New Carthage Council members working to remove city administrator
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Shortly after four new Carthage City Council members were sworn in Tuesday night (4/9), they made a series of motions ranging from the termination of City Administrator Greg Dagnan, to ordering the police chief and his officers to appear before them for questioning related to the arrest of former Carthage Parks and Recreation Director Mark Peterson. We’re taking a deeper dive into some of the controversy in Carthage.
“I’d like to make a motion to prohibit city employees from speaking to the media about city related issues without the approval of the city council members majority, or the majority of our special committees. This would exclude the right to speak to the press about concerns or complaints about the conditions of employment, which is covered in the National Labor Relations Board,” said Councilmember, Jana Hunter Schramm.
That motion was one of several made by both new and old city council members Tuesday night. Councilwoman Tiffany Cossey called for a vote of no confidence in Mayor Dan Rife — citing, among other things — violations of First Amendment rights, but not with city employees.
“He has tried to violate the First Amendment rights of our citizens, I mean, he gaveled down our citizens during public comment. Actually, I believe it was two, if I remember correctly from that meeting, so these restrictions of the First Amendment have got to stop, the violations of the Sunshine Law have got to stop,” said Councilmember Cossey.
“Not a big surprise, with the election turnout as it was. Yeah, it is what it is. We’ll get through the process and move on from here,” said Mayor Rife.
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Mayor Pro Tem Alan Snow made a motion to go into executive session. A few minutes later…
“Your honor, since we weren’t able to have a closed session, I make a motion that we terminate Mr. Dagnan’s employment immediately,” said Mayor Pro Tem Snow.
With that motion, several audience members made no secret whose side they were on. While that motion was ruled out of order and not passed, Carthage City Administrator Greg Dagnan’s future with the city will be taken up at Thursday’s special meeting (4/11).
“They’re at least going to try to terminate me, which all I can say is the only way that I can be terminated is for misconduct, and no misconduct has ever been alleged,” said City Administrator Dagnan.
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Throughout Tuesday night’s meeting, several council members commented on the growing divide in Carthage and expressed a desire to move forward.
Cossey, Rife, and Dagnan all say there is a path forward, but have differing opinions on how to get there.
“Sometimes the path to healing, you have to make cuts, unfortunately, and sometimes you have to remove the people or the persons that are causing some of the issues, and I don’t think that there’s a path forward until we make some corrections,” said Councilmember Cossey.
“We’ll get there. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but we’ll get there,” said Mayor Rife.
“I know that in this job you have a legislative body, and you have to enact their will, and I knew when I took the job that was the case. In my mind, there is a path. They don’t really seem interested in doing that, by voting on things they don’t have information on in the first meeting, but I certainly would be willing,” said City Administrator, Dagnan.
