing" when it comes time for elections.

Anonymous said...

So will any "Turner approved" candidates be running in April, for council or for the school board? You, perhaps?

Anonymous said...

As of now, the school board seems to be in good enough hands.

After the tornado, I moved into my father's house, and with him turning 82 by the end of the year, I've decided to stay with him for the foreseeable future while he's healthy enough to be in a normal dwelling. For better or worse, it's just outside the city limits, so I'm not eligible for a council seat, but I pay attention because all this still affects me and mine, and I'm pretty sure one day I'll return to the city.